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

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THE FEELING \b OF\b0 \b POWER\b0\par
\pard\li1385\sl280\slmult0\i by\i0 \i Isaac\i0 \i Asi\f1 m\f0 ov\i0\par
\pard\par
\fs18 JEHAN SHUMAN was used to dealing with the men in authori-\par
\pard\sl30\slmult0 ty on long-embattled Earth. He was only a civilian but he\par
\pard originated programming patterns that resulted in self-direct-\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 ing war computers of the highest sort. Generals consequent-\par
\pard\sl10\slmult0 ly listened to him. Heads of congressional committees, too.\par
\pard\li205\sl15\slmult0 There was one of each in the special lounge of New\par
\pard\li5\sl15\slmult0 Pentagon. General Weider was space-burnt and had a small\par
\pard\li5\sl10\slmult0 mouth puckered almost into a cipher. Congressman Brant\par
\pard\sl60\slmult0 was smooth-cheeked and clear-eyed. He smoked Denebian\par
\pard\li10 tobacco with the air of one whose patriotism was so no-\par
\pard\li5\sl15\slmult0 torious, he could be allowed such liberties.\par
\pard\li220\sl15\slmult0 Shuman, tall, distinguished, and Programmer-first-class,\par
\pard\li20\sl15\slmult0 faced them fearlessly.\par
\pard\li225\sl20\slmult0 He said, "This, gentlemen, is Myron Aub."\par
\pard\li225\sl10\slmult0 "The one with the unusual gift that you discovered quite\par
\pard\li15\sl15\slmult0 by accident," said Congressman Brant placidly. "Ah." He\par
\pard\li20\sl15\slmult0 inspected the little man with the egg-bald head with amia-\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 ble curiosity.\par
\pard\li205\sl10\slmult0 The little man, in return, twisted the fingers of his hands\par
\pard\li10\sl15\slmult0 anxiously. He had never been near such great men before. He\par
\pard\li10\sl60\slmult0 was only an aging low-grade Technician who had long ago\par
\pard\li15 failed all tests designed to smoke out the gifted ones among\par
\pard\li15\sl15\slmult0 mankind and had settled into the rut of unskilled labour.\par
\pard\li20\sl15\slmult0 There was just this hobby of his that the great Programmer\par
had found out about and was now making such a frightening\par
\pard\li25\sl15\slmult0 fuss over.\par
\pard\li225\sl15\slmult0 General Weider said, "I find this atmosphere of mystery\par
\pard\li30\sl15\slmult0 childish."\par
\pard\li230\sl20\slmult0 "You won't in a moment," said Shuman. "This is not some-\par
\pard\li30\sl15\slmult0 thing we can leak to the firstcomer.Aub!" There was some-\par
\pard\li25\sl10\slmult0 thing imperative about his manner of biting off that\par
\pard\li35\sl15\slmult0 one-syllable name, but then he was a great Programmer\par
speaking to a mere Technician. "Aub! How much is nine\par
\pard times seven?"\fs24\par
\pard\li215\fs18 Aub hesitated a moment. His pale eyes glimmered with a\par
\pard\sl20\slmult0 feeble anxiety. "Sixty-three," he said.\par
\pard\li215\sl15\slmult0 Congressman Brant lifted his eyebrows. "Is that right?"\par
\pard\li215\sl5\slmult0 "Check it for yourself, Congressman."\par
\pard\li210\sl20\slmult0 The Congressman took out his pocket computer, nudged\par
\pard\li5\sl15\slmult0 the milled edges twice, looked at its face as it lay there in\par
\pard\li15\sl15\slmult0 the palm of his hand, and put it back. He said, "Is this the\par
\pard\li25\sl15\slmult0 gift you brought us here to demonstrate? An illusionist?"\par
\pard\li235\sl10\slmult0 "More than that, sir. Aub has memorized a few opera-\par
\pard\li30\sl10\slmult0 tions and with them he computes on paper."\par
\pard\li235\sl20\slmult0 "A paper computer?" said the general. He looked pained.\par