"Robert Charles Wilson - Julian- A Christmas Story" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilson Robert Charles) "What I propose is that I take on Adam as a second student, full-time, and to the ultimate benefit of
both boys." Sam was usually a man of few wordsтАФeven as a teacherтАФand he seemed as exhausted by this oration as if he had lifted some great weight. "As a student, but a student of what, Mr. Godwin?" "Mechanics. History. Grammar and composition. Martial skillsтАФ" "Adam already knows how to fire a rifle." "Pistolwork, sabrework, fist-fightingтАФbut that's only a fraction of it," Sam added hastily. "Julian's father asked me to cultivate the boy's mind as well as his reflexes." My mother had more to say on the subject, chiefly about how my work at the stables helped offset the family's leases, and how difficult it would be to do without those extra vouchers at the Estate store. But Sam had anticipated the point. He had been entrusted by Julian's motherтАФthat is to say, the sister-in-law of the PresidentтАФwith a discretionary fund for Julian's education, which could be tapped to compensate for my absence from the stables. And at a handsome rate. He quoted a number, and the objections from my parents grew considerably less strenuous, and were finally whittled away to nothing. (I observed all this from a room away, through a gap in the door.) Which is not to say no misgivings remained. Before I set off for the Estate the next day, this time to visit one of the Great Houses rather than the stables, my mother warned me not to tangle myself too promise, less easily kept than I imagined.[4]) "It may not be your morals that are at risk," she said. "The high-born conduct themselves by different standards than we use, Adam. The games they play have mortal stakes. You do know that Julian's father was hung?" Julian never spoke of it, but it was a matter of public record. I repeated Sam's assertion that Bryce Comstock had been innocent. "He may well have been. That's the point. There has been a Comstock in the Presidency for the past thirty years, and the current Comstock is said to be jealous of his power. The only real threat to the reign of Julian's uncle was the ascendancy of his brother, who made himself dangerously popular in the war with the Brazilians. I suspect Mr. Godwin is correct, that Bryce Comstock was hanged not because he was a bad General but because he was a successful one." No doubt such scandals were possibleтАФI had heard stories about life in New York City, where the President resided, that would curl a Cynic's hair. But what could these things possibly have to do with me? Or even Julian? We were only boys. Such was my naivet├й. 4 The days had grown short, and Thanksgiving had come and gone, and so had November, and snow |
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