"Arkadi and Boris Strugatsky. Monday begins on Saturday (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

car."
"I would," I said. The freshly graveled section came to an end.
"Oh, so it's not your own car," guessed Hawk-nose with some tone of
disappointment, it seemed to me. I felt piqued.
"And what sense would there be in buying a car so you could drive on
pavement? Where there is pavement there is nothing of interest and where
it's interesting-- there's no pavement."
"Yes, of course," Hawk-nose commented diplomatically.
"It's dumb to make an idol out of a car," I asserted.
"So it is," said the bearded one. "But not everyone thinks so."
We started talking cars and came to the conclusion that if you were
going to buy anything at all, a GAZ-69 would be best, but unfortunately they
were not for sale to the public. Later Hawk-nose asked, "So, where do you
work?"
I answered, "Colossal!"
Exclaimed Hawk-nose, "A programmer! That's exactly what we are looking
for. Listen. Quit your institute and join up with us!"
"And what do you have to offer?"
"What do we have?" asked Hawk-nose, turning around.
"Aldan-three," said The Beard.
"A well-endowed machine," I said. "Has it been running well?"
"Well, how shall I say..
"I get it," I said.
"As a matter of fact, it hasn't been debugged yet," said The Beard.
"Stay here with us and fix it up."
"We'll arrange your transfer before you can count to two," added
Hawk-nose.
"What are you working on?" I asked.
"As with all science-- the happiness of man."
"Understood," I said. "Something to do with space?"
"That too," said Hawk-nose.
"Well, you know what they say-- let well enough alone," said I.
"Big city and good pay," said The Beard in a low voice, but I heard
him.
"Don't," I said, "don't judge it in terms of money."
"No, really, I was just kidding," said The Beard. "It's his idea of a
joke," said Hawk-nose. "You couldn't find more interesting work anywhere
else than with us."
"Why do you think so?"
"I am positive."
"But I am not convinced."
Hawk-nose chuckled. "We'll talk about that some more," he said. "Are
you going to stay long in Solovetz?"
"Two days maximum."
"So we'll talk on day two."
The Beard announced: "Personally, I see the hand of fate in this. There
we were walking through the woods and we meet a programmer. I sense that we
are committed."
"You really need a programmer that badly?" I asked.
"Our need is dire indeed."