"C. L. Moore - Fruit Of Knowledge" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moore C. L)

take shape out of. . . never mind. . . and come to you in the body you
pictured for me, because I knew what wonderful things we could accomplish here
in Eden, together. You're God's own image, and you have greater powers than
you know, Adam." The tremendous idea that had come to her in the ether when
she first heard his soundless call glowed in her voice. "There's no limit to
what we could do here, together! Greater things than even God ever dreamed-"
"You're so pretty," interrupted Adam, smiling down at her with his disarming,
empty smile. "I'm so glad you came-"
Lilith let the rest of her eagerness run out in a long sigh. It was no use
trying to talk to him now. He was too new. Powerful with a godlike power, yes,
but unaware of it-unaware even of himself as an individual being. He had not
tasted the Fruit of Knowledge and his innocence was as flawless as his beauty.
Nothing was in his mind, or could be, that God had not put there at his
shaping from the warm earth of Eden.
And perhaps it was best, after all. Adam was too close to godhood to see eye
to eye with her in all she might want to do. If he never tasted knowledge,
then he would ask no questions-and so he must never touch the Tree.
The Tree- It reminded her that Eden was still a testing ground, not a finished
creation. She thought she knew now what the flaw in man had been which made it
possible for Lilith, of all the creatures of ether, to stand here at the very
focus of all the power and beauty and innocence in Eden. Lilith, who was evil
incarnate and knew it very well. God had made Adam incomplete, and not,
perhaps, realized the flaw. And out of Adam's need Adam himself had created
woman- who was not complete either. Lilith realized it suddenly, and began to
understand the depth of her reaction to this magnificent creature who still
held her in his arms.
There was an idea somewhere back of all this which was immensely important,
but her mind would not pursue it. Her mind kept sliding off the question to
dwell cloudily on the Man upon whose shoulder she was leaning. What curious
stuff this flesh was! While she wore it, not even the absorbing question of
God's purpose, not even her own peril here, could quite obliterate the
knowledge of Adam's presence, his arm about her. Values had changed in a
frightening way, and the most frightening thing of all was that she did not
care. She laid her head back on his shoulder and inhaled the honeyed perfume
of the orange blossoms, futilely reminding herself that she was dangerously
wasting time. At any moment God might look down and see her, and there was so
much to be done before that happened. She must master this delicious fogging
of the senses whenever Adam's arm tightened about her. The Garden must be
fortified, and she must begin now.
Sighing, she laced her fingers through Adam's and crooned in the softest
voice:
"I want to see the Garden. Won't you show it to me?"
His voice was warm as he answered:
"I want to! I hoped you'd ask me that. It's such a wonderful place."
A cherub fluttered across the valley as they strolled eastward, and paused on
beating wings to frown down at them.
"Wait till He looks down," he piped. "Just wait, that's all!" Adam laughed,
and the cherub clucked disapprovingly and fluttered off, shaking his head.
Lilith, leaning on Adam's shoulder, laughed, too. She was glad that he could
not understand the cherub's warnings, deaf in the perfection of his innocence.