Марсианские хроники

           Hewasintheroomanotherfiveminutesbutneveragainaddressedthesolemnquartetthatstoodwithheadsdown,theirheavylegssagging,thelightdwindlingfromtheireyes.WhenMr.Iiiwentoutthedoorhewasbusylookingathisfingernails…

           Theystraggledalongthecorridorinthedull,silentafternoonlight.Theycametoalargeburnishedsilverdoor,andthesilverkeyopenedit.Theyentered,shutthedoor,andturned.

           Theywereinavastsunlithall.Menandwomansatattablesandstoodinconversinggroups.Atthesoundofthedoortheyregardedthefouruniformedmen.

           OneMartiansteppedforward,bowing."IamMr.Uuu,"hesaid.

           "AndIamCaptainJonathanWilliams,ofNewYorkCity,onEarth,"saidthecaptainwithoutemphasis.

           Immediatelythehallexploded!

           Therafterstrembledwithshoutsandcries.Thepeople,rushingforward,wavedandshriekedhappily,knockingdowntables,swarming,rollicking,seizingthefourEarthMen,liftingthemswiftlytotheirshoulders.Theychargedaboutthehallsixtimes,sixtimesmakingafullandwonderfulcircuitoftheroom,jumping,bounding,singing.

           TheEarthMenweresostunnedthattheyrodethetopplingshouldersforafullminutebeforetheybegantolaughandshoutateachother:

           "Hey!Thisismorelikeit!"

           "Thisisthelife!Boy!Yay!Yow!Whoopee!"

           Theywinkedtremendouslyateachother.Theyflunguptheirhandstoclaptheair."Hey!"

           "Hooray!"saidthecrowd.

           TheysettheEarthMenonatable.Theshoutingdied.

           Thecaptainalmostbrokeintotears."Thankyou.