"C. L. Moore - Greater Than Gods" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moore C. L)

of Bill Cory that was strong and resolute and proud; Sue, who incarnated his
gentler qualities, the tenderness, the deep desire for peace. They were such
poles apart-why, they were the poles! The positive and negative qualities
that, together, made up all that was best in Bill Gory. Even their worlds were
like two halves of a whole; one all that was strong and ruthless, the other
the epitome of gentle, abstract idealism. And both were bad, as all extremes
must be.
And if he could understand the purpose behind the fact that these two poles of
human destiny had reached back in their own pasts to find him at the same
moment-if he could understand why the two halves of his soul, split into
positive and negative entities, stood here clothed almost in his own flesh to
torture him with indecision, perhaps- He could not choose between them, for
there was no choice, but
there was a deeper question here than the simple question of conduct. He
groped for it blindly, wondering if the answer to everything might not lie in
the answer to that question. For there was purpose here
vaster than anything man has words for-something loomed behind it to shadowy
heights that made his mind reel a little as he tried to understand.
He said inadequately to both his staring children: "But why . how did you. . .
at this very moment out of all time-"
To Billy it was mere gibberish, but Sue must have understood the question in
his mind, for after a moment, in a puzzled murmur, she said:
"I-don't know, exactly. There is something here beyond the simpie fact of
success. I. . . I feel it- I can sense something behind my own actions that. .
- that frightens me. Something guiding and controlling my own mind- Oh,
father, father, I'm afraid!"
Every protective instinct in him leaped ahead of reason in Bill's 'instant,
"Don't be frightened, honey! I won't let anything happen to you!"
"Dr. Coryl" Young Billy's voice cracked a little in horror at what must have
sounded to him like raving madness. Behind him, staring faces went tense with
bewilderment. Above their rising murmurs Sue wailed, "Father!" in a frightened
echo to Billy's, "Dr. Cory, are you ill, sir?"
"Oh, wait a minute, both of you!" said Bill wildly. And then in a stammer, to
stop Billy's almost hysterical questions, "Your. . . your sister- Oh, Sue,
honey, I hear you! I'll take care of you! Wait a minute!"
In the depths of the cube the boy's face seemed to freeze, the eyes that were
Marta's going blank beneath the steel cap, Bill's very mouth moving stiffly
with the stiffness of his lips.
"But you never had a daughter-"
"No, but I might have, if-I mean, if I'd married Sallie of course you'd never
even- Oh, God!" Bill gave it up and pressed both hands over his eyes to shut
out the sight of the boy's amazed incredulity, knowing he'd said too much, yet
too numbed and confused now for diplomacy. The only clear idea in his head was
that he must somehow be fair to both of them, the boy and the girl. Each must
understand why he- "Is the doctor ill, Candidate Cory?" Dunn's voice was heavy
from the cube.
Bill heard the boy's voice stammering: "No-that is, I don't-" And then,
faltering, more softly: "Leader, was the great doctor ever- mad?"
"Good God, boy!"
"But-speak to him, Leader!"