"Robert A. Heinlein - If this goes on" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

тАЪThank you.тАЩ
We had gone on chatting. She had been in New Jerusalem, it developed,
even less time than had I. She had been reared on a farm in upper New York
State and there she had been sealed to the Prophet at the Albany Seminary.
In turn I had told her that 1 had been born in the middle west, not fifty miles
from the Well of Truth, where the First Prophet was incarnated. I then told her
that my name was John Lyle and she had answered that she was called
Sister Judith.
I had forgotten all about the warden-of-the-watch and his pesky rounds and
was ready to chat all night, when my chrono had chimed the quarter hour.
тАЪOh, dear!тАЩ Sister Judith had exclaimed. тАЪI should have gone straight back to
my cell.тАЩ She had started to hurry away, then had checked herself. тАЪYou
wouldnтАЩt tell on me, John Lyle?тАЩ
тАЪMe? Oh, never!тАЩ
I had continued to think about her the rest of the watch. When the warden did
make rounds I was a shade less than alert.
A mighty little on which to found a course of folly, eh? A single drink is a great
amount to a teetotaler; I was not able to get Sister Judith out of my mind. In
the month that followed I saw her half a dozen times. Once I passed her on
an escalator; she was going down as I was going up. We did not even speak,
but she had recognized me and smiled. I rode that escalator all night that
night in my dreams, hut I could never get off and speak to her. The other
encounters were just as trivial. Another time I heard her voice call out to me
quietly, тАЪHello, John Lyle,тАЩ and I turned just in time to see a hooded figure go
past my elbow through a door. Once I watched her feeding the swans in the
moat; I did not dare approach her but I think that she saw me.
The Temple Herald printed the duty lists of both my service and hers. I was
standing a watch in five; the Virgins drew lots once a week. So it was just
over a month later that our watches again matched. I saw her name-and
vowed that I would win the guard mount that evening and again be posted at
the post of honor before the ProphetтАЩs own apartments. I had no reason to
think that Judith would seek me out on the rampart-but I was sure in my heart
that she would. Never at West Point had I ever expended more spit-and-
polish; I could have used my buckler for a shaving mirror.
But here it was nearly half past ten and no sign of Judith, although I had
heard the Virgins gather down the corridor promptly at ten. All I had to show
for my efforts was the poor privilege of standing watch at the coldest post in
the Palace.
Probably, I thought glumly, she comes out to flirt with the guardsmen on
watch every time she has a chance. I recalled bitterly that all women were
vessels of iniquity and had always been so since the Fall of Man. Who was I
to think that she had singled me out for special friendship? She had probably
considered the night too cold to bother.
I heard a footstep and my heart leaped with joy. But it was only the warden
making his rounds. I brought my pistol to the ready and challenged him; his
voice came back, тАЪWatchman, what of the night?тАЩ
I answered mechanically, тАЪPeace on Earth,тАЩ and added, тАЪIt is cold, Elder
Brother.тАЩ
тАЪAutumn in the air,тАЩ he agreed. тАЪChilly even in the Temple.тАЩ He passed on by
with his pistol and his bandolier of paralysis bombs slapping his armor to his