Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet (shoe dog free ebook .txt) 📕

above them, and heading toward the waterfall with others streaming after, cheering. Then the people around Oppenheimer lifted him up too, and before Ben could even reach out to try to stop them they were taking him off away. Its front cover ripped off, Sweet Jezebel was left face-down, mashed, spine broken on the wooden slats of the porch where Oppenheimer had been. His pipe was still perched precariously on the wooden railing and his hat had fallen into the shrubbery.

After a panicked glance at each other Ben and Dory went jogging after them, stunned and speechless at first. Then Dory let her camcorder fall to her side to call after the men: —What are you doing? You can’t do that to him! We can call the police! Are you even listening?

Ben caught up to the men carrying Oppenheimer but could not catch Oppenheimer’s attention, and pulling on sleeves and jabbing at ribs had no effect: no one even turned to look at him. Then they were scrambling over a flat, jutting slab of slate-gray rock, looking down at the whitewater a few feet away to the left, watching it course down the mountainside, sparkling in the calm light of dusk. There was a purple cast to the water, reflecting the eastern sky.

—Here! There’s a shallow pool over here! called a woman in a broad straw hat with a polka dot band, and the men bearing Fermi splashed over to the right, stepping on a chain of rocks through shallow rivulets. The others followed them.

—What are you doing? yelled Ben, but the sound of the rushing was loud and no one was listening anyway. He reached up and grabbed at the back of Oppenheimer’s shirt, tugging it and saying, —Just kick out at them! I’ll help you get down! but Oppenheimer did not seem to hear him. Instead he seemed to be calmly gazing at the horizon above all their heads, where the sun was setting dimly behind a thin streak of gray cloud. He gazed as though there was nothing to be done, as though all he could do was look at the sky. Fermi was twisting on the shoulders of his captors and hitting their shoulders, trying to get down.

—Let’s put them in! called the blond man.

The scientists were being lifted down and carried, more hands on their bodies than there was room, and then dropped in the shallow pool of water above the falls. Fermi looked rigid with fear as they put him down but Oppenheimer’s face was tolerant, as though nothing anymore had the power to surprise him.

—Repentance is yours! I herewith baptize you in water, said the blond bearded man, and dripped water from his hand onto Fermi’s balding head.

—Oh no, said Ben.

But he saw that Fermi was relieved: at least no one was trying to drown him. He stood in the rocky pool blank-faced, staring through the legs of the crowd around him.

Dory hesitated but then raised the camcorder to record the event, apparently satisfied that there was not going to be further violence.

—Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, said the blond man, and tipped water onto Oppenheimer’s head as the woman in the straw hat poured water on Fermi.

There was no escaping it, thought Ben. He was glad Ann was safe at the bus.

—Now you are ready! In the light of your repentance we hereby baptize you Enrico Fermi and Robert Oppenheimer, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, said the woman in the straw hat, and then the crowd was clapping and hooting, and Fermi and Oppenheimer stood beside each other in the shallow pool, soaked and tired.

A bell rang and the cook’s voice called them faintly to dinner. The people wandered away leaving Ben and Dory alone with Fermi and Oppenheimer, still standing in the pool where the baptists had left them. Ben went and knelt on the rock ledge, leaning down to offer them a hand up.

—I don’t think we brought any towels but you can wear my big sweater, said Dory to Oppenheimer as he stepped out.

He shook his head.

—No, you need it yourself, he said, his teeth chattering. —I’ll be fine.

—It’s fall, said Dory. —You could catch a cold!

—Americans are mentally disturbed, said Fermi, wiping the back of his hand over his wet forehead. His long nose was dripping. —All of them. They have mental problems.

—You may have a point there, said Ben.

—They are hysterical, said Fermi.

—Drugs, said Ben.

—Should we leave? asked Dory.

—I’m not going down the mountain in wet clothes, said Oppenheimer. —I want to be warm. And sleep.

—Let’s eat some spaghetti and talk about it, said Ben.

—Do you want to press charges? At least we could sue them in civil court, said Dory.

—Forget it, said Oppenheimer wearily, as they headed toward the cabin. His wet leather shoes squeezed water onto the rocks.

By the turn of the millennium, nuclear weapons production facilities occupied over three thousand square miles of U.S. territory.

Szilard was flushed with victory when he got in from the airport, striding up to the picnic table flanked by two Huts who were carrying his briefcase and overnight bag. —This is the linchpin! he told Ann. —We will be triumphant!

—Aren’t you counting your chickens?

—The only remaining hurdle to our widespread acceptance has been jumped.

—Omigod, said Sheila, standing up. —Dr. Leo. It’s such a total honor to meet you, my name’s Sheila, and she stuck out her hand, which Szilard flapped by the fingers and then dropped quickly. —I’ve been following you since Albuquerque.

—Good, said Szilard hastily, nodding.

Still flushed, smiling dazedly, she sat down on the picnic bench again.

—I don’t know, Leo, said Ann, and drank from her mug of wine. Sheila had brought over a cardboard box of Zinfandel, which sat on the table between them. —They can still claim forgery, I think. Most people aren’t going to buy that you guys