Цветы для Элджернона

           "Well,wedecidedtoriskitwithyou,"hewenton,"becausewefelttherewasverylittlechanceofdoingyouanyseriousharm,andweweresuretherewasagreatchanceofdoingyousomegood."

           "Youdon’thavetojustifythat."

           "Butyourealizewehadtogetpermissionfromsome­oneinyourimmediatefamily.Youwereincompetenttoagreetothisyourself."

           "Iknowallaboutthat.You’retalkingaboutmysister,Norma.Ireadaboutitinthepapers.FromwhatIremem­berofher,Iimagineshe’dhavegivenyouapprovalformyexecution."

           Heraisedhiseyebrows,butletitpass."Well,aswetoldher,intheeventthattheexperimentfailed,wecouldn’tsendyoubacktothebakeryortothatroomwhereyoucamefrom."

           "Whynot?"

           "Foronething,youmightnotbethesame.Surgeryandinjectionsofhormonesmighthavehadeffectsnotim­mediatelyevident.Experiencessincetheoperationmighthavelefttheirmarkonyou.Imean,possiblyemotionaldisturbancestocomplicatetheretardation;youcouldn’tpossiblybethesamekindofperson—"

           "That’sgreat.Asifonecrossweren’tenoughtobear."

           "Andforanotherthingthere’snowayofknowingifyouwouldgobacktothesamementallevel.Theremightberegressiontoanevenmoreprimitiveleveloffunctioning."

           Hewaslettingmehavetheworstofit—gettingtheweightoffhismind."Imightaswellknoweverything,"Isaid,"whileI’mstillinapositiontohavesomesayaboutit.Whatplanshaveyoumadeforme?"

           Heshrugged.