Марсианские хроники
June 2001: — and the Moon Be Still as Bright
Youmen,carryonyourparty!Spender,comewithme!"
Thementookuptheparty.WildermovedoffsomedistanceandconfrontedSpender."Supposeyouexplainwhatjusthappened,"hesaid.
Spenderlookedatthecanal."Idon’tknow,Iwasashamed.OfBiggsandusandthenoise.Christ,whataspectade."
"It’sbeenalongtrip.They’vegottohavetheirfling."
"Where’stheirrespect,sir?Where’stheirsenseoftherightthing?"
"You’retired,andyou’veadifferentwayofseeingthings,Spender.That’safifty-dollarfineforyou."
"Yes,sir.ItwasjusttheideaofThemwatchingusmakefoolsofourselves."
"Them?"
"TheMartians,whetherthey’redeadornot."
"Mostcertainlydead,"saidthecaptain."DoyouthinkTheyknowwe’rehere?"
"Doesn’tanoldthingalwaysknowwhenanewthingcomes?"
"Isupposeso.Yousoundasifyoubelieveinspirits."
"Ibelieveinthethingsthatweredone,andthereareevidencesofmanythingsdoneonMars.Therearestreetsandhouses,andtherearebooks,Iimagine,andbigcanalsanddocksandplacesforstabling,ifnothorses,well,thensomedomesticanimal,perhapswithtwelvelegs,whoknows?EverywhereIlookIseethingsthatwereused.Theyweretouchedandhandledforcenturies.Askme,then,ifIbelieveinthespiritofthethingsastheywereused,andI’llsayyes.They’reallhere.Allthethingswhichhaduses.Allthemountainswhichhadnames.Andwe’llneverbeabletousethemwithoutfeelinguncomfortable.
