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

his head on hers, as if the force of his love could shield her from heaven
and earth. Then, to his astonishment, she laughed. When he unwound from
her it was like unwrapping a present. тАЬI have an idea,тАЭ she said.

That afternoon the female companion to Immortal Snake, dressed in
the simple clothes of a minor lady of the court, made her way through the
intricate streets of the Nine Rings to a hill beyond the edge of the city.
There were no trees on this path, only the single fig tree at the top of the
hill, that her brother had planted when he became Immortal Snake. Here
and there crosses stood alongside the road, hung with tattered clothes like
pieces of skin. Broken by Heaven knew what they were, of course, the
symbols of the dried out skins of all the Immortal Snakes who had gone
before her brother, and whose actual skins remained in the vaults
underneath the observatory. Beyond the road, in large black pens, the white
bulls snorted and scratched at the ground, as if they themselves were only
waiting for the moment when they could tear her to pieces. She stopped a
moment and stared at one of them, his shoulders like earthquakes, his
eyes like tornadoes. He stamped the earth and she almost lost her balance
but she held fast, and when the bull looked away, the female companion of
Immortal Snake laughed and continued up the path.

The Kingdom of God was a large square building with a glass roof.
There were four doors, one for each season. At dawn on the equinoxes
and solstices the Readers of God would step out the door of that time of
year and sound the trumpets, as if they themselves commanded the sun to
show itself. Broken By Heaven took a breath and entered the gray door of
winter.
 A consultation was taking place, and Broken by Heaven stayed back
while the Reader told a jewelry maker the best day to open a new shop in a
colony city. When the jeweler had placed the proper fee in a toad-shaped
box made of gold and jade, and then hurried out (for no one stayed longer
than necessary in the Kingdom of God) Broken by Heaven stepped into the
light of the wide room.

At first the Reader allowed shock to open his face, for it was no
secret what the SnakeтАЩs companion thought of the Readers and their
sacred duty. Quickly he recovered and crossed his arms over his chest as
he inclined his head. тАЬMistress,тАЭ he said, тАЬhow may this servant of God help
you?тАЭ

She looked around. The ceiling was high, and painted with stars, and
animals running through the sky. Along the walls stood more of the tattered
effigies on crosses but now the rags were made of gold leaf. Broken by
Heaven said, тАЬIтАЩve never been here before.тАЭ

тАЬNo, Mistress.тАЭ

She smiled to see his nervousness. Though he wore the yellow and
purple robe of his office, the fabric looked a little thin, the snake amulet
around his neck made of bronze instead of gold. She said, тАЬI wonder if you