Нейромант

           Whenartificialintelligenceswereratheraracyconcept.ItoldthecoresI’ddealwithit.Badtiming,really,with8JeandowninMelbourneandonlyoursweet3Janemindingthestore.Orverygoodtiming,perhaps.Wouldyouknow,Molly?’Thegunroseagain.`Therearesomeoddthingsafootnow,intheVillaStraylight.’

           `Boss,’sheaskedhim,`youknowWintermute?’

           `Aname.Yes.Toconjurewith,perhaps.Alordofhell,surely.Inmytime,dearMolly,Ihaveknownmanylords.Andnotafewladies.Why,aqueenofSpain,once,inthatverybed...ButIwander.’Hecoughedwetly,themuzzleofthepistoljerkingasheconvulsed.Hespatonthecarpetnearhisonebarefoot.`HowIdowander.Throughthecold.Butsoonnomore.I’dorderedaJanethawed,whenIwoke.Strange,tolieeveryfewdecadeswithwhatlegallyamountstoone’sowndaughter.’Hisgazesweptpasther,totherackofblankmonitors.Heseemedtoshiver.`Marie-France’seyes,’hesaid,faintly,andsmiled.`Wecausethebraintobecomeallergictocertainofitsownneurotransmitters,resultinginapeculiarlypliableimitationofautism.’Hisheadswayedsideways,recovered.`Iunderstandthattheeffectisnowmoreeasilyobtainedwithanembeddedmicrochip.’

           Thepistolslidfromhisfingers,bouncedonthecarpet.

           `Thedreamsgrowlikeslowice,’hesaid.Hisfacewastingedwithblue.Hisheadsankbackintothewaitingleatherandhebegantosnore.

           Up,shesnatchedthegun.