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Robert A. Heinlein - The Cat Who Walked Through Walls
Atec Февраль 29 2008 20:18:18
Книга только для ознакомления
."
I grabbed my cane and went through the archway and found myself translated
to the exact center of a large circular room. There is such a thing as too much
service.
There were a dozen-odd people seated around the room on a dais about a
meter high-a theater in the round, with me in the leading role... in the sense
in which an insect pinned to the stage of a microscope is the star of the show.
That brassy voice said, "State your full name."
"Richard Colin Ames Campbell. What is this? A trial?"
"Yes, in one sense."
"You can adjourn court right now; I'm not having any. If anyone is on
trial, it is all of you-as I want nothing from you but you seem to want
something from me. It is up to you to convince me, not the other way around.
Keep that clear in your mind."
I turned slowly around, looking over my "judges." I found a friendly face,
Hilda Burroughs, and felt enormously better. She threw me a kiss; I caught it
and ate it. But I was enormously surprised, too. I would expect to find this
tiny beauty at any gathering requiring elegance and grace... but not as a member
of a group that had been represented to me as being the most powerful council in
all history and any universe.
Then I recognized another face: Lazarus. He nodded; I returned his nod. He
said, "Please don't be impatient. Colonel. Allow protocol to proceed."
I said, "Protocol is either useful or it should be abolished
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