"Simon Hawke - Sorcerer 2 - The Inadequate Adept" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hawke Simon)

"And it only works when the water is hot?" asked Mick.

"No, it works whether the water is hot or cold," said Brewster. "Only it's a lot nicer when it's hot."

" Tis something I will have to see," said Mick.

"You can try it for yourself," said Brewster. "In fact, I encourage all of you to try it. There's plenty of
soap to go around."

Of course, once he had said that, they all wanted to see him try it, first. And no amount of recalcitrance
on Brewster's part would dissuade them from witnessing his first hot shower. Brewster felt a bit
self-conscious about the prospect of taking a shower in front of a crowd, but since it was in the interests
of science and general cleanliness, he decided he could put up with a small amount of embarrassment.
The only condition he'd insisted upon was that none of the women could watch.

Once the solar collectors had been installed and the water in the tank adequately heated, a small crowd
gathered in front of his spacious shower stall, which Bloody Bob had constructed out of stone, mortar,
and copper, with Mick handling the plumbing, which he was rapidly becoming quite expert at. Even the
peregrine bush was present, having learned to climb the stairs to Brewster's quarters in the tower, where
Bloody Bob had placed a large wooden planter filled with earth, so the bush could burrow its roots in
while Brewster slept.

The little red-gold thorn bush had taken to following Brewster around everywhere, so Mick had given it
to Brewster, for the curious little ambulatory shrub had attached itself to him like an affection-starved
puppy. It had always been afraid of Mick, who had caught it while it was wandering around the forest
near his smithy, and the fact that Mick always yelled at it and constantly kept threatening to throw it in a
pot for his next batch of peregrine wine had made it very nervous. Its branches shook violently whenever
Mick came near, and when he yelled at it, its leaves drooped disconsolately. However, Brewster had
always spoken nicely to it, remembering that Pamela had always spoken to her houseplants, and the
peregrine bush had responded to his kindness. Its leaves had taken on a brighter sheen and its branches
were sending forth new growth shoots.

"Sure, and you can keep the bloody thing," said Mick, "for 'twas forever getting underfoot and being a
damned nuisance. Mind you, though, 'tis but a wee shrub now, and you'll have yourself a thorny problem
when it grows to its full height. When you tire of it, let me know, and I'll brew it up for wine."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly do that, Mick," protested Brewster. "It.. .trusts me."

"Well, don't be saying that I didn't warn you, then," Mick had replied.

"Oh, I'm sure that Thorny and I will get along just fine," said Brewster.

Mick had raised his eyebrows. "Thorny?"

"Well... that's the name I've given it," admitted Brewster sheepishly.

Mick shook his head and sighed. "First you go speaking to the shrubbery, and now you've taken to
naming it, as well. Faith, Doc, and you're a different sort o' man entirely."