Война миров

The Days of Imprisonment

           Thiswasabodyresemblingamilkcaninitsgeneralform,abovewhichoscillatedapear-shapedreceptacle,andfromwhichastreamofwhitepowderflowedintoacircularbasinbelow. 

           Theoscillatorymotionwasimpartedtothisbyonetentacleofthehandling-machine. Withtwospatulatehandsthehandling-machinewasdiggingoutandflingingmassesofclayintothepear-shapedreceptacleabove,whilewithanotherarmitperiodicallyopenedadoorandremovedrustyandblackenedclinkersfromthemiddlepartofthemachine. Anothersteelytentacledirectedthepowderfromthebasinalongaribbedchanneltowardssomereceiverthatwashiddenfrommebythemoundofbluishdust. Fromthisunseenreceiveralittlethreadofgreensmokeroseverticallyintothequietair. AsIlooked,thehandling-machine,withafaintandmusicalclinking,extended,telescopicfashion,atentaclethathadbeenamomentbeforeamerebluntprojection,untilitsendwashiddenbehindthemoundofclay. Inanothersecondithadliftedabarofwhitealuminiumintosight,untarnishedasyet,andshiningdazzlingly,anddepositeditinagrowingstackofbarsthatstoodatthesideofthepit. Betweensunsetandstarlightthisdexterousmachinemusthavemademorethanahundredsuchbarsoutofthecrudeclay,andthemoundofbluishdustrosesteadilyuntilittoppedthesideofthepit. 

           Thecontrastbetweentheswiftandcomplexmovementsofthesecontrivancesandtheinertpantingclumsinessoftheirmasterswasacute,andfordaysIhadtotellmyselfrepeatedlythattheselatterwereindeedthelivingofthetwothings. 

           Thecuratehadpossessionoftheslitwhenthefirstmenwerebroughttothepit. Iwassittingbelow,huddledup,listeningwithallmyears. 

00:00:00 00:00:00
Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 153 из 210