Нейромант

           ThemostunusualthingJimmyhadmanagedtoscoreonhisswingthroughthearchipelagowasahead,anintricatelyworkedbust,cloisonnoverplatinum,studdedwithseedpearlsandlapis.Smith,sighing,hadputdownhispocketmicroscopeandadvisedJimmytomeltthethingdown.Itwascontemporary,notanantique,andhadnovaluetothecollector.Jimmylaughed.Thethingwasacomputerterminal,hesaid.Itcouldtalk.Andnotinasynth-voice,butwithabeautifularrangementofgearsandminiatureorganpipes.Itwasabaroquethingforanyonetohaveconstructed,aperversething,becausesynth-voicechipscostnexttonothing.Itwasacuriosity.Smithjackedtheheadintohiscomputerandlistenedasthemelodious,inhumanvoicepipedthefiguresoflastyear’staxreturn.

           Smith’sclienteleincludedaTokyobillionairewhosepassionforclockworkautomataapproachedfetishism.Smithshrugged,showingJimmyhisupturnedpalmsinagestureoldaspawnshops.Hecouldtry,hesaid,buthedoubtedhecouldgetmuchforit.

           WhenJimmyhadgone,leavingthehead,Smithwentoveritcarefully,discoveringcertainhallmarks.Eventuallyhe’dbeenabletotraceittoanunlikelycollaborationbetweentwoZurichartisans,anenamelspecialistinParis,aDutchjeweler,andaCaliforniachipdesigner.Ithadbeencommissioned,hediscovered,byTessier-AshpoolS.A.

           SmithbegantomakepreliminarypassesattheTokyocollector,hintingthathewasonthetrackofsomethingnoteworthy.