TETOVIRANI ČOVEK

JUŽNOAFRIČKA PUSTARA

JUŽNOAFRIČKA PUSTARA	The Veldt
"Džordže, volela bih da pogledaš dečju sobu."	“George, I wish you’d look at the nursery.”
"Šta nije u redu?"	“What’s wrong with it?”
"Ne znam."	“I don’t know.”
"Pa šta onda."	“Well, then.”
"Samo želim da baciš pogled, to je sve, ili da pzoveš psihologa da je pogleda."	“I just want you to look at it, is all, or call a psychologist in to look at it.”
"Šta bi psiholog tražio u dečijoj sobi?"	“What would a psychologist want with a nursery?”
"Znaš ti vrlo dobro šta bi tražio." Žena je zastala na sred sobe i posmatrala peć koja je zujala pripremajući večeru za četvoro.	“You know very well what he’d want.” His wife paused in the middle of the kitchen and watched the stove busy humming to itself, making supper for four.
"Dečija soba sada prosto više nije kakva je bila."	“It’s just that the nursery is different now than it was.”
"Dobro, hajde da pogledamo."	“All right, let’s have a look.”
Prođoše holom svoje kuće tipa Srećni život, neprobojne za zvuk, čije postavljanje ih je koštalo trideset hiljada dolara, te kuće koja ih je oblačila i hranila i uspavljivala, ljuljanjem, i svirala i pevala i bila dobra prema njima. Njihovim približavanjem negde je bio aktiviran jedan prekidač, svetlost u dečijoj sobi se upali kada joj se primakoše na desetak stopa. Iza njih, po holovima, svetla su se palila i gasila kako su ih ostavljali za sobom, sa nečujnim automatizmom.	They walked down the hall of their soundproofed Happylife Home, which had cost them thirty thousand dollars installed, this house which clothed and fed and rocked them to sleep and played and sang and was good to them. Their approach sensitized a switch somewhere and the nursery light flicked on when they came within ten feet of it. Similarly, behind them, in the halls, lights went on and off as they left them behind, with a soft automaticity.
"Pa", reče Džordž Hedli.	“Well,” said George Hadley.
Stajali su na slamnatom podu dečije sobe. Soba je bila velika četrdeset sa četrdeset stopa, i trideset stopa u visinu; koštala je koliko polovina ostalog dela kuće. "Ali ništa nije i suviše dobro za našu decu", rekao je tada Džordž.	They stood on the thatched floor of the nursery. It was forty feet across by forty feet long and thirty feet high; it had cost half again as much as the rest of the house. “But nothing’s too good for our children,” George had said.
U dečijoj sobi vladala je tišina. Soba je bila prazna, kao proplanak u džungli u vrelo podne. Zidovi su bili bez ičega i dvodimenzionalni. Sada, dok su Džordž i Lidija Hedli stajali u sredini sobe, zidovi počeše da vrče i kao da se povlače u kristalnu daljinu, i ubrzo se pojavi afrička pustara, u tri dimenzije; na svim stranama, reprodukovana u boji do poslednjeg šljunka i slamčice. Tavanica iznad njih pretvori se u široko nebo sa vrelim žutim suncem.	The nursery was silent. It was empty as a jungle glade at hot high noon. The walls were blank and two dimensional. Now, as George and Lydia Hadley stood in the center of the room, the walls began to purr and recede into crystalline distance, it seemed, and presently an African veldt appeared, in three dimensions, on all sides, in color reproduced to the final pebble and bit of straw. The ceiling above them became a deep sky with a hot yellow sun.
Džordž Hedli oseti kako mu po čelu izbija znoj.	George Hadley felt the perspiration start on his brow.
"Hajdemo sa sunca", reče. "Ovo je malo i suviše realno. Ali ne vidim da nešto nije u redu."	“Let’s get out of this sun,” he said. “This is a little too real. But I don’t see anything wrong.”
"Sačekaj malo, videćeš", reče mu žena.	“Wait a moment, you’ll see,” said his wife.
Sada su skriveni odorofonici počinjali da duvaju vetar sa mirisom na dvoje ljudi usred spečene pustare. Vreli slamnati miris lavlje trave, prohladan zeleni miris skrivenog vrela, razvučen učmali miris životinja, miris prašine sličan alevoj paprici u pretoplom vazduhu. Onda počeše zvuci: toptanje daleke antilope po utrini obrasloj travom, papirnat lepet lešinara. Jedna senka prominu nebom i nežno zatreperi na dignutom, oznojenom licu Džordža Hedlija.	Now the hidden odorophonics were beginning to blow a wind of odor at the two people in the middle of the baked veldtland. The hot straw smell of lion grass, the cool green smell of the hidden water hole, the great rusty smell of animals, the smell of dust like a red paprika in the hot air. And now the sounds: the thump of distant antelope feet on grassy sod, the papery rustling of vultures. A shadow passed through the sky. The shadow flickered on George Hadley’s upturned, sweating face.
"Gadna stvorenja", začu se žena.	“Filthy creatures,” he heard his wife say.
"Lešinari."	“The vultures.”
"Vidiš, tamo su lavovi, preko, onuda. Sada su krenuli na vodu. Samo što su jeli", reče Lidija. "Ne znam šta."	“You see, there are the lions, far over, that way. Now they’re on their way to the water hole. They’ve just been eating,” said Lydia. “I don’t know what.”
"Neku životinju." Džordž Hadli podiže ruku da zaštiti poluzatvorene oči od svetlosti koja je pržila. "Možda neku zebru ili malu žirafu."	“Some animal.” George Hadley put his hand up to shield off the burning light from his squinted eyes. “A zebra or a baby giraffe, maybe.”
"Jesi li siguran?" U ženinom glasu osećala se čudna napetost.	“Are you sure?” His wife sounded peculiarly tense.
"Ne, malo je kasno da budem siguran", reče on zabavljajući se. "Ništa tamo ne mogu da vidim osim očišćene kosti i lešinare kako se ustremljuju na ono što je ostalo."	“No, it’s a little late to be sure,” be said, amused. “Nothing over there I can see but cleaned bone, and the vultures dropping for what’s left.”
"Jesi li čuo onaj vrisak?" zapita ona.	“Did you hear that scream?” she asked.
"Ne."	“No.”
"Nešto pre jednog minuta?"	“About a minute ago?”
"Žalim, nisam."	“Sorry, no.”
Lavovi su dolazili. Džordža Hedlija nanovo ispuni divljenje prema mehaničkom geniju koji je zamislio tu sobu. Čudo od efikasnosti, po smešno niskoj ceni. Svaka kuća bi trebalo da je ima. Sad, ponekad bi te prepali svojom kliničkom tačnošću, trgao bi se i štrecnulo bi te nešto, ali najveći deo vremena svi su se silno zabavljali, ne samo sin i ćerka, već i ti sam kad god zaželiš da na čas skokneš u neku stranu zemlju, da brzo promeniš sredinu. Pa, eto sobe!	The lions were coming. And again George Hadley was filled with admiration for the mechanical genius who had conceived this room. A miracle of efficiency selling for an absurdly low price. Every home should have one. Oh, occasionally they frightened you with their clinical accuracy, they startled you, gave you a twinge, but most of the time what fun for everyone, not only your own son and daughter, but for yourself when you felt like a quick jaunt to a foreign land, a quick change of scenery. Well, here it was!

