"Brian Daley - Doomfarers of Coramonde" - читать интересную книгу автора (Daley Brian)

Though the rain was heavier now, and the night dark, Springbuck had no difficulty identifying the
man with bow in hand who stepped from behind a nearby tree and up onto the raised surface of the
Tangent, arrow nocked, deadly confident.
The lightning flashes showed him EHatim.
Chapter Four
The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage.
THUCYDIDES,


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the funeral speech for Pericles
HE could see his former martial instructor only dimly in the broken light until the other brought
forth a small lantern which had been covered, unshrouded its glow and turned up the wick. He set
it down near Fireheel, who dug with a nervous hoof at the impervious Tangent; then he trained the
drawn war arrow, barbs glittering coldly, on Springbuck.
The Prince considered his options. His mount was tired and Firebeel looked well rested, so that
Eliatim would have no trouble in overtaking him should be bolt. Besides, the man was an uncanny
marksman when mounted and an incredible one from stance; Springbuck wouldn't get two lengths
before he was spitted. He gnawed his lip and watched the rain splatter down, and a hope began to
grow in him. If he could occupy the other's attention for some little while, perhaps the master-of-
arms' bowstring would become moist enough in the downpour to make it slack and give him a chance
at escape. In any case, he must make some sally or be shot down here and now, on the instant.
Thinking all of this, he answered, "You needn't threaten me. As you can see, I'm leaving Coramonde
for all time, going far and for good, I swear."
Gone now were thoughts of retribution. He wanted only to live, and that urge would supplant any
other but the strongest. The biting memory of his earlier failure of Hightower tore at him, but
immediate danger preempted any bold or defiant words and his survival instinct prodded him to
dissemble and say anything, anything to live.
27
28
THE DOOMFARERS OF CORAMONDE
Eliatim cut him short, words curdling with contempt. "You know better than that, boy. We can't
afford to have you wander off, even if you mean what you say; it wouldn't be long before you were
located and exploited by some troublemaker or other. One of the Southern Warlords, or that heretic
deCourteney, possibly? Now, look how easy it was for me, Your Grace. When I returned and found you
gone, I had little problem surmising what had happened. Is it of any interest to you that the
stableboy is dead? I thought so. I had to interrogate him in some haste. And we'll hoist that
damned slacker Brodur, too, when we find him.
"You must have taken a roundabout way to the Brass Lion Gate, but I had the guards pass me through
and I knew that we would meet here one last time."
Later, Springbuck promised himself, he would think about poor Micko, how they'd played and joked
together, later remember how Micko could sleep between the legs of the most spirited horse in its
stall, since he was that close to animals, and how he could never lie well, it being foreign to
him to twist things or dress his words up. The Prince must grieve later because now he was poised
for the one chance he might get to elude death.
The appalling idea struck him that Eliatim was reading his every thought and intention when the
other said, "Come down off your high horse, and I will explain some facts which, I confess, have
been kept from you."