some inconveniences existing on the specified planets. In
astronomical questions your authority will be believed, certainly, more,
than me.
– But where you land us, devil take it? Forgive, the milady, for
involuntary exclamation, – Stormer told.
All waited with breathless attention that Zander will tell.
– Anywhere. I believe that to us it is the more favorable and safest exactly anywhere
not to land.
– O… a ryzhok in anything? – Marshal with bitter irony which not asked
understood.
– And therefore I also tried to create such interplanetary ship, on
which there could be a circulation of substances. The rocket will have
greenhouse in five hundred meters of length which has to give us necessary
for food vegetable products and oxygen for breath.
– To eat one wild strawberry? – asked Amelie. – I agree.
– For fans to eat more densely we will take products of month on
rub, on five. If I manage to carry out completely the invention,
which I finish now, perhaps, these one three-months
terrestrial stocks, apart from a greenhouse, will be enough for us at least for two-three
ten terrestrial years.
– You believe that you in the rocket to us will be sufficient for saturation
homeopathic doses?
– I am not going to cut off a ration on one gram.
– Then, so you are going to repeat an evangelical miracle of saturation
five thousand people five fishes and three bread?
– Yes, if you want, a miracle.
– But in what it consists?
– In “extending” time in the rocket as rubber. While
in the rocket there will pass days, on Earth – months and, perhaps, years.
Round eyes of Stormer left orbits. That would be the last straw, that
Zander went balmy from mind!
– You, it seems., a little bit…
– Went crazy? – Zander facilitated Stormer’s task.
– I understand Mr. Zander, – Dzhilber told, rubbing the forehead. —
Means to slow down a current of time really exists. It
means – to accelerate the movement. But, Mr. Zander, to create
such difference between a current of time on Earth and in the rocket, are necessary
speeds close to velocity of light.
Zander nodded.
– I do not claim that I will manage to solve this problem, but, it seems to me,
I am close to its decision, – he told.
– Radiant energy? Radio waves? Intratomic energy? – threw
Zander’s questions.
– It is a secret so far, – he answered. – And if I manage to seize
really huge speeds, then we will be able to visit even not
on one planet and personally to be convinced whether life is possible on them.
– Still! – Kinbruk exclaimed, derisively smiling. – Flying with
velocity of light, you in one and a half seconds would fly by by the Moon, and eight with
a half of minutes would be enough for you to reach the Sun.
– Really, – Dzhilber started talking, – if you flew with
speed a little smaller, than the velocity of light, that time in the rocket
it would be slowed down in comparison with terrestrial. So far on our rocket will pass near
years, on Earth there can pass ten or even hundred years.
The conversation quickened. Except astronomers and Zander, nobody understood how
time flow quicker, more slowly, but a thought extremely can
interested all. Just imagine, so it is possible in some way
to operate also terrestrial time, forcing it to flow quicker,
more slowly.
– When I return to Earth in one or two months, I will find my Otto
the decrepit old man, and itself I will remain it is also young, isn’t that so, mister
Zander?
– And if terrestrial affairs develop adversely, we could put
the basis on some planet to new mankind, – Shnirer told,
the staying all evening in silence. – To create a new civilization, without
cars, without the equipment.
“Hundred years in two years! – Stormer thought. – During this time long ago will die
all my envious persons, enemies and judges, and case of me will decay in archives
vessels. Perfectly, devil take it! And if all this dies, we will slow down
flight – we will accelerate a current of time not too to lag behind terrestrial affairs,
also we will return to Earth to the most favorable to us the moment”.
– I would prefer to return to Earth and to find there triumphing
“Mohicans”, – he told. – But if, over expectation, it was necessary to us
to land on some planet, it would be very clever to us to undertake for
organization of this newest mankind. I offer such project.
We will take with ourselves in the rocket, so to speak, all quintessence of necessary
practical knowledge. In the most compressed look we will state all necessary
knowledge: mathematics, astronomy, medicine, biology, botany,
geography…
– I am afraid that terrestrial botany, the zoology and geography are not enough there
will be useful, – Dzhilber told. – On other planets you should create
other botany and geography.
