"Theodore Sturgeon - Slow Sculpture" - читать интересную книгу автора (Sturgeon Theodore)

I know how to protect myself) I could be jailed for prac-
ticing medicine without a license. You could have me up
for assault because I stuck a needle into you and even
for kidnapping if you could prove I carried you in here
from the lab. Nobody would give a damn that I had
cured your cancer. You don't know who I am, do you?"
"No. I don't even know your name."
"And I won't tell you. I don't know your name
either"
"Oh! It's"
"Don't tell me! Don't tell me! I don't want to hear
it. I wanted to be involved with your lump and I was.
I want it and you to be gone as soon as you're both up
to it. Have I made myself absolutely clear?"
"Just let me get dressed," she said tightly, "and I'll
leave right now."
"Without making a speech?"
"Without making a speech." And in a flash her anger
turned to misery and she added: "I was going to say I
was grateful. Would that have been all right, sir!"
And his anger underwent a change too, for he came
close to the bed and sat down on his heel, bringing their



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faces to a level, and said quite gently, "That would be
fine. Although you won't really be grateful for another
ten days, when you get your 'spontaneous remission' re-
ports--or maybe for six months or a year or two or five,
when examinations keep on testing out negative."
She detected such a wealth of sadness behind this that
she found herself reaching for the hand with which he
steadied himself against the edge of the bed. He did not
recoil but he didn't seem to welcome her touch either.
"Why can't I be grateful right now?"
"That would be an act of faith," he said bitterly, "and
that just doesn't happen any more--if it ever did." He rose
and went toward the door. "Please don't go tonight," he
said. "It's dark and you don't know the way. I'll see you in
the morning."
When he came back in the morning the door was open.
The bed was made and the sheets were folded neatly on
the chair, together with the pillow slips and the towels
she had used. She wasn't there.
He came out into the entrance court and contemplated
his bonsai.
Early sun gold-frosted the horizontal upper foliage of