"Robert A. Heinlein - Methuselahs Children" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

custom of privacy and for the dignity of the individual-all of these things led
us to believe that the time had at last come when it was becoming safe to
reveal ourselves and to take our rightful place as an odd but nonetheless
respected minority in society.
„There were compelling reasons to do so. Increasing numbers of us were
finding the ‚Masquerade’ socially intolerable in a new and better society. Not
only was it upsetting to pull up roots and seek a new background every few
years but also it grated to have to live a lie in a society where frank honesty
and fair dealing were habitual with most people. Besides that, the Families as
a group had learned many things through our researches in the bio-sciences,
things which could be of great benefit to our poor short-lived brethren. We
needed freedom to help them.
„These and similar reasons were subject to argument. But the resumption of
the custom of positive physical identification made the ‚Masquerade’ almost
untenable. Under the new orientation a sane and peaceful citizen welcomes
positive identification under appropriate circumstances even though jealous
of his right of privacy at all other times-so we dared not object; it would have
aroused curiosity, marked us as an eccentric group, set apart, and thereby
have defeated the whole purpose of the ‚Masquerade.’
„We necessarily submitted to personal identification. By the time of the
meeting of 2125, eleven years ago, it had become extremely difficult to
counterfeit new identities for the ever-increasing number of us holding public
ages incompatible with personal appearance; we decided on the experiment
of letting volunteers from this group up to ten per cent of the total
membership of the Families reveal themselves for what they were and
observe the consequences, while maintaining all other secrets of the
Families’ organization.
„The results were regrettably different from our expectations.“
Justin Foote stopped talking. The silence had gone on for several moments
when a solidly built man of medium height spoke up. His hair was slightly
grizzled-unusual in that group-and his face looked space tanned. Mary
Sperling had noticed him and had wondered who he was-his live face and
gusty laugh had interested her. But any member was free to attend the
conclaves of the Families’ council; she had thought no more of it.
He said, „Speak up, Bud. What’s your report?“
Foote made his answer to the chair. „Our senior psychometrician should give
the balance of the report. My remarks were prefatory.“
„For the love o’—„ the grizzled stranger exclaimed. „Bud, do you mean to
stand there and admit that all you had to say were things we already knew?“
„My remarks were a foundation . . . and my name is Justin Foote, not
Bud.’“
Mary Sperling broke in firmly. „Brother,“ she said to the stranger, „since you
are addressing the Families, will you please name yourself? I am sorry to say
that I do not recognize you.“
„Sorry, Sister. Lazarus Long, speaking for myself.“
Mary shook her head. „I still don’t place you.“
„Sorry again-that’s a ‚Masquerade’ name I took at the time of the First
Prophet . . . it tickled me. My Family name is Smith . . . Woodrow Wilson
Smith.“
„’Woodrow Wilson Sm—‚ How old are you?“