"Harry Harrison - 50 in 50 - Fifty Stories in Fifty Years" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

Then he forced himself to think, and shakingly let go. The alien was still quiet, eyes open, no bubbles
apparently coming from lips or nose. Did it breathe? Had the water leaked inтАФor was it possible that it
had always been there? Was it water? Who knew what alien atmosphere it might breathe: methane,
chlorine, sulfur dioxide. Why not water? The liquid was inside, surely enough, the suit wasn't leaking and
the creature seemed unchanged.
Joze looked up and saw that Dragomir's panicked strokes had brought them into the harbor. There
was a crowd already waiting on the shore.
The boat almost overturned as Dragomir leaped up onto the harbor wall, kicking backward in his
panic. They drifted away and Joze picked the mooring line up from the floorboards and coiled it in his
hands. "Here," he shouted, "catch this. Tie it onto the ring there."
No one heard him, or if they heard, did not want to admit it. They stared down at the green-cased
figure lying in the stern sheets and a rustle of whispering blew across them like wind among pine boughs.
The women clutched their hands to their breasts, crossing themselves.
"Catch this!" Joze said through clenched teeth, forcing himself to keep his temper.
He hurled the rope onto the stones and they shied away from it. A youth grabbed it and slowly
threaded it through the rusty ring, hands shaking and head tilted to one side, his mouth dropped in a
permanent gape. He was feebleminded, too simple to understand what was going on: he simply obeyed
the shouted order.
"Help me get this thing ashore," Joze called out, and even before the words were out of his mouth he
realized the futility of the request.
The peasants shuffled backwards, a blank-faced mob sharing the same fear of the unknown, the
women like giant, staring dolls in their knee-length flaring skirts, black stockings and high felt shoes. He
would have to do it himself. Balancing in the rocking boat he cradled the alien in his arms and lifted it
carefully up onto the rough stone of the harbor wall. The circle of watchers pushed back even farther,
some of the women choking off screams and running back to their houses, while the men muttered
louder: Joze ignored them.
These people were going to be no help to himтАФand they might cause trouble. His own room would
be safest, he doubted if they Would bother him there. He had just picked up the alien when a newcomer
pushed through the watchers.
"ThereтАФwhat is that? A vragl" The old priest pointed in horror at the alien in Joze's arms and backed
away, fumbling for his crucifix.
"Enough of your superstition!" Joze snapped. "This is no devil but a sentient creature, a traveler. Now
get out of my way."
He pushed forward and they fled before him. Joze moved as quickly as he could without appearing
to hurry, leaving the crowd behind. There was a slapping of quick footsteps and he looked over his
shoulder; it was the priest, Father Perc. His stained cassock flapped and his breath whistled in his throat
with the unaccustomed exertion.
"Tell me, what are you doing . . . Dr. Kukovic? What is that . . . thing? Tell me ..."
"I told you. A traveler. Two of the local fishermen saw something come from the sky and crash. This
. . . alien came from it." Joze spoke as calmly as possible. There might be trouble with the people, but not
if the priest were on his side. "It is a creature from another world, a water-breathing animal, and it's hurt.
We must help it."
Father Perc scrambled along sideways as he looked with obvious distaste at the motionless alien. "It
is wrong.тАЭ he mumbled, "this is something unclean, Sao duh ..."
"Neither demon nor devil, can't you get that through your mind? The Church recognizes the
possibility of creatures from other planetsтАФthe Jesuits even argue about itтАФso why can't you? Even the
Pope believes there is life on other worlds."
"Does he? Does he?" the old man asked, blinking with red-rimmed eyes.
Joze brushed by him and up the steps to the window Korenc's house. She was nowhere in sight as
he went into his room and gently lowered the still-unconscious form of the alien onto his bed. The priest