TETOVIRANI ČOVEK

Ray Bradbury


PROLOG: TETOVIRANI ČOVEK

JUŽNOAFRIČKA PUSTARA

KALEIDOSKOP

POTEZ JE NA DRUGOM

AUTOPUT

ČOVEK

VELIKA KIŠA

RAKETAŠ

VATRENI BALONI

POSLEDNJA NOĆ SVETA

IZGNANICI

NIKAKVA ODREĐENA NOĆ NITI JUTRO

LISICA I ŠUMA

POSETILAC

MEŠALICA ZA BETON

PREDUZEĆE "LUTKA"

GRAD

NULTI ČAS

RAKETA

EPILOG

TETOVIRANI ČOVEK 

POSETILAC 


    POSETILAC     The Visitor
    Sol Vilijams se probudi u mirno jutro. Pogleda umorno kroz šator i pomisli koliko je daleko Zemlja. Milione milja. Ali šta da radiš? Pluća su ti puna 'krvne rđe'. Kašlješ sve vreme.     SAUL WILLIAMS awoke to the still morning. He looked wearily out of his tent and thought about how far away Earth was. Millions of miles, he thought. But then what could you do about it? Your lungs were full of the “blood rust.” You coughed all the time.
    Sol se upravo ovog jutra digao u sedam sati. Bio je visok čovek, mršav, istanjen od bolesti. Bilo je tiho jutro na Marsu, mrtvo more je bilo ravno kao dno i bez šuma - nije bilo vetra. Sunce je stajalo jasno i sveže na praznom nebu. On se umije i doručkuje.     Saul arose this particular morning at seven o’clock. He was a tall man, lean, thinned by his illness. It was a quiet morning on Mars, with the dead sea bottom-flat and silent—no wind on it. The sun was clear and cool in the empty sky. He washed his face and ate breakfast.
    Posle toga jako zažele da se vrati na Zemlju. Tokom dana pokušavao je na sve moguće načine da bude u Njujork Sitiju. Ponekad, ako bi sedeo pravo i držao ruke na određen način, uspevao je. Mogao je gotovo da oseti miris Njujorka. Najveći deo vremena, međutim, to je bilo nemoguće.     After that he wanted very much to be back on Earth. During the day he tried every way that it was possible to be in New York City. Sometimes, if he sat right and held his hands a certain way, he did it. He could almost smell New York. Most of the time, though, it was impossible.
    Kasnije tog prepodneva Sol pokuša da umre. Leže na pesak i naredi svom srcu da stane. Ono nastavi da udara. Zamišljao je sebe kako skače sa litice ili seče članke na rukama, ali se smejao sam sebi - znao je da nema nerava ni za jedno ni za drugo.     Later in the morning Saul tried to die. He lay on the sand and told his heart to stop. It continued beating. He imagined himself leaping from a cliff or cutting his wrists, but laughed to himself—he knew he lacked the nerve for either act.
    Ako se čvrsto stisnem i dovoljno mislim o tome, možda ću prosto zaspati da se više ne probudim, pomisli. Pokuša i to. Probudi se posle jedan sat sa ustima punim krvi. Ustade i ispljunu je i oseti veliko sažaljenje prema sebi. Ta krvna rđa - puni ti usta i nos; izlazi ti na uši, ispod noktiju; i ubija te za godinu dana. Jedini lek bio je da te strpaju u raketu i ispale te u izgnanstvo na Mars. Na Zemlji nije bio poznat lek, a oni koji ostaju zarazili bi i usmrtili druge. Tako je bio tu, krvavio sve vreme, usamljen.     Maybe if I squeeze tight and think about it enough, I’ll just sleep and never wake, he thought. He tried it. An hour later he awoke with a mouth full of blood. He got up and spat it out and felt very sorry for himself. This blood rust—it filled your mouth and your nose; it ran from your ears, your fingernails; and it took a year to kill you. The only cure was shoving you in a rocket and shooting you out to exile on Mars. There was no known cure on Earth, and remaining there would contaminate and kill others. So here he was, bleeding all the time, and lonely.
    Solove oči se suziše. U daljini, uz ruševine starog grada, ugleda još jednog čoveka kako leži na prljavom ćebetu. Kada Sol priđe, čovek na ćebetu se promeškolji.     Saul’s eyes narrowed. In the distance, by an ancient city ruin, he saw another man lying on a filthy blanket. When Saul walked up, the man on the blanket stirred weakly.
    "Zdravo Sole", reče on.     “Hello, Saul,” he said.
    "Još jedno jutro", reče Sol. "Hriste Bože, što sam usamljen!"     “Another morning,” said Saul. “Christ, I’m lonely!”
    "Tako se zlopate zarđali", reče čovek na ćebetu, ne pomerajući se, veoma bled, kao da će iščeznuti ako ga dotakneš.     “It is an affliction of the rusted ones,” said the man on the blanket, not moving, very pale and as if he might vanish if you touched him.
    "Bože, što bih želeo", reče Sol gledajući dole u čoveka, "da bar možeš da govoriš. Zašto je to tako da intelektualci nikada ne dobijaju krvnu rđu i ne dolaze ovamo gore?"     “I wish to God,” said Saul, looking down at the man, “that you could at least talk. Why is it that intellectuals never get the blood rust and come up here?”
    "To je jedna zavera protiv tebe, Sole", reče čovek, zatvarajući oči, i suviše umoran da bi ih držao otvorene. "Nekada sam imao snage da budem intelektualac. Sada je posao misliti."     “It is a conspiracy against you, Saul,” said the man, shutting his eyes, too weary to keep them open. “Once I had the strength to be an intellectual. Now, it is a job to think.”
    "Kad bismo samo mogli da razgovaramo", reče Sol Vilijams.     “If only we could talk,” said Saul Williams.
    Drugi čovek samo ravnodušno sleže ramenima.     The other man merely shrugged indifferently.
