"Hamilton, Peter F - Softlight Sins" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Peter F)

will either fulfil this function, or tell me you are unable to. Do I make
myself clear?"
Dr Elliot considered his options, and settled for a reluctant submission.
"Very well, I accept that a penal institution is not the place for an
academic study of this nature."
Judge Hayward glanced at Douglas then Harvey Boden. "Any objections to a
further Softlight administration?"
"No," Douglas said, partly ashamed. It was the easy way out.
The one I always take.
This time he left his eyes open for the whole procedure. Erich Breuer
stared placidly ahead as the Softlight imprinter's moulded strip went over
his eyes.
"That's it," Dr Elliot announced.
The arm retracted, folding back onto its pedestal.
Barbara Johnson moved in with the white plastic sensor crown again. She
settled it on the head. "No primary brainwave activity registering," she
reported.
"We'll wait for a little while," Judge Hayward said. "See if there's any
change."

"It's happening," Barbara Johnson called. She was hovering around the
computer terminal which was displaying the sensor crown readings. "His
brainwave activity is picking up."
When Douglas checked his watch he saw that barely four minutes had
elapsed.
Adrian's head had been bowed limply ever since the arm had retracted. Now
Douglas watched him lift his chin, his expression perfectly calm. Then he
began to hunch in on himself, bending his shoulders round as far as the
straps allowed.
"Why doesn't he say anything?" Douglas whispered to Barbara Johnson.
"Because we haven't told him to," she whispered back. "The hypnogenic
lasts for about three hours, he's still well under."
"Can you hear me?" Judge Hayward asked. "What is your name?"
He blinked slowly. "I hear you, miss. Please, they call me Deaf Willy,
miss."
It was an American accent, a slow rich twang, setting off an unwelcome
train of thought in Douglas's mind. It was the servile manner which he
couldn't ignore.
"Why Deaf Willy?" Barbara Johnson asked impulsively.
"Cos I ran when the sheriff shouted me to stop, miss. I didn't hear him, I
swear. Boxed my ears when he caught me. Said I must've been born deaf."
"Are you black?" Douglas asked. He ignored the looks the others gave him.
Deaf Willy's mouth split into a wide grin. "Yes sir. I surely am."
"How old are you, Deaf Willy?"
"Sir, maybe sixteen, seventeen. Don't rightly know for sure."
"Do you know what year it is?"
"Year, sir? No sir, I don't know that, sir."
"Who is the president?" Harvey Boden asked.
"Why, it's Mr Harrison, sir. Mr Benjamin Harrison."
Barbara Johnson started to voiceline the terminal, calling up a list of