"Kim Stanley Robinson - Mars 1 - Red Mars" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Kim Stanley)

endless death spiral of twisted love and sex hatred. So that in that sense they were all
madmen.

Which was one reason Frank liked them. And certainly they would come in useful to
him, acting as a new locus of power. Defend a weak new neighbor to weaken the old
powerful ones, as Machiavelli had said. So he drank coffee, and gradually, politely, they
shifted to English.

тАЬHow did you like the speeches?тАЭ he asked, looking into the black mud at the bottom
of his demitasse.
 тАЬJohn Boone is the same as ever,тАЭ old Zeyk replied. The others laughed angrily.
тАЬWhen he says we will make an indigenous Martian culture, he only means some of the
Terran cultures here will be promoted, and others attacked. Those perceived as
regressive will be singled out for destruction. It is a form of Ataturkism.тАЭ

тАЬHe thinks everyone on Mars should become American,тАЭ said a man named Nejm.

тАЬWhy not?тАЭ Zeyk said, smiling. тАЬIt's already happened on Earth.тАЭ

тАЬNo," Frank said. "You shouldnтАЩt misunderstand Boone. People say heтАЩs
self-absorbed, butтАФтАЭ

тАЬHe is self-absorbed!тАЭ Nejm cried. тАЬHe lives in a hall of mirrors! He thinks that we
have come to Mars to establish a good old American superculture, and that everyone will
agree to it because it is the John Boone plan.тАЭ

Zeyk said, тАЬHe doesnтАЩt understand that other people have other opinions.тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs not that,тАЭ Frank said. тАЬItтАЩs just that he knows they donтАЩt make as much sense as
his.тАЭ

They laughed at that, but the younger menтАЩs hoots had a bitter edge. They all
believed that before their arrival Boone had argued in secret against UN approval for Arab
setlements. Frank encouraged this belief, which was almost trueтАФJohn disliked any
ideology that might get in his way. He wanted the slate as blank as possible in everybody
who came up.

The Arabs, however, believed that John disliked them in particular. Young Selim
el-Hayil opened his mouth to speak, and Frank gave him a swift warning glance. Selim
froze, then pursed his mouth angrily. Frank said, тАЬWell, heтАЩs not as bad as all that.
Although to tell the truth IтАЩve heard him say it would have been better if the Americans and
Russians had been able to claim the planet when they arrived, like explorers in the old
days.тАЭ

Their laughter was brief and grim. Selim's shoulders hunched as if struck. Frank
shrugged and smiled, spread his hands wide. тАЬBut itтАЩs pointless! I mean, what can he
do?тАЭ

Old Zeyk lifted his eyebrows. тАЬOpinions vary.тАЭ