    "Dođi sutra. Možda ću tada imati dovoljno snage da pričam o Aristotelu. Pokušaću. Stvarno hoću." Čovek se skupi ispod ostarelog drveta. Otvori jedno oko. "Sećaš se, jednom jesmo razgovarali o Aristotelu, pre šest meseci, onog dana kad mi je bilo dobro."     “Come tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll have enough strength to talk about Aristotle then. I’ll try. Really I will.” The man sank down under the worn tree. He opened one eye. “Remember, once we did talk on Aristotle, six months ago, on that good day I had.”
    "Sećam se", reče Sol, ne slušajući. Gledao je u mrtvo more. "Želeo bih da sam bolestan kao ti, onda se možda ne bih kidao što sam intelektualac. Možda bih onda imao malo mira."     “I remember,” said Saul, not listening. He looked at the dead sea. “I wish I were as sick as you, then maybe I wouldn’t worry about being an intellectual. Then maybe I’d get some peace.”
    "Kroz oko šest meseci biće ti tačno isto ovako loše kao meni sada", reče samrtnik. "Onda ti neće biti ni do čega osim da spavaš i spavaš. San će ti biti kao žena. Stalno ćeš joj se vraćati, zato što je sveža i dobra i verna i uvek sa tobom postupa ljubazno i isto. Probudiš se samo zato da bi pomislio kako ćeš opet da zaspiš. Lepa je pomisao na to." Čovekov glas je prešao u šapat. Sada se i šapat prekide, i smeni ga slabačko disanje.     “You’ll get just as bad as I am now in about six months,” said the dying man. “Then you won’t care about anything but sleep and more sleep. Sleep will be like a woman to you. You’ll always go back to her, because she’s fresh and good and faithful and she always treats you kindly and the same. You only wake up so you can think about going hack to sleep. It’s a nice thought.” The man’s voice was a bare whisper. Now it stopped and a light breathing took over.
    Sol se udalji.     Saul walked off.
    Duž obale mrtvog mora, kao ispražnjene boce koje je izbacio neki davni talas, ležala su natrpana tela usnulih ljudi. Sol ih je mogao videti sve do krivine praznog mora. Jednog, dvojicu, trojicu, - svi su spavali sami, većina u gorem stanju od njega, svaki sa svojom jamom u zemlji za hranu, svaki urastao u sebe, jer razgovor ih je iscrpljivao, a san im činio dobro.     Along the shores of the dead sea, like so many emptied bottles flung up by some long-gone wave, were the huddled bodies of sleeping men. Saul could see them all down the curve of the empty sea. One, two, three—all of them sleeping alone, most of them worse off than he, each with his little cache of food, each grown into himself, because social converse was weakening and sleep was good.
    U početku je bilo nekoliko noći oko zajedničkih logorskih vatri. I svi su pričali o Zemlji. Jedino o tome su i razgovarali. Zemlja, i kako teku vode u rečicama po gradovima, i kakav je ukus domaće pite od jagoda, i kako izgleda Njujork u rano jutro kada se dolazi feribotom iz Džerzija po slanom vetru.     At first there had been a few nights around mutual campfires. And they had all talked about Earth. That was the only thing they talked about. Earth and the way the waters ran in town creeks and what homemade strawberry pie tasted like and how New York looked in the early morning coming over on the Jersey ferry in the salt wind.
    Želim Zemlju, mislio je Sol. Toliko je želim, da me boli. Želim nešto što više nikada ne mogu imati. I svi je oni žele, i boli ih što je nemaju. Više od hrane ili žene, ili ma čega drugog, ja jednostavno želim Zemlju. Ova bolest žene uklanja zauvek; one nisu nešto što se želi. Ali Zemlja, to da. To je nešto za duh, a ne za slabo telo.     I want Earth, thought Saul. I want it so bad it hurts. I want something I can never have again. And they all want it and it hurts them not to have it. More than food or a woman or anything, I just want Earth. This sickness puts women away forever; they’re not things to be wanted. But Earth, yes. That’s a thing for the mind and not the weak body.
    Na nebu blesnu svetao metal.     The bright metal flashed on the sky.
    Sol pogleda uvis.     Saul looked up.
    Svetli metal ponovo blesnu.     The bright metal flashed again.
    Minut kasnije na morsko dno spusti se raketa. Na njoj se otvori kapak, jedan čovek izađe noseći prtljag sa sobom. Druga dva čoveka, u zaštitnim antiseptičnim odelima, izađoše za njim iznoseći ogromne sanduke sa hranom, i stadoše da podižu šator za njega.     A minute later the rocket landed on the sea bottom. A valve opened, a man stepped out, carrying his luggage with him. Two other men, in protective germicide suits, accompanied him, bringing out vast cases of food, setting up a tent for him.
    Prođe još minut, i raketa se vrati na nebo. Izgnanik je stajao sam.     Another minute and the rocket returned to the sky. The exile stood alone.
    Sol poče da trči. Nedeljama već nije potrčao, i bilo je vrlo zamorno, ali on je trčao i urlao.     Saul began to run. He hadn’t run in weeks, and it was very tiring, but he ran and yelled.
    "Halo, halo!"     “Hello, hello!”
    Mladić odmeri Sola od glave do pete kada ovaj stiže.     The young man looked Saul up and down when he arrived.

