"C M Kornbluth - The Adventurer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kornbluth C M)

The Adventurer



C. M. Kornbluth




The Only Thing We Learn

THE PROFESSOR, though he did not know the actor's phrase for it, was counting the house-peering
through a spyhole in the door through which he would in a moment appear before the class. He was
pleased with what he saw. Tier after tier of young people, ready with notebooks and styli, chattering
tentatively, glancing at the door against which his nose was flattened, waiting for the pleasant interlude
known as "Archaeo-Literature 203" to begin.

The professor stepped back, smoothed his tunic, crooked four books on his left elbow, and made his
entrance. Four swift strides brought him to the lectern and, for the thousandth-odd time, he impassively
swept the lecture hall with his gaze. Then he gave a wry little smile. Inside, for the thousandth-odd time,
he was nagged by the irritable little thought that the lectern really ought to be a foot or so higher.

The irritation did not show. He was out to win the audience, and he did. A dead silence, the supreme
tribute, gratified him. Imperceptibly, the lights of the lecture hall began to dim and the light on the lectern
to brighten.

He spoke.
 "Young gentlemen of the Empire, I ought to warn you that this and the succeeding lectures will be most
subversive."

There was a little rustle of incomprehension from the audience-

but by then the lectern light was strong enough to show the twinkling

smile about his eyes that belied his stern mouth, and agreeable

chuckles sounded in the gathering darkness of the tiered seats. Glow

lights grew bright gradually at the students' tables, and they adjusted

their notebooks in the narrow ribbons of illumination. He waited for

the small commotion to subside. -

"Subversive-" He gave them a link to cling to. "Subversive because I shall make every effort to tell both
sides of our ancient beginnings with every resource of archaeology and with every clue my diligence has
discovered in our epic literature.

"There were two sides, you know-difficult though it may be to believe that if we judge by the Old Epic
alone-such epics as the noble and tempestuous Chant oj Remd, the remaining fragments of Kratt's