Classics of a fantasy

thousands of meters. It is possible that Sumatra and Borneo will become rocket airfields

future regular interplanetary travel, as well as Andes. But on these

islands., it is too crowded: oil, coal, tropical spices and

fruit and other tempting things attracted the capital and people there, and

islands became colonies of a number of powers. Besides Sumatra and Borneo

are rather far from those factories and the plants at which

parts of the rocket are produced. Transfer would cost much.

Therefore, there are Andes. Here everything that to us, is more faithful to you, is necessary:

equator, high mountains, deficiency, off road terrain, desert, solitude. Quite

also the area topography approaches. Flight will be directed on an inclined plane in

twelve degrees on the East, that is in the same direction, in what

also the globe rotates. It to use “free”

additional speed of rotation of Earth to add this speed to speed

rockets. As you can see if skillfully to undertake, then and rotation of Earth is possible

to make the ally. Between the Andes and the Rocky Mountains the valley lies. There,

where the Andes break to this valley, it is convenient to arrange the platform for running start

rockets. Having gained speed, the rocket “will break” from break to leave

Earth. Well, now all “why” are resolved? Blotton nodded:

– I thank you, everything is clear. Do not complain about me for my dullness: to me

it was not necessary to be engaged in these lofty matters.

– However we were so chattered that nearly missed landing, – told

Vinkler. – Already Stormer-city – the purpose of our travel is seen. On

any case be fastened to a chair by belts. Startodr here not quite

it is equipped.

Finger silently executed this council, but Blotton, being fastened, carelessly

told with a type of the skilled person.

– Overcaution!

Chapter 4

AS IT IS POSSIBLE TO CONTAIN A LOT OF THINGS IN SMALL

Today last day…

Ellen drops on the earth of several broken roses and does not notice it.

The aunt ordered to get ready for a trip. “You can select things weight

on centner, and gram more, – she told. – You can take everything that

it is pleasant to you also that you consider it necessary”.

Ellen entered the country lock of lady Hinton from a garden on wide

to white stone ladder. Family crests over doors with cut from

gray stone lions were corroded winds and rains of four centuries.

Four hundred years sharp-toothed, oskalenny mouths of animals protected rest of the lock. And

now it is necessary to leave all to the mercy of fate if only to save themselves…

Winter garden. Fountains in marble reservoirs murmur, birds chirp.

Artificial grottoes, small falls among greens. Palm trees, cactuses

vsevozmozhneyshy types. The most valuable collection of orchids collected by her grandfather in

that time when orchids became fashionable in England and for rare copies

paid gold heaps. Some fancy copies of these exotic

flowers had the history. To receive them, courageous hunters

behind orchids went to the wild woods of the Central Africa and Southern

America, battled against savages, animals, died of fever, stings

dragon. Some of them were burned on fires, eaten by cannibals,

died of the poisoned arrows. When this watered with blood extraordinary,

as if brought from other planet, plants appeared in the capital

Great Britain, on them new hunting – hunting capital began

the aristocrats-snobs trying to catch any price in the

collection the most original and beautiful flowers. Her grandfather then bought up

the best copies, came to admire its collection from different

countries. How many works and money were cost by this winter garden!

Behind a garden the art gallery began. Entrances and exits protect

terrible knights from whom there was only a brilliant cover. They not

will lift heavy swords in protection of the lock, will not cross copies for

honor of ladies of the heart…

Hall of easel painting. Reysdal, Rosetti, Flemings, Dutches,

Spaniards, Italians. Whether not to take what from this room? Some

peace Dutch landscape?. No!

In the dining room – hills of ancient porcelain, crystal, Venetian

color glass. Unless it is possible to take these fragile things in the rocket?

Library. Books are hated it. By!.

Narrow dark corridors Ellen passed to wardrobe rooms. Here

smelled of naphthalene. Cases contained the whole history of a suit. Ellen

removed doors and looked inside. Silk, velvet, heavy brocade,

gold sewing, pearls… And what sizes! As if wore these dresses

the died-out breed of giants. Ellen reached own clothes,

where the dresses sewed for it by the best tailors were stored. To take, to be

can, this gray silk dress? Or this black, output?

