О дивный новый мир

           Kothlucamefirst,hisrighthandout?stretchedandtightlyclosed,asthoughoversomepreciousjewel.Herclenchedhandsimilarlyoutstretched,Kiakiméfollowed.Theywalkedinsilence,andinsilence,behindthem,camethebrothersandsistersandcousinsandallthetroopofoldpeople.

           Theywalkedoutofthepueblo,acrossthemesa.Attheedgeoftheclifftheyhalted,facingtheearlymorningsun.Kothluopenedhishand.Apinchofcornmeallaywhiteonthepalm;hebreathedonit,murmuredafewwords,thenthrewit,ahandfulofwhitedust,towardsthesun.Kiakimédidthesame.ThenKhakimé’sfathersteppedforward,andholdingupafeatheredprayerstick,madealongprayer,thenthrewthestickafterthecornmeal.

           "Itisfinished,"saidoldMitsimainaloudvoice."Theyaremarried."

           "Well,"saidLinda,astheyturnedaway,"allIcansayis,itdoesseemalotoffusstomakeaboutsolittle.Incivilizedcountries,whenaboywantstohaveagirl,hejust...Butwhereareyougoing,John?"

           Hepaidnoattentiontohercalling,butranon,away,away,anywheretobebyhimself.

           ItisfinishedOldMitsima’swordsrepeatedthemselvesinhismind.Finished,finished...Insilenceandfromalongwayoff,butviolently,desperately,hopelessly,hehadlovedKiakimé.Andnowitwasfinished.Hewassixteen.

           Atthefullmoon,intheAntelopeKiva,secretswouldbetold,secretswouldbedoneandborne.Theywouldgodown,boys,intothekivaandcomeoutagain,men.Theboyswereallafraidandatthesametimeimpatient.