"Robert A. Heinlein - A tenderfoot in space (original version)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

freeze.”



8
Charlie’s mouth hung open. He managed to say, “But that’s—”
“That’s dangerous. As near as I remember, it’s about fifty-fifty
whether he wakes up at the other end. But if you want to risk it—well,
perhaps it’s better than giving him away to strangers, and I’m sure
you would prefer it to taking him down to the vet’s and having him put
to sleep.”
Charlie did not answer. Nixie felt such a storm of conflicting emotions
in Charlie that the dog violated dining room rules; he raised up and
licked the boy’s hand.
Charlie grabbed the dog’s ear. “All right, Dad,” he said gruffly. “We’ll
risk it—if that’s the only way Nixie and I can still be partners.”
Nixie did not enjoy the last few days before lçaving; they held too
many changes. Any proper dog likes excitement, but home is for
peace and quiet. Things should be orderly there—food and water
always in the same place, newspapers to fetch at certain hours,
milkmen to supervise at regular times, furniture all in its proper place.
But during that week all was change—nothing on time, nothing in
order. Strange men came into the house
(always a matter for suspicion), and he, Nixie, was not even
allowedto protest, much less give them the what-for they had coming.
He was assured by Charlie and Mrs. Vaughn that it was “all right” and
he had to accept it, even though it obviously was not all right. His
knowledge of English was accurate for a few dozen words but there
was no way to explain to him that almost everything owned by the
Vaughn family was being sold, or thrown away. . . nor would it have
reassured him. Some things in life were permanent; he had never
doubted that the Vaughn home was first among these certainties
By the night before they left, the rooms were bare except for beds.
Nixie trotted around the house, sniffing places where familiar objects
had been, asking his nose to tell him that his eyes deceived him,
whining at the results. Even more upsetting than physical change
was emotional change, a heady and not entirely happy excitement
which he could feel in all three of his people.
There was a better time that evening, as Nixie was allowed to go to
Scout meeting. Nixie always went on hikes and had formerly
attended all meetings. But he now attended only outdoor meetings
since an incident the previous winter—Nixie felt that too much fuss


9
had been made about it. . . just some spilled cocoa and a few broken
cups and anyhow it had been that cat’s fault.
But this meeting he was allowed to attend because it was Charlie’s
last Scout meeting on Earth. Nixie was not aware of that but he
greatly enjoyed the privilege, especially as the meeting was followed