"Robert A. Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

know how it feels. This man Smith must-тАЮ
Captain van Tromp decided that it was time to throw a tantrum. He could
excuse it by his own fatigue-very real fatigue, he felt as if he had just landed
on Jupiter-and he was smugly aware that even a high councilor could not
afford to take too stiff a line with the commander of the first successful
Martian expedition.
So he interrupted with a snort of disgust. тАЮlink! тАЪThis man Smith-тАЪ This тАЪman!тАЩ
CanтАЩt you see that that is just what he is not?тАЬ
тАЮEh?тАЬ
тАЮSmith ... is . . . not . . . a . . . man.тАЬ
тАЮHuh? Explain yourself, Captain.тАЬ
тАЮSmith is not a man. He is an intelligent creature with the genes and ancestry
of a man, but he is not a man. HeтАЩs more a Martian than a man. Until we
came along he had never laid eyes on a human being. He thinks like a
Martian, he feels like a Martian. HeтАЩs been brought up by a race which has
nothing in common with us. Why, they donтАЩt even have sex. Smith has never
laid eyes on a woman-still hasnтАЩt if my orders have been carried out. HeтАЩs a
man by ancestry, a Martian by environment. Now, if you want to drive him
crazy and waste that тАЪtreasure trove of scientific information,тАЩ call in your fat-
headed professors and let them badger him. DonтАЩt give him a chance to get
well and strong and used to this madhouse planet. Just go ahead and
squeeze him like an orange. ItтАЩs no skin off me; IтАЩve done my job!тАЬ
The ensuing silence was broken smoothly by Secretary General Douglas
himself. тАЮAnd a good job, too, Captain. Your advice will be weighed, and be
assured that we will not do anything hastily. If this man, or manMartian,
Smith, needs a few days to get adjusted, IтАЩm sure that science can wait-so
take it easy, Pete. LetтАЩs table this part of the discussion, gentlemen, and get
on to other matters. Captain van Tromp is tired.тАЬ
тАЮOne thing wonтАЩt wait,тАЬ said the Minister for Public Information.
тАЮEh, Jock?тАЬ
тАЮIf we donтАЩt show the Man from Mars in the stereo tanks pretty shortly, youтАЩll
have riots on your hands, Mr. Secretary.тАЬ
тАЮHmm- You exaggerate, Jock. Mars stuff in the news, of course. Me
decorating the captain and his brave crew-tomorrow, that had better be.
Captain van Tromp telling of his experiences-after a nightтАЩs rest of course,
Captain.тАЬ
The minister shook his head.
тАЮNo good, Jock?тАЬ
тАЮThe public expected the expedition to bring back at least one real live
Martian for them to gawk at. Since they didnтАЩt, we need Smith and need him
badly.тАЬ
тАЮтАЩLive Martians?тАЩтАЬ Secretary General Douglas turned to Captain van Tromp.
тАЮYou have movies of Martians, havenтАЩt you?тАЬ
тАЮThousands of feet.тАЬ
тАЮThereтАЩs your answer, Jock. When the live stuff gets thin, trot on the movies
of Martians. The people will love it. Now, Captain, about this possibility of
extraterritoriality: you say the Martians were not opposed to it?тАЬ
тАЮWell, no, sir-but they were not for it, either.тАЬ
тАЮI donтАЩt follow you?тАЬ
Captain van Tromp chewed his lip. тАЮSir, I donтАЩt know just how to explain it.