"E. E. Doc Smith - Lensman 3 - Galactic Patrol" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith E. E. Doc)

which it is not attuned that that life is destroyed forthwith."
A brief silence fell, during which the young men absorbed the stunning
import of
what their Commandant had been saying. More, there was striking into each young
consciousness a realization of the stark heroism of the grand old Lensman before
them,
a man of such fiber that although physically incapacitated and long past the
retirement
age, he had conquered his human emotions sufficiently to accept deliberately his
ogre's
role because in that way he could best further the progress of his Patron
"I have scarcely broken the ground," von Hohendorff continued. "I have
merely
given you an introduction to your new status. During the next few weeks, before
you are
assigned to duty, other officers will make clear to you the many things about
which you
are still in the dark. Our time is growing short, but we perhaps have time for
one more
question."
"Not a question, sir, but something more important," Kinnison spoke up. "I
speak
for the Class when I say that we have misjudged you grievously, and we wish to
apologize.""I thank you sincerely for the thought, although it is unnecessary.
You could
not have thought otherwise of me than as you did. It is not a pleasant task that
we old
men have, that of weeding out those who do not measure up. But We are too old
for
active duty in space -- we no longer have the instantaneous nervous responses
that are
for that duty imperative -- so we do what we can. However, the work has its
brighter
side, since each year there are about a hundred found worthy of the Lens. This,
my one
hour with the graduates, more than makes up for the year that precedes it, and
the
other oldsters have somewhat similar compensations.
"In conclusion, you are now able to understand what kind of mentalities
fill our
ranks. You know that any creature wearing the Lens is in every sense a Lensman,
whether he be human or, hailing from some strange and distant planet, a
monstrosity of
a shape you have as yet not even imagined. Whatever his form, you may rest
assured
that he has been tested even as you have been, that he is as worthy of trust as
are you
yourselves. My last word is this -- Lensmen die, but they do not fold up,
individuals
come and go, but the Galactic Patrol goes on!"