"Dave Duncan - The Seventh Sword - 1 - The Reluctant Sword" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

As he walked, he decided that young Jannarlu had shown great discretion in coming to him, and not to some blabbermouth middlerank. He should
be rewarded. And kept quiet.


"Who is your mentor now?" he asked. "Yes, I know him. A worthy and holy man. But the Honorable Londossinu is in need of another protege to
assist him in some new duties. They are sensitive matters, and he needs a man of reticence and discretion."


He glanced sideways at the youngster beside him and saw a flush of pleasure and excitement. "I should be greatly honored, my lord."


So he should be, a Third being offered a Sixth as mentor, but he seemed to be hearing the message. "Then I shall speak to your mentor and the holy
one, and see if a transfer can be arranged. It will have to wait until after this matter of the swordsman, of course... until after that has been
successfully concluded."


"Of course, my lord." Young Jannarlu was staring straight ahead, but could not quite suppress a smile.


"And where are you in your inurement?"


"I am due to start the fifth silence in another week," said the lad, adding helpfully, "I am eager to begin."


"You will begin as soon as I have met this marvel of yours," Honakura stated, with a silent chuckle. "I shall send word to your mentor." An astute
young man! The fifth silence lasted two weeks-the matter would certainly be settled by then.


At last they had reached the arches. Beyond them the great steps fell away like a hillside to the temple court. The top was already cluttered with
rows of pilgrims patiently kneeling in the shadow. Later in the day, when the tropic sun discovered them, they would find the waiting harder.


Out of habit the priest glanced over the faces of the closest. As his eyes met theirs they bowed their heads respectfully to him, but from long
experience he had already read the rank and craft marks of their brows and made a preliminary diagnosis-a potter of the Third, probably a health
problem; a spinster of the Second, perhaps a sterility case; a goldsmith of the Fifth, good for a fair offering.


Few of the heads were bound. Honakura could make an easy guess as to the swordsman. The man had chosen to approach one of the side arches,
which was fortunate because the token guard stood only at the center arch, but it was a curious choice for one of his rank. Something must be
seriously awry for him.


"The big one, I assume? Very well. And there, I believe, is the Honorable Londossinu himself. Let us speak to him right away." That was
convenient, for Honakura disliked overloading his memory these days, and it was surely the handiwork of the Holiest. The whole affair was then
disposed of in a dozen words-plus a few meaningful glances, nuances, hints, and insinuations. The transfer of mentors would be arranged, and
Londossinu would get the committee appointments he had been seeking for two other proteges, plus promotion for another. And young Jannarlu
would be kept quiet. Honakura waited until he saw the young man head back into the temple to begin the ritual of silence, quite unaware of most of