Чужак в чужой стране

           Saintorscoundrel,he’snotoneoftheharriedlittlechumps."

           "Whichdoyouthinkheis,Jubal?"

           "Youmeanthere’sadifference?"

           "Oh,Jubal,yourcynicismisjustaposeandyouknowit!Ofcoursethere’sadifference."

           "Mmm,yes,you’reright,thereis.Ihopehe’sjustascoundrel–becauseasaintcanstiruptentimesasmuchmischiefasascoundrel.Strikethatfromtherecord;youwouldjusttagitas‘cynicism’–asiftaggingitproveditwrong.Jill,whattroubledyouaboutthosechurchservices?"

           "Well?everything.Youcan’ttellmethatthatisworship."

           "Meaningtheydidn’tdothingsthatwayintheLittleBrownChurchintheValeyouattendedasakid?Braceyourself,Jill–theydon’tdoityourwayinSt.Peter’seither.NorinMecca."

           "Yes,but–well,noneofthemdoitthatway!Snakedances,slotmachines?evenabarrightinchurch!That’snotreverence,it’snotevendignified!Justdisgusting."

           "Idon’tsupposethattempleprostitutionwasverydignified,either."

           "Huh?"

           "Iratherimaginethatthetwo-backedbeastisjustassweatyandcomicalwhentheactisperformedintheserviceofagodasitisunderanyothercircumstances.Asforthosesnakedances,haveyoueverseenaShakerservice?No,ofcoursenotandneitherhaveI;anychurchthatisagainstsexualintercourse(astheywere)doesn’tlastlong.ButdancingtothegloryofGodhasalongandrespectedhistory.