"Frank Herbert - The GM Effect" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert Brian & Frank)

'In about an hour,' Sabantoce said. 'Of course, it didn't fade completely, as you know. That
old Hoplite's right here with me, so to speak - along with the rest of the mob. A touch of 105
and I have him full on - all his direct memories up to the conception-moment of my next
ancestor in his line. I have some overlaps, too, and later memories of his through parallel
ancestry and later siblings. I'm also linked to his maternal line, of course - and two of you are
tied into this same fabric, as you know. The big thing here is that the remarkably accurate
memories of that Hoplite play hob with several accepted histories of the period. In fact, he
was our first intimation that much recorded history is a crock.'
Old Inkton leaned forward, coughed hoarsely, said: 'Isn't it about time, doctor, that we did
something about that?'
'In a way, that's why we're here tonight,' Sabantoce said. And he thought: Still no sign of
Marmon. I hope Josh knows what he's talking about. But we have to stall some more.
'Since only a few of us know the full story on some of our more sensational discoveries,
we're going to give you a brief outline of those discoveries,' Sabantoce said. He put on his
most disarming smile, gestured to Latchley. 'Professor Latchley, as historian-coordinator of
that phase in our investigations, can carry on from here.'
Latchley cleared his throat, exchanged a knowing look with Sabantoce. Did Marmon
suspect? Latchley asked himself. He couldn't possibly know ... but he might have suspected.


'Several obvious aspects of this research method confront one immediately,' Latchley said,
breaking his attention away from Sabantoce and the worry about Marmon. 'As regards any
major incident of history - say, a battle - we find a broad selection of subjects on the
victorious side and, sometimes, no selection at all on the defeated side. Through the
numerous cross references found within even this small group, for example, we find remarkably
few adjacent and incidental memories within the Troy quadrant of the Trojan wars - some
female subjects, of course, but few males. The male bloodlines were virtually wiped out.'
Again, Latchley sensed restlessness in his audience and felt a moment of jealousy. Their
attention didn't wander when Sabantoce was speaking. The reason was obvious: Sabantoce
gave them the dirt, so to speak.
Latchley forced his apologetic smile, said: 'Perhaps you'd like a little of the real dirt.'
They did perk up, by heaven!
'As many have suspected,' Latchley said, 'our evidence makes it conclusive that Henry
Tudor did order the murder of the two princes in the Tower ... at the same time he set into
motion the propaganda against Richard III. Henry proves to've been a most vile sort - devious,
cruel, cowardly, murderous - political murder was an accepted part of his regime.' Latchley
shuddered. 'And thanks to his sex drive, he's an ancestor of many of us.'
'Tell 'em about Honest Abe,' Sabantoce said.
Latchley adjusted his glasses, touched the corner of his mouth with a finger, then:
'Abraham Lincoln.'
He said it as though announcing a visitor and there was a long pause.
Presently, Latchley said: 'I found this most distressing, Lincoln was my particular hero in
childhood. As some of you know, General Butler was one of my ancestors and ... well, this was
most distressing.'
Latchley fumbled in his pocket, brought up a scrap of paper, studied it, then: 'In a debate
with Judge Douglas, Lincoln said: 'I tell you very frankly that I am not in favor of Negro
citizenship. I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and
political equality of the white and black races; that I am not nor ever have been, in favor of
making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with
white people. I will say in addition that there is a physical difference between the white and