Before Ben Caxton could recover, Patricia Pivinsky gave him a wholehearted brother kiss.She felt the other party's tension, and couldn't help being a little surprised.Michael told her Ben was coming, and put Ben's face in her heart.She knew that Ben was a fully-fledged brother, of the inner nest, and second in Jill's growing closeness, after Michael himself.
But it was in Patricia's nature to want to make other people as happy as she was; so she slowed down and invited Ben to remove his clothes.But she was not stubborn about undressing, but asked him to take off his shoes first—the nest was soft and clean, as only Michael could keep it so clean.
She showed him where the clothes were hung, and ran to get a drink.Pat, having learned about his preferences from Jill, decided to get him a double martini—the poor little thing looked exhausted.When she returned, Ben had taken off his shoes and coat. "My brother, may you be free from thirst forever."
"We share water," he responded, taking a sip. "There's very little water in this glass."
"Enough is enough," she replied. "Michael said that water can only exist in the mind; the important thing is to share. I realize he was right."
"I'm so enlightened, too, and that's exactly what I need. Thanks, Pat."
"Ours is yours, and yours is ours. Everyone is happy to have you home. Others are worshiping and teaching. Don't worry, they will come when the wait is over. Want to see you nest?"
Ben let her lead him around.Huge kitchen, bar at the end, more books in the library than Jubal's, big, luxurious bathrooms, bedrooms—Ben assumed they were bedrooms, even though there were no beds in them, just softer floors than anywhere else.Pat called them "little nests," and took him to see the nest where he usually slept.
There was a place at one end of the nest for her snakes.Ben had managed to suppress his discomfort until he saw the snake. "Don't worry," Pat reassured him. "We put glass in front of them. But Michael's taught them not to cross that line."
"I still prefer glass."
She put down a glass plate, "Okay, Ben." Ben was so relieved that he even managed to extend his hand when Pat invited him to touch the sugar bun.Then Pat showed him another room.The room is circular and very spacious, with a soft floor like a bedroom, and a circular swimming pool in the center. "This," Pat told him, "is the core temple, where we accept new brothers into the nest." She dipped a foot in the water. "Want to share the water, grow closer? Or swim?"
"Uh, later."
"Be patient," she agreed.They returned to the large living room, and Patricia left for a moment to pour him a drink.Ben sat down on the big sofa—and stood up again.This place is very warm, the previous glass of wine had already made him sweat a little, and now he was sitting on the sofa adjusted to the curve of his body, he felt even hotter.This Washington outfit is so silly, isn't Pat wearing nothing?It's just a big boa constrictor around the shoulders.
He took a compromise: keep only his shorts and hang the rest of his clothes in the hall.There, he found a warning on the entrance door: "Remember to put on your clothes." In this house, such a reminder may really be necessary.He didn't see that when he came in, but nothing else was left.Like the two big brass bowls on either side of the door—full of money.
And not just inside—federal bills of all denominations had spilled onto the floor.
He was staring at the money when Patricia came back. "Your wine, brother Ben. Grow closeness in pleasure."
"Uh, thanks." His eyes returned to the money.
She followed his gaze, "I'm such a careless housekeeper. Michael made everything so easy, you know, cleaning, I almost forgot what I was supposed to do." She picked up the Money, stuffed into a slightly less crowded bowl.
"Pat, why put the money here?"
"Oh, it's because the door leads out. If any of us were going out of the nest—like me, I'm out shopping for food or something almost every day—we might want some money to spend. Put it here You won't forget."
"Grab a handful and go out?"
"Why, yes, dear. Oh, I see what you mean. It's just us here, and never anyone else. If any friends from outside come--everyone has--they'll live on the lower floors In the room, the kind that outsiders are used to. Here, no weak person will be tempted by money."
"Well, I, I'm quite weak!"
She giggled, "They belong to you, how can they tempt you?"
"Well... what about the thief?" He tried to estimate how much money was in those bowls.Most bills had more than one digit on them—hell, there was one with three zeros on the floor that Pat missed.
"It did, just last week."
"Really? How much did he steal?"
"Oh, he didn't steal it. Michael sent him away."
"Called the police?"
"Oh no! Michael would never turn anyone over to the police. Michael just—" she shrugged, "—asked him to leave. Then Duke fixed the hole in the greenhouse skylight—I showed you there Is it? Lovely, a grass floor. Jill says you have one too. That's where Michael first saw a grass floor. Is the whole house covered7"
"No, only the living room."
"If I go to Washington someday, can I walk around and lie down on it, Ben?"
