"Jody Lynn Nye - School Of Light" - читать интересную книгу автора (Nye Jody Lynn)

today. Rutaro had to be the intense, dark-haired one on the left, with a soft, floppy bow tie under his vivid
face. His two friends were a tall, thin boy with dreamy eyes wearing a knee-length coat that only made him
look lankier, and a short, belligerent-looking girl with a dark blue dress that fell unbecomingly just below
her knees and a big bow tying back her hair. Juele had the sense of the passage of time, and four more young
people joined the first three. She couldnтАЩt see the newcomers quite as clearly as the three, but there was a
rainbow in the sky behind the group, and the fountain in the foreground, different in memory than it was
now, tinkled musically. RutaroтАЩs voice was soft.
тАЬIt was so good to find others who felt as I did.тАЭ
тАЬOh, I know what you mean,тАЭ Juele said, passionately, gazing up from the image. Rutaro gave her a
quizzical look, one eyebrow raised into his theatrically curled hair.
тАЬDo you?тАЭ he asked. Embarrassed, Juele turned away from his gaze. As she bent closer to look again at
the small scene, the illusion faded. тАЬI expect perhaps you do. YouтАЩll meet the others in time,тАЭ Rutaro said,
carelessly, flicking his fingers as if to clear them. тАЬCome on. We need to get you settled in. IтАЩve things to do
before dinner.тАЭ He beckoned, and Juele trotted after him.
тАЬThe philosophy of the School is simple,тАЭ he said as he walked. тАЬWe strive here to learn how to make the
best illusions to be found anywhere. In illusion, the skill is to make something look like something else, to
disguise the imperfect essentials. To make something invisible is easy. To use actual matter is cheating. The
illusion is the art.тАЭ He ran his hand through a wall that appeared to be white marble inlaid with a pattern of
brass flowers. His arm disappeared up to the forearm.
тАЬOh,тАЭ Juele said. тАЬBut that man, who changed the building to look like his illusion . . .тАЭ
тАЬHis own style. Not what We think.тАЭ Juele could hear the capital letter very clearly. But, she thought,
who is We?
тАЬWe imbue the illusion with importance by using appropriate symbolism,тАЭ Rutaro continued.
тАЬSymbolism is very important. But it is wrong to use symbols that are without meaning. Every object, every
color, every shade and nuance adds volumes of understanding, but Nature herself is the most perfect symbol
of all.тАЭ
тАЬI see,тАЭ Juele said, though she didnтАЩt.
тАЬWe have students of every age here. Art knows no boundaries,тАЭ Rutaro said, halting suddenly. тАЬBut you
are one of the youngest students weтАЩve ever had. This might be an adjustment for you. You can fit in, canтАЩt
you?тАЭ
Juele steeled herself. тАЬYes, I can,тАЭ she said, and with a mental crossing of her fingers, she folded her
hands together on a handy beam of sunlight and concentrated. When she opened them, a blue-white unicorn
pranced on her palms. It was one of her favorite images, detailed down to the last hair on the goatish tail.
The tiny creature lowered its glowing horn to her thumb, and a bright spot of light flashed where it touched.
Rutaro gave her a wry look and began walking again. Juele released the image and let it go back to
undifferentiated light, wondering if she had overstepped again. She followed Rutaro out of the lovely square,
and into a narrow, dark corridor like the inside of a stable. It smelled not unlike a stable, too, and Juele
noticed that the beams holding up the ceiling were rough wood with rusty nails sticking out here and there.
People were living in this building. She glanced through an open door and saw the tiniest room, fashioned
roughly out of a stall. On the narrow, lumpy bed were piled a few meager belongings. A very impoverished
student who couldnтАЩt afford anything better must live there, and the administrators fit him in where they
could. But as she passed more of the doors, she saw that behind every one was a room as small as the first.
All were occupied. This must be the charity dormitory, she thought. Rutaro halted and turned on his heel.
тАЬWhat residence are you assigned to?тАЭ he asked.
тАЬI donтАЩt know,тАЭ Juele said. She found the letter of admission in her pocket and held it out to him. In her
hand the piece of paper gleamed bright with high hopes, but when Rutaro held it, it became merely a piece of
paper. He stuck out his lower lip while reading.
тАЬOh,тАЭ he said. тАЬYouтАЩre in the Garrets. This is the Stables. This way.тАЭ
Rutaro turned at the end of the corridor, opened a small door, and guided Juele to a dark staircase that
smelled of dust and floor polish. He pointed upward and began to climb. Hoisting her bags, she followed him