"Nicola Griffith - Yaguara" - читать интересную книгу автора (Griffith Nicola)

a long time.
тАЬHow come your first nameтАЩs Cleis?тАЭ she asked. She was
sitting next to Cleis who was sprawled out on the turf, hair almost
touching JaneтАЩs thigh. Jane wondered idly what that hair would feel
like wrapped around her fingers.
тАЬMy mother was fond of poetry. Read lots of the classics in
Colombia, when she was young. DonтАЩt look so surprised.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm not surprised.тАЭ
Cleis did not seem to hear her. тАЬShe may have ended up in
poverty in East L.A., and I might have had to do everything on
scholarship, be twice as good as the Anglos to get what I wanted,
but we have a history, a past. The U.S. isnтАЩt the only place where
people know things.тАЭ
тАЬCleis was SapphoтАЩs daughter.тАЭ Now why did I say that?
тАЬI know.тАЭ
A kingfisher flashed blue and green and black across the pool.
тАЬGet kingfishers in England,тАЭ Jane said.
тАЬI know that, too.тАЭ Cleis climbed to her feet. тАЬTime for a
swim.тАЭ She pulled off her shirt, unzipped her shorts. тАЬArenтАЩt you
coming in?тАЭ
Fear squeezed JaneтАЩs throat. тАЬIтАЩm not sure itтАЩs wise to swim
after so much to drink.тАЭ
тАЬThree beers? Besides, look at this place!тАЭ
The pool was green and quiet. Damselflies hummed over the
surface at the edge away from the fall where water cabbage floated,
leaves like huge furry clams. Along the northern bank heliconias
with leaves as big as canoe paddles made a dense wall between the
forest and water on one side. No one would see.
Jane shook her head. тАЬNo. I canтАЩt swim.тАЭ
тАЬWell, you could just paddle a bit.тАЭ CleisтАЩs body gleamed like
polished hardwood. тАЬThe floor slopes gently. No danger of falling
into a pit. And IтАЩm here.тАЭ
I know. тАЬIтАЩd rather not.тАЭ
тАЬThe waters cool.тАЭ
Jane was aware of sweat running over her stomach, trickling
down the small of her back, itching behind her knees. Swimming
would be lovely. She almost moved. Almost stood up and took off
her shirt, but years of habit and training brought her up short just
as effectively as a chain around her neck. тАЬNo.тАЭ It came out flat
and hard.
CleisтАЩs eyes narrowed. тАЬWhat is it? You donтАЩt think a
bare-assed Latina is good enough to swim with?тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs not that.тАЭ
Cleis stood with her hands on her hips. тАЬWhat then?тАЭ
Jane drained the bottle of its last, warm mouthful. Armored,
inviolate, safe. тАЬYou wouldnтАЩt understand.тАЭ Immediately, she knew
she had said the wrong thing.
тАЬSo. Now IтАЩm stupid as well as inferior. What is your
problem, Lady Jane? You drive in here, cool as cut glass, and act
like youтАЩre queen of the fucking world. You smile at me so politely