"Harlan Ellison - Paladin of the Lost Hour" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ellison Harlan)

"'Gaspar' means master of the treasure, keeper of the secrets, paladin of thepalace." Billy was staring at
him, not walking into the bedroom; just staring at him.As the elegant timepiece floated to the old man,
who extended his hand palm-up to receiveit. The watch nestled in his hand, unmoving, and it made no
sound, no sound at all.

"You go back to bed. But will you go out to the cemetery with me tomorrow? It'simportant."

"Why?"

"Because I believe I'll be dying tomorrow."

####

It was a nice day, cool and clear. Not at all a day for dying, but neither had beenmany such days in
Southeast Asia, and death had not been deterred.

They stood at Minna's gravesite, and Gaspar opened his shooting stick to form a seat,and he thrust the
spike into the ground, and he settled onto it, and sighed, and said toBilly Kinetta, "I'm growing cold as
that stone."

"Do you want my jacket?"

"No. I'm cold inside." He looked around at the sky, at the grass, at the rowsof markers. "I've been
responsible, for all of this, and more."

"You've said that before."

"Young fella, are you by any chance familiar, in your reading, with an old novelby James Hilton called
Lost Horizon? Perhaps you saw the movie. It was awonderful movie, actually much better than the book.
Mr. Capra's greatest achievement. Ahuman testament. Ronald Colman was superb. Do you know the
story?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember the High Lama, played by Sam Jaffe? His name was FatherPerrault?"

"Yes."



file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ha...n%20-%20Paladin%20of%20the%20Lost%20Hour.htm (16 of 22) [10/18/2004 4:56:25 PM]
 Harlan Ellison - Paladin of the Lost Hour

"Do you remember how he passed on the caretakership of that magical hidden world,Shangri-La, to
Ronald Colman?"

"Yes, I remember that. " Billy paused. "Then he died. He was very old,and he died."

Gaspar smiled up at Billy. "Very good, Billy. I knew you were a good boy. So now,if you remember all
that, may I tell you a story? It's not a very long story."