Цветы для Элджернона

           "Leaveeverythingthewayitis,"Iwarnedher.

           "Whydoyouwanttolivethisway?"

           "IwanteverythingwhereIputit.Iwanttoseeitallouthere.Youdon’tknowwhatit’sliketohavesomethinghappeninginsideyou,thatyoucan’tseeandcan’tcontrol,andknowit’sallslippingthroughyourfingers."

           "You’reright.IneversaidIcouldunderstandthethingsthatwerehappeningtoyou.Notwhenyoubecametoointelligentforme,andnotnow.ButI’lltellyouonething.Beforeyouhadtheoperation,youweren’tlikethis.Youdidn’twallowinyourownfilthandself-pity,youdidn’tpolluteyourownmindbysittinginfrontoftheTVsetalldayandnight,youdidn’tsnarlandsnapatpeople.Therewassomethingaboutyouthatmadeusrespectyou—yes,evenasyouwere.YouhadsomethingIhadneverseeninaretardedpersonbefore."

           "Idon’tregrettheexperiment."

           "NeitherdoI,butyou’velostsomethingyouhadbe­fore.Youhadasmile..."

           "Anempty,stupidsmile."

           "No,awarm,realsmile,becauseyouwantedpeopletolikeyou."

           "Andtheyplayedtricksonme,andlaughedatme."

           "Yes,buteventhoughyoudidn’tunderstandwhytheywerelaughing,yousensedthatiftheycouldlaughatyoutheywouldlikeyou.Andyouwantedthemtolikeyou.Youactedlikeachildandyouevenlaughedatyourselfalongwiththem."

           "Idon’tfeellikelaughingatmyselfrightnow,ifyoudon’tmind."

           Shewastryingtokeepfromcrying.IthinkIwantedtomakehercry."Maybethat’swhyitwassoimportantformetolearn.