"Asimov, Isaac - Profession" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

УYou can do it,Ф said George earnestly. УYouТre an important official. I saw the policemanТs look when you put that card in front of his eyes. If you refuse, IЧI wonТt let you study me.Ф
It sounded a silly threat in GeorgeТs own ears, one without force. On Ingenescu, however, it seemed to have a strong effect.
He said, УThatТs an impossible condition. A Novian in Olympics monthЧФ
УAll right, then, get me a Novian on the phone and IТll make my own arrangements for an interview.Ф
УDo you think you can?Ф
УI know I can. Wait and see.Ф
Ingenescu stared at George thoughtfully and then reached for the visiphone.
George waited, half drunk with his new outlook on the whole problem and the sense of power it brought. It couldnТt miss. It couldnТt miss. He would be a Novian yet. He would leave Earth in triumph despite Antonelli and the whole crew of fools at the House for the (he almost laughed aloud) Feeble-minded.

George watched eagerly as the visiplate lit up. It would open up a window into a room of Novians, a window into a small patch of Novia transplanted to Earth. In twenty-four hours, he had accomplished that much.
There was a burst of laughter as the plate unmisted and sharpened, but for the moment no single head could be seen but rather the fast passing of the shadows of men and women, this way and that. A voice was heard, clear-worded over a background of babble. УIngenescu? He wants me?Ф
Then there he was, staring out of the plate. A Novian. A genuine Novian. (George had not an atom of doubt. There was something completely
Outworldly about him. Nothing that could be completely defined, or even momentarily mistaken.)
He was swarthy in complexion with a dark wave of hair combed rigidly back from his forehead. He wore a thin black mustache and a pointed beard, just as dark, that scarcely reached below, the lower limit of his narrow chin, but the rest of his face was so smooth that it looked as though it had been depilated permanently.
He was smiling. УLadislas, this goes too far. We fully expect to be spied on, within reason, during our stay on Earth, but mind reading is out of bounds.Ф
УMind reading, Honorable?Ф
УConfess! You knew I was going to call this evening. You knew I was only waiting to finish this drink.Ф His hand moved up into view and his eye peered through a small glass of a faintly violet liqueur. УI canТt offer you one, IТm afraid.Ф
George, out of range of IngenescuТs transmitter could not be seen by the Novian. He was relieved at that. He wanted time to compose himself and he needed it badly. It was as though he were made up exclusively of restless fingers, drumming, drummingЧ But he was right. He hadnТt miscalculated. Ingenescu was important.
The Novian called him by his first name.
Good! Things worked well. What George had lost on Antonelli, he would make up, with advantage, on Ingenescu. And someday, when he was on his own at last, and could come back to Earth as powerful a Novian as this one who could negligently joke with IngenescuТs first name and be addressed as УHonorableФ in turnЧwhen he came back, he would settle with Antonelli. He had a year and a half to pay back and heЧ He all but lost his balance on the brink of the enticing daydream and
snapped back in sudden anxious realization that he was losing the thread of what was going on.
The Novian was saying, УЧdoesnТt hold water. Novia has a civilization as complicated and advanced as EarthТs. WeТre not Zeston, after all. ItТs ridiculous that we have to come here for individual technicians.Ф
Ingenescu said soothingly, УOnly for new models. There is never any certainty that new models will be needed. To buy the Educational tapes would cost you the same price as a thousand technicians and how do you know you would need that many?Ф
The Novian tossed off what remained of his drink and laughed. (It displeased George, somehow, that a Novian should be this frivolous. He wondered uneasily if perhaps the Novian ought not to have skipped that drink and even the one or two before that.)
The Novian said, УThatТs typical pious fraud, Ladislas. You know we can make use of all the late models we can get. I collected five Metallurgists this afternoonЧФ
УI know,Ф said Ingenescu. УI was there.Ф
УWatching me! Spying!Ф cried the Novian. УIТll tell you what it is. The new-model Metallurgists I got differed from the previous model only in knowing the use of Beeman Spectrographs. The tapes couldnТt be modified that much, not that muchФ (he held up two fingers close together) Уfrom last yearТs model. You introduce the new models only to make us buy and spend and come here hat in hand.Ф
УWe donТt make you buy.Ф
УNo, but you sell late-model technicians to Landonum and so we have to keep pace. ItТs a merry-go-round you have us on, you pious Earthmen, but watch out, there may be an exit somewhere.Ф There was a sharp edge to his laugh, and it ended sooner than it should have.
Ingenescu said, УIn all honesty, I hope there is. Meanwhile, as to the purpose of my callЧФ
УThatТs right, you called. Oh, well, IТve said my say and 1 suppose next year thereТll be a new model of Metallurgist anyway for us to spend goods on, probably with a new gimmick for niobium assays and nothing else altered and the next yearЧ But go on, what is it you want?Ф
УI have a young man here to whom I wish you to speak.Ф
УOh?Ф The Novian looked not completely pleased with that. УConcerning what?Ф
УI canТt say. He hasnТt told me. For that matter he hasnТt even told me his name and profession.Ф
The Novian frowned. УThen why take up my time?Ф
УHe seems quite confident that you will be interested in what he has to say.Ф
УI dare say.Ф
УAnd,Ф said Ingenescu, Уas a favor to me.Ф
The Novian shrugged. УPut him on and tell him to make it short.Ф
Ingenescu stepped aside and whispered to George, УAddress him as СHonorable.Т
George swallowed with difficulty. This was it.

George felt himself going moist with perspiration. The thought had come so recently, yet it was in him now so certainly. The beginnings of it had come when he had spoken to Trevelyan, then everything had fermented and billowed into shape while Ingenescu had prattled, and then the NovianТs own remarks had seemed to nail it all into place.
George said, УHonorable, IТve come to show you the exit from the meny-go-round.Ф Deliberately, he adopted the NovianТs own metaphor.
The Novian stared at him gravely. УWhat merry-go-round?Ф
УYou yourself mentioned it, Honorable. The merry-go-round that Novia is on when you come to Earth toЧto get technicians.Ф (He couldnТt keep his teeth from chattering; from excitement, not fear.)
The Novian said, УYouТre trying to say that you know a way by which we can avoid patronizing EarthТs mental supermarket. Is that it?Ф
УYes, sir. You can control your own Educational system.Ф
УUmm. Without tapes?Ф
УYЧyes, Honorable.Ф