"Alfred Bester - Demolished Man, The" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bester Alfred)

thinking like this, I'll have to commit you. You know the law."
"Clever-up, Tate. You're going to help me break the law."
"No, Mr. Reich. I'm not in a position to help you."
"You say that? A 1st Class Esper? And I'm supposed to believe it? I'm
supposed to believe you're incapable of outwitting any man, any group, the
whole world?"
Tate smiled. "Sugar for the fly," he said. "A characteristic device
of---"
"Peep me," Reich interrupted. "It'll save time. Read what's in my
mind. Your gift. My resources. An unbeatable combination. My God! It's
lucky for the world I'm willing to stop at one murder. Together we could
rape the universe."
"No," Tate said with decision. "This won't do. I'll have to commit
you, Mr. Reich."
"Wait. Want to find out what I'm offering you? Read me deeper. How
much am I willing to pay? What's my top limit?"
Tate closed his eyes. His mannequin face tightened painfully. Then his
eyes opened in surprise. "You can't be serious," he exclaimed.
"I am," Reich grunted. "And what's more, you know it's an offer in
good faith, don't you?"
Tate nodded slowly.
"And you're aware that Monarch plus D'Courtney can make the offer
good."
"I almost believe you."
"You can believe me. I've been financing your League of Esper Patriots
for five years. If you've peeped me deep enough yon know why. I hate the
damned Esper Guild as much as you do. Guild ethics are bad for business...
lousy for making money. Your League is the organization that can break the
Esper Guild some day..."
"I've got all that," Tate said sharply.
"With Monarch and D'Courtney in my pocket I can do better than help
your faction break the Guild. I can make you President of a new Esper Guild
for life. That's an unconditional guarantee. You can't do it alone, but you
can do it with me."
Tate closed his eyes and murmured: "There hasn't been a successful
premeditated murder in 79 years. Espers make it impossible to conceal
intent before murder. Or, if Espers have been evaded before the murder,
they make it impossible to conceal the guilt afterwards."
"Esper evidence isn't admitted in court."
"True, but once an Esper discovers guilt he can always uncover
objective evidence to support his peeping. Lincoln Powell, the Prefect of
the Police Psychotic Division, is deadly." Tate opened his eyes. "D'you
want to forget this conversation?"
"No," Reich growled. "Look it over with me first. Why have murders
failed? Because mind-readers patrol the world. What can stop a mind-reader?
Another one. But no killer ever had the sense to hire a good peeper to run
interference for him; or if he had the sense, he couldn't make the deal.
I've made the deal."
"Have you?"
"I'm going to fight a war," Reich continued. "I'm going to fight one