"Bradbury, Ray - The Illustrated Man" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bradbury Ray)

УItТs supposed to help them work off their neuroses in a healthful way.Ф

УIТm starting to wonder.Ф He stared at the ceiling.

УWeТve given the children everything they ever wanted. Is this our rewardЧsecrecy, disobedience?Ф

УWho was it said, СChildren are carpets, they should be stepped on occasionallyТ? WeТve never lifted a hand. TheyТre insufferableЧletТs admit it. They come and go when they like; they treat us as if we were offspring. TheyТre spoiled and weТre spoiled.Ф

УTheyТve been acting funny ever since you forbade them to take the rocket to New York a few months ago.Ф

УTheyТre not old enough to do that alone, I explained.Ф

УNevertheless, IТve noticed theyТve been decidedly cool toward us since.Ф

УI think IТll have David McClean come tomorrow morning to have a look at Africa.Ф

УBut itТs not Africa now, itТs Green Mansions country and Rima.Ф

УI have a feeling itТll be Africa again before then.Ф

A moment later they heard the screams.

Two screams. Two people screaming from downstairs. And then a roar of lions.

УWendy and Peter arenТt in their rooms,Ф said his wife.

He lay in his bed with his beating heart. УNo,Ф he said. УTheyТve broken into the nursery.Ф

УThose screamsЧthey sound familiar.Ф

УDo they?Ф

УYes, awfully.Ф

And although their beds tried very hard, the two adults couldnТt be rocked to sleep for another hour. A smell of cats was in the night air.

УFather?Ф said Peter.

УYes.Ф

Peter looked at his shoes. He never looked at his father any more, nor at his mother. УYou arenТt going to lock up the nursery for good, are you?Ф

УThat all depends.Ф

УOn what?Ф snapped Peter.

УOn you and your sister. If you intersperse this Africa with a little varietyЧoh, Sweden perhaps, or Denmark or ChinaЧУ

УI thought we were free to play as we wished.Ф