"Of course, Pat. Uh...it belongs to you."
"I know that, dear, but I would like to ask you anyway. I will lie down and feel the grass, and my heart will be filled with joy, because I am in my brother's little nest."
"I'm more than welcome, Pat." He hoped she wouldn't take those snakes too! "When are you coming?"
"Don't know. Until the wait is over. Maybe Michael knows."
"Well, just say hello if you can, and I'll meet you in Washington. If I'm not around, Jill has the combination on my door. Pat, does anyone handle the money?"
"Why bother, Ben?"
"Well, that's what everybody usually does."
"We don't. Just take it—and when you're done, if you remember, put the rest back when you get home. Michael told me to keep the purse full. If it's running low, I'll ask him for .”
Ben was bewildered by such simplicity and directness, so he had no choice but to stop mentioning it.There is no currency in the culture of Mars, and Ben has heard a little about their rules of life.Looks like Mike's got a state within a state here - these copper bowls mark the transition from a Martian economy to an Earth economy.But it's just a sham... a sham supported by Mike's wealth.Does Pat know this?
"Pat, how many people are in the nest?" He was slightly worried, but quickly pushed the thought aside.Afraid that they will take his money?Just kidding, there is no gold pot behind his house.
"Let me think about it... there are nearly twenty of them, including the trainee brothers who can't speak Martian language and haven't received the priesthood."
"Are you ordained, Pat?"
"Well, yes. I'm usually a teacher. Martian beginners, helping apprentice brothers and all. Dawn and I—Dawn and Jill are high priests—Dawn and me, we're both They are quite well-known Fosters, so they often work together to let other Fosters know that Universalism does not conflict with our beliefs, just like Baptists can join Freemasonry." She showed Ben. First Kiss, explaining, then showing the miraculous hickey left by its mate, Mike.
"They know what a Foster's kiss is and how hard it is to earn it...they've seen some of Mike's miracles as well, so they'll be able to get ready soon and focus on getting to the next level."
"Is it difficult?"
"Of course, Ben—for them. You, me, Jill, and others, Michael calls us directly to be brothers. But for others, Michael first teaches them a practice—not faith, Is the way to live out the faith at work. Which means they have to learn Martian first. It's not easy; my own Martian is not perfect. But working and learning is joy. You ask how many people in the nest— Let me see, Duke, Jill, and Michael... two Fosters, Dawn and I... a circumcised Jew, plus his wife and four kids—"
"Are there any children in the nest?"
"Oh, there's plenty of them. They're all in that brood's nest next door; no one can expect to meditate, with the children making noise around. Wanna go and see?"
"Well, wait a minute."
"And a couple of Catholics and their young son - excommunicated, it's a pity; their priest found out. Michael had to give them special care, and it scared them so badly that it wasn't necessary. They went to early Sunday morning mass as they used to--but the kids couldn't keep their mouths shut. And a neo-Mormon family, that's three more, plus their kids. Other Both Protestants and an atheist...I mean, he thought he was an atheist until Michael made him open his eyes. He came to laugh and ended up staying to start studying...he's going to be soon Became a priest. Well, nineteen adults, but it's rare that we're all there, unless we're going to worship at the core temple. The nest is designed to hold eighty-one—'a full three '.Michael had an epiphany that there would have to be a lot of waiting before we needed bigger nests, and then we'd build other new nests. Ben, want to go out to worship? See how Michael did it ?He's preaching right now.
"Well, of course, if it doesn't bother you too much."
"Very well. Give me a minute, dear, I must look presentable."
"Jubbal, she came back wearing a gown similar to Anne's notary's coat, except the sleeves were like angel wings, the collar was high, and it had Mike's trademark on it - the nine concentric circles and the sun symbol - — right where the heart is. This is their cassock; Jill and the other priestesses wear it too, except Pat has a high collar to hide her cartoon. She wears socks and sandals on the hand.
"I almost didn't recognize her, Jubal. She looked very dignified, and I could see that she was indeed older than I had guessed earlier, but not as old as she said herself. She has a lot of skin. Delicate - what a pity to have a tattoo on such skin.
"I was dressed too. She asked me to carry my shoes, and then led me from the nest into a passage; we put on our shoes and went down a spiraling slope, which I reckoned went down several flights of stairs, and finally came to a The balcony overlooking the main auditorium. Mike is standing on a dais, not a pulpit, just a lecture hall. On the back wall, you can see a boss's universal logo. There is a priestess next to him, so far away, I thought it was Jill.—it turned out to be the other High Priestess, Dawn—Dawn Arden."
