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

"Much better," Atesca told him. "Now, let's begin over
again. Do you by chance remember how to salute?"
The colonel saluted smartly, though his face was pale.
"Splendid. We'll make a soldier of you yet. Now, one of
the people I was escorting -a lady of high station- fell ill
during our journey. I want a warm, comfortable room prepared
for her immediately."
"Sir," the colonel protested, "I'm not authorized to do
that."
"Don't put your sword away just yet, Captain."
"But, General, the members of his Majesty's household
staff make all those decisions. They'll be infuriated if I
overstep my bounds."
"I'll explain it to his Majesty, Colonel," Atesca told
him. "The circumstances are a trifle unusual, but l'm sure
he'll approve."
The colonel faltered, his eyes filled with indecision.
"Do it, Colonel! Now!"
"I'll see to it at once, General," the colonel replied,
snapping to attention. "You men," he said to the soldiers
holding Ce'Nedra's litter, "follow me."
Garion automatically started to follow the litter, but
Polgara took his arm firmly. "No, Garion. I'll go with her.
There's nothing you can do right now, and I think Zakath's
going to want to talk to you. Just be careful of what you
say." And she went off down the hallway behind the litter.
"I see that Mallorean society still has its little
frictions, " Silk said blandly to General Atesca.
"Angaraks," Atesca grunted. " Sometimes they have a little
difficulty coping with the modern world. Excuse me, Prince
Kheldar. I want to let his Majesty know that we're here." He
went to a polished door at the other end of the room and spoke
briefly with one of the guards. Then he came back. "The
Emperor is being advised of our arrival," he said to them. "I
expect that he'll see us in a few moments."
A rather chubby, bald-headed man in a plain, though
obviously costly, brown robe and with a heavy gold chain about
his neck approached them. "Atesca, my dear fellow," he greeted
the general, "they told me that you were stationed at Rak
Verkat."
"I have some business with the Emperor, Brador. What are
you doing in Cthol Murgos?"
"Cooling my heels," the chubby man replied. "I've been
waiting for two days to see Kal Zakath."
"Who's minding the shop at home?"
"I've arranged it so that it more or less runs itself,"
Brador replied. "The report I have for his Majesty is so vital
that I decided to carry it myself."
"What could be so earthshaking that it would drag the
Chief of the Bureau of Internal Affairs away from the comforts