Железный человек
What’s to be DoneWith the Iron Man?
"Howcouldthatbe?"
Sothefatherbegantoexplainhowanearthquakeinafardistantcountry, thatshakesdownbuildingsandemptieslakes,sendsajoltrightaroundtheearth. Peoplefarawayinothercountriesfeelitasnothingmorethanaslighttremblingoftheground. AnearthquakethatknocksacityflatinSouthAmerica,mightdonomorethanshakeapictureoffawallinPoland. Butasthefatherwastalking,themothergavealittlegasp,thenayelp.
"Thechicken!"shecried."Thecheese!Thetomatoes!"
Everybodysatup. Thetableclothwassagginginthemiddle. Astheywatchedthesaggotdeeperandallthefoodfellintoit,draggingthetableclothrightdownintotheground. Thegroundunderneathwassplittingandthetablecloth,astheywatched,slowlyfoldedanddisappearedintothecrack,andtheywereleftstaringatajaggedblackcrackintheground. Thecrackgrew,itwidened,itlengthened,itranbetweenthem. Themotherandthegirlwereononeside,andthefatherandtheboywereontheotherside. Thelittlestovetoppledintothegrowingcrackwithaclatterandthekettledisappeared.
Theycouldnotbelievetheireyes.Theystaredatthewideningcrack. Then,astheywatched,anenormousironhandcameupthroughthecrack,gropingaroundintheair,feelingoverthegrassoneithersideofthecrack. Itnearlytouchedthelittleboy,andherolledoverbackwards. Themotherscreamed. "Runtothecar,"shoutedthefather. Theyallran.Theyjumpedintothecar.Theydrove.Theydidnotlookback.
