"C M Kornbluth - Gomez" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kornbluth C M)

and declassified nuclear data. And-genius. The way he puts things together ... he seems to have only the
vaguest notion of what a proof should be. He sees relationships as a whole. A most convenient faculty,
which I envy him. Where I have to take, say, a dozen painful steps from one conclusion to the next he
achieves it in one grand flying leap. Ramanujan was like that too, by the way-very strong on intuition,
weak on what we call 'rigor.'" Dr. Mines noted with a start that he was holding his tie, vest, and coat in
one hand and began to put them on. "Was there anything else?" he asked politely.

"One thing," said the admiral. "Would you say he's-he's a better physicist than you are?"

"Yes," said Dr. Mines. "Much better." And he left.

The admiral slumped, uncharacteristically, at the desk for a long



time. Finally he said to the air: "Somebody get me the General Manager. No, the Chairman of the
Commission." One of his boys grabbed the phone and got to work on the call.

"Admiral," I said, "where do we stand now?"

"Eh? Oh, it's you. The matter's out of my hands now since no security violation is involved. I consider
Gomez to be in my custody and I shall turn him over to the Commission so that he may be put to the best
use in the nation's interest."

"Like a machine?" I asked, disgusted.

He gave me both barrels of his ice-blue eyes. "Like a weapon," he said evenly.

He was right, of course. Didn't I know there was a war on? Of course I did. Who didn't? Taxes,
housing shortage, somebody's cousin killed in Korea, everybody's kid brother sweating out the draft,
prices sky high at the supermarket. Uncomfortably I scratched my unshaved chin and walked to the
window. Foley Square below was full of Sunday peace, with only a single girl stroller to be seen. She
walked the length of the block across the street from the Federal Building and then turned and walked
back. Her walk was dragging and hopeless and tragic.

Suddenly I knew her. She was the pretty little waitress from the Porto Bello; she must have hopped a
cab and followed the men who were taking her Julio away. Might as well beat it, sister, I told her silently.
Julio isn't just a good-looking kid any more; he's a military asset. The Security Office is turning him over
to the policy-level boys for disposal. When that happens you might as well give up and go home.

It was as if she'd heard me. Holding a silly little handkerchief to her face she turned and ran blindly for
the subway entrance at the end of the block and disappeared into it.

At that moment the telephone rang.

"MacDonald here," said the admiral. "I'm ready to report on the Gomez affair, Mr. Commissioner."

*

Gomez was a minor, so his parents signed a contract for him. The job description on the contract