"A. E. Van Vogt - The Weapon Shops of Isher" - читать интересную книгу автора (Van Vogt A E)

exactly how he fooled hundreds of people into believing they saw a strange
building, apparently a kind of gun-shop.
The building seemed to appear on the space formerly, and still, occupied by
Aunt Sally's Lunch and Patterson Tailors. Only employees were inside the two
aforementioned shops, and none noticed any untoward event. A large, brightly
shining sign featured the front of the gunshop, which had been so miraculously
conjured out of nothingness; and the sign constituted the first evidence that
the entire scene was nothing but a masterly illusion. For from whichever angle
one gazed at it, one seemed to be staring straight at the words, which read:
FINE WEAPONS
THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS
IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE
The window display was made up of an assortment of rather curiously shaped
guns, rifles as well as small arms; and a glowing sign in the window stated:
THE FINEST ENERGY WEAPONS
IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE
Inspector Clayton of the Investigation Branch attempted to enter the shop, but
the door seemed to be locked. A few moments later, C. J. (Chris) McAllister,
reporter of the Gazette-Bulletin, tried the door, found that it opened, and
entered.
Inspector Clayton attempted to follow him, but discovered that the door was
again locked. It is believed that McAllister went through to the back, as
several spectators reported seeing him. Immediately after his reappearance,
the strange building vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.
Police state they are baffled as to how the master magician created so
detailed an illusion for so long a period before so large a crowd. They are
prepared to recommend his show, when it comes, without reservations.
(Author's Note: The foregoing account did not mention that the police,
dissatisfied with the affair, attempted to contact McAllister for a further
interview, but were unable to locate him. Weeks have passed; and he has still
not been found.
What did happen to McAllister from the instant that he found the door of the
gunshop unlocked?)

There was a curious quality about the gunshop door. It was not so much that it
opened at his first touch as that, when he pulled, it came away like a
weightless thing. McAllister had the impression that the knob had freed itself
into his palm.
He stood very still, startled. The thought that came finally had to do with
Inspector Clayton who, a minute earlier, had found the door locked. The
thought was like a signal. From behind him boomed the voice of the inspector:
"Ah, McAllister, I'll handle this now."
It was dark inside the shop beyond the door, too dark to see anything, and
somehow, his eyes wouldn't accustom themselves to the intense gloom. Pure
reporter's instinct made him step forward toward the blackness that pressed
from beyond the rectangle of door. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw
Inspector Clayton's hand reaching for the door handle that his own fingers had
let go a moment before. And he knew instantly that if the inspector could
prevent it, no reporter would get inside that building. His head was still
turned, his gaze more on the police officer than on the darkness in front; and