Цветы для Элджернона

           IwentintothelabwhereBurtwaswatchingAlgernoninoneofthemultipleproblemboxes.Hesighedandshookhishead."He’sforgottenalot.Mostofhiscomplexresponsesseemtohavebeenwipedout.He’ssolvingprob­lemsonamuchmoreprimitivelevelthanIwouldhaveexpected."

           "Inwhatway?"Iasked.

           "Well,inthepasthewasabletofigureoutsimplepat­terns—inthatblind-doorrun,forexample:everyotherdoor,everythirddoor,reddoorsonly,orthegreendoorsonly—butnowhe’sbeenthroughthatrunthreetimesandhe’sstillusingtrialanderror."

           "Coulditbebecausehewasawayfromthelabforsolong?"

           "Couldbe.We’lllethimgetusedtothingsagainandseehowheworksouttomorrow."

           Ihadbeeninthelabmanytimesbeforethis,butnowIwasheretolearneverythingithadtooffer.Ihadtoab­sorbproceduresinafewdaysthattheothershadtakenyearstolearn.BurtandIspentfourhoursgoingthroughthelabsectionbysection,asItriedtofamiliarizemyselfwiththetotalpicture.WhenwewereallthroughInoticedonedoorwehadnotlookedinto.

           "What’sinthere?"

           "Thefreezeandtheincinerator."Hepushedopentheheavydoorandturnedonthelight."Wefreezeourspeci­mensbeforewedisposeofthemintheincinerator.Ithelpscutdowntheodorsifwecontroldecomposition."Heturnedtoleave,butIstoodthereforamoment.

           "NotAlgernon,"Isaid."Look...ifand...when...ImeanIdon’twanthimdumpedinthere.Givehimtome.I’lltakecareofhimmyself."Hedidn’tlaugh.Hejustnod­ded.