A sada su tu bili i lavovi, na petnaest stopa odatle, toliko stvarni, toliko grozničavo i zapanjujuće stvarni da si na ruci osećao bockavo krzno, dok su ti usta bila puna prašnjavog tapetarskog mirisa zagrejanog krzna, a njihovo žutilo ti je bilo u očima kao žuta boja izvanredno fine francuske tapiserije, kao žute boje lavova i letnje trave, i rogozna lavlja pluća izdisala su u nemo podne vazduh sa zadahom mesa iz zadahtalih čeljusti sa kojih su se cedile bale.	And here were the lions now, fifteen feet away, so real, so feverishly and startlingly real that you could feel the prickling fur on your hand, and your mouth was stuffed with the dusty upholstery smell of their heated pelts, and the yellow of them was in your eyes like the yellow of an exquisite French tapestry, the yellows of lions and summer grass, and the sound of the matted lion lungs exhaling on the silent noontide, and the smell of meat from the panting, dripping mouths.
Lavovi su stajali i gledali u Džordža i Lidiju Hedli strašnim zeleno-žutim očima.	The lions stood looking at George and Lydia Hadley with terrible green-yellow eyes.
"Pazi!" vrisnu Lidija.	“Watch out!” screamed Lydia.
Lavovi jurnuše na njih.	The lions came running at them.
Lidija se trže i potrča. Instiktivno, Džordž skoči za njom. Napolju, u holu, kada su se vrata zalupila, on se smejao a ona plakala, i oboje su stajali zaprepašćeni reakcijom onog drugog.	Lydia bolted and ran. Instinctively, George sprang after her. Outside, in the hall, with the door slammed he was laughing and she was crying, and they both stood appalled at the other’s reaction.
"Džordže!"	“George!”
"Lidija! Oh, draga moja sirota slatka Lidija!"	“Lydia! Oh, my dear poor sweet Lydia!”
"Samo što nas nisu uhvatili!"	“They almost got us!”
"Zidovi su to, Lidija, seti se; kristalni zidovi, to je sve. Izgledaju stvarni, to moram da priznam - Afrika ti u salonu - ali to je svedimenzionalni, superosetljivi kolor film i mentalna filmska traka iza staklenih ekrana. To su samo odorofonici, Lidija. Evo ti moja maramica."	“Walls, Lydia, remember; crystal walls, that’s all they are. Oh, they look real, I must admit—Africa in your parlor—but it’s all dimensional, superreactionary, supersensitive color film and mental tape film behind glass screens. It’s all odorophonics and sonics, Lydia. Here’s my handkerchief.”
"Bojim se." Priđe mu i prisloni se uz njega, plačući. "Jesi ti video? Jesi li osetio? I suviše je stvarno."	“I’m afraid.” She came to him and put her body against him and cried steadily. “Did you see? Did you feel? It’s too real.”
"Hajde, Lidija..."	“Now, Lydia . . .”
"Moraš da kažeš Vendi i Piteru da više ne čitaju o Africi."	“You’ve got to tell Wendy and Peter not to read any more on Africa.”
"Naravno - naravno." Potapša je.	“Of course—of course.” He patted her.
"Obećavaš?"	“Promise?”
"Sigurno."	“Sure.”
"I zaključaj dečiju sobu nekoliko dana dok ne smirim živce."	“And lock the nursery for a few days until I get my nerves settled.”
"Znaš kako je Piter težak kad je o tome reč. Kada sam ga pre mesec dana kaznio zaključavanjem sobe samo na nekoliko časova - kakav je napad besa dobio! A i Vendi. Oni žive za tu sobu."	“You know how difficult Peter is about that. When I punished him a month ago by locking the nursery for even a few hours—the tantrum be threw! And Wendy too. They live for the nursery.”
"Ima da se zaključa, i tačka."	“It’s got to be locked, that’s all there is to it.”
"U redu." Opirući se u sebi, zaključa ogromna vrata. "Mnogo radiš. Potreban ti je odmor."	“All right.” Reluctantly he locked the huge door. “You’ve been working too hard. You need a rest.”
"Ne znam - ne znam", reče ona išmrkujući se i sede u stolicu koja smesta poče da se ljulja i da je tetoši. "Možda nemam dovoljno da radim. Možda imam vremena da i suviše mislim. Zašto da ne zatvorimo čitavu kuću na nekoliko dana pa da odemo na odmor?"	“I don’t know—I don’t know,” she said, blowing her nose, sitting down in a chair that immediately began to rock and comfort her. “Maybe I don’t have enough to do. Maybe I have time to think too much. Why don’t we shut the whole house off for a few days and take a vacation?”
"Hoćeš da kažeš da želiš da pržiš jaja za mene?"	“You mean you want to fry my eggs for me?”
Ona klimnu glavom. "Da."	“Yes.” She nodded.
"I da mi štopaš čarape?"	“And darn my socks?”
"Da", uz očajničko klimanje glave, sa suznim očima.	“Yes.” A frantic, watery-eyed nodding.
"I da čistiš kuću?"	“And sweep the house?”
"Da, da - oh, da"	“Yes, yes—oh, yes!”
"Ali ja sam mislio da smo mi zato i kupili ovu kuću, da ne bismo morali ništa da radimo?"	“But I thought that’s why we bought this house, so we wouldn’t have to do anything?”
"Pa baš u tome je stvar. Osećam se kao da ne spadam ovde. Kuća je sada i žena i majka i dadilja. Mogu li se ja nadmetati sa jednom afričkom pustarom? Mogu li da okupam i istrljam decu isto tako efikasno i brzo kao i automatsko trljajuće kupatilo? Ne mogu. I nisam samo ja u pitanju. Ti si. Strašno si nervozan u poslednje vreme."	“That’s just it. I feel like I don’t belong here. The house is wife and mother now, and nursemaid. Can I compete with an African veldt? Can I give a bath and scrub the children as efficiently or quickly as the automatic scrub bath can? I cannot. And it isn’t just me. It’s you. You’ve been awfully nervous lately.”
"Valjda sam i suviše pušio."	“I suppose I have been smoking too much.”
"Izgledaš kao da ni sam ne znaš šta da činiš sa sobom u ovoj kući. Pušiš malo više svakog jutra, i piješ po malo više svako po podne, i svake noći potrebno ti je po malo više sedativa. I ti počinješ da se osećaš nepotrebnim."	“You look as if you didn’t know what to do with yourself in this house, either. You smoke a little more every morning and drink a little more every afternoon and need a little more sedative every night. You’re beginning to feel unnecessary too.”

