JК
The Lovers :: Фармер Филип Хосе
Страница: 52 из 127Tell me, what do you think of the ruins?'
'Very interesting. Of course, I take an almost personal interest in this vanished people because they were mammals, so much like us Terrans. What I cannot imagine is how they could almost die out. If they were like us, and they seem to have been, they would have thrived.'
'They were a very decadent, quarrelsome, greedy, bloody, pernicious breed,' Fobo said. 'Though, no doubt, there were many fine people among them. I doubt that they all killed each other off, except for a few dozen or so. I doubt also that a plague killed almost all their kind. Maybe someday we'll find out. Bight now, I'm tired, so I'm going to bed.'
'I'm restless. If you don't mind, I'll poke around. These ruins are so beautiful in this bright moonlight.'
'Reminds me of a poem by our great bard Shamero. If I could remember it and could translate it effectively enough into American, I'd recite it to you.'
Fobo's V-in-V lips yawned.
'I shall go to bed, retire, wrap the arms of Morpheus around me. However, first, do you have any weapons, firearms, with which to defend yourself against the things that prowl the night?'
'I am allowed to carry a knife in my bootsheath,' said Hal.
Fobo reached under his cloak and brought out a pistol. He handed it to Hal and said, 'Here! I hope you won't have to use it, but you never know. We live in a savage, predatory world, my friend. Especially out here in the country.'
Hal looked curiously at the weapon, similar to those he had seen in Siddo. It was crude compared to the small automatics in the Gabriel, but it had all the aura and fascination of an alien weapon. Plus the fact that it resembled very much the early steel pistols of Earth. Its hexagonal barrel was not quite three decimeters long; the caliber looked to be about ten millimeters. A revolving chamber contained five brass cartridges; these were loaded with black gunpowder, lead bullets, and percussion caps containing, he guessed, fulminate of mercury. Strangely, the pistol had no trigger; a strong spring pulled the hammer down against the cartridge when the finger released the hammer.
Hal would have liked to see the mechanism that turned the revolving cartridge chamber when the hammer was pulled back. But he did not want to keep Fobo around any longer than he could help.
Nevertheless, he could not refrain from asking him why the Siddo did not use a trigger. Fobo was surprised at the question.
'Very interesting. Of course, I take an almost personal interest in this vanished people because they were mammals, so much like us Terrans. What I cannot imagine is how they could almost die out. If they were like us, and they seem to have been, they would have thrived.'
'They were a very decadent, quarrelsome, greedy, bloody, pernicious breed,' Fobo said. 'Though, no doubt, there were many fine people among them. I doubt that they all killed each other off, except for a few dozen or so. I doubt also that a plague killed almost all their kind. Maybe someday we'll find out. Bight now, I'm tired, so I'm going to bed.'
'I'm restless. If you don't mind, I'll poke around. These ruins are so beautiful in this bright moonlight.'
'Reminds me of a poem by our great bard Shamero. If I could remember it and could translate it effectively enough into American, I'd recite it to you.'
Fobo's V-in-V lips yawned.
'I shall go to bed, retire, wrap the arms of Morpheus around me. However, first, do you have any weapons, firearms, with which to defend yourself against the things that prowl the night?'
'I am allowed to carry a knife in my bootsheath,' said Hal.
Fobo reached under his cloak and brought out a pistol. He handed it to Hal and said, 'Here! I hope you won't have to use it, but you never know. We live in a savage, predatory world, my friend. Especially out here in the country.'
Hal looked curiously at the weapon, similar to those he had seen in Siddo. It was crude compared to the small automatics in the Gabriel, but it had all the aura and fascination of an alien weapon. Plus the fact that it resembled very much the early steel pistols of Earth. Its hexagonal barrel was not quite three decimeters long; the caliber looked to be about ten millimeters. A revolving chamber contained five brass cartridges; these were loaded with black gunpowder, lead bullets, and percussion caps containing, he guessed, fulminate of mercury. Strangely, the pistol had no trigger; a strong spring pulled the hammer down against the cartridge when the finger released the hammer.
Hal would have liked to see the mechanism that turned the revolving cartridge chamber when the hammer was pulled back. But he did not want to keep Fobo around any longer than he could help.
Nevertheless, he could not refrain from asking him why the Siddo did not use a trigger. Fobo was surprised at the question.