"Donald Westlake - SH4 - The World's A Stage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Westlake Donald E)

тАЬOf Mice and Men for an extended run,тАЭ suggested Ensign Benson.

Across the way, out in the middle of an empty field, a group of men in togas strolled out from behind an
invisible curtain of air and began declaiming at one another. They all stood with one foot in front of the
other.

тАЬThatтАЩs the part that bugs me the most,тАЭ Ensign Benson said. тАЬHow do they appear and disappear like
that?тАЭ

тАЬScrim,тАЭ said Hester.

Ensign Benson gave her an unfriendly look. тАЬWhat?тАЭ

тАЬI know what a scrim is,тАЭ Billy said. тАЬWe had one in the theater in college. ItтАЩs a big mesh screen. You
paint a backdrop on it and hang it across the front of the stage. If you shine a light in front, you see the
painting but you canтАЩt see the stage. If you shine the light in the back, the painting disappears and you see
the stage,.тАЭ

тАЬClose but no psuegar,тАЭ said Hester. тАЬThatтАЩs the original, old-fashioned kind of scrim, but then a way
was found to alter air molecules so light would bend around them. Now a scrim is a curtain of bent
molecules. You put it around a set and it shows you whatтАЩs beyond it. They used to use one in the field
questions for the S.E. degree, but of course its old-fashioned now.тАЭ

тАЬNone of which solves,тАЭ Councilman Luthguster reminded them, тАЬthe problem of how to get in touch with
whoever runs this blasted colony. IтАЩll do no more play acting!тАЭ

Standing, the captain said, тАЬWell, HestiaтАЩs going down; thereтАЩs no more to do today. WeтАЩll get an early
start tomorrow.



тАЬWasnтАЩt it right here?тАЭ the captain asked.

тАЬI thought,тАЭ said Pam vaguely, тАЬit was more over that way, by those little trees.тАЭ

тАЬThere werenтАЩt trees here before,тАЭ Ensign Benson said. тАЬThose are cardboard, part of a set.тАЭ

тАЬI am uninterested in sets, тАЬthe councilman said. тАЬTotally uninterested. What I want is my room on the
ship.тАЭ

тАЬWell, yes,тАЭ said Luthguster.

The little group stood on the plain, looking around. The captain said, тАЬIt was just--- It was right around
--- I know it was over here somewhere.тАЭ

A man dressed in the front half of a horse costume came striding purposefully by, carrying the horseтАЩs
head under his arm. Billy said, тАЬExcuse me. Have you seen our spaceship?тАЭ
тАЬWhat?тАЭ The horseman looked around, then said, тАЬOh, right. They struck that set.тАЭ And he walked on.