"Joseph Delaney - The Spook's Curse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Delaney Joseph)

тАШItтАЩll have to come off,тАЩ he said. тАЬThatтАЩs his only hope.тАЩ

At that, the tears started running down her cheeks again and the doctor looked at me and pointed to
the door. Once outside, he leaned back against the wall and sighed.

тАШHow long before youтАЩre ready?тАЩ he asked.

тАШLess than an hour, Doctor,тАЩ I replied, Imt it depends on the mason. HeтАЩs bringing the stone himself.тАЩ

тАШIf itтАЩs much longer, weтАЩll lose him. The truth is, I donтАЩt really give much for his chances anyway. I
canтАЩt even give him anything for the pain yet because his body wonтАЩt stand two doses and IтАЩll have to
give him something just before I amputate. Even then, the shock could kill him outright. Having to move
him straight afterwards makes it even worse.тАЩ

I shrugged. I didnтАЩt even like to think about it.

тАШYou do know exactly what has to be done?тАЩ the doctor asked, studying my face carefully.

тАШMr Gregory explained everything,тАЩ I said, trying to sound confident. In fact, if heтАЩd explained it once,
the Spook had explained it a dozen times. Then heтАЩd made me recite it back to him over and over again
until he was satisfied.

тАШAbout fifteen years ago we dealt with a similar case,тАЩ the doctor said. тАШWe did what we could but the
man died anyway and he was a young farmer, fit as a butcherтАЩs dog and in the prime of life. LetтАЩs just
cross our fingers. Sometimes the old ones are a lot tougher than you think.тАЩ

There was a long silence then, which I broke by checking something IтАЩd been worrying about.

тАШSo you know that IтАЩll need some of his blood.тАЩ

тАШDonтАЩt tell your grandfather how to suck eggs,тАЩ the doctor growled, then he gave me a tired smile and
pointed down the lane towards Horshaw. тАШThe masonтАЩs on his way so youтАЩd better get off and do your
job. You can leave the rest to me.тАЩ

I listened and heard the distant sound of a cart approaching, so I headed back through the gravestones
to see how the riggers were getting on.

The pit was ready and theyтАЩd already assembled the wooden platform under the tree. The riggerтАЩs
mate had climbed up into the tree and was fixing the block and tackle onto a sturdy branch. It was a
device the size of a manтАЩs head, made out of iron and hanging with chains and a big hook. We would
need it to support the weight of the stone and position it very precisely.

тАШThe masonтАЩs here,тАЩ I said.

Immediately, both men left what they were doing and followed me back towards the church.

Now another horse was waiting in the lane, the stone resting in the back of the cart. No problems so
far, but the mason didnтАЩt look too happy and he avoided my eyes. Still, wasting no time, we brought the
cart round the long way to the gate that led into the field.