"David Drake - The Way to Glory" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drake David)

He turned his head toward Mawhire, a quick motion that reminded Daniel of an ancient, poisonous,
lizard casting for prey. "You know that story, Mawhire?" he demanded.

"I recall rumors," Senator Mawhire said, having the decency to look uncomfortable. "But it's not really a
matterтАФ"

"Speaker Leary and young Kearnes there don't get along because Leary and Lira Kearnes got along too
well!" Bayard continued in glee. "Far too well!"

He broke into cackling laughter; it ended abruptly in a paroxysm of coughing. One of Bayard's
attendants held his shoulders while the other slipped a large handkerchief over his mouth.

Daniel smiled pleasantly.I hope you bring your lungs up, you nasty little bastard , he thought. Aloud
he said, "That would've been before my time, sir. And of course it's not the sort of thing a gentleman talks
about."

"Gentlemen!" Bayard sneered. "All a gentleman's good for is feeding the worms!"

"That's the common lot of mankind, my dear Tomas," said a woman suddenly standing at Daniel's right
elbow. Her voice was cultured and as smoothly cutting as a scalpel. "However the lieutenant here has
already accomplished things that will keephis name alive after the worms have devoured what the
doctors have left. Not so?"

"Faugh, glory!" Bayard said. "Women and fools set great store by it, I understand."

He started to turn away, but stiffness and the walker prevented him from doing so quickly enough. The
woman added sweetly, "I suppose women you've had to learn about second hand, haven't you, you poor
dear?"

Daniel allowed himself a satisfied smile toward the magnate's back. He wouldn't have responded to
Bayard directly, out of courtesy toward a sick old manтАФhowever nastyтАФand from the sense of
propriety ingrained by living within the rigid order of the RCN. He certainly wasn't displeased to watch
somebodyelse kick the old bastard in the balls, thoughтАФand then put the boot in as he writhed on the
floor.

He turned to the woman. She looked to be in her thirties, but that was probably as much a medical
marvel as the fact Tomas Bayard was alive at all. She was undeniably handsome, but even "the thirties"
was far too old for Daniel's taste.
 "Mistress Jacopus," said Mawhire to the lady, "allow me to present the Lieutenant Daniel Leary of
whom we've heard so much. I'd say Daniel was an old family friend, but in fact I can't claim to be any
closer to Speaker Leary today than Kearnes isтАФor you are yourself, boy, from what I hear? Had quite a
falling out with your father when you joined the navy, I heard?"

"I haven't spoken to my father in some years, that's true," Daniel said, letting his eyes rise as if to view
the frescos of the high ceiling. Cherubs were teasing lions in various fashions in each panel, while between
the paintings were stucco moldings of furious giants straining to burst through the frames they supported.
He supposed the scenes were allegorical; another way of saying they were without interest to him. "I
wonder if there's something to drтАФ"