"David Gemmel - Sipstrassi Tales 03 - Bloodstone" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

studying. The cover was of cheap board, the title stamped in red: The New Elijah by Erskine Wright. The
Crusader tests would be hard, he knew, and there was so little time to read. Rubbing his eyes, he leaned
back and opened the book at the marked page and read of the travels of the Great Saint.
He fell asleep in the chair and awoke some three hours later. Yawning, he stood and rubbed his eyes. He
heard sounds of shouting from the street below and moved to the window. A number of riders had
drawn up and one of them was being helped from the saddle, blood seeping from a wound in his upper
chest.
Dressing swiftly, Nestor ran down to the street in time to see Captain Leon Evans striding up to the
group. The Crusader captain looked heroic in his grey, shield-fronted shirt and wide-brimmed black hat.
He wore two guns, belted high at his waist, gun butts reversed.
'The bitch shot him!' shouted Shem Jackson, .his face ugly with rage. 'What you going to do about it?'
Evans knelt by the wounded man. 'Get him to Doctor Shivers. And be damn quick about it, otherwise
he'll bleed to death.' Several men lifted the groaning man and bore him along the sidewalk, past Broome's
store. Everyone began to speak at once, but Leon Evans raised his hands for silence. 'Just one,' he said,
pointing to Jackson. Nestor didn't like the man, who was known for his surly manner when sober and his
violent streak when drunk.
Jackson hawked and spat. 'We spotted some Wolvers on the edge of my property,' he said, rubbing a
grimy hand across his thin lips. 'And me and the boys here rode out after 'em. We come near the
McAdam place when she ups and shoots. Jack went down, then Miller's horse was shot out from under
him. What you going to do about it?'
'You were on her property?' asked Evans.
'What's that got to do with anything?' argued Jackson. 'You can't just go round shooting folks.'
тАШIтАЩll talk to her,' promised Evans, 'but from now on you boys stay clear of Beth McAdam. You got that?'
'We want more than talk,' said Jackson. 'She's got to be dealt with. That's the law.'
Evans smiled, but there was no humour in his expression. 'Don't tell me the law, Shem,' he said quietly. 'I
know the law. Beth McAdam gave fair warning that armed men were not to hunt on her property. She
also let it be known that she would shoot any man who trespassed on her land in order to hunt Wolvers.
You shouldn't have gone there. Now, as I said, I'll speak to her.'
'Yeah, you speak to her,' hissed Jackson. 'But I tell you this, woman or no woman, no one shoots at me
and gets away with it.'
Evans ignored him. 'Get on back to your homes,' he said and the men moved away, but Nestor could see
they were heading for the Mother of Pearl drinking-house. He stepped forward. The captain saw him
and his dark eyes narrowed.
'I hope you weren't with those men,' said Evans.
'No, sir. I was sleeping up in my room. I just heard the commotion. I didn't think Mrs McAdam would
shoot anybody.'
'She's one tough lady, Nestor. She was one of the first into Pilgrim's Valley; she fought the Lizard men,
and since then there have been two brigand raids out on the farm. Five were killed in a gun battle there
some ten years back.'
Nestor chuckled. 'She was certainly tough in school. I remember that.'
'So do I,' said Evans. 'How's the studying going?'
'Every time I try to read I fall asleep,' admitted Nestor.
'It must be done, Nestor. A man cannot follow God's path unless he studies God's word.'
'I get confused, sir. The Bible is so full of killing and revenging - hard to know what's right.'
That why the Lord sends prophets like Daniel Cade and Jon Shannow. You must study their words.
Then the ways that are hidden will become known to you. And don't concern yourself about the violence,
Nestor. All life is violence. There is the violence of disease, the violence of hunger and poverty. Even
birth is violent. A man must understand these things. Nothing good ever comes easy.'
Nestor was still confused, but he didn't want to look foolish before his hero. 'Yes, sir,' he said.
Evans smiled and patted the young man's shoulder. 'The Deacon is sending one of his Apostles to