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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
decorations than people. If you talked to one, she could convince you
that she was "alive," but really, she wasn't anything like Agnieshka, for
example. "But, why are we expanding the army when the war is over?"
"The War with Earth is over. The next war will be a long one, and it has
already started."
"What?!"
"There's plenty of time, Mickolai. We'll talk it over tomorrow."
"But!"
"Drink your beer, General Derdowski. That's an order."
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Contents
CHAPTER EIGHT
FROM CAPTURED HISTORY TAPES,
FILE 1846583A ca. 1832 a.d.
BUT CONCERNING EVENTS OF UP TO
2000 YEARS EARLIER
A Pleasant Social Event
Kren took a book at random from the bookshelf within reach of the cot
he was lying on. He had been quite sure that he could read, but he had
never before actually had the opportunity to do so. He was delighted to
find that the words and the thoughts came to him from the printed page
without any difficulty at all.
The book he read concerned the history of a period eight gross
thousand years before, when the planet had first become completely
populated, and population pressures were forcing the first dukedoms
into existence.
After about an hour, Bronki came in with a stack of books under her
arm.
"Do you enjoy reading Koki?" she asked.
"Very much," he said, somewhat confused. He had to look at the cover
again to see what she was talking about. It was a moment before he
realized that she was referring to the author of the book. He had never
before considered that each book had some person who had written it.
In all of his memories of them, books simply were. They somehow just
came out of nothing, or perhaps had always been there.
"I think perhaps that Koki might be a bit specialized for you to start
with. I suggest that you start your study of history with Samsid, here,
which is a generalized overview of history. That is, of course, if you've
never read him. I mean, it's a very popular book, and you must have
had a library available to you in the military."
"Have you ever seen a military library?" he asked, sitting up, and putting
his feet on the pleasantly decorated orange and red carpet.
"No. In truth, I have had very little contact with those in your
profession."
"Then let me enlighten you. A library suitable for an entire battalion
would fit easily into this room. At least half of it would consist of
military regulations. These books are feverishly read by miscreants who
are looking for a way out of being punished for the crimes that they
have committed.
"Perhaps a third of it will concern truly military subjects. Books on war,
tactics, weapons, and so forth. These are often checked out by junior
officers who carry them around, wishing to impress their superiors with
their diligence. Few show any evidence of ever having been actually
read.
"There will be a few shelves of so called 'fine literature,' donated by
local literary academics who wish the soldiers to improve their minds,
or by poets who are otherwise unable to dispose of their thin books of
bad poetry. These are all in pristine condition, having been neither
checked out nor read.
"Then there will be a half shelf of the crudest possible humor, usually
left behind by dead soldiers. These books are inevitably worn to
tatters."
Bronki laughed.
"At least your literary impoverishment has not ruined your sense of
humor! Look here. I've also brought you general books on the
sciences, mathematics, and the arts, as well as a novel called The
Soldier's Life. It has been well reviewed, but perhaps you could tell me
if it is really accurate or not. I'm considering using it in my
contemporary literature class next semester."
"I would be happy to give you my opinions on it, once I've read it."
"Thank you. For myself, well, I usually live a sedentary life, and today's
long walk has left me tired. I shall read for an hour, and then go to
sleep. Please do as you wish. My home is your home."
"You honor me beyond my deserts," Kren said. "I think that I will stay
right here and read one of your books."
Kren started to read The Overview of Mitchegai History, which
started some three and a half million years ago, and stopped on this
planet within a gross years of the present. It started with their earliest
beginnings in the myths and the archeology of a planet over a thousand
light-years away from the one he was living on. It discussed the
beginnings of agriculture, and the strange animals that had existed back
then, many of which the Mitchegai had actually eaten!
Kren shuddered at the very thought of it, but continued reading late into
the night until sleep closed over him.
It was late morning when he awoke and went outside to relieve himself.
He was drinking from the fountain in the living room when Bronki came
in from one of the study dens.
"You slept late, my friend."
"I was up late. Your history book was very interesting," Kren said.
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zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plkwiatpolny.htw.pl
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Dobre pomysły nie mają przeszłości, mają tylko przyszłość. Robert Mallet
De minimis - o najmniejszych rzeczach.
Dobroć jest ważniejsza niż mądrość, a uznanie tej prawdy to pierwszy krok do mądrości. Theodore Isaac Rubin
Dobro to tylko to, co szlachetne, zło to tylko to, co haniebne.
Dla człowieka nie tylko świat otaczający jest zagadką; jest on nią sam dla siebie. I z obu tajemnic bardziej dręczącą wydaje się ta druga. Antoni Kępiński (1918-1972)
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