Межзвёздный скиталец

           Morrellsaidhewouldtakeitupsometime,butthathedislikedtosuchanextenttheprocessofleavinghisbodythathewouldnotmaketheattemptuntilsuchtimethathissufferinginthejacketbecametooextremetobeborne.

           “Thatisthewaywithallofthem—won’tcomeacrosswiththegoods,”wasOppenheimer’scriticism.“Mymotherbelievedinspirits.WhenIwasakidshewasalwaysseeingthemandtalkingwiththemandgettingadvicefromthem.Butshenevercomeacrosswithanygoodsfromthem.Thespiritscouldn’ttellherwheretheoldmancouldnailajoborfindagold-mineormarkaneight-spotinChineselottery.Notonyourlife.Thebunktheytoldherwasthattheoldman’sunclehadhadagoitre,orthattheoldman’sgrandfatherhaddiedofgallopingconsumption,orthatweweregoingtomovehouseinsidefourmonths,whichlastwasdeadeasy,seeingaswemovedonanaverageofsixtimesayear.”

           Ithink,hadOppenheimerhadtheopportunityforthorougheducation,hewouldhavemadeaMarinettioraHaeckel.Hewasanearth-maninhisdevotiontotheirrefragablefact,andhislogicwasadmirablethoughfrosty.“You’vegottoshowme,”wasthegroundrulebywhichheconsideredallthings.Helackedtheslightestiotaoffaith.ThiswaswhatMorrellhadpointedout.LackoffaithhadpreventedOppenheimerfromsucceedinginachievingthelittledeathinthejacket.