Чужак в чужой стране

           Yousee,bytheirstandards,weareadiseasedandcrippledpeople–thethingsthatwedotoeachother,thewaywefailtounderstandeachother,ouralmostcompletefailuretogrokwithoneanother,ourwarsanddiseasesandfaminesandcruelties–thesewillbecompleteidiocytothem.Iknow.SoIthinktheymayveryprobablydecideonamercykilling.Butthat’saguess,I’mnotanOldOne.But,Jubal,iftheydecidetodothis,itwillbe-"Mikestoppedandthoughtforquitealongtime."-anutterminimumoffivehundredyears,morelikelyfivethousand,beforeanythingwouldbedone."

           "That’salongtimeforajurytobeout."

           "Jubal,themostdifferentthingaboutthetworacesisthatMartiansneverhurry–andhumansalwaysdo.Theywouldmuchratherthinkaboutitanextracenturyorhalfadozen,justtobesurethattheyhavegrokkedallthefullness."

           "Inthatcase,son,Isuggestthatyounotworryaboutit.If,inanotherfivehundredorathousandyears,thehumanracecan’thandleitsneighbors,youandIcan’thelpit.However,Isuspectthattheywillbeableto."

           "SoIgrok,butnotinfullness.ButIsaidIwasn’tworriedaboutthat.Theotherpossibilitytroubledmemore,thattheymightmoveinandtrytomakeusover.Jubal,theycan’tdoit.AnattempttomakeusbehavelikeMartianswouldkillusjustascertainlybutmuchlesspainlessly.Itwouldallbeagreatwrongness."

           Jubaltooktimetoanswer."But,son,isn’tthatexactlywhatyouhavebeentryingtodo?"

           Mikelookedunhappy.