"The Giver Quartet" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lowry, Lois)

Father glanced at it. тАЬHippo,тАЭ he said.



Lily giggled at the strange word. тАЬHippo,тАЭ she repeated, and put the comfort object down again. She peered at the unwrapped newchild, who waved his arms.



тАЬI think newchildren are so cute,тАЭ Lily sighed. тАЬI hope I get assigned to be a Birthmother.тАЭ



тАЬLily!тАЭ Mother spoke very sharply. тАЬDonтАЩt say that. ThereтАЩs very little honor in that Assignment.тАЭ



тАЬBut I was talking to Natasha. You know the Ten who lives around the corner? She does some of her volunteer hours at the Birthing Center. And she told me that the Birthmothers get wonderful food, and they have very gentle exercise periods, and most of the time they just play games and amuse themselves while theyтАЩre waiting. I think IтАЩd like that,тАЭ Lily said petulantly.



тАЬThree years,тАЭ Mother told her firmly. тАЬThree births, and thatтАЩs all. After that they are Laborers for the rest of their adult lives, until the day that they enter the House of the Old. Is that what you want, Lily? Three lazy years, and then hard physical labor until you are old?тАЭ



тАЬWell, no, I guess not,тАЭ Lily acknowledged reluctantly.



Father turned the newchild onto his tummy in the basket. He sat beside it and rubbed its small back with a rhythmic motion. тАЬAnyway, Lily-billy,тАЭ he said affectionately, тАЬthe Birthmothers never even get to see newchildren. If you enjoy the little ones so much, you should hope for an Assignment as Nurturer.тАЭ



тАЬWhen youтАЩre an Eight and start your volunteer hours, you can try some at the Nurturing Center,тАЭ Mother suggested.



тАЬYes, I think I will,тАЭ Lily said. She knelt beside the basket. тАЬWhat did you say his name is? Gabriel? Hello, Gabriel,тАЭ she said in a singsong voice. Then she giggled. тАЬOoops,тАЭ she whispered. тАЬI think heтАЩs asleep. I guess IтАЩd better be quiet.тАЭ



Jonas turned to the school assignments on his desk. Some chance of that, he thought. Lily was never quiet. Probably she should hope for an Assignment as Speaker, so that she could sit in the office with the microphone all day, making announcements. He laughed silently to him-self, picturing his sister droning on in the self-important voice that all the Speakers seemed to develop, saying things like, ATTENTION. THIS IS A REMINDER TO FEMALES UNDER NINE THAT HAIR RIBBONS ARE TO BE NEATLY TIED AT ALL TIMES.



He turned toward Lily and noticed to his satisfaction that her ribbons were, as usual, undone and dangling. There would be an announcement like that quite soon, he felt certain, and it would be directed mainly at Lily, though her name, of course, would not be mentioned. Everyone would know.