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

тАЬWhy is that, son?тАЭ His father looked concerned.



тАЬI know thereтАЩs really nothing to worry about,тАЭ Jonas explained, тАЬand that every adult has been through it. I know you have, Father, and you too, Mother. But itтАЩs the Ceremony that IтАЩm apprehensive about. ItтАЩs almost December.тАЭ



Lily looked up, her eyes wide. тАЬThe Ceremony of Twelve,тАЭ she whispered in an awed voice. Even the smallest children тАФ LilyтАЩs age and younger тАФ knew that it lay in the future for each of them.



тАЬIтАЩm glad you told us of your feelings,тАЭ Father said.



тАЬLily,тАЭ Mother said, beckoning to the little girl, тАЬGo on now and get into your nightclothes. Father and I are going to stay here and talk to Jonas for a while.тАЭ



Lily sighed, but obediently she got down from her chair. тАЬPrivately?тАЭ she asked.



Mother nodded. тАЬYes,тАЭ she said, тАЬthis talk will be a private one with Jonas.тАЭ





2




Jonas watched as his father poured a fresh cup of coffee. He waited.



тАЬYou know,тАЭ his father finally said, тАЬevery December was exciting to me when I was young. And it has been for you and Lily, too, IтАЩm sure. Each December brings such changes.тАЭ



Jonas nodded. He could remember the Decembers back to when he had become, well, probably a Four. The earlier ones were lost to him. But he observed them each year, and he remembered LilyтАЩs earliest Decembers. He remembered when his family received Lily, the day she was named, the day that she had become a One.