"Craig Shaw Gardner - Wuntvor 01 - A Difficulty With Dwarves" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gardner Craig Shaw)

no man could own, but could only rent. The winged helmet atop his head turned as he surveyed the
room.

тАШDoom!тАЩ Hendrek repeated. тАШSomething is amiss!тАЩ

тАШThatтАЩs what I like about you, big fellow,тАЩ a higher, infinitely more grating voice replied. тАШYouтАЩre always
able to point out any problem, no matter how obvious it is to those around you.тАЩ The truth-telling demon
Snarks poked his small, green head around the warriorтАЩs belly. тАШWhat have we here? It looks like an
influenza convention.тАЩ

тАШItтАЩs terrible!тАЩ I explained. тАШEbenezumтАЩs malady has spread to every other wizard in Vushta!тАЩ

тАШDoom!тАЩ the warrior responded with instant understanding.

тАШ тАШTis another foul plot by the Netherhells!тАЩ

Snarks whistled. тАШIt looks like theyтАЩve come up with a winner this time.тАЩ The demon flinched as the
warrior growled above him. тАШOkay, okay, maybe itтАЩs inappropriate to compliment the Netherhells at a
time like this.тАЩ Snarks got a faraway look in his eye. тАШStill, one has to have some feelings about the place
one was born. I still remember it all: The smell of the slime pits, the gooey feel of fungus on the walls of
my nursery, the special way those swamp gases would get into your eyes.тАЩ The demon sighed. тАШIt gave
one a real sense of revulsion, let me tell you.тАЩ

Allowances had to be made for Snarks. His mother had been frightened by demon politicians shortly
before he was born, a misfortune that led to Snarks growing into a demon that could tell nothing but the
truth, especially the unpleasant truth, the more unpleasant the better. This truth-telling tendency had gotten
him banished from the Netherhells, but that same extreme honesty had made him a trustworthy
companion in our battles with his former home.

тАШDoom,тАЩ Hendrek said again as the sneezing continued unabated.

тАШWhat have we been thinking of?тАЩ Norei demanded. тАШWe have to get these wizards out in the open,
away from this sorcery-tainted air!тАЩ

My beloved was right! I fought down a momentary pang of guilt for not thinking of rescuing the wizards
myself, after all the times I had had to come to the aid of my master. There was just something
overwhelming about being in the midst of two score sneezing wizards, something - perhaps the noise level
- that made it difficult to think at all. A chill ran through my frame. Could this be yet another facet of the
NetherhellsтАЩ plot?

тАШDoom,тАЩ Hendrek muttered as he began to drag bunches of wizards outside the hall. Norei and Snarks
turned to aid those few sorcerers still able to walk.

тАШThatтАЩs not what I think it is,тАЩ Snarks whispered, his voice tinged with fear.

тАШHi, there!тАЩ The Brownie waved from where he had been wandering among the prostrate mages. тАШHow
are those shoes I made for you holding out? Talk about Brownie Power!тАЩ

Snarks groaned, his normal, sickly green face turned a sickly gray. тАШNo,тАЩ he moaned softly. тАШWhat have
I done to deserve this? I am banished from the Netherhells. This I accept. I am forced to wander through