"Harry Harrison - Planet Of The Damned (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

"The doctor has no control over my personal life." Brion interrupted. Tm not
infectious, nor ill with anything more than extreme fatigue. I want to see
that man. At once."

The guard took a deep breath, and made a quick decision. "He is on the way up
now," he said, and rung off.

"What did you do to me?" Brion asked as soon as Ihjel had entered and they
were alone. "You won't deny that you have put alien thoughts in my head?"

"No, I won't deny it. Because the whole point of my being here is to get those
'alien' thoughts across to you."

"Tell me how you did it," Brion insisted. "I must know."

"I'll tell you--but there are many things you should understand first, before
you decide to leave Anvhar. You must not only hear them, you will have to
believe them. The primary thing, lie clue to the rest, is the true nature of
your life here. How do you think the Twenties originated?"

Before he answered, Brion carefully took a double dose of the mild stimulant
he was allowed. "I don't think," he said; "I know. It's a matter of historical
record. The founder of the games was Giroldi, the first contest was held in
378 A.B. The Twenties have been held every year since then. They were strictly
local affairs in the beginning, but were soon well established on a
planet-wide scale."

"True enough," Ihjel said. "But you're describing what happened. I asked you
how the Twenties originated. How could any single man take a barbarian planet,
lightly inhabited by half-mad hunters and alcoholic farmers, and turn it into
a smooth-running social machine built around the artificial structure of the
Twenties? It just couldn't be done."

"But it was done!" Brion insisted. "You can't deny that. And there is nothing
artifical about the Twenties. They are a logical way to live a life on a
planet like this."

Ihjel laughed, a short ironic bark. "Very logical," he said; "but how often
does logic have anything to do with the organization of social groups and
governments? You're not thinking. Put yourself in founder Giroldi's place.
Imagine that you have glimpsed the great idea of the Twenties and you want to
convince others. So you walk up to the nearest louse-ridden, brawling,
superstitious, booze-embalmed hunter and explain clearly. How a program of his
favorite sports-things like poetry, archery and chess--can make his life that
much more interesting and virtuous. You do that. But keep your eyes open at
the same time, and be ready for a fast draw."

Even Brion had to smile at the absurdity of the suggestion. Of course it
couldn't happen that way. Yet, since it had happened, there must be a simple
explanation.