This Is the Way the World Ends by James K Morrow
Author:James K Morrow [Morrow, James K]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy
ISBN: 9780156002080
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 40295
Publisher: Gollancz
Published: 1986-01-01T05:00:00+00:00
ENTRâACTE
Salon-de-Provence, France, 1554
â⦠cautiously picking his way through the invalidated past.â
Nostradamusâs gloved fingers removed the hot glass painting of Olaf Sverre crossing the swamp. The projected flame bounced off the wall and washed the study in white-gold light.
Jacob Mirabeauâs face was indecipherable, a stone etched with hieroglyphics. But then a yawn of astonishing dimensions appeared.
âYou are bored,â groaned the prophet. Nocturnal winds troubled the curtains.
âNo, Monsieur â tired,â said the boy. âI would be asleep by now were this show of yours not so terrifying. I fear to dream. Nightmares would stalk me, worse than when the plague came.â
âTerrifying, did you say?â Nostradamus clapped his hands. âNightmares? Splendid!â The night air swelled with flower scent and cricket music. âEverybody loves a good fright.â
âWill George get his sterility back?â
âHis fertility. When the medical officer checked him out, his seminiferous tubules had definitely begun spermatid production.â
âI remember â spermatids are baby sperm. Thatâs what the Hatter said.â
âVery good, Master Jacob.â
âWhat are sperm?â
âPeople wonât know about them until Leeuwenhoekâs microscope studies in 1677. If youâve been following the plot, you understand that George needs to steer his spermatids into his epididymis, so that they can achieve motility and enter his vas deferens.â
âI liked the battle.â
âI assumed you would.â
âCaptain Sverre reminds me a bit of you.â
âYes. I can see that. Heâs rather noble, donât you think?â
âOh, yes.â
Cries came, jagged shapes of pain cutting through the floor from below. The boy shuddered, hugged himself, began breathing in frog gulps.
Nostradamus stretched out his hand, and Jacobâs shoulder rose to meet it. The boy grew calm under the prophetâs gnarled touch.
âWhy does God make it so painful?â Jacob asked. âWhy does He punish all women for the sin of Eve?â
âGod is not the problem. The babies are the problem â their big heads. Ah, but they must be that big to hold our brains. Look here â the next painting. It will take your mind off your mother.â
The wall exploded in silver glaciers advancing between snow-cloaked mountains.
âTo appreciate the rest of the tale, Jacob, you must know something of its setting. Antarctica comprisesââ
âIâve been meaning to ask you â what is this Antarctica everybody keeps talking about?â
âA continent. The English explorer James Cook will discover the first evidence of it in 1772. Might I assume youâve run out of interruptions?â
âSorry, Monsieur.â
âThe continent of Antarctica comprises â¦â
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