Цветы для Элджернона

           "Wehaveahundredandsixofthemhere,"explained

           Winslow,"asaspecialstudysponsoredbythefederalgovernment."

           Whatanincrediblething!Howmuchlesstheyhadthanotherhumanbeings.Mentallyretarded,deaf,mute—andstilleagerlysandingbenches.

           Oneoftheboyswhohadbeentighteningablockofwoodinavise,stoppedwhathewasdoing,tappedWinslowonthearm,andpointedtothecornerwhereanumberoffinishedobjectsweredryingondisplayshelves.Theboypointedtoalampbaseonthesecondshelf,andthentohimself.Itwasapoorjob,unsteady,thepatchesofwood-fillershowingthrough,andthevarnishheavyanduneven.Winslowandtheteacherpraiseditenthusiasti­cally,andtheboysmiledproudlyandlookedatme,wait­ingformypraisetoo.

           "Yes,"Inodded,mouthingthewordsexaggeratedly,"verygood...verynice."Isaiditbecauseheneededit,butIfelthollow.Theboysmiledatme,andwhenweturnedtoleavehecameoverandtouchedmyarmasawayofsay­inggood-bye.Itchokedmeup,andIhadagreatdealofdifficultycontrollingmyemotionsuntilwewereoutinthecorridoragain.

           Theprincipaloftheschoolwasashort,plump,moth­erlyladywhosatmedowninfrontofaneatlyletteredchart,showingthevarioustypesofpatients,thenumberoffacultyassignedtoeachcategory,andthesubjectstheystudied.

           "Ofcourse,"sheexplained,"wedon’tgetmanyoftheupperI.Q.sanymore.