"Robert A Heinlein - Red Planet v1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

"Get sleepy outdoors. Nice and cold, find hole in ground.
Curl up and take good long sleep. How about it?"

"No!" The doctor had to look sharply to see that it was not
Jim who had answered; when Willis spoke for himself he
always used Jim's voice. Willis's sound diaphragm had no
special quality of its own, any more than has the diaphragm 6f
a radio loudspeaker. It was much like a loudspeaker's dia-
phragm, save that it was part of a living animal.

"That seems definite, but we'll try it from another angle.
Willis, do you want to stay with Jim?"

"Willis stay with Jim." Willis added meditatively, "Warm!"

"There's the key to your charm, Jim," the doctor said
dryly. "He likes your blood temperature. But ipse dixit-keep
him with you. I don't mink it will hurt him. He may live fifty
years instead of a hundred, but he'll have twice as much fun."

"Do they normally live to be a hundred?" asked Jim.

"Who knows? We haven't been around this planet long
enough to know such things. Now come on, get out. I've got
work to do." The doctor eyed his bed thoughtfully. It had not
been made in a week; he decided to let it wait until wash day.

"What does 'ipse dixit' mean. Doc?" asked Francis.

"It means, 'He sure said a mouthful.'"

"Doc," suggested Jim, "Why don't you have dinner with
us tonight? I'll call mother. You, too, Frank."

"Huh uh," Frank denied. "I'd better not. My mother says I
eat too many meals with you folks."

"My mother, if she were here, would undoubtedly say the
same thing," admitted the doctor. "Fortunately I am free of
her restraining influence. Call your mother, Jim."

Jim went to the phone, tuned out two colonial housewives
gossiping about babies, and finally reached his home on an
alternate frequency. When his mother's face appeared on the
screen he explained his wish. "Delighted to have me doctor
with us," she said. 'Tell him to hurry along. Jimmy."

"Right away. Mom!" Jim switched off and reached for his
outdoor suit.