    "Zdravo. Znači ovo je Mars. Ja sam Leonard Mark."     “Hello. So this is Mars. My name’s Leonard Mark.”
    "Ja sam Sol Vilijams."     “I’m Saul Williams.”
    Rukovaše se. Leonard Mark bio je veoma mlad - imao je samo osamnaest godina; veoma plav, ružičastog lica, plavih očiju i svež uprkos svojoj bolesti.     They shook hands. Leonard Mark was very young—only eighteen; very blond, pink-faced, blue-eyed and fresh in spite of his illness.
    "Kako je u Njujorku?" reče Sol.     “How are things in New York?” said Saul.
    "Kao i ovde", reče Leonard Mark. I pogleda u Sola. Njujork izraste iz pustinje, izgrađen od kamena i ispunjen martovskim vetrom. Neonske svetlosti su se rasprskavale električnom bojom. Žuti taksi automobili klizili u tihoj noći. U ponoćnim lukama dizali su se mostovi i tulili remorkeri. Na šljokičavim mjuziklima podizale se zavese.     “Like this,” said Leonard Mark. And he looked at Saul. New York grew up out of the desert, made of stone and filled with March winds. Neons exploded in electric color. Yellow taxis glided in a still night. Bridges rose and tugs chanted in the midnight harbors. Curtains rose on spangled musicals.
    Sol se uhvati šakama za glavu, silovito.     Saul put his hands to his head, violently.
    "Stani, stani!" povika. "Šta mi se to događa? Šta nije u redu sa mnom? Silazim s uma!"     “Hold on, hold on!” he cried. “What’s happening to me? What’s wrong with me? I’m going crazy!”
    Na drveću u Centralnom parku izbijalo je lišće, zeleno i mlado. Stazom je šetao Sol, njušio vazduh.     Leaves sprouted from trees in Central Park, green and new. On the pathway Saul strolled along, smelling the air.
    "Prestani, prestani, ti budalo!" vikao je Sol na samog sebe. Pritište šakama čelo. "Ovo ne može biti!"     “Stop it, stop it, you fool!” Saul shouted at himself. He pressed his forehead with his hands. “This can’t be!”
    "Ovo jeste", reče Leonard Mark.     “It is,” said Leonard Mark.
    Kule Njujorka iščileše. Povrati se Mars. Sol je stajao na praznom dnu mora, malaksalo buljio u mladog novodošlicu.     The New York towers faded. Mars returned. Saul stood on the empty sea bottom, staring limply at the young newcomer.
    "Ti", reče on pružajući ruku prema Leonardu Marku. "Ti si to učinio. Učinio si to svojim duhom."     “You,” he said, putting his hand out to Leonard Mark. “You did it. You did it with your mind.”
    "Da", reče Leonard Mark.     “Yes,” said Leonard Mark.
    Stajali su ćutke jedan prema drugom. Najzad, uzdrhtao, Sol zgrabi ruku drugog izgnanika i stade da je stiska, sa rečima: "Oh, ala mi je drago što si ovde. Pojma nemaš koliko mi je drago!"     Silently they stood facing each other. Finally, trembling, Saul seized the other exile’s hand and wrung it again and again, saying, “Oh, but I’m glad you’re here. You can’t know how glad I am!”
    Pili su jaku crnu kafu iz limenih lončića.     They drank their rich brown coffee from the tin cups.
    Bilo je tačno podne. Razgovarali su tokom celog toplog prepodneva.     It was high noon. They had been talking all through the warm morning time.
    "A ta tvoja sposobnost?" reče Sol preko šolje, netremice gledajući mladog Leonarda Marka.     “And this ability of yours?” said Saul over his cup, looking steadily at the young Leonard Mark.
    "Prosto sam rođen s tim", reče Mark, gledajući u svoje piće. "Majka mi je bila tamo kad je eksplodirao London '57. godine. Rodio sam se deset meseci kasnije. Ne znam kako bi ti nazvao moju sposobnost. Telepatija i prenošenje misli, pretpostavljam. Ja sam davao priredbe. Putovao širom sveta. Leonard Mark, mentalno čudo, tako su objavljivali na plakatama. Bio sam prilično bogat. Većina je mislila da sam šarlatan. Znaš šta ljudi misle o pozorišnom svetu. Samo ja sam znao da sam zaista originalan, ali to nikome nisam otkrivao. Bilo je bezbednije da se o tome ne priča i suviše unaokolo. Jeste, nekoliko mojih bliskih prijatelja znalo je za moju stvarnu sposobnost. Imao sam puno talenata koji će dobro doći sada kada sam ovde na Marsu."     “It’s just something I was born with,” said Mark, looking into his drink. “My mother was in the blowup of London back in ’57. I was born ten months later. I don’t know what you’d call my ability. Telepathy and thought transference, I suppose. I used to have an act. I traveled all around the world. Leonard Mark, the mental marvel, they said on the billboards. I was pretty well off. Most people thought I was a charlatan. You know what people think of theatrical folks. Only I knew I was really genuine, but I didn’t let anybody know. It was safer not to let it get around too much. Oh, a few of my close friends knew about my real ability. I had a lot of talents that will come in handy now that I’m here on Mars.”
    "Gadno si me prepao, to sigurno", reče Sol ukočeno stežući šolju. "Kada je Njujork izrastao onako pravo iz zemlje, mislio sam da sam lud."     “You sure scared the hell out of me,” said Saul, his cup rigid in his hand. “When New York came right up out of the ground that way, I thought I was insane.”
    "To je jedna forma hipnotizma koja deluje na sva čula odjednom - na oči, uši, nos, usta, kožu - sva. Šta bi sada voleo da činiš najviše od svega?"     “It’s a form of hypnotism which affects all of the sensual organs at once—eyes, ears, nose, mouth, skin—all of them. What would you like to be doing now most of all?”
    Sol spusti šolju. Nastojao je da mu ruke budu vrlo mirne. Ovlaži usne. "Voleo bih da budem u potoku u kome sam plivao u Melin Taunu i Ilinoisu kad sam bio klinac. Voleo bih da budem go golcat i da plivam."     Saul put down his cup. He tried to hold his hands very steady. He wet his lips. “I’d like to be in a little creek I used to swim in in Mellin Town, Illinois, when I was a kid. I’d like to be stark-naked and swimming.”
    "Dobro", reče Leonard Mark i tek malo pomače glavu.     “Well,” said Leonard Mark and moved his head ever so little.
    Sol pade unazad na pesak, sa zatvorenim očima.     Saul fell back on the sand, his eyes shut.
    Leonard Mark je sedeo i gledao ga.     Leonard Mark sat watching him.
    Sol je ležao na pesku. S vremena na vreme pokretale su mu se šake, uzbuđeno se trzale. Usta se otvarala sa grčem; ispuštao je zvuke iz grla koje se stezalo i opuštalo.     Saul lay on the sand. From time to time his hands moved, twitched excitedly. His mouth spasmed open; sounds issued from his tightening and relaxing throat.
    Sol poče polako da kreće rukama, upolje i nazad, upolje i nazad, okrećući glavu sa otvorenim ustima na jednu stranu, lagano je micao rukama na toplom vazduhu, dok mu se telo polako okretalo.     Saul began to make slow movements of his arms, out and back, out and back, gasping with his head to one side, his arms going and coming slowly on the warm air, stirring the yellow sand under him, his body turning slowly over.
    Leonard Mark mirno završi sa kafom. Dok je pio nije skidao oči sa Sola koji se micao i šaputao ležeći na dnu mrtvog mora.     Leonard Mark quietly finished his coffee. While he drank he kept his eyes on the moving, whispering Saul lying there on the dead sea bottom.
    "U redu", reče Leonard Mark.     “All right,” said Leonard Mark.
    Sol se podiže i sede, trljajući lice.     Saul sat up, rubbing his face.
    Trenutak zatim reče Leonardu Marku: "Video sam potok. Trčao sam obalom i skinuo odeću", reče bez daha, sa osmehom neverice. "I zaronio sam i plivao po potoku!"     After a moment he told Leonard Mark, “I saw the creek. I ran along the bank and I took off my clothes,” he said breathlessly, his smile incredulous. “And I dived in and swam around!”

