"H. L. Gold - Fog" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gold H. L)

Even after Cobb was able to walk around, he insisted that Rollins stay with him. The first day he was
strong enough to examine his patientтАФa week after the operationтАФhe was astounded.
"Why, his recuperative powers are remarkable!" he exclaimed to Rollins. "What are you feeding
him?"
"Raw meat," Rollins said quietly, smiling calmly.
Cobb stared unbelievingly. "Raw meat! You're jesting. He shouldn't be able to hold more than soft
vegetables."
"Tell him that. Maybe he'll believe you. I gave him cereals, milk, broth, vegetablesтАФeverythingтАФand
he almost starved to death, until I found he would eat nothing but raw meat. I had to give it to him. Fresh,
of course, and quite raw and bloody."
Cobb shrugged helplessly. "His organs are functioning properly, though?"
"All of them," Rollins said animatedly. "He isn't strong enough to stand of course, but he can wiggle
his toes when I tickle them. Genuflection superperfect, and every other reflex the same. Only, he can't
talk."
Dr. Cobb stared at him. "You didn't really expect him to, did you? That was merely an unnecessary
proof," Cobb said a trifle smugly, "that the frontal lobes do control memory. Have you a sharp knife?"
Rollins handed him a pointed knife. The old doctor hefted it a moment and stabbed it swiftly toward
the patient's heart. Rollins cried outтАФgrabbed at Cobb's arm to stop him. But just before it reached the
skin, it slowed suddenly. Dr. Cobb's nerves were marvelous. He pricked the skin a little, purposely.
The subject, watching vacantly the preliminaries of the test, made no move until the sharp point
touched him. He jerked away from it, his hands clenched weakly. A pistol pointed at his head signified no
danger to him. He turned his head and looked directly into the barrel. Similarly, he grasped lighted
matches and yelped with pain when they burned him. Books and pictures, held before his eyes, had no
meaning for him. His memory was gone completely. There was no doubt of that.
In the two months that followed, Rollins had to devote only three hours to his practice; three hours
coinciding with the afternoon naps of the old doctor and his patient. The rest of the day he had to spend
feeding and sunning the two of them on the flat roof. It was midsummer and warm.
The subject seemed perfectly content to spend the daylight hours on the roof, sleeping in the sun and
eating his raw meat at three-hour intervals.
His appearance was growing more and more startling every day. Hair was covering his entire face
and body. It was impossible to shave him, for he moved uneasily under the razor and threatened to cut
himself. They tried a cream depilatory, which he liked because it was cool. He got great pleasure out of
pulling away, with the greatest ease, handfuls of the hair that covered every part of his face. He learned to
use it himself, and carried it around in the pocket of a suit they had made for him, smearing it on at
various odd intervals. It kept him looking human, at least.
The suit, underwear, socks and shoes they bought for him he wore without noticing. He tore ties from
around his neck, however, nearly strangling himself, until they took no more chances and put none on
him. Nevertheless, he was unable to dress himself. This process, as well as almost everything else, was
Rollins' daily duty. Curiously, the restriction of clothing came naturally to him. He offered no resistance
when being dressed.
His physical progress was remarkable. By the end of three months he was completely well; the bone
healed perfectly, and other than a prominently raised cicatrix, the scalp wound was entirely mended. His
habit of smearing the depilatory all over his face and head left the scar naked and ugly.
Wilhelrnina, the old housekeeper who had been with Dr. Cobb's family for years, was frightened by
his vacuous stare and his hairy paws. He had to he kept out of her sight.
At night he slept on the floor of his room, which was on the first story, for fear he would walk out of
the bedroom windows on the second floor. Though he spent most of his time in eating and sleeping, the
muscles of his body became extremely hard and powerful.
In nearly all matters, as the time of eating and sleeping and obedience to simple orders, he was
singularly docile. So unresisting was he that they often left him alone for hours at a tithe. This was safe