"Joe Haldeman - Angel of Light" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haldeman Joe)

they have gotten the better deal."

The imam looked like he was trying to swallow a pill. "That's true enough," I said. "At best, they both do
get better deals, by their own reckoning."

"Here, then." It reached into a pocket or a pouch—I couldn't tell whether it was wearing clothes—and
brought out a ball of light.

It held out the light to a point midway between us, and let go. It floated in the air. "The light will stay
wherever you put it."
It shimmered a brilliant blue, with fringes of rainbow colors. "How long will it last?"

"Longer than you."

It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. I touched it with my finger—it felt cool, and
tingled—and pushed it a few inches. It stayed where I moved it.

"It's a deal, sir. Thank you."

"Shukran," it said, and they moved on down the line of tables.

I don't think it bought anything else. But it might have. I kept looking away from it, back into the light.

The imams and the white scientists all want to take the light away to study it. Eventually, I will loan it out.

For now, though, it is a Christmas gift to my son and daughter. The faithful, and the merely curious, come
to look at it, and wonder. But it stays in my house.

In Chrislam, as in old Islam, angels are not humanlike creatures with robes and wings. They are male
'ikah, beings of pure light.

They look wonderful on the top of a tree.