451 по фаренгейту

           Hewasafraidtogetup,afraidhemightnotbeabletogainhisfeetatall,withananaesthetizedleg. Anumbnessinanumbnesshollowedintoanumbness... 

           Andnow...? 

           Thestreetempty,thehouseburntlikeanancientbitofstage-scenery, theotherhomesdark,theHoundhere, Beattythere,thethreeotherfiremenanotherplace,andtheSalamander...? Hegazedattheimmenseengine.Thatwouldhavetogo,too. 

           Well,hethought,let’sseehowbadlyoffyouare. Onyourfeetnow.Easy,easy...there. 

           Hestoodandhehadonlyoneleg. Theotherwaslikeachunkofburntpine-loghewascarryingalongasapenanceforsomeobscuresin. Whenheputhisweightonit,ashowerofsilverneedlesgushedupthelengthofthecalfandwentoffintheknee. Hewept.Comeon!Comeon,you,youcan’tstayhere! 

           Afewhouse-lightsweregoingonagaindownthestreet,whetherfromtheincidentsjustpassed,orbecauseoftheabnormalsilencefollowingthefight,Montagdidnotknow. Hehobbledaroundtheruins,seizingathisbadlegwhenitlagged, talkingandwhimperingandshoutingdirectionsatitandcursingit andpleadingwithittoworkforhimnowwhenitwasvital. Heheardanumberofpeoplecryingoutinthedarknessandshouting. Hereachedthebackyardandthealley. Beatty,hethought,you’renotaproblemnow. Youalwayssaid,don’tfaceaproblem,burnit. Well,nowI’vedoneboth.Good-bye,Captain. 

           Andhestumbledalongthealleyinthedark.