"L. Sprague De Camp - Two Yards of Dragon" - читать интересную книгу автора (De Camp L Sprague)

TWO YARDS OF DRAGON



EUDoRIc DAMBERTSON, ESQUIRE, rode home from his courting of Lusina, daughter
of the enchanter Baldonius, with a face as long as an olif ant's nose.
Eudoric's sire, Sir Dambert, said:
"Well, how fared thy suit, boy? Ill, eh?"
"I-" began Eudoric.
"I told you 'twas an asinine notion, eh? Was I not right? When Baron
Emmerhard has more daughters than he can count, any one of which would fetch a
pretty parcel of land with her, eh? Well, why answerest not?"
"I-" said Eudoric.
"Come on, lad, speak up!"
"How can he, when ye talk all the time?" said Eudoric's mother, the Lady
Aniset.
"Oh," said Sir Dambert. "Your pardon, son. Moreover and furthermore, as
I've told you, an ye were Emmerhard's son-in-law, he'd use his influence toget
you your spurs. Here ye be, a strapping youth of three-and-twenty, not yet
knighted. 'Tis a disgrace to our lineage."
"There are no wars toward, to afford opportunity for deeds of knightly
dought," said Eudoric.
"Aye, 'tis true. Certes, we all hail the blessings of peace, which the
wise governance of our sovran emperor hath given us for lo these thirteen
years. Howsomever, to perform a knightly deed, our young men must needs waylay
banditti, disperse rioters, and do suchlike fribbling feats."
As Sir Dambert paused, Eudoric interjected, "Sir, that problem now seems
on its way to solution."
"How meanest thou?"
"If you'll but hear me, Father! Doctor Baldonius has set me a
task, ere he'll bestow Lusina on me, which should fit me for knighthood in any
jurisdiction?'
"And that is?"
"He's fain to have two square yards of dragon hide. Says he needs 'em
for his magical mummeries."
"But there have been no dragons in these parts for a century or more!"
"True; but, quoth Baldonius, the monstrous reptiles still abound far to
eastward, in the lands of Pathenia and Pantorozia. Forsooth, he's given me a
letter of introduction to his colleague, Doctor Raspiudus, in Pathenia."
"What?" cried the Lady Aniset. "Thou, to set forth on some yearlong
journey to parts unknown, where, 'tis said, men hop on a single leg or have
faces in their bellies? I'll not have it! Besides, Baldonius may be privy
wizard to Baron Emmerhard, but 'tis not to be denied that he is of no gentle
blood."
"Well," said Eudoric, "so who was gentle when the Divine Pair created
the world?"
"Our forebears were, I'm sure, whate'er were the case with those of the
learned Doctor Baldonius. You young people are always full of idealistic
notions. Belike thou'lt fall into heretical delusions, for I hear that the
Easterlings have not the true religion. They falsely believe that God is one,