"What's the name?"
"Dawn Arden. Née Higgins, if you like details."
"I've seen her."
"I know, you old pervert, pretending to be retired. She's charmed you."
Jubal shook his head, "The 'Dawn Arden' I'm talking about is hardly acquainted, only met once two years ago. She won't remember me."
"She remembers you. You used so many pseudonyms to write those commercial rubbish, but as long as you can find them, she has a copy of them all, the recording version. Listening to them every night to sleep can bring her sweet dreams. That's what she said .But it's not just Dawn, they all know you, Jubal; there's only one ornament in that living room, the only thing—a full-size color photo of your head. Looks like you've been beheaded Yes, it's an ugly smile. It was taken secretly by Duke."
"What? That bastard!"
"Jill asked him to do it."
"Double bastard!"
"Mike's instructions. Please take a deep breath, Jubal—you are the Patron Saint of the Universal Cult."
Jubal was terrified. "They can't do that!"
"They've already done it. Mike said he's credited with starting the show. It's up to you to explain things so clearly that he can figure out a way to introduce the theology of Mars to humans."
Jubal groaned loudly.Ben went on: "Also, Dawn thinks you're very beautiful. Aside from that quirk, she's pretty smart on the whole... and charming. I digress. Mike spotted us and yelled, 'Hi, Ben! Later on—' and resumed his speech.
"Jubbal, you should listen. He doesn't look like he's preaching, and he's not wearing a cassock. A nice, well-tailored suit, that's all. He sounds like a really good car salesman. He tells jokes." , fables. It's basically a kind of pantheism... One of the old fables is that a worm burrowing in the ground meets another worm and asks, 'Oh, you're beautiful! Marry me Okay?' And they replied, 'Don't be silly! I'm your other end.' You heard that, too?"
"'Have heard'? That's what I wrote!"
"Didn't realize it was that old. Mike put it to good use. What he's trying to say is that whenever you meet another inspiration—a man, a woman, or a stray cat...you're Met the 'other end' of myself. The universe is a little thing we made up, but we agreed to forget the joke when it was done."
Jubal has a sour expression on his face, "Solipsism and pantheism, together, can explain anything. Eliminate all inconvenient facts, reconcile all theories; whether it is fact or fantasy, add it as you like. But it is nothing more than Marshmallows, all flavor, no substance, like at the end of the story, and someone says '—and the little boy rolled out of bed and woke up'. It doesn't fix anything."
"Don't yell at me, leave your big talk to Mike. Believe me, he made it very believable. At one point he stopped and said, 'You must be tired of listening to me all the time—and they turned out to be Hoo, 'No!' He really had them in his grip. Then he protested that he was tired of talking, and that it was time for a miracle. So he did some incredible tricks—you know he used to Ever worked as a magician in a circus?"
"I know he was there. He never mentioned the specific nature of the indecent experience."
"He's a real master of the game; I've been fooled by those tricks. But if he's only doing tricks to amuse children, it's nothing; it's his words that really charm them. At last he stopped and said , 'Everyone has expectations for the visitor from Mars...so I have to perform some miracles every time I gather. I am the visitor from Mars, and that is how things are, and I can't change anything. Miracles can happen for you as long as you wish. However, To get more than these narrow wonders, you must come into our circle. Those who want to learn can come and see me later. Sending you business cards now.'
"Pat explained to me, 'This group of people are just nerds, honey—some come here to see what's new, and some are pulled in by people who get into a few inner circles.' Jubal, Mike made nine circles , like layers of deposits—and no one knows there's a more inner circle until they're ready.' This is what Michael engineered,' Pat said, 'and he does it like he breathes Easy. He senses them, decides which ones have potential, that's why the delay is so long. Duke is hiding in the back, and Michael tells him who's qualified, where to sit, etc. He's about to signal Duke… …and weed out the ones he didn't want. Then Dawn took over, and Duke had given her the seat map.'”
"How exactly?" Harshaw asked.
"I didn't see it, Jubal. If only Mike knew who he wanted and gave Duke a signal, they could figure out a whole dozen ways to pick and choose. Pat said Mike had clairvoyance—I won't deny it Possibility. After that they started collecting donations. Mike didn't even make a collection look like a church—you know, soft music, solemn priests or something. He said if they didn't collect donations, no one would Believe it's a church here. So, for God's sake, they just handed out some baskets full of money, and Mike told them it was from the last batch of people, and please help yourself—if they're poor , hunger, need this money, just take it. But if they want to give, give it. Let them do. Either put some in, or take some out. I guess he found another way to kill those Extra cash."
