"C M Kornbluth - The Goodly Creatures" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kornbluth C M)

And he acted as if he was doing me a favor! As if he was handing me a contract with Panamerican
Steel!"



Farwell laughed; it was exactly what he would expect Angelo to do. "It was his idea of a compliment,
Mac. It means he thinks you're a good critic. I know these kids. I used toтАФ" He broke off, dead-pan.
McGuffy grumbled: "You know I'm loyal, J. F. If you think he's got promise, all right. But he's driving me
nuts."



After the copy chief left, Farwell shook his head nervously. What had he almost said? "I used to be one
myself." Why,



so he hadтАФjust about-25 years ago, a quarter of a century ago, when he went into radio work
temporarily. Temporarily! A quarter-century ago he had been twenty years old. A quarter-century ago
he had almost flunked out of college because he sat up all night trying to Write plays instead of studying.



He hazily remembered saying to somebody, a girl, something like: "I am aiming for a really creative
synthesis of Pinero and Shaw." Somehow that stuck, but he couldn't remember what the girl looked like
or whether she'd been impressed. Farwell felt his ears burning: "A really creative synthesis of Pinero and
Shaw." What a littleтАФтАФтАФтАФ!



He told the intercom: "Send in Libonari."



The boy was more presentable; his hair was cut and he wore a clean blue shirt. "I've had a couple of
complaints," said Farwell. "Suppose we get this clear: you are the one who is going to conform if you
want to stay with us. Greenhough and Brady isn't going to be remolded nearer to the heart's desire of
Angelo Libonari. Are you going out of your way -to be difficult?"



The boy shrugged uneasily and stammered: "No, I wouldn't do anything like that. It's just, it's just that I
find it hard to take all this seriouslyтАФbut don't misunderstand me. I mean I can't help thinking that I'm
going to do more important things some day, but honestly, I'm trying to do a good job here."



"Well, honestly you'd better try harder," Farwell said, mimicking his nervous voice. And then, more
agreeably: "I'm not saying this for fun, Angelo. I just don't want to see you wasted because you won't put
out a little effort, use a little self-discipline. You've got a future here if you work with us instead of against