"George Zebrowski - Augie" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zebrowski George)

but had restrained himself in front of simple-minded folks.

тАЬAre we strange,тАЭ Mira asked him, тАЬbecause we failed with Augie?тАЭ and Jimmy feared the rise in her voice.

тАЬNo,тАЭ Arbogast said. тАЬI could tell you about people who keep boosting the brains of their AI pets, or who keep
putting in orders for bio-enhanced kitty cats, puppy dogs, lizards, rats, mice...тАЭ

тАЬDon't,тАЭ Mira said, looking at Jimmy. тАЬNot now.тАЭ

тАЬStop,тАЭ Jimmy said. тАЬGive her a moment, please.тАЭ

****

Augie was running around inside Arbogast's small screen, waving and shouting silentlyтАФa crazed cherub
struggling to communicate despite the lack of audio.

He came to the screen and pounded on it with his little fists as if it were made of glass, and for a moment it
seemed that he would shatter the screen. His big blue eyes stared out at them reproachfully.

Jimmy looked at Mira and was surprised at her deceptive calm; she was still climbing an emotional mountain
and would fall off at any moment.

When he looked back to Arbogast's suitcase, the little picture of Augie was gone.

Mira let out a deep breath.

Jimmy got up and left the room, knowing suddenly that it was over for her; but he wondered whether she
would ever be over for him. He realized that he might still want her, now that she was rid of Augie.

I never really cared about the little bastard, he thought.

тАЬI guess it's just a bunch of electrons, mostly,тАЭ he heard her say, but the hollow sound of loss was clear in
her voice and he felt the pit open inside him.

Arbogast said, тАЬYes, a bunch of electrical patterns as much as you and I are a bunch of chemicals worth
whatever. It's how you put them together that makes the difference.тАЭ

тАЬWhat are you trying to say?тАЭ Mira asked, sounding puzzled and hostile.

тАЬYou're right to feel a loss. No one is born a person.

Nothing is. What's born is something that can become a person. Then it has to get to be one.тАЭ

Jimmy waited in the safety of the kitchen to hear her answer, but she did not reply.

тАЬAugie went wrong,тАЭ Arbogast said, тАЬand it made him very unhappy. Remind yourself of that as often as you
can, and you'll accept that it's just as well he's gone.тАЭ

Jimmy came back into the living room and sat down next to Mira. Her face seemed composed, and he felt
that her new state might be genuine.