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

And the nakedness, too. It was against the rules for children or adults to look at anotherтАЩs nakedness; but the rule did not apply to newchildren or the Old. Jonas was glad. It was a nuisance to keep oneself covered while changing for games, and the required apology if one had by mistake glimpsed anotherтАЩs body was always awkward. He couldnтАЩt see why it was necessary. He liked the feeling of safety here in this warm and quiet room; he liked the expression of trust on the womanтАЩs face as she lay in the water unprotected, exposed, and free.



From the corner of his eye he could see his friend Fiona help the old man from the tub and tenderly pat his thin, naked body dry with an absorbent cloth. She helped him into his robe.



Jonas thought Larissa had drifted into sleep, as the Old often did, and he was careful to keep his motions steady and gentle so he wouldnтАЩt wake her. He was surprised when she spoke, her eyes still closed.



тАЬThis morning we celebrated the release of Roberto,тАЭ she told him. тАЬIt was wonderful.тАЭ



тАЬI knew Roberto!тАЭ Jonas said. тАЬI helped with his feeding the last time I was here, just a few weeks ago. He was a very interesting man.тАЭ



Larissa opened her eyes happily. тАЬThey told his whole life before they released him,тАЭ she said. тАЬThey always do. But to be honest,тАЭ she whispered with a mischievous look, тАЬsome of the tellings are a little boring. IтАЩve even seen some of the Old fall asleep during tellings тАФ when they released Edna recently. Did you know Edna?тАЭ



Jonas shook his head. He couldnтАЩt recall anyone named Edna.



тАЬWell, they tried to make her life sound meaningful. And of course,тАЭ she added primly, тАЬall lives are meaningful, I donтАЩt mean that they arenтАЩt. But Edna. My goodness. She was a Birthmother, and then she worked in Food Production for years, until she came here. She never even had a family unit.тАЭ



Larissa lifted her head and looked around to make sure no one else was listening. Then she confided, тАЬI donтАЩt think Edna was very smart.тАЭ



Jonas laughed. He rinsed her left arm, laid it back into the water, and began to wash her feet. She murmured with pleasure as he massaged her feet with the sponge.



тАЬBut RobertoтАЩs life was wonderful,тАЭ Larissa went on, after a moment. тАЬHe had been an Instructor of Elevens тАФ you know how important that is тАФ and heтАЩd been on the Planning Committee. And тАФ goodness, I donтАЩt know how he found the time тАФ he also raised two very successful children, and he was also the one who did the landscaping design for the Central Plaza. He didnтАЩt do the actual labor, of course.тАЭ



тАЬNow your back. Lean forward and IтАЩll help you sit up.тАЭ Jonas put his arm around her and supported her as she sat. He squeezed the sponge against her back and began to rub her sharp-boned shoulders. тАЬTell me about the celebration.тАЭ



тАЬWell, there was the telling of his life. That is always first. Then the toast. We all raised our glasses and cheered. We chanted the anthem. He made a lovely good-bye speech. And several of us made little speeches wishing him well. I didnтАЩt, though. IтАЩve never been fond of public speaking.