"Jerry Oltion - Salvation" - читать интересную книгу автора (Oltion Jerry)

William’s was even worse. The physicist had to make do with Latin, which
the locals seemed less than pleased to hear.
 They found Jesus in an inn, drinking wine with a couple dozen other
patrons and playing some kind of game that involved tossing little
beanbags about the size of golf balls into a mug on a high shelf across the
room. He looked nothing like the paintings in Billy’s church. He was short
and dark skinned and bearded, with dark curly hair that was cut short
enough to expose his earlobes, rather than the long, luxurious locks so
often depicted in bibles. To Billy’s Anglo-Saxon eye, he looked, in fact, like
practically every other man in the room, and some of the women.

When he had been pointed out, Billy knelt before him and said
haltingly, “Lord, we have come from afar to hear your wisdom and offer you
our devotion.”

“Lord?” Jesus said, a bit taken aback. “Don’t say that in front of the
Romans or I’ll be in serious trouble.”

“My apologies, Lo—my apologies,” Billy said. “I have no wish to
hasten your martyrdom.”

“Me either,” Jesus exclaimed, to much laughter. “Come now, this
kneeling isn’t necessary. Rise and share a cup of wine with us and tell us of
your travels.”

“We would be honored,” said Billy.

It didn’t take long to grow comfortable in the savior’s presence. The
man had charisma, that was certain. He knew how to get people talking
about themselves, and he would listen intently, as if they were the most
important person in the room. Billy found himself revealing much more than
he had intended, stopping only at the news that he and William were from
the future.

“You have built churches to spread my teachings?” Jesus asked,
incredulous.

“We have,” Billy admitted. “I’m the leader of one. That’s why I’ve
come here: to learn from you directly.”

“And you?” Jesus asked William. “What is your purpose in coming all
this way?”

“I came to see if you really existed,” said William in Latin.
 Far from being offended, Jesus laughed. Also in Latin, he said, “I
appreciate your honesty. And what do you think? Do I exist?”

William nodded. “The man, certainly. The son of God? I don’t have
enough data to make that judgment yet.”