Jubal said thoughtfully: "This trick, as long as it is played beautifully, should attract more income...Although a few people will take a little bit. Probably only a little bit."
"I don't know, Jubal. Pat pulled me away when Mike handed the chapel to Dawn. She led me to a private hall where the chapel was open to seventh graders. They're guys who've been in for months and have made progress -- if that's progress at all.
"Jubbal, the jump from the one just now to this one is just too much for me to get used to. The outer assembly was half lecture, half entertainment—and this one inside was literally a voodoo ritual. Mike put on his robes and looked Tall and passionate, like a fakir. The place was dark and the music gave me goosebumps and danced at the same time. Pat and I found a couch and sat down. It was like a bed. Ritual How exactly I can't tell. Mike sings in Martian and they answer in Martian - only 'You're God! You're God!' is sung in English and the Martian word they respond with is as soon as I say it Throat hurts."
Jubal made a hoarse voice, "Is this it?"
"Huh? I see it right. Jubal...you're hooked too? You've been playing me?"
"No, the drunkard taught me. He said it was the worst heresy of all - by his standards, of course. That's the Martian word that Mike translates to 'you are God'." said Mahmed His translation was far from the original. It was the universe announcing its realization... or its 'repentance', but it didn't mean anything at all... or a dozen other things. The drunkard said , even in Martian, he didn't understand that word--only that it was a bad word, as far as he could see it was bad enough... It was not so much God's blessing as Satan's provocation .Go on. Is that all? Just a bunch of lunatics yelling Martian language?"
"Well... Jubal, they're not shouting, and they're not fanatical. Sometimes it's hardly even a whisper. The voice may rise a little bit later. There's a rhythm, a pattern, like a chorus...but Not like a rehearsal; more like a human being humming what he feels. Jubal, you've seen the Fosterists get their emotions up."
"I'm afraid I've seen too much."
"Well, Mike, they're not that crazy; they're quiet and relaxed, like they're slowly falling asleep. Yes, the emotions are strong, and they're getting stronger, but—Jubbal, tried the wizard's seance can you?"
"Tried. I'd try anything if I could, Ben."
"Then you know, even if no one moves, no one says a word, the tension can build up. Mike's sermon isn't an exciting sermon, it's not like one of those quiet church services. But it's definitely not bland, it's full of The most terrible shock."
"'Apollo style'?"
"what?"
"As opposed to 'Dionysus style'. Most people simply understand 'Apollo style' as 'gentle', 'calm', and 'tranquility'. In fact, 'Apollo' and 'Dionysus' are one Two sides of the same coin—the nun kneeling in prayer in her cell, totally motionless, yet in a state of ecstasy perhaps crazier than when the priestesses of Dionysus Pan celebrate the equinox. The ecstasy exists in the mind, as It doesn't matter what you do with your gestures." Jubal frowned, "Another mistake is to equate 'Apollo-like' with 'good' - simply because some of our most respectable sects are both ceremonial and preceptual. Apollonian. Prejudice. Carry on."
"Well... it wasn't as quiet as the nuns' prayers in there. They moved around, swapped seats, and some hugged and kissed—no more than that, I'm sure. It was very dark, though. A girl wanted to join Us, Pat gave her a sign or something... so she kissed us and walked away." Ben grinned, "and it was a good kiss. I was the only one without a robe and always felt like I It was so eye-catching. But she didn't seem to notice it at all.
"The whole thing was pretty casual...and ballet-like at the same time. Mike was always busy, sometimes in front of everyone, sometimes wandering in the crowd - once he gave me a squeeze on the shoulder, and Kissed Pat, quickly, but not in a hurry. He didn't speak. He seemed to be a lead singer earlier, and there was something where he was standing that looked like a big stereo TV; But he never used the word 'miracle'—at least not in English. Jubal, every church promises miracles. But they never talk about yesterday's and tomorrow's miracles."
"There are exceptions," Jubal interjected, "and many religions have done it. Just two: Christian Scientology and Catholicism."
"Catholic? Do you mean the apparition of the Virgin of Lourdes?"
"That's what I was thinking."
"Mmm—I can't tell if such a subtle miracle is true. As for Christian Science—if I broke my leg, I'd rather see a doctor."
"It's best to keep your eyes bright when you're walking," Jubal said gloomily. "Anyway, leave me alone."
"No way. I don't want to be treated by a friend of William Harvey's."
