Марсианские хроники
April 2000: The Third Expedition
Theorizingthattheyarestillalive,couldthey,evenwiththehelpofabrilliantMartianrace,havebuiltsuchatownasthisandageditinsoshortatime?Lookatthattownoutthere;why,it’sbeenstandinghereforthelastseventyyears.Lookatthewoodontheporchnewel;lookatthetrees,acenturyold,allofthem!No,thisisn’tYork’sworkorWilliams’.It’ssomethingelse.Idon’tlikeit.AndI’mnotleavingtheshipuntilIknowwhatitis."
"Forthatmatter,"saidLustig,nodding,"Williamsandhismen,aswellasYork,landedontheoppositesideofMars.Wewereverycarefultolandonthisside."
"Anexcellentpoint.JustincaseahostilelocaltribeofMartianskilledoffYorkandWilliams,wehaveinstructionstolandinafurtherregion,toforestallarecurrenceofsuchadisaster.Sohereweare,asfarasweknow,inalandthatWilliamsandYorkneversaw."
"Damnit,"saidHinkston,"Iwanttogetoutintothistown,sir,withyourpermission.Itmaybetherearesimilarthoughtpatterns,civilizationgraphsoneveryplanetinoursunsystem.Wemaybeonthethresholdofthegreatestpsychologicalandmetaphysicaldiscoveryofourage!"
"I’mwillingtowaitamoment,"saidCaptainJohnBlack.
"Itmaybe,sir,thatwe’relookinguponaphenomenonthat,forthefirsttime,wouldabsolutelyprovetheexistenceofGod,sir."
"Therearemanypeoplewhoareofgoodfaithwithoutsuchproof,Mr.Hinkston."
"I’monemyself,sir.
