"Philip Jose Farmer - Night of Light" - читать интересную книгу автора (Farmer Phillip Jose)

and would hate himself for breaking down and asking Carmody what he had to tell. But
he would break; he would ask. There was too much at stake.
тАЬWell, well, what is it?тАЭ he finally snapped. тАЬCanтАЩt you say over the phone?тАЭ
тАЬSure, but I wasnтАЩt going to bother if you werenтАЩt interested. Listen, about five
minutes ago did anything strange happen to you or to anybody around you?тАЭ
There was another long pause, then Skelder said in a strained voice, тАЬYes. The sun
seemed to flicker, to change color. I became dizzy and feverish. So did Mrs. Kri, and
Father Ralloux.тАЭ
Carmody waited until he was sure that the monk was not going to comment any
further. тАЬWas that all? Did nothing else happen to you or the others?тАЭ
тАЬNo. Why?тАЭ
Carmody told him about the skin of the unfinished face that had seemed to appear
from the empty air before him. тАЬI thought perhaps you might have had a similar
experience.тАЭ
тАЬNo; aside from the sick feeling, nothing happened.тАЭ
Carmody thought he detected a huskiness in SkelderтАЩs voice. Well, he would find out
later if the monk were concealing something. Meanwhile. . .
Suddenly, Skelder said, тАЬMrs. Kri has left the room. What is it you really wanted,
Carmody?тАЭ
тАЬI really wanted to compare notes about that flickering of the sun,тАЭ he replied, crisply.
тАЬBut I thought IтАЩd tell you something of what I found out in the temple of Boonta.тАЭ
тАЬYou ought to have found out just about everything,тАЭ interrupted Skelder. тАЬYou were
gone long enough. When you didnтАЩt show up last night, I thought that perhaps something
had happened to you.тАЭ
тАЬYou didnтАЩt call the police?тАЭ
тАЬNo, of course not,тАЭ the monkтАЩs voice crackled. тАЬDo you think that because IтАЩm a
priest IтАЩm stupid? Besides, I hardly think youтАЩre worth worrying about.тАЭ
 Carmody chuckled. тАЬLove they fellowman as a brother. Well, I never cared much for
my brotherтАФor anybody else. Anyway, the reason IтАЩm late, though only twenty hours or
so behind time, is that I decided to take part in the big parade and the ceremonies that
followed.тАЭ He laughed again. тАЬThese Kareenans really enjoy their religion.тАЭ
SkelderтАЩs voice was cold. тАЬYou took part in a temple orgy?тАЭ
Carmody haw-hawed. тАЬSure. When in Rome, you know. However, it wasnтАЩt pure
sensuality. Part of it was a very boring ritual, like all ritual; it wasnтАЩt until nightfall that
the high priestess gave the signal for the melee.тАЭ
тАЬYou took part?тАЭ
тАЬSure. With the high priestess herself. ItтАЩs all right; these people donтАЩt have your
attitude towards sex, Skelder; they donтАЩt think itтАЩs dirty or a sin; they regard it as a
sacrament, a great gift from the goddess; what would seem to you infinitely disgusting,
wallowing in a mire of screaming sex-fiends, is to them pure and chaste and goddess-
blessed worship. Of course, I think your attitude and theirs are both wrong: sex is just a
force that one ought to take advantage of in other people; but I will admit that the
KareenansтАЩ ideas are more fun than yours.тАЭ
SkelderтАЩs voice was that of a slightly impatient and bored teacher lecturing a not-too-
bright pupil. If he was angry, he managed to conceal it.
тАЬYou donтАЩt understand our doctrine. Sex is not in itself a dirty or sinful force. After
all, it is the medium designated by God whereby the higher forms of life may be
perpetuated. Sex in animals is as innocent as the drinking of water. And in the holy circle
of matrimony a man and a woman may use this God-given force, may, through its sacred
and tender rapture, become one, may approach that ecstasy, or be given an intimation of