"Gordon R. Dickson - The Last Dream" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

тАЬThe Loathly Tower. ItтАЩs in the fens. You know of it, donтАЩt you?тАЭ

тАЬOh, sir! Yes, sir. But you wouldnтАЩt want to go there, sir! Not that IтАЩm presuming to give your lordship
adviceтАФтАЭ cried Secoh, in a suddenly high and terrified voice.

тАЬNo, no,тАЭ soothed Jim. тАЬWhat are you so upset about?тАЭ

тАЬWellтАФof course IтАЩm only a timid little mere-dragon. But itтАЩs a terrible place, the Loathly Tower, your
worship, sir.тАЭ

тАЬHow? Terrible?тАЭ

тАЬWellтАФwell, it just is.тАЭ Secoh cast an unhappy look around him. тАЬItтАЩs what spoiled all of us, you know,
five hundred years ago. We used to be like other dragonsтАФoh, not so big and handsome as you, sir.
Then, after that, they say it was the Good got the upper hand and the Evil in the Tower was vanquished
and the Tower itself ruined. But it didnтАЩt help us mere-dragons any, and I wouldnтАЩt go there if I was your
worship, I really wouldnтАЩt.тАЭ

тАЬBut whatтАЩs so bad? What sort of thing is it?тАЭ

тАЬWell, I wouldnтАЩt say there was any real thing there. Nothing your worship could put a claw on. ItтАЩs just
strange things go to it and strange things come out of it; and latelyтАжтАЭ

тАЬLately what?тАЭ

тАЬNothingтАФnothing, really, your excellency!тАЭ cried Secoh. тАЬYour illustriousness shouldnтАЩt catch a
worthless little mere-dragon up like that. I only meant, lately the TowerтАЩs seemed more fearful than ever.
ThatтАЩs all.тАЭ

тАЬProbably your imagination,тАЭ said Jim, shortly. тАЬAnyway, where is it?тАЭ

тАЬYou have to go north about five miles.тАЭ While they had eaten and talked, the sunset had died. It was
almost dark now; and Jim had to strain his eyes through the gloom to see the mere-dragonтАЩs foreclaw,
pointing away across the mere. тАЬTo the Great Causeway. ItтАЩs a wide lane of solid ground running east
and west through the fens. You follow it west to the Tower. The Tower stands on a rock overlooking the
sea-edge.тАЭ

тАЬFive milesтАжтАЭ said Jim. He considered the soft grass on which he lay. His armored body seemed
undisturbed by the temperature, whatever it was. тАЬI might as well get some sleep. See you in the morning,
Secoh.тАЭ He obeyed a sudden, bird-like instinct and tucked his ferocious head and long neck back under
one wing.

тАЬWhatever your excellency desiresтАжтАЭ the mere-dragonтАЩs muffled voice came distantly to his ear. тАЬYour
excellency has only to call and IтАЩll be immediately availableтАжтАЭ

The words faded out on JimтАЩs ear, as he sank into sleep like a heavy stone into deep, dark waters.

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When he opened his eyes, the sun was up. He sat up himself, yawned, and blinked.