"David Eddings - Malloreon 3 Demon Lord of Karanda" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

The guards at the gate drew themselves up and saluted
smartly as Atesca led the way into the city. The battered
condition of the stone houses within the walls attested to the
savagery of the fighting which had ensued when Rak Hagga had
fallen. Many of them stood unroofed to the sky, their gaping,
soot-blackened windows staring out at the rubble-choked
streets. A work gang of sullen Murgos, dragging clanking
chains behind them, labored to clear the fallen building
stones out of the slushy streets under the watchful eyes of a
detachment of Mallorean soldiers.
"You know," Silk said, "that's the first time I've ever
seen a Murgo actually work. I didn't think they even knew
how."
The headquarters of the Mallorean army in Cthol Murgos was
in a large, imposing yellow-brick house near the center of the
city. It faced a broad, snowy square, and a marble staircase
led up to the main door with a file of red-cloaked Mallorean
soldiers lining each side.
"The former residence of the Murgo Military Governor of
Hagga," Sadi noted as they drew near the house.
"You've been here before, then?" Silk asked.
"In my youth," Sadi replied. "Rak Hagga has always been
the center of the slave trade."
Atesca dismounted and turned to one of his officers.
"Captain," he said, "have your men bring the Queen's
litter. Tell them to be very careful."
As the rest of them swung down from their mounts, the
captain's men unfastened the litter from the saddles of the
two horses that had carried it and started up the marble
stairs in General Atesca's wake.
Just inside the broad doors stood a polished table, and
seated behind it was an arrogant-looking man with angular eyes
and an expensive-looking scarlet uniform.
Against the far wall stood a row of chairs occupied by
bored-looking officials.
"State your business," the officer behind the table said
brusquely.
Atesca's face did not change expression as he silently
stared at the officer.
"I said to state your business."
"Have the rules changed, Colonel?" Atesca asked in a
deceptively mild voice. "Do we no longer rise in the presence
of a superior?"
"I'm too busy to jump to my feet for every petty Melcene
official from the outlying districts," the colonel declared.
"Captain," Atesca said flatly to his officer, "if the
colonel is not on his feet in the space of two heartbeats,
would you be so good as to cut his head off for me?"
"Yes, sir," the captain replied, drawing his sword even as
the startled colonel jumped to his feet.