Чужак в чужой стране

           Harshaw,bereasonable!"

           "Look,son,Iambeingreasonable.Wecamehereforaquiet,small,informalmeeting–strictlybusiness.Wefindyou’veturneditintoacircus.Well,ifyou’regoingtohaveacircus,you’vegottohaveelephantsandthere’snotwowaysaboutit.Nowwerealizeyoucan’tplayMartianmusic,anymorethanaboywithatinwhistlecanplayasymphony.Butyoucanplayasymphony–‘TheTenPlanetsSymphony.’Grokit?Imean,‘Doyoucatchon?’HavethetapecutinatthebeginningoftheMarsmovement;playthat?orenoughbarstoletthethemeberecognized."

           LaRuelookedthoughtful."Yes,Isupposewecould–but,Dr.Harshaw,Ipromisedyouhalfthetable?butIdon’tseehowIcanpromisesovereignhonors–theflagandthemusic–evenonthisimprovised,merelysymbolicscale.I-Idon’tthinkIhavetheauthority."

           "Northeguts,"Harshawsaidbitterly."Well,wedidn’twantacircus–sotellMr.Douglasthatwe’llbebackwhenhe’snotsobusy?andnotsomanyvisitors.Beennicechattingwithyou,son.BesuretostopbytheSecretary’sofficeandsayhellowhenwecomeback–ifyou’restillhere."Heagainwentthroughtheslow,apparentlypainfulactofbeingamantoooldandfeebletogetoutofachaireasily.

           LaRuesaid,"Dr.Harshaw,pleasedon’tleave!Uh?theSecretarywon’tcomeinuntilIsendwordthatwearereadyforhim–soletmeseewhatIcando.Yes?"

           Harshawrelaxedwithagrunt."Suityourself.Butonemorething,whileyou’rehere.