"Ian Watson - Early in the Evening" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watson Ian)

muck every morning?"

Margaret pestered her mother Elisabeth: "Why do I have to weed every
day?"

Jonathon dug his sister in the ribs. "That's just in the mornings, stupid."

"I'm not stupid! I'll be doing better than you in school this afternoon."

"Why do we have to go to school, Dad? What's the use?"

"Would you rather spend all day collecting dung?" Richard whispered
grimly.

"How could I spend all day?" asked the boy with irksome logic. "There's
no muck left lying about later on."

"In that case," retorted his father, "you must collect muck while it's
available."

"It's shitty."

"Watch your tongue! You just gather those droppings to scatter on the
fallows after they've been ploughed. That's your task, Son. We all have
tasks."

"We needn't -- "

Up in the pulpit, which was still carved of stone, Father Hopkins blinked.
Unaided as yet by spectacles, he peered towards the box-pew which the
Lucases were sharing with the Baxters.

"Sufficient unto the hour is the toil thereof!" he called out. "Believe me,
lad. All of you harken to me: our mundane lives are so much more
comprehensive now than ever they were before. Our lives are so much
more extensive, even universal, by the grace of Gaea. Each day we
embrace such a gamut of experiences. What does the snowdrop know of
such rich diversity, such a varying pageant? Isn't this how we should view
our plight?"

Was Hopkins the same priest as once he had been, before the treason of


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Early, in the Evening - a story by Ian Watson

time? Hopkins retained an oratorical bent, as well as a duty of care.
However, he had abandoned all Christian theology. Jesus and God the
Father and the Holy Ghost were irrelevant to what had occurred. Gaea, on