Марсианские хроники
June 2001: — and the Moon Be Still as Bright
Andfresh.They’dbeendeadtendaysattheoutside."
"Didyoucheckothertowns?Didyouseeanythingalive?"
"Nothingwhatever.SoIwentouttochecktheothertowns.Fouroutoffivehavebeenemptyforthousandsofyears.WhathappenedtotheoriginalinhabitantsIhaven’tthefaintestidea.Butthefifthcityalwayscontainedthesamething.Bodies.Thousandsofbodies."
"Whatdidtheydieof?"Spendermovedforward.
"Youwon’tbelieveit."
"Whatkilledthem?"
Hathawaysaidsimply,"Chickenpox."
"MyGod,no!"
"Yes.Imadetests.Chickenpox.ItdidthingstotheMartiansitneverdidtoEarthMen.Theirmetabolismreacteddifferently,Isuppose.Burntthemblackanddriedthemouttobrittleflakes.Butit’schickenpox,nevertheless.SoYorkandCaptainWilliamsandCaptainBlackmusthavegotthroughtoMars,allthreeexpeditions.Godknowswhathappenedtothem.ButweatleastknowwhattheyunintentionallydidtotheMartians."
"Yousawnootherlife?"
"ChancesareafewoftheMartians,iftheyweresmart,escapedtothemountains.Buttherearen’tenough,I’lllayyoumoney,tobeanativeproblem.Thisplanetisthrough."
Spenderturnedandwenttositatthefire,lookingintoit.Chickenpox,God,chickenpox,thinkofit!Aracebuildsitselfforamillionyears,refinesitself,erectscitieslikethoseoutthere,doeseverythingitcantogiveitselfrespectandbeauty,andthenitdies.Partofitdiesslowly,initsowntime,beforeourage,withdignity.
