Марсианские хроники
December 2005: The Silent Towns
Thewindblewandthestarsshonegentlyuponhiminthenewdusk.TheMartianmountainslayallaround,millionsofyearsold.StarlightglitteredonthespiresofalittleMartiantown,nobiggerthanagameofchess,inthebluehills.
Helayinthehalf-placebetweenawakenessanddreams.Hewhispered.Genevieve.Oh,Genevieve,sweetGenevieve,hesangsoftly,theyearsmaycome,theyearsmaygo.ButGenevieve,sweetGenevieve….Therewasawarmthinhim.Heheardherquietsweetcoolvoicesinging.Hello,oh,hello,Walter!Thisisnorecord.Whereareyou,Walter,whereareyou?
Hesighed,puttingupahandtotouchherinthemoonlight.Longdarkhairshakinginthewind;beautiful,itwas.Andherlipslikeredpeppermints.Andhercheekslikefresh-cutwetroses.Andherbodylikeaclearvaporousmist,whilehersoftcoolsweetvoicecroonedtohimoncemorethewordstotheoldsadsong,Oh,Genevieve,sweetGenevieve,theyearsmaycome,theyearsmaygo…
Heslept.
HereachedNewTexasCityatmidnight.
HehaltedbeforetheDeluxeBeautySalon,yelling.
Heexpectedhertorushout,allperfume,alllaughter.
Nothinghappened.
"She’sasleep."Hewalkedtothedoor."HereIam!"hecalled."Hello,Genevieve!"
Thetownlayindoublemoonlitsilence.Somewhereawindflappedacanvasawning.
Heswungtheglassdoorwideandsteppedin.
"Hey!"Helaugheduneasily."Don’thide!Iknowyou’rehere!"
Hesearchedeverybooth.
Hefoundatinyhandkerchiefonthefloor.Itsmelledsogoodhealmostlosthisbalance.
