"Тед Чан. Seventy-Two Letters (72 буквы, Рассказ) (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

Ashbourne seated in its leather chairs, smoking cigars and sipping brandy.
"Ah, Stratton," said Ashbourne. "Do join us."
"I believe I will," said Stratton, heading for the liquor cabinet.
He poured himself some brandy from a crystal decanter and seated
himself with the others.
"Just up from the laboratory, Stratton?" inquired Fieldhurst.
Stratton nodded. "A few minutes ago I made impressions with my most
recent set of names. I feel that my latest permutations are leading in the
right direction."
"You are not alone in feeling optimistic; Dr. Ashbourne and I were just
discussing how much the outlook has improved since this endeavor began. It
now appears that we will have a euonym comfortably in advance of the final
generation." Fieldhurst puffed on his cigar and leaned back in his chair
until his head rested against the antimacassar. "This disaster may
ultimately turn out to be a boon."
"A boon? How so?"
"Why, once we have human reproduction under our control, we will have a
means of preventing the poor from having such large families as so many of
them persist in having right now."
Stratton was startled, but tried not to show it. "I had not considered
that," he said carefully.
Ashbourne also seemed mildly surprised. "I wasnТt aware that you
intended such a policy."
"I considered it premature to mention it earlier," said Fieldhurst.
"Counting oneТs chickens before theyТre hatched, as they say."
"Of course."
"You must agree that the potential is enormous. By exercising some
judgment when choosing who may bear children or not, our government could
preserve the nationТs racial stock."
"Is our racial stock under some threat?" asked Stratton.
"Perhaps you have not noticed that the lower classes are reproducing at
a rate exceeding that of the nobility and gentry. While commoners are not
without virtues, they are lacking in refinement and intellect. These forms
of mental impoverishment beget the same: a woman born into low
circumstances cannot help but gestate a child destined for the same.
Consequent to the great fecundity of the lower classes, our nation would
eventually drown in coarse dullards."
"So name impressing will be withheld from the lower classes?"
"Not entirely, and certainly not initially: when the truth about
declining fertility is known, it would be an invitation to riot if the
lower classes were denied access to name impressing. And of course, the
lower classes do have their role to play in our society, as long as their
numbers are kept in check. I envision that the policy will go in effect
only after some years have passed, by which time people will have grown
accustomed to name impression as the method of fertilization. At that
point, perhaps in conjunction with the census process, we can impose
limits on the number of children a given couple would be permitted to
have. The government would regulate the growth and composition of the
population thereafter."
"Is this the most appropriate use of such a name?" asked Ashbourne.