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

Billy nodded, smiling at his friend.

"In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII decreed that the civilized world would no longerobserve the Julian calendar.
October 4th, 1582 was followed, the next day, by October15th. Eleven days vanished from the world.
One hundred and seventy days later, the BritishParliament followed suit, and September 2nd, 1752 was
followed, the next day, by September14th. Why did he do that, the Pope?"

Billy was bewildered by the conversation. "Because he was bringing it into synchwith the real world.
The solstices and equinoxes. When to plant, when to harvest."

Gaspar waggled a finger at him with pleasure. "Excellent, young fella. And you'recorrect when you say
Gregory abolished the Julian calendar because its error of one day inevery one hundred and twenty-eight
years had moved the vernal equinox to March 11th.That's what the history books say. It's what every
history book says. But whatif?"

"What if what? I don't know what you're talking about."

"What if: Pope Gregory had the knowledge revealed to him that he must readjusttime in the minds of
men? What if: the excess time in 1582. was eleven days and one hour?What if: he accounted for those
eleven days, vanished those eleven days, but that one hourslipped free, was left loose to bounce through
eternity? A very special hour . . .an hourthat must never be used . . . an hour that must never toll. What
if?"

Billy spread his hands. "What if, what if, what if! It's all just philosophy. Itdoesn't mean anything. Hours
aren't real, time isn't something that you can bottle up. Sowhat if there is an hour out there somewhere
that . . . "

And he stopped.

He grew tense, and leaned down to the old man. "The watch. Your watch. It doesn'twork. It's stopped."

Gaspar nodded. "At eleven o'clock. My watch works; it keeps very special time, forone very special
hour."


file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ha...n%20-%20Paladin%20of%20the%20Lost%20Hour.htm (17 of 22) [10/18/2004 4:56:25 PM]
 Harlan Ellison - Paladin of the Lost Hour


Billy touched Gaspar's shoulder. Carefully he asked, "Who are you, Dad?"

The old man did not smile as he said, "Gaspar. Keeper. Paladin. Guardian."

"Father Perrault was hundreds of years old."

Gaspar shook his head with a wistful expression on his old face. "I'm eighty-sixyears old, Billy. You
asked me if I thought I was God. Not God, not Father Perrault, notan immortal, just an old man who will
die too soon. Are you Ronald Colman?"