"Mary Renault - Greece 4 - The Last Of The Wine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Renault Mary)

that long ago, in some such place as this, foxes had picked my bones and the wind scattered them.

In time my tears were spent; the little flowers threw long shadows and I felt the evening chill. It put me in
mind of how I climbed the roof on my father's wedding day, to see the bride brought home. I had
supposed in my simplicity, being only seven years old, that I should be allowed to come to the feast. My
father had said that he was bringing me a mother; and as if he had promised me a dog or bird of my own,
I thought she belonged already to me.
 Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html




It was not till the time of the lamp-lighting that I left my memories and came down from Lykabettos. I
was hungry, for it was a sharp evening now the sun was down. I remembered that I had been gone some
hours without my tutor, and wondered whether by good luck my father might be out. When I got in,
however, he was in the living-room waiting for me.

He was alone; and instead of begging his pardon, I said before he had time to speak, Where is Mother?
for I was suddenly afraid that she was really sick. He got up from his chair saying, All in good time,
Alexias. Where have you been?

When he spoke as if I had no right to ask, anger rose in me. I stared him in the face with my mouth shut.
I saw his colour rise, as no doubt mine had risen. At length he said, Very well. If you have done what you
are ashamed of, you have cause to be silent. But I warn you it will pay you better to tell me now, than to
wait like a coward till I find it out. At this a fire burned in my head, and I said, I have been in the men's
palaestra, hearing the sophists, and meeting my friends.

Being now very angry, he paused before he spoke; then without raising his voice he said, With whom,
then, were you there? — With no one more than another, I said; though your friend Kritias asked me to
go home with him.

I tried to keep my anger between me and fear. He was a very big man. I set my teeth and resolved that
if he killed me, he should not see me flinch. But he only said in a low voice, Go to your room, and wait
for me there.

The evening was cold and I was hungry. My little room was dark at evening, for it looked upon the
fig-tree. I walked to and fro, trying to get warm. At last he came in, with his riding-whip in his hand. I
have waited, he said, because I would not lay my hand to you while I was in anger. Rather than please
myself, I wanted to do what was just. If you grow up to be worth anything, you will have me to thank for
correcting your insolence. Strip.

I doubt if I gained as much as he did by his self-command, for that was the worst beating of my life.
Towards the end I could not quite keep silent; but I kept from crying out aloud, or asking him to stop.
After he had done I kept my back to him, wanting for him to go. Alexias, he said. I turned then, lest he
thought I dared not show my face. Well, he said, I am glad to see you not so wanting in courage as in
sense. But courage without conduct is the virtue of a robber, or a tyrant. Don't forget it. I was feeling
very sick, and if I was going to faint now in his presence I would as soon have died outright, so to get rid
of him I said, I'm sorry, Father. — Very well, he said, that is the end of it then; goodnight.

When I was alone I lay on my bed and felt, as one does when young, that my present misery would last