Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 1
Andthesnarlofmyangerwasblendedwiththesnarlsofbeastsmoreancientthanthemountains,andthevocalmadnessofmychildhysteria,withalltheredofitswrath,waschordedwiththeinsensate,stupidcriesofbeastspre-Adamicandprogeologicintime.
Andtherethesecretisout.Theredwrath!Ithasundonemeinthis,mypresentlife.Becauseofit,afewshortweekshence,Ishallbeledfromthiscelltoahighplacewithunstableflooring,gracedabovebyawell-stretchedrope;andtheretheywillhangmebytheneckuntilIamdead.Theredwrathalwayshasundonemeinallmylives;fortheredwrathismydisastrouscatastrophicheritagefromthetimeoftheslimythingseretheworldwasprime.
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ItistimethatIintroducemyself.Iamneitherfoolnorlunatic.Iwantyoutoknowthat,inorderthatyouwillbelievethethingsIshalltellyou.IamDarrellStanding.Somefewofyouwhoreadthiswillknowmeimmediately.Buttothemajority,whoareboundtobestrangers,letmeexpositmyself.EightyearsagoIwasProfessorofAgronomicsintheCollegeofAgricultureoftheUniversityofCalifornia.EightyearsagothesleepylittleuniversitytownofBerkeleywasshockedbythemurderofProfessorHaskellinoneofthelaboratoriesoftheMiningBuilding.DarrellStandingwasthemurderer.
IamDarrellStanding.Iwascaughtred-handed.
