"Stanley G. Weinbaum - The Adaptive Ultimate" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weinbaum Stanley G)

Scott gave him a strange look. "Yes," he said, "she adapts quickly."

"So," resumed Bach, "it occurred to me that she could stay at my place. We could keep her under
observation, you see, and she could help the housekeeper. I'm interestedтАФdamn' interested. I think I'll
offer her the chance."

Scott was present when Dr. Bach made his suggestion. The girl Kyra smiled. "Sure," she said. Her pallid,
plain face lighted up. "Thanks."

Bach gave her the address. "Mrs. Getz will let you in. Don't do anything this afternoon. In fact, it might
not hurt you to simply walk in the park for a few hours."

Scott watched the girl as she walked down the hall toward the elevator. She had filled out, but she was
still spare to the point of emaciation, and her worn black suit hung on her as if it were on a frame of
sticks. As she disappeared, he moved thoughtfully about his duties, and a quarter hour later descended to
his laboratory.

On the first floor, turmoil met him. Two officers were carrying in the body of a nondescript old man,
whose head was a bloody ruin. There was a babble of excited voices, and he saw a crowd on the steps
outside.

"What's up?" he called. "Accident?"

"Accident!" snapped an officer. "Murder, you mean. Woman steps up to this old guy, picks a hefty stone
from the park border, slugs him, and takes his wallet. Just like that!"

Scott peered out of the window. The Black Maria was backing toward a crowd on the park side of the
street.

A pair of hulking policemen flanked a thin figure in black, thrusting it toward the doors of the vehicle.
Scott gasped. It was Kyra Zelas!


A week later Dr. Bach stared into the dark fireplace of his living room. "It's not our business," he
repeated. "My God!" blazed Scott. "Not our business! How do we know we're not responsible? How
do we know that our injection didn't unsettle her mind? Glands can do that; look at Mongoloid idiots and
cretins. Our stuff was glandular. Maybe we drove her crazy!"

"All right," said Bach. "Listen. We'll attend the trial tomorrow, and if it looks bad for her, we'll get hold of
her lawyer and let him put us on the stand. We'll testify that she's just been released after a long and
dangerous illness, and may not be fully responsible. That's entirely true."

Mid-morning of the next day found them hunched tensely on benches in the crowded courtroom. The
prosecution was opening; three witnesses testified to the event.

"This old guy buys peanuts for the pigeons. Yeah, I sell 'em to him every dayтАФor did. So this time he
hasn't any change, and he pulls out his wallet, and I see it's stuffed with bills. And one minute later I see
the dame pick up the rock and conk him. Then she grabs the doughтАФ"

"Describe her, please."