Ball – steel color? To what? Evening receptions, theaters… All this

“there” it is not necessary…

Many hours she wandered about the house. Took one thing in hand and, forgetting about

to it, mechanically put back, went further.

It turned out as a result that she loves nothing and it is not tied to anything.

Ellen has no lovely, expensive things. But why then she so dreamed about

inheritance? In what business? She could not understand it.

With bitterness she entered the room of lady Hinton. The aunt sat at a desk

mahogany and, as the usurer accepting gold in a mortgage

weighed diamonds on pharmaceutical scales.

For Ellen it was day of revelations. Having found the aunt behind this occupation,

Ellen suddenly felt that she hates her and despises. These feelings

long ago were concealed in her soul and now emerged on a surface.

– Selected? – lady Hinton asked.

– Selected nothing, – the girl answered and took seat behind the aunt at

fireplace.

– Why?

– Because I do not know what to select.

– You do not know?

– I do not know! – with extraordinary sharpness Ellen answered. – Any thing

does not interest me, does not stop my attention.

– Choose as I choose. To Earth we still will return when passes

general madness, I firmly trust in it. But what we leave here

it is necessary to consider lost. However, I disposed to hide some

jewelry. In cellars of the lock there are hiding places about which nobody not

suspects. There are storerooms in which it is possible to immure something. Something

it will be dug in a garden, something will be lowered in a well. But unless on servants

it is possible to rely? Means, it is necessary to count only that we can

to take with itself. The centner is after all much if to choose efficiently.

It is necessary to take the smallest by the size and weight of a thing and the most expensive.

Watch how I arrive. – And lady Hinton showed a chubby hand on a heap

the values lying before it on a table.

– I have no your abilities, – noticed Ellen.

– Study. From dresses, linen at least selected something?

– Henry says that it is only excess freight. In Stormer-city

special suits for the rocket are produced. There it will be so warm,

that to put on an excess dress it would be just unhygienic.

– Hygienists! Tell Henry that I will refuse flight if they are

to walk there in indecent suits. Take several dresses, it is more

linen, hat, galoshes, umbrella.

– And galoshes, umbrella, what for?

– They are going to land us on some comet…

– To the planet, aunt.

– Do not interrupt. And if there the rain is or slush?

– Henry advises winter suits to take. It is possible that it is necessary to us

to land on the planet with a frigid climate.

– Let do not land on such. Can choose become warmer. I do not take out

cold weather.

– Today this question will be discussed still.

– You reminded me. Whether rooms for guests are prepared? How many

the person is expected?

– Person twenty. I already disposed.

– And lunch?

– Everything is ready, the aunt.

Now there was not such time to receive guests. But it was also not

standard practice. In the country lock of lady Hinton had to gather

some participants of the forthcoming flight, to discuss very important

questions. So far it was not still precisely solved on what

the planet the crew of “ark” will land. On this congress expected arrival

several most visible astronomers. Well paid them for consultation and

for silence. Except the closest participants of flight, nobody has to know about

“ark”.

It would seem what can be urgency in astronomy where time

it is estimated in billions of years where everything from the terrestrial point of view is firm?

Steadily planets move on the orbits, steadily follow the

in the ways periodically appearing comets… Or astronomers waited for one of

such rare guests, like Galley’s comet, or were trapped full

solar eclipse?. No, not comets and solar eclipses absorbed them

time. They were really extremely busy. Astronomy – science about

the far sky – it was very close to some terrestrial affairs.

Great mathematicians, experts on heavenly mechanics, they were mobilized

for work on superartillery and superaircraft. “The last Mohicans”

capitalism feverishly prepared for war, preparing for the opponent “surprises”

in the form of rocket shells, military stratoplan, superlong-range guns

and other. And scientists jealously carried out charged to them especially scientific

business…

But, working for those who were executed by animal rage and thirst of fight

and destructions, scientists could not refuse the last service and that who

wanted to run from fight. And, having bargained, they accepted favorable

offer.