"Da li?" Džordž zaćuta i pokuša da zaroni u sebe da vidi šta tamo ima u stvari.	“Am I?” He paused and tried to feel into himself to see what was really there.
"Oh, Džordže!" Gledala je pokraj njega, u vrata dečije sobe. "Oni užasni lavovi ne mogu da izađu odande, je li tako?"	“Oh, George!” She looked beyond him, at the nursery door. “Those lions can’t get out of there, can they?”
On pogleda u vrata i vide kako su se zatresla kao da je nešto sa druge strane skočilo na njih.	He looked at the door and saw it tremble as if something had jumped against it from the other side.
"Naravno da ne mogu", reče.	“Of course not,” he said.
Za večerom su jeli sami, pošto su Vendi i Piter bili na nekom specijalnom karnevalu plastike na drugom kraju grada pa su televizirali kući da će zakasniti, a oni neka samo večeraju. Tako je Džordž Hedli, ošamućen, sedeo i gledao kako trpezarijski sto izbacuje tople sudove sa hranom iz svoje mehaničke unutrašnjosti.	At dinner they ate alone, for Wendy and Peter were at a special plastic carnival across town and had televised home to say they’d be late, to go ahead eating. So George Hadley, bemused, sat watching the dining-room table produce warm dishes of food from its mechanical interior.
"Zaboravili smo kečap", reče on.	“We forgot the ketchup,” he said.
"Izvinite", reče jedan glasić u stolu, i pojavi se kečap. Što se tiče dečije sobe, razmišljao je Džordž Hedli, deci neće smetati da budu kratko vreme napolju. I suviše mnogo bilo čega nije dobro ni za koga. A jasno se vidi da su deca provodila i suviše mnogo vremena na Africi. To sunce. Osećao ga je na vratu, još uvek, kao vruću šapu. I lavovi. Pa miris krvi. Neverovatno kako je soba hvatala telepatska zračenja dečijeg mozga i stvarala žive stvari da bi im ispunila svaku želju. Deca bi pomislila lavove, i lavovi su bili tu. Pomislila bi zebre, i eto zebra. Sunce - sunce. Žirafe - žirafe. Smrt i smrt.	“Sorry,” said a small voice within the table, and ketchup appeared. As for the nursery, thought George Hadley, it won’t hurt for the children to be locked out of it awhile. Too much of anything isn’t good for anyone. And it was clearly indicated that the children had been spending a little too much time on Africa. That sun. He could feel it on his neck, still, like a hot paw. And the lions. And the smell of blood. Remarkable how the nursery caught the telepathic emanations of the children’s minds and created life to fill their every desire. The children thought lions, and there were lions. The children thought zebras, and there were zebras. Sun—sun. Giraffes—giraffes. Death and death.
To poslednje. Bezukusno je žvakao meso koje je sto isekao za njega. Misli smrti. Bili su i suviše mladi, Vendi i Piter, za misli smrti. Ili i ne, nikada nisi i suviše mlad, zaista. Mnogo pre nego što si saznao šta je smrt želeo si je nekom drugom. Kada ti je bilo dve godine, već si pucao na ljude iz pištolja sa kapislama.	That last. He chewed tastelessly on the meat that the table bad cut for him. Death thoughts. They were awfully young, Wendy and Peter, for death thoughts. Or, no, you were never too young, really. Long before you knew what death was you were wishing it on someone else. When you were two years old you were shooting people with cap pistols.
Ali ovo - duga, vrela afrička pustara - strašna smrt u lavljim čeljustima. I to ponavljana, iznova i iznova.	But this—the long, hot African veldt—the awful death in the jaws of a lion. And repeated again and again.
"Kamo ćeš?"	“Where are you going?”
Ne odgovori na Lidijino pitanje. Zaokupljen mislima, puštao je da se svetla nečujno pale ispred njega, gase za njim dok je mekim koracima prilazio vratima dečije sobe. Posluša prislonjen uz njih. U daljini, zaurla lav.	He didn’t answer Lydia. Preoccupied, be let the lights glow softly on ahead of him, extinguish behind him as he padded to the nursery door. He listened against it. Far away, a lion roared.
Otključa vrata i otvori ih. Upravo pre nego što je kročio unutra, začu udaljen krik. Zatim još jedan urlik lavova, koji se brzo utiša.	He unlocked the door and opened it. Just before he stepped inside, he heard a faraway scream. And then another roar from the lions, which subsided quickly.
Stupi u Afriku. Koliko puta je ove poslednje godine otvorio ta vrata i zatekao Zemlju čuda, Alisu, Smešnu kornjaču, ili Aladina i njegovu čarobnu lampu, ili Džeka Tikvoglavog iz Oza, ili Doktora Dulitla, ili kravu kako preskače preko meseca veoma stvarnog izgleda - sve te divne kerefeke sveta iz bajki? Koliko puta je video Pegaza kako leti po nebeskoj tavanici, ili vatromete crvenih prskalica, ili čuo pevanje anđeoskih glasova. Ali sada, ova žuta vrela Afrika, ova pećnica sa umorstvima na vrelini. Možda je Lidija bila u pravu. Možda im je potreban mali odmor od mašte koja se malo i suviše pretvara u stvarnost za desetogodišnju decu. U redu je da čovek vežba mozak gimnastičkim fantazijama, ali kada se živahan dečiji duh zadrži na jednom obrascu...? Činilo se da je proteklog meseca, u daljini, čuo lavove kako urlaju, i osećao njihov snažan zadah koji je dopirao čak do vrata njegove radne sobe. Ali, pošto je bio zauzet, nije obraćao pažnju.	He stepped into Africa. How many times in the last year had he opened this door and found Wonderland, Alice, the Mock Turtle, or Aladdin and his Magical Lamp, or Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz, or Dr. Doolittle, or the cow jumping over a very real-appearing moon—all the delightful contraptions of a make-believe world. How often had he seen Pegasus flying in the sky ceiling, or seen fountains of red fireworks, or heard angel voices singing. But now, this yellow hot Africa, this bake oven with murder in the heat. Perhaps Lydia was right. Perhaps they needed a little vacation from the fantasy which was growing a bit too real for ten-year-old children. It was all right to exercise one’s mind with gymnastic fantasies, but when the lively child mind settled on one pattern . . . ? It seemed that, at a distance, for the past month, he had heard lions roaring, and smelled their strong odor seeping as far away as his study door. But, being busy, he had paid it no attention.
Džordž Hedli je stajao sam na afričkoj travnatoj ledini. Lavovi podigoše glave sa plena koji su jeli, i stadoše da ga posmatraju. Jedina greška u iluziji bila su otvorena vrata kroz koja je mogao da vidi svoju ženu, daleko dole u mračnome holu, kao uramljenu sliku, kako večera odsutna duhom.	George Hadley stood on the African grassland alone. The lions looked up from their feeding, watching him. The only flaw to the illusion was the open door through which he could see his wife, far down the dark hall, like a framed picture, eating her dinner abstractedly.
