"Coldheart Canyon (preview edition)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Barker Clive - Coldheart Canyon)

"It wasn't my choice. I was just a young priest at the time. I did as I was
told. I moved tables and chairs and tapestries, and I kept my counsel. Our leader
then was Father Nicholas, who was very clear on the best thing to be doneуthe safest
thing for our soulsуand would not be moved on the subject. So we did as we were
told. Father Nicholas, by the way, had the foulest temper of any man I ever knew. We
all lived in fear of him."
Zeffer moved into the room, talking as he went: "May I say something that I
hope won't offend you?"
"I'm not easily offended, don't worry."
"Well...it's just that the more I hear about your Order, the less like
priests you seem to be. Father Nicholas's temper and the brothers all familiar with
Theda Bara. And then the brandy."
мAh, the sins of the flesh," Father Sandru said. "We do seem to have more
than our share, don't we?"
"I have offended you."
"No. You've simply seen the truth. And how can a man of God be justly
offended by that? What you've observed is no coincidence. We are all...how shall I
put this?...men who have more than our share of flaws. Some of us were never trusted
with a flock. Others, like Father Nicholas, were. But the arrangement was never
deemed satisfactory."
"His temper?"
"I believe he threw a Bible at one of the parishioners who was sleeping
through the good Father's sermon." Zeffer chuckled; but his laughter was silenced a
moment later. "It killed the man."
"Killedу?"
"An accident, but still..."
"уwith a Bible. Surely not."
"Well, that's how the rumor went. Father Nicholas has been dead twenty
years, so there's no way to prove it or disprove it. Let's hope it isn't true, and
if it is, hope he's at peace with it now. The fact is, I'm glad I was never trusted
with a parish. With a flock to tend. I couldn't have done much for them."
"Why not?" Zeffer asked, a little impatient with Sandru's melancholy now.
"Do you have difficulty finding God in a place like this?"
"To be honest Mr. Zeffer, with every week that passesуI almost want to say
with every hourуI find it harder to see a sign of God anywhere. It would not be
unreasonable, I think, to ask Him to show himself in beauty. In the face of your
lady-companion, perhaps...?"
Katya's face as proof of God's presence? It was an unlikely piece of
metaphysics, Zeffer thought.
"I apologize," Sandru said. "You didn't come here to hear me talk about my
lack of faith."
"I don't mind."
"Well I do. The brandy makes me maudlin."
"Shall I take a look then?" Zeffer suggested, мAt whatever's in here?"
"Yes, why don't we?" Sandru replied. "I wish I could give you some kind of
guidance, but..." He shrugged; his favorite gesture. "Why don't you start looking,
and I'll go back and get us something more to drink?"
"Nothing more for me," Zeffer replied.
"Well, then for me," Sandru said. "I'll only be a moment. If you need me,
just call. I'll hear you."