That minute when lady Hinton was engaged in weighing of the

family values, the philosopher Shnirer also sat in the office for

scales, but its scales were big, and it weighed not on carats, and on

tens of kilograms. On a table before it heaps of philosophical books lay. It

the library weighed not one centner. These books are so heavy! He decided to take

the best of them. From ancient philosophers Platon – it is unconditional, Aristotle —

under doubt. From new – certainly Kant, Schopenhauer, Spengler,

Bergson. But as this old man Kant weighs much! Perhaps, not to take them?

No, they will be necessary “there”.

Shnirer worked methodically, as always. At first made a marking

“the specific philosophical weight” of each philosopher, then noted

the “physical” weight of the book also accurately wrote down on the sheet of paper.

The door of an office was slightly opened, someone glanced through a crack.

– You do not work, the father? – asked Amelie, entering the room. Amelie

never entered to the father when that was busy. It were hours

religious rites. The daughter of the philosopher was excited, her cheeks burned

flush. Shnirer looked at the daughter over points and asked briefly:

– Sport?

– This time not. I saw Otto. The lieutenant Otto Ernst was

Amelie’s groom.

– Well and that? – Shnirer asked, weighing Descartes.

– We with it had a conversation…

– As I see, very hot.

– Yes. I suggested it to take part in flight. He answered that with

its parties it would be desertion. He told: “I have to remain

here, to win or die!” Otto convinced me to remain with him.

Descartes’s small volume trembled in Shnirer’s hand.

– Well, and that you answered? – he asked, trying to hide alarm.

– I answered it that I will follow you, the father. Shnirer frowned,

to hide joy:

– So. And Otto?

– Otto speaks, as you have no need to fly… And all these books you

you want to take with yourself? Whether you gather, the father to give lectures on

philosophies to Martians or inhabitants of Venus?

– If they exist and are rather developed for this purpose, then why to them

and not to get acquainted with philosophers of Earth? – Shnirer answered. – And to fly to me

it is necessary. And it for my part not desertion and not cowardice. On me

the holy duty lies – to keep wisdom of Earth. True philosophy,

thousand-year heritage of human culture. To all this, – he specified on

books, – terrible danger threatens. Who knows what treasures of a thought

were killed in fire at the fire of the Alexandria library? And now approaches

world fire. If communism wins, I think, these barbarians will burn everything

philosophical books, except books of the philosophers, – Shnirer was lop-sided on

fireplace. – The mankind will run wild and eventually will die: the car will exterminate

it. Around the world – understand, in all solar system, in all space! —

treasures of the human genius will remain only in our “ark”. If

we are not fated to return to Earth, we will land on some planet.

We will put the basis to new mankind, true culture – without cars,

without infection of materialistic philosophy, without policy and without workers

questions. – Shnirer became straight and became similar to the bible prophet. —

There, on new Earth, – it continued, having raised a finger up, – will be necessary

these books. They will become our tables of the covenant. And I will teach people to the truth.

Shnirer, this room scientist not capable to direct actions, all

served the class till last days. However, at this philosopher were

the scores with capitalism – cars. But also consisted in that

originality of its philosophy that he tried to resolve a circle quadrature about

capitalism without the equipment and machines. Generated by hopeless

contradictions, its philosophy was quite confused, but it used

success because carried out the social order of “Mohicans” and promised

some “exit” from the deadlock. Shnirer looked at himself nearly as

on the Messiah, designed to save capitalism from a loop and to remove it in

promised country of cloudless eternal prosperity. He seriously considered

itself the keeper of wisdom of Earth, that is that philosophy which is necessary

was for an ideological justification and the statement of its class. And this

to the idea it served selflessly. Only for the sake of it he decided to go in

this extraordinary risky travel. Only for the sake of it it – passionate

the opponent of cars – decided to resort to the help of the car, to send himself to it

the order to entrust it the “precious for mankind” life.

