Марсианские хроники

           Whenhepressedabuttonthetownlitupandmadenoisesasiftenthousandpeoplelivedinit.Therewereairplanenoisesandcarnoisesandthesoundsofpeopletalking.Hewouldsitandlightacigarandtalktous,andthesoundsofthetownwouldcomeuptous,andonceinawhilethephonewouldringandarecordedvoicewouldaskMr.Hathawayscientificandsurgicalquestionsandhewouldanswerthem.Withthephoneringingandushereandthesoundsofthetownandhiscigar,Mr.Hathawaywasquitehappy.There’sonlyonethinghecouldn’tmakeusdo,"shesaid."Andthatwastogrowold.Hegotoldereveryday,butwestayedthesame.Iguesshedidn’tmind.Iguesshewantedusthisway."

           "We’llburyhimdownintheyardwheretheotherfourcrossesare.Ithinkhewouldlikethat."

           Sheputherhandonhiswrist,lightly."I’msurehewould."

           Ordersweregiven.Thefamilyfollowedthelittleprocessiondownthehill.TwomencarriedHathawayonacoveredstretcher.TheypassedthestonehutandthestorageshedwhereHathaway,manyyearsbefore,hadbegunhiswork.Wilderpausedwithintheworkshopdoor.

           Howwoulditbe,hewondered,toliveonaplanetwithawifeandthreechildrenandhavethemdie,leavingyoualonewiththewindandsilence?Whatwouldapersondo?Burythemwithcrossesinthegraveyardandthencomebackuptotheworkshopand,withallthepowerofmindandmemoryandaccuracyoffingerandgenius,puttogether,bitbybit,allthosethingsthatwerewife,son,daughter.