    "Drago mi je", reče Leonard Mark.     “I’m pleased,” said Leonard Mark.
    "Evo!" Sol posegnu rukom u džep i izvuče svoju poslednju tablu čokolade. "Ovo je za tebe."     “Here!” Saul reached into his pocket and drew forth his last bar of chocolate. “This is for you.”
    "Šta je to?" Leonard Mark pogleda poklon. "Čokolada? Glupost ja ovo ne činim za nagradu. Činim to zato što si ti tada srećan. Stavi tu stvar nazad u džep da je ne pretvorim u zvečarku pa da te ugrize."     “What’s this?” Leonard Mark looked at the gift. “Chocolate? Nonsense, I’m not doing this for pay. I’m doing it because it makes you happy. Put that thing back in your pocket before I turn it into a rattlesnake and it bites you.”
    "Hvala, hvala!" Sol skloni čokoladu. "Ne znaš ti kako je dobra bila ta voda." Donese kafu. "Hoćeš još?"     “Thank you, thank you!” Saul put it away. “You don’t know how good that water was.” He fetched the coffeepot. “More?”
    Sipajući kafu, Sol za trenutak zatvori oči.     Pouring the coffee, Saul shut his eyes a moment.
    Imam ovde Sokrata, pomisli on; Sokrata i Platona, i Ničea i Šopenhauera. Kako priča, ovaj čovek je genije. Što se tiče talenta, neverovatan je! Kad pomislim na duge, lagodne dane i sveže noći koje ćemo provoditi u razgovoru. Neće ovo uopšte biti loša godina. Ni izdaleka.     I’ve got Socrates here, he thought; Socrates and Plato, and Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. This man, by his talk, is a genius. By his talent, he’s incredible! Think of the long, easy days and the cool nights of talk we’ll have. It won’t be a bad year at all. Not half.
    Prosuo je kafu.     He spilled the coffee.
    "Šta je?"     “What’s wrong?”
    "Ništa." Sam Sol je bio pometen, prepadnut.     “Nothing.” Saul himself was confused, startled.
    Bićemo u Grčkoj, mislio je. U Atini. Bićemo u Rimu, ako hoćemo, kada budemo proučavali rimske pisce. Stajaćemo u Partenonu i na Akropolju. Neće to biti samo razgovor, već i mesto na kojem ćemo biti. Ovaj čovek to može da učini. On ima tu moć. Kada razgovaramo o Rasinu on može da mi napravi pozornicu i glumce i sve to. Isusa mi, ovo je bolje nego što je život ikada bio! Koliko je bolje biti bolestan i ovde nego zdrav na Zemlji, a bez ovih mogućnosti! Koliko je ljudi ikada videlo grčku dramu u grčkom amfiteatru godine 31 pre nove ere?     We’ll be in Greece, he thought. In Athens. We’ll be in Rome, if we want, when we study the Roman writers. We’ll stand in the Parthenon and the Acropolis. It won’t be just talk, but it’ll be a place to be, besides. This man can do it. He has the power to do it. When we talk the plays of Racine, he can make a stage and players and all of it for me. By Christ, this is better than life ever was! How much better to be sick and here than well on Earth without these abilities! How may people have ever seen a Greek drama played in a Greek amphitheater in the year 31 B.C.?
    A ako zamolim mirno i usrdno, hoće li ovaj čovek poprimiti likove Šopenhauera i Darvina i Bergsona i drugih mislilaca kroz vekove...? Da, zašto ne? Sedeti i razgovarati sa Ničeom lično, sa samim Platonom...!     And if I ask, quietly and earnestly, will this man take on the aspect of Schopenhauer and Darwin and Bergson and all the other thoughtful men of the ages . . . ? Yes, why not? To sit and talk with Nietzsche in person, with Plato himself . . . !
    Samo jedna stvar nije valjala. Sol oseti kako se klati. Ostali. Drugi bolesnici po dnu ovog mrtvog mora.     There was only one thing wrong. Saul felt himself swaying. The other men. The other sick ones along the bottom of this dead sea.
    Ljudi su se kretali u daljini, približavali im se. Videli su kako je raketa blesnula, sletela, ispustila putnika. Sada su dolazili, polako, s mukom, da pozdrave novodošlicu.     In the distance men were moving, walking toward them. They had seen the rocket flash, land, dislodge a passenger. Now they were coming, slowly, painfully, to greet the new arrival.
    Sol se ohladi. "Slušaj", reče, "Mark, mislim da bi bolje bilo da krenemo u planine."     Saul was cold. “Look,” he said. “Mark, I think we’d better head for the mountains.”
    "Zašto?"     “Why?”
    "Vidiš one ljude što dolaze? Neki od njih su ludi."     “See those men coming? Some of them are insane.”
    "Stvarno?"     “Really?”
    "Da."     “Yes.”
    "To od izolacije i svega?"     “Isolation and all make them that way?”
    "Da. To je to. Bolje da pođemo."     “Yes, that’s it. We’d better get going.”
    "Ne izgledaju mnogo opasni. Kreću se polako."     “They don’t look very dangerous. They move slowly.”
    "Bio bi iznenađen."     “You’d be surprised.”
    Mark pogleda Sola: "Ti drhtiš. Zašto?"     Mark looked at Saul. “You’re trembling. Why’s that?”
    "Nema vremena za razgovor", reče Sol brzo ustajući. "Hajde. Zar ne shvataš šta će se dogoditi kad otkriju tvoj talenat? Tući će se oko tebe. Poubijaće jedan drugog ubiće tebe - za pravo da te poseduju."     “There’s no time to talk,” said Saul, getting up swiftly. “Come on. Don’t you realize what’ll happen once they discover your talent? They’ll fight over you. They’ll kill each other—kill you—for the right to own you.”
    "Ah, ali ja ne pripadam nikome", reče Leonard Mark. Pogleda Sola. "Ne. Čak ni tebi."     “Oh, but I don’t belong to anybody,” said Leonard Mark. He looked at Saul. “No. Not even you.”
    Sol trže glavom. "Nisam čak ni pomislio na to."     Saul jerked his head. “I didn’t even think of that.”
    "Zar nisi sada?" zasmeja se Mark.     “Didn’t you now?” Mark laughed.
    "Nemamo vremena da se raspravljamo", odgovori Sol zažmurivši, usplamtelih obraza. "Hajde!"     “We haven’t time to argue,” answered Saul, eyes blinking, cheeks blazing. “Come on!”
    "Ne želim da idem. Ja ću sedeti baš ovde sve dok se ti ljudi ne pojave. Ti si malo i suviše posednički nastrojen. Moj život pripada meni."     “I don’t want to. I’m going to sit right here until those men show up. You’re a little too possessive. My life’s my own.”
    Sol oseti nešto ružno u sebi. Lice poče da mu se krivi. "Čuo si šta sam rekao."     Saul felt an ugliness in himself. His face began to twist. “You heard what I said.”

