Марсианские хроники

           "Oh,goaway,Lustig!"

           Lustigwenttothedoor,rangthebell,andcalledintothecooldimrooms:"Whatyearisthis?"

           "Nineteentwenty-six,ofcourse,"saidthelady,sittinginarockingchair,takingasipofherlemonade.

           "Didyouhearthat?"Lustigturnedwildlytotheothers."Nineteentwenty-six!Wehavegonebackintime!ThisisEarth!"

           Lustigsatdown,andthethreemenletthewonderandterrorofthethoughtafflictthem.Theirhandsstirredfitfullyontheirknees.Thecaptainsaid,"Ididn’taskforathinglikethis.Itscaresthehelloutofme.Howcanathinglikethishappen?Iwishwe’dbroughtEinsteinwithus."

           "Willanyoneinthistownbelieveus?"saidHinkston."Areweplayingwithsomethingdangerous?Time,Imean.Shouldn’twejusttakeoffandgohome?"

           "No.Notuntilwetryanotherhouse."

           Theywalkedthreehousesdowntoalittlewhitecottageunderanoaktree."IliketobeaslogicalasIcanbe,"saidthecaptain."AndIdon’tbelievewe’veputourfingeronityet.Suppose,Hinkston,asyouoriginallysuggested,thatrockettraveloccurredyearsago?AndwhentheEarthpeoplelivedhereanumberofyearstheybegantogethomesickforEarth.Firstamildneurosisaboutit,thenafull-fledgedpsychosis.Thenthreatenedinsanity.Whatwouldyoudoasapsychiatristiffacedwithsuchaproblem?"

           Hinkstonthought"Well,IthinkI’drearrangethecivilizationonMarssoitresembledEarthmoreandmoreeachday.