"Simon Hawke - Wizard 7 - The Wizard of Camelot" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hawke Simon)

"You mean you stole it?" I said, caught up in what he was saying and
forgetting
for the moment that I did not believe a word of it.

"Well, I cannot say for certain where it came from, you understand," he said,
"but I had assumed that there were storehouses of food nearby, so I simply
directed my spell in such a manner that it would seek out the greatest source
of
supply and divert some of it. Robbing from the rich to give to the poor; as
my
old friend Robin Hood might have put it."

"You knew Robin Hood?" asked Jenny, fascinated. I stared at hen She saw the
look
I gave her and shrugged, as if to say she couldn't help it.

"Oh, most certainly," Merlin replied. "His proper name was Locksley, you
understand, and he was always something of a scoundrel, even before he was
forced to turn outlaw. His legend has far eclipsed his true stature, however
as
has been the case with the story of Arthur. In truth, Locksley was as far
removed from the romantic image of the noble outlaw as can be. He was a
coarse
and stocky fellow, a profane brawler given to drinking himself senseless. If
not
for Marian, those so-called 'Merry Men' of his would have had no effective
leadership whatever"

"You mean Maid Marian?" asked Jenny. I glanced at her again, but she ignored
me.

"Oh, she was no maid, I can tell you that," said Merlin with a chuckle. "She
was
a fine and strapping lass who could bend a bow and swing a broadsword with
the
best of them. Large-framed and rather plain to look upon, she was nothing at
all
like the fine and delicate young maid she is portrayed as in the legend. She
was
the sheriff's wife, you see, but the old sheriff could never quite satisfy
her,
uh, voracious appetites, and she had quite a taste for younger men. It led
her
into trouble, so she ran off to take up with Locksley and his boys, and never
ceased to bedevil her husband ever after. But then I've gone on long enough.
It
is late and, doubtless, you have grown weary of listening to me. We can
discuss
things further in the morning."