"Mike Resnick - A Miracle Of Rare Design" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

span the gap without being spotted.
He was faced with two options: he could wait until the last of them had passed and fall into step behind them,
or he could approach the pyramid now, before they arrived. Since he had no guarantee that the last few
Fireflies wouldn't be carrying torches, he decided upon the second alternative.
He walked briskly to the path the Fireflies all seemed to follow instinctively, then turned toward the pyramid
and continued at a slower pace. When he reached the spot where the caravan members had genuflected, he
did so too, and then tried as best he could to duplicate the gesture they had made with their hands. This
done, he began circling the pyramid as he had seen the Fireflies do, shortening his stride to make sure he
would not catch up with them.
As he continued circling to his left, passing out of sight of the horde from the village, he came to a stop and
breathed a sigh of relief.He'd made it! All he had to do now was wait until the villagers started walking around
the pyramid: he would pretend to stumble, allow a few of them to pass him, and then fall into step with them
so that he would be able to duplicate whatever they did. Nothing to it. The worst was over.
He was still congratulating himself on his accomplishment when a golden-robed Firefly came out of the
darkness, grabbed him by the shoulder, spun him around, and ripped the scarf away from his face.
тАЬWe have been expecting you, Xavier William Lennox,тАЭ said the Firefly, and even though the high-pitched
voice came from an alien throat, Lennox found the tones ominous.
Three more Fireflies suddenly appeared, threatening him with metal-tipped spears.
Lennox could think of no answer that would in any way mitigate his situation, so he simply stood still and
made no reply.
тАЬYou have been repeatedly warned to stay away from this place,тАЭ continued the Firefly. тАЬYou have been told
that such an invasion of our privacy would not be permitted. And yet you have come. Why?тАЭ
тАЬI was curious.тАЭ
The Firefly emitted its equivalent of a contemptuous snort. It was an ominous sound.

2.
Lennox's hands were bound behind his back, and he was marched toward the immense pyramid he had
come so far to see. It was some eighty feet tall, and its smooth golden sides were totally devoid of any
markings or carvings. It amazed him that a race as primitive as the Fireflies could have constructed it. He
toyed with the possibility that some other starfaring race had created and then abandoned it, and that over
the eons its origin had been forgotten as it became the holiest of the FirefliesтАЩ many religious monuments.
тАЬThis is what you came for, is it not, Xavier William Lennox?тАЭ asked the golden-robed Firefly, gesturing toward
the pyramid.
тАЬI came to study the entire ceremony,тАЭ replied Lennox truthfully.
тАЬWhy?тАЭ
тАЬI was told that it is both beautiful and awesome.тАЭ
тАЬWe have no desire to seeyour religious ceremonies,тАЭ said the Firefly.
тАЬYou should attend one,тАЭ said Lennox. тАЬYou might find it interesting.тАЭ
тАЬYour god allows any being of any race to attend?тАЭ
тАЬMost of my people would argue that he is your god, too.тАЭ
The Firefly uttered an alien chuckle. тАЬThey are welcome to think so.тАЭ
тАЬI would be happy to exchange religious views with you,тАЭ offered Lennox.
тАЬI'm sure you would,тАЭ said the Firefly.
They came to a stop at the base of the pyramid.
тАЬWhat do you plan to do with me?тАЭ asked Lennox, trying to hide his nervousness.
тАЬYou knew the consequences of your actions before you came here,тАЭ replied the Firefly.
тАЬPerhaps you had better consider the consequences ofyour actions.тАЭ said Lennox, trying to imbue his voice
with a tone of authority. тАЬYou cannot kill a Man without retaliation.тАЭ
тАЬYou are in no position to make threats.тАЭ
тАЬI'm not here to harm anyone,тАЭ replied Lennox. тАЬI came alone and unarmed. Why not simply let me observe