"Alex Irvine - Wizard's Six" - читать интересную книгу автора (Irvine Alexander C)

picked out the track; like Paulus, it had been this way before. It was blowing hard by
noon, when they had come to the bottom of a broad valley dotted with farms and a
single manor house. Paulus rode to the gates of the manor and waited to be noticed.
The gate creaked open, revealing a choleric elder in threadbare velvet, huddled
under a bearskin cloak. тАЬWho comes to the house of Baron Branchefort?тАЭ
Paulus dismounted and let the seneschal see the sigil of the Agate Tower
dangling from the horseтАЩs bridle. тАЬI ride on an errand from the wizardsтАЩ guild in The
Fells,тАЭ he said. тАЬHas an apprentice traveled through this valley?тАЭ
тАЬAnd how would I know an apprentice?тАЭ
тАЬHe would wear a ring over the glove on his right hand. He is called Myros.тАЭ
The elder nodded. тАЬAye, he was here. Visited the Baron asking permission to
gather plant lore.тАЭ
тАЬWas this granted?тАЭ
тАЬIt was. He was our guest for a week and a day, then rode to the head of the
valley.тАЭ
тАЬDid he gather any herbs?тАЭ
тАЬI did not observe.тАЭ
тАЬYou wouldnтАЩt have. His errand has nothing to do with plants. He travels to
collect children.тАЭ
The elder held PaulusтАЩ gaze for a long moment. тАЬThis is why you follow him.тАЭ
тАЬIt is. Are there children in your house?тАЭ
тАЬNo. The Baron nears his eightieth year. We have few servants, and no
children.тАЭ
Paulus offered up a prayer of thanks that he would not have to enter the
manor. He had seen more than enough of noble houses fallen into somnolence.
Standing at the gate of this one, his chest constricted and he thought of his brother.
тАЬWhere,тАЭ he asked, тАЬare the houses in this valley with children?тАЭ
The elder looked up at the sky, then down at the ground between his feet.
тАЬMany children come into this world,тАЭ he said. тАЬFew survive. Only one of the
BaronтАЩs vassals has children below marriageable age. He is called Philo, and his
house is the last before the road rises into the mountains again.тАЭ
Paulus nodded and mounted his horse again.
тАЬYou will ease PhiloтАЩs mind, I pray,тАЭ the elder said.
тАЬWhat ease I can give, I will give,тАЭ Paulus said, and rode north.
****
PhiloтАЩs house lay in the shadow of a double peak, across the saddle of which
lay PaulusтАЩ route over the mountains. As Paulus rode up, the sun rested between the
peaks. A man about PaulusтАЩ age, but with the caved-in chest and stooped neck of
too much work and not enough food, was drawing water. A girl of seven or eight
years stood waiting with an empty bucket.
тАЬPhilo,тАЭ Paulus said.
тАЬThat is my name,тАЭ Philo said, without looking up at Paulus, as he hauled a
full bucket over the edge of the well. He emptied it into the bucket his daughter set
on the ground at his feet. тАЬAnd this is my daughter Sophia. Now you know what of
us is worth knowing.тАЭ
тАЬA young man wearing a ring over his glove has been here,тАЭ Paulus said.
Philo dropped the bucket back into the well. тАЬHe has.тАЭ
тАЬHe spoke to your daughter.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs right, sir, he did. Told her she was a likely girl. SheтАЩs always seemed
so to me, but if I was any judge of men or girls I wouldnтАЩt be here.тАЭ Still Philo had