Цветы для Элджернона

           Shelitacigaretteandsmiledatme."Iknowthateveryoneontheprojectisgratefulthatyou’vedecidedtopitchinandhelpout.ButIimagineyou’dmuchratherbeworkingonsomethingofyourown.Itmustberatherdulltakingupsomeoneelse’sworkratherthansomethingyou’veconceivedandcreatedyourself."

           Shewassharp,allright.Shedidn’twantHyramHarveytoforgetthatherhusbandhadthecreditcoming.Icouldn’tresisttossingitbackather."Noonereallystartsanythingnew,Mrs.Nemur.Everyonebuildsonothermen’sfailures.Thereisnothingreallyoriginalinscience.Whateachmancontributestothesumofknowledgeiswhatcounts."

           "Ofcourse,"shesaid,talkingtoherelderlyguestratherthantome."It’sashameMr.Gordonwasn’taroundearliertohelpsolvetheselittlefinalproblems."Shelaughed."Butthen—oh,Iforgot,youweren’tinanypositiontodopsychologicalexperimentation."

           Harveylaughed,andIthoughtI’dbetterkeepquiet.BerthaNemurwasnotgoingtoletmegetthelastwordin,andifthingswentanyfurtheritwouldreallygetnasty.

           IsawDr.StraussandBurttalkingtotheothermanfromtheWelbergFoundation—GeorgeRaynor.Strausswassaying:"Theproblem,Mr.Raynor,isgettingsuffi­cientfundstoworkonprojectslikethese,withouthavingstringstiedtothemoney.Whenamountsareearmarkedforspecificpurposes,wecan’treallyoperate."

           Raynorshookhisheadandwavedabigcigaratthesmallgrouparoundhim.