– So, I suggest to capture with myself all “earth salt” in compact
look, – Stormer continued. – Experts could order
to make such abstracts, to everyone in the area and to print books
the most small print on the thinnest, but strong paper or to take
microbooks. I gave botany, geography for example. I think, however, as
terrestrial botany, geography, history will not be superfluous. Unless to immigrants
to Venus it will not be interesting to know about Earth But I pass to most important
parts mine of the project. New mankind on the new earth, certainly, so
it has to be divided into classes, as well as on our planet. But division
it has to be sharper. People of our circle have to borrow there
dominant position Descendants of any servants, mechanics and other
service personnel which we will take with ourselves have to become
our slaves We will create a caste “wise”, “devoted”, slaves have to
to be illiterate, dark people. And we will rule over them therefore
that without our knowledge they will be helpless and powerless Only we one
let’s know how to build houses, cars…
– Cars? Again cars? And there cars? – Shnirer screamed. – You want
to ruin new mankind? To transfer this infection, this plague to new
earth? Cars is a damnation of a Satan which finished terrestrial mankind
before a real crash! By no means, not under any circumstances I not
I will agree to this madness! Classes can remain – they are even necessary.
Only slavery could provide leisure, necessary for reflections
to philosophers of antiquity. Let there will be slavery, but the slavery softened
patriarchal relations. Life close to the nature! Natural
economy! Any cities! We, Germans, in the person of unnaturally expanded
communities of Berlin created the tool which destroyed the state when it
the tool – Berlin – fell into hands of extremists, that is antigosudarstvenno
the adjusted people at large. Any factories and plants! Any cities!
Farms, meadows, herdboys, streamlets… Philosophy of contemplation and morals…
– Christian! – the bishop inserted.
– Yes, Christian, – the philosopher agreed. – It is very convenient for us.
And, you know, I would leave these terrestrial stories, geography on Earth. We
would create a modern history – about the highest beings, nisshedshy from “sky” on
earth. We would have an authority of divinity. We will be wisely and graciously
to operate our slaves. They will graze our herds, to cultivate ours
vineyards and on Sundays together with us to praise us and
to supreme. Peaceful life on a nature bosom. Any working questions,
strikes, revolutions! Golden Age! Paradise on the earth!
– And – any banks, commercial affairs? Etto., boringly! – told
Marshal.
– Without commerce life does not make sense. But we will bring this
the amendment, the baron, – Stormer told, addressing Marshal, – and I hope that
dear professor Shnirer will agree to this compromise. Private
property, I hope, you do not deny, mister Shnirer? And if is
private property…
Between bankers and the philosopher the dispute erupted. Nobody noticed how
Zander rose and left gallery of ancestors. Destiny of the future social
the device on the new earth had no relation to rocket flight. Besides
all these logomachies, in his opinion, were alien anything practical
sense.
Chapter 7
HANS STUDIES LUNA-PARK
Hans left Vinkler’s house and went to a huge horseshoe. It
it was visible from everywhere.
Finger walked on the ice-covered road and thought:
“The horseshoe is similar to a tuning fork. Yes, it is not lower than the Eiffel Tower, can
to be above. The fork scratching clouds…”
The dense cloud closed a horseshoe half.
“Three hundred meters… The horseshoe costs on the mountain which has not less
five-six thousand meters of height above sea level. Quite good tower. But for
what is it built? Vinkler did not explain. I will try to guess…
Maupassant once complained that the Eiffel Tower pressed his brain of the
platitude. At that time it was, of course, a worthless construction. It
built as “nail” of the World Parisian Fair. And still, if
Maupassant was an engineer, he would like respect and respect to D’Eiffel
to tower. For those times it was miracle of construction art. On
To the Eiffel Tower astronomical and meteorological laboratories,
physical office and powerful radio station. Possibly, and the horseshoe is created
for the similar scientific purposes.
Clouds slowly floated on the West. The top of a horseshoe was accurately drawn
on the clear blue sky. Having thrown the head up, Hans sharp-sightedly peered in
horseshoe, but suddenly stumbled and fell. Someone’s laughter, guttural, melodious
dialect. Hans was faced by Indians in the blankets full of holes thrown on
half-naked body. Hans smiled. Indians smiled in reply, having bared
white teeth. Indians showed a hand on top of a horseshoe and on ice under
legs. Yes, yes. Hans stood gaping. With consciousness of the fault nodded and
rose. Indians passed and several words, possibly shouted following
warning about something. Four Blacks carried by a huge log on shoulders.
“Mechanization!” – Hans grumbled. It stepped aside and, having leaned to
to wall of the timbered lodge smelling of a fresh pine directed again
eyes on horseshoe top. The ends of forks were connected thin as thread,
platform. Over it there passed antenna wires.
“Well certainly, it is meteorological observatory and radio station.
For flight it is necessary to study atmospheric conditions of Stormer-city…”
Suddenly Hans saw the black point falling down. It moved with most
tops, along a strip, without separating from it.
