[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Bierce went on in his gentle, resonant voice. "Was
there any other matter troubling any one of you?"
"Why, yes, Mr. Bierce," replied Joan, "several
things. What is this place where we are?"
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"It is my home, and the home of several of my
friends. You will understand more about us as you
become better acquainted with us."
'Thank you. It is difficult for me to understand
how such a community could exist on this mountain-
top without its being a matter of common knowledge."
"We have taken certain precautions, ma'am, to
avoid notoriety. Our reasons, and the precautions
they inspired will become evident to you."
"One more question; this is rather personal; you
may ignore it if you like. Are you the Ambrose
Bierce who disappeared a good many years ago?"
"I am. I first came up here in 1880 in search of a
cure for asthma. I retired here in 1914 because I
wished to avoid direct contact with the tragic world
events which I saw coming and was powerless to
stop." He spoke with some reluctance, as if the
subject were distasteful, and turned the conversation.
"Perhaps you would like to meet some of my friends
now?"
The apartments extended for a hundred yards along
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
the face of the mountain and for unmeasured dis-
tances into the mountain. The thirty-odd persons in
LOST LEGACY 183
residence were far from crowded; there were many
rooms not in use. In the course of the morning
Bierce introduced them to most of the inhabitants.
They seemed to be of all sorts and ages and of
several nationalities. Most of them were occupied in
one way, or another, usually with some form of re-
search, or with creative art. At least Bierce assured
them in several cases that research was in progress
cases in which no apparatus, no recording device,
nothing was evident to indicate scientific research.
Once they were introduced to a group of three,
two women and a man, who were surrounded by the
physical evidence of their work biological research.
But the circumstances were still confusing; two of
the trio sat quietly by, doing nothing, while the third
labored at a bench. Bierce explained that they were
doing some delicate experiments in the possibility of
activating artificial colloids. Ben inquired,
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"Are me other two observing the work?"
Bierce shook his head. "Oh, no. They are all three
engaged actively in the work, but at this particular
stage they find it expedient to let three brains m
rapport direct one set of hands."
Rapport, it developed, was the usual method of
collaboration. Bierce had led them into a room occu-
pied by six persons. One or two of them looked up
and nodded, but did not speak. Bierce motioned for
the three to come away. They were engaged in a
particularly difficult piece of reconstruction; it would
not be polite to disturb them."
"But Mr. Bierce," Phil commented, "two of them
were playing chess.*'
"Yes. They did not need that part of their brains,
so they left it out of rapport. Nevertheless they were
very busy."
It was easier to see what the creative artists were
doing. In two instances, however, their methods were
startling. Bierce had taken them to the studio of a
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
little gnome of a man, a painter in oil, who was
184 Robert A. Heinlein
introduced simply as Charles. He seemed glad to see
them and chatted vivaciously, without ceasing his
work. He was doing, with meticulous realism but
with a highly romantic effect, a study of a young girl
dancing, a wood nymph, against a pine forest back-
ground.
The young people each made appropriate appre-
ciative comments. Cobum commented that it was
remarkable that he should be able to be so accurate
in his anatomical detail without the aid of a model.
"But I have a model," he answered. "She was here
last week. See?" He glanced toward the empty mod-
el's throne. Cobum and his companions followed the
glance, and saw, poised on the throne, a young girl,
obviously the model for the picture, frozen in the
action of the painting. She was as real as bread and
butter.
Charles glanced away. The model's throne was
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
again vacant.
The second instance was not so dramatic, but still [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
Bierce went on in his gentle, resonant voice. "Was
there any other matter troubling any one of you?"
"Why, yes, Mr. Bierce," replied Joan, "several
things. What is this place where we are?"
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"It is my home, and the home of several of my
friends. You will understand more about us as you
become better acquainted with us."
'Thank you. It is difficult for me to understand
how such a community could exist on this mountain-
top without its being a matter of common knowledge."
"We have taken certain precautions, ma'am, to
avoid notoriety. Our reasons, and the precautions
they inspired will become evident to you."
"One more question; this is rather personal; you
may ignore it if you like. Are you the Ambrose
Bierce who disappeared a good many years ago?"
"I am. I first came up here in 1880 in search of a
cure for asthma. I retired here in 1914 because I
wished to avoid direct contact with the tragic world
events which I saw coming and was powerless to
stop." He spoke with some reluctance, as if the
subject were distasteful, and turned the conversation.
"Perhaps you would like to meet some of my friends
now?"
The apartments extended for a hundred yards along
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
the face of the mountain and for unmeasured dis-
tances into the mountain. The thirty-odd persons in
LOST LEGACY 183
residence were far from crowded; there were many
rooms not in use. In the course of the morning
Bierce introduced them to most of the inhabitants.
They seemed to be of all sorts and ages and of
several nationalities. Most of them were occupied in
one way, or another, usually with some form of re-
search, or with creative art. At least Bierce assured
them in several cases that research was in progress
cases in which no apparatus, no recording device,
nothing was evident to indicate scientific research.
Once they were introduced to a group of three,
two women and a man, who were surrounded by the
physical evidence of their work biological research.
But the circumstances were still confusing; two of
the trio sat quietly by, doing nothing, while the third
labored at a bench. Bierce explained that they were
doing some delicate experiments in the possibility of
activating artificial colloids. Ben inquired,
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Are me other two observing the work?"
Bierce shook his head. "Oh, no. They are all three
engaged actively in the work, but at this particular
stage they find it expedient to let three brains m
rapport direct one set of hands."
Rapport, it developed, was the usual method of
collaboration. Bierce had led them into a room occu-
pied by six persons. One or two of them looked up
and nodded, but did not speak. Bierce motioned for
the three to come away. They were engaged in a
particularly difficult piece of reconstruction; it would
not be polite to disturb them."
"But Mr. Bierce," Phil commented, "two of them
were playing chess.*'
"Yes. They did not need that part of their brains,
so they left it out of rapport. Nevertheless they were
very busy."
It was easier to see what the creative artists were
doing. In two instances, however, their methods were
startling. Bierce had taken them to the studio of a
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
little gnome of a man, a painter in oil, who was
184 Robert A. Heinlein
introduced simply as Charles. He seemed glad to see
them and chatted vivaciously, without ceasing his
work. He was doing, with meticulous realism but
with a highly romantic effect, a study of a young girl
dancing, a wood nymph, against a pine forest back-
ground.
The young people each made appropriate appre-
ciative comments. Cobum commented that it was
remarkable that he should be able to be so accurate
in his anatomical detail without the aid of a model.
"But I have a model," he answered. "She was here
last week. See?" He glanced toward the empty mod-
el's throne. Cobum and his companions followed the
glance, and saw, poised on the throne, a young girl,
obviously the model for the picture, frozen in the
action of the painting. She was as real as bread and
butter.
Charles glanced away. The model's throne was
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
again vacant.
The second instance was not so dramatic, but still [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]