"Robert Weinberg - Logical Magician 01 - A Logical Magician" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weinberg Robert)

In those days, the peasants didn't have pop psychology to fall back on. There wasn't this
horde of apologists to offer feel-good explanations for aberrant behavior. So, instead, the
local populace did the next best thing. They blamed everything on us, the supernaturals."
"I'm not sure I follow what you're saying," said Jack, frowning. "Lots of people
accept full responsibility for their actions."
"Sure," said Simon, "but a lot more search for a convenient scapegoat. And their
more imaginative solutions created beings like me."
His voice grew caustic. "Got a problem, neighbor? Your young son refuses to plow
the field? And he runs away whenever you ask him to shovel the manure? Well, friend,
that doesn't sound like the actions of a well-bred, obedient child. Obviously, it can't be
any fault of yours. As God-fearing folk, you did your best for him. The only logical
explanation is that the boy isn't really your son."
 Simon's face crinkled with amusement. In the twilight, his eyes glowed amber.
"Blame those damned faeries. Free-spirited, mischievous imps love causing trouble for the
hard-working good folk of the earth. They replaced your true son with a shiftless,
no-good changeling. Sure, he looks just like the boy, but that's part of the spell. Mark my
words. Queen Titania's spoiling your offspring with sweets while this trickster wreaks
havoc on your farm. He'll never admit it, but you know the truth."
Solemnly, Simon passed a hand over his face. For a brief instant, his features
wavered, grew hazy. Then, an astonished Jack found himself staring at a mirror image of
himself.
"Impressive, huh?" asked Simon, in Jack's voice. "You should see me after one of
the 'Freddy Krueger-fests' at the Student Union movie theater. I scared a half-dozen
co-eds into swearing off beer for a year."
"I'm still not sure I see how this changeling business ties in with exchange students,"
said Jack. "And switch back to your own face. Life's complicated enough without talking
to myself."
"Your wish is my command," said Simon with only the slightest tinge of mockery in
his voice. With another pass of his hand, he returned to normal.
"Exchange students?" prompted Jack. Keeping Simon focused on one subject was
a full-time job.
"Sorry. My thoughts tend to wander a bit."
"I noticed," said Jack.
"Well, to give credit where credit is due, when you humans dreamt up explanations,
you did a thorough job of it. It wasn't enough that changelings replaced human children.
There had to be some reason for it. Despite all the talk of faeries acting by different rules
of behavior, that actually was never the case. After all, we were created in your image.
Your myths always provided us with motives that sounded suspiciously human.
"Anyways, Titania became the villainess. Poor Queen of the Faeries never stood a
chance. First, some of your more eloquent bards brought her and Oberon into existence,
as the romanticized ideals of pure love. Unfortunately, that meant never getting fat and
pregnant. No matter what she did, the Queen remained radiantly beautiful.
"However, most of the peasants were far less noble and wholesome. They
visualized faeries as much more..." Simon hesitated, and grinned. "Shall we say, earthier.
She and Oberon used to make the satyrs blush, and that wasn't easy."
"Exchange students?" repeated Jack, with a heavy sigh.
"Like I said, the Queen got blamed for the changelings. According to popular
belief, she desired kids to mother. She never let circumstances stand in her way. So, when
the maternal instincts overcame her good judgment, she stole away some poor mortal child
and replaced him with a changeling. Then, when the urge left her, we were switched