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

тАЬI know of one,тАЭ she told him, and took his hand. She led him through
rooms and corridors until they came to a mahogany door that opened into
the bed chamber of Immortal Snake. They spent the night there, deep in
each otherтАЩs bodies, until just before dawn when they returned to their
places in the Hall of Precious Happiness. Soon everyone awoke and left
the room.

****

That day, Broken by Heaven surprised her ladies by asking for color
in her clothes. After several consultations and dashes to seamstresses
they presented to her a violet dress shot through with swirls of yellow and
green. Their suggestion of a special haircut was met with a single upraised
hand, so they settled for taking turns brushing her hair, ten strokes each,
with a silent prayer for their mistressтАЩs happiness at the start of every
stroke.

The dress fit so well, and her hair shone so brightly, that Immortal
Snake did not even recognize her until his eyes had followed her halfway
into the Hall of Precious Happiness. When he realized this was his sister he
blushed, then made a face, thinking she had come to lecture him for
wasting his time with stories. He braced himself for a fight, lining up in his
mind all his recent efforts to persuade his ministers to help the poor. When
she said nothing, only smiled (he could hardly remember the last time that
had happened), and took a seat at his right, not far from the storyteller, he
was surprised to discover he was disappointed. He almost wanted her to
scold him so he could show her how wrong she was.

The tale that night was like a drug, a smoke or an oil that first delights
the senses, and then carries one away down a river of color and sound, and
wave after wave of pleasure. It was not really sleep it brought, and not really
a dream, but in a short time they were all gone. All but the storyteller
himself, and one of his listeners. Broken by Heaven stood up, and Tribute
of Angels rose beside her. They kissed a long sweet time, certain that no
one would disturb them. Then once again she took his hand and led him to
the wide bed of the ruler of the world.

They continued this way for a week until one night, as the dawn
approached, and Tribute of Angels began to gather his clothes to return to
the Hall, his love began to cry. He said nothing, only kissed the flow of tears
on her face. Finally she looked at him and she said, тАЬI donтАЩt want to die.тАЭ

тАЬNo,тАЭ he said.

тАЬThey will come today, or tomorrow, or next weekтАФDo you know what
they will do to us?тАЭ

тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt want to die.тАЭ He held her now, his arms and legs around her,