JК
The Lovers :: Фармер Филип Хосе
Страница: 14 из 127If they could find one, then another, even more objectionable couple (probably one that had just been elevated from a lower professionalclass) would move in with them.
Oh, Sigmen! he thought. Why can't I be content with things as they are? Why can't I accept reality fully? Why must I have so much of the Backrunner in me? Tell me, tell me!
It was Mary's voice he heard as she settled into bei beside him. 'Hal, surely you aren't going to stick to this unshib? '
'What unshib?' he said, though he knew what she meant.
'Sleeping in your dayclothes.'
'Why not?'
'Hall' she said. 'You know very well why not!'
'No, I don't,' he replied. He removed his arm from his eyes and stared into total blackness. She had, as prescribed, turned off the light before getting into bed.
Her body, if unclothed, would gleam white in the light of lamp or moon, he thought. Yet, I have never seen her body, never seen her even half-undressed. Never seen any woman's body except for that picture that man in Berlin showed me. And I, after one half-hungry, half-horrified look, ran as swiftly as I could. I wonder if tha Uzzites found him soon after and did to him whatever they do to men who pervert reality so hideously.
So hideously... yet, he could see the picture as if it were before his eyes now in the full light of Berlin. And he could see the man who was trying to sell it to him, a tall, good-looking youth with blond hair and broad shoulders, speaking the Berliner variety of Icelandic.
White flesh gleaming...
Mary had been silent for several minutes, but he could hear her breathing. Then, 'Hal, haven't you done enough since you came home? Must you make me tell the gapt even more?'
'And just what else have I done?' he asked fiercely. Nevertheless, he smiled slightly, for he was determined to make her speak plainly, to come out and ask. Not that she ever would, but he was going to get her to come as close as she was capable.
'That's just it, you haven't done anything,' she whispered.
'Now what do you mean?
'You know.'
'No, I don't'
'The night before you left for the Preserve, you said you were too tired. That's no real excuse, but I didn't say anything to the gapt about it because you had fulfilled your weekly duty. But you've been gone two weeks, and now–'
'Weekly duty!' he said loudly, resting on one elbow. 'Weekly duty! Is that what you think of it?'
'Why, Hal,' she said with a surprised note. 'What else am I to think?'
Groaning, he lay back down and stared into the dark.
'What's the use?' he said.
Oh, Sigmen! he thought. Why can't I be content with things as they are? Why can't I accept reality fully? Why must I have so much of the Backrunner in me? Tell me, tell me!
It was Mary's voice he heard as she settled into bei beside him. 'Hal, surely you aren't going to stick to this unshib? '
'What unshib?' he said, though he knew what she meant.
'Sleeping in your dayclothes.'
'Why not?'
'Hall' she said. 'You know very well why not!'
'No, I don't,' he replied. He removed his arm from his eyes and stared into total blackness. She had, as prescribed, turned off the light before getting into bed.
Her body, if unclothed, would gleam white in the light of lamp or moon, he thought. Yet, I have never seen her body, never seen her even half-undressed. Never seen any woman's body except for that picture that man in Berlin showed me. And I, after one half-hungry, half-horrified look, ran as swiftly as I could. I wonder if tha Uzzites found him soon after and did to him whatever they do to men who pervert reality so hideously.
So hideously... yet, he could see the picture as if it were before his eyes now in the full light of Berlin. And he could see the man who was trying to sell it to him, a tall, good-looking youth with blond hair and broad shoulders, speaking the Berliner variety of Icelandic.
White flesh gleaming...
Mary had been silent for several minutes, but he could hear her breathing. Then, 'Hal, haven't you done enough since you came home? Must you make me tell the gapt even more?'
'And just what else have I done?' he asked fiercely. Nevertheless, he smiled slightly, for he was determined to make her speak plainly, to come out and ask. Not that she ever would, but he was going to get her to come as close as she was capable.
'That's just it, you haven't done anything,' she whispered.
'Now what do you mean?
'You know.'
'No, I don't'
'The night before you left for the Preserve, you said you were too tired. That's no real excuse, but I didn't say anything to the gapt about it because you had fulfilled your weekly duty. But you've been gone two weeks, and now–'
'Weekly duty!' he said loudly, resting on one elbow. 'Weekly duty! Is that what you think of it?'
'Why, Hal,' she said with a surprised note. 'What else am I to think?'
Groaning, he lay back down and stared into the dark.
'What's the use?' he said.