"Eisenstein,.Phyllis.-.Elementals.2.-.1988.-.Crystal.Palace" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eisenstein Phyllis)

small spider scuttled across the windowsill and leaped to his arm. It was a
brown mite speckled with white, one of the web chamнber spiders, and it never
came to Cray unless some communication was waiting for him there. With all of
his family at home, that communication could only be from one person. Leaving
the gold on the scales, Cray hurried off to receive it.
The web chamber was bright with morning sunshine, the thick spiderweb draperies
that festooned its walls shining translucently like the finest human-woven silk.
Cray seated himself on the velvet-covered bed at the center of the room, then
waved one hand toward the nearest web. It began to turn opaque, a soft gray
sheen spreading over its surface, and upon that sheen a human face took shape: a
manТs face, as young and unlined as CrayТs own and, because of their friendship,
as certain to stay so for many ordinary lifetimes.
Smiling, Feldar Sepwin said, УGood morrow. I hope the day is as bright and
beautiful at Spinweb as it is here.Ф Behind him, as if to belie his words, there
was no day at all, just the torchlit limestone interior of the cave he shared
with the Seer Helaine.
Cray studied his friendТs smile a moment. There was some news behind itЧhe knew
that by the dimples in those beardless cheeks and by the animation in those eyes
of two different colors. With a smile of his own, he said, УHow are you,
Feldar?Ф
УExcellent. Never better. But I need some spiders.Ф
Cray leaned back on his elbows. УI thought I left you a dozen the last time I
was there. Did you forget to feed them?Ф
Sepwin shook his head. УI donТt mean the kind that spin these webs. Special
ones, to spin a special web of my design.Ф
УYour design?Ф Cray chuckled softly. УFeldar, what do you know of spider magic?Ф
УMore today than a week ago, I think.Ф His expresнsion became more serious.
УThree days ago I was walking in the forest not far from here. And upon this one
tree, spun among its branches, there was a spiнderТs web, just an ordinary one,
but quite large. It was early morning, with dew everywhere, on every leaf, every
flower, and droplets of dew outlined the web. And even though it was so early,
the sky was clear and the sun was bright already, and the light made those
dewdrops glitter like faceted diamonds. And as I stood there, admiring the
beauty of the web, the notion came to me that there was something special here.
Something very special.Ф An unfocused look had come into his eyes, as if instead
of seeing Cray within the magical web in his cave, he was seeing that other web
in the forest again. УI stood there ... quite a long while. Directing my skills
toward it. I knew it would answer them somehow. All it needed was ... myself,
standing just so, thinking just so ... Ф He blinked and shook his head, and he
was looking at Cray once more. УIt was a mirror, Cray, and it showed me myself.Ф
УA mirror?Ф
УYes. The angle of the light, the shape of the web, and myself standing in just
the proper position made it a mirror. But not like a mirror of polished metal.
No. By the chance configuration of branches, by the chance selection of anchor
points by that spider, the web had the shape of a shallow cup with its mouth
toward me. The image of myself hung in the empty air within it, and vanished if
I took one step to left or right. And that image was not of Feldar Sepwin
standing in the forest and gawking but of Feldar the Seer sitting by the pool in
this cave, his hand trailing in the water. I saw ... what can I call it? My
essence. No, more than that. My heartТs desire.Ф