"David Gemmel - Troy 02 - Shield of Thunder" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

and opened up the trade route. It is not for me to share his secrets.тАЭ
тАЬOnly his gold,тАЭ Nestor snapped.
Odysseus hurled his wine cup across the room. тАЬYou insult me in my own palace?тАЭ he roared. тАЬWe had
to fight for the Seven Hills against brigands and pirates and painted tribesmen. That gold was
hard-won.тАЭ
The angry atmosphere lay thick in the megaron, and Penelope forced a smile. тАЬCome, kinsmen. You
sail for Troy tomorrow for the wedding feast and games. Do not let this night end with harsh words.тАЭ
The two men looked at each other. Then Nestor sighed. тАЬForgive me, old friend. My words were ill
advised.тАЭ
тАЬIt is forgotten,тАЭ Odysseus said, gesturing at a servant to bring him another cup of wine.
Penelope heard the lie in the words and knew that Odysseus was still angry. тАЬAt least in Troy you will
be able to forget Agamemnon for a while,тАЭ she said, seeking to change the subject.
тАЬThe western kings are all invited to see Hektor wed to Andromache,тАЭ Odysseus said glumly.
тАЬBut Agamemnon will not be there, surely?тАЭ
тАЬI think he will, my love. Sly Priam will use the opportunity to bend some of the kings to his will. He
will offer them gold and friendship. Agamemnon cannot afford not to go. He will be there.тАЭ
тАЬIs he invited? After the Mykene attack on Troy?тАЭ
Odysseus grinned and imitated the pompous tones of the Mykene king. тАЬI am saddenedтАЭтАФhe spread
his hands regretfullyтАФтАЬby the treacherous attack by rogue elements of the Mykene forces on our
brother King Priam. The kingтАЩs justice has been meted out to the outlaws.тАЭ
тАЬThe man is a serpent,тАЭ Nestor admitted.
тАЬWill your sons compete in the games?тАЭ Penelope asked him.
тАЬYes, they are both fine athletes. Antilochos will do well in the javelin, and Thrasymedes will beat any
man in the archery tourney,тАЭ he added with a wink.
тАЬThereтАЩll be a green moon in the sky that day,тАЭ muttered Odysseus. тАЬOn my worst day I could spit an
arrow farther than he could shoot one.тАЭ
Nestor laughed. тАЬHow coy you are with your wife in the room. The last time I heard you brag about
your skills, you said you could fart an arrow farther.тАЭ
тАЬThat, too,тАЭ Odysseus said, reddening. Penelope was relieved to see good humor restored.
On the beach the Penelope was finally fully loaded, and the crew members were straining on ropes in
the effort to get the old ship refloated. The two sons of Nestor were there, both waist-deep, their
backs against the timbers of the hull, pushing her out into deeper water.
The queen of Ithaka stood and brushed pebbles from her dress of yellow linen and advanced down
the beach to say farewell to her king. He stood with his first mate, Bias the Black, dark-skinned and
grizzled, the son of a Nubian mother and an Ithakan sire. Beside him was a massively muscled blond
sailor named Leukon, who was becoming a fistfighter of some renown. Leukon and Bias bowed as she
approached, then moved off.
Penelope sighed. тАЬAnd here we are again, my love, as always,тАЭ she said, тАЬmaking our farewells.тАЭ
тАЬWe are like the seasons,тАЭ he replied. тАЬEver constant in our actions.тАЭ
Reaching out, she took his hand. тАЬAnd yet this time is different, my king. You know it, too. I fear you
will have hard choices to make. Do not make bullheaded decisions you will regret afterward and
cannot change. Do not take these men into a war, Odysseus.тАЭ
тАЬI have no wish for war, my love.тАЭ He smiled, and she knew he meant it, but her heart was heavy with
foreboding. For all his strength, his courage, and his wisdom, the man she loved had one great
weakness. He was like an old warhorse, canny and cautious, but at the touch of the whip he would
ride into fire. For Odysseus that whip was pride.
He kissed both of her hands then turned and stomped down the beach and into the sea. The water
was chest-high before he grabbed a rope and hauled himself up on board. Instantly the rowers took
up a beat, and the old ship started to glide away. She saw him wave his arm, silhouetted against the
rising sun.