    "Kako se ti brzo premetnu iz prijatelja u neprijatelja", primeti Mark.     “How very quickly you changed from a friend to an enemy, observed Mark.
    Sol ga udari. To je bio precizan brz udarac nadole. Mark vrdnu u stranu, smejući se. "Ne, nemoj!" Bili su u centru Tajms skvera. Kola su urlala, zavijajući sirenama na njih. Zgrade, ugrejane, hrlile uvis, u plavi vazduh.     Saul hit at him. It was a neat quick blow, coming down. Mark ducked aside, laughing. “No, you don’t!” They were in the center of Times Square. Cars roared, hooting, upon them. Buildings plunged up, hot, into the blue air.
    "To je laž!" kriknu Sol posrćući od dejstva vizije. "Za ime Boga, nemoj, Mark! Ljudi dolaze. Ubiće te!"     “It’s a lie!” cried Saul, staggering under the visual impact. “For God’s sake, don’t, Mark! The men are coming. You’ll be killed!”
    Mark je sedeo na popločanom tlu, smejao se svojoj šali. "Neka dođu. Sve ih mogu nasamariti!"     Mark sat there on the pavement, laughing at his joke. “Let them come. I can fool them all!”
    Njujork odvuče Solovu pažnju. Namera je i bila da se odvrati pažnja - da se veže za tu grešnu loptu, posle toliko meseci daleko od nje. Umesto da napadne Marka, mogao je samo da stoji, da upija u sebe strani, ali ipak poznat prizor.     New York distracted Saul. It was meant to distract—meant to keep his attention with its unholy beauty, after so many months away from it. Instead of attacking Mark he could only stand, drinking in the alien but familiar scene.
    Zatvori oči. "Ne." Onda pade napred, povukavši Marka sa sobom. Sirene su mu urlale u ušima. Kočnice zaškripaše i žestoko uhvatiše. On tresnu Marka u bradu.     He shut his eyes. “No.” And fell forward, dragging Mark with him. Horns screamed in his ears. Brakes hissed and caught violently. He smashed at Mark’s chin.
    Tišina.     Silence.
    Mark je ležao na morskom dnu.     Mark lay on the sea bottom.
    Uzevši onesvešćenog čoveka u ruke, Sol poče da trči, s mukom.     Taking the unconscious man in his arms, Saul began to run, heavily.
    Njujork je nestao. Samo prostrano bezvučje mrtvog mora. Ljudi su mu se približavali. On se uputi u brda sa svojim dragocenim teretom, držeći u rukama Njujork i zelenu zemlju, sveža proleća i stare prijatelje. Jednom pade i podiže se batrgajući se. Nije prestajao da trči.     New York was gone. There was only the wide soundlessness of the dead sea. The men were closing in around him. He headed for the hills with his precious cargo, with New York and green country and fresh springs and old friends held in his arms. He fell once and struggled up. He did not stop running.
    Noć je ispunjavala pećinu. Vetar je uletao u pećinu i izlazio iz nje, navaljujući na vatricu, rastresajući pepeo.     Night filled the cave. The wind wandered in and out, tugging at the small fire, scattering ashes.
    Mark otvori oči. Bio je vezan konopcima i naslonjen na suvi zid pećine, licem prema vatri.     Mark opened his eyes. He was tied with ropes and leaning against the dry wall of the cave, facing the fire.
    Sol stavi još jedno drvo na vatru, sve bacajući mačji nervozne poglede na ulaz u pećinu.     Saul put another stick on the fire, glancing now and again with a catlike nervousness at the cave enhance.
    "Ti si budala."     “You’re a fool.”
    Sol se trže.     Saul started.
    "Da", reče Mark, "ti si budala. Oni će nas naći. Makar morali da love i šest meseci, naći će nas. Videli su Njujork, u daljini, kao prikazanje. A nas u centru. Bilo bi i suviše misliti da neće biti radoznali i slediti naš trag."     “Yes,” said Mark, “you’re a fool. They’ll find us. If they have to hunt for six months they’ll find us. They saw New York, at a distance, like a mirage. And us in the center of it. It’s too much to think they won’t be curious and follow our trail.”
    "Onda ću ja dalje s tobom", reče Sol, zagledan u vatru.     “I’ll move on with you then,” said Saul, staring into the fire.
    "A oni će za nama."     “And they’ll come after.”
    "Umukni!"     “Shut up!”
    Mark se osmehnu. "Zar se tako govori svojoj ženi?"     Mark smiled. “Is that the way to speak to your wife?”
    "Čuo si me!"     “You heard me!”
    "A, lep je to brak - tvoja pohlepa i moja duševna sposobnost. Šta želiš da vidiš sada? Da ti pokažem još koji prizor iz tvog detinjstva?"     “Oh, a fine marriage this is—your greed and my mental ability. What do you want to see now? Shall I show you a few more of your childhood scenes?”
    Sol oseti kako mu znoj izbija po čelu. Nije znao da li se čovek šali ili ne. "Da", reče.     Saul felt the sweat coming out on his brow. He didn’t know if the man was joking or not. “Yes,” he said.
    "Važi", reče Mark, "Gledaj!"     “All right,” said Mark, “watch!”
    Iz stena suknu plamen. Gušio ga je sumpor. Eksplodirale su jame pune sumpora, vazdušni udari potresali su pećinu. S mukom se podižući, Sol je kašljao i teturao se, opečen, sasušen paklenom vrelinom!     Flame gushed out of the rocks. Sulphur choked him. Pits of brimstone exploded, concussions rocked the cave. Heaving up, Saul coughed and blundered, burned, withered by hell!
    Pakao se udalji. Povrati se pećina.     Hell went away. The cave returned.
    Mark se smejao.     Mark was laughing.
    Sol je stajao iznad njega. "Ti", hladno reče, saginjući se.     Saul stood over him. “You,” he said coldly, bending down.
    "Šta drugo očekuješ?" uzviknu Mark. "Biti svezan, odvučen, pretvoren u intelektualnu nevestu čoveka poludelog od usamljenosti - misliš li da uživam u tome?"     “What else do you expect?” cried Mark. “To be tied up, toted off, made the intellectual bride of a man insane with loneliness—do you think I enjoy this?”
    "Odvezaću te ako obećaš da nećeš da pobegneš."     “I’ll untie you if you promise not to run away.”

