Цветы для Элджернона
PROGRESS REPORT 13
Weturnedintoaluncheonetteforcoffee,andIdidn’tseehisface,butthesoundrevealedhisexasperation.
"YouthinkI’mwrong?"
"Justthatyou’vecomealongwaykindoffast,"hesaid."You’vegotasuperbmindnow,intelligencethatcan’treallybecalculated,moreknowledgeabsorbedbynowthanmostpeoplepickupinalonglifetime.Butyou’relopsided.Youknowthings.Youseethings.Butyouhaven’tdevelopedunderstanding,or—Ihavetousetheword—tolerance.Youcallthemphonies,butwhendideitherofthemeverclaimtobeperfect,orsuperhuman?They’reordinarypeople.You’rethegenius."
Hebrokeoffawkwardly,suddenlyawarethathewaspreachingatme.
"Goahead."
"EvermeetNemur’swife?"
"No."
"Ifyouwanttounderstandwhyhe’sundertensionallthetime,evenwhenthingsaregoingwellatthelabandinhislectures,you’vegottoknowBerthaNemur.Didyouknowshe’sgothimhisprofessorship?Didyouknowsheusedherfather’sinfluencetogethimtheWelbergFoundationgrant?Well,nowshe’spushedhimintothisprematurepresentationattheconvention.Untilyou’vehadawomanlikeherridingyou,don’tthinkyoucanunderstandthemanwhohas."
Ididn’tsayanything,andIcouldseehewantedtogetbacktothehotel.Allthewaybackweweresilent.
AmIagenius?Idon’tthinkso.Notyetanyway.