The Robot Brains [with w cat]
Шрифт:
– 25 -
370 The Old Man and Doctor Fox were standing in the cellar.
371 "Are you sure it was Waldo and not another of the Brains?" asked the head of Military Intelligence.
372 "Yes. It was easy to see. I had seen him at the Fair, and recognized him by the scar on his nose."
373 "And after you seized Waldo, Captain Christian brought him here, and you took the crystal to a different hiding-place?"
370
Генеральный секретарь призвал к вниманию - Джентльмены, внимание, слово предоставляется делегату из Британии.
371
Громадный зал взорвался шумом. Делегаты с криками вскочили с мест. Каждый обвинял другого. Азиатская
372
Наконец британский делегат смог говорить.
373
– Не время нам ссорится - сказал он - Нам угрожает вторжение из пространства -
374 "That's right," said the doctor, "And when I opened the box, it was empty."
375 "Scientists are studying your box," said the Old Man, "But I don't think they will learn anything from it."
376 "What do you think: is Christian still alive?" asked Fox. "Yes, I believe so," said the Old Man. "Up to now they have always left the decapitated bodies of their victims. So I think they have not killed Captain Christian. Evidently they have taken him with them - alive. But why? And where?"
374
– вторжение из космоса - продолжал Британский делегат - Наша цивилизация в опасности. Мы должны объединится-
375
Все был бесполезно. Все делегаты опять кричали, и Генеральный секретарь закрыл заседание.
376
Один бы обезглавлен в Новом Южном Уэльсе, 4 в Квебеке. Убийства продолжались в Африке, Пакистане и Германии. Ученые, которые делали оригинальные разработки, уничтожались во всем мире.
Fox felt better.
377 "Then there is a chance," he said: "If Christian is alive, maybe he will escape and bring us the information that we need."
"I hope so," said the Old Man.
– 26 -
378 Christian was in a very large hall with a high ceiling and no windows. He had an impression that he was deep underground.
379 In the walls of the hall there were some doors through which he could see long corridors. The central part of the hall was occupied by a big construction with ladders and balconies. Two Brains stood near a large switchboard with red and green lights. The sides of the construction were covered with black crystals.
377
И только один человек имел связь с врагом.
378
Кристиан положил трубку, подошел к Умнику, остановился перед ним и поднял декапитатор.
379
– Не буду ждать - сказал капитан - Говори или я стреляю.
380 The crystals were placed in pairs. From time to time a Brain appeared from nowhere and put his black crystal into the construction, and then a red light on the switchboard turned into green. Sometimes another Brain took the crystal from the construction and fastened it to his belt. Then he touched the crystal and disappeared.
381 Christian understood that this construction was a kind of transmitter, with the help of which the Brains got to the earth and disappeared from it.
380
– Не стреляй! Я все скажу. Мы пришли из -
381
Но они были уже не одни. Около 10 Умников стояли вокруг Кристиана, серые, карликовые фигуры, каждый с декапитатором.
382 He wanted to jump to his feet and break the machine... but two Brains armed with decapitators were guarding him. The crystal, with the help of which he had got into that hall, was taken from his belt and put into the transmitter.
He began to wonder where he was.
383 Was he still on the earth but underground? Or was it another planet? Or maybe, he was on board a spaceship?
He decided that he must wait and learn all he could.
382
– Это конец, Кристиан...
– он скомандовал - Взять его, я хочу получить его живым!
383
В следующий момент Кристиан был схвачен множеством рук, что-то тяжелое ударило его по голове, и он упал на пол.
384 A woman came from one of the corridors. It was a very strange woman. She had long blond hair and was very beautiful. But she was at least nine feet tall.
385 She came up to Christian and said something very quickly, but Christian did not understand her. A Brain answered her, and she laughed. Then she bent and easily lifted Christian with one hand. She looked at him a few seconds, then lost interest and dropped him to the floor, like a child drops a doll.
384
–
385
Он взял ремень с черным кристаллом у одного из умников и повязал на пояс Кристиана.
She turned away and left the hall.
Christian stood up.
"We meet again, Captain Christian..."
386 It was Waldo's voice. And, indeed, the Brain was standing near Christian.
387 "Do you begin to understand now?" asked Waldo. "No? Well, it doesn't matter. You will never leave this place. You will die, but not easily..."
388 He called two other Brains who came up and stood on both sides of Christian, holding their decapitators ready.
386
– Очень скоро ты получишь ответы на все свои вопросы...
387
Вальдо прикоснулся к кристаллу на поясе Кристиана и громко рассмеялся.
388
Подвал исчез. Кристиан был в абсолютной темноте. Ему казалось, что он висит в пустом пространстве между звезд - но тут не было звезд.
389 "Follow me," said Waldo and went along one of the corridors.
Christian walked after him.
– 27 -
390 They walked along the corridor, sometimes crossing other corridors. On the side of the corridor there were cells in which Christian saw Brains and giant women. Finally they stopped near an empty cell.
391 "You can live here for some time," said Waldo. "Food will be brought to you. You are free to go anywhere, except back to the transmitter hall. If you try to get there, you will be immediately killed. I shall return later."
389
Наконец Кристиан увидел яркий свет и понял, что он куда-то прибыл.
390
Старик и доктор Фокс стояли в подвале.
391
– Вы уверены, что это был Вальдо, а не другой Умник?
– спросил глава Военной Разведки.
392 Christian was left alone in the cell. The cell was about ten feet in diameter. There was a chair and a low table. Christian sat down. The chair was very comfortable.
393 In a few minutes a giant woman brought a tray with food and water. The food was not very tasty, but Christian was hungry and ate it all.
394 He tried to speak to the giant woman, but she did not answer him.
392
– Да, это совершенно точно. Я видел его на Ярмарке, и опознал его по шраму на носу.
393
– И после захвата Вальдо, Капитан Кристиан доставил его сюда, а вы отвезли кристалл, в другое место?
394
– Да это так, - сказал доктор, - но когда я открыл коробку, там ничего не было.
395 Some other giant women come to look at him. They pointed at him and laughed, but the look in their eyes told Christian that they had very little intelligence.
396 In the days that followed Christian walked along the corridor, where he sometimes met Brains and giant women. He noticed that they spoke a language, which was very much like English, but still it was very difficult for him to understand them. Sometimes he tried to ask them where he was, but they never answered him.
395
– Специалисты изучили коробку - сказал Старик - Но я не думаю, что они что-нибудь прояснят.
396
– Как вы думаете, Кристиан еще жив?
– спросил Фокс.
– Да, я надеюсь, - сказал Старик - До сих пор они всегда оставляли тела. Поэтому я думаю, они не убили Капитана Кристиана. Очевидно, они взяли его с собой - живым, Но почему? И куда?