Цветы для Элджернона
PROGRESS REPORT 13
Iwasbecomingirritated,andIcouldseethatAlgernon,upsetbythesmoke,thebuzzing,theunaccustomedsurroundings,wasmovingaroundinhiscagenervously.Ihadthestrangestcompulsiontoopenhiscageandlethimout.Itwasanabsurdthought—moreofanitchthanathought—andItriedtoignoreit.ButasIlistenedtoProfessorClinger’sstereotypedpaperon"Theeffectsofleft-handedgoalboxesinaT-mazeversusright-handedgoalboxesinaT-maze,"Ifoundmyselftoyingwiththerelease-lockmechanismofAlgernon’scage.
Inashortwhile(beforeStraussandNemurwouldunveiltheircrowningachievement)BurtwouldreadapaperdescribingtheproceduresandresultsofadministeringintelligenceandlearningtestshehaddevisedforAlgernon.ThiswouldbefollowedbyademonstrationasAlgernonwasputthroughhispacesofsolvingaprobleminordertogethismeal(somethingIhaveneverstoppedresenting!).
NotthatIhadanythingagainstBurt.Hehadalwaysbeenstraightforwardwithme—moresothanmostoftheothers—butwhenhedescribedthewhitemousewhohadbeengivenintelligence,hewasaspompousandartificialastheothers.Asifheweretryingonthemantleofhisteachers.IrestrainedmyselfatthatpointmoreoutoffriendshipforBurtthananythingelse.LettingAlgernonoutofhiscagewouldthrowthemeetingintochaos,andafterallthiswasBurt’sdebutintotherat-raceofacademicpreferment.
