"Robert A. Heinlein - If this goes on" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

steps. He was a nice old duffer and usually stopped for a few friendly words;
tonight he was probably eager to get back to the warmth of the guardroom. I
went back to my sour thoughts.
‚Good evening, John Lyle.’
I almost jumped out of my boots. Standing in the darkness just inside the
archway was Sister Judith. I managed to splutter, ‚Good evening, Sister
Judith,’ as she moved toward me.
‚Ssh!’ she cautioned me. ‚Someone might hear us. John Lyle-it finally
happened. My lot was drawn!’
I said, ‚Huh?’ then added lamely, ‚Felicitations, Elder Sister. May God make
his face to shine on your holy service.’
‚Yes, yes, thanks,’ she answered quickly, ‚but John . . . I had intended to
steal a few moments to chat with you. Now I can’t-I must be at the robing
room for indoctrination and prayer almost at once. I must run.’
‚You’d better hurry,’ I agreed. I was disappointed that she could not stay,
happy for her that she was honored, and exultant that she had not forgotten
me. ‚God go with you.’
‚But I just had to tell you that I had been chosen.’ Her eyes were shining with
what I took to be holy joy; her next words startled me. ‚I’m scared, John Lyle.’
‚Eh? Frightened?’ .1 suddenly recalled how I had felt, how my voice had
cracked, the first time I ever drilled a platoon. ‚Do not be. You will be
sustained.’
‚Oh, I hope so! Pray for me, John.’ And she was gone, lost in the dark
corridor.
I did pray for her and I tried to imagine where she was, what she was doing.
But since I knew as little about what went on inside the Prophet’s private
chambers as a cow knows about courts-martial, I soon gave it up and simply
thought about Judith. Later, an hour or more, my reverie was broken by a
high scream inside the Palace, followed by a commotion, and running
footsteps. I dashed down the inner corridor and found a knot of women
gathered around the portal to the Prophet’s apartments. Two or three others
were carrying someone out the portal; they stopped when the reached the
corridor and eased their burden to the floor.
‚What’s the trouble?’ I demanded and drew my side arm clear.
An elderly Sister stepped in front of me. ‚It is nothing. Return to your
post, legate.’
‚I heard a scream.’
‚No business of yours. One of the Sisters fainted when the Holy One
required service of her.’
‚Who was it?’
‚You are rather nosy, little brother.’ She shrugged. ‚Sister Judith, if it
matters.’
I did not stop to think but snapped, ‚Let me help her!’ and started forward.
She barred my way.
‚Are you out of your mind? Her sisters will return her to her cell. Since when
do the Angels minister to nervous Virgins?’
I could easily have pushed her aside with one finger, but she was right. I
backed down and went unwillingly back to my post.
For the next few days I could not get Sister Judith out of my mind. Off watch,
I prowled the parts of the Palace I was free to visit, hoping to catch sight of