"Robert Sheckley. Pilgrimage to Earth" - читать интересную книгу автора

"Why delay? Leading psychologists say that real love is a fortifier and
a restorer of sanity, a balm for damaged egoes, a restorer of hormone
balance, and an improver of the complexion. The love we supply you has
everything: deep and abiding affection, unrestrained passion, complete
faithfulness, an almost mystic affection for your defects as well as your
virtues, a pitiful desire to please, and, as a plus that only Love, Inc.
can supply: that uncontrollable first spark, that blinding moment of love
at first sight!"

Mr. Tate pressed a button. Simon frowned undecisively. The door opened,
a girl stepped in, and Simon stopped thinking.

She was tall and slender, and her hair was brown with a sheen of red.
Simon could have told you nothing about her face, except that it brought
tears to his eyes. And if you asked him about her figure, he might have
killed you.

"Miss Penny Bright", said Tate, "meet Mr. Alfred Simon." The girl tried
to speak but no words came, and Simon was equally dumbstruck. He looked at
her and knew. Nothing else mattered. To the depths of his heart he knew
that he was truly and completely loved.

They left at once, hand in hand, and were taken by jet to a small
cottage in a pine grove, overlooking the sea, and there they talked and
laughed and loved, and later Simon saw his beloved wrapped in the sunset
flame like a goddess of fire. And in blue twilight she looked at him with
eyes enormous and dark, her known body mysterious again. The moon came up,
bright and lunatic, changing flesh to shadow, and she wept and beat his
chest with her small fists and Simon wept too, although he did not know
why. And at last dawn came, faint and disturbed, glimmering upon their
parched lips and locked lips, and nearby the booming surf deafened,
inflamed, and maddened them.



At noon they were back in the offices of Love, Inc. Penny clutched his
hand for a moment, then disappeared through an inner door.

"Was it real love?" Mr. Tate asked.

"Yes!"

"And was everything satisfactory?"

"Yes! It was love, it was the real thing! But why did she insist on
returning?"

"Post-hypnotic command," Mr. Tate said.