"Harvey can handle a broken bone."
"That's right, but what about his classmates? Jubal, the ones you mentioned may be real miracles, but Mike's miracles are much more eye-catching. He is either a professional magician, or a super hypnotist..."
"Probably both."
"—or he has fixed the closed circuit of the stereoscopic image, so that people can't see the difference between it and reality."
"Ben, how do you know it wasn't a real miracle?"
"Because I don't like the theory. Anyway, whatever he did, it worked out pretty well. Once the lights came on, and there was an extra black-maned lion in the room, as mighty as the one guarding the front of the library steps." , and little lambs circling around it. The lion just blinked and yawned. Yes, Hollywood can do that too - but I smell the lion. Of course, the smell is fine too Forged."
"Why are you so stubborn?"
"Damn it! I'm trying to be fair!"
"Then don't go too far. Be like Anne."
"I'm not Anne, and I wasn't fair; I was just enjoying it, and I was warm. Mike did a lot of things like mass hallucinations, levitation, and so on. And then Pat whispered to me, Asking me to stay, she sneaked to the back of the house, and she told me, 'Michael just told them that if anyone feels they're not ready to go to the next level, it's time to leave now.
"I said, 'Then I'd better leave.'
"She said, 'Oh no honey! You're on the ninth floor. Sit down. I'll be right back.' And she left.
"I didn't see anyone flinching. That group was the seventh level ready to move up. I didn't really see much of it though, because the lights came back on...Jill appeared!
"Jubbal, that doesn't feel like stereoscopic at all. Jill just smiled at me. Of course, if the actor is looking directly at the camera, no matter where you sit, your eyes will meet. But to Mike's level... …he should go patent it. Jill wears exotic clothes. Mike starts chanting something, partly in English…about the Mother of All, united or something, and starts calling Jill by different names…every one name, her clothes will change—"
When Ben Caxton saw Jill, he paid attention at once.Light and distance couldn't fool him—it was Jill!She looked at him and smiled.Ben listened half-heartedly to the prayer, and just now he had decided that there must be a stereo TV behind the visitor from Mars, but now, he swore he could walk up those steps and actually pinch her.
The idea was tempting to him--but it would be insane to ruin Mike's performance like that.Or when Jill is free--
"Cybele!"
Jill's clothes suddenly changed.
'Isis!'
— Another change.
"Frigga!"..."ge!"..."Devil!"..."Ishtar!"..."Maria!"
"Mother Eve! Mother of the Gods! Love and Beloved, Immortal Life—"
Caxton could no longer hear.Jill is the mother of Eve, and glory covers her.The light spread, and he found her in a garden with a large snake wrapped around a tree.
Jill smiled and reached out to stroke the snake's head—then turned and spread her arms.
The candidates stepped forward one by one and entered the Garden of Eden.Pat came back and touched Caxton on the shoulder. "Ben—come with me, honey."
Caxton wanted to stay, stay and drink visions of Jill's glory... stay and join the others.But he got up to leave anyway.He took one last look back, just in time to see Mike hugging the first woman who came up...he turned his head and followed Patricia, and missed everything that happened after that.He didn't see the robe disappear when Mike kissed the woman -- nor did he see Jill kiss the first man...his robe disappeared too.
"Let's go back around," Pat explained, "to give them time to advance to the temple. Oh, sure, we could just go straight in, but that would be a waste of Michael's time, and he'd have to bring them back to the temple again." Emotionally—how much effort did he spend."
"where are we going?"
"Get the sugar buns. Then go back to the nest. Unless you want to participate in the first ceremony. But you haven't learned Martian yet, and you will be confused."
"Hmm - I want to see Jill."
"Oh. She told me to tell you she'll sneak upstairs to see you when she gets a chance. This way, Ben.
A door opened and Ben found himself in the Garden of Eden.The big snake raised its head to meet them. "Hey, dear!" said Patricia, "mother's sweet girl!" She untied the boa constrictor from the tree and put it in a basket. "Duke brought her down. She's coiled up in a tree, and told not to run away. You're lucky, Ben; rites to the eighth floor are rare."
Ben picked up the sweetbread and found that the fourteen-foot snake was pretty heavy; luckily the basket was reinforced with iron bars.They went up to the top floor, and Patricia stopped. "Put her down, Ben." She took off her robe and handed it to Ben, wrapping the snake around herself. "Sweetbread is doing a great job today, and that's her reward; she knows she's been good enough to have her arms around Mama." .I have to go to class soon, so I'm going to hold her until the last second. It's not good to disappoint snakes; they're like babies, they don't get fully enlightened."
