"Raymond E. Feist - Conclave of Shadows 2 - King of Foxes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

virtual
friends, and a few who've become more than virtual. Thanks for keeping things
interesting.
To Jennifer, Roseanna, Rebecca, Milisa, and Heather for keeping things lively.
To Jamie Ann for keeping things interesting and lively.
To my mother, for so many reasons, and my children, for even more reasons.
And, lastly, but certainly not least of all, you, the readers, for keeping me
working at a craft I love.
Raymond E. Feist
San Diego, CA
July, 2003

PART ONE
Agent

"In the service of Caesar, everything is legitimate."
Pierre Corneille, La Mort de Pompe'e

CHAPTER ONE
Return
A bird soared over the City.
Its eyes sought out a figure in the throng on the docks, one man amidst the
teeming surge of humanity occupying the harbour-side during the busiest part
of
the day. The Port of Roldem, harbour to the capital city of the island
kingdom
of the same name, was one of the most crowded in the Sea of Kingdoms. Trade
goods and passengers from the Empire of Great Kesh, the Kingdom of the Isles,
and half a dozen lesser nations nearby came and went daily.
The man under scrutiny wore the travel clothes of a noble, all sturdy weave
and
easily cleaned, with fastenings which allowed him to remain comfortable in
all
weathers. He sported a jacket designed to be worn off the left shoulder,
leaving
his sword arm unencumbered. Upon his head was a black beret adorned with a
silver pin and a single grey feather, and upon his feet he wore sturdy boots.
His luggage was being offloaded and would be conveyed to the address he had
specified. He travelled without servant, which while unusual for a noble was
not
unheard ofтАФfor not all nobles were wealthy.
He paused for a brief second to drink in the sights. Around him people
scurried:
porters, sailors, stevedores, and teamsters. Wagons loaded so high their
wheels
appeared on the verge of buckling rolled slowly by him, cargo heading into
the
city or out to the ferry barges which would load them onto outbound ships.
Roldem was a busy port by any standard; not only were goods delivered here,
but