"Robert A. Heinlein - Sixth Column" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

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A NATIONAL SURVEY . . .

He gradually built up a picture of a people being systematically and
thoroughly enslaved, a picture of a nation as helpless as a man completely
paralyzed, its defenses destroyed, its communications entirely in the hands
of the invaders.
Everywhere he found boiling resentment, a fierce willingness to fight
against the tyranny, but it was undirected, uncoordinated, and, in any modern
sense, unarmed. Sporadic rebellion was as futile as the scurrying of ants
whose hill has been violated. PanAsians could be killed, yes, and there were
men willing to shoot on sight, even in the face of the certainty of their own
deaths. But their hands were bound by the greater certainty of brutal multiple
retaliation against their own kind. As with the Jews in Germany before the
final blackout in Europe, bravery was not enough, for one act of violence
against the tyrants would be paid for by other men, women, and children at
unspeakable compound interest.
 SIXTH COLUMN
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this
book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely
coincidental.

Copyright (c) 1949 by Robert A. Heinlein.
Reprinted from Astounding Science Fiction, (c) 1941 by Street and Smith
Publications Inc.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions
thereof in any form.

A Baen Book
Baen Publishing Enterprises PO. Box 1403 Riverdale, NY 10471
ISBN: 0-671-72026-0
Cover art by John Melo
First Baen printing, January 1988 Fourth Baen printing, July 1995
Distributed by SIMON & SCHUSTER 1230 Avenue of the Americas New
York, NY 10020
Printed in the United States of America
For John S. Arvvine
 CHAPTER ONE
"What the hell goes on here?" Whitey Ardmore demanded.
They ignored his remark as they had ignored his arrival. The man at the
television receiver said, "Shut up. We're listening," and turned up the volume.
The announcer's voice blared out: "-Washington destroyed completely before
the government could escape. With Manhattan in ruins, that leaves no-"
There was a click as the receiver was turned off. "That's that," said the
man near it. "The United States is washed up." Then he added, "Anybody got
a cigarette?"
Getting no answer, he pushed his way out of the small circle gathered
around the receiver and felt through the pockets of a dozen figures collapsed
by a table. It was not too easy, as rigor mortis had set in, but he finally
located a half-empty pack, from which he removed a cigarette and lighted it.