Марсианские хроники
April 2000: The Third Expedition
Iftherewasanywayofreproducingeveryplant,everyroad,andeverylake,andevenanocean,I’ddoso.ThenbysomevastcrowdhypnosisI’dconvinceeveryoneinatownthissizethatthisreallywasEarth,notMarsatall."
"Goodenough,Hinkston.Ithinkwe’reontherighttracknow.Thatwomaninthathousebacktherejustthinksshe’slivingonEarth.Itprotectshersanity.Sheandalltheothersinthistownarethepatientsofthegreatestexperimentinmigrationandhypnosisyouwilleverlayeyesoninyourlife."
"That’sit,sir!"criedLustig.
"Right!"saidHinkston.
"Well."Thecaptainsighed."Nowwe’vegotsomewhere.Ifeelbetter.It’sallabitmorelogical.Thattalkabouttimeandgoingbackandforthandtravelingthroughtimeturnsmystomachupsidedown.Butthisway—"Thecaptainsmiled."Well,well,itlooksasifwe’llbefairlypopularhere."
"Orwillwe?"saidLustig."Afterall,likethePilgrims,thesepeoplecameheretoescapeEarth.Maybetheywon’tbetoohappytoseeus.Maybethey’lltrytodriveusoutorkillus."
"Wehavesuperiorweapons.Thisnexthousenow.Upwego."
ButtheyhadhardlycrossedthelawnwhenLustigstoppedandlookedoffacrossthetown,downthequiet,dreamingafternoonstreet."Sir,"hesaid.
"Whatisit,Lustig?"
"Oh,sir,sir,whatIsee—"saidLustig,andhebegantocry.Hisfingerscameup,twistingandshaking,andhisfacewasallwonderandjoyandincredulity.
