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

the geese fly north in spring; Ah, would the years, like geese, return awing!"
Raspiudus roared with laughter, patting his paunch. "The same old Baldonius! Made ye that one up?"
Eudoric made a deprecatory motion. "I am a mere poetaster; but had not the higher wisdom claimed my allegiance, I might have made my mark in poesy."
"What befell your poor eye?"
"My own carelessness in leaving a corner of a pentacle open. The demon got in a swipe of his claws ere I could banish him. But now, good Raspiudus, I have a matter to discuss whereof I told you in my note."
"Yea, yea, time enow for that. Be ye weary from the road? Need ye baths? Aliment? Drink?"
"Not yet, old friend. We have but now come from Velitchovo's best hostelry."
"Then let me show you my house and grounds. Your lady. . .
"She'll stay with me. She speaks nought but Treverian and fears being separated from me among strangers. A mere swineherd's chick, but a faithful creature. At my age, that is of more moment than a pretty face."
Presently, Eudoric was looking at his and Jillo's palfreys and their sumpter mule in Raspiudus' stables. Eudoric made a few hesitant efforts, as if he were Baldonius seeking his young friends, to inquire after their disappearance. Each time Raspiudus smoothly turned the question aside, promising enlightenment later.
An hour later, Raspiudus was showing off his magical sanctum. With obvious interest, Eudoric examined a number of squares of dragon hide spread out on a workbench. He asked:
"Be this the integument of one of those Pathenian dragons, whereof I have heard?"
"Certes, good Baldonius. Are they extinct in your part of the world?"
"Aye. 'Twas for that reason that I sent my young friend and former pupil, of whom I'm waiting to tell you, eastward to fetch me some of this hide for use in my work. How does one cure this hide?"
"With salt, and-unhl"
Raspiudus collapsed, Eudoric having just struck him on the head with a short bludgeon that he whisked out of his voluminous sleeves.
"Bind and gag him and roll him behind the bench!" said Eudoric.
"Were it not better to cut his throat, sir?" said Jillo.
"Nay. The jailer told us that they have ingenious ways of punishing homicide, and I have no wish to prove them b~ experiment."
While Jillo bound the unconscious Raspiudus, Eudoric chose two pieces of dragon hide, each about a yard square. He rolled them together into a bundle and lashed them with a length of rope from inside his robe. As an afterthought, he helped himself to the contents of Raspiudus' purse. Then he hoisted the roll of hide to his shoulder and issued from the laboratory. He called to the nearest stableboy.
"Doctor Raspiudus," he said, "asks that ye saddle up those two nags." He pointed. "Good saddles, mind you! Are the animals well shod?"
"Hasten, sir," muttered Jillo. "Every instant we hang about here-"
"Hold thy peace! The appearance of haste were the surest way to arouse suspicion." Eudoric raised his voice. "Another heave on that girth, fellow! I am not minded to have my aged bones shattered by a tumble into the roadway."
Jillo whispered, "Can't we recover the mule and your armor, to boot?"
Eudoric shook his head. "Too risky," he murmured. "Be glad if we get away with whole skins."
When the horses had been saddled to his satisfaction, he said, "Lend me some of your strength in mounting, youngster." He groaned as he swung awkwardly into the saddle. "A murrain on thy master, to send us off on this footling errand-me that hasn't sat a horse in years! Now hand me that accursed roll of hide. I thank thee, youth; here's a little for thy trouble. Run ahead and tell the gatekeeper to have his portal well opened. I fear that if this beast pulls up of a sudden, I shall go flying over its head!"
A few minutes later, when they had turned a corner and were out of sight of Raspiudus' house, Eudoric said, "Now trot!"
"If I could but get out of this damned gown," muttered Jillo. "I can't ride decently in it."
"Wait till we're out of the city gate."
When Jillo had shed the offending garment, Eudoric said, "Now ride, man, as never before in your life!"
They pounded off on the Liptai road. Looking back, Jillo gave a screech. "There's a thing flying after us! It looks like a giant bat!"
"One of Raspiudus' sendings," said Eudoric. "I knew he'd get loose. Use your spurs! Can we but gain the bridge. . . ."
They fled at a mad gallop. The sending came closer and closer, until Eudoric thought he could feel the wind of its wings.
Then their hooves thundered across the bridge over the Pshora.
"Those things will not cross running water," said Eudoric, looking back. "Slow down, Jillo. These nags must bear us many leagues, and we must not founder them at the start."

so here we are," Eudoric told Doctor Baldonius. "Ye've seen your family, lad?"
"Certes. They thrive, praise to the Divine Pair. WThere's Lusina?"
"Well-ah-ahem-the fact is, she is not here."
"Oh? Then where?"
"Ye put me to shame, Eudoric. I promised you her hand in return for the two yards of dragon hide. Well, ye've fetched me the hide, at no small effort and risk, but I cannot fulfill my side of the bargain."
"Wherefore?"
"Alas! My undutiful daughter ran off with a strolling player last summer, whilst ye were chasing dragons-or perchance 'twas the other way round. I'm right truly sorry. . . ."
Eudoric frowned silently for an instant, then said, "Fret not, esteemed Doctor. I shall recover from the wound-provided, that is, that you salve it by making up my losses in more materialistic fashion."
Baldonius raised bushy gray brows. "So? Ye seem not so griefstricken as I should have expected, to judge from the lover's sighs and tears wherewith ye parted from the jade last spring. Now ye'lI accept money instead?"
"Aye, sir. I admit that my passion had somewhat cooled during our long separation. Was it likewise with her? What said she of me?"
"Aye, her sentiments did indeed change. She said you were too much an opportunist altogether to please her. I would not wound your feelings. . . ."
Eudoric waved a deprecatory hand. "Continue, pray. I have been somewhat toughened by my months in the rude, rough world, and I am interested."
"Well, I told her she was being foolish; that ye were a shrewd lad who, an ye survived the dragon hunt, would go far. But her words were: 'That is just the trouble, Father. He is too shrewd to be very lovable."
"Hmph," grunted Eudoric. "As one might say: I am a man of enterprise, thou art an opportunist, he is a conniving scoundrel. 'Tis all in the point of view. Well, if she prefers the fools of this world, I wish her joy of them. As a man of honor, I would have wedded Lusina had she wished. As things stand, trouble is saved all around."