"P. N. Elrod - Jonathan Barrett 04 - Dance of Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elrod P N)

s, accompanied by a solid crashing and thumping to indicate that he'd found
something in his cell with which to make an assault on the door.
"I think we should have the footmen back," Oliver advised, casting a nervous
eye at me. "We won't be able to handle him alone, he's far too angry for re
ason.''
"He'll not be difficult for me once I'm inside."
"That's a proper lion's den in there and I must remind you that your name's
Jonathan, not Daniel."
"And I must remind you that I have a bit more than just my faith to protect m
e in this instance."
"From the sound of things, you'll need it."
Ridley roared and smashed whatever weapon he'd found upon the door, causing
it to rattle alarmingly. I hoped that his improvised club was not made of
wood. For reasons unknown to me, wood presents a rare difficulty to my pers
on when brought to bear with violence, and to it was I as susceptible to bo
dily harm as any ordinary man; I'd have to take care not to allow Ridley th
e least opening against me.
Easier said than done, Johnny Boy, I thought, steeling myself to enter. More
out of trepidation of what was to come and to put it off just a bit longer th
an out of concern for Oliver, I paused to make an inquiry of him.
"You know what to expect, don't you?"
Ridley's commotion must have distracted him. "I expect he'll pulverize you,
then come after me."
"He won't be able to. I was asking if you remembered what I was going to do
to get inside.''
"Oh, that," he said with wan enthusiasm. "Yes, you've mentioned it, but I'm no
t so sure that I've quite taken it in."
"I've never had cause before to demonstrate it for you. You're not going to s
woon or do anything silly, are you?''
''For God's sake, how bad can it be?''
"It's not bad, just something of a surprise if one is unprepared for it."
"I should be able to manage well enough. Once one's witnessed a few amputati
ons there's little enough the world can do to shake one's calm. Nothing like
 seeing a man getting his leg sawed off for putting you in a proper mood to
count your blessings and to ignore most troubles life has to fling at you."
As if to give lie to his statement, Oliver jumped somewhat at Ridley's next
fit of hammering.
"Steady on, Coz." I found myself near to smiling at his discomfiture and won
dered if he was playing the ass on purpose just to lighten things.
He scowled, jerking his head in the direction of the, clamor. "Well, get on
with it before he has the whole house down. Do what you must-just promise yo
u'll try to come out in one piece."
"I promise." And with those words, I picked up one of the lighted candles l
eft behind by the footmen and vanished.
Oliver emitted a sort of suppressed yelp, but held his ground as far as I c
ould determine without benefit of sight. My hearing was somewhat impaired w
hile in this bodiless state, but I could clearly sense his presence just in
front of me-or what had been my front but a moment before. Now I floated,
held in place by thought alone, and by that means did I propel myself to on
e side, find the crack between the cellar bricks and the wooden door, and s