Я, Робот
Evidence
Itisalwaysuseful,yousee,tosubjectthepastlifeofreformpoliticianstoratherinquisitiveresearch.Ifyouknewhowoftenithelped-"Hepausedtosmilehumorlesslyattheglowingtipofhiscigarette."ButMr.Byerley’spastisunremarkable.Aquietlifeinasmalltown,acollegeeducation,awifewhodiedyoung,anautoaccidentwithaslowrecovery,lawschool,comingtothemetropolis,anattorney."
FrancisQuinnshookhisheadslowly,thenadded,"Buthispresentlife.Ah,thatisremarkable.Ourdistrictattorneynevereats!"
Lanning’sheadsnappedup,oldeyessurprisinglysharp,"Pardonme?"
"Ourdistrictattorneynevereats."Therepetitionthumpedbysyllables."I’llmodifythatslightly.Hehasneverbeenseentoeatordrink.Never!Doyouunderstandthesignificanceoftheword?Notrarely,butnever!"
"Ifindthatquiteincredible.Canyoutrustyourinvestigators?"
"Icantrustmyinvestigators,andIdon’tfinditincredibleatall.Further,ourdistrictattorneyhasneverbeenseentodrink-intheaqueoussenseaswellasthealcoholic-nortosleep.Thereareotherfactors,butIshouldthinkIhavemademypoint."
Lanningleanedbackinhisseat,andtherewastheraptsilenceofchallengeandresponsebetweenthem,andthentheoldroboticistshookhishead."No.Thereisonlyonethingyoucanbetryingtoimply,ifIcoupleyourstatementswiththefactthatyoupresentthemtome,andthatisimpossible."
"Butthemanisquiteinhuman,Dr.Lanning."
