"Mack Reynolds - Planetary Agent X" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Mack)

of averages. In the late twenties. Average height, weight and
breadth. Pleasant of face in an average sort of way, but not
handsome. Less than sharp in dress, hair inclined to be on the
undisciplined side. Brown hair, dark eyes. In a crowd,
inconspicuous.
The personnel officer grunted. He pushed a button, said
something into his order box. A card slid into the slot and he took
it out and stared gloomily at it.
тАЬWhatтАЩre your politics?тАЭ he said.
тАЬPolitics?тАЭ Ronny Bronston said. тАЬI havenтАЩt any politics. My
father and grandfather before me have been citizens of United
Planets. There hasnтАЩt been any politics in our family for three
generations.тАЭ
тАЬFamily?тАЭ
тАЬNone.тАЭ
The other grunted and marked the card. тАЬRacial prejudices?тАЭ
тАЬI beg your pardon?тАЭ
тАЬDo you have any racial prejudices? Any at all.тАЭ
тАЬNo.тАЭ
The personnel officer said, тАЬMost people answer that way at
first, these days, but some donтАЩt at second. For instance, suppose
you had to have a blood transfusion. Would you have any objection
to it being blood donated by, say, a Negro, a Chinese, or, say, a
Jew?тАЭ
Ronny ticked it off on his fingers. тАЬOne of my
great-grandfathers was a French colon who married a Moroccan girl.
The Moors are a blend of Berber, Arab, Jew and Negro. Another of
my great-grandfathers was a Hawaiian. TheyтАЩre largely a blend of
Polynesians, Japanese, Chinese and Caucasians, especially
Portuguese. Another of my great-grandfathers was Irish, English,
and Scotch. He married a girl who was half Latvian, half Russian.
Believe me, if I had a blood transfusion from just anybody at all,
the blood would feel right at home.тАЭ
The interviewer snorted, even as he marked the card. тАЬThat
accounts for three great-grandfathers,тАЭ he said lightly. тАЬWhat was
the other one?тАЭ
Ronny said expressionlessly, тАЬA Texan.тАЭ
The secretary shrugged and looked at the car again.
тАЬReligion?тАЭ
тАЬReformed Agnostic,тАЭ Ronny said. This one was possibly
where he ran into a brick wall. Many of the planets had strong
religious beliefs of one sort or another. Some of them had state
religions and you either belonged or else.
The personnel officer frowned. тАЬIs there any such church?тАЭ
тАЬNo. IтАЩm a one-man member. IтАЩm of the opinion that if there
are any greater-powers-that-be. TheyтАЩre keeping the fact from us.
And if thatтАЩs the way They want it, itтАЩs Their business. If and when
They want to contact me, then I suppose TheyтАЩll do it. Meanwhile,
IтАЩll wait.тАЭ
The other said interestedly, тАЬYou think that if there is a