"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 08 - Veruchia" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

to adorn its shell in the manner you see. If so the purpose could either be for
camouflage, which seems unlikely, or as a means of attracting a mate."

"Like a girl dressing up?" The man was young and inclined to be frivolous.

The guide was curt. "Something like that, sir. But this is a male."

"But wouldn't that mean it is intelligent?" The girl had a thin, intent face with thick
brows over eyes set a little too close for beauty. She glanced up at Dumarest and he
noted, among other things, that she had stayed close to his side all through the tour.
"Wouldn't you say that? I mean, if a creature exercises free choice doesn't that imply
it has a thinking brain? And, if it can think, then it must be intelligent."

The guide moved on and saved him from the necessity of a reply. This time the man
halted before a pedestal bearing a peculiar fabrication of metal.

"A mystery," he said. "The alloy is of a nature unused and contains traces of
elements which are not native to this world. It was obviously part of a fabrication, a
machine, possibly, but what the machine was or the part this played in its
construction is unknown. It was found buried in alluvium and was discovered during
the mining operations at Green. Aside from the fact that it is very old and of an
artificial nature nothing is known about it." He paused. "Of course there are rumors:
an earlier native civilization which developed a high technology and then completely
vanished without leaving any other trace; the discarded part of a spaceship of
unknown manufacture; an art form of a culture unknownтАФ the choice is limited only
by the imagination. Personally I believe the explanation to be less bizarre." The girl
said, "And that is?"

"My own belief?" The guide shrugged. "The part of a machine which proved
unsatisfactory and was reclaimed for salvage. The alien elements could have been
imported and the alloy was probably one of a series tested for greater efficiency.
Economic pressure or the discovery of a cheaper substitute would account for it no
longer being in use. It most likely fell from a raft during transport to a smelter."
A safe, mundane explanation, thought Dumarest, and one calculated to reduce
interest in the strange fabrication. Who would be intrigued by junk? Yet he did not
turn away, stepping closer to the pedestal instead and studying the near-shapeless
mass with narrowed eyes. It was hopeless. The thing defied any attempt to determine
its original function, the attrition of time marring its delicate construction. And it was
delicate, that much was obvious despite the damage it had sustained: metal-like lace
interspersed with solid elements and weaving conduits. If they were conduits. If the
metal had originally been like lace.

"Old," said a voice quietly. The girl was still at his side. "So very old. Did you notice
how the guide paid no attention to that in his explanation?"

"He probably didn't think it important."

"Do you?" Her voice held interrogation. "Are you interested in ancient things? Is that
why you are visiting the museum?"