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

forever.тАЭ He did not add, тАЬAnd the voice of the storyteller ends the moment
we kill him.тАЭ

She said, тАЬThe writing in the sky, the moon and the stars, you know
these things. Have you listened to Tribute of Angels?тАЭ

тАЬOf course not.тАЭ

тАЬThen how can you judge? Only come tonight, you and all your
brothers. Come this one time, and then you may decide.тАЭ

The old battler crossed his arms. тАЬWe will be there, but I warn you, we
will not stay. GodтАЩs writing is a gift that renews itself every evening.тАЭ
 тАЬThank you,тАЭ she said. тАЬI look forward to your presence in our
company.тАЭ

When Broken by Heaven returned to her room she wrote a short note
on a piece of blue parchment, sealed it with a stamp of a boy and girl
holding hands in a garden, then gave it to Flower of Her Brothers, the least
frivolous of her servants. She said, тАЬTake this to Tribute of Angels.тАЭ

The storyteller bowed his gratitude to the breathless young woman,
then waited till she left before breaking the seal. тАЬThey come tonight,тАЭ the
note said. тАЬBe ready.тАЭ

When he first saw the Readers enter his Hall of Precious Happiness,
Immortal Snake jumped from his chair as if he would outrun them. The
guests too rushed to the side of the room, expecting bulls to charge in and
trample the ruler. They soon realized that no trumpets had sounded, no
orders had come for the people to hide themselves in their houses. And
look, there were the SnakeтАЩs companions, and neither of them had
panicked. Carefully the guests returned to their seats.

тАЬGreat lord,тАЭ the Master said, with all his crew, some twelve of them,
from boys to old men, clustered behind him. тАЬYour sister, who is beloved of
heaven, took pity on our loneliness and came to speak with us.тАЭ Immortal
Snake stared at his sister, who looked down at her hands in her lap. He
glanced back at the Reader, who did not seem to find such modesty
unusual. The Readers, however, had not known her all their lives. Suddenly
interested, Immortal Snake leaned back in his chair and said, тАЬMy sister is a
kind and generous woman.тАЭ

тАЬShe told us,тАЭ the Reader said, тАЬof the wondrous stories told every
night by your blessed companion, Tribute of Angels.тАЭ

Now the Snake looked to his other side, where the slave too sat
modestly. The remains of his panic flowed out of him now, and he raised a
palm, as if in gratitude to God. He said to this man, who some day would
feed him poison and mount his skin upon a stick, тАЬThe Living World honors
us to have given us such blessings as Tribute of Angels. And of course my