"Abbott, Edwin A - Flatland" - читать интересную книгу автора (Abbott Edwin A)

If our highly pointed Triangles of the Soldier class are
formidable, it may be readily inferred that far more formidable are
our Women. For, if a Soldier is a wedge, a Woman is a needle; being,
so to speak, _all_ point, at least at the two extremities. Add to
this the power of making herself practically invisible at will, and
you will perceive that a Female, in Flatland, is a creature by no
means to be trifled with.
But here, perhaps, some of my younger Readers may ask _how_ a
woman in Flatland can make herself invisible. This ought, I think, to
be apparent without any explanation. However, a few words will make
it clear to the most unreflecting.
Place a needle on the table. Then, with your eye on the level of
the table, look at it side-ways, and you see the whole length of it;
but look at it end-ways, and you see nothing but a point, it has
become practically invisible. Just so is it with one of our Women.
When her side is turned towards us, we see her as a straight line;
when the end containing her eye or mouth -- for with us these two
organs are identical -- is the part that meets our eye, then we see
nothing but a highly lustrous point; but when the back is presented to
our view, then -- being only sub-lustrous, and, indeed, almost as dim
as an inanimate object -- her hinder extremity serves her as a kind of
Invisible Cap.
The dangers to which we are exposed from our Women must now be
manifest to the meanest capacity of Spaceland. If even the angle of a
respectable Triangle in the middle class is not without its dangers;
if to run against a Working Man involves a gash; if collision with an
Officer of the military class necessitates a serious wound; if a mere
touch from the vertex of a Private Soldier brings with it danger of
death; -- what can it be to run against a woman, except absolute and
immediate destruction? And when a Woman is invisible, or visible only
as a dim sub-lustrous point, how difficult must it be, even for the
most cautious, always to avoid collision!
Many are the enactments made at different times in the different
States of Flatland, in order to minimize this peril; and in the
Southern and less temperate climates, where the force of gravitation
is greater, and human beings more liable to casual and involuntary
motions, the Laws concerning Women are naturally much more stringent.
But a general view of the Code may be obtained from the following
summary: --
1. Every house shall have one entrance on the Eastern side, for
the use of Females only; by which all females shall enter "in a
becoming and respectful manner" (footnote 1) and not by the Men's or
Western door.
2. No Female shall walk in any public place without continually
keeping up her Peace-cry, under penalty of death.
3. Any Female, duly certified to be suffering from St. Vitus's
Dance, fits, chronic cold accompanied by violent sneezing, or any
disease necessitating involuntary motions, shall be instantly
destroyed.