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

entirely too much gambling going on." West stalled in a fussy voice until
two bona fide Monarch clerks innocently finished their drinks and departed.
Then he relaxed and slumped into his chair. "All clear, Ben. Shoot."
"Has Hassop broken the confidential code yet, Ellery?"
The peeper shook his head.
"Trying?"
West smiled and nodded.
"Where's D'Courtney?"
"En route to Terra, aboard the `Astra'."
"Know his plans? Where he'll be staying?"
"No. Want a check?"
"I don't know. It depends..."
"Depends on what?" West glanced at him curiously. "I wish the
Telepathic Pattern could be transmitted by phone, Ben. I'd like to know
what you're thinking at."
Reich smiled grimly. "Thank God for the phone. At least we've got that
protection from mind readers. What's your attitude on crime, Ellery?"
"Typical."
"Of anybody?"
"Of the Guild. The Guild doesn't like it, Ben."
"So what's so hot about the Esper Guild? You know the value of money,
success... Why don't you clever-up? Why do you let the Guild do your
thinking?"
"You don't understand. We're born in the Guild. We live with the
Guild. We die in the Guild. We have the right to elect Guild officers, and
that's all. The Guild runs our professional lives. It trains us, grades us,
sets ethical standards, and sees that we stick to them. It protects us by
protecting the layman, the same as medical associations. We have the
equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath. It's called the Esper Pledge. God help
any of us if we break it... as I judge you're suggesting I should."
"Maybe I am," Reich said intently. "Maybe I'm hinting it could be
worth your while to break the peeper pledge. Maybe I'm thinking in terms of
money ... more than you or any 2nd Class peeper ever sees in a lifetime."
"Forget it, Ben. Not interested."
"So you bust your pledge. What happens?"
"We're ostracized."
"That's all? Is that so awful? With a fortune in your pocket? Smart
peepers have broken with the Guild before. They've been ostracized. So
what? Clever-up, Ellery."
West smiled wryly: "You wouldn't understand, Ben."
"Make me understand."
"Those ousted peepers you mention... like Jerry Church. They weren't
so smart. It's like this..." West considered. "Before surgery really got
started, there used to be a handicapped group called deaf-mutes."
"No-hear no-talk?"
"That's it. They communicated by a manual sign language. That meant
they couldn't communicate with anybody but deaf-mutes. Understand? They had
to live in their own community or they couldn't live at all. A man goes
crazy if he can't talk to friends."
"So?"