"Walter M. Miller - The Lost Masters - Volume 01" - читать интересную книгу автора (Miller Walter M)

but because of the presence of the Holy Sacrament on the portable table which he took with him on his
rounds, the priest preferred to stand, or to stay on his knees along with the penitent. He had lighted a
candle before the small golden case which contained the Hosts, but the flame was invisible in the
sun-glare, and the breeze might even have blown it out.
тАЬBut exorcism is permissible these days, without any specific higher authorization. What are you
confessingтАУbeing angry?тАЭ
тАЬThat too.тАЭ
тАЬAt whom did you become angry? At the old manтАУor at yourself for almost taking the food?тАЭ
тАЬIтАУIтАЩm not sure.тАЭ
тАЬWell, make up your mind,тАЭ Father Cheroki said impatiently. тАЬEither accuse yourself, or else not.тАЭ
тАЬI accuse myself.тАЭ
тАЬOf what?тАЭ Cheroki sighed.
тАЬOf abusing a sacramental in a fit of temper.тАЭ
тАЬ тАШAbusingтАЩ? You had no rational reason to suspect diabolic influence? You just became angry and
squirted him with it? Like throwing the ink in his eye?тАЭ
The novice squirmed and hesitated, sensing the priestтАЩs sarcasm. Confession was always difficult
for Brother Francis. He could never find the right words for his misdeeds, and in trying to remember his
own motives, he became hopelessly confused. Nor was the priest helping matters by taking the
тАЬeither-you-did-or-else-you-didnтАЩtтАЭ standтАУeven though, obviously, either Francis had or else he hadnтАЩt.
тАЬI think I lost my senses for a moment,тАЭ he said finally.
Cheroki opened his mouth, apparently meaning to pursue the matter, then thought better of it. тАЬI
see. What next then?тАЭ
тАЬGluttonous thoughts,тАЭ Francis said after a moment.
The priest sighed. тАЬI thought we were through with that. Or is this another time?тАЭ
тАЬYesterday. There was this lizard, Father. It had blue and yellow stripes, and such magnificent
hamsтАУthick as your thumb and plump, and I kept thinking how it would taste like chicken, roasted all
brown and crisp outside, andтАУтАЭ
тАЬAll right,тАЭ the priest interrupted. Only a hint of revulsion crossed his aged face. After all, the boy
was spending a lot of time in the sun. тАЬYou took pleasure in these thoughts? You didnтАЩt try to get rid of
the temptation?тАЭ
Francis reddened. тАЬIтАУI tried to catch it. It got away.тАЭ
тАЬSo, not merely thoughtтАУdeed as well. Just that one time?тАЭ
тАЬWell-yes, just that.тАЭ
тАЬAll right, in thought and deed, willfully meaning to eat meat during Lent. Please be as specific as
you can after this. I thought you had examined your conscience properly. Is there anything else?тАЩ
тАЬQuite a lot.тАЭ
The priest winced. He had several hermitages to visit; it was a long hot ride, and his knees were
hurting. Please get on with it as quickly as you can,тАЭ he sighed.
тАЬImpurity, once.тАЭ
тАЬThought, word, or deed?тАЭ
тАЬWell, there was this succubus, and sheтАУтАЭ
тАЬSuccubus? OhтАУnocturnal. You were asleep?тАЭ
тАЬYes, butтАУтАЭ
тАЬThen why confess it?тАЭ
тАЬBecause afterwards.тАЭ
тАЬAfterwards what? When you woke up?тАЭ
тАЬYes. I kept thinking about her. Kept imagining it all over again.тАЭ
тАЬAll right, concupiscent thought, deliberately entertained. YouтАЩre sorry? Now, what next?тАЭ
All this was the usual sort of thing that one kept hearing time after endless time from postulant after
postulant, novice after novice, and it seemed to Father Cheroki that the least Brother Francis could do