"Odlazite", reče lavovima. Oni ne odoše.	“Go away,” he said to the lions. They did not go.
Tačno je znao princip sobe. Odašilješ misli. Sve pomisliš, dogodi se. "Hoćemo Aladina i njegovu lampu", reče brzo. Pustara ostade u sobi; ostadoše i lavovi.	He knew the principle of the room exactly. You sent out your thoughts. Whatever you thought would appear. “Let’s have Aladdin and his lamp,” he snapped. The veldtland remained; the lions remained.
"Hajde, sobo! Zahtevam Aladina!" reče on.	“Come on, room! I demand Aladdin!” he said.
Ništa se ne desi. Lavovi su mumlali u svojim vrućim kožama.	Nothing happened. The lions mumbled in their baked pelts.
"Aladina!"	“Aladdin!”
Vrati se na večeru. "Ova šašava soba se pokvarila", reče. "Neće da reaguje."	He went back to dinner. “The fool room’s out of order,” he said. “It won’t respond.”
"Ili..."	“Or—“
"Ili šta?"	“Or what?”
"Ili ne može da reaguje", reče Lidija, "zato što su deca toliko mnogo dana mislila o Africi i o lavovima i ubijanju, da je soba stekla naviku."	“Or it can’t respond,” said Lydia, “because the children have thought about Africa and lions and killing so many days that the room’s in a rut.”
"Može biti."	“Could be.”
"Ili ju je Piter doterao da tako ostane."	“Or Peter’s set it to remain that way.”
"Doterao je?"	“Set it?”
"Možda je dospeo u mehanizam i nešto namestio."	“He may have got into the machinery and fixed something.”
"Piter ne zna mehanizam."	“Peter doesn’t know machinery.”
"Ima on pameti za desetoricu. Taj njegov količnik inteligencije ..."	“He’s a wise one for ten. That I.Q. of his—“
"Ipak..."	“Nevertheless—“

"Zdravo, mama. Zdravo, tata."	“Hello, Mom. Hello, Dad.”
Hedlijevi se okrenuše. Vendi i Piter su ulazili na prednja vrata, sa zažarenim obrazima, očima poput sjajnih klikera od plavog ahata, sa mirisom ozona na džemperima od leta helikopterom.	The Hadleys turned. Wendy and Peter were coming in the front door, cheeks like peppermint candy, eyes like bright blue agate marbles, a smell of ozone on their jumpers from their trip in the helicopter.
"Baš ste stigli na vreme za večeru", rekoše oba roditelja.	“You’re just in time for supper,” said both parents.
"Najeli smo se viršli i sladoleda od jagoda", rekoše deca držeći se za ruke. "Ali ćemo sesti da gledamo."	“We’re full of strawberry ice cream and hot dogs,” said the children, holding hands. “But we’ll sit and watch.”
"Jeste, hajde kažite nam za dečiju sobu", reče Džordž Hedli.	“Yes, come tell us about the nursery,” said George Hadley.
Brat i sestra začkiljiše u njega, pa onda jedno u drugo. "Dečija soba?"	The brother and sister blinked at him and then at each other. “Nursery?”
"Sve o Africi i o svemu", reče otac sa lažnom razdraganošću.	“All about Africa and everything,” said the father with false joviality.
"Ne razumem", reče Piter.	“I don’t understand,” said Peter.
"Vaša majka i ja smo baš sad putovali kroz Afriku sa pištoljem i štapom i kanapom; Tom Swift i njegov Električni lav", reče Džordž Hedli.	“Your mother and I were just traveling through Africa with rod and reel; Tom Swift and his Electric Lion,” said George Hadley.
"Nema nikakve Afrike u dečijoj sobi", reče jednostavno Piter.	“There’s no Africa in the nursery,” said Peter simply.
"Idi, molim te, Piter. Znamo mi bolje."	“Oh, come now, Peter. We know better.”
"Ne sećam se nikakve Afrike", obrati se Piter Vendi. "A ti?"	“I don’t remember any Africa,” said Peter to Wendy. “Do you?”
"Ne."	“No.”
"Otrči da vidiš pa dođi da nam kažeš."	“Run see and come tell.”
Ona posluša.	She obeyed.
"Vendi, vraćaj se ovamo!" povika Džordž Hedli, ali ona je već otišla. Kućna svetla su je pratila kao roj svitaca. I suviše kasno, on shvati da je posle svoje poslednje inspekcije zaboravio da zaključa sobu.	“Wendy, come back here!” said George Hadley, but she was gone. The house lights followed her like a flock of fireflies. Too late, he realized he had forgotten to lock the nursery door after his last inspection.
"Vendi će pogledati pa će nam reći", reče Piter.	“Wendy’ll look and come tell us,” said Peter.
"Ne mora ona meni da govori. Ja sam video."	“She doesn’t have to tell me. I’ve seen it.”
"Siguran sam da grešiš, oče."	“I’m sure you’re mistaken, Father.”
"Ne grešim, Piter. Hajdemo sada."	“I’m not, Peter. Come along now.”
Ali Vendi se vratila. "Nije Afrika", reče bez daha.	But Wendy was back. “It’s not Africa,” she said breathlessly.
"Videćemo mi to", reče Džordž Hedli, i svi zajedno pođoše niz hol i otvoriše vrata dečije sobe.	“We’ll see about this,” said George Hadley, and they all walked down the hall together and opened the nursery door.
Tu su bile zelena, krasna šuma, divna reka, purpurna planina, čuli su se visoki raspevani glasovi, a Rima, prelepa i tajanstvena, skrivala se u drveću dok su joj šareni rojevi leptira, kao oživeli buketi, lebdeli u dugoj kosi. Afrička pustara je nestala. Nestali su lavovi. Tu je sada bila samo Rima, i pevala pesmu toliko lepu, da ti suze natera na oči.	There was a green, lovely forest, a lovely river, a purple mountain, high voices singing, and Rima, lovely and mysterious, lurking in the trees with colorful flights of butterflies, like animated bouquets, lingering in her long hair. The African veldtland was gone. The lions were gone. Only Rima was here now, singing a song so beautiful that it brought tears to your eyes.
Džordž Hedli pogleda unutra u izmenjenu scenu. "Idite na spavanje", reče deci.	George Hadley looked in at the changed scene. “Go to bed,” he said to the children.
Oni otvoriše usta.	They opened their mouths.
"Čuli ste me", reče on.	“You heard me,” he said.
Deca odoše do vazdušne komore, gde ih jedna struja vazduha usisa kao žuto lišće na sprat do njihovih soba.	They went off to the air closet, where a wind sucked them like brown leaves up the flue to their slumber rooms.
Džordž Hedli prošeta raspevanim proplankom i diže nešto što je ležalo u uglu blizu mesta gde su bili laovovi. Polako se vrati do svoje žene.	George Hadley walked through the singing glade and picked up something that lay in the corner near where the lions had been. He walked slowly back to his wife.
"Šta je to?" zapita ona.	“What is that?” she asked.
"Jedan moj stari novčanik."	“An old wallet of mine,” he said.

