"Robert F. Young - Project Hi-Rise" - читать интересную книгу автора (Young Robert F)

 Ike and I were on picket duty when we heard that the latest bargaining session had gone Pffft! Eli
was on too, and a bricklayer named Dan. It was clear by this time that the Organizer had no intention of
settling for a smaller package, and it was equally as clear that the Company had no intention of coming
through with a bigger one.
Eli didn't see it that way. "Hell, Jake, they'll have to come through," he said. "We've got them right by
the balls!"
I told him I hoped he was right. "Look," Dan said. "We've got a visitor."
Four black bearers had appeared, bearing a long black palanquin. They proceeded to set it down
directly before the gate. I knew from its length that here was no ordinary wealthy merchant, but I was
unprepared for the personage who presently stepped out and stood gazing at the Project with black
blazing eyes. Those eyes burned right through Ike and Eli and Dan and me, as though we weren't even
there, then swept upward, absorbing the entire Project with a single glance. It dawned on me finally, as I
took in the small gold crown nestled in the black ringleted hair, the flared eyebrows, the fierce nostrils
and the defiant jaw, that I was looking at the King.
As the four of us stood there staring at him, he raised his eyes still higher, and their blackness seemed
to intensify, to throw forth fire. It was the briefest of illusions, for a moment later he turned, climbed back
into his palanquin and clapped his hands. We stared after it as the four black bearers bore it away.
"Whew!" Ike said.
I rolled and lit a cigarette to see how bad my hands were shaking. Pretty bad, I saw. I blew out a
lungful of smoke. "I wonder what he wanted," I said.
"I don't know. But I'd hate to be in the Organizer's sandals."
"The Organizer can take care of himself."
"I hope so."
We let it go at that.

***

You've got to give the Mediator credit. Somehow he managed to get the two sides together again.
The Organizer had the minutes of the meeting Xeroxed and distributed them among the members. I
have mine before me:

THE MEDIATOR: The Company Representative has informed me that considerable confusion exists
among the populace as to the true nature of the Project's purpose, and he would like to clear this little
matter up before proceeding further with the negotiations.
THE ORGANIZER: The purpose of the Project has no bearing whatsoever upon the reasonable
demands made upon the Company by Local 209.
THE MEDIATOR: Nevertheless, I feel that in fairness both to the Company and to the King that the
confusion should be cleared up.
THE ORGANIZER: Very well. But keep in mind that the typical member of Local 209 is concerned
solely with how much his efforts will net him, not with the use to which their end result will be put.
THE COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: I will be brief. Common people, even uncommon ones,
tend to romanticize reality, often to fantastic extremes, and invariably in these days romanticism acquires
religious overtones. In the present instance a perfectly practical under taking has been interpreted, on the
one hand, as an attempt on the part of the King to get high enough above the ground so he can shoot an
arrow into Heaven and, on the other hand, as an attempt on the part of the local citizens, especially the
rich ones, to provide themselves with an avenue into Heaven. The two interpretations have somehow
intermingled and become one. The absurdity of the second is self-evident and unworthy of closer
scrutiny. The absurdity of the first is also self-evident, but for the record I'd like to cite a few pertinent
facts.
According to the best estimates of our astronomers, Heaven is located 1,432 cubits above the world.