"Gene Wolfe - The Waif" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wolfe Gene)

The other boy's shoulders rose and fell. "I suppose. Some of them do

"They let you?"

The other boy dipped what was left of his bread into his soup and a it. "Not exactly, but they
know I'm there sometimes."

"What's your name?"
"They call me the Cold Lad." The other boy smiled. "But that's not really my name. My name
is Ariael."

"Mine's Bin."

Bin had smiled too when he spoke, but the other boy's smile faded. "What are you going to
do when I leave, Bin?"

"I guess go back to bed."

"I'm tired, too. Probably more tired than you are." The other boy spooned up the last of his
soup and drank it. "I want you to let me hide in here, where it's warm. Gam won't find me.
Will you do that?"

"You don't have no boots?" Bin was looking at the other boy's bare feet; one had been
bleeding, and the blood was caked with ashes now.

"No. None."

"Gam bought me these." Bin indicated his own boots, sheepskin boots with thick wooden
soles. "They're big so I can wear 'em next year too."
The other boy said nothing.

"I guess I could give you one."

The other boy grinned and hugged him, which surprised him very much indeed. 'I won't take
it," he whispered. He let Bin go.

"But, Bin, think how Gam would feel if you gave me a boot. You'd have to say you lost it, and
she'd be terribly hurt."

"I guess."

"So instead of giving me one of your boots, I want you to do something much easier. I want
you to let me hide in bed with you. I won't take up much room, and I'll get down under the
covers so Gam won't see me. Watch."

Handing Bin his bowl and spoon, the other boy ran soundlessly to Bin's bed and slipped
beneath the old quilt. The quilt rose -- or so it seemed to Bin, watching it by firelight. For a
moment or two it twitched and settled itself.