Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 1
NowtherightandthewrongofthisaffairwithProfessorHaskellIshallnotdiscuss.Itwaspurelyaprivatematter.Thepointis,thatinasurgeofanger,obsessedbythatcatastrophicredwraththathascursedmedowntheages,Ikilledmyfellowprofessor.ThecourtrecordsshowthatIdid;and,foronce,Iagreewiththecourtrecords.
No;Iamnottobehangedforhismurder.Ireceivedalife-sentenceformypunishment.Iwasthirty-sixyearsofageatthetime.Iamnowforty-fouryearsold.IhavespenttheeightinterveningyearsintheCaliforniaStatePrisonofSanQuentin.FiveoftheseyearsIspentinthedark.Solitaryconfinement,theycallit.Menwhoendureit,callitlivingdeath.Butthroughthesefiveyearsofdeath-in-lifeImanagedtoattainfreedomsuchasfewmenhaveeverknown.Closest-confinedofprisoners,notonlydidIrangetheworld,butIrangedtime.Theywhoimmuredmeforpettyyearsgavetome,allunwittingly,thelargessofcenturies.Truly,thankstoEdMorrell,Ihavehadfiveyearsofstar-roving.ButEdMorrellisanotherstory.Ishalltellyouabouthimalittlelater.IhavesomuchtotellIscarceknowhowtobegin.
Well,abeginning.Iwasbornonaquarter-sectioninMinnesota.MymotherwasthedaughterofanimmigrantSwede.HernamewasHildaTonnesson.MyfatherwasChaunceyStanding,ofoldAmericanstock.
