Classics of a fantasy. A. Belyaev
an entrance the beep of the car cried. Lady Hinton discontentedly frowned
– “after all is!.” – and Ellen slightly reddened. She learned beep
blottonovsky car.
In two minutes lord Henry Blotton already entered a drawing room, in black
tuxedo, fashionable vest and tie, sparkling a monocle. It was scented,
it is perfectly shaved.
– I was not late? Hello, aunt! – so he called lady Hinton,
which had the remote relative.
As soon as all took seat at a table, the lady started talking on a favourite subject about
degradation of morals, dissoluteness of youth, modern books, “which
it is impossible to give in hands to the well-educated girl”, about lack of due
respect for authorities and seniors.
– Tell, dear baron, – she addressed the banker, – I heard, you
came to us to extort the English gold? You want to shoal our gold
pool?
The face of the banker warped.
– Хь., хь., хь… I am for this purpose too low-power pump, the lady.
TT., the same success I could shoal the Atlantic Ocean.
Lady Hinton reluctantly received “it the upstart”, but was with it
it is kind at insistance of the legal adviser and managing affairs
Smiggers who ran large business with the banker.
Did not forget lady Hinton as the hospitable hostess, and the old philosopher.
– And where your charming daughter, Mr. Shnirer?
– And? What? – professor as if wakening from a dream asked. – Amelie?
Yes. At a football match! What? Soccer! And? – It plunged into the again
usual contemplate state.
– It is a pity, – lady Hinton stretched though she in soul was glad: it
preferred men’s society, besides in Amelie’s behavior a lot of things
shocked her.
– Doctor Teker told me terrible things, – it continued,
addressing already all and darting a sidelong glance at Teker, – how ours
the famous writer predicted death of a civilization. Really it
perhaps?
The ticker was on thorns. He thought of the wife, of the newborn and
every minute tried to rise, take the leave and leave, but did not decide to make
it.
Shnirer, having heard about the favourite subject, unexpectedly turned from
contemplate Buddha in the ardent speaker.
– Death of a civilization! – he exclaimed, having sparkled eyes, and continued,
increasing tone:
– Yes, the civilization perishes! She is doomed, and she is ruined by the car, it
iron monster. The owner of land becomes the slave to the car. It forces
us, one and all whether we know and whether we want it or not to go
till its ways. Without restraint the rushing chariot drags for itself prostrate
the winner, until he dies… Human beings, so
carefully raised these wild and dangerous animals, woke up and found
in an environment of the new race of iron monsters dominating over them…
Shnirer did not speak any more, and cried out, shaking by the wrinkled fist:
– It is necessary to bridle even stronger science, to detain rationalization,
to clamp the equipment, to suffocate invention, differently death of a civilization and
our death are inevitable… Still a cup of tea, more strong if you allow, —
unexpectedly it finished.
Ellen silently spilled tea, imperceptibly glancing at the groom. But that
was interested in liqueurs more, strenuously adding the bishop whose face
shone light of terrestrial pleasures.
– WW., ffva., are right, professor, – objected the banker, – it is necessary to the technician
to keep in a strong bridle. But civilizations threaten not only машшш.,
cars. There are animals more dangerous, artful and ruthless…
– Communists! – lady Hinton exclaimed.
Precisely December cold blew softly in August. The society which gathered for
table, it was stirred up.
All started talking at once, having forgotten about ethics. Faces were poured by hatred,
rage and fear. The word was pronounced. General disease, which
undermined all, saddened, joy of life poisoned, sang dreadful
dreams, it was called…
Everyone hurried to facilitate the soul, to pour out what overflowed long ago
heart. Spoke differently, but about same: about damned
communists, destroyers of culture and civilization, fanatics. Here was
in total: and revolutions in three states, and “nationalization of women”, and
Komintern, both dumping, and destruction of temples, and hunger…
Never before society of lady Hinton was so unanimously, so sincerely
in expression of feelings and thoughts. Never at a table sounded so harmoniously
the symphony of hatred and bodily fear before close revolution.
“Red animals” – unless not they threaten to take away everything from lady Hinton:
title, power, situation, wealth?
Their propagandists decompose Christ’s herd and threaten with God’s desolation
to temples, starvation to the bishop Iov Weller.
And the philosopher Shnirer – that other, except boundless hatred, he could
to feed “for patrons of the equipment and enthusiasts of industrialization,
forced to serve themselves cars which the teeths tear
human beings also threaten to crush the gear wheels modern
culture”! . When nervousness settled a little, lady Hinton seized
conversation.
– I offered two hundred thousand pounds on fight against them recently, but
it, of course, is not enough. Each of us has to understand that it is better now,
while the getting is good, voluntarily to refuse a part of the property, than
to lose everything.
– I read about “Noah’s Ark” and I believe that the writer quite
in due time raises a question of great importance, – Henry told, reeling up
on a finger a ribbon with a monocle. – When in a number of the countries revolution wins,
won, the truth resisting, quit the stage and