"Charles L. Harness-Quarks at Appomatox" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harness Charles L)

"All that you say is true, and it is tragic," said Lee. "But some day the country will be great once again.
Lincoln will see to that. He will not permit the South to be ground down like a conquered province."
Von Mainz laughed softly. "Lincoln dies one week from today. He will be assassinate while attending a
play at Ford's Theatre in Washington."
The candle flame shuddered as Lee's head jerked up. "No!"
"Yes. History, dear General. And to your beloved South, terrible things are done by Lincoln's
successors."
Lee groaned. "But the common people... we are of one blood... we are brothers."
Von Mainz shrugged.
Lee leaned over, stuffed a loose trouser leg back into a Wellington boot top, then tried to get up. His
mouth twisted with pain.
His visitor leaned forward, concerned, but the older man waved him back. "Rheumatism, Colonel. I'm
an old man. My joints..." He was up. "I cannot take your weapons, Colonel. I will take my chances on
breaking out tomorrow. I think it pointless for you to remain any longer. How will you return to your
time?"
"No problem, General. I step out into the darkness. There's a sort of gate, near where my horse is
tethered. I go through with my weapons, and you never see me again. I'll leave the bay behind. He's
yours, if you want him. Remind General Grant that in your army, the horses belong to the men personally,
not to the Confederate government."
"If it should come to that."
"It will." The colonel looked overhead at the full moon. "Perhaps it's all for the best. You've heard of
Jules Verne?"
"The French science writer? I've heard of him. Never read any of his books, though I understand Five
Weeks in a Balloon was quite popular with our young people."
"Yes. And this year, From Earth to the Moon."
"Wild fantasy, Colonel."
"Is it? Your great United States of America will launch a manned ship from Cape Canaveral and it will
land on the Moon, following which it will safely return to Earth. It will do that in just about one hundred
years from now. And I have seen the return of the first interstellar ship. The ion engine was designed in
Washington and Lee University."
"'Ion' engine? All after my time. And I don't believe I know the institution. Any connection with the
Lees of Virginia?"
"Very close, General." His guest smiled wryly. "The starship, incidentally, was named the Robert E.
Lee. Auf Wiedersehen, Herr General." He saluted, and disappeared through the tent flap.
The old soldier stared after him. Over a quarter million Southern lads dead in this war. It had lain
within his power to make good their sacrifice, and he had thrust it aside. What would Stonewall Jackson
think? And Jeb Stuart, and A.P. Hill? Were they all whirling in their graves?
Was he a secret Unionist at heart? Did he see this bountiful land stretching in a single golden band from
Atlantic to Pacific, and from New Orleans to the Canadian border? Did he secretly think all men should
be free? He had never owned a slave, except briefly, when he inherited a few from his mother-in-law. He
had promptly emancipated them.
How much humiliation lay ahead for him, and for the army?
***


It was morning, and he was looking toward the south with fieldglasses.
"We got through Sheridan," he muttered. "But that's the end of it." He handed the glasses to his aide.
"That's Ord coming up, isn't it?"
"Ord? Can't make out the regimentals, sir. Yes, I'm afraid so. A corps, at least."
"Row on row of blue," murmured Lee.