Pokaza joj ga. Na novčaniku je bio miris ugrejane trave, i miris lava. Videle su se kapljice pljuvačke, bio je žvakan, i zamrljan krvlju sa obe strane.	He showed it to her. The smell of hot grass was on it and the smell of a lion. There were drops of saliva on it, it had been chewed, and there were blood smears on both sides.
On zatvori vrata dečije sobe i zaključa ih, da bude sigurno.	He closed the nursery door and locked it, tight.
Usred noći bio je još budan i znao je da mu je i žena budna. "Šta misliš, da ju je Vendi preokrenula?" najzad reče u mračnoj sobi.	In the middle of the night he was still awake and he knew his wife was awake. “Do you think Wendy changed it?” she said at last, in the dark room.
"Naravno."	“Of course.”
"Pretvorila je od pustare šumu i stavila Rimu umesto lavova?"	“Made it from a veldt into a forest and put Rima there instead of lions?”
"Da."	“Yes.”
"Zašto?"	“Why?”
"Ne znam. Ali ostaće zaključana dok ne saznam."	“I don’t know. But it’s staying locked until I find out.”
"Kako je tvoj novčanik dospeo tamo?"	“How did your wallet get there?”
"Ništa ne znam", reče on, "osim da počinjem da se kajem što smo tu sobu kupili za decu. Ako su deca i malo neurotična, jedna takva soba..."	“I don’t know anything,” he said, “except that I’m beginning to be sorry we bought that room for the children. If children are neurotic at all, a room like that—“
"Trebalo bi da im pomogne da se oslobode te neuroze na zdrav način."	“It’s supposed to help them work off their neuroses in a healthful way.”
"Počinjem da se pitam." Bio je zagledan u tavanicu. "Dali smo deci sve što su poželela. Je li nam ovo nagrada - tajanstvenost, neposlušnost?"	“I’m starting to wonder.” He stared at the ceiling. “We’ve given the children everything they ever wanted. Is this our reward—secrecy, disobedience?”
"Ko ono reče: 'Deca su kao ćilimi, na njih treba zgaziti povremeno'? Mi nikad nismo ni ruku podigli. Nepodnošljivi su - priznajmo. Dolaze i odlaze kad im se sviđa; tretiraju nas kao da smo mi potomci. Razmaženi su, i mi smo razmaženi."	“Who was it said, ‘Children are carpets, they should be stepped on occasionally’? We’ve never lifted a hand. They’re insufferable—let’s admit it. They come and go when they like; they treat us as if we were offspring. They’re spoiled and we’re spoiled.”
"Čudno se ponašaju od kada si im zabranio da ponesu raketu u Njujork pre nekoliko meseci."	“They’ve been acting funny ever since you forbade them to take the rocket to New York a few months ago.”
"Nisu dovoljno odrasli da je nose sami, objasnio sam."	“They’re not old enough to do that alone, I explained.”
"Ipak, primetila sam da su se od onda upadljivo ohladili prema nama."	“Nevertheless, I’ve noticed they’ve been decidedly cool toward us since.”
"Mislim da pozovem Dejvida Mak Klina da dođe sutra pre podne da baci pogled na Afriku."	“I think I’ll have David McClean come tomorrow morning to have a look at Africa.”
"Ali to sada nije Afrika, već Grin Menšn i Rima."	“But it’s not Africa now, it’s Green Mansions country and Rima.”
"Imam osećaj da će do tada opet biti Afrika." Trenutak kasnije začuše krike.	“I have a feeling it’ll be Africa again before then.” A moment later they heard the screams.
Dva krika. Dvoje ljudi je vrisnulo iz partera. Zatim urlikanje lavova.	Two screams. Two people screaming from downstairs. And then a roar of lions.
"Vendi i Piter nisu u svojim sobama", reče žena.	“Wendy and Peter aren’t in their rooms,” said his wife.
"Ležao je u postelji dok mu je srce udaralo. "Ne", reče, provalili su u dečiju sobu."	He lay in his bed with his beating heart. “No,” he said. “They’ve broken into the nursery.”
"Ti krici - - nekako su poznati."	“Those screams—they sound familiar.”
"Jesu li?"	“Do they?”
"Da, strašno."	“Yes, awfully.”
I mada su se kreveti veoma mnogo trudili, dvoje odraslih nije se moglo uljuljati u san još čitav sat. Miris mačaka lebdeo je u noćnom vazduhu.	And although their beds tried very hard, the two adults couldn’t be rocked to sleep for another hour. A smell of cats was in the night air.
"Oče?" reče Piter.	“Father?” said Peter.
"Da."	“Yes.”
Piter je gledao u svoje cipele. Više uopšte nije gledao u oca, niti u majku. "Nećete valjda zauvek da zaključate dečiju sobu?"	Peter looked at his shoes. He never looked at his father any more, nor at his mother. “You aren’t going to lock up the nursery for good, are you?”
"Zavisi."	“That all depends.”

"Od čega?"	“On what?” snapped Peter.
"Od tebe i tvoje sestre. Ako malo prošarate ovu Afriku nečim drugim - recimo, možda Švedskom, ili Danskom, ili Kinom..."	“On you and your sister. If you intersperse this Africa with a little variety—oh, Sweden perhaps, or Denmark or China—“
"Mislio sam da smo slobodni da se igramo kako hoćemo."	“I thought we were free to play as we wished.”
"Jeste, u razumnim granicama."	“You are, within reasonable bounds.”
"Šta fali Africi, oče?"	“What’s wrong with Africa, Father?”
"Znači sada priznaješ da ste dočaravali Afriku, je l' tako?"	“Oh, so now you admit you have been conjuring up Africa, do you?”
"Ne bih želeo da se dečija soba zaključava", reče hladno Piter. "Uopšte."	“I wouldn’t want the nursery locked up,” said Peter coldly. “Ever.”
"U stvari, mislili smo da isključimo celu kuću na oko mesec dana. Da živimo bezbrižno, zajedničkim životom."	“Matter of fact, we’re thinking of turning the whole house off for about a month. Live sort of a carefree one-for-all existence.”
"To grozno zvuči! Morao bih da sam sebi vezujem cipele umesto da pustim da mi to vezivač radi? I da sam sebi perem zube i češljam se, i da se sam kupam?"	“That sounds dreadful! Would I have to tie my own shoes instead of letting the shoe tier do it? And brush my own teeth and comb my hair and give myself a bath?”
"Bilo bi zgodno za promenu, šta misliš?"	“It would be fun for a change, don’t you think?”
"Ne, bilo bi užasno. Nije mi se dopalo kada si prošlog meseca izvadio slikača slika."	“No, it would be horrid. I didn’t like it when you took out the picture painter last month.”
"To je zato što sam želeo da ti sam naučiš da slikaš, sinko."	“That’s because I wanted you to learn to paint all by yourself, son.”
"Ne želim da radim ništa drugo osim da gledam i slušam i mirišem; šta drugo ima da se radi?"	“I don’t want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do?”
