Цветы для Элджернона

           AfterIsaidit,Iknewshewasgoingtotakeitthewrongway.

           "Youputmeinthatcategorytoo,Isuppose."

           "Don’tbeabsurd.YouknowdamnedwellI—"

           "Ofcourse,inasense,Iguessyou’reright.NexttoyouIamratherdull-witted.Nowadayseverytimeweseeeachother,afterIleaveyouIgohomewiththemiserablefeelingthatI’mslowanddenseabouteverything.IreviewthingsI’vesaid,andcomeupwithallthebrightandwittythingsIshouldhavesaid,andIfeellikekickingmyselfbe­causeIdidn’tmentionthemwhenweweretogether."

           "That’sacommonexperience."

           "IfindmyselfwantingtoimpressyouinawayIneverthoughtaboutdoingbefore,butbeingwithyouhasun­derminedmyself-confidence.Iquestionmymotivesnow,abouteverythingIdo."

           Itriedtogetheroffthesubject,butshekeptcomingbacktoit."Look,Ididn’tcomeheretoarguewithyou,"Ifinallysaid."Willyouletmetakeyouhome?Ineedsome­onetotalkto."

           "SodoI.ButthesedaysIcan’ttalktoyou.AllIcandoislistenandnodmyheadandpretendIunderstandallaboutculturalvariants,andneo-Bouleanmathematics,andpost-symboliclogic,andIfeelmoreandmorestupid,andwhenyouleavetheapartment,Ihavetostareinthemirrorandscreamatmyself:’No,you’renotgrowingdullereveryday!You’renotlosingyourintelligence!You’renotgettingsenileanddull-witted.It’sCharlieexplodingforwardsoquicklythatitmakesitappearasifyou’reslip­pingbackwards.’