"Robert F. Young - Prisoners of Earth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Young Robert F)

baby-blue eyes. He concluded that it was the one the chief had assigned him. It was no different from the
other houses except that it really was what it purported to be: there were no water pipes hidden in its
honeysuckle and the metallic animal design on its rooftop was just that.
"You is mayhap tired?" the girl asked in pidgin Galactia.
Larry was more than tired. He was exhausted. It had been more than twenty standard hours since he
had left the Altair 12 consulate. But he shook his head. He took his kit from the girl, climbed high enough
on the climbing pole so that he could shove it through the door, then returned to the street. He pulled his
credit book from his pocket and riffled its crisp pages.
"Am looking for Earth lady, beautiful Earth lady," he said. "You have mayhap seen?"
The blue eyes were mesmerized by the green blur of the pages. "Beautiful Earth lady? How is lady
look?"
"Lady very very beautiful." He had trouble keeping his voice steady. "Have hair like sun, eyes like
sky. Like to walk in woods. Very much like to walk in woodsтАФ"
He paused. The big blue eyes had risen from the credit book. They were filled with wonderment first,
and then disbelief. Finally the disbelief faded and amusement took its place. A grimy hand covered the
rosebud mouth, stifling a giggle.
Larry felt like slapping her. He controlled himself with an effort and riffled the credit book again.
"You have seen lady?"
"Have seen many times. Crazy lady. Walk in woods, look at flowers, birds. Make funny marks in
wrong color credit book."
Larry sighed. It was the right place all right. There hadn't really been any doubt in his mind since the
moment he had first glimpsed the village. "Where lady now?"
"Not know. Think mayhap live at Mission. Not see many days now."
"Where Mission?"
"Mission on big hill, center of island." Keeping one blue eye on the credit book, she pointed up the
street to where the houses petered out into the forest. "Walk through woods, come to creek. Follow
creek back."
Larry nodded. Then, reluctantly, he tore a five from the book and laid it on the outstretched hand that
suddenly appeared before him. "Here," he said, "go buy yourself some electrical appliances."
He turned abruptly and started up the path that led through the woods to the Mission beyond.

IT WAS Karen's type of forestтАФcharming little trees, sudden clearings filled with unexpected
flowers, birds like winged blurs of color . . . Larry walked along slowly, bending his head sometimes to
avoid the low branches of the trees. It was almost impossible not to picture her strolling dreamily through
the enchanted aisles, curling up in some sequestered bower to jot down wisps of verse in the little
notebook she always carried
And such verse! Larry shook his head. He had never understood it and he never would. Not that he
hadn't tried. But how could you understand outrageous outpourings likeтАФ

тАФthe cold touch of doubt upon you in the evening
and the falling to Earth of stars,
each burning infinitesimally in the little night,
abruptly microcosmic,
its hauteur gone,
a pitiful cinder beneath the scuffed shoes of man .. .

orтАФ

we have converted the souls of mountains into shining ships,
and yet we cannot leave Earth;