"Edmond Hamilton - Earthmen No More" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Edmond)

Newton reached for a calendar pad, held quite human. The words repeated
it up. He did not speak and there was pity themselves in his brain, scuttling across it
in his eyes. like spiders spinning icy webs, tightening
Carey saw the date on it, and at first it until he could barely hear Newton's voice
was too incredible to touch him. тАЬOh, no,тАЭ talking on.
he said. тАЬNot all that time, all those тАЬRobotтАжтАЭ Faintly the voice came and
generations. No, itтАЩs not true.тАЭ Carey stared at the door. The drops of
тАЬIt is.тАЭ sweat ran slowly down his face. тАЬRobot,
тАЬBut it canтАЩt be ...тАЭ His voice trailed off. human in intelligence, created by scientific
The numbers on the pad, the awful sum of geniusтАжтАЭ
years blurred and darkened before him. There were sounds behind the door.
Once more he began to tremble and this There were presences not of the flesh.
time it was for fear of life, not of death. Carey's mouth was dry with the taste of
тАЬWhy did you bring me back?тАЭ he fear.
whispered. тАЬI have no place here. I'm still тАЬтАж android, human in all respects but
a dead man.тАЭ created also in the laboratoryтАжтАЭ
Carey began to move toward the door.

A BRUPTLY, from beyond the closed What dreadful facet of the future had he
bulkhead door, there came the sound been cast into? What uncanny children of
of footsteps. Strange steps, ponderous and this undreamed-of age were lurking there
clanking, as though someone enormously behind that panel? He could not bear to
heavy walked in metal boots. Curt Newton know but somehow not knowing was
turned his head sharply. worse. Not knowing and wondering and
тАЬGrag!тАЭ he called. тАЬHold on there. thinkingтАж
Wait !тАЭ тАЬтАжthe brain of a great scientist, a
The footsteps hesitated and a voice from human, kept alive for many years in a
beyond the door said mockingly, тАЬI told special caseтАжтАЭ
you so. What do you want to do, frighten Robot, android, living brain. A red-
the poor chap out of his wits?тАЭ The voice haired man and a date on a calendar. A
had a peculiar soft sibilance of tone. ship where there are no ships, a life where
It was answered by a rumbling metallic there is no living. A dream, CareyтАФa
growl, an utterly unhuman sound, that dream youтАЩre dreaming, drifting along


3
with the endless tides, the dark night tides
beyond the Belt. Open the door, Carey.
What difference in a dream? CHAPTER II
A human figure, lithe and graceful,
whose face had the unhappy beauty of a Return from Space
faun, green-eyed and mocking. And beside
it a shape, a towering gigantic manlike
form built all of gleaming metal. A shape
that bent toward him, reaching out its
H E could hear them talking. He did
dreadful arms, glaring at him with two not want to hear them. He did not
round, flashing eyes. want to lift his head and see them again.
A harsh, toneless voice spoke close He did not even want to be alive. But he
behind Carey, saying, тАЬCatch him, Curtis.тАЭ could not help hearing.