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

УMaybe thatТs the idea. TheyТre separating the boys from the men to begin with. Take it easy, Trev.Ф
УShut up.Ф
GeorgeТs turn came. His name was not called. It appeared in glowing letters on the notice board.
He waved at Trevelyan. УTake it easy, Trev. DonТt let it get you.Ф
He was happy as he entered the testing chamber. Actually happy.

The man behind the desk said, УGeorge Platen?Ф
For a fleeting instant there was a razor-sharp picture in GeorgeТs mind of another man, ten years earlier, who had asked the same question, and it was almost as though this were the same man and he, George, had turned eight again as he stepped across the threshold.
But the man looked up and, of course, the face matched that of the sudden memory not at all. The nose was bulbous, the hair thin and stringy, and the chin wattled as though its owner had once been grossly overweight and had reduced.
The man behind the desk looked annoyed. УWell?Ф
George came to Earth. УIТm George Platen, sir.Ф
УSay so, then. IТm Dr. Zachary Antonelli, and weТre going to be intimately acquainted in a moment.Ф
He stared at small strips of film, holding them up to the light owlishly. George winced inwardly. Very hazily, he remembered that other doctor (he had forgotten the name) staring at such film. Could these be the same? The other doctor had frowned and this one was looking at him now as though he were angry.
His happiness was already just about gone.
Dr. Antonelli spread the pages of a thickish file out before him now and put the films carefully to one side. УIt says here you want to be a Computer Programmer.Ф
УYes, doctor.Ф
ССStill do?ТТ
ССYes, sir.ТТ
УItТs a responsible and exacting position. Do you feel up to it?Ф
ССYes, sir.Ф
УMost pre-Educates donТt put down any specific profession. I believe they are afraid of queering it.Ф
ССI think thatТs tight, sir.Ф
УArenТt you afraid of that?Ф
УI might as well be honest, sir.Ф
Dr. Antonelli nodded, but without any noticeable lightening of his expression. УWhy do you want to be a Programmer?Ф
УItТs a responsible and exacting position as you said, sir. ItТs an important job and an exciting one. I like it and! think I can do it.Ф
Dr. Antonelli put the papers away, and looked at George sourly. He said, УHow do you know you like it? Because you think youТll be snapped up by some Grade A planet?Ф
George thought uneasily: HeТs trying to rattle you. Stay calm and stay frank.
He said, УI think a Programmer has a good chance, sir, but even if I were left on Earth, I know IТd like it.Ф (That was true enough. IТm not lying, thought George.)
УAll right, how do you know?Ф
He asked it as though he knew there was no decent answer and George almost smiled. He had one.
He said, УIТve been reading about Programming, sir.Ф
УYouТve been what?Ф Now the doctor looked genuinely astonished and George took pleasure in that.
УReading about it, sir. I bought a book on the subject and IТve been studying it.Ф
УA book for Registered Programmers?Ф
ССYes, sir.Ф
УBut you couldnТt understand it.Ф
УNot at first. I got other books on mathematics and electronics. I made out all I could. I still donТt know much, but I know enough to know I like it and to know I can make it.Ф (Even his parents never found that secret cache of books or knew why he spent so much time in his own room or exactly what happened to the sleep he missed.)
The doctor pulled at the loose skin under his chin. УWhat was your idea in doing that, son?Ф
УI wanted to make sure I would be interested, sir.Ф
УSurely you know that being interested means nothing. You could be devoured by a subject and if the physical makeup of your brain makes it more efficient for you to be something else, something else you will be. You know that, donТt you?Ф
УIТve been told that,Ф said George cautiously.
УWell, believe it. ItТs true.Ф
George said nothing.
Dr. Antonelli said, УOr do you believe that studying some subject will bend the brain cells in that direction, like that other theory that a pregnant woman need only listen to great music persistently to make a composer of her child. Do you believe that?Ф
George flushed. That had certainly been in his mind. By forcing his intellect constantly in the desired direction, he had felt sure that he would be getting a head start. Most of his confidence had rested on exactly that point.
УI neverЧФ he began, and found no way of finishing.
УWell, it isnТt true. Good Lord, youngster, your brain pattern is fixed at birth. It can be altered by a blow hard enough to damage the cells or by a burst blood vessel or by a tumor or by a major infectionЧeach time, of course, for the worse. But it certainly canТt be affected by your thinking special thoughts.Ф He stared at George thoughtfully, then said, УWho told you to do this?Ф
George, now thoroughly disturbed, swallowed and said, УNo one, doctor. My own idea.Ф
УWho knew you were doing it after you started?Ф