"Blish, James - Bridge" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blish James)

Why?
With a thrill of unfocused apprehension, Helmuth looked
at the foreman's jack, which allowed the operator here in the
cubicle to communicate with the gang when necessary, and
which kept him aware of anything said or done at gang
boards.
It was plugged in.
Dillon sighed "suddenly, took the helmet off, and turned.
"Hello, Bob," he said. "Funny about this job. You can't
see, you can't hear, but when somebody's watching you, you
feel a sort of pressure on the back of your neck. ESP,
maybe. Ever felt it?"
"Pretty often, lately. Why the grand tour, Charity?"
"There's to be an inspection," Dillon said. His eyes met
Helmuth's. They were frank and transparent. "A mob of
Western officials, coming to see that their eight billion dollars
isn't being wasted. Naturally, I'm a little anxious to see that
they find everything in order."
"I see," Helmuth said. "First time in five years, isn't it?"
"Just about. What was that dust-up down below just now?
Somebodyyou. I'm sure, from the drastic handiwork in-
volvedbailed Eva out of a mess, and then I heard her talk
about your wanting to blow up the Bridge. I checked the area
when I heard the fracas start, and it did seem as if she had let
things go rather far, but What was it all about?"
Dillon ordinarily hadn't the guile for cat-and-mouse games,
and he had never looked less guileful now. Helmuth said care-
fully, "Eva was upset, I suppose. On the subject of Jupiter
we're all of us cracked by now, in our different ways. The
way she was dealing with the catalysis didn't look to me
to be suitablea difference of opinion, resolved in my favour
because I had the authority, Eva didn't. That's all."
"Kind of an expensive difference, Bob. I'm not niggling
by nature, you know that. But an incident like that while
the commission is here"
"The point is," Helmuth said, "are we to spend an extra
ten thousand, or whatever it costs to replace a truss and
reinforce a caisson, or are we to lose the whole caisson
and as much as a third of the whole Bridge along with it?"
"Yes, you're right there, of course. That could be ex-
plained, even to a pack of senators. Butit would be diffi-
cult to have to explain it very often. Well, the board's yours,
Bob. You could continue my spot-check, if you've time."
Dillon got up. Then he added suddenly, as if it were
forced out of him:
"Bob, I'm trying to understand your state of mind. From
what Eva said, I gather that you've made it fairly public.
I. . . I don't think it's a good idea to infect your fellow work-
ers with your own pessimism. It leads to sloppy work. I know
that regardless of your own feelings you won't countenance