"Gordon R. Dickson - Idiot Solvant" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

the sweat fly, and physics тАУ with something about champagne and a way of
preparing trout for the gourmet appetite.
A further check with the cab company produced the information that Art's
taxi had taken him on to a liquor store. They followed. At the liquor store
they discovered that Art had purchased the single jeroboam of champagne
(Mo├лt et Chadon) that the liquor store had on hand, and had mentioned that
he was going on to a restaurant. What restaurant, the cab company was no
longer able to tell them. Art's driver had just announced that he would not
be answering his radio for the next half hour.
They began checking the better and closer restaurants. At the fourth one,
which was called the Calice d'Or, they finally ran Art to ground. They found
him seated alone at a large round table, surrounded by gold-tooled leather
volumes of a brand-new encyclopedia, eating and drinking what turned out
to be Truite Sauce Countess Walewska and champagne from the
jeroboam, now properly iced.
"Yahoo!" yelped Art, as he saw them approaching. He waved his glass
on high, sloshing champagne liberally about. "Champagne for everybody!
Celebrate Dr. Rapp's pill!"
"You," said Hank, "are coming back to the hospital."
"Nonsense! Glasses! Champagne for m'friends!"
"Oh, Art!" cried Margie.
"He's fried to the gills," said Arlie.
"Not at all," protested Art. "Illuminated. Blinding flash. Understand
everything. D'you know all knowledge has a common point of
impingement?"
"Call a taxi, Margie," commanded Hank.
"Encyclopedia. Champagne bubble. Same thing."
"Could I help you, sir?" inquired a waiter, approaching Hank.
"We want to get our friend here home тАУ"
"All roads lead knowledge. Unnerstand ignorance, unnerstand everything
тАУ"
"I understand, sir. Yes sir, he paid the check in advance тАУ"
"Would you like to speak three thousand, four hundred and seventy-one
languages?" Art was asking Arlie.
"Of course," Arlie was saying, soothingly.
"My assistant has gone to get a taxi, now. I'm Dr. Rapp of the university
hospital, and тАУ"
 "When I was child," announced Art, "thought as child, played child; now
man тАУ put away childish things."
"Here's the young lady, sir."
"But who will take care of pet raccoon?"
"I flagged a taxi down. It's waiting out front."
"Hoist him up," commanded Hank.
He and Arlie both got a firm hold on a Willoughby arm and maneuvered
Art to his feet.
"This way," said Hank, steering Art toward the door.
"The universe," said Art. He leaned confidentially toward Hank, almost
toppling the three of them over. "Only two inches across."
"That so?" grunted Hank.
"Hang on to Arlie, Art, and you won't fall over. There тАУ" said Margie. Art