Сумерки

           "Carlislefoundmeinahospitalinthesummerof1918.Iwasseventeen,anddyingoftheSpanishinfluenza."

           Heheardmyintakeofbreath,thoughitwasbarelyaudibletomyownears.Helookeddownintomyeyesagain.

           "Idon’trememberitwell-itwasaverylongtimeago,andhumanmemoriesfade."Hewaslostinhisthoughtsforashorttimebeforehewenton."Idorememberhowitfelt,whenCarlislesavedme.It’snotaneasything,notsomethingyoucouldforget."

           "Yourparents?"

           "Theyhadalreadydiedfromthedisease.Iwasalone.Thatwaswhyhechoseme.Inallthechaosoftheepidemic,noonewouldeverrealizeIwasgone."

           "Howdidhe...saveyou?"

           Afewsecondspassedbeforeheanswered.Heseemedtochoosehiswordscarefully.

           "Itwasdifficult.Notmanyofushavetherestraintnecessarytoaccomplishit.ButCarlislehasalwaysbeenthemosthumane,themostcompassionateofus...Idon’tthinkyoucouldfindhisequalthroughoutallofhistory."Hepaused."Forme,itwasmerelyvery,verypainful."

           Icouldtellfromthesetofhislips,hewouldsaynomoreonthissubject.Isuppressedmycuriosity,thoughitwasfarfromidle.ThereweremanythingsIneededtothinkthroughonthisparticularissue,thingsthatwereonlybeginningtooccurtome.Nodoubthisquickmind

           hadalreadycomprehendedeveryaspectthateludedme.

           Hissoftvoiceinterruptedmythoughts."Heactedfromloneliness.That’susuallythereasonbehindthechoice.IwasthefirstinCarlisle’sfamily,thoughhefoundEsmesoonafter.Shefellfromacliff.