"William Morrison - The Sack" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morrison William)

which to live."
Siebling nodded. It was a loss of motive that a human being could understand. He
asked, "With all your knowledge, couldn't you have overcome the effects of what
happened?"
The Sack said, "The more things become possible to you, the more you will
understand that they cannot be done in impossible ways. We could not do
everything. Sometimes one of the more stupid of those who come here asks me a
question I cannot answer, and then becomes angry because he feels that he has been
cheated of his credits. Others ask me to predict the future. I can predict only what I
can calculate, and I soon come to the end of my powers of calculation. They are
great com-pared to yours; they are small compared to the possibilities of the future."
"How do you happen to know so much? Is the knowledge born in you?"
"Only the possibility for knowledge is born. To know, we must learn. It is my
misfortune that I forget little."
"What in the structure of your body, or your organs of thought, makes you
capable of learning so much?"
The Sack spoke, but to Siebling the words meant nothing, and he said so. "I
could predict your lack of comprehension," said the Sack, "but I wanted you to
realize it for yourself. To make things clear, I should be required to dictate ten
volumes, and they would be dif-ficult to understand even for your specialists, in
biology and physics and in sciences you are just discovering."
Siebling fell silent, and the Sack said, as if musing, "Your race is still an
unintelligent one. I have been in your hands for many months, and no one has yet
asked me the important questions. Those who wish to be wealthy ask about minerals
and planetary land concessions, and they ask which of several schemes for making
fortunes would be best. Several physicians have asked me how to treat wealthy
patients who would otherwise die. Your scientists ask me to solve problems that
would take them years to solve without my help. And when your rulers ask, they are
the most stupid of all, wanting to know only how they may maintain their rule. None
ask what they should. "
"The fate of the human race?"
"That is prophecy of the far future. It is beyond my powers."
"What should we ask?"
"That is the question I have awaited. It is difficult for you to see its importance,
only because each of you is so concerned with himself." The Sack paused, and
mur-mured, "I ramble as I do not permit myself to when I speak to your fools.
Nevertheless, even rambling can be informative."
"It has been to me."
"The others do not understand that too great a direct-ness is dangerous. They ask
specific questions which demand specific replies, when they should ask something
general."
"You haven't answered me."
"It is part of an answer to say that a question is im-portant. I am considered by
your rulers a valuable piece of property. They should ask whether my value is as
great as it seems. They should ask whether my an-swering questions will do good or
harm."
"Which is it?"
"Harm, great harm."
Siebling was staggered. He said, "But if you answer truthfullyтАФ"
"The process of coming at the truth is as precious as the final truth itself. I cheat