О дивный новый мир

           "Whatonearthfor?"shewondered,astonished,butatthesametimetouchedbythisstrangetributetoherpower.

           "Hadn’twebettertalkaboutitsomewhereelse?"hestammered,lookinghorriblyuncomfortable.

           "AsthoughI’dbeensayingsomethingshocking,"thoughtLenina."Hecouldn’tlookmoreupsetifI’dmadeadirtyjoke–askedhimwhohismotherwas,orsomethinglikethat."

           "Imean,withallthesepeopleabout..."Hewaschokedwithconfusion.

           Lenina’slaughwasfrankandwhollyunmalicious."Howfunnyyouare!"shesaid;andshequitegenuinelydidthinkhimfunny."You’llgivemeatleastaweek’swarning,won’tyou,"shewentoninanothertone."IsupposewetaketheBluePacificRocket?DoesitstartfromtheCharing-TTower?OrisitfromHampstead?"

           BeforeBernardcouldanswer,theliftcametoastandstill.

           "Roof!"calledacreakingvoice.

           Theliftmanwasasmallsimiancreature,dressedintheblacktunicofanEpsilon-MinusSemi-Moron.

           "Roof!"

           Heflungopenthegates.Thewarmgloryofafternoonsunlightmadehimstartandblinkhiseyes."Oh,roof!"herepeatedinavoiceofrapture.Hewasasthoughsuddenlyandjoyfullyawakenedfromadarkannihilatingstupor."Roof!"

           Hesmiledupwithakindofdoggilyexpectantadorationintothefacesofhispassengers.Talkingandlaughingtogether,theysteppedoutintothelight.Theliftmanlookedafterthem.

           "Roof?"hesaidoncemore,questioningly.