"Jay Lake - To Live Forever" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lake Jay)

a different urn.

тАЬDo the urns hide the coins from the senses of the Children?тАЭ asked Gestas.
 Ahasuerus twisted a coin further out of recognition. He shrugged without
looking back at Gestas. тАЬWhen I work the iron, it cries out. Even I can tell that, with
my old human ears and deaf human mind. Who knows what the Children really hear?
Besides, it keeps my hands from stinging overmuch from the touch of the iron.тАЭ

тАЬAnd how will you make a thousand of these, one at a time so slowly?тАЭ

тАЬNever, if you keep questioning!тАЭ The smith put the coin away. He turned to
look at Gestas. тАЬHave you not heard of a prototype?тАЭ

тАЬNo.тАЭ Gestas felt almost foolish.

Ahasuerus laid his tongs down, mopped his brow. тАЬA break then. What do
you know? Not metallurgy, I am sure, but algebra? Geography, perhaps? Can you
name the human stars in the sky?тАЭ

тАЬI am a gentleman,тАЭ Gestas answered slowly, seeking words that might win
respect. тАЬI can fence, and discriminate wines by taste alone. I am a fair horseman,
can read English well and Arabic poorly, though I know none of the other languages
of Gol Goth. I can do sums, and calculate angles, and know a few of the arts of
war.тАЭ

Ahasuerus snorted, almost launching himself into another coughing fit. тАЬSo
youтАЩre a journeyman idler and an apprentice military engineer. What else did they
teach you?тАЭ

тАЬNothing.тАЭ Gestas stared at his polished boots. тАЬNo one teaches the Lost. I
was lucky to find Dismas, who gave me some chance to learn.тАЭ

The smith smiled, a gentle smile lacking his ordinary rancor. тАЬMy apologies,
gentleman Gestas. I intended no mockery. An old man forgets new things.тАЭ

тАЬNo offense.тАЭ Gestas looked at the worktable, framing another question in his
mind. тАЬDismas says all of human technology is built on iron. Were we doomed when
we surrendered to the Children?тАЭ

тАЬNo.тАЭ Ahasuerus sighed. тАЬThere are other ways. We can generate electricity
with copper. Machine tools could be made of brass. I think we lost our hearts, lost
our nerve to the ChildrenтАЩs Compact. No one was ever willing to risk the
alternatives.тАЭ He waved at the copper mesh glove. тАЬTomorrow, are you willing to
test the Child trap? It is a dangerous but necessary step.тАЭ

Dangerous but necessary, thought Gestas. Two conditions to which any
gentleman should aspire. тАЬYes. I would be pleased, although I imagine Dismas
fancied going first.тАЭ
 тАЬI shall speak to Dismas,тАЭ said the smith. тАЬWe understand one another all too
well.тАЭ