"Лорд Дансени. The Glittering Gate (Блистающие врата) (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

the door now, Jim. {Creak, creak} It will be all a
blaze of light, and I'll hardly know it's her till I
get used to it... But I'll know her among a million
angels. There were n't none like her on Earth and
there won't be none like her in Heaven... Jim! I'm
through, Jim! One more turn, and Old Nut-cracker's
done it! It's giving! It's giving! I know the feel
of it. *Jim*!

{At last there is a noise of falling bolts; the gates
swing out an inch and are stopped by the rock.}
:
Jim! Jim! I've opened it, Jim. I've opened the Gate
of Heaven! Come and help me.
: {looks up for a moment with open mouth. Then he
mournfully shakes his head and goes on drawing a cork}
Another one empty.
: {looks down once into the abyss that lies below the
Lonely Place} Stars. Blooming great stars.

{Then he moves away the rock on which he stood. The
gates move slowly. Jim leaps up and runs to help; they
each take a gate and move backward with their faces
against it.}
:
Hullo, mother! You there? Hullo! You there? It's
Bill, mother.

{The gates swing heavily open, revealing empty night
and stars.}
: {staggering and gazing into the revealed Nothing, in
which far stars go wandering} Stars. Blooming great
stars. There *ain't* no Heaven, Jim.

{Ever since the revelation a cruel and violent laugh
has arisen off. It increases in volume and grows
louder and louder.}
:
That's like them. That's very like them. Yes, they'd
do that!

{The curtain falls and the laughter still howls on.}