"Henry Kuttner & C. L. Moore - Prisoner In The Skull" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kuttner Henry)

"It doesn't work. He's going outтАФ"

"Stop him!"

"I won't! I had enough trouble coaxing him back the first timeтАФ''

"Let me talk to him," Fowler said suddenly. "He'll obey me. Hold the phone to his ear. Get him to listen to me." He
raised his voice to a shout. "Norman! Come here! Listen to me!" Outside the booth people were turning to stare, but he
ignored them.
He heard a faint mumble and recognized it. "Norman," he said, more quietly but with equal firmness. "Do exactly what I
tell you to do. Don't leave the house. Don't leave the house. Don't leave the house. Do you understand?" Mumble.
Then words: "Can't get out . . . can'tтАФ" "Don't leave the house. Build another Hed-D-Acher. Do it now. Get the
equipment you need and build it in the living room, on the table where the telephone is. Do it now."

A pause, and then Veronica said shakily: "He's gone back to his room. Johnny, I ... he's coming back! With that box of
stuffтАФ"

"Let me talk to him again. Get yourself a drink: A couple of "em." He needed Veronica as his interpreter, and the best
way to keep her there would be with the aid of Dutch courage. "WellтАФhere he is." Norman mumbled.

тАв Fowler referred to his notes. He gave firm, incisive, detailed directions. He told Norman exactly what he wanted. He
repeated his orders several times.

And it ended with Norman building a Hed-D-Acher, with a different type of circuit, while Veronica watched, made
measurements as Fowler commanded, and relayed the information across the wire. By the time she got slightly high,
matters were progressing more smoothly. There was the danger that she might make inaccurate measurements, but
Fowler insisted on check and double-check of each detail.

Occasionally he spoke to Norman. Each time the man's voice was weaker. The dangerous surge of initiative was
passing as energy drained out of Norman while his swift fingers flew.

In the end, Fowler had his information, and Norman, completely exhausted, was ordered back to his room. According
to Veronica, he went there obediently and fell flat on the floor. "I'll buy you a mink coat," Fowler said. "See you later."
"ButтАФ" "I've got to hurry. Tell you all about it when I see you."

He got the patent, by the skin of his teeth. There was instant litigation, which was why he didn't clean up on the
gadget immediately. He was willing to wait. The goose still laid golden eggs. .;-..' '

But he was fully aware of the danger now. He had to keep Norman busy. For unless the man's strength remained at a
minimum, initiative would return. And there would be nothing to stop Norman from walking out of the house, orтАФ

Or even worse. For Fowler could, after all, keep the doors locked. But he knew that locks wouldn't imprison Norman
long once the man discovered how to pose a problem to himself. Once Norman thought: Problem how to escapeтАФthen
his clever hands would construct a wall-melter or a matter-transmitter, and that would be the end for Fowler.

Norman had one specialized talent. To keep that operating efficientlyтАФfor Fowler's purposeтАФall Norman's other
faculties had to be cut down to minimum operation speed.

The rosy light in the high-backed booth fell flatteringly upon Veronica's face. She twirled her martini glass on the table