"Madeline L' Engle - Time Quartet 04 - Many Waters" - читать интересную книгу автора (L'Engle Madeleine)

Dennys panted. "I thinkтАФwe're gettingтАФheatтАФheat
prostration."

Japheth looked at them anxiously. "Sun-sickness can be
dangerous." He reached up and touched Dennys's cheek.
Shook his head. "You're cold and clammy. Bad sign." He
put his hand against his forehead. Appeared to be thinking
deeply. Then: "What about a unicorn?"

"What about it?" Sandy asked. He felt tired and irrit-
able.

"If we could get a couple of unicorns to become real and
solid for us, they could carry you to the oasis."

25 '^K Virtual particles and virtual unicorns

The twins looked at each other, each seeing a red,
sweating mirror version of himself. "We've never gone in
for mythical beasts," Dennys said.

Sandy added, "Meg says unicorns have been ruined by
overpopularity."

Japheth frowned. "I don't understand what you're say-
ing."

Dennys, too. frowned. Thinking. Then: "Jay's unicorns
sound more like Mother's virtual particles than like myth-
ical beasts."

Sandy was exasperated. "Virtual particles aren't myth-
ical. They're theoretical."

Dennys shot back, "If Mother can believe in her way-
^ out theories, we ought to be able to believe in virtual
^- unicorns."

"What kind of unicorns?" Japheth looked puzzled. "Is it
because you're some strange kind of giant that there's all
''. this confusion?" !"

"Unicorns have never been a matter of particular im-
portance before." Sandy wiped his hands across his face
and was surprised to find that the beads of sweat were in-
deed cold-

"They're important now." Dennys groaned. "Mother
believes in virtual particles, so there's no reason there
can't be virtual unicorns."