"Thomas M. Disch M. - The Pressure of Time" - читать интересную книгу автора (Disch Thomas M)

'nighty-six."

Is that old to dieP"
*



'You might say so. In lrelend."

But not in England?"
*



"Who's been talkirrg to you about England?"
"'I.[obody.'"

n'Your motherP"

"sister Augustine says you don't have to die in England, because they're all heretics there."

"f'll bet your mother has been saying things to you." Cousin Bridie made one of her faces. She didn't get
on with Emma's mother. The Anckers were poor and lived on O'Connell Street, while Ernma and her
mother lived with their grandfather above the ffowershop, Tauler's Ageless F/orDers. Mr. Tauler was a
Jew, and handled the comrnercial end. Emma's grandfather made the flowers, but he was too fat to look
after the shop, so Emma's rnother did that now, and Emma washed the ffowers with Fairy Liquid, first a
capital F, then a capital L.

The Anckers lived in two rooms in the basement with the three babies, F'lorence, Christopher, and
Angela. Cne whole wall was covered with the books, old books from before the Plague some of them.
They were Leonard's books. Leonard was Cousin Bridie's tragedy. He had a degree from Trinity
College and he was supposed to make houses except he didn't, so when you visited them you had to eat
Public Health food from Llnesco, and right before every meal Cousin Bridie would se/, "f hope you don't
mind the way we eat." It was better food most of the time than the food from stores.

After the babies' formula Cousin Bridie sat down by the telly, Sunset Serenades. Leonard was out at a
Conservative meetiilg, and Emma, being careful, took out one of the tall books. A woman was laying
down on a bed without any clothes and there was a fat nigger-woman behind her carrying flowers. Then
there was a boy dressed ,rp like an lrish National Security Agent and

L74

playing a flute. Then just sorne flowers. Then a sort of mess with a boat in it. Then the woman who
looked so much like Emma's mother that they all agreed it was a miracle. She had a parrot too.

Leonard came home drunk and said he damn well did think it was a cause for celebration, and Cousin
Bridie said he was disgusting and there are some things you shouldnt say.

And then Leonard said, "Well I say fuck him and fqv him, the old bastard."