Цветы для Элджернона

           "It’snotsomethingmoneycanbuy."

           "It’sCharlieI’mtalkingabout.Yourson...youronlychild."Sherockshimfromsidetoside,nearhysterianow."Iwon’tlistentothattalk.Theydon’tknow,sotheysaynothingcanbedone.Dr.Guarinoexplaineditalltome.Theywon’tsponsorhisinvention,hesays,becauseitwillprovethey’rewrong.Likeitwaswiththoseotherscientists,PasteurandJennings,andtherestofthem.Hetoldmeallaboutyourfinemedicaldoctorsafraidofprogress."

           TalkingbacktoMattthisway,shebecomesrelaxedandsureofherselfagain.WhensheletsgoofCharlie,hegoestothecornerandstandsagainstthewallfrightenedandshivering.

           "Look,"shesays,"yougothimupsetagain."

           "Me?"

           "Youalwaysstartthesethingsinfrontofhim."

           "Oh,Christ!Comeon,let’sgetthisdamnedthingoverwith."

           AllthewaytoDr.Guarino’sofficetheyavoidspeakingtoeachother.Silenceonthebus,andsilencewalkingthreeblocksfromthebustothedowntownofficebuilding.Afteraboutfifteenminutes,Dr.Guarinocomesouttothewaitingroomtogreetthem.Heisfatandbalding,andhelooksasifhewouldpopthroughhiswhitelabjacket.Charlieisfascinatedbythethickwhiteeyebrowsandwhitemoustachethattwitchfromtimetotime.Some­timesthemoustachetwitchesfirst,followedbytheraisingofbotheyebrows,butsometimesthebrowsgoupfirstandthemoustachetwitchfollows."