A. Belyaev - Classics of a fantasy

dear professor Shnirer will agree to this compromise. Private

property, I hope, you do not deny, mister Shnirer? And if is

private property…

Between bankers and the philosopher the dispute erupted. Nobody noticed how

Zander rose and left gallery of ancestors. Destiny of the future social

the device on the new earth had no relation to rocket flight. Besides

all these logomachies, in his opinion, were alien anything practical

sense.

Hans left Vinkler’s house and went to a huge horseshoe. It

it was visible from everywhere.

Finger walked on the ice-covered road and thought:

“The horseshoe is similar to a tuning fork. Yes, it is not lower than the Eiffel Tower, can

to be above. The fork scratching clouds…”

The dense cloud closed a horseshoe half.

“Three hundred meters… The horseshoe costs on the mountain which has not less

five-six thousand meters of height above sea level. Quite good tower. But for

what is it built? Vinkler did not explain. I will try to guess…

Maupassant once complained that the Eiffel Tower pressed his brain of the

platitude. At that time it was, of course, a worthless construction. It

built as “nail” of the World Parisian Fair. And still, if

Maupassant was an engineer, he would like respect and respect to D’Eiffel

to tower. For those times it was miracle of construction art. On

To the Eiffel Tower astronomical and meteorological laboratories,

physical office and powerful radio station. Possibly, and the horseshoe is created

for the similar scientific purposes.

Clouds slowly floated on the West. The top of a horseshoe was accurately drawn

on the clear blue sky. Having thrown the head up, Hans sharp-sightedly peered in

horseshoe, but suddenly stumbled and fell. Someone’s laughter, guttural, melodious

dialect. Hans was faced by Indians in the blankets full of holes thrown on

half-naked body. Hans smiled. Indians smiled in reply, having bared

white teeth. Indians showed a hand on top of a horseshoe and on ice under

legs. Yes, yes. Hans stood gaping. With consciousness of the fault nodded and

rose. Indians passed and several words, possibly shouted following

warning about something. Four Blacks carried by a huge log on shoulders.

“Mechanization!” – Hans grumbled. It stepped aside and, having leaned to

to wall of the timbered lodge smelling of a fresh pine directed again

eyes on horseshoe top. The ends of forks were connected thin as thread,

platform. Over it there passed antenna wires.

“Well certainly, it is meteorological observatory and radio station.

For flight it is necessary to study atmospheric conditions of Stormer-city…”

Suddenly Hans saw the black point falling down. It moved with most

tops, along a strip, without separating from it.

“Here it that! It appears, a horseshoe not only radio – and a meteorological station,

but also laboratory for test of the falling bodies”.

The black point reached to the bottom, got on a curve, flew on

to it, from dispersal flew up on the second strip of a horseshoe, rose up,

departed down, again up and so continued to shake as a pendulum “with

damped oscillations”. When at last the point stopped in the middle

curves, Hans saw that it is a trolley. Perhaps, there, inside

there are people. It is good to rock on such swing! Yes it and

it is necessary. Weeds on the rocket – too take-off and falling. Take-off from Earth in

“sky”, falling from “sky” on the planet… “Yes, we have to study influence

zero gravity on an organism…” Hans already almost ran to a horseshoe. But it all

still was far. He saw how the cabin left the person and almost run

went to office which was occupied by Collins.

Having been out of breath, Hans ran up to the massive concrete basis of a horseshoe.

The trolley already crept up as an elevator cabin. Hans Wsbezhal on a planked footway on

concrete platform also examined a horseshoe curve. Couple of rails. Radius

curves – fifteen meters. If height is three hundred meters, then take-off and

falling have to proceed the whole fifteen seconds. Not bad. But, devil

take! With a height of three hundred meters curve radius fifteen are

the overload because of centrifugal force on a curve in forty turns out

time. Will flatten out, perhaps…

Under the platform rang out, roared, and Hans saw how one strip

huge horseshoe drives off from another. Radius of a curve increased to

sixty meters. “That is another matter. Now the overload will be all in

ten times. Approximately the same that is tested by us when sliding sledge with

abrupt hill”.

Again rumble and noise of motors of a construction. Radius was reduced to twenty

meters. “If only to me not to be late to roll down with this flight…” Hans

hurried to enter the building over which elevator cables lasted. Showed

to the metis in a cervine jacket the blue ticket. The metis nodded and silently waved

hand towards an elevator cabin. Hans entered, the cabin trembled, and rise

began.

Hans as if rose in the balloon. Before it” opened again

weigh Stormer-city. Soon because of the ridge the ocean seemed. On

the North, the East and the South the Andes were piled up.

The elevator stopped. Hans left a cabin on the open area. Faugh!

Here is even colder. And what furious wind! But eagle outlook. On

to the wide platform which from below seemed the thread connecting “legs”

huge tuning fork, anemometers, barometers were installed a weather vane,

thermometers… Wind burns down the person. It is rather to the box! The fat man meets. Nods

head, as to the old acquaintance. Vinkler already warned by phone.

Of course, it is possible to examine and go down.

In the middle of the room there is a trolley above the hatch, ready to falling. Door

it is open. Hans looks inside, enters: the door behind it slams.

Here is warmer. On a ceiling – an electric bulb. There are no windows. A floor is covered

linoleum. The wall at a door is forced by boxes in which are located

experimental animals, birds, insects. The same boxes stand at a wall

at the left. At a wall opposite to a door – scales. To the fourth wall it is attached

hammock. Near a hammock stand three the deep convenient screwed on a floor

chairs with belts, as by planes, in a corner – spring scales the person

designs, on an iron core – the dial with the arrow noting

change of weight.

“Scales are spring, – Hans notes. – It is clear: cups of ordinary scales

will not change the situation, whatever freight lay on one and another

to cup as both bodies equally lose the weight. Only

spring scales can note loss of weight when falling”.

In a deep chair the fat, hardly holding in it person sat with

the shining bald head. It was faced by the high well-fad shaven doctor.

The bald fat man panted and looked at the doctor the scared eyes as

the patient waiting for operation.

Finger greeted the doctor and showed the blue ticket.

– You allow me to take part in experience? – Finger asked.

– Please! – the doctor answered and continued to convince the fat man of full

safety and harmlessness of flight. – You will lay down on a hammock, so to you will be

more conveniently. I will sit down near you in a chair and I will watch your pulse and

blood pressure. About is not present, at all not to warn

any danger. Just we will make various scientific observations,