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

Father Mark intensely. He recoiled a bit under the impact of their eyes, then smiled.
"Nothing created God, since He is the Creator. He always wasтАФ"
 "If He always was in existenceтАФwhy cannot the universe have always been in existence? Without
having had a creator?" Itin broke in with a rush of words. The importance of the question was obvious.
The priest answered slowly, with infinite patience.
"Would that the answers were that simple, my children. But even the scientists do not agree about the
creation of the universe. While they doubtтАФwe who have seen the light know. We can see the miracle of
creation all about us. And how can there be a creation without a Creator? That is He, our Father, our
God in Heaven. I know you have doubts and that is because you have souls and free will. Still the answer
is simple. Have faith, that is all you need. Just believe."
"How can we believe without proof?"
"If you cannot see that this world itself is proof of His existence, then I say to you that belief needs no
proofтАФif you have faith!"
A babble of voices arose in the room and more of the Wesker mouths were open now as they tried
to force their thoughts through the tangled skein of words and separate the thread of truth.
"Can you tell us, Garth?" Itin asked, and the sound of his voice quieted the hubbub.
"I can tell you to use the scientific method which can examine all thingsтАФincluding itselfтАФand give
you answers that can prove the truth or falsity of any statement."
"That is what we must do," Itin said. "We had reached the same conclusion." He held a thick book
before him and a ripple of nods ran across the watchers. "We have been studying the Bible as Father
Mark told us to do, and we have found the answer. God will make a iracle for us, thereby proving that
He is watching us. And by this sign we will know Him and go to Him."
"This is a sign of false pride," Father Mark said. "God needs no miracles to prove His existence."
But we need a miracle!" Itin shouted, and though he wasn't human there was still the cry of need in
his voice. "We have read here of many smaller miracles, loaves, fishes, wine, snakesтАФmany of them, for
much smaller reasons. Now all He need do is make a miracle and He will bring us all to HimтАФthe
wonder of an entire new world worshiping at His throne, as you have told us, Father Mark. And you
have told us how important this is. We have discussed this and find that there is only one miracle that is
best for this kind of thing."
His boredom and amused interest in the incessant theological wrangling drained from Garth in an
instant. He had not been really thinking or he would have realized where all this was leading. By turning
slightly he could see the illustration in the Bible where Itin held it open, and knew in advance what picture
it was. He rose slowly from his chair, as if stretching, and turned to the priest behind him.
"Get ready!" he whispered. "Get out the back and get to the ship, I'll keep them busy here. I don't
think they'll harmтАФ"
"What do you mean . . . ?" Father Mark asked, blinking in surprise.
"Get out, you fool!" Garth hissed. "What miracle do you think they mean? What miracle is supposed
to have converted the world to Christianity?"
"No!" Father Mark said. "It cannot be. It just cannotтАФ"
"GET MOVING!" Garth shouted, dragging the priest from the chair and hurling him towards the rear
wall. Father Mark stumbled to a halt, turned back. Garth leaped for him, but it was already too late. The
amphibians were small, but there were so many of them. Garth lashed out and his fist struck Itin, hurling
him back into the crowd. The others came on as he fought his way towards the priest. He beat at them
but it was like struggling against the waves. The furry, musky bodies washed over and engulfed him. He
struggled until they tied him, and he still struggled until they beat on his head until he stopped. Then they
pulled him outside, where he could only lie in the rain and curse and watch.
Of course the Weskers were marvelous craftsmen, and everything had been constructed down to the
last detail, following the illustration in the Bible. There was the cross, planted firmly on the top of a small
hill, the gleaming metal spikes, the hammer. Father Mark was stripped and draped in a carefully pleated
loincloth. They led him out of the church and at the sight of the cross he almost fainted. After that he held