"Books - David Eddings - Polgara the Sorceress" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

And that was when Beldin introduced me to 'the puzzle'. I've
always thought of it as that. In a peculiar sort of way 'the puzzle'
almost came to take on a life of its own for me. I can't be entirely
certain how Beldin managed it, but 'the puzzle' was a gnarled and
twisted root of some low-growing shrub - heather, perhaps - and
each time I took it up to study it, it seemed to change. I could quite
clearly see one end of it, but I could never find the other. I think
that 'the puzzle' helped to shape my conception of the world and
of life itself. We know where one end is - the beginning - but we
can never quite see the other. It provided me with endless hours of
entertainment, though, and that gave uncle Beldin a chance to get
some rest.
I was studying 'the puzzle' when father came to uncle Beldin's
tower to say his goodbyes. Beldaran and I were perhaps a year and
a half old - or maybe a little younger - when he came to the tower
and kissed Beldaran. I felt that usual surge of jealousy, but I kept
my eyes firmly fixed on 'the puzzle', hoping he'd go away.
And then he picked me up, tearing my attention away from what
I was working on. I tried to get away from him, but he was stronger
than I was. I was hardly more than a baby, after all, although I felt
much older. 'Stop that,' he told me, and his tone seemed irritable.
'You may not care much for the idea, Pol, but I'm your father, and
you're stuck with me.' And then he kissed me, which he'd never
done before. For a moment - only a moment - I felt his pain, and
my heart softened toward him.
'No,
mother's thought came to me, 'not yet At the time, I thought
it was because she was still very angry with him and that I was to
be the vessel of her anger. I know now I was mistaken. Wolves
simply don't waste time being angry. My father's remorse and
sorrow had not yet run their course, and the Master still had many
tasks for him. Until he had expiated what he felt to be his guilt,
he'd be incapable of those tasks. My misunderstanding of mother's
meaning led me to do something I probably shouldn't have done.
I struck out at him with 'the puzzle'.
'Spirited, isn't she?' he murmured to uncle Beldin. Then he put
me down, gave me a little pat on the bottom, which I scarcely felt,
and told me to mind my manners.
I certainly wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of thinking
that his chastisement in any way had made me change my opinion
of him, so I turned, still holding 'the puzzle' like a club, and glared
at him.
'Be well, Polgara,' he told me in the gentlest way imaginable.
'Now go play.'

He probably still doesn't realize it, but I almost loved him in that
single instant - almost, but not quite. The love came later, and it
took years.

It was not long after that that he turned and left the Vale, and I