"David Drake - Belisarius 3 - Destiny's Shield" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drake David)

needed to support your new order."
"They will beg for their support, damn them!" snapped Michael. "Just as I do!"
Belisarius shook his head. "They will be too busy. Much too busy." The general
smiled -- broadly, not crookedly. "Yours will be a religious order of a new
kind, Michael. A military order."
A name flashed through the general's mind.
"We will call them the Knights Hospitaler," he said, leaning forward in his
chair.
Guided by Aide through the labyrinth of future history, Belisarius began to
explain.

After Michael was gone, hurrying his way out of the Great Palace, Justinian
sighed. "It will not work, Belisarius. Oh, to be sure, at first -- " The
former emperor, veteran of intrigue and maneuver, shook his head sadly. "Men
are sinners. In time, your new monks will simply become another lot of
ambitious schemers, grasping for anything in sight."
Image. A magnificent palace. Through its corridors, adorned with expensive
statuary and tapestries, moved men in secretive discourse. They wore tunics --
still white, with a simple red cross. But the tunics were silk, now, and the
hilts of the swords suspended from their scabbards were encrusted with gems.
"True," replied Belisarius. His voice lost none of its good cheer. "But they
will not lapse until Malwa is done. After that -- " Belisarius shrugged. "I do
not know much, Justinian, of the struggle in the far distant future in which
we find ourselves ensnared. But I have always known we were on the right side,
because our enemies -- those who call themselves the 'new gods' -- seek human
perfection. There is no such thing, and never will be." He rose from his
chair.
"You know that as well as I. Do you really think that your new laws and your
judgements will bring paradise on earth? An end to all injustice?"
Justinian grunted sarcastically.
"Why do it, then?" demanded Belisarius.
"Because it's worth doing," growled Justinian.
The general nodded. "God judges us by what we seek, not what we find."
Belisarius began to leave. Justinian called him back.
"One other thing, Belisarius. Speaking of visions." The former Emperor's face
twisted into a half-smile. It was a skeptical sort of expression -- almost
sardonic.
"Have you had any further visions about your little proteg├й in India? Is she
making Malwa howl yet?"
Belisarius returned Justinian's smile with a shake of the head. "Shakuntala? I
don't know -- I've certainly had no visions! Aide is not a magician,
Justinian. He is no more clairvoyant than you or I." The general smiled
himself, now. There was nothing sardonic in that expression, though. And it
was not in the least bit crooked. "I imagine she's doing splendidly. She's
probably already got a little army collected around her, by now."
"Where is she?"
Belisarius shrugged. "The plan was for her to seek exile in south India. Her
grandfather's the King of Kerala. Whether she's there or not, however, I don't
know. I've received no word. That's the very reason Irene is accompanying
Antonina to Egypt. She'll try to re-establish contact with Shakuntala and Rao