    "To ne bih mogao da obećam. Ja sam slobodnjak. Ne pripadam nikome."     “I couldn’t promise that. I’m a free agent. I don’t belong to anybody.”
    Sol se spusti na kolena. "Ali moraš pripadati; čuješ li? Moraš pripadati. Ne mogu te pustiti da odeš!"     Saul got down on his knees. “But you’ve got to belong, do you hear? You’ve got to belong. I can’t let you go away!”
    "Dragi moj druže, što ti više takve stvari govoriš, to sam ja udaljeniji. Da si imao i malo mozga i postupao inteligentno, bili bismo prijatelji. Bilo bi mi drago da ti činim ove male hipnotičke usluge. Na kraju krajeva, nije mi teško da ih dočaravam. Zabavljam se, zapravo. Ali ti si zabrljao. Hteo si me samo za sebe. Bojao si se da će me drugi uzeti od tebe. Oh, kako si pogrešio. Ja imam dovoljno moći da ih sve usrećim. Mogli ste da me delite, kao hranu za socijalno ugrožene. Ja bih se osećao kao bog među decom, bio bih ljubazan, činio usluge, za šta biste mi vi mogli donositi male darove, naročite poslastice od hrane."     “My dear fellow, the more you say things like that, the more remote I am. If you’d had any sense and done things intelligently, we’d have been friends. I’d have been glad to do you these little hypnotic favors. After all, they’re no trouble for me to conjure up. Fun, really. But you’ve botched it. You wanted me all to yourself. You were afraid the others would take me away from you. Oh, how mistaken you were. I have enough power to keep them all happy. You could have shared me, like a community kitchen. I’d have felt quite like a god among children, being kind, doing favors, in return for which you might bring me little gifts, special tidbits of food.”
    "Žao mi je, žao mi je!" uzviknu Sol. "Ali i suviše dobro poznajem te ljude."     “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Saul cried. “But I know those men too well.”
    "A ti si drugačiji? Jedva! lzađi i vidi da li dolaze. Mislim da sam čuo neku buku."     “Are you any different? Hardly! Go out and see if they’re coming. I thought I heard a noise.”
    Sol potrča. Na ulazu u pećinu stavi skupljene šake na oči, zavirujući u jarugu utonulu u noć. Micali su se nejasni oblici. Da li je to bio samo vetar što nosi lutajuće gužve korova? On poče da drhti - sitnom, bolnom drhtavicom.     Saul ran. In the cave entrance he cupped his hands, peering down into the night-filled gully. Dim shapes stirred. Was it only the wind blowing the roving clumps of weeds? He began to tremble—a fine, aching tremble.
    "Ne vidim ništa." Vrati se u praznu pećinu.     “I don’t see anything.” He came back into an empty cave.
    Zablenu se u ognjište. "Mark!"     He stared at the fireplace. “Mark!”
    Mark je nestao.     Mark was gone.
    Nije bilo ničega osim pećine ispunjene oblucima, kamenjem, šljunkom, samotnog svetlucanja vatre, uzdisaja vetra. I Sola koji je tu stajao, u neverici i otupeo.     There was nothing but the cave, filled with boulders, stones, pebbles, the lonely fire flickering, the wind sighing. And Saul standing there, incredulous and numb.
    "Mark! Mark! Vrati se!"     “Mark! Mark! Come back!”
    Čovek se oslobodio svojih veza, polako, pažljivo, i koristeći se ratnim lukavstvom da je kao uobrazio da je čuo kako se ostali približavaju - otišao - gde?     The man had worked free of his bonds, slowly, carefully, and using the ruse of imagining he heard other men approaching, had gone—where?
    Pećina je bila duboka, ali završavala se slepim zidom. A Mark nije mogao pored njega da sklizne u noć. Kako onda?     The cave was deep, but ended in a blank wall. And Mark could not have slipped past him into the night. How then?
    Sol obiđe oko vatre. Izvuče nož i priđe velikom oblutku koji je stajao prislonjen na zid pećine. Smeškajući se, pritište nož o oblutak. Smeškajući se, lupnu ga nožem. Onda povuče nož unazad da bi udario njime o kamen.     Saul stepped around the fire. He drew his knife and approached a large boulder that stood against the cave wall. Smiling, he pressed the knife against the boulder. Smiling, he tapped the knife there. Then he drew his knife back to plunge it into the boulder.
    "Stoj!" viknu Mark.     “Stop!” shouted Mark.
    Oblutak iščeze. Mark je bio tu.     The boulder vanished. Mark was there.
    Sol zadrža nož. Vatra mu je poigravala po obrazima. Oči su mu bile potpuno lude.     Saul suspended his knife. The fire played on his cheeks. His eyes were quite insane.
    "Nije uspelo", prošapta. Pruži ruke, dohvati Marka za vrat i sklopi prste. Mark ne reče ništa, ali se migoljio u tom stisku, sa ironijom u očima koje su Solu govorile stvari koje je Sol znao.     “It didn’t work,” he whispered. He reached down and put his hands on Mark’s throat and closed his fingers. Mark said nothing, but moved uneasily in the grip, his eyes ironic, telling things to Saul that Saul knew.
    Ako me ubiješ, govorile su oči, šta će biti sa svim tvojim snovima. Ako me ubiješ, gde će biti svi potoci i potočne pastrmke? Ubij me, i ubio si Platona, ubio Aristotela, ubio Ajnštajna; da, ubio si sve nas! Hajde, zadavi me. Čikam te.     If you kill me, the eyes said, where will all your dreams be? If you kill me, where will all the streams and brook trout be? Kill me, kill Plato, kill Aristotle, kill Einstein; yes, kill all of us! Go ahead, strangle me. I dare you.
    Solovi prsti oslobodiše vrat.     Saul’s fingers released the throat.
    Senke se uvukoše u ulaz pećine.     Shadows moved into the cave mouth.
    Oba čoveka okrenuše glave.     Both men turned their heads.
    Ostali su bili tu. Njih petorica, unezvereni od puta, zadihani, čekali su u okviru svetlosti spolja.     The other men were there. Five of them, haggard with travel, panting, waiting in the outer rim of light.
    "Dobro veče", pozva Mark, smejući se. "Uđite, uđite, gospodo!"     “Good evening,” called Mark, laughing. “Come in, come in, gentlemen!”
    Razjarene svađe nastaviše se do svitanja. Mark je sedeo među ljudima koji su sevali očima, trljao zglobove na rukama oslobođene veza. Stvorio je salu za konferencije obloženu pločama od mahagonija i jedan mermerni sto za kojim su svi sedeli, smešno bradati, smrdljivi, znojavi i gramzivi ljudi sa očima uperenim u svoje blago.     By dawn the arguments and ferocities still continued. Mark sat among the glaring men, rubbing his wrists, newly released from his bonds. He created a mahogany-paneled conference hall and a marble table at which they all sat, ridiculously bearded, evil-smelling, sweating and greedy men, eyes bent upon their treasure.
    "To se može rešiti", reče najzad Mark, "tako da svaki od vas ima određene sate određenih dana za sastanke sa mnom. Postupaću jednako prema svima vama. Biću javno vlasništvo, kretaću se slobodno. To je fer. Što se tiče ovog Sola, on je na probi. Kada dokaže da opet može da bude pristojna osoba, daću mu koji tretman. Do tada, nemam više ništa s njim."     “The way to settle it,” said Mark at last “is for each of you to have certain hours of certain days for appointments with me. I’ll treat you all equally. I’ll be city property, free to come and go. That’s fair enough. As for Saul here, he’s on probation. When he’s proved he can be a civil person once more, I’ll give him a treatment or two. Until that time, I’ll have nothing more to do with him.”
    Ostali izgnanici se iskeziše na Sola.     The other exiles grinned at Saul.
    "Žao mi je", reče Sol. "Nisam znao šta činim. Sada sam se popravio."     “I’m sorry,” Saul said. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I’m all right now.”
    "Videćemo", reče Mark. "Da damo sebi mesec dana, šta kažete?"     “We’ll see,” said Mark. “Let’s give ourselves a month, shall we?”
    Ostali se iskeziše na Sola.     The other men grinned at Saul.

