"Thomas M. Disch - The M D" - читать интересную книгу автора (Disch Thomas M)

and why we still pray to him to be protected from robbers and thieves.
But he is not Santa Claus. I hope that is clear. Now, are there any
questions?"

The Burdon girl raised her hand.

"Yes, Sally?"
"Sister, what is a salting tub?"

"A salting tub, Sally, is what butchers used to use in the olden days
to keep meat from turning bad. When meat isn't properly preserved, it
rots and gets worms in it. But if we put meat into a tub of salty
water, it won't go bad. Of course, that was in the days before
refrigerators and deep freezes. If St Nicholas had lived today, he
would very likely have found the bodies of the three rich youths in a
deep freeze. Are there any other questions?"

There were no more questions, so Sister Symphorosa used the rest of the
afternoon to teach the children to sing Christmas carols. They sang

"O Come All Ye Faithful" and then

"Adeste Fideles," "Silent Night," and

"We Three Kings of Orient Are." Then she let them make requests. One
of them asked for "Jingle Bells," but no one suggested a song about
Santa Claus.

She dismissed the class with a sense that she had done a good day's
work.

Then she remembered the Michaels boy. He had not yet returned from the
principal's office. It would not do to go running after him. That
would only make him feel more self-important. She took her rosary
from. the drawer of her desk, kissed the silver crucifix, and made the
sign of the cross: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. Amen. " Then she pondered the first Joyful Mystery,
which is the Annunciation.

At a little after four o'clock, just as

"General Hospital" had come to its suspenseful Friday afternoon climax,
the smoke alarm in the kitchen went off, and then, before old Mrs.
Obstschmecker had quite figured out what was happening, the phone
started ringing. She picked up the phone, said

"Hello?"

and only then realized that the alarm was still ringing and that there
was black smoke coming out of the doorway to the kitchen.