Цветы для Элджернона

           Guarinopretendshedoesnotsmelltheodor."Nowthatdidn’thurtyouabit,didit?"

           "N-no..."

           "Well,thenwhatareyoutremblinglikethatfor?AllIdidwasusethatmachinetomakeyousmarter.Howdoesitfeeltobesmarternowthanyouwerebefore?"

           Forgettinghisterror,Charliestareswide-eyedatthemachine."DidIgetsmart?"

           "Ofcourseyoudid.Uh,standbackoverthere.Howdoesitfeel?"

           "Feelswet.Imade."

           "Yes,well—uh—youwon’tdothatnexttime,willyou?Youwon’tbescaredanymore,nowthatyouknowitdoesn’thurt.NowIwantyoutotellyourmomhowsmartyoufeel,andshe’llbringyouheretwiceaweekforshort­waveencephalo-reconditioning,andyou’llgetsmarter,andsmarter,andsmarter."

           Charliesmiles."Icanwalkbackwards."

           "Youcan?Let’ssee,"saysGuarinoclosinghisfolderinmockexcitement."Letmesee."

           Slowly,andwithgreateffort,Charlietakesseveralstepsbackward,stumblingagainsttheexaminationtableashegoes.Guarinosmilesandnods."Nowthat’swhatIcallsomething.Oh,youwait.You’regoingtobethesmartestboyonyourblockbeforewe’rethroughwithyou."

           Charlieflusheswithpleasureatthispraiseandatten­tion.Itisnotoftenthatpeoplesmileathimandtellhimhehasdonesomethingwell.Eventheterrorofthemachine,andofbeingstrappeddowntothetable,beginstofade.

           "Onthewholeblock?"Thethoughtfillshimasifhecannottakeenoughairintohislungsnomatterhowhetries."EvensmarterthanHymie?"

           Guarinosmilesagainandnods."SmarterthanHymie."