Сумерки

           "ThatwasthebestIcouldsumupthesensationofanguishthathiswordstriggeredinmeattimes.

           "Perceptive,"hewhispered.Andtherewastheanguishagain,surfacingasheconfirmedmyfear."That’sexactlywhyyou’rewrong,though,"hebegantoexplain,butthenhiseyesnarrowed."Whatdoyoumean,’theobvious’?"

           "Well,lookatme,"Isaid,unnecessarilyashewasalreadystaring."I’mabsolutelyordinary-well,exceptforbadthingslikeallthenear-deathexperiencesandbeingsoclumsythatI’malmostdisabled.Andlookatyou."Iwavedmyhandtowardhimandallhisbewilderingperfection.

           Hisbrowcreasedangrilyforamoment,thensmoothedashiseyestookonaknowinglook."Youdon’tseeyourselfveryclearly,youknow.I’lladmityou’redead-onaboutthebadthings,"hechuckledblackly,"butyoudidn’thearwhateveryhumanmaleinthisschoolwasthinkingonyourfirstday."

           Iblinked,astonished."Idon’tbelieveit..."Imumbledtomyself.

           "Trustmejustthisonce-youaretheoppositeofordinary."

           Myembarrassmentwasmuchstrongerthanmypleasureatthelookthatcameintohiseyeswhenhesaidthis.Iquicklyremindedhimofmyoriginalargument.

           "ButI’mnotsayinggoodbye,"Ipointedout.

           "Don’tyousee?That’swhatprovesmeright.Icarethemost,becauseifIcandoit"-heshookhishead,seemingtostrugglewiththethought-"ifleavingistherightthingtodo,thenI’llhurtmyselftokeepfromhurtingyou,tokeepyousafe."

           Iglared.