They walked another fifty yards before they were really in the nest.Ben took off his shoes, then his sandals and socks for Pat.They walked in, and Ben began stripping down to his shorts—and then was caught in a dilemma in front of Patricia, wondering if he should take off his shorts, too.Now he was almost certain that dressing in the nest was as weird (and probably just as vulgar) as wearing spiked boots on the dance floor. The warning at the door, the womb-like comfort of the nest, Patricia Xia's attire and advice, plus the fact that there are no windows at all—everything points to a celestial system at home.
He can ignore Patricia's behavior, because the clothing habits of tattooed women may indeed be different from ordinary people, but just now they passed a man who was walking towards the bathroom and the "nest". Greeted them with the phrase "You are God".Ben noticed that the man was even less dressed than Patricia: one less snake and many pictures.More evidence can be found in the living room: a body — a woman — is sprawled out on a couch.
Caxton knew that many families were casual and lightly dressed when they weren't around—and this was a "home" where everyone was Water Brothers.But he just couldn't make up his mind.He still had a symbolic fig leaf covering himself, and it would be rude to keep it... but if he did take it off and a stranger walks in with his clothes on, he'd think he's a fool!Hell, he might blush!
"What would you do, Jubal?"
Harshaw raised his eyebrows. "You expect me to be surprised, Ben? Human flesh is often delightful and often depressing—but in itself, it's not a big deal. Mike practiced nudism at home." , so what? Should I cheer? Or must I cry?"
"Damn it, Jubal. It's easy to put on a detached pose, but I've never seen you take your pants off in front of people."
"Don't ever try to see it again. But it's not humility that I'm inspired by. Your affliction comes from a morbid fear of looking ridiculous. It's a neurosis with a long fake Greek name. "
"Nonsense! I just don't know how to be polite."
"You're just talking nonsense, sir. You know how to be polite...but you're afraid of being laughed at...or you're afraid of being caught by someone if you accidentally stand up. But I understand Mike's formula There's a reason for that rule—Mike always had a reason for it."
"Oh, yes. Jill told me."
Standing in the hallway, with his back to the living room, hands on his panties, Ben thought to himself: Go for it!At this moment, suddenly, two arms secretly wrapped around his waist. "Dear Ben! How wonderful!"
Jill just slipped into his arms, her lips on his, warm and greedy—and he couldn't help but be glad he had left a fig leaf.Dressed only in priestly robes, she was no longer the irresistible "Mother Eve."But to be able to have such a living, warm, and gently wriggling girl upstairs, I am still just as happy in my heart.
"My God!" she finished the kiss. "I miss you so much, you old wretch. You are God."
"You're God," he grudgingly responded, "Jill, you're more beautiful than you've ever been."
"Yes," she agreed, "this kind of thing has this effect. Just now when I met your eyes at the finale, I was so excited!"
"'Finale'?"
"Jill means," broke in Patricia, "at the end of the ceremony, when she is the mother of all things, the mother of the gods. I'm in a hurry, boys."
"Never rush, Pat sweetheart."
"But I gotta hurry up so I don't rush later. Ben, I'm going to put the sugar buns to bed and then downstairs to class, so kiss me goodnight now. Okay?" Ben kissed the wrap involuntarily. Woman in boa constrictor.He tried to ignore the sweet buns.Pat was a nice guy, and he couldn't take her lightly.
Then Pat kissed Jill. "Good night, dear children." She went away without haste.
"What a little sheep, huh?"
"True. But she really overwhelmed me at first."
"I got it. Pat can overwhelm everyone—because she never wonders and always makes the right choice automatically. She's a lot like Mike. She's the most advanced of us—should have been She'd come to be high priestess. But she said the tattoos would make it difficult for her to perform certain duties—it was a distraction, and she didn't want to have them removed.
"How is it possible to remove so many tattoos? With a knife to peel the skin? That would kill her."
"No, honey. Mike can do it, it won't leave a trace, and it won't hurt her. But she doesn't feel like the tattoos are hers; she's just their custodian. Come sit down, Dawn."会拿晚餐过来，我得趁这会儿吃点东西，不然就得等到明天了。告诉我，你怎么想？道恩说你看了一次外围礼拜。”
"yes."
"how?"
