"James Alan Gardner - Three Hearings on the Existence of Snakes in the Human Bloodstream" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gardner James Alan)

serpent there, hidden by weeds. He therefore took up a stone that he might
crush the beast; but Mary stayed his hand, saying, '"There is no danger, for
look, the beast sleeps."
"Teacher," Matthias answered, "it will not sleep forever."
"Verily," said Mary, "I promise it will sleep till dawn; and when the
dawn comes, we will leave this place and all the serpents that it holds."
Yet still, Matthias kept hold of the stone and gazed upon the serpent
with fear.
"O ye of little faith, " said Mary to Matthias, "why do you concern
yourself with the sleeping creature before you, when you are blind to the
serpents in your own heart? For I tell you, each drop of your blood courses
with a legion of serpents, and so it is for every Child of Dust. You are all
poisoned with black venoms, poisoned unto death. But if you believe in me, I
will sing those serpents to sleep; then will they slumber in peace until you
leave this flesh behind, entering into the dawn of God's new day."

Ben Jacob lowered his page and looked to the Verifiers for their
confirmation. The Patriarch turned in their direction too, but he didn't need
their nods to tell him the scripture had been read correctly. Septus knew the
passage by heart; it was one of the fundamental texts of Mother Church, the
Virgin's promise of salvation. It was also one of the most popular texts for
heretics to challenge. The presumption of original sin, of damnation being
inherent in human flesh... that was anathema to many a fiery young soul.
What kind of God, they asked, would damn an infant to hell merely
for being born? It was a good question, its answer still the subject of
much subtle debate; but the Virgin's words were unequivocal, whether or not
theologians had reasoned out all the implications.
"Anton Leeuwenhoek," Septus said, "you have heard the verified word of
scripture. Do you deny its truth?"
Leeuwenhoek stayed directly back. "I must," he answered. "I have
examined human blood in meticulous detail. It contains no serpents."
The toadies in the courtroom had their mouths open, ready to 'gasp again
at sacrilege; but even they could hear the man was not speaking in deliberate
blasphemy. He seemed to be stating... a fact.
How odd.
Septus straightened slightly in the Patriarchal throne. This had the
prospect of more interest than the usual heresy trial. "You understand," he
said to Leeuwenhoek, this passage is about original sin. The Blessed Virgin
states that all human beings are poisoned with sin and can only be redeemed
through her."
"On the contrary, Your Holiness." Leeuwenhoek's voice was sharp. "The
passage states there are snakes in human blood. I know there are not."
"The snakes are merely..." Septus stopped himself in time. He had been
on the verge of saying the snakes were merely a metaphor; but this was a
public trial, and any pronouncements he made would have the force of law. To
declare that any part of scripture was not the literal truth ... no Patriarch
had ever done so in open forum, and Septus did not intend to be the first.
"Let us be clear on this point," Septus said to Leellwenhoek. "Do you
deny the Doctrine of Original Sin?"
"No. I could never make heads or tails of theology. What I understand is