Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           Hewaseighteenandlovedbaseball,thoughTommyhatedthegame.^

           "Allright,Allen,"Wilbursaid,"I’dliketotalktoArthurnow."

           "Yeah,okay,"Allensaid."Wait,I..J"

           YavitchstaredasAllentookacoupleofquick,deeppuffsofthecigarettebeforeleaving.Itseemedsospontaneous,suchasmalldetail,totakethosefinaldragsbeforeArthur,whodidn’tsmokecigarettes,emerged.

           Again,theeyeswentblank,thelidsfluttered.Heopenedthem,leanedback,gazedaroundwithahaughtyexpressionandputhisfingertipstogether,formingapyramid.Whenhespoke,itwaswithanupper-classBritishaccent.

           Yavitchfrownedashelistened.HefoundhimselfactuallyseeingandhearinganewpersontalkingtoDr.Wilbur.Arthur’seyecontact,hisbodylanguage,wereobviouslydifferentfromAllen’s.AfriendofYavitchs,anaccountantinCleveland,wasBritish,andYavitchwasamazedattheresemblance—theauthenticspeechpattern.

           "Idon’tbelieveI’vemetthesepeople,"Arthursaid.

           Hewasintroducedaround,andYavitchfeltsillygreetingArthurasifhehadjustwalkedintotheroom.WhenWilburaskedArthurabouttheothers,hedescribedtheirrolesandexplainedwhowouldorwouldnotbeallowedtocomeout.FinallyDr.Wilbursaid,"WemustspeakwithBilly."

           "Itisverydangeroustowakenhim,"Arthursaid."Hesquitesuicidal,youknow.