О дивный новый мир

           Whenheknewhowtoreadallthewordsshewroteonthewall,Lindaopenedherbigwoodenboxandpulledoutfromunderthosefunnylittleredtrouserssheneverworeathinlittlebook.Hehadoftenseenitbefore.

           "Whenyou’rebigger,"shehadsaid,"youcanreadit."Well,nowhewasbigenough.Hewasproud."I’mafraidyouwon’tfinditveryexciting,"shesaid."Butit’stheonlythingIhave."Shesighed."IfonlyyoucouldseethelovelyreadingmachinesweusedtohaveinLondon!"Hebeganreading.TheChemicalandBacteriologicalConditioningoftheEmbryo.PracticalInstructionsforBetaEmbryo-StoreWorkers.Ittookhimaquarterofanhourtoreadthetitlealone.Hethrewthebookonthefloor."Beastly,beastlybook!"hesaid,andbegantocry.

           TheboysstillsangtheirhorriblesongaboutLinda.Sometimes,too,theylaughedathimforbeingsoragged.Whenhetorehisclothes,Lindadidnotknowhowtomendthem.IntheOtherPlace,shetoldhim,peoplethrewawayclotheswithholesinthemandgotnewones."Rags,rags!"theboysusedtoshoutathim."ButIcanread,"hesaidtohimself,"andtheycan’t.Theydon’tevenknowwhatreadingis."Itwasfairlyeasy,ifhethoughthardenoughaboutthereading,topretendthathedidn’tmindwhentheymadefunofhim.HeaskedLindatogivehimthebookagain.

           Themoretheboyspointedandsang,theharderheread.Soonhecouldreadallthewordsquitewell.Eventhelongest.