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

might ask the head of your order if he wouldnтАЩt mind talking with me a
moment. I have a question I would like to ask him.тАЭ

тАЬOf course,тАЭ the man said, and hurried away, eager to let someone
else answer her questions. They could not deny her. The SnakeтАЩs
companions into death were due every honor, every request granted but
one.

The master was a larger version of the underling, broader, thicker,
with gray hair grandly swept back, a bushy beard with eyebrows to match, a
thick nose and scarred hands. Broken by Heaven had heard he was once a
wrestler. His robe was thick and luxurious, his talisman almost large enough
to be a breastplate. Gold, it depicted a snake wound around a tree whose
fruit was stars. тАЬGreat light of our heart,тАЭ he said. тАЬYou fill this hardworking
temple with joy.тАЭ

тАЬThank you,тАЭ Broken by Heaven said, and nodded. Then, тАЬLately I find
myself awake at night, curious beyond curious with a single question.тАЭ

She could see his shoulders tense, the head tilt down slightly.
Carefully he said, тАЬMy lady, some things we cannot know in advance. All we
can do is give ourselves to the sacrifice when God reveals the moment.тАЭ

Broken pretended to be startled, amused. тАЬOh no,тАЭ she said. тАЬI would
neverтАФthat would be like cheating, wouldnтАЩt it?тАЭ She smiled sweetly at him.

тАЬPlease forgive me, mistress, I wasnтАЩt sayingтАФтАЭ

тАЬTo be honest, my question is not practical but philosophical.тАЭ He said
nothing. тАЬTell me. What is GodтАЩs greatest gift to the world?тАЭ

He laughed. тАЬWhat you ask is too easy. Certainly GodтАЩs greatest gift
is the writing in the sky. Through this one benevolence we know
everythingтАФwhen to plant, when to harvest, when to attack or defend, when
to build homes or compose songs, when to dig a well or begin a
marriageтАФeverything.тАЭ

She nodded. тАЬWhat you say is of course true. But God has given
Tribute of Angels the power to tell stories in a way that has never been
equaled.тАЭ

For a moment he stared at her, outraged. Then his breathing calmed
and he said, тАЬYou are not suggesting that a storyteller can surpass GodтАЩs
writing in the sky?тАЭ

тАЬNo. I am saying that this life on Earth is a greater wonder than all the
calendars of heaven. And the voice and stories of Tribute of Angels are the
doors to understand this.тАЭ

тАЬForgive me, Lady, but what you say is nonsense. GodтАЩs writing lasts