"Asimov, Isaac - Feeling of Power" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

THE FEELING OF POWER
by Isaac Asimov

JEHAN SHUMAN was used to dealing with the men in authori-
ty on long-embattled Earth. He was only a civilian but he
originated programming patterns that resulted in self-direct-
ing war computers of the highest sort. Generals consequent-
ly listened to him. Heads of congressional committees, too.
There was one of each in the special lounge of New
Pentagon. General Weider was space-burnt and had a small
mouth puckered almost into a cipher. Congressman Brant
was smooth-cheeked and clear-eyed. He smoked Denebian
tobacco with the air of one whose patriotism was so no-
torious, he could be allowed such liberties.
Shuman, tall, distinguished, and Programmer-first-class,
faced them fearlessly.
He said, "This, gentlemen, is Myron Aub."
"The one with the unusual gift that you discovered quite
by accident," said Congressman Brant placidly. "Ah." He
inspected the little man with the egg-bald head with amia-
ble curiosity.
The little man, in return, twisted the fingers of his hands
anxiously. He had never been near such great men before. He
was only an aging low-grade Technician who had long ago
failed all tests designed to smoke out the gifted ones among
mankind and had settled into the rut of unskilled labour.
There was just this hobby of his that the great Programmer
had found out about and was now making such a frightening
fuss over.
General Weider said, "I find this atmosphere of mystery
childish."
"You won't in a moment," said Shuman. "This is not some-
thing we can leak to the firstcomer.Aub!" There was some-
thing imperative about his manner of biting off that
one-syllable name, but then he was a great Programmer
speaking to a mere Technician. "Aub! How much is nine
times seven?"
Aub hesitated a moment. His pale eyes glimmered with a
feeble anxiety. "Sixty-three," he said.
Congressman Brant lifted his eyebrows. "Is that right?"
"Check it for yourself, Congressman."
The Congressman took out his pocket computer, nudged
the milled edges twice, looked at its face as it lay there in
the palm of his hand, and put it back. He said, "Is this the
gift you brought us here to demonstrate? An illusionist?"
"More than that, sir. Aub has memorized a few opera-
tions and with them he computes on paper."
"A paper computer?" said the general. He looked pained.
"No, sir," said Shuman patiently. "Not a paper comput-