"U redu, idi i igraj se u Africi."	“All right, go play in Africa.”
"Hoćete li uskoro da isključite kuću?"	“Will you shut off the house sometime soon?”
"Razmišljamo."	“We’re considering it.”
"Mislim da bi vam bolje bilo da više ne razmišljate, oče."	“I don’t think you’d better consider it any more, Father.”
"Neće meni moj sin da preti!"	“I won’t have any threats from my son!”
"Vrlo dobro." I Piter se odšeta do dečije sobe.	“Very well.” And Peter strolled off to the nursery.
"Jesam li došao na vreme?" reče Dejvid Mek Klin.	“Am I on time?” said David McClean.
"Hoćeš da doručkuješ?" zapita Džordž Hedli.	“Breakfast?” asked George Hadley.
"Hvala, doručkovao sam. Koja je nevolja?"	“Thanks, had some. What’s the trouble?”
"Dejvide, ti si psiholog."	“David, you’re a psychologist.”
"Trebalo bi da budem."	“I should hope so.”
"Dobro, onda pogledaj našu dečiju sobu. Video si je pre godinu dana kada si svratio; jesi li tada primetio išta čudno u njoj?"	“Well, then, have a look at our nursery. You saw it a year ago when you dropped by; did you notice anything peculiar about it then?”
"Ne mogu da kažem da jesam; uobičajena nasilja, tendencija ka blažoj paranoji tu i tamo, obična kod dece zato što se osećaju stalno progonjena od strane roditelja, ali sve u svemu stvarno ništa."	“Can’t say I did; the usual violences, a tendency toward a slight paranoia here or there, usual in children because they feel persecuted by parents constantly, but, oh, really nothing.”
Pođoše holom. "Zaključao sam sobu", objasni otac, "a deca su preko noći ponovo provalila unutra. Pustio sam ih da ostanu, da bi mogla da naprave prizore pa da ih ti vidiš."	They walked down the ball. “I locked the nursery up,” explained the father, “and the children broke back into it during the night. I let them stay so they could form the patterns for you to see.”
Iz dečije sobe začu se jezivo vrištanje.	There was a terrible screaming from the nursery.
"Eto ga", reče Džordž Hedli. "Vidi šta to može da znači."	“There it is,” said George Hadley. “See what you make of it.”
Uđoše u sobu iznenadivši decu, bez kucanja. Vriskovi su utihnuli. Lavovi su se hranili.	They walked in on the children without rapping. The screams had faded. The lions were feeding.

"Istrčite na čas, deco", reče Džordž Hedli. "Ne, ne menjajte kombinaciju. Ostavite zidove tako kako stoje. Hajde!"	“Run outside a moment, children,” said George Hadley. “No, don’t change the mental combination. Leave the walls as they are. Get!”
Kada su deca otišla, dvojica Ijudi uzeše da posmatraju lavove okupljene u gomilu u daljini, kako sa velikim uživanjem jedu što god bilo to što su uhvatili.	With the children gone, the two men stood studying the lions clustered at a distance, eating with great relish whatever it was they had caught.
"Hteo bih da znam šta je to", reče Džordž Hedli. "Ponekad gotovo mogu da vidim. Šta misliš, ako bih doneo ovamo dogled visokog napona, pa..."	“I wish I knew what it was,” said George Hadley. “Sometimes I can almost see. Do you think if I brought high-powered binoculars here and—“
Dejvid Mek Klin se suvo nasmeja. "Teško." Okrete se da razgleda sva četiri zida. "Koliko dugo ovo traje?"	David McClean laughed dryly. “Hardly.” He turned to study all four walls. “How long has this been going on?”
"Malo više od mesec dana."	“A little over a month.”
"Svakako ne izaziva dobar osećaj."	“It certainly doesn’t feel good.”
"Ja hoću činjenice, ne osećaje."	“I want facts, not feelings.”
"Dragi moj Džordže, psiholog u životu nikada nije video činjenicu. On samo čuje o osećanjima; nejasne stvari. Ovo ne miriše na dobro, kažem ti. Veruj mom njuhu i instinktima. Ja imam nos za gadne stvari. Ovo je vrlo loše. Moj ti je savet da čitavu ovu groznu sobu razlupaš i da mi se deca tokom sledeće godine svaki dan dovode na lečenje."	“My dear George, a psychologist never saw a fact in his life. He only hears about feelings; vague things. This doesn’t feel good, I tell you. Trust my hunches and my instincts. I have a nose for something bad. This is very bad. My advice to you is to have the whole damn room torn down and your children brought to me every day during the next year for treatment.”
"Je li toliko loše?"	“Is it that bad?”
"Bojim se da jeste. Jedna od prvobitnih namena ovih soba bila je da možemo da proučavamo prizore koje je mozak deteta ostavio na zidovima, da ih proučavamo natenane, i pomognemo detetu. U ovom slučaju, međutim, soba je postala kanal ka - razornim mislima, umesto sredstvo oslobođenja od njih."	“I’m afraid so. One of the original uses of these nurseries was so that we could study the patterns left on the walls by the child’s mind, study at our leisure, and help the child. In this case, however, the room has become a channel toward—destructive thoughts, instead of a release away from them.”
"Zar to nisi osetio ranije?"	“Didn’t you sense this before?”
"Osetio sam samo da ste vi svoju decu razmazili preko svake mere. A sada ih razočaravate na neki način. Na koji način?"	“I sensed only that you had spoiled your children more than most. And now you’re letting them down in some way. What way?”
"Nisam ih pustio da idu u Njujork."	“I wouldn’t let them go to New York.”
"I šta još?"	“What else?”
"Odneo sam nekoliko mašina iz kuće i zapretio im, pre mesec dana, da ću zatvoriti dečiju sobu ako ne urade domaći. I stvarno sam je zatvorio na nekoliko dana da pokažem da se ne šalim."	“I’ve taken a few machines from the house and threatened them, a month ago, with closing up the nursery unless they did their homework. I did close it for a few days to show I meant business.”
"A-ha!"	“Ah, ha!”
"Da li to nešto znači?"	“Does that mean anything?”
"Sve. Tamo gde su pre imali Božić Batu sada imaju nekakvog Skrudža. Deca više vole Božić Bate. Dozvolio si da ova soba i ova kuća zamene tebe i tvoju ženu kod tvoje dece u ljubavi. Ova soba im predstavlja majku i oca, daleko značajnije u njihovom životu od stvarnih roditelja. I onda ti dođeš i hoćeš da je zatvoriš. Nije ni čudo što je ovde mržnja. Možeš da je osetiš kako dolazi iz neba. Vidi to sunce. Džordže, moraćete da promenite život. Kao i mnogi drugi, vi ste ga izgradili oko komfor-stvorova. Pa vi biste sutra gladovali ako vam se nešto pokvari u kuhinji. Ne biste znali ni da razbijete jaje. Ipak, isključi sve. Počnite iznova. To će potrajati. Ali, za godinu dana napravićemo dobru decu od rđave, čekaj pa ćeš videti."	“Everything. Where before they had a Santa Claus now they have a Scrooge. Children prefer Santas. You’ve let this room and this house replace you and your wife in your children’s affections. This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents. And now you come along and want to shut it off. No wonder there’s hatred here. You can feel it coming out of the sky. Feel that sun. George, you’ll have to change your life. Like too many others, you’ve built it around creature comforts. Why, you’d starve tomorrow if something went wrong in your kitchen. You wouldn’t know how to tap an egg. Nevertheless, turn everything off. Start new. It’ll take time. But we’ll make good children out of bad in a year, wait and see.”
