"Heinlein, Robert A- Waldo" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

`You should have let me handle the matter,' Harkness put in.
`He can't do this to us - There is public interest involved.
Retain him, if need be, and let the fee be adjudicated in equity.
I'll arrange the details.'
`I'm afraid you would,' Gleason said dryly. `Do you think a
court order will make a hen lay an egg?'
Harkness looked indignant, but shut up.
Stevens continued, `I would not have suggested going to
Waldo if I had not had an idea as to how to approach him.
I know a friend of his-'
`A friend of Waldo? I didn't know he had any.'
`This man is sort of an uncle to him, his first physician.
With his help I might get on Waldo's good side.'
Dr Rambeau stood up. `This is intolerable,' he announced.
`I must ask you to excuse me.' He did not wait for an answer,
but strode out, hardly giving the door time to open in front
of him.
Gleason followed his departure with worried eyes. `Why does
he take it so hard, Jimmie? You would think he hated Waldo
personally.'
`Probably he does, in a way. But it's more than that; his whole
universe is toppling. For the last twenty years, ever since
Pryor's reformulation of the General Field Theory did away
with Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, physics has been
con-sidered an exact science. The power failures and transmission
failures we have been suffering are a terrific nuisance to you and
to me, but to Dr Rambeau they amount to an attack on his faith.
Better keep an eye on him.'
`Why?'
`Because he might come unstuck entirely. It's a pretty ser-ious
matter for a man's religion to fail him.'
`Hm-m-m. How about yourself? Doesn't it hit you just as hard?'
`Not quite. I'm an engineer- From Rambeau's point of view just
a high-priced tinker. Difference in orientation. Not but what I'm
pretty upset.'
The audio circuit of the communicator on Gleason's desk came
to life. `Calling Chief Engineer Stevens - calling Chief Engineer
Stevens.' Gleason flipped the tab.
`He's here. Go ahead.'
`Company code, translated. Message follows: "Cracked up
four miles north of Cincinnati. Shall I go on to Nebraska, or
bring in the you-know-what from my own crate?" Message
ends. Signed "Mac".'
`Tell him to walk back!' Stevens said savagely.
`Very well, sir.' The instrument cut off.
`Your assistant?' asked Gleason.
`Yes. That's about the last straw, chief. Shall I wait and try
to analyse this failure, or shall I try to see Waldo?'
`Try to see Waldo.'
`OK. If you don't hear from me, just send my severance pay