Звездный десант

           Wasitgreaterthanonethousand?"

           "Probably,sir.Almostcertainly."

           "Utterlycertain—becausemorethanthateventuallyescaped,foundtheirwayshome,weretalliedbyname.Iseeyoudidnotreadyourlessoncarefully.Mr.Rico!"

           NowIwasthevictim."Yes,sir."

           "Areathousandunreleasedprisonerssufficientreasontostartorresumeawar?Bearinmindthatmillionsofinnocentpeoplemaydie,almostcertainlywilldie,ifwarisstartedorresumed."

           Ididn’thesitate."Yes,sir!Morethanenoughreason."

           "‘Morethanenough.’Verywell,isoneprisoner,unreleasedbytheenemy,enoughreasontostartorresumeawar?"

           Ihesitated.IknewtheM.I.answer—butIdidn’tthinkthatwastheonehewanted.Hesaidsharply,"Come,come,Mister!Wehaveanupperlimitofonethousand;Iinvitedyoutoconsideralowerlimitofone.Butyoucan’tpayapromissorynotewhichreads‘somewherebetweenoneandonethousandpounds’--andstartingawarismuchmoreseriousthanpayingatrifleofmoney.Wouldn’titbecriminaltoendangeracountry—twocountriesinfact--tosaveoneman?Especiallyashemaynotdeserveit?Ormaydieinthemeantime?Thousandsofpeoplegetkilledeverydayinaccidents...sowhyhesitateoveroneman?Answer!Answeryes,oranswerno—you’reholdinguptheclass."

           Hegotmygoat.Igavehimthecaptrooper’sanswer.