"Ali zar to neće za decu biti i suviše veliki šok, tako naglo da se zatvori soba, zauvek?"	“But won’t the shock be too much for the children, shutting the room up abruptly, for good?”
"Ne želim da i malo dublje uđu u ovo, to je sve."	“I don’t want them going any deeper into this, that’s all.”
Lavovi su završili sa svojom krvavom gozbom.	The lions were finished with their red feast.
Stajali su na ivici čistine i posmatrali dvojicu ljudi.	The lions were standing on the edge of the clearing watching the two men.
"Sada ja osećam kako me proganjaju", reče Mek Klin. "Hajdemo odavde. Nikada nisam mario za ove proklete sobe. Nerviraju me."	“Now I’m feeling persecuted,” said McClean. “Let’s get out of here. I never have cared for these damned rooms. Make me nervous.”
"Lavovi izgledaju kao stvarni, zar ne?" reče Džordž Hedli. "Valjda ni na koji način..."	“The lions look real, don’t they?” said George Hadley. I don’t suppose there’s any way—“
"Šta?"	“What?”
"Valjda se ne bi mogli pretvoriti u žive?"	“—that they could become real?”
"O tome ne znam."	“Not that I know.”
"Neka greška u mehanizmu, da se nešto pokvari?"	“Some flaw in the machinery, a tampering or something?”
"Ne."	“No.”
Odoše do vrata.	They went to the door.

"Mislim da se sobi neće dopasti da bude isključena", reče otac.	“I don’t imagine the room will like being turned off,” said the father.
"Ništa nikada ne želi da umre - pa čak ni soba."	“Nothing ever likes to die—even a room.”
"Mislim se da li me mrzi zato što želim da je ugasim?"	“I wonder if it hates me for wanting to switch it off?”
"Paranoje ti danas mnogo ima", reče Dejvid Mek Klin. "Možeš da je pratiš kao trag. O-pa." Saže se i podiže sa poda jednu okrvavljenu maramu. "Je li ovo tvoje?"	“Paranoia is thick around here today,” said David McClean. “You can follow it like a spoor. Hello.” He bent and picked up a bloody scarf. “This yours?”
"Ne." Lice Džordža Hedlija je bilo ukočeno. "To je Lidijino."	“No.” George Hadley’s face was rigid. “It belongs to Lydia.”
Odoše zajedno do kutije sa osiguračima i izbaciše prekidač, kojim ubiše dečiju sobu.	They went to the fuse box together and threw the switch that killed the nursery.
Dva deteta zapadoše u histeriju. Vrištala su i propinjala se i bacala stvari oko sebe. Arlaukala, jecala i psovala, skakala na nameštaj.	The two children were in hysterics. They screamed and pranced and threw things. They yelled and sobbed and swore and jumped at the furniture.
"Ne možete to da učinite sa dečijom sobom, ne možete!"	“You can’t do that to the nursery, you can’t!”
"Ali, deco."	“Now, children.”
Deca se baciše na kauč, plačući.	The children flung themselves onto a couch, weeping.
"Džordže", reče Lidija Hedli, "uključi sobu, samo na nekoliko trenutaka. Ne možeš to tako naglo."	“George,” said Lydia Hadley, “turn on the nursery, just for a few moments. You can’t be so abrupt.”
"Ne."	“No.”
"Ne možeš biti tako svirep."	“You can’t be so cruel . . .”
"Lidija, soba je isključena, i ostaje isključena. I sa celom prokletom kućom je svršeno od ovog trenutka pa nadalje. Što više sagledavam zbrku u koju smo se uvalili, to mi više pripada muka. I suviše dugo smo razmišljali o našim mehaničkim, elektronskim pupkovima. Gospode bože, koliko nam je potrebno da udahnemo pošten vazduh!"	“Lydia, it’s off, and it stays off. And the whole damn house dies as of here and now. The more I see of the mess we’ve put ourselves in, the more it sickens me. We’ve been contemplating our mechanical, electronic navels for too long. My God, how we need a breath of honest air!”
Hodao je žustro po kući isključujući uređaje sa glasovima, peći, grejače, čistače obuće, šnirače pertli, trljače, brisače i masažere tela, i sve druge mašine kojih se mogao domašiti.	And he marched about the house turning off the voice clocks, the stoves, the heaters, the shoe shiners, the shoe lacers, the body scrubbers and swabbers and massagers, and every other machine be could put his hand to.
Kao da je kuća bila puna mrtvih tela. Ostavljala je utisak mehaničkog groblja. Takva tišina. Ništa od zujeće skrivene energije mašina koje čekaju da počnu sa radom na pritisak dugmeta.	The house was full of dead bodies, it seemed. It felt like a mechanical cemetery. So silent. None of the humming hidden energy of machines waiting to function at the tap of a button.
"Ne daj im da to učine!" zavijao je Piter u tavanicu, kao da se obraća kući, dečijoj sobi. "Ne daj da otac sve poubija." Okrete se ocu. "Uh, što te mrzim!"	“Don’t let them do it!” wailed Peter at the ceiling, as if he was talking to the house, the nursery. “Don’t let Father kill everything.” He turned to his father. “Oh, I hate you!”
"Uvrede te neće nikamo odvesti."	“Insults won’t get you anywhere.”
"Želeo bih da umrete!"	“I wish you were dead!”
"I bili smo mrtvi, i to dugo. Sada ćemo započeti stvarno da živimo. Umesto rada na nama i masaže, mi ćemo živeti."	“We were, for a long while. Now we’re going to really start living. Instead of being handled and massaged, we’re going to live.”
Vendi je i dalje plakala i Piter joj se opet pridruži. "Samo trenutak, samo jedan trenutak, samo još jedan trenutak da imamo sobu", cvileli su.	Wendy was still crying and Peter joined her again. “Just a moment, just one moment, just another moment of nursery,” they wailed.
"Ali, Džordže", reče žena, "to ne može da škodi."	“Oh, George,” said the wife, “it can’t hurt.”
"U redu - u redu, samo neka zamuknu. Jedan minut, da znate a onda isključenje zauvek."	“All right—all right, if they’ll just shut up. One minute, mind you, and then off forever.”
"Tatice, tatice, tatice!" zapevaše deca, osmehujući se vlažnim licima.	“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!” sang the children, smiling with wet faces.
