451 по фаренгейту

           Throughthealuminiumwallheheardaradiovoicesaying,"Warhasbeendeclared." Thegaswasbeingpumpedoutside. Themeninthebeetlesweretalkingandtheattendantsweretalkingabouttheengines, thegas,themoneyowed. Montagstoodtryingtomakehimselffeeltheshockofthequietstatementfromtheradio,butnothingwouldhappen. Thewarwouldhavetowaitforhimtocometoitinhispersonalfile,anhour,twohoursfromnow. 

           Hewashedhishandsandfaceandtowelledhimselfdry,makinglittlesound. Hecameoutofthewashroomandshutthedoorcarefullyandwalkedintothedarkness andatlaststoodagainontheedgeoftheemptyboulevard. 

           Thereitlay,agameforhimtowin, avastbowlingalleyinthecoolmorning. Theboulevardwasascleanasthesurfaceofanarenatwominutesbeforetheappearanceofcertainunnamedvictimsandcertainunknownkillers. TheairoverandabovethevastconcreterivertrembledwiththewarmthofMontag’sbodyalone; itwasincrediblehowhefelthistemperaturecouldcausethewholeimmediateworldtovibrate. Hewasaphosphorescenttarget;heknewit,hefeltit. Andnowhemustbeginhislittlewalk. 

           Threeblocksawayafewheadlightsglared. Montagdrewadeepbreath. Hislungswerelikeburningbroomsinhischest. Hismouthwassuckeddryfromrunning.Histhroattastedofbloodyironandtherewasrustedsteelinhisfeet. 

           Whataboutthoselightsthere?Onceyoustartedwalkingyou’dhavetogaugehowfastthosebeetlescouldmakeitdownhere. Well,howfarwasittotheothercurb? Itseemedlikeahundredyards. Probablynotahundred,butfigureforthatanyway, figurethatwithhimgoingveryslowly,atanicestroll,itmighttakeasmuchasthirtyseconds,fortysecondstowalkalltheway.