"Robert Charles Wilson - Divided by Infinity" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilson Robert Charles)

Of course, death isnтАЩt finalтАж we all go on, I believe, each in his
own wayтАжтАЭ
There was more of thisтАФenough that I regretted stopping
byтАФbut I couldnтАЩt doubt ZieglerтАЩs sincerity. Despite his
intimidating appearance there was something almost wilfully
childlike about him, a kind of embalmed innocence, if that makes
any sense.
He asked how I had been and what I had been doing. I
answered as cheerfully as I could and refrained from asking after
his own health. His cheeks reddened as he stood, and I wondered if
he shouldnтАЩt be sitting down. But he seemed to be enjoying
himself. He eyed the five slender books IтАЩd brought to the cash
desk.
тАЬScience fiction!тАЭ he said. тАЬI wouldnтАЩt have taken you for a
science fiction reader, Mr. Keller.тАЭ
(Deirdre glanced at me: Told you so!)
тАЬI havenтАЩt been a steady reader for a long time,тАЭ I said. тАЬBut I
found some interesting items.тАЭ
тАЬThe good old stuff,тАЭ Ziegler gushed. тАЬThe pure quill. Does
it strike you, Mr. Keller, that we live every day in the science fiction
of our youth?тАЭ
тАЬI hadnтАЩt noticed.тАЭ
тАЬThere was a time when science seemed so sterile. It didnтАЩt
yield up the wonders we had been led to expect. Only a bleak,
lifeless solar systemтАж half dozen desert worlds, baked or frozen,
take your pick, and the gas giantsтАж great roaring seas of methane
and ammoniaтАжтАЭ
I nodded politely.
тАЬBut now!тАЭ Ziegler exclaimed. тАЬLife on Mars! Oceans under
Europa! Comets plunging into JupiterтАФ!тАЭ
тАЬI see what you mean.тАЭ
тАЬAnd here on EarthтАФthe human genome, cloned animals,
mind-altering drugs! Computer networks! Computer viruses!тАЭ He
slapped his thigh. тАЬI have a Teflon hip, if you can imagine such a
thing!тАЭ
тАЬPretty amazing,тАЭ I agreed, though I hadnтАЩt thought much
about any of this.
тАЬBack when we read these books, Mr. Keller, when we read
Heinlein or Simak or Edmond Hamilton, we longed to immerse
ourselves in the strangeтАж the outre. And nowтАФwellтАФhere we are!тАЭ
He smiled breathlessly and summed up his thesis. тАЬImmersed in the
strange. All it takes is time. JustтАж time. Shall I put these in a bag for
you?тАЭ
He bagged the books without looking at them. When I
fumbled out my wallet, he raised his hand.
тАЬNo charge. This is for Lorraine. And to thank you for
stopping by.тАЭ
I couldnтАЩt argueтАж and I admit I didnтАЩt want to draw his
attention to the paperbacks, in the petty fear that he might notice
how unusual they were and refuse to part with them. I took the