"Pohl, Frederik - Plague of Pythons" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pohl Frederick)

"HEY, CHANDLER," said Lan-y Grantz, the jailer, "I can get
fifty to one for a conviction. What d'you think?"
"Go to hell," said Chandler.
"Come on. Let me in on it. You got any surprises for
the judge?"
Chandler didn't answer. He didn't even look at the
jailer. A man who was on his way to hell didn't have to
worry about what people thought of him.
"Now, look," said the jailer, "you could maybe use a
friend or two before long. What do you say? Listen, I can
get five for one if you're going to plead guilty. Are you?"
"Why should I? I'm innocent."
"Oh, yeah, all right, but if you plead guilty and throw
yourself on the mercy of the court No? The hell with
you, then."
The jailer stood in the doorway, picking his nose and
looking at Chandler with dislike. That was all right.
Chandler was getting used to it.
It was hard to believe that this was the late 20th
century. . . the third decade of the Atomic Age, the era of
spaceffight. Of course, there hadn't been much of that
lately. Chandler wondered what the Mars expedition must
be thinking these days, waiting for the relief-and-rotation
ship that must be a year or two overdue by now. Assum-
ing they were still alive, of course. . . .
"You're gonna go in there in a minute. Chandler," said
Grantz, "and then it's too late. Why don't you be a sport
and let me know what's up?"
Chandler said, "I've got nothing to tell you. I'm inno-
cent."
"You gonna plead that way?" pressed the jailer.
7
"I'm going to plead that way."
"Ah, cripes, they'll shoot you sure."
Chandler shook his head. Meaning: that's not up to me.
Grantz stared at him irresolutely.
Chandler changed position gently, since he still hurt
pretty badly. He wished he had a watch, although there
was no particular reason for him to worry about the time
any more.
Five years before, back in the old days before the
demons came, when he was helping design telemetry
equipment for the Ganymede probe. Chandler would not
have believed his life would be at stake in a witchcraft
trial. Not even that. He wasn't accused of being involved
in witchcraft. He was about to go on trial for his life for
the far more serious crime of not being involved in witch-
craft.
It was hard to believe-but believe it or not, it was