"Murray Leinster - A Logic Named Joe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Leinster Murray)

Laki screamed piercingly. Your father heard, and came rushing with a first-aid kit. He arrived to view
GinnyтАФbless herтАФstanding embattled above me with the hartlegame bat in her hand and blood in her
eye. You were collapsed on the floor.
Your father gasped: "WhaтАФwhatтАФ"
And Ginny said in a level and determined tone, "He's Charles's fifty-second-great-grandfather, sir,
and Charles hit him. It wasn't respectfulтАФso I clobbered him."
The word "clobbered" is not in thirty-fourth century common speech. Ginny had learned it from the
reading of this missive to you. She had not known what it meant, but when the emergency arrived she not
only knew what to do, but had the word for it. Your great-great-great-etc.-ancestress is a remarkable
woman, Charles! She has brains, determination, intuition, clarity of thought, and she is deliciously
cuddlesome besides. Even after having been married to her for a considerable time, I like her very, very
much!
"What's that?" demanded your father dazedly. "Great-greatтАФ"
Hari and Stan tried to explain, together. I opened my eyes and saw Ginny. My last previous view had
been of a hamlike fist gaining momentum before my nose. Ginny was a welcome change. I sat up, staring
at her. My mouth dropped open.
I heard myself saying earnestly: "Look, angel! It's not true there's no marrying in Heaven, is it? With
you around that would be a dirty trick."
And Ginny kissed me. It was quite proper. She had read this letter, and she knew that she was going
to marry meтАФknew it in fact the instant she saw meтАФand even that nearly two years later I would still
be bragging about it. In fact, I would beтАФI amтАФgloating over it in a quite unseemly manner. So her
engagement to you, Charles, was automatically terminated by my arrival. In its place an arrangement of
much longer standing matured. And while I do not believe in long engagements as a rule, Ginny's and
mine of some fourteen centuries' duration has worked out all right.
You stirred and rose. I was still there. Ginny was very close to me. You howled and leaped toward
me again. I got in one gratifying punch on the noseтАФwhich does resemble mine, by the wayтАФand then
Harl and Stan and your father grabbed you, and Ginny grabbed me. When she touched me, all my
belligerent impulses died. I felt infinite love for all the world. I might even have forgiven you, Charles,
temporarily, for being my rival as well as my fifty-two-times removed grandson.
Your father said desperately, "Let me understand this thing!" He pushed you into a chair and looked
unhappily at me. My costume was eccentric. Harl and Stan again tried to explain.
But you, Charles, bellowed, "It's a lie! It's a trick! It's a stupid practical joke! I'll killтАФ"
Laki said shakily, "Suppose we let the police settle it. If he really is who the book saysтАФ"
You bounced up and roared, "I'll get 'em! You hold that faker here, Father, and I'll teach these idiots
to play jokes." You rushed out. Your father mopped his face.
I said mildly to Ginny, still standing close by me, "Where am I, anyhow? Not that it matters."
Ginny reached out her hand to Stan. As if somnambulistically, he handed her a book. It was an
ancient, crumbling, tattered volume of fiction. Ginny opened it with fingers that trembled only a very little.
I read:

To: Charles Fabius Granver
Sector 233, Zone 3, Home 1254, Radii.
The Thirty-Fourth Century, a.d.
My dear great-great-great-etc.-grandson
Charles:

Ginny said softly in my ear, "Read it! Fast!"
I read.
I heard your father saying harassedly, "His face does look familiar. . . ."
I handed him the book and bowed benignly. I said, "Sir, I am very happy to have met you. It is a rare