“迈克，”本·卡克斯顿字斟句酌地说，“有本事让蛇掏钱买鞋穿。”
“本，我灵悟你有些心事。”
“没有，”他回答道，“就算有，我也实在说不清。”
“过一两个星期我再问你。不用着急。”
“我在这儿待不上一个星期。”
“你有应急的专栏文章吗？”
“三篇。主要是我不该待那么久。”
“我想你会的……写完稿给他们再电传过去就行，也许你可以写写我们的教会。到那时，你会灵悟到你需要留下来，多留一阵子。”
“我看恐怕不会。”
“耐心等待，直到完满。你知道这不是个教会，对吧？”
“帕特跟我说了些。”
“这么说吧，它不是一种宗教。从每个法律的、道德的意义上讲，这都是教会。但我们并不试图将人引向上帝。这很矛盾，用火星语甚至没法表达出来。我们不是在拯救灵魂，灵魂是不可能失落的。我们不是在使大家产生信仰，我们提供的也不是信仰，而是真实——他们可以验证的真实。此地此刻的真实，像熨衣板一样平常，像面包一样有用……无比实用，以至于能让战争、饥饿、暴力和仇恨都不再有存在的必要……就好像在巢里无需穿衣一样。但他们必须学习火星语。难就难在这儿：找到足够诚实、能够相信自己所见所闻的人，这些人还必须愿意付出艰苦的努力——这个过程的确很艰苦——必须学习教导这一切时必须使用的语言。我们所说的这种真实是无法用英语表达的，像贝多芬的第五交响曲。”她微微一笑，“好在迈克从不着急。他筛选上千个候选人……从中找出几个。慢慢地，一些人会进入巢里，他再继续训练他们。总有一天，迈克会把我们彻底训练好，那时我们就可以建造新巢，然后它就会像雪球一样越滚越大。但是不用着急。其实，我们中间还没有一个合格的。对吧，亲爱的？”
听到吉尔的最后几个字，本抬起眼睛，吃惊地看到一个女人正把一个盘子递给自己。他认出那是另一个女祭司，道恩。Yes, that's right.他好半天没能从震惊中恢复过来，对方的着装风格和帕特丽夏一样，只少了文身。
道恩微笑着说：“你的晚餐，本兄弟。你是上帝。”
“呃，你是上帝。谢谢。”她吻过他，为自己和吉尔拿来餐盘，在他右手边坐下，吃起饭来。道恩没有坐在更利于欣赏的地方，这让本有些遗憾——她身上有人们赋予女神的那些最美好的特质。
“没错，”她接着吉尔的问题往下说，“现在还没有，吉尔。但等待将会完满。”
“举个例子，本，”吉尔道，“我必须休息片刻，吃点东西。可迈克从前天到现在什么也没吃过……还会一直持续下去，直到不再需要他工作的时候为止。然后他会跟头猪似的胡吃海喝，靠那一顿维持，需要维持多久就维持多久。还有，道恩和我还会疲倦，不是吗，甜心？”
“当然。但我现在不累，吉尔。我替你主持下一场礼拜，你跟本—起待会儿。把你的袍子给我。”
“你那小脑袋里净是些疯话，亲爱的。本，她工作的时间都快跟迈克一样长了！我们能干上很长时间——但饿了就得吃东西，有时候还需要睡上一觉。说到袍子，道恩，这是第七层神庙里的最后一件了。我本来要跟帕特说，最好让人再送个一二十打的。”
“她已经办了。”
“要是早知道该多好。这一件太紧。”吉尔扭了扭身子，搞得本有些心神不定，“我们是不是胖了？”
"A little."