“Here it that! It appears, a horseshoe not only radio – and a meteorological station,
but also laboratory for test of the falling bodies”.
The black point reached to the bottom, got on a curve, flew on
to it, from dispersal flew up on the second strip of a horseshoe, rose up,
departed down, again up and so continued to shake as a pendulum “with
damped oscillations”. When at last the point stopped in the middle
curves, Hans saw that it is a trolley. Perhaps, there, inside
there are people. It is good to rock on such swing! Yes it and
it is necessary. Weeds on the rocket – too take-off and falling. Take-off from Earth in
“sky”, falling from “sky” on the planet… “Yes, we have to study influence
zero gravity on an organism…” Hans already almost ran to a horseshoe. But it all
still was far. He saw how the cabin left the person and almost run
went to office which was occupied by Collins.
Having been out of breath, Hans ran up to the massive concrete basis of a horseshoe.
The trolley already crept up as an elevator cabin. Hans Wsbezhal on a planked footway on
concrete platform also examined a horseshoe curve. Couple of rails. Radius
curves – fifteen meters. If height is three hundred meters, then take-off and
falling have to proceed the whole fifteen seconds. Not bad. But, devil
take! With a height of three hundred meters curve radius fifteen are
the overload because of centrifugal force on a curve in forty turns out
time. Will flatten out, perhaps…
Under the platform rang out, roared, and Hans saw how one strip
huge horseshoe drives off from another. Radius of a curve increased to
sixty meters. “That is another matter. Now the overload will be all in
ten times. Approximately the same that is tested by us when sliding sledge with
abrupt hill”.
Again rumble and noise of motors of a construction. Radius was reduced to twenty
meters. “If only to me not to be late to roll down with this flight…” Hans
hurried to enter the building over which elevator cables lasted. Showed
to the metis in a cervine jacket the blue ticket. The metis nodded and silently waved
hand towards an elevator cabin. Hans entered, the cabin trembled, and rise
began.
Hans as if rose in the balloon. Before it” opened again
weigh Stormer-city. Soon because of the ridge the ocean seemed. On
the North, the East and the South the Andes were piled up.
The elevator stopped. Hans left a cabin on the open area. Faugh!
Here is even colder. And what furious wind! But eagle outlook. On
to the wide platform which from below seemed the thread connecting “legs”
huge tuning fork, anemometers, barometers were installed a weather vane,
thermometers… Wind burns down the person. It is rather to the box! The fat man meets. Nods
head, as to the old acquaintance. Vinkler already warned by phone.
Of course, it is possible to examine and go down.
In the middle of the room there is a trolley above the hatch, ready to falling. Door
it is open. Hans looks inside, enters: the door behind it slams.
Here is warmer. On a ceiling – an electric bulb. There are no windows. A floor is covered
linoleum. The wall at a door is forced by boxes in which are located
experimental animals, birds, insects. The same boxes stand at a wall
at the left. At a wall opposite to a door – scales. To the fourth wall it is attached
hammock. Near a hammock stand three the deep convenient screwed on a floor
chairs with belts, as by planes, in a corner – spring scales the person
designs, on an iron core – the dial with the arrow noting
change of weight.
“Scales are spring, – Hans notes. – It is clear: cups of ordinary scales
will not change the situation, whatever freight lay on one and another
to cup as both bodies equally lose the weight. Only
spring scales can note loss of weight when falling”.
In a deep chair the fat, hardly holding in it person sat with
the shining bald head. It was faced by the high well-fad shaven doctor.
The bald fat man panted and looked at the doctor the scared eyes as
the patient waiting for operation.
Finger greeted the doctor and showed the blue ticket.
– You allow me to take part in experience? – Finger asked.
– Please! – the doctor answered and continued to convince the fat man of full
safety and harmlessness of flight. – You will lay down on a hammock, so to you will be
more conveniently. I will sit down near you in a chair and I will watch your pulse and
blood pressure. About is not present, at all not to warn
any danger. Just we will make various scientific observations,
that then to draw from them the conclusions. We generalize scientific observations and
we transfer them to the chief engineer who considers everything for the
technical calculations and designs: what acceleration is admissible at
flying away, what most expedient ways of protection from pushes
and so forth.
– Means, pushes are possible? Perhaps, and very strong? – scaredly
the fat man asked.
– It is no more, than in the tram, – his doctor hurried to calm. At
Finger’s help the doctor laid the fat man in a hammock and strongly tied him
heavy body belts.
Hans took seat in a chair, having fastened belts and askance looking at the