Марсианские хроники
August 1999: The Earth Men
"IknewIhadforgottensomething,"shesaidwhenshesawthecaptain.Shewalkedouttothekitchen."I’msorry."Shehandedhimaslipofpaper."Mr.Tttismuchtoobusy."Sheturnedtohercooking."Anyway,it’snotMr.Tttyouwanttosee;it’sMr.Aaa.Takethatpaperovertothenextfarm,bythebluecanal,andMr.Aaa’lladviseyouaboutwhateveritisyouwanttoknow."
"Wedon’twanttoknowanything,"objectedthecaptain,poutingouthisthicklips."Wealreadyknowit."
"Youhavethepaper,whatmoredoyouwant?"sheaskedhimstraightoff.Andshewouldsaynomore.
"Well,"saidthecaptain,reluctanttogo.Hestoodasifwaitingforsomething.HelookedlikeachildstaringatanemptyChristmastree."Well,"hesaidagain."Comeon,men."
Thefourmensteppedoutintothehotsilentday.
Halfanhour.later,Mr.Aaa,seatedinhislibrarysippingabitofelectricfirefromametalcup,heardthevoicesoutsideinthestonecauseway.Heleanedoverthewindowsillandgazedatthefouruniformedmenwhosquintedupathim.
"AreyouMr.Aaa?"theycalled.
"Iam."
"Mr.Tttsentustoseeyou!"shoutedthecaptain.
"Whydidhedothat?"askedMr.Aaa.
"Hewasbusy!"
"Well,that’sashame,"saidMr.Asssarcastically."DoeshethinkIhavenothingelsetodobutentertainpeoplehe’stoobusytobotherwith?"
"That’snottheimportantthing,sir,"shoutedthecaptain.
"Well,itistome.Ihavemuchreadingtodo.Mr.Tttisinconsiderate.
