"Continuing Time - 01 - Emerald Eyes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moran Daniel Keys)

УThere was a source of radiation.Ф Kalharri eyed Amnier speculatively. УItТs
gone now. Vanished. We havenТt been able to track it down.Ф
УAssuming,Ф said Amnier, Уthat you yourself have not caused this excitementЧand
I do not put it past you, MalkoЧplease accept my assurance that I am not
responsible for whatever has happened here today.Ф He looked directly at Malko.
УDid you let them take this Jorge person to the hospital?Ф
УNo. Of course not.Ф
УIt grieves you that you could not do so.Ф
УIt would have made Robin feel better.Ф
УBut he would still die.Ф
Kalharri nodded. УYes.Ф
Amnier watched the technicians in silence for a moment as they rushed about at
errands that he, and he suspected Kalharri also, found totally incomprehensible.
УIf a living foetus comes out of this, and what I am hearing leads me to believe
it might, I shall find it all most suspect.Ф
Amnier thought a smile might have touched KalharriТs lips for an instant. It was
difficult to be certain. УYouТre flattering yourself, Darryl.Ф
УPerhaps. It is a danger in my profession.Ф Amnier paused. УOur profession, I
might say. You have not forgotten how the thought processes operate, at any
rate. I have not needed to say a startling number of things.Ф
УI have been thinking,Ф said Kalharri, Уabout what you said to me the last time
we talked.Ф
Darryl Amnier stared at him in utter, complete amazement. УMalko, that was
seventeen years ago.Ф
УI think you may have been right. The United States was crumbling, in some
ways.Ф Kalharri spoke slowly, with what was as close to reluctance as Amnier had
ever seen from him. УI mean politically. In other ways it was not. The
Unification CouncilЧthe entire superstructure which your Sarah Almundsen
designedЧit is, in some ways, more vigorous than what we had; certainly better
than what the Russians had, or the Chinese. Perhaps this United Nations is
better. Perhaps it was even worth the deaths that came about in the War.Ф
УItТs good of you to say so.Ф
УDarryl.Ф
УYes?Ф
УYou areЧall of youЧalready losing sight of what you fought for. I did not agree
with you, and today I am not certain that I was rightЧbut your government is
being overrun by the barbarians. ItТs already happening.Ф He said slowly, УI
donТt know if Americans will tolerate it.Ф
Amnier said gently, УYouТre too much of a philosopher, Malko. It was charming
when we were boys. But it helped you lose the War. And itТs not helping you at
all now.Ф
У СЕ In republics there is greater life, greater hatred, and more desire for
vengeance; they do not and cannot cast aside the memory of their ancient
liberty.Т Ф
Amnier looked at him quizzically. УNiccolo Machiavelli,Ф he said after a moment.
УThe Prince, of courseЕ The Old Man would have been proud of you.Ф He smiled
distantly. УIn the same work it says, this is a paraphrase, СA city used to
liberty can be more easily held by means of its citizens than in any other way,
if you wish to preserve it.Т Ф
УYou just donТt get it, do you?Ф