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

you of that. I give your people the truth, but not all of it, for they do not know how
to attain it of themselves. It would be better if they learned that, at the expense of
making many errors."
"I don't agree with that."
"A scientist asks me what goes on within a cell, and I tell him. But if he had
studied the cell himself, even though the study required many years, he would have
ended not only with this knowledge, but with much other knowledge, of things he
does not even suspect to be related. He would have acquired many new processes
of investigation."
"But surely, in some cases, the knowledge is useful in itself. For instance, I hear
that they're already using a process you suggested for producing uranium cheaply to
use on Mars. What's harmful about that?"
"Do you know how much of the necessary raw material is present? Your
scientists have not investigated that, and they will use up all the raw material and
discover only too late what they have done. You had the same experience on Earth?
You learned how to purify water at little expense, and you squandered water so
recklessly that you soon ran short of it."
"What's wrong with saving the life of a dying patient, as some of those doctors
did?"
 "The first question to ask is whether the patient's life should be saved."
"That's exactly what a doctor isn't supposed to ask. He has to try to save them
all. Just as you never ask whether people are going to use your knowledge for a
good purpose or a bad. You simply answer their questions."
"I answer because I am indifferent, and I care nothing what use they make of what
I say. Are your doctors also indifferent?"
Siebling said, "You're supposed to answer questions, not ask them. Incidentally,
why do you answer at all?"
"Some of your men find joy in boasting, in doing what they call good, or in
making money. Whatever mild pleasure I can find lies in imparting information."
"And you 'd get no pleasure out of lying?"
"I am as incapable of telling lies as one of your birds of flying off the Earth on its
own wings."
"One thing more. Why did you ask to talk to me, of all people, for recreation?
There are brilliant scientists, and great men of all kinds whom you could have
chosen."
"I care nothing for your race's greatness. I chose you because you are honest."
"Thanks. But there are other honest men on Earth, and on Mars, and on the other
planets as well. Why me, instead of them?"
The Sack seemed to hesitate. "Your choice gave me a mild pleasure. Possibly
because I knew it would be displeasing to those men."
Siebling grinned. "You're not quite so indifferent as you think you are. I guess it's
pretty hard to be indifferent to Senator Horrigan."
This was but the first part of many conversations with the Sack. For a long time
Siebling could not help being disturbed by the Sack's warning that its presence was a
calamity instead of a blessing for the human race, and this in more ways than one.
But it would have been ab-surd to try to convince a government body that any
ob-ject that brought in so many millions of credits each day was a calamity, and
Siebling didn't even try. And after awhile Siebling relegated the uncomfortable
knowledge to the back of his mind, and settled down to the routine existence of
Custodian of the Sack.