"Rachel Pollack - Immortal Snake" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pollack Rachel)

moved into the servantтАЩs room. Despite the pleas of her young ladies, who
longed for romance and intrigue, she refused to go anywhere or see
anyone. There was no point, for at any moment the trumpets might sound
and the white bulls trample the stone streets. And then the Holy Readers
would cut her throat, and cook her into their poisonous stew.

So she sat quietly, often just staring at the wall, or occasionally writing
poetry, in complicated forms, in a large leather book that had once
belonged to her grandmother, using very black ink to write over the
supposedly wise and sacred teachings that covered the pages. Should she
kill herself? It would end the terrible waiting, and if nothing else it might
disrupt the calculations of the Readers. Just for that reason, she knew they
would never allow it. Along with the chattering ladies two men stood guard
at her doorway. They told her that the Snake had sent them to protect her,
but she knew why they were there, and whose orders they followed.

Sometimes the young ladies teased the guards and pretended to
seduce them. Oddly, Broken by Heaven never seemed to mind their
silliness. In the days when she was More Clever Than Her Father she
detested such women, whose heads contained nothing but powder and
kohl. Now, however, she enjoyed their laughter and their whispers, their
heartbreaks that never seemed to last more than a few days, even their
occasional pouting. They were alive, and eager, and no one was waiting for
the right moment to murder them. They were all she had, and she loved
them.

So it was that one day, after noticing them even more breathless and
twittery than usual, she asked what had so excited their interest. One of
them, a bright young lady named Flower of Her Brothers, clapped her
hands and said, тАЬOh mistress, last night we went to hear Tribute of Angels.
It was so marvelous. You must go.тАЭ The others joined in, тАЬYes, please
please go.тАЭ

Broken by Heaven smiled at her. тАЬAnd what exactly does this Tribute
of Angels do? Is he a singer? A love poet?тАЭ

тАЬOh no,тАЭ Flower said, and all the ladies laughed at the thought that
there was anyone, anywhere, who did not know of this wonderful man who
was a very gift of God. She said, with a certain pride, тАЬTribute of Angels is a
storyteller.тАЭ

Broken by Heaven closed her eyes. She remembered now. She had
heard how after sheтАЩd walked out on her wretched brother he had taunted
his ministers by choosing a storytelling slave to be his male companion.
SoonтАФat any momentтАФshe and this slave would bubble and cook together
in a bowl of death. She said, тАЬI would like to hear this man. Do you think he
will perform again tonight?тАЭ

The girls jumped up and down with excitement. тАЬYes, yes,тАЭ they
proclaimed, тАЬhe tells his marvels every night. ThereтАЩs a feast beforehand.