"Henry Kuttner - Mimsy Were The Borogoves" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kuttner Henry)

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It was the random element that baffled investigation. Even that was a matter of semantics. For Holloway was
convinced that it wasnтАЩt really
random. There just werenтАЩt enough known factors. No adult could work the abacus, for example. And Holloway
thoughtfully refrained from letting a child play with the thing.
The crystal cube was similarly cryptic. It showed a mad pattern of colors, which sometimes moved. In this it
resembled a kaleidoscope. But the shifting of balance and gravity didnтАЩt affect it. Again the random factor.
Or, rather, the unknown. The x pattern. Eventually, Paradine and Jane slipped back into something like complacence,
with a feeling that the children had been cured of their mental quirk, now that the con-tributing cause had been
removed. Certain of the actions of Emma and Scott gave them every reason to quit worrying.
For the kids enjoyed swimming, hiking, movies, games, the normal functional toys of this particular time-sector. It
was true that they failed to master certain rather puzzling mechanical devices which involved some calculation. A
three-dimensional jigsaw globe Paradine had picked up, for example. But he found that difficult himself.
Once in a while there were lapses. Scott was hiking with his father one Saturday afternoon, and the two had paused
at the summit of a bill. Beneath them a rather lovely valley was spread.
тАЬPretty, isnтАЩt it?тАЭ Paradine remarked.
Scott examined the scene gravely. тАЬItтАЩs all wrong,тАЭ he said.
тАЬEh?тАЭ
тАЬI dunno.тАЭ
тАШWhatтАЩs wrong about it?тАЭ
тАЬGee.тАЭ Scott lapsed into puzzled silence. тАЬI dunno.тАЭ

The children had missed their toys, but not for long. Emma recov-ered first, though Scott still moped. He held
unintelligible conversations with his sister, and studied meaningless scrawls she drew on paper he supplied. It was
almost as though he was consulting her, anent difficult problems beyond his grasp.
If Emma understood more, Scott had more real intelligence, and manipulatory skill as well. He built a gadget with his
Meccano set, but was dissatisfied. The apparent cause of his dissatisfaction was exactly why Paradine was relieved
when he viewed the structure. It was the sort of thing a normal boy would make, vaguely reminiscent of a cu-bistic
ship.
It was a bit too normal to please Scott. He asked Emma more ques-tions, though in private. She thought for a time,
and then made more scrawls, with an awkwardly clutched pencil.
тАЬCan you read that stuff?тАЭ Jane asked her son one morning.
 тАЬNot read it, exactly. I can tell what she means. Not all the time, but mostly.тАЭ
тАЬIs it writing?тАЭ
тАЬN-no. It doesnтАЩt mean what ft looks like.тАЭ
тАЬSymbolism,тАЭ Paradine suggested over his coffee.
Jane looked at him, her eyes widening. тАЬDennyтАФтАЭ
He winked and shook his head. Later, when they were alone, he said, тАЬDonтАЩt let Holloway upset you. IтАЩm not
implying that the kids are cor-responding in an unknown tongue. If Emma draws a squiggle and says itтАЩs a flower,
thatтАЩs an arbitrary ruleтАФScott remembers that. Next time she draws the same sort of squiggle, or tries toтАФwell!тАЭ
тАЬSure,тАЭ Jane said doubtfully. тАЬHave you noticed ScottтАЩs been doing a lot of reading lately?тАЭ
тАЬI noticed. Nothing unusual, though. No Kant or Spinoza.тАЭ
тАЬHe browses, thatтАЩs all.тАЭ
тАЬWell, so did I, at his age,тАЭ Paradine said, and went off to his morn-ing classes. He lunched with Holloway, which
was becoming a daily habit, and spoke of EmmaтАЩs literary endeavors.
тАЬWas I right about symbolism, Rex?тАЭ
The psychologist nodded. тАЬQuite right. Our own language is noth-ing but arbitrary symbolism now. At least in its
application. Look here.тАЭ On his napkin he drew a very narrow ellipse. тАЬWhatтАЩs that?тАЭ
тАЬYou mean what does it represent?тАЭ