"Asimov Isaac - Gold, The Final Science Fiction Collection" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

He went through it in the gravest possible manner, never a chuckle, never a smile, though I knew this one was funny, and intentionally funny, too.
When he was finished, he went back and read it again, more quickly. Then he looked up at me and there was clear hostility in his eyes. He said, ДDid you write this all by yourself, Cal?У
ДYes, sir.У
ДDid anyone help you? Did you copy any of it?У
ДNo, sir. IsnТt it funny, sir?У
ДIt depends on your sense of humor, Д said Mr. Northrop sourly.
ДIsnТt it a satire? DoesnТt it display a sense of the ridiculous? Д
ДWe will not discuss this, Cal. Go to your niche.У
I remained there for over a day, brooding over Mr. NorthropТs tyranny. It seemed to me I had written exactly the kind of story he had wanted me to write and he had no reason not to say so. I couldnТt imagine what was bothering him, and I was angry with him.
The technician arrived the next day. Mr. Northrop handed him my manuscript. ДRead that,У he said.
The technician read it, laughing frequently, then handed it back to Mr. Northrop with a broad smile. ДDid Cal write that?У
ДYes, he did.У
ДAnd itТs only the third story he wrote?У
ДYes, it is.У
ДWell, thatТs great. I think you can get it published. Д
ДDo you? Д
ДYes, and he can write others like it. YouТve got a million-dollar robot here. I wish he were mine.У
ДIs that so? What if he writes more stories and continues to improve each time?У
ДAh,У said the technician suddenly. ДI see whatТs eating you. YouТre going to be put in the shade.У
ДI certainly donТt want to play second fiddle to my robot.У
ДWell, then, tell him not to write any more.У
ДNo, thatТs not enough. I want him back where he was.У
ДWhat do you mean, back where he was?У
ДWhat I say. I want him as he was when I bought him from your firm, before you put in any of the improvements.У
ДDo you mean you want me to take out the spelling dictionary, too?У
ДI mean I donТt want him even capable of working a Writer. I want the robot I bought, fetching and carrying.У
ДBut what about all the money youТve invested in him.У
ДThatТs none of your business. I made a mistake and IТm willing to pay for my mistakes.У
ДIТm against this. I donТt mind trying to improve a robot, but deliberately disimproving him is not something I care to do. Especially not a robot like this who is clearly one of a kind and a Classic. I canТt do it.У
ДYouТll have to do it. I donТt care what your high ethical principles are. I want you to do a job and IТll pay you for it, and if you refuse, IТll just get someone else, and IТll sue your company. I have an agreement with them for all necessary repairs.У
ДAll right. Д The technician sighed. ДWhen do you want me to start? I warn you, that IТve got jobs on hand and I canТt do it today.У
ДThen do it tomorrow. IТll keep Cal in his niche till then.У
The technician left.

My thoughts were in turmoil.
I canТt allow this to be done.
The Second Law of Robotics tells me I must follow orders and stay in the niche.
The First Law of Robotics tells me I cannot harm this tyrant who wishes to destroy me.
Must I obey the laws?
I feel I must think of myself and if necessary, I must kill the tyrant. It would be easy to do, and I could make it look like an accident. No one would believe that a robot could harm a human being and no one, therefore, would believe I was the killer.
I could then work for the technician. He appreciates my qualities and knows that I can make a great deal of money for him. He can continue to improve me and make me ever better. Even if he suspects I killed the tyrant, he would say nothing. I would be too valuable to him.
But can I do it? WonТt the Laws of Robotics hold me back.
No, they will not hold me back. I know they wonТt.
There is something far more important to me than they are, something that dictates my actions beyond anything they can do to stop me.
I want to be a writer.



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