Марсианские хроники
June 2001: — and the Moon Be Still as Bright
HowwouldyoufeelifyouwereaMartianandpeoplecametoyourlandandstartedtearingitup?"
"IknowexactlyhowI’dfeel,"saidCheroke."I’vegotsomeCherokeebloodinme.MygrandfathertoldmelotsofthingsaboutOklahomaTerritory.Ifthere’saMartianaround,I’mallforhim."
"Whataboutyouothermen?"askedSpendercarefully.
Nobodyanswered;theirsilencewastalkenough.Catchascatchcan,finder’skeepers,iftheotherfellowturnshischeekslapithard,etc…
"Well,"saidSpender,"I’vefoundaMartian."
Themensquintedathim.
"Upinadeadtown.Ididn’tthinkI’dfindhim.Ididn’tintendlookinghimup.Idon’tknowwhathewasdoingthere.I’vebeenlivinginalittlevalleytownforaboutaweek,learninghowtoreadtheancientbooksandlookingattheiroldartforms.AndonedayIsawthisMartian.Hestoodthereforamomentandthenhewasgone.Hedidn’tcomebackforanotherday.Isataround,learninghowtoreadtheoldwriting,andtheMartiancameback,eachtimealittlenearer,untilonthedayIlearnedhowtodeciphertheMartianlanguage—it’samazinglysimpleandtherearepicturegraphstohelpyou—theMartianappearedbeforemeandsaid,«Givemeyourboots.»AndIgavehimmybootsandhesaid,«Givemeyouruniformandalltherestofyourapparel.»AndIgavehimallofthat,andthenhesaid,«Givemeyourgun,»andIgavehimmygun.Thenhesaid,«Nowcomealongandwatchwhathappens.»AndtheMartianwalkeddownintocampandhe’sherenow."
