Марсианские хроники

           Thewifeandthetwodaughtersandthesonraisedtheirglassestotheirlips.

           Thewinerandownoverthechinsofallfourofthem.

           Bymorningthecitywasblowingingreatblacksoftflakesacrosstheseabottom.Thefirewasexhausted,butithadserveditspurpose;theredspotontheskygrewlarger.

           Fromthestonehutcametherichbrownsmellofbakedgingerbread.Hiswifestoodoverthetable,settingdownthehotpansofnewbreadasHathawayentered.Thetwodaughtersweregentlysweepingthebarestonefloorwithstiffbrooms,andthesonwaspolishingthesilverware.

           "We’llhaveahugebreakfastforthem,"laughedHathaway."Putonyourbestclothes!"

           Hehurriedacrosshislandtothevastmetalstorageshed.Insidewasthecold-storageunitandpowerplanthehadrepairedandrestoredwithhisefficient,small,nervousfingersovertheyears,justashehadrepairedclocks,telephones,andspoolrecordersinhissparetime.Theshedwasfullofthingshehadbuilt,somesenselessmechanismsthefunctionsofwhichwereamysteryeventohimselfnowashelookeduponthem.

           Fromthedeepfreezehefetchedrimedcartonsofbeansandstrawberries,twentyyearsold.Lazaruscomeforth,hethought,andpulledoutacoolchicken.

           Theairwasfullofcookingodorswhentherocketlanded.

           Likeaboy,Hathawayraceddownthehill.Hestoppedoncebecauseofasuddensickpaininhischest.Hesatonarocktoregainhisbreath,thenranalltherestoftheway.

           Hestoodinthehotatmospheregeneratedbythefieryrocket.Aportopened.Amanlookeddown.