“很好。我们也太瘦了些。本，你发现没有，我和道恩简直一模一样？身高、胸围、腰围、臂围、体重，所有的一切——更别提肤色了。我们第一次见面的时候就已经很像了……再加上迈克帮忙，现在身材更是完全一致，就连面孔都更像了——不过这主要是因为我们做的、想的都是相同的事。站起来，亲爱的，让本瞧瞧我们。”
道恩把盘子放在一旁，起身摆了个姿势。本不由得联想到吉尔，而且不止是因为外表的相似——然后他才意识到，原来那是吉尔化身夏娃时的样子。
吉尔满嘴塞着食物，说：“瞧见了，本？那就是我。”
道恩微笑着：“天差地别呢，吉尔。”
“呸。可惜咱们永远不可能有同一张脸，我还真觉得有些遗憾。其实这样挺方便的，本。我们必须有两个女祭司，两个也才勉强能跟上迈克的步子。再说了，”她补充道，“道恩买条裙子我也肯定能穿，省了我逛街的麻烦。”
“我本来怀疑你们不穿衣服呢，”本慢吞吞地说，“除了这些祭司的袍子。”
吉尔吃了一惊，“穿这些怎么出去跳舞呢？我们最喜欢的就是用跳舞代替睡觉。坐下吃饭吧；本盯着咱们看得够久了。本，刚才的过渡组里有一个人，他的舞跳得才真叫顶呱呱呢。这个镇上满地都是夜总会，可没有一个比得上他。可怜的家伙，让道恩和我搅得好多晚都没睡成，上语言课的时候要没我们帮忙准得打嗑睡。不过会好的；一旦进入第八层，你就不怎么需要睡觉了。你怎么会以为我们从不穿衣服呢，亲爱的？”
“唔——”本鼓足勇气，一股脑儿道出了自己刚才的困境。
吉尔瞪大眼睛望着他，咯咯笑起来，又马上止住，“我明白了。亲爱的，我穿这袍子是因为时间不多，吃饭都得狼吞虎咽，来不及换衣服。要是早灵悟到这让你不安，过来之前我会先把它脱掉的。穿不穿衣服全视需要而定，我们都已经习惯了，我简直忘了这或许显得不礼貌。甜心，你可以穿着短裤——或者脱下来，完全随你喜欢。”
“呢——”
“总之别为这个烦心。”吉尔微微一笑，露出两个酒窝，“你让我想起迈克第一次上公共海滩那回。还记得吗，道恩？”
“永远忘不了！”
“本，你知道迈克的，什么事都得教他。他根本看不出衣服有什么用，直到灵悟了我们对温度很敏感，还曾经为这个大吃一惊呢。火星人没有为身体害羞的概念，不可能有。后来我们登台表演，试了好多不同的服装，直到那时候，迈克才灵悟到衣服的装饰作用。
“当然了，无论灵悟与否，迈克总会照我说的做，可你简直没法想象做一个人有多少小细节。这些东西我们得花二十多年慢慢积累，迈克却几乎要在一夜之间学会。到现在都还有好些空白。他常常不知道自己做出了某些非人类的举动。我们都教他——所有人，除了帕特，迈克的任何行为在帕特看来都是完美的。他还在继续灵悟衣服。他灵悟它们是种错误，使人与人之间产生隔阂。爱让大家增长亲近，可衣服却挡了道。最近他才灵悟到屏障是必要的——在同外人相处的时候。很长一段时间里，只有我让他穿衣服的时候他才穿。
“而有一次我没能告诉他。
“当时我们在下加利福尼亚；我们就是在那儿遇到了——或者说再次遇到了——道恩。那天晚上，迈克和我住进海边的一家饭店。他太渴望灵悟海洋了，第二天一大早，他把我留在房间睡觉，自己跑出去跟大海第一次亲密接触。
“可怜的迈克！他到了海滩，扔掉睡袍就朝水里走去……看上去活像一位希腊的神祇，而且也和神一样毫不留心世俗的清规戒律，因此惹起好一阵骚动。我被吵醒了，赶紧冲下海滩，免得人家把他扔进牢里。”
吉尔突然有些出神，“他需要我，就现在。给我个晚安吻，本；咱们明早见。”
“你整晚都没空吗？”
“很可能。那是个相当大的过渡班。”她站起身，把他拉起来，投入他怀里。
过了一小会儿，她喃喃道：“亲爱的本，看来你上了不少课。唷！”
“我？我对你可是忠心耿耿——以我自己的方式。”
“我对你也一样。这不是在抱怨；我只是在想，朵卡丝帮你练过接吻了。”
“—点点，或许。爱管闲事的小家伙。”
“上课可以再等等，让你多吻吻我。我会试着去做朵卡丝。”
“做你自己就行。”
“我会的。迈克说朵卡丝的吻更彻底——'对吻灵悟得更多'——比任何人都多。”
“别再喋喋不休了。”
于是她不再说话，过了一会儿，她叹了口气，“过渡班，我来了——像只萤火虫一样闪闪发光。好好照顾他，道恩。”
"I will."
“吻吻他吧，然后你就知道我是什么意思了！”
“早有这打算了。”
“本，乖乖听道恩的话。”她跑着离开了起居室，却并不显得很匆忙。
道恩贴过来，张开双臂。
朱巴尔扬起一边眉毛，“难道你想告诉我，都到了那份上，你竟然临阵脱逃了？”
“不。其实我没什么选择的余地。我只好，呃，'跟不可抗力配合'。”
朱巴尔点点头，“你被逮住了。那种情况下，男人只能妥协。”
Notes:
Notes: