"Robert F. Young - The Quality of Mercy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Young Robert F)

distance that separates their planetary habitats'.
"The morning light grew stronger around us and traffic increased on the dusty road. We
moved as rapidly as we could but nevertheless our pace was slow. The heat was oppressive after
the coolness of our own land, and the stronger gravity, despite our conditioning, dragged at our
sandaled feet. The sun, tremendous to our alien eyes, rose blindingly into the amazing blue of the
sky, and the city shimmered like an enchanted dhu in the distance.
"Half the morning had passed before we arrived at the walls. M'naith had his concealed
micro-camera in operation by then, and Preith had begun to record the conversation of the people
around us for a later analysis of the language. We reconnoitered at the base of a small hill,
discussing the obvious technological immaturity of the simple culture we had chosen for our
study, all of us agreeing that unless the race in power was on a vastly higher technological level,
invasion could begin at once.
"As we stood there a column of people began to emerge from the city.
"In the vanguard were a number of men mounted on handsome four-legged animals. They
wore crude metal breastplates, and crested metal helmets adorned their heads. Barbaric sandals
were laced halfway up their naked calfs. Their faces held a suggestion of nobility, but the nobility
was marred by arrogance, contorted by brutality. They were laughing and talking in hoarse
voices, sometimes slapping their muscular thighs to accentuate their amusement.
"We realized immediately that they were warriors from the kingdom on the distant peninsula.
"Behind them were others like them, but these were walking. And in their midst another
walked, or tried to walk—a man in a scarlet robe, a man wearing a crown of thorns, a man
overburdened by the weight of a huge wooden cross, a man racked with pain, marked with the
bruises and lacerations of a recent scourging . . ."

Silence shouldered back into the chamber as Binns paused. The rainbow light from the dome lay
softly on the sculptured figure on the huge granite cross, bathed the anguished face in gentle radiance as
though trying to alleviate its pain.
The captain's voice was hoarse: "Go on, Binns."
"Sir, do you realize what we've found? Why, it's unbelievable! It's—"
"I said, 'Go on!' "
"Yes, sir."

"As we watched the overburdened man faltered and fell. Immediately the nearest warrior
turned upon him and began to beat his shoulders and back with a barbed whip. A huge crowd of
men and women had followed the column from the city. Some of them cheered the brutal warrior,
some of them stood by indifferently. A few of them stared at the ground, their faces white, and a
very few of them wept.
"The man managed to regain his feet and tried to shoulder the cross. He went a few more
steps, then staggered and fell again. The merciless lashing was resumed. None of us spoke. I could
see Preith's delicate face writhing in agony with each descent of the whip, and I could see the
horror in his eyes. M'naith's features were impassive, but knowing his gentle nature, his empathy
and kindness, I knew the chaos of his thoughts.
"And I knew the chaos of my own thoughts; I knew my helpless rage. Involuntarily I moved
closet to the stricken man, forcing my way through the crowd. And then, for the first time, I saw
the man's eyes. I saw the suffering in them, and saw the pain, and behind the suffering and the
pain, shining like gentle light out of the darkness of his torture, I saw the pity—
"The pity for the child-men who were maltreating him.
"I stepped back then, shocked, for I had not expected to find emotional maturity in so youthful
a civilization. Certainly not an emotional maturity so deep and penetrating that it made my own
seem petty and contemptible by contrast. Suddenly I saw myself and my surroundings in a new