Classics of a fantasy. A. Belyaev
for rescue of capitalists of the other countries.
Semuel Stormer was once one of the richest people, the member
eighty five joint-stock companies, chairman of sixty others
and away, and so forth. Said about it that it “keeps half of Europe in waistcoat
pocket’. Stormer’s power was present ‘the state in
state”. More than fifteen million people in the different countries
were supplied with Stormer’s companies gas, electricity, coal.
Welfare of millions of small shares holders was in his hands.
– The most difficult was to extract the first million, – ordinary spoke
Stormer to reporters, telling a story of the wealth, – to get
the rest was already easy.
Production of actions was system of this easy getting.
But crisis broke also this colossus.
Operation of the typographical machine making all new and new actions
and military orders did not save either Stormer, or his fellows, and only on
some time removed their final death.
And Stormer decided, what is the best of all, having hidden solid cash,
to disappear, depart “on heaven”.
It unexpectedly like interest to., to a classical antiquity also went
through Paris to Athens to study ancient art of Greece. “Incidentally”
Greece was not connected by the extradition treaty of criminals.
Flight of Stormer and his brother caused noise in the country. Government
demanded Stormer’s delivery from Greece. It was arrested and forwarded in
prison – in the camera arranged better than any salon aristocratic
hotels.
However for other morning when Stormer still stretched in a bed, to
to it the chief of prison and the Athenian lawyer, in most entered the camera
refined expressions apologized for the happened misunderstanding and
declared that it is free. He was obliged by it to the Greek millionaire,
invested the capital in Stormer’s enterprises.
But Stormer did not forget a lesson. It grasped the idea of “Noah’s Ark”. It
the scent said to him that on this business it is possible to profit. Unless one
Stormer is in a stalemate? And it with energy inherent in it
undertook affairs of “Noah’s Ark”, at once having put them in a big way and in that
time actively preparing for final elimination come in
the deadlock put. Induced to leave Earth it not only danger
the coming revolution. Revolution bore to it crash. Any day could
to emerge on a surface dark affairs, briberies, forgeries and even something
it is worse what at best threatened Stormer with full bankruptcy. But
that bankruptcy if direct threatened his life
danger? To leave Earth was for it the best outcome.
Stormer decided to set fire to the palace before flying away and to dramatize
own death in a flame. Thus many will be destroyed
the documents compromising him, and the case of it is dismissed for it
“death”. Everything was prepared for it.
Stormer should have held on by all means before
time, having kept visibility of prosperity. Therefore he could not withdraw from
addresses as Marshal, considerable part of the gold reserves.
And still he prepared a weighty suitcase. But he did not want to leave
to its Earth. He considered the earth insufficiently safe place since
danger of revolution became a reality.
And he asked Zander whether it is impossible to make at least part of the rocket of him
gold. Zander explained that it is impossible. Gold is even softer than silver.
It melts at one thousand sixty two degrees Celsius whereas
iron – at one thousand five hundred. The surface of the rocket at flight through
the atmosphere is exposed to strong heating.
– We risk to burn down in our gold rocket or to be flattened out at
to landing. The strongest refractory grades are necessary for a cover of the rocket
special steel.
Stormer was disappointed and is even offended. For the first time it was necessary to it
to hear that gold is put below steel.
– Well, and on internal hand-made articles?
– It is possible, though is unprofitable: gold too massivno, increases
dead freight. On gazo-and water pipes, perhaps, it is possible to use
this metal if you insist.
– On the sewerage, can be? – being indignant with such profanation
“golden calf”, Stormer asked.
– And at least and for bathrooms, – Zander quietly answered. – In the sky other
quotation of values.
Also settled upon that: in “Noah’s Ark” of a pipe and some details
the equipment will be made of gold.
Chapter 5
THE CITY WHICH IS NOT MARKED ON ONE MAP AND NOT SIMILAR TO OTHER CITIES OF THE WORLD
Stratoplan tilted. For a moment Finger saw the mountain platform and
on it Stormer-city.
This city had an extraordinary appearance. On the central square was
the huge horseshoe attached to the earth by the rounded-off part. Any
the cathedral in the world, any skyscraper could not be made even to it on height.
Around a horseshoe not less strange constructions settled down.
The spherical buildings, huge cylinders which are lying on one side or standing on
the basis. One sphere was glass and as it seemed to Finger,
rotated. Another – absolutely black. The lying cylinder, or “tank”,
had a surface half black, opaque, half brilliant,
as if silver. The strange roundabouts, planked footway hanging in flashed
air, railway lines.
At the next moment стратоплан it was leveled, the platform failed.
Finger extended a neck to look down.
– You admire an amusement park? – Vinkler with a smile asked.
The second small list, and Hans saw one-storey pine houses, for
them – two-storeyed long standard barracks, further away – tents.
Crossing all city, there was an embankment, hollow rising in the direction
break.