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

тАШI must ask you to excuse me.тАЩ 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. тАШWhy does
he take it so hard, Jimmie? You would think he hated Waldo
personally.тАЩ
тАШProbably he does, in a way. But itтАЩs more than that; his whole
universe is toppling. For the last twenty years, ever since
PryorтАЩs reformulation of the General Field Theory did away
with HeisenbergтАЩs Uncertainty Principle, physics has been
considered 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.тАЩ
тАШWhy?тАЩ
тАШBecause he might come unstuck entirely. ItтАЩs a pretty serious
matter for a manтАЩs religion to fail him.тАЩ
тАШHm-m-m. How about yourself? DoesnтАЩt it hit you just as hard?тАЩ
тАШNot quite. IтАЩm an engineer- From RambeauтАЩs point of view just
a high-priced tinker. Difference in orientation. Not but what IтАЩm
pretty upset.тАЩ
The audio circuit of the communicator on GleasonтАЩs desk came
to life. тАШCalling Chief Engineer Stevens - calling Chief Engineer
Stevens.тАЩ Gleason flipped the tab.
тАШHeтАЩs here. Go ahead.тАЩ
тАШCompany code, translated. Message follows: тАЬCracked up
four miles north of Cincinnati. Shall I go on to Nebraska, or
bring in the you-know-what from my own crate?тАЭ Message
ends. Signed тАЬMacтАЭ.тАЩ
тАШTell him to walk back!тАЩ Stevens said savagely.
тАШVery well, sir.тАЩ The instrument cut off.
тАШYour assistant?тАЩ asked Gleason.
тАШYes. ThatтАЩs about the last straw, chief. Shall I wait and try
to analyse this failure, or shall I try to see Waldo?тАЩ
тАШTry to see Waldo.тАЩ
тАШOK. If you donтАЩt hear from me, just send my severance pay
care of Palmdale Inn, Miami. IтАЩll be the fourth beachcomber
from the right.тАЩ
Gleason permitted himself an unhappy smile. тАШIf you donтАЩt get
results, IтАЩll b├з the fifth. Good luck.тАЩ
тАШSo long.тАЩ
When Stevens had gone, Chief Stationary Engineer Striebel
spoke up for the first time. тАШIf the power to the cities fails,тАЩ he
said softly, тАШyou know where IтАЩll be, donтАЩt you?тАЩ
тАШWhere? Beachcomber number six?тАЩ
тАШNot likely. IтАЩll be number one in my spot, first man to be lynched.тАЩ
тАШBut the power to the cities canтАЩt fail. YouтАЩve got too many cross-
connects and safety devices.тАЩ
тАШNeither can the deKalbs fail, supposedly. Just the same, think
about Sublevel 7 in Pittsburgh, with the lights out. Or, rather,