（外文电子版资料）The Two-Centimeter Demon.pdfVIP

file:///E|/Documents%20and%20Settings/Princess%20Delilah/Desktop/Isaac%20Asimov/The%20Two-centimeter%20Demon.txt The Two-Centimeter Demon by Issac Asimov I met George at a literrary convention a good many years ago, and was struck by the peculiar look of innocence and candor upon his round middle-aged face. He was the kind of person, I decided at once, to whom you would give your wallet to hold while you went swimming. He recognized me from my photographs on the back of my books and greeted me gladly, telling me how much he liked my stories and novels which, of course, gave me a good opinion of his intelligence and taste. We shook hands cordially and he said, My name is George Bitternut. Bitternut, I repeated, in order to fix it in my mind. An unusual name. Danish, he said, and very aristocratic. I am descended from Cnut, better known as Canute, a Danish king who conquered England in the early eleventh century. An ancestor of mine was his son, born on the wrong side of the blanket, of course. Of course, I muttered, though I didnt see why that was something that should be taken for granted. He was named Cnut for his father, George went on,and when he was presented to the king, the royal Dane said, By my halidom, is this my heir? Not quite, siad the courtier who was dandling little Cnut, for he is illegitimate, the mother being the launderwoman whom you-- Ah, said the king, Thats better. And Bettercnut he was known from that moment on. Just that single name. I have in- herited that name in the direct male line except that the vicissi- tudes of time have changed the name to Bitternut. And his blue eyes looked at me with a kind of hypnotic ingenuousness that forbade doubt. I said, Would you join me for lunch? sweeping my hand in the direction of the ornate restaurant that was clearly intended only for the fat-walleted. George said,Dont