Марсианские хроники

           "You’lltakeuswithyou?"

           Thecaptainstarted."Ofcourse,yourwife,Irememberher.Twenty-fiveyearsago,wasn’tit?WhentheyopenedFirstTownandyouquittheserviceandbroughtheruphere.Andtherewerechildren—"

           "Mysonandtwodaughters."

           "Yes,Iremember.They’rehere?"

           "Upatourhut.There’safinebreakfastwaitingallofyouupthehill.Willyoucome?"

           "Wewouldbehonored,Mr.Hathaway."CaptainWildercalledtotherocket,"Abandonship!"

           Theywalkedupthehill,HathawayandCaptainWilder,thetwentycrewmembersfollowingtakingdeepbreathsofthethin,coolmorningair.Thesunroseanditwasagoodday.

           "DoyourememberSpender,Captain?"

           "I’veneverforgottenhim."

           "AboutonceayearIwalkuppasthistomb.Itlookslikehegothiswayatlast.Hedidn’twantustocomehere,andIsupposehe’shappynowthatwe’veallgoneaway."

           "Whatabout—whatwashisname?—Parkhill,SamParkhill?"

           "Heopenedahot-dogstand."

           "Itsoundsjustlikehim."

           "AndwentbacktoEarththenextweekforthewar."Hathawayputhishandtohischestandsatdownabruptlyuponaboulder,"I’msorry.Theexcitement.Seeingyouagainafteralltheseyears.Havetorest."Hefelthisheartpound.Hecountedthebeats.Itwasverybad.

           "We’veadoctor,"saidWilder."Excuseme,Hathaway,Iknowyouareone,butwe’dbettercheckyouwithourown—"Thedoctorwassummoned.

           "I’llbeallright,"insistedHathaway."Thewaiting,theexcitement."