"Robert Rankin - Knees Up Mother Earth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rankin Robert)

indeed the very protocols of cheese-making тАУ formulated, if my memory fails
me not, by the Elders of Zion way back in the year known as dot тАУ depend
upon numbers. ItтАЩs all weights and measures and time-spans, not to mention
the number of holes.тАЭ
Neville chose, upon this occasion, to heed NormanтАЩs words and not
mention the number of holes.
тАЬChickens, then,тАЭ said Jim Pooley, who had once owned a chicken, having
been tricked into purchasing it by a gypsy who had assured him that it was a
goose. And one that laid golden eggs. Sporadically.
тАЬChickens, eh?тАЭ said Norman, who knew the gypsy in question and had
briefly considered running away to join the Romanys for a life of romance and
rheumatism. тАЬChickens are a prime example.тАЭ
тАЬSteak is a prime example,тАЭ said Old Pete, whose half-terrier Chips was
rumoured to have once been an accountant named Trevor before he had been
transformed into a dog by a gypsy curse. тАЬPrime rump steak. YouтАЩll never get a
decent steak out of a chicken.тАЭ
тАЬDoesnтАЩt matter what,тАЭ said Norman, тАЬfeathered fowl or four-legged
friend. The numbers are there in the DNA. ItтАЩs all been worked out by
mathematicians on computers. The entire universe is one big mathematical
equation.тАЭ
тАЬHow big?тАЭ Pooley asked.
тАЬVery,тАЭ said Norman. тАЬSame again, Neville.тАЭ
тАЬSo, what is the point?тАЭ Pooley now asked.
тАЬItтАЩs a kind of mathematical full stop,тАЭ said Norman, informatively. тАЬIts
technical term is the decimal point.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs not what I mean.тАЭ Pooley made to sup ale but found his glass
empty. тАЬSame again for me, Neville,тАЭ he said. тАЬNormanтАЩs in the chair. His
number just came up.тАЭ
тАЬIt didnтАЩt,тАЭ said Norman.
тАЬIt did,тАЭ said Jim. тАЬIтАЩve been counting. But what IтАЩm asking you is this:
what is the point of trying to reduce the universe to a mathematical equation?тАЭ
тАЬFor the thrill of it,тАЭ said Norman, and he meant what he said.
тАЬYou can see that he means what he says,тАЭ said Old Pete.
тАЬI do,тАЭ said Norman.
тАЬThen tell me this,тАЭ said Old Pete, тАЬcan you reduce to a mathematical
equation the beauty of young girlтАЩs eyes filled with the first light of love?тАЭ
тАЬWellтАФтАЭ said Norman.
тАЬOr a babyтАЩs smile?тАЭ continued Old Pete. тАЬOr the scent of a rose with
spring dew upon it? OrтАФтАЭ
тАЬStop,тАЭ said Norman, тАЬyouтАЩre giving me a crinkly mouth.тАЭ And he dabbed a
tear from his eye.
As did Jim Pooley. тАЬGolly, Pete,тАЭ said Jim, тАЬI never knew you had such
feelings in you.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt,тАЭ said the oldster, amidst immoderate chucklings. тАЬIтАЩm just
winding up this buffoon.тАЭ
тАЬThanks a lot,тАЭ said Norman. тАЬBut numbers are everything and I firmly
believe that everything can be reduced to mathematics. Everything.тАЭ
тАЬLife, the universe, and everything?тАЭ said Jim. тАЬThe number youтАЩre looking
for is forty-two, is it not?тАЭ
тАЬDonтАЩt you start,тАЭ said Norman. тАЬBut I repeat: I sincerely believe that there