"Charles de Lint - Spirits in the Wires" - читать интересную книгу автора (De Lint Charles)

I saw her when I first came in, sitting to the right of the door at a window table, nursing a
tall cup of chai tea. SheтАЩd been writing in a small, leather-bound book, fountain pen in one
hand, the other holding back the spill of blonde hair that would otherwise fall into her eyes.
She looked up when I came in and showed no sign of recognition, but since then sheтАЩs been
studying me whenever she thinks IтАЩm not paying attention to her.
тАЬYou do know me,тАЭ I tell her. тАЬIтАЩm pieces of your boyfriendтАФthe ones he didnтАЩt want when
he was a kid.тАЭ
She gives me a puzzled look, though I can see a kind of understanding start up in the back
of those pretty, sea-blue eyes of hers.
тАЬYouтАФare you the woman in his journals?тАЭ she asks. тАЬThe one he calls Mystery?тАЭ
I smile. тАЬThatтАЩs me. The shadow of himself.тАЭ
тАЬI didnтАЩtтАжтАЭ
тАЬKnow I was real?тАЭ I finish for her when her voice trails off.
She shakes her head. тАЬNo. I just didnтАЩt expect to ever see you in a place like this.тАЭ
тАЬI like coffee.тАЭ
тАЬI meant someplace so mundane.тАЭ

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SPIRITS IN THE WIRES by Charles de Lint


тАЬAh. So youтАЩve made note of all those romantic flights of fancy he puts in those journals of
his.тАЭ I close my eyes, shuffling through pages of memory until I find one of them. тАЬ тАШI can
see her standing among the brambles and thorns of some half-forgotten hedgerow in a green
bridal dress, her red hair set aflame by the setting sun, her eyes dark with mysteries and
stories, a wooden hareтАЩs mask dangling from one languid hand. This is how I always see her.
In the hidden and secret places, her business there incomprehensible yet obviously perfectly
suited to her curious, evasive nature.тАЩтАЭ
I get a smile from Saskia, but I donтАЩt know if itтАЩs from the passage IтАЩve quoted, or because
IтАЩm mimicking ChristyтАЩs voice as I repeat the words.
тАЬThatтАЩs a new one,тАЭ she says. тАЬHe hasnтАЩt read it to me yet.тАЭ
тАЬYou wait for him to read them to you?тАЭ
тАЬOf course. I would never go pryingтАжтАЭ She pauses and gives me a considering look. тАЬWhen
do you read them?тАЭ
I shrug. тАЬOh, you know. Whenever. I donтАЩt really sleep, so sometimes when I get bored late
at night I come by and sit in his study for awhile to read what heтАЩs been thinking about
lately.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre as bad as the crow girls.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩll take that as a compliment.тАЭ
тАЬMmm.тАЭ She studies me for a moment before adding, тАЬYou donтАЩt read my journals do you?тАЭ
I muster a properly offended look, though itтАЩs not that I wouldnтАЩt. I just havenтАЩt. Yet.
тАЬIтАЩm sorry,тАЭ she says. тАЬOf course you wouldnтАЩt. We donтАЩt have the same connection as you
and Christy do.тАЭ
тАЬDoes that connection bother you?тАЭ
She shakes her head. тАЬThat would be like being bothered by his having Geordie for a
brother. YouтАЩre more like familyтАФalbeit the twin sister who only comes creeping by to visit
in the middle of the night when weтАЩre both asleep.тАЭ
I shrug, but I donтАЩt apologize.
тАЬIтАЩm only his shadow,тАЭ I say.
She studies me again, those sea-blue eyes of hers looking deep into mine.