"H. L. Gold - Trouble With Water" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gold H. L)

He hesitated. "I need fifteen dollars for an electric razor," he said in a low, weak voice.
"So?" she replied. "If you got to, you got to. Go, darling. I'll take care of the concession."
Greenberg no longer felt deserted and alone. He walked almost confidently to a doctor's offic
Manfully, he explained his symptoms. The doctor listened with professional sympathy, un
Greenberg reached his description of the water gnome.
Then his eyes glittered and narrowed. "I know just the thing for you, Mr. Greenberg,"
interrupted. "Sit there until I come back."
Greenberg sat quietly. He even permitted himself a surge of hope. But it seemed only a mome
later that he was vaguely conscious of a siren screaming toward him; and then he w
overwhelmed by the doctor and two internes who pounced on him and tried to squeeze him into
bag.
He resisted, of course. He was terrified enough to punch wildly. "What are you doing to me
he shrieked. "Don't put that thing on met"
"Easy now," the doctor soothed. "Everything will be all right. "
It was on that humiliating scene that the policeman, re-quired by law to accompany publ
ambulances, appeared. "What's up?" he asked.
"Don't stand there, you fathead," an interne shouted. "This man's crazy. Help us get him in
this strait jacket."
But the policeman approached indecisively. "Take it easy, Mr. Greenberg. They ain't gonna hu
you while I'm here. 'What's it all about?"
 "Mike!" Greenberg cried, and clung to his protector's sleeve. "They think I'm crazy— "
"Of course he's crazy," the doctor stated. "He came in here with a fantastic yarn about a wat
gnome putting a curse on him."
"What kind of a curse, Mr. Greenberg?" Mike asked cau-tiously.
"I got into an argument with the water gnome who makes it rain and takes care of the fish
Greenberg blurted. "I tore up his hat. Now he won't let water touch me. I can't drink,
anything—"
The doctor nodded. "There you are. Absolutely insane."
"Shut up." For a long moment Mike stared curiously at Greenberg. Then: "Did any of yo
scientists think of testing him? Here, Mr. Greenberg." He poured water into a paper cup and he
it out.
Greenberg moved to take it. The water backed up against the cup's far lip; when he took it
his hand, the water shot out into the air.
"Crazy, is he?" Mike asked with heavy irony. "I guess you don't know there's things li
gnomes and elves. Come with me, Mr. Greenberg."
They went out together and walked toward the boardwalk. Greenberg told Mike the entire sto
and explained how, besides being so uncomfortable to him personally, it would ruin hi
financially.
"Well, doctors can't help you," Mike said at length. "What do they know about the Little Fol
And I can't say I blame you for sassing the gnome. You ain't Irish or you'd have spoke with mo
respect to him. Anyhow, you're thirsty. Can't you drink anything?"
"Not a thing," Greenberg said mournfully.
They entered the concession. A single glance told Greenberg that business was very quiet, b
even that could not lower his feelings more than they already were. Esther clutched him as soon
she saw them.
"Well?" she asked anxiously.
Greenberg shrugged in despair. "Nothing. He thought I was crazy."
Mike stared at the bar. Memory seemed to struggle behind his reflective eyes. "Sure," he sa
after a long pause. "Did you try beer, Mr. Greenberg? When I was a boy my old mother told m
all about elves and gnomes and the rest of the Little Folk. She knew them, all right. They don