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

really
are. To all except Lensmen they seem to be completely anti-social, and even
those who
become Lensmen go to Arisia only once in their lives. They seem -- although I
caution
you that this seeming may contain no more of reality than the physical shapes
you
thought you saw -- to be supremely, indifferent to all material things.
"For more generations than you can understand they have devoted themselves
to thinking, mainly of the essence of life. They say that they know scarcely
anything
fundamental concerning it, but even so they know more about it than does any
other
known race. While ordinarily they will have no intercourse whatever with
outsiders, they
did consent to help the Patrol, for the good of all intelligence.
"Thus, each being about to graduate into Lensmanship is sent to Arisia,
where a
Lens is built to match his individual life force. While no mind other than that
of an
Arisian can understand its operation, thinking of your Lens as being
synchronized with,
or in exact resonance with, your own vital principle or ego will give you a
rough idea of
it. The Lens is not really alive, as we understand the term. It is, however,
endowed with
a sort of pseudo-life, by virtue of which it gives off its strong,
characteristically changing
light as long as it is in metal-to-flesh circuit with the living mentality for
which it was
designed. Also by virtue of that pseudo-life, it acts as a telepath through
which you may
converse with other intelligences, even though they may possess no organs of
speech
or of hearing.
"The Lens cannot be removed by anyone except its wearer without
dismemberment, it glows as long as its rightful owner wears it, it ceases to
glow in the
instant of its owner's death and disintegrates shortly thereafter. Also -- and
here is the
thing that renders completely impossible the impersonation of a Lensman тАУ not
only
does the Lens not glow if worn by an importer, but if a Lensman be taken alive
and his
Lens removed, that Lens kills in a apace of seconds any living being who
attempts to
wear it. As long as it glows -- as long as it is in circuit with its living
owner -- it is
harmless, but in the dark condition its pseudo-life interferes so strongly with
any life to