"Downer, Ann - Spellkey 01-03 - The Spellkey Trilogy 1.0" - читать интересную книгу автора (Downer Ann)

"Don't take that tone with me. You know very well what
I meant."

The Badger reddened. "Sony."

"You'd better go. And be careful how you choose your
words. His Grace is in a holy temper."

The abbot was giving dictation to his secretary, a rabbity
monk with a harelip that exposed prominent front teeth.
The abbot himself was knife thin, with brilliant eyes sunk
in a wizened parchment face. His gaze fell on the Badger,
who was standing just inside the doorway, twisting his cap
in his hands.

"Ah, young Martin."

"It's Matthew, your Grace."

"Yes, yes." The abbot waved him to a seat, arranging
his own slight form in the chair opposite.

"I will be blunt. Your presence at the abbey has become
a trial to me, and I am at an age when I must economize
my trials. When I contracted with your grandfather to
undertake your bringing-up, I assumed, when you came
of age, that you would take the vows and vestments of our
order. It is now painfully clear to me that you will not
willingly do so."

Here the abbot paused as if anticipating a reply, but
the Badger only stared at his feet.

"Furthermore," said the abbot, "it has been brought to
my attention that you have taught yourself to read. In
doing so, you not only reached above your station in pur-
suit of a gentle education, but doubled your offense by
reading poetry and other forbidden writings. You knew
such behavior went against all the tenets of the Pentacle,
and yet you persisted. Was this how we were to be repaid
for taking you in and offering you our protection?"

The Badger remained fascinated with his bootlace.
When the abbot saw no answer was forthcoming, he
sighed.

"I am therefore persuaded to let you go. I have secured
a place for you with the apothecary in Moorsedge. You
will go tomorrow."