《Home There's No Returning》作者： - Henry Kuttner & C. L. Moore【EP

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HOME THERES NO RETURNING by Henry Kuttner amp C. L. Moore If the last story was uncomfortably close to home be warned that this is even closer. Butdont quit now. Its the last one in the book so you may be certain it will have a happyending—of sorts. And being the work of science-fantasys foremost collaborators Mr. and Mrs.Henry Kuttner you may be equally certain that the background of the fable will be painted inclear glowing colors that the action of the story will move at a pulse-beat pace and that themoral when it comes will be stated with an appropriate question mark. The General opened the door and came softly into the big bright underground room. There by thewall under the winking control panels lay the insulated box nine feet long four feet widejust as it always lay just as he always saw it—day or night waking or sleeping eyes open orclosed. The box shaped like a tomb. But out of it if they were lucky something would be born. The General was tall and gaunt. He had stopped looking at himself in the mirror because his ownface had begun to frighten him with its exhaustion and he hated to meet the look of his ownsunken eyes. He stood there feeling the beat of unseen machinery throb through the rock allaround him. His nerves secretly changed each rhythmic pulse into some vast explosion some newmissile against which all defenses would be useless. He called sharply in the empty laboratoryquotBroomequot No answer. The General walked forward and stood above the box. Over it on the controlpanel lights winked softly on and off and now and then a needle quivered. Suddenly the Generalfolded up his fist and smashed the knuckles down hard on the reverberent metal of the box. Asound like hollow thunder boomed out of it. quotEasy easyquot somebody said. Abraham Broome was standing in the doorway a very old man smalland wrinkled with bright doubtful eyes. He shuffled hastily to the box and laid a soothinghand on it as if the box might be sentient for all he knew. quotWhere the hell were youquot the General asked. Broome said quotResting. Letting some ideasincubate. Whyquot quotYou were restingquot The General sounded like