"David Drake - Belisarius 2 - In The Heart Of Darkness" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drake David)

And a fearsome enemy at that, he thought.
Rana Sanga was, in every respect except one, the archetypical model of a
Rajput. The man was very tall -- taller, even, than Belisarius -- and well
built. The easy grace with which Sanga rode his mount bespoke not only his
superb physical condition but also his expert horsemanship -- a quality he
shared with every Rajput Belisarius had so far met.
His dress and accouterments were those of a typical Rajput as well, if a
little finer. Rajputs favored lighter gear and armor than either cataphracts
or Persian lancers -- mail tunics reaching to mid-thigh, but leaving the arms
uncovered; open-faced helmets; tight trousers tucked into knee-high boots. For
weapons, they carried lances, bows, and scimitars. Belisarius had never
actually seen Sanga wield those weapons, but he had not the slightest doubt
the man was expert in their use.
Yes, the ideal image of a Rajput in every sense, except --
Sanga was now within a few feet. Belisarius smiled at him, and found it
impossible to keep the smile to a polite minimum.
Except for that marvelous, dry sense of humor.
"I am afraid I must ask you and your men to leave now, general Belisarius,"
said the Rajput, as he drew his horse alongside. "The battle will be heating
up soon, I believe. As always, we must put the safety of our honored guests
above all other concerns."
At that very moment, as if cued by the Rajput's words, an object appeared
above Ranapur. Belisarius watched the bomb -- launched by a catapult hidden
behind the walls of the city -- as it arched its way toward the Malwa
besiegers. Even from the great distance, he could spot the tiny sparks which
marked the bomb's fuse.
"You see the peril," announced Sanga.
The fuse, Belisarius saw, had been cut too short. The bomb exploded in the
air, well before it struck its intended target, the front line of trenches
encircling the city. Which were at least a mile away from the little knoll
where they stood.
"The deadly peril," elaborated Sanga.
"Indeed," mused Belisarius. "This is perhaps the most dangerous moment in my
entire life. Or, perhaps not. Perhaps it takes second place to that terrifying
episode, when I was eight years old, when my sister threatened me with a
ladle."
"Brutal creatures, sisters," agreed Sanga instantly. "I have three myself.
Deadly with a ladle, each and every one, and cruel beyond belief. So I have no
doubt that moment was slightly more dangerous than the present one. But I must
still insist that you leave. The safety of our honored guests from Rome is the
uppermost concern in our Emperor's mind. To allow Emperor Justinian's official
envoys to suffer so much as a scratch would be an irreparable stain upon his
honor."
The Rajput's expression was solemn, but Belisarius suddenly broke into a grin.
There was no point in arguing with Sanga. For all the Rajput's invariable
courtesy, Belisarius had quickly learned that the man had a will of iron.
Belisarius reined his horse around and began moving away from the siege. His
cataphracts followed immediately. The entire Rajput escort -- all five hundred
of them -- quickly took their places. Most of the Rajputs rode a polite
distance behind the Romans, but a considerable number took up positions as