"Larry Niven- William Proxmire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry)

Larry Niven - William Proxmire

Through the peephole in AndrewтАЩs front door the man made a startling sight.

He looked to be in his eighties. He was breathing hard and streaming sweat.
He seemed slightly more real than most men: photogenic as hell, tall and
lean, with stringy muscles and no potbelly, running shoes and a day pack and
a blue windbreaker, and an open smile. The face was familiar, but from where?

Andrew opened the front door but left the screen door locked. тАЬHello?тАЭ

тАЬDr. Andrew Minsky?тАЭ

тАЬYes.тАЭ Memory clicked. тАЬWilliam Proxmire, big as life.тАЭ

The ex-senator smiled acknowledgment. тАЬIтАЩve only just finished reading about
you in the Tribune, Dr. Minsky. May I come in?тАЭ

It had never been Andrew MinskyтАЩs ambition to invite William Proxmire into
his home. StillтАФтАЭSure. Come in, sit down, have some coffee. Or do your
stretches.тАЭ Andrew was a runner himself when he could find the time.

тАЬThank you.тАЭ

Andrew left him on the rug with one knee pulled against his chest. From the
kitchen he called, тАЬI never in my life expected to meet you face to face. You
must have seen the article on me and Tipler and Penrose?тАЭ

тАЬYes. IтАЩm prepared to learn that the media got it all wrong.тАЭ

тАЬI bet you are. Any politician would. Well, the Tribune implied that what weтАЩ
ve got is a time machine. Of course we donтАЩt. WeтАЩve got a schematic based on
a theory. Then again, itтАЩs the new improved version. It doesnтАЩt involve an
infinitely long cylinder that youтАЩd have to make out of neutroniumтАФтАЭ

тАЬGood. What would it cost?тАЭ

Andrew Minsky sighed. Had the politician even recognized the reference? He
said, тАЬOh . . . hard to say.тАЭ He picked up two cups and the coffeepot and
went back in. тАЬIs that it? You came looking for a time machine?тАЭ

The old man was sitting on the yellow rug with his legs spread wide apart and
his fingers grasping his right foot. He released, folded his legs heel to
heel, touched forehead to toes, held, then stood up with a sound like popcorn
popping. He said, тАЬClose enough. How much would it cost?тАЭ

тАЬDepends on what youтАЩre after. If youтАФтАЭ

тАЬI canтАЩt get you a grant if you canтАЩt name a figure.тАЭ