"Richard Powers - The Gold Bug Variations" - читать интересную книгу автора (Powers Richard)

nothing but an uncomprehending stare. "I'm
afraid those things did not take place today.
In history."
My response surprised even me and
jeopardized my standing in the ALA. I
blurted out violently, giving in to that
contempt the specialist stores up for the lay
passerby, "And how would you know?"
He paled and pulled his mouth into a
grimace. "I don't. That is, I wouldn't be able
to tell you when, if ever, that particular item
took place." He trailed off, considering it
unnecessary to explain. Noticing my look
change to clinical concern, he added, "To
resort to an allusion that won't be lost upon
a person in your line: "You can look it up.'"
I brayed out loud, astonished at the
combination of scenic-route syntax and
citation. I didn't stoop to ask how he could
possibly correct my events while admitting
ignorance of when they'd happened.
Instead, I adopted professional patience and
hissed, "Let's just do that." I set off to the
Reserves without looking to see if he
followed. In seconds I was furiously buzzing
over the historical almanacs, amazed at
myself for losing equanimity. As the pristine
derelict appeared at my side, I hit upon
September 26 with a vengeance, confirming
both Wilson and the Allied offensive. He
passed a cupped hand across that stretch of
forehead—God; his quintessential
gesture!—and nodded. "I'm convinced,
beyond question. Your skill with an index is
impressive. Nevertheless...."
He pointed politely to the massive wall
calendar that, even from where we stood,
broadcast today for all to see. I broke out for
a branch-record second laugh in one
morning. September 24.
Just what empirical precision prevented
him from asserting the obvious more
obviously? His radical skepticism had
required me to run the full, clumsy
experiment of heading to the stacks in the
Outside event that the offensive bad begun
on the 24th and I'd committed the less likely
error of date substitution. I sank into the
nearest Breuer chair and exhaled. Thinking I
was put out by the effort required to find a