    Sol ništa ne reče. Sedeo je i buljio u pod pećine. "Da vidimo sada", reče Mark. "U ponedeljak je tvoj dan, Smite."     Saul said nothing. He sat staring at the floor of the cave. “Let’s see now,” said Mark. “On Mondays it’s your day, Smith.”
    Smit klimnu glavom.     Smith nodded.
    "Utorak ću uzimati tog tu Pitera, na oko jedan sat."     “On Tuesdays I’ll take Peter there, for an hour or so.
    Piter klimnu glavom.     Peter nodded.
    "Sredom ću završiti sa Džonsonom, Halzmanom, i Džimom, evo."     “On Wednesdays I’ll finish up with Johnson, Holtzman, and Jim, here.”
    Trojica poslednjih pogledaše jedan drugog.     The last three men looked at each other.
    "Ostali deo nedelje moram da budem ostavljen apsolutno na miru, čujete li?" reče im Mark. "Bolje išta nego ništa. Ako ne poslušate, uopšte neću da izvodim stvar."     “The rest of the week I’m to be left strictly alone, do you hear?” Mark told them. “A little should be better than nothing. If you don’t obey, I won’t perform at all.”
    "Možda ćemo te mi naterati da izvodiš", reče Džonson. Uhvati pogled ostalih ljudi. "Slušajte, nas je petorica protiv jednog. Možemo ga neterati da čini što god želimo. Ako sarađujemo, napravićemo veliku stvar."     “Maybe we’ll make you perform,” said Johnson. He caught the other men’s eye. “Look, we’re five against his one. We can make him do anything we want. If we co-operate, we’ve got a great thing here.”
    "Ne budite idioti", upozori Mark ostale.     “Don’t be idiots,” Mark warned the other men.
    "Pustite me da govorim", reče Džonson. "On govori nama šta će da radi. Zašto mi ne kažemo njemu! Jesmo li mi u većini ili nismo? I on preti da neće da izvodi! E pa samo da mu ja uteram jednu cepčicu pod nokte na nogama ili da mu možda malo izgorim prste čeličnom turpijom, pa ćemo da vidimo da li će da izvodi! Zašto da nemamo predstave, hoću da znam, svake večeri u nedelji?"     “Let me talk,” said Johnson. “He’s telling us what he’ll do. Why don’t we tell him! Are we bigger than him, or not? And him threatening not to perform! Well, just let me get a sliver of wood under his toenails and maybe burn his fingers a bit with a steel file, and we’ll see if he performs! Why shouldn’t we have performances, I want to know, every night in the week?”
    "Ne slušajte ga!" reče Mark. "On je lud. Na njega se ne možete osloniti. Znate šta će on da uradi? Uhvatiće vas sve kada ne budete pazili, jednog po jednog, i poubijaće vas; jeste, sve će vas poubijati, tako da će onda ostati sam - samo on i ja! Takav je to čovek."     “Don’t listen to him!” said Mark. “He’s crazy. He can’t be depended on. You know what he’ll do, don’t you? He’ll get you all off guard, one by one, and kill you; yes, kill all of you, so that when he’s done, he’ll be alone—just him and me! That’s his sort.”
    Ljudi koji su ga slušali zažmiriše. Najpre na Marka, zatim na Džonsona.     The listening men blinked. First at Mark, then at Johnson.
    "Ako je do toga", primeti Mark, "nijedan od vas ne može imati poverenja u ostale. Pričam ti priču. Onog trenutka kada okrenete leđa, jedan od ostalih će vas ubiti. Verovatno ćete krajem nedelje biti svi mrtvi ili na samrti."     “For that matter,” observed Mark, “none of you can trust the others. This is a fool’s conference. The minute your back is turned one of the other men will murder you. I dare say, at the week’s end, you’ll all be dead or dying.”
    U sobi od mahagonija poče da duva hladan vetar. Soba stade da se rastura i opet se pretvori u pećinu. Marku je bilo dosta šale. Mermerni sto se sroza uz pljesak, rascuri se i ispari.     A cold wind blew into the mahogany room. It began to dissolve and became a cave once more. Mark was tired of his joke. The marble table splashed and rained and evaporated.
    Ljudi se sumnjičavo zagledaše jedan u drugog sitnim, sjajnim životinjskim očima. To što je Mark govorio bilo je tačno. Videli su jedan drugog u narednim danima kako se međusobno zatiču na prepad, ubijaju - sve dok onaj poslednji srećnik ne ostade da uživa u duhovnom blagu koje hoda tu među njima.     The men gazed suspiciously at each other with little bright animal eyes. What was spoken was true. They saw each other in the days to come, surprising one another, killing—until that last lucky one remained to enjoy the intellectual treasure that walked among them.
    Sol ih je posmatrao i oseti se sam i uznemiren. Kad jednom napraviš grešku, koliko je teško priznati da si pogrešio, vratiti se, početi iznova. Svi su grešili. Već dugo su bili izgubljeni. Sada im je bilo još gore nego da su izgubljeni.     Saul watched them and felt alone and disquieted. Once you have made a mistake, how hard to admit your wrongness, to go back, start fresh. They were all wrong. They had been lost a long time. Now they were worse than lost.
    "A što je još gore", reče najzad Mark, "jedan od vas ima pištolj. Svi ostali imate samo noževe. Ali jedan od vas, znam, ima revolver."     “And to make matters very bad,” said Mark at last, “one of you has a gun. All the rest of you have only knives. But one of you, I know, has a gun.
    Svi skočiše. "Pretresajte!" reče Mark. "Nađite tog sa pištoljem, inače ste svi mrtvi!"     Everybody jumped up. “Search!” said Mark. “Find the one with the gun or you’re all dead!”
    To je upalilo. Ljudi su se divlje zaletali po pećini, ne znajući koga najpre da pretresu. Grabili su rukama, uzvikivali, a Mark ih je posmatrao sa prezirom.     That did it. The men plunged wildly about, not knowing whom to search first. Their hands grappled, they cried out, and Mark watched them in contempt.
    Džonson se povuče, zavukavši ruku u jaknu. "U redu", reče, "mogli bismo da svršimo s tim! Evo ti, Smite."     Johnson fell back, feeling in his jacket. “All right,” he said. “We might as well have it over now! Here, you, Smith.”
    I opali Smitu pravo u grudi. Smit pade. Ostali zaurlaše. Rasturiše se. Džonson nanišani i opali još dva puta.     And he shot Smith through the chest. Smith fell. The other men yelled. They broke apart. Johnson aimed and fired twice more.
    "Stani!" uzviknu Mark.     “Stop!” cried Mark.
    Njujork sunu uvis oko njih, iz stene, iz pećine i neba. Visoke kule zgrade zlatilo je sunce. Iznad ulica, grmela gradska železmca; Neki delovi gradske železnice u Njujorku izdignuti su iznad ulica; prim. prev. u luci trubili remorkeri. Zelena gospa gledala je preko zaliva, sa bakljom u ruci.     New York soared up around them, out of rock and cave and sky. Sun glinted on high towers. The elevated thundered; tugs blew in the harbor. The green lady stared across the bay, a torch in her hand.
    "Gledajte, vi budale!" reče Mark. U Centralnom parku izbijala su sazvežđa prolećnih cvetova. Preko njihovih glava, vetar je u talasu nanosio mirise sveže pokošenog travnjaka.     “Look, you fools!” said Mark. Central Park broke out constellations of spring blossoms. The wind blew fresh-cut lawn smells over them in a wave.
    A u centru Njujorka, pometeni, ljudi stadoše da se spotiču. Džonson još tri puta opali iz pištolja. Sol jurnu napred. Udari o Džonsona, obori ga, istrže mu pištolj. Revolver opet opali.     And in the center of New York, bewildered, the men stumbled. Johnson fired his gun three times more. Saul ran forward. He crashed against Johnson, bore him down, wrenched the gun away. It fired again.
    Ljudi prestadoše da jure unaokolo.     The men stopped milling.
    Stajali su. Sol je ležao preko Džonsona. Prestali su da se tuku.     They stood. Saul lay across Johnson. They ceased struggling.
    Nastade stravična tišina. Ljudi su stajali i gledali. Njujork utonu u more. Uz šištanje, klokotanje, uzdisanje; sa krikom uništenog metala i prohujalog doba, velike građevine su se ljuljale, uvijale, srozavale, rušile.     There was a terrible silence. The men stood watching. New York sank down into the sea. With a hissing, bubbling, sighing; with a cry of ruined metal and old time, the great structures leaned, warped, flowed, collapsed.
    Mark je stajao među zgradama. Onda i sam pade kao zgrada, bez reči, sa jasnom crvenom rupicom probijenom u grudima.     Mark stood among the buildings. Then, like a building, a neat red hole drilled into his chest, wordless, he fell.
    Sol je ležao buljeći u ljude, u telo.     Saul lay staring at the men, at the body.

