"Zenna Henderson - Pilgrimage2" - читать интересную книгу автора (Henderson Zenna)

"Anyway-" Karen stood up briskly, "food again-then a nap. I'll give sleep to
you. Then the Gathering. There will be your new beginning."

Lea shrank back into her corner, watching with dread as the Gathering grew.
Laughter and cries and overtones and undercurrents swirled around the room.
"They won't bite!" Karen whispered. "They won't even notice you, if you don't
want them to. Yes," she answered Lea's unasked question. "You must stay-like
it or not, whether you can see any use in it or not. I'm not quite sure myself
why Jemmy called this Gathering, but how appropriate can you get-having us
meet in the schoolhouse? Believe it or not, this is the where that I got my
education-and this is where-Well, teachers have been our undoing-or doing
according to your viewpoint. You know, adults can fairly well keep themselves
to themselves and not let anyone else in on their closely guarded secrets-but
the kids-" She laughed. "Poor cherubs-or maybe they're wiser. They pour out
the most personal things quite unsolicited to almost any adult who will
listen-and who's more apt to listen than a teacher? Ask one sometime how much
she learns of a child's background and everyday family activities from just
what is let drop quite unconsciously. Kids are the key to any community-which
fact has never been more true than among us. That's why teachers have been so
involved in the affairs of the People. Remind me sometime when we have a
minute to tell you about-well, Melodye, for instance. But now-"
The room suddenly arranged itself decorously and stilled itself expectantly
and waited attentively.
Jemmy half sat on one corner of the teacher's desk in front of the Group, a
piece of paper clutched in one hand. All heads bowed. "We are met together in
Thy Name," Jemmy said. A settling rustle filled the room and subsided. "Out of
consideration for some of us the proceedings here will be vocal. I know some
of the Group have wondered that we included all of you in the summons. The
reasons are twofold. One, to share this joy with us-" A soft musical trill of
delight curled around the room, followed by faint laughter. "Francher!" Jemmy
said.
"The other is because of the project we want to begin tonight. "In the last
few days it has become increasingly evident that we all have a most important
decision to make. Whatever we decide there will be good-bys to say. There will
be partings to endure. There will be changes."
Sorrow was tangible in the room, and a soft minor scale mourned over each
note as it moved up and down, just short of tears. "The Old Ones have decided
it would be wise to record our history to this point. That's why all of you
are here. Each one of you holds an important part of our story within you.
Each of you has influenced indelibly the course of events for our Groups. We
want your stories. Not reinterpretations in the light of what you now know,
but the original premise, the original groping, the original reaching-" There
was a murmur through the room. "Yes," Jemmy answered. "Live it over, exactly
the same-aching and all.
"Now," he smoothed out his piece of paper, "chronologically
-Oh, first, where's Davey's recording gadget?"
"Gadget?" someone called. "What's wrong with our own memories?"
"Nothing," Jemmy said, "but we want this record independent of any of us, to
go with whoever goes and stay with whoever stays. We share the general
memories, of course, but all the little details-well, anyway. Davey's gadget."