Алая чума
Chapter 2
“Whatwasthemstonehousesfor?”Hare-Lipqueried.
“Yourememberwhenyourdadtaughtyoutoswim?” Theboynodded. “Well,intheUniversityofCalifornia—thatisthenamewehadforthehouses—wetaughtyoungmenandwomenhowtothink,justasIhavetaughtyounow,bysandandpebblesandshells,toknowhowmanypeoplelivedinthosedays. Therewasverymuchtoteach. Theyoungmenandwomenwetaughtwerecalledstudents. Wehadlargeroomsinwhichwetaught. Italkedtothem,fortyorfiftyatatime,justasIamtalkingtoyounow. Itoldthemaboutthebooksothermenhadwrittenbeforetheirtime,andeven,sometimes,intheirtime—”
“Wasthatallyoudid?—justtalk,talk,talk?”Hoo-Hoodemanded. “Whohuntedyourmeatforyou?andmilkedthegoats?andcaughtthefish?”
“Asensiblequestion,Hoo-Hoo,asensiblequestion. AsIhavetoldyou,inthosedaysfood-gettingwaseasy. Wewereverywise. Afewmengotthefoodformanymen. Theothermendidotherthings. Asyousay,Italked. Italkedallthetime,andforthisfoodwasgivenme—muchfood,finefood,beautifulfood,foodthatIhavenottastedinsixtyyearsandshallnevertasteagain. Isometimesthinkthemostwonderfulachievementofourtremendouscivilizationwasfood—itsinconceivableabundance,itsinfinitevariety,itsmarvellousdelicacy. Omygrandsons,lifewaslifeinthosedays,whenwehadsuchwonderfulthingstoeat.”
Thiswasbeyondtheboys,andtheyletitslipby,wordsandthoughts,asameresenilewanderinginthenarrative.
