451 по фаренгейту

           Grangerlookedintothefire. "Phoenix." 

           "What?" 

           "TherewasasillydamnbirdcalledaPhoenixbackbeforeChrist:everyfewhundredyearshebuiltapyreandburnedhimselfup. HemusthavebeenfirstcousintoMan. Buteverytimeheburnthimselfuphesprangoutoftheashes,hegothimselfbornalloveragain. Anditlookslikewe’redoingthesamething,overandover,butwe’vegotonedamnthingthePhoenixneverhad. Weknowthedamnsillythingwejustdid. Weknowallthedamnsillythingswe’vedoneforathousandyears, andaslongasweknowthatandalwayshaveitaroundwherewecanseeit,somedaywe’llstopmakingthegoddamfuneralpyresandjumpingintothemiddleofthem. Wepickupafewmorepeoplethatremember,everygeneration." 

           Hetookthepanoffthefireandletthebaconcoolandtheyateit,slowly,thoughtfully. 

           "Now,let’sgetonupstream,"saidGranger. "Andholdontoonethought:You’renotimportant.You’renotanything. Somedaytheloadwe’recarryingwithusmayhelpsomeone. Butevenwhenwehadthebooksonhand,alongtimeago,wedidn’tusewhatwegotoutofthem. Wewentrightoninsultingthedead.Wewentrightonspittinginthegravesofallthepooroneswhodiedbeforeus. We’regoingtomeetalotoflonelypeopleinthenextweekandthenextmonthandthenextyear. Andwhentheyaskuswhatwe’redoing,youcansay,We’reremembering. That’swherewe’llwinoutinthelongrun. Andsomedaywe’llremembersomuchthatwe’llbuildthebiggestgoddamsteam-shovelinhistoryanddigthebiggestgraveofalltimeandshovewarinandcoveritup. Comeonnow,we’regoingtogobuildamirror-factoryfirstandputoutnothingbutmirrorsforthenextyear andtakealonglookinthem."