Цветы для Элджернона

           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.