"03 - Time Streams" - читать интересную книгу автора (McGough Scott)

"I shall then be Arty Shovelhead," the probe said

solemnly.

"Come along, then, Shovelhead," said Teferi grandly,

gesturing down the corridor with his boyish arm. Streamers

of conjured illumination fanned out from his fingers. "I

have much to show you."

The crowd of students surged up around the probe and

dragged at his cold metal hands with their warm fingers. He

plodded along among them, careful not to step on their feet.

The entourage of children led the probe along as though

he were a visiting dignitary. They arrived first at a large

dining hall with ivory rafters and soaring walls of

alabaster. Beneath this white vault were long, dark tables

crowded with more students who bent above bowls of gruel and

platters of hard crackers and cheese.

"This is the great hall," narrated Teferi. "This is

where we students eat. The food is specially prepared so

that nothing about it could distract us from our studies.

Notice the bland colors and mean consistency of it all? The

flavors are even more indistinguishable. No one could gnaw

on one of those crackers and spend even a moment to

contemplate its nonexistent virtues."

The probe could tell that this boy had an acute grasp of

the truth behind appearances. "Master Malzra must care

greatly about your studies."