Chelsea Quinn Yarbro The Saint Germain Chronicles

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.If you choose to die, there are many ways to do it. He said itmatter-of-factly enough, but there was something at the back of his eyes that madeJames wonder how many times Saint-Germain had found himself regretting lossesof those who had not learned to live as he claimed they must. And drowning? Isn t water supposed to& James was amazed to hear thisquestion.He had tried to keep from giving the man any credence, and now he wasreacting as if everything he heard was sensible. You will learn to line the heels and soles of your shoes with your native earth,and will cross water, walk in sunlight, in fact live fairly normal lives.We arecreatures of the earth, Mister Tree.That which interrupts our contact with it isdebilitating.Water is the worst, of course, but flying in an airplane is& unnerving.He had traveled by air several times, but had not been able to forget the hugedistance between him and the treasured earth. It will be more and more the waywe travel Madelaine says that she had got used to it but does not enjoy it but Imust be old-fashioned; I don t like it.Although it is preferable to sailing, for brevityif nothing else. You make it sound so mundane, James said in the silence that fell.That alonewas persuading him, and for that reason, he tried to mock it. Most of life is mundane, even our life. He smiled, and for the first time therewas warmth in it. We are not excused from the obligations of living, unless we liveas total outcasts.Some of us have, but such tactics are& unrewarding. Maybe not death, but taxes? James suggested with an unhappy chuckle.Saint-Germain gave James a sharp look. If you wish to think of it in that way, itwill answer fairly well, he said after a second or two. If you live in the world, thereare accommodations that must be made. This is bizarre, James said, convincing himself that he was amused while theunsettling apprehension grew in him steadily. When you came here, Saint-Germain continued, taking another line ofargument, when did you travel? What? James made an abrupt gesture with his hand, as if to push somethingaway. I didn t look about for public transportation, so I can t tell you what time& Day or night will do, Saint-Germain said. Why, it was da& His face paled. No.I& passed out during the day.I decided itwas safer at night, in any case.There are fewer patrols, and& When did you decide this? Before or after you had walked the better part of onenight? He let James have all the time he wanted to answer the question. I walked at night, James said in a strange tone. The first night it was& easier.And I was so exhausted that I wasn t able to move until sundown.That night, withthe moon so full, and seeing so well, I figured I might as well take advantage of it& Mister Tree, the moon is not full, nor was it two nights ago.It is in its firstquarter. He was prepared to defend this, but he read James troubled face, and didnot press his argument. Those who have changed see very well at night.You may,in fact, want to avoid bright sunlight, for our eyes are sensitive.We also gainstrength and stamina.How else do you suppose you covered the distance you didwith the sorts of wounds you sustained to slow you down? I& I didn t think about it, he answered softly. It was& natural. For those& & who have changed, don t tell me! James burst out, and lurched out of thechair. If you keep this up, you ll have me believing it, and then I ll start looking fora padded cell and the latest thing in straight jackets. He paced the length of theroom once, coming back to stand near Saint-Germain. You re a smooth-tonguedbastard, I ll give you that, Saint-Germain.You are Saint-Germain, aren t you? Of course.I thought you remembered me from that banquet in Paris, came theunperturbed answer. I did.But I thought you d look& Older? Saint-Germain suggested. When has Madelaine looked older thantwenty? True, you have not seen her for more than six years, but when she came toAmerica, did she strike you as being older than the day you met her? No, James admitted. And she looks very little older now than she did the day I met her in 1743.Youare fortunate that age has been kind to you, Mister Tree.That is one of the fewthings the change cannot alter. Abruptly he crossed the room and opened the door. I trust you will give me an hour of your time later this evening.Roger should beback by then, and then you will have a chance to& Has he gone for food? James demanded, not wanting to admit he wasfamished [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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