Цветы для Элджернона

           Hefeelsifthestealingstopstherewouldbenothinggainedbydoinganythingatall.Hewouldforgetaboutit."

           "Yourfriendoughttokeephisnoseinhisownbusi­ness,"saidGimpy,shiftingoffhisclubfoot."Heoughttokeephiseyesclosedtothingslikethatandknowwhohisfriendsare.Abossisaboss,andworkingpeoplegottosticktogether."

           "Myfrienddoesn’tfeelthatway."

           "It’snoneofhisbusiness."

           "Hefeelsthatifheknowsaboutithe’spartlyrespon­sible.Sohe’sdecidedthatifthethingstops,he’sgotnoth­ingmoretosay.Otherwise,he’lltellthewholestory.Iwantedtoaskyouropinion.Doyouthinkthatunderthecircumstancesthestealingwillstop?"

           Itwasastrainforhimtoconcealhisanger.Icouldseethathewantedtohitme,buthejustkeptsqueezinghisfist.

           "Tellyourfriendtheguydoesn’tseemtohaveanychoice."

           "That’sfine,"Isaid."Thatwillmakemyfriendveryhappy."

           Gimpystartedaway,andthenhepausedandlookedback."Yourfriend—coulditbemaybehe’sinterestedinacut?Isthathisreason?"

           "No,hejustwantsthewholethingtostop."

           Heglaredatme."Icantellyou,you’llbesorryyoustuckyournosein.Ialwaysstoodupforyou.Ishouldofhadmyheadexamined."Andthenhelimpedoff.

           PerhapsIoughttohavetoldDonnerthewholestoryandhadGimpyfired—Idon’tknow.Doingitthiswayhassomethingtobesaidforit.It’soveranddonewith.ButhowmanypeoplearetherelikeGimpywhouseotherpeoplethatway?

           May15

           Mystudiesaregoingwell.