To escape from the car by car. He deeply and painfully felt it

contradiction, but did not see other exit.

– And if we return to Earth?

– Ives this case needs to keep books in the reliable place. And that

can be more reliable than “ark”? “They” can destroy books before

your Otto and his colleagues will destroy “them”. And I will return to Earth of its treasure.

I will bring these tables of wisdom from the sky and I will hand them to people as Moisey. I

I will educate the saddened human consciousness this! – It solemnly lifted

up a small volume of own philosophical treatise about malignancy

materialism. – I have to keep myself for mankind! – solemnly

he finished and already usual tone asked:

– You kept within?

– Still not. I go to gather, – Amelie told. She kissed the father in

cheek, passed to the room, opened a trunk and one minute threw there

volleyball, several tennis balls and rackets, two guns,

cartridges, bathing and sports suits, Hawaiian guitar, small

road toilet bag, two dresses, linen, the camera with a stock of films —

the word, everything that it took, going to ordinary “travel” —

to the resort.

***

The bishop Iov Weller got ready for a trip too. It should fly on

unknown planet. With this thought he, could reconcile in any way yet

to accustom.

Once on Saturday he peacefully sat, having gone deep into drawing up

the Sunday sermon, in the cozy apartment where lived two tens

years when the housekeeper reported that some person wants to see it.

Thinking that he is invited for execution of an occasional office, he told that

the visitor was let in.

The little restless person entered:

– I have honor to be presented. I am Henry Pinch. Representative of joint-stock

societies “Noah’s Ark” and personal secretary of the chairman of the board of Mr.

Samuel Stormer.

– This charitable society? – the bishop asked. He already forgot about

conversation in salon of lady Hinton.

– Not absolutely, – Pinch answered, taking seat in a chair and fidgeting in it. —

Though in some way it is possible to call it and charitable. Rescue

people from terrible death – whether this not good cause? You need to fly, the sir

bishop, as soon as possible.

– Where to fly? – Weller asked.

– On the sky.

The bishop was involuntarily removed to a chair back. That it, ridiculous joke

or ravings of a madman?

– I not absolutely understand you.

– I believed that you are rather prepared for this offer, —

Pinch answered, continuing to fidget in a chair. – Lady Hinton spoke…

The bishop remembered everything. But really it is serious?.

– I do not intend to fly on the sky! Perfect it intends! – the bishop told

such tone as if to it suggested to die. – To me to fly? Agree,

that it does not even match my dignity.

Пинч shrugged shoulders:

– I believe that it will not drop the advantage of your dignity. As

there were precedents… The prophet Ilya, for example, made flight to the sky.

Righteous person, prophet. On that time the prophet’s rank, I believe, meant not

it is less, than now the bishop.

– Yes, but., there was a God’s pleasure…

– And this pleasure of lady Hinton.

– I very much respect lady Hinton. This is the best sheep in my herd. But

it at me not one. I cannot leave the flock on eating up predatory

to wolves.

– And if the flock leaves you?.

The bishop sighed:

– I agree with you. Temples are visited less. But, as it is told in

the writing, “where one or two are brought together in my name, there and I in the middle of them”.

– In “ark” there will be twenty people. And when we will land on

some planet, to Mars or Venus, you will undertake a role

the apostle, announcing Christ’s doctrine to Martians or educating light

Gospel of inhabitants of Venus. Think only, you the first which will be with

the sermon of Christianity on other planets of solar system! And to be

can, god elects you for this mission.

– The almighty Lord, if finds necessary, can make it and other

in the way. But we will not concern so important theological questions, —

the bishop answered.

– Well, – continued Pinch, – it is admissible, you will refuse to fly,

despite insistent desire of lady Hinton who does not think of flight

without you. “The doctor is spiritual, – she says, – it is so necessary, as well as the doctor

corporal. Who will give to me advice, to direct “and a virtue path?

