"Katherine Kurtz - Adept 01 - The Adept" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

Almost perfunctorily, he brought his palms together in salute to the Light, the touch of his fingertips to his lips
closing and sealing the rite he had just performed. Then he came around in front of Peregrine's chair, settling
fully back into his role as physician and teacher.
The younger man was as Adam had left him, head tilted back in the angle of the wing-backed chair, eyes
closed. After blowing out the candle, Adam bent to touch Peregrine's wrist lightly in pre-arranged signal.
"Peregrine, listen to my voice," he said firmly, no longer uncertain of his way. "Can you hear what I am
saying?"
The younger man's lips parted slightly, in a scarcely breathed, "Yes."
"Excellent," Adam said. "In a moment, I am going to ask you to return to waking consciousness. Before I do
that, however, there is something you should know, even though it may be some time before you arrive at a
full understanding of what I am about to tell you."
He settled carefully back into his chair, watching the other man closely.
"It is a fact, though I cannot prove it to you in any rational, scientific manner, that an individual's personal
history often goes back beyond the boundaries of his present lifetime. I have reason to believe that the vision
which you have been at pains to suppress since childhood is actually a valuable legacy from earlier stages of
your development. And there is no doubt that you can control it - provided that you acknowledge the gift for
what it is."
Vague hope stirred the trembling eyelids as Peregrine's lips moved soundlessly to frame a single word.
"How?"
"First," Adam said, "you must learn to sort out the different kinds of information that, up until now, have been
coming in uncontrolled. In a word, you must learn to focus your talent, and to turn it on and off when you
decide - not just when it happens. The techniques for doing this already exist in your own subconscious
mind, but they are buried. They can be retrieved through dreams. I should like to leave you with a
posthypnotic suggestion to strengthen your ability to remember those dreams. Do you agree?"
Peregrine nodded his acceptance.
"Very good. Then, you will accept that suggestion, and know that you will dream the knowledge that will set
you free. You will dream it as you are ready to receive it, and you will remember what you dream."
"Yes," Peregrine whispered, his head nodding slightly.
After a slight pause, Adam also nodded.
"Now, in a very few minutes, you are going to wake up of your own accord. At that time you will have no
conscious memory of the conversation that has just passed between us. However, the ideas themselves will
filter through to you in the course of the next few nights, couched in dreams that you will remember very
clearly. I want you to record any dream that should happen to come to you - write it down, or make a sketch,
if that suits you better - and then we'll talk about it at the first opportunity. Will you do that for me?"
"Yes," came the whispered response.
"Very good. Now in addition, because looking at people with your artist's eye seems to be what triggers your
vision, I'm going to suggest that you not set out to draw anything for several days, other than in connection
with your dreams. Give yourself a bit of a rest, while your unconscious begins sorting things out. Lady Laura's
death has been a shock, I know, but it's also the catalyst that seems to have brought everything to a head.
Then, after a few days, I will ask you to draw quite a lot. If you can link your ability to see with an intention to
draw or paint the results, that can be the first step toward gaining conscious control.
"Now, in your own good time, awaken feeling refreshed and relaxed and remembering my instructions."
He sat back in his chair and waited, making a steeple of his forefingers and tapping them lightly against his
chin. A few moments later, as instructed, Peregrine stirred and sighed, then opened his eyes. Seeing Adam
in watchful attendance, he drew himself upright and stretched a little sheepishly.
"I was half-expecting to find myself sprawled out on the sofa in my studio," he said. "How long have I been
under?" "Hmmm, the best part of an hour," Adam said, glancing at an ornate carriage clock on a side table,
"but never mind. For what it's worth, I think we've made a very good beginning. How do you feel?"
Peregrine summoned a crooked attempt at a smile. "Not too bad. More tired than anything else - which is a
distinct improvement." He flexed stiff shoulders, then glanced down at his wristwatch. "Good Lord, if that