"Dunsany, Lord - Plays of Gods and Men" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dunsany Lord)

If the King discovers this we shall be painfully
tortured.

Ichtharion:
How can the King discover it?

Ludibras:
He knows that there are no gods.

Ichtharion:
No man knows that of a certainty.

Ludibras:
But if there are...!

{Enter Prophet with Harpagas. Ichtharion quickly sends
Ludibras and Harpagas away.}

Ichtharion:
There is a delicate matter concerning the King.

Voice-of-the-Gods:
Then I can help you little for I serve only the gods.

Ichtharion:
It also concerns the gods.

Voice-of-the-Gods:
Ah. Then I hearken.

Ichtharion:
This city is for the King, whose body is fragile, a
very unhealthy city. Moreover, there is no work here
that a King can profitably do. Also it is dangerous
for Barbul-el-Sharnak to be long without a King,
lest...

Voice-of-the-Gods:
Does this concern the gods?

Ichtharion:
In this respect it does concern the gods -- that if the
gods knew this they would warn the King by inspiring
you to make a prophecy. As they do not know this...

Voice-of-the-Gods:
The gods know all things.

Ichtharion:
The gods do not know things that are not true. This is