"David Gemmel - The Damned 01 - White Wolf" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

Lantern would merely turn his cold eyes on the speaker and say nothing.
Yet in all else he was an exemplary acolyte, working hard and never
shirking his duties. He never complained, or argued, and attended all
prayer and study meetings. When required he could quote verbatim from
all sections of holy script, and knew also much of the history of the nations
surrounding the Land.
Braygan turned his attention back towards the town, and his fear
returned. The soldiers of the Watch had done nothing to stop the rioters.
Two days ago the mob had attacked Brother Labberan and broken his
arms when he went to teach at the church school. They had kicked and
punched him, then struck him with rods of iron. Labberan was not a
young man, and could easily have died.
The two priests came to the small bridge over the river. Braygan trod on
the hem of his pale blue robe and stumbled. He would have fallen, but
Brother LanternтАЩs hand grabbed his arm, hauling him upright.
тАШThank you,тАЩ said Braygan. His arm hurt from the iron grip and he
rubbed it.
There were some people moving through the rubble. Braygan tried not
to stare at them - or at the two bodies hanging from the branches of a tall
tree. They looked like foreigners, he thought. тАШI am frightened, Brother,тАЩ he
whispered. тАШWhy do people do such hateful things?тАЩ
тАШBecause they can,тАЩ answered the tall priest.
тАШAre you frightened?тАЩ
тАШOf what?тАЩ
The question seemed ridiculous to Braygan. Brother Labberan had been
beaten close to death, and there was hatred everywhere. In the capital,
Mellicane, a group known as the Arbiters had grown in power. Priests
there had been murdered, or accused of treason and hanged. Now a
representative of the Arbiters had arrived in Skepthia, touring taverns and
meeting halls, speaking out against the church and its priests. And the
terror continued to grow.
Crossing the bridge, Braygan and Lantern moved past the smouldering
buildings and on to the main street. Braygan was sweating now. There
were more people here, and he saw several dark-garbed soldiers standing
in a group by a tavern door. Some of the townsfolk stopped to stare at the
priests as they made their way to the apothecaryтАЩs. One man shouted an
insult.
Sweat dripped into BrayganтАЩs eyes and he blinked it away. Brother
Lantern had reached the apothecaryтАЩs door. It was locked. The tall priest
tapped at the wooden frame. There was no answer. A crowd began to
gather. Braygan tried not to look at the faces of the men. тАШWe should go,
Brother Lantern,тАЩ he said.
Somebody spoke to Braygan, the voice angry. He turned to answer, but
a fist struck him in the face and he fell clumsily to the ground. A booted
foot caught him in the chest and he cried out, and rolled towards the wall
of the apothecaryтАЩs.
Brother Lantern stepped across him, and blocked the path of BrayganтАЩs
attacker. тАШBeware,тАЩ said Lantern softly.
 тАШBeware of what?тАЩ asked the man, a heavily built and bearded figure,
wearing the green sash of the Arbiters. It was the representative from