"Arcady And Boris Strugatsky. Prisoners of Power" - читать интересную книгу автораlight body onto his shoulder, and broke into a run again toward the barbed
wire. He headed for the north breach in the wire where the General and Memo were lying. Halting next to them, he turned around to look at the tower. There it was. At long last the terrorists' senseless dream had been fulfilled. In rapid succession the mines detonated, and the tower's base was shrouded in smoke. The blinding lights went out and it suddenly became pitch dark. In the darkness the earth rumbled and leaped up again and again. Maxim glanced at his watch. Seventeen past ten. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he could see the shattered barbed wire and the tower again. The tower lay to one side of the guardhouse, its girders spread out and twisted by the explosion. "Who's there?" said the General hoarsely. "It's Maxim." He bent over. "Time to leave. Where did you get hit? Can you walk?" "Wait! What about the tower?" "The tower's finished." Ordi still lay over his shoulder. How could he break the news to the General? "Impossible," said the General, rising slightly. "Massaraksh! The tower's really finished, eh?" He laughed and lay down in the grass. "Listen, Mac, I'm kind of confused. What time is it?" "Ten twenty." "So, everything's all right. We've finished it off. Pine job, Mac. Wait a minute - who's that lying next to me?" "Memo." Who's that you've got there?" "Ordi," said Maxim with difficulty. The General said nothing for several seconds. "Ordi," he repeated hesitantly and rose, swaying. "Ordi," he repeated again and placed his palm on her check. They were silent for a while. Then Memo asked hoarsely: "What time is it?" "Ten twenty-two." "Where are we?" "We must leave now," said Maxim. The General turned and walked through the gap in the barbed wire. He was very wobbly. Bending over. Maxim raised Memo, slung him across his other shoulder, and followed the General. When he had caught up with him, the General stopped. "Only the wounded," he said. "I can manage her, too." "It's an order! Only the wounded." Stretching out his arms and groaning with pain, he took Ordi's body from Maxim's shoulder. The weight was too much, and he placed her on the ground. "Only the wounded." His voice sounded distant. "Let's go! On the double!" "Where are we?" asked Memo. "Who's here? Where are we?" "Hold onto my belt," Maxim instructed the General. They began to run. |
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