"Роджер Желязны. Lord of Light (Лорд Света, engl) " - читать интересную книгу автора

"I am trying to guess your true identity. Lord Brahma. I confess that I
cannot."
"This is as it should be," said Brahma, "if one is to be a god who was,
is and always shall be."
"Fine garments, those you wear," said Sam. "Quite fetching."
"Thank you. I find it hard to believe that you still exist. Checking, I
note that you have not sought a new body for half a century. That is taking
quite a chance."
Sam shrugged. "Life is full of chances, gambles, uncertainties. . ."
"True," said Brahma. "Pray, draw up a chair and sit down. Make yourself
comfortable."
Sam did this, and when he looked up again, Brahma was seated upon a
high throne carved of red marble, with a matching parasol flared above it.
"That looks a bit uncomfortable," he remarked.
"Foam-rubber cushion," replied the god, smiling. "You may smoke, if you
wish."
"Thanks." Sam drew his pipe from the pouch at his belt, filled it,
tamped it carefully and struck it to fire.
"What have you been doing all this time," asked the god, "since you
left the roost of Heaven?"
"Cultivating my own gardens," said Sam.
"We could have used you here," said Brahma, "in our hydroponics
section. For that matter, perhaps we still could. Tell me more of your stay
among men."
"Tiger hunts, border disputes with neighboring kingdoms, keeping up the
morale of the harem, a bit of botanical research-- things like that-- the
stuff of life," said Sam. "Now my powers slacken, and I seek once more my
youth. But to obtain it again, I understand that I must have my brains
strained. Is that true?"
"After a fashion," said Brahma.
"To what end, may I ask?"
"That wrong shall fail and right prevail," said the god, smiling.
"Supposing I'm wrong," asked Sam, "how shall I fail?"
"You shall be required to work off your karmic burden in a lesser
form."
"Have you any figures readily available as to the percentage that
fails, vis-á-vis that which prevails?"
"Think not less of me in my omniscience," said Brahma, stifling a yawn
with his scepter, "if I admit to having, for the moment, forgotten these
figures."
Sam chuckled. "You say you have need of a gardener there in the
Celestial City?"
"Yes," said Brahma. "Would you like to apply for the job?"
"I don't know," said Sam. "Perhaps."
"And then again, perhaps not?" said the other.
"Perhaps not, also," he acknowledged. "In the old days there was none
of this shillyshallying with a man's mind. If one of the First sought
renewal, he paid the body price and was served."
"We no longer dwell in the old days, Sam. The new age is at hand."
"One would almost think that you sought the removal of all of the First