    Onda se podiže, sa revolverom u ruci.     He got up, the gun in his hand.
    Džonson se ne pomače - bojao se da se pokrene. Svi su zatvarali oči, pa ih ponovo otvarali, kao da bi da povrate u život čoveka koji je ležao pred njima.     Johnson did not move—was afraid to move. They all shut their eyes and opened them again, thinking that by so doing they might reanimate the man who lay before them.
    Pećina je bila hladna.     The cave was cold.
    Sol se uspravi i pogleda, odsutno, revolver u svojoj ruci. Uze ga i baci daleko preko doline, ne gledajući kako pada.     Saul stood up and looked, remotely, at the gun in his hand. He took it and threw it far out over the valley and did not watch it fall.
    Gledali su dole u telo sa nevericom. Sol se saže i uhvati mlitavu ruku. "Leonarde!" reče tiho. "Leonarde?" Zatrese ruku. "Leonarde!"     They looked down at the body as if they could not believe it. Saul bent down and took hold of the limp hand. “Leonard!” he said softly. “Leonard?” He shook the hand. “Leonard!”
    Leonard Mark se ne pomače. Oči su mu bile sklopljene; grudi prestale da se dižu i spuštaju. Hladio se.     Leonard Mark did not move. His eyes were shut; his chest had ceased going up and down. He was getting cold.
    Sol se podiže. "Ubili smo ga", reče ne gledajući ljude. Sada su mu se usta punila oporom tečnošću. "Jedinog koga nismo želeli da ubijemo ubili smo." Pokri oči drhtavom rukom. Ostali su stajali i čekali.     Saul got up. “We’ve killed him,” he said, not looking at the men. His mouth was filling with a raw liquor now. “The only one we didn’t want to kill, we killed.” He put his shaking hand to his eyes. The other men stood waiting.
    "Dajte ašov", reče Sol. "Sahranite ga." Okrete se od njih. "Nemam ništa sa vama."     “Get a spade,” said Saul. “Bury him.” He turned away. “I’ll have nothing to do with you.”
    Neko ode da nađe ašov.     Somebody walked off to find a spade.
    Sol je bio toliko slab, da nije mogao da se pokrene. Noge su mu bile urasle u tle, korenje im je iz dubine crpilo samoću, strah, i noćnu hladnoću. Vatra je bila gotovo zamrla, i sada je samo dvostruka mesečina prelazila preko plavih planina.     Saul was so weak he couldn’t move. His legs were grown into the earth, with roots feeding deep of loneliness and fear and the cold of the night. The fire had almost died out and now there was only the double moonlight riding over the blue mountains.
    Čulo se kako neko kopa zemlju ašovom.     There was the sound of someone digging in the earth with a spade.
    "Ionako nam ne treba", reče neko, i suviše glasno.     “We don’t need him anyhow,” said somebody, much too loudly.
    I dalje se čulo kopanje. Sol lagano krete i pusti se da sklizne niz jedno tamno drvo sve dok ne dotače pesak i jednostavno sede na njega, sa rukama slepo spuštenim u krilo.     The sound of digging went on. Saul walked off slowly and let himself slide down the side of a dark tree until he reached and was sitting blankly on the sand, his hands blindly in his lap.
    San, mislio je. Sada ćemo svi zaspati. Toliko ipak možemo. Zaspati i nastojati da sanjaš Njujork i sve ostalo. Posustalo zatvori oči, dok mu se krv sakupljala u nosu, u ustima i nesigurnim očima.     Sleep, he thought. We’ll all go to sleep now. We have that much, anyway. Go to sleep and try to dream of New York and all the rest.
    "Kako je on to učinio?" upita umornim glasom. Glava mu pade na grudi. "Kako je doneo Njujork ovamo gore i naterao nas da hodamo po njemu. Da pokušamo. Ne bi trebalo da bude mnogo teško. Misli! Pomisli na Njujork", šaputao je padajući u san. "Njujork i Centralni park, pa onda na Ilinois u proleće, rascvetale jabuke i zelenu travu."     He closed his eyes wearily, the blood gathering in his nose and his mouth and in his quivering eyes. “How did he do it?” he asked in a tired voice. His head fell forward on his chest. “How did he bring New York up here and make us walk around in it? Lct’s try. It shouldn’t be too hard. Think! Think of New York,” he whispered, falling down into sleep. “New York and Central Park and then Illinois in the spring, apple blossoms and green grass.
    Nije išlo. To nije bilo isto. Njujork je nestao i ništa što bi on mogao da učini ne bi ga ponovo stvorilo. Dizaće se svakog jutra i hodaće po mrtvom moru tražeći ga, i zauvek će ići po Marsu u potrazi za njim, i nikada ga neće naći. I najzad će leći, i suviše umoran da hoda, nastojeći da nađe Njujork u svojoj glavi, ali ga neće naći.     It didn’t work. It wasn’t the same. New York was gone and nothing he could do would bring it back. He would rise every morning and walk on the dead sea looking for it, and walk forever around Mars, looking for it, and never find it. And finally lie, too tired to walk, trying to find New York in his head, but not finding it.
    Poslednje što je čuo pre nego što je zaspao bilo je dizanje i spuštanje ašova i kopanje rupe u koju se, sa strašnim treskom metala, sa zlaćanom maglom i mirisom, bojom i zvukom, Njujork surva i bi pokopan.     The last thing he heard before he slept was the spade rising and falling and digging a hole into which, with a tremendous crash of metal and golden mist and odor and color and sound, New York collapsed, fell, and was buried.
    Cele noći plakao je u snu.     He cried all night in his sleep.


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