Who will make a ceremony of a wedding of lady Ellen with lord Henry Blotton?

Who will christen the been born children who will bury me if I die?”

Let’s say you will not obey these arguments and will remain. What waits for you

here? Perhaps, martyr death…

– I am ready to accept a martyr’s crown, – the bishop told, raising eyes to

to the sky. – But “yes this bowl will pass me”, – he whispered about himself.

– To remain on Earth, especially in your dignity, – Pinch was not appeased, —

extremely dangerously. In the country a tense situation. It is already the day before

revolutions, there is nothing to close eyes to it. – Пинч, having slid off on edge

chairs, continued by confidential tone:

– Lady Hinton received the most reliable news from the highest spheres that

falling of the power is expected any day. We not in forces to fight. It is impossible

to hesitate.

The bishop felt that sweat covers his forehead and cold runs on

to wide back.

– I am ready to everything, – he told.

Пинч took the leave and left.

The thought of missionary activity occupied the bishop. He did not trust in

existence of Martians, but on the new planet it would be among terrestrial

settlers the real father – Christ’s deputy. And unless without

Christianities, in general without religion it is possible to support a social order,

which provided also to it and his “sheep”, similar ladies Hinton, them

privileged position? But not only this “a high mission of the apostle”

forced it to decide to participate in flight. The bishop was frightened quickly

the developing events there is not less Shnirer and others. If revolution

will win, at its dignity it is necessary to it. Especially. perhaps, these

it was not necessary to tell sermons… And the prayer made by it about

the fastest death of communism? It even, speak, was with corresponding

with comments it is printed in their newspapers… No, to run, run… And it with

diligence began to select books of spiritual contents from the enough

big library. He put on a table already several big books when

phone cracked.

– Forgive for concern. Hallo! Yes! It again I, Pinch. I forgot

to warn you that if you decide to fly, hurry up to select things,

what you will find necessary to take with yourself, but it is no more than hundred kilograms.

Such is the order of our chief engineer. In “ark” everything is weighed

to the last gram.

The bishop with disappointment hung up.

It is no more than a centner. What complication! Except books, it is necessary to take

it is a lot of other things. He thought of the habits. Iov Weller loved

it is good to eat. What will feed in “ark” with? It will be necessary on everyone

to take a case with itself something for emergency. Even more the bishop loved and appreciated

thin wines and expensive liqueurs. They need absolutely to be taken. With the

stomach he did not get on as well as his best “sheep” – lady Hinton. To it

it was necessary to resort to laxatives, mainly to mineral

to waters. It is necessary to take at least a box of Zaltsbrunnen.

The bishop with despondency looked at the books which are spread out on a table and standing

on shelves. They one, probably, weigh more than a centner. It is necessary to select

the most necessary. The bishop called the housekeeper, ordered it to bring from the storeroom

bottles, banks of canned food, cookies boxes, banks with the oil condensed

milk also forced all this to weigh at itself. The housekeeper began to cry:

really the bishop considers her the thief? But at heart she was delighted:

the person who as she overheard, decided to depart, having thrown everything on

a destiny arbitrariness, would not begin to be engaged in economic trifles.

The hill with books on an episcopal table gradually thawed. At first it

put aside commentators and interpreters of the writing, then decided that

it is possible to do without history of ecumenical councils. Several tasty things and

warm jerseys forced to remove back on the book shelf of also some

Holy Fathers. Was already long after midnight when the bishop at last finished

selection. The voluminous chest was full. On the top pocket lay

Bible of the edition of the British bible society, and small breviary.

Apostles – those did also without it…

***

Dexterous agents of “Society of rescue from danger” hired all

new and new investors clients, gold flowed a wide stream in pockets

businessmen who had no objection to earn additionally and on rescue.

Collecting went to the road in the different ends of the world.

***

…There is such hour at dawn when the city polusmezhat tired for

put eyes. Show-windows and wide windows of cafe, a window which reflect die away