"A onda idemo na odmor. Dejvid Mek Klin će se vratiti za pola sata da nam pomogne da izađemo iz kuće i stignemo na aerodrom. Odoh ja da se obučem. Uključi sobu samo na minut, Lidija, samo na minut, pazi."	“And then we’re going on a vacation. David McClean is coming back in half an hour to help us move out and get to the airport. I’m going to dress. You turn the nursery on for a minute, Lydia, just a minute, mind you.”
Njih troje odoše čavrljajući dok on pusti da ga vazdušna cev usisa na sprat i poče da se oblači. Minut kasnije pojavi se Lidija.	And the three of them went babbling off while he let himself be vacuumed upstairs through the air flue and set about dressing himself. A minute later Lydia appeared.
"Biće mi drago kada se udaljimo", uzdahnu ona.	“I’ll be glad when we get away,” she sighed.
"Jesi li ih ostavila u sobi?"	“Did you leave them in the nursery?”
"I ja sam htela da se obučem. Uh, ta grozna Afrika. Šta vide oni u njoj?"	“I wanted to dress too. Oh, that horrid Africa. What can they see in it?”
"E pa, za pet minuta bićemo na putu za Ajovu. Gospode, kako smo mi dospeli u ovu kuću? Šta nas natera da kupimo jednu noćnu moru?"	“Well, in five minutes we’ll be on our way to Iowa. Lord, how did we ever get in this house? What prompted us to buy a nightmare?”

"Ponos, novac, glupost."	“Pride, money, foolishness.”
"Bolje da siđemo da se ta deca opet ne zamaraju sa tim prokletim zverima."	“I think we’d better get downstairs before those kids get engrossed with those damned beasts again.”
Upravo tada začuše decu kako ih zovu: "Tata, Mamice, brzo dođite - brzo!"	Just then they heard the children calling, “Daddy, Mommy, come quick—quick!”
Siđoše kroz vazdušnu cev i potrčaše hodnikom. Deca se nigde nisu videla. "Vendi? Piter!"	They went downstairs in the air flue and ran down the hall. The children were nowhere in sight. “Wendy? Peter!”
Utrčaše u dečiju sobu. Pustara je bila prazna, osim lavova koji su čekali i gledali u njih. "Pitere, Vendi?"	They ran into the nursery. The veldtland was empty save for the lions waiting, looking at them. “Peter, Wendy?”
Vrata se zalupiše.	The door slammed.
"Vendi, Pitere!"	“Wendy, Peter!”
Džordž Hedli i njegova žena se okrenuše u mestu i potrčaše nazad ka vratima.	George Hadley and his wife whirled and ran back to the door.
"Otvorite vrata!" povika Džordž Hedli drmajući kvaku. "Jao, pa zaključali su ih spolja! Pitere!" Udari o vrata. "Otvaraj!"	“Open the door!” cried George Hadley, trying the knob. “Why, they’ve locked it from the outside! Peter!” He beat at the door. “Open up!”
Čuo je Piterov glas spolja, uz vrata.	He heard Peter’s voice outside, against the door.
"Ne daj im da isključe dečiju sobu i kuću", govorio je Piter.	“Don’t let them switch off the nursery and the house,” he was saying.
Gospodin i gospoda Džordž Hedli stadoše da udaraju u vrata. "Hajde, ne budite smešni, deco. Vreme je da se ide. Gospodin Mek Klin će biti ovde za minut i..."	Mr. and Mrs. George Hadley beat at the door. “Now, don’t be ridiculous, children. It’s time to go. Mr. McClean’ll be here in a minute and . . .”
Onda začuše zvukove.	And then they heard the sounds.
Lavove sa tri strane, u žutoj travi pustare, kako potmulo trupću kroz suvu slamu, tutnje i urliču.	The lions on three sides of them, in the yellow veldt grass, padding through the dry straw, rumbling and roaring in their throats.
Lavove.	The lions.
G. Hedli pogleda svoju ženu, pa se okrenuše i ponovo pogledaše na zveri koje su se polako primicale, povijene, ukrućenih repova.	Mr. Hadley looked at his wife and they turned and looked back at the beasts edging slowly forward crouching, tails stiff.
Gospodin i gospoda Hedli kriknuše.	Mr. and Mrs. Hadley screamed.
I odjednom shvatiše zašto su im oni krici i onda poznato zvučali.	And suddenly they realized why those other screams had sounded familiar.
"E pa, evo me", reče Dejvid Mek Klin u vratima dečije sobe. "Oh, zdravo." Zablenu se u dva deteta koja su sedela usred otvorenog proplanka i jela izletničku užinu. Iza njih je bilo pojilo, i žuta pustara; iznad njih vrelo sunce. On poče da se preznojava. "Gde su vam otac i majka?"	“Well, here I am,” said David McClean in the nursery doorway, “Oh, hello.” He stared at the two children seated in the center of the open glade eating a little picnic lunch. Beyond them was the water hole and the yellow veldtland; above was the hot sun. He began to perspire. “Where are your father and mother?”
Deca podigoše pogled i osmehnuše se. "A, oni će doći pravo ovamo."	The children looked up and smiled. “Oh, they’ll be here directly.”
"Dobro, moramo da krenemo." U daljini, g. Mek Klin ugleda lavove kako se tuku i otimaju pa zatim smiruju da bi se u tišini hranili pod senovitim drvećem.	“Good, we must get going.” At a distance Mr. McClean saw the lions fighting and clawing and then quieting down to feed in silence under the shady trees.
Zažmuri u pravcu lavova, rukom zaklanjajući oči.	He squinted at the lions with his hand tip to his eyes.
Sada su lavovi završili sa obedom. Krenuše ka pojilu da se napoje.	Now the lions were done feeding. They moved to the water hole to drink.
Nad vrelim licem gospodina Mek Klina zalebde jedna senka. Zatim mnogo senki. Sa usplamtelog neba ustremljivali su se lešinari.	A shadow flickered over Mr. McClean’s hot face. Many shadows flickered. The vultures were dropping down the blazing sky.
"Hoćete šolju čaja?" zapita Vendi u tišini.	“A cup of tea?” asked Wendy in the silence.
Tetovirani čovek se prevrtao u snu. Okretao se, i svaki put kada bi se okrenuo otkrivala bi se još jedna slika, bojeći mu leđa, ruku, članak. Zabaci šaku preko suve noćne trave. Prsti mu se ispraviše i tu na njegovom dlanu ožive još jedna slika. Čovek se izvi, i na grudima mu se ukaza prazan zvezdani prostor tame, duboko, duboko, i nešto kako se kreće među tim zvezdama, kako pada u crnilo, pada dok ja posmatram...	The Illustrated Man shifted in his sleep. He turned, and each time he turned another picture came to view, coloring his back, his arm, his wrist. He flung a hand over the dry night grass. The fingers uncurled and there upon his palm another Illustration stirred to life. He twisted, and on his chest was an empty space of stars and blackness, deep, deep, and something moving among those stars, something falling in the blackness, falling while I watched. . . .

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