451 по фаренгейту
It was a pleasure to burn
AnymanwhocantakeaTVwallapartandputitbacktogetheragain,andmostmencannowadays,ishappierthananymanwhotriestoslide-rule,measure,andequatetheuniverse,whichjustwon’tbemeasuredorequatedwithoutmakingmanfeelbestialandlonely. Iknow,I’vetriedit; tohellwithit. Sobringonyourclubsandparties,youracrobatsandmagicians,yourdare-devils,jetcars,motor-cyclehelicopters,yoursexandheroin, moreofeverythingtodowithautomaticreflex. Ifthedramaisbad,ifthefilmsaysnothing,iftheplayishollow,stingmewiththetheremin,loudly. I’llthinkI’mrespondingtotheplay,whenit’sonlyatactilereactiontovibration. ButIdon’tcare. Ijustlikesolidentertainment."
Beattygotup. "Imustbegoing. Lecture’sover. IhopeI’veclarifiedthings. Theimportantthingforyoutoremember,Montag,iswe’retheHappinessBoys,theDixieDuo,youandIandtheothers. Westandagainstthesmalltideofthosewhowanttomakeeveryoneunhappywithconflictingtheoryandthought. Wehaveourfingersinthedyke. Holdsteady. Don’tletthetorrentofmelancholyanddrearphilosophydrownourworld. Wedependonyou. Idon’tthinkyourealizehowimportantyouare,toourhappyworldasitstandsnow."
BeattyshookMontag’slimphand. Montagstillsat,asifthehousewerecollapsingabouthimandhecouldnotmove,inthebed. Mildredhadvanishedfromthedoor.
"Onelastthing,"saidBeatty. "Atleastonceinhiscareer,everyfiremangetsanitch. Whatdothebookssay,hewonders.Oh,toscratchthatitch,eh? Well,Montag,takemywordforit,I’vehadtoreadafewinmytime,toknowwhatIwasabout,andthebookssaynothing! Nothingyoucanteachorbelieve. They’reaboutnon-existentpeople,figmentsofimagination,ifthey’refiction.
