"07 - The Bellmaker UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jacques Brian)

The Bel/maker

post driven into the ground with a heavy shackling rope attached to it.

"Yew liddle scum, I'm goin' to bind you t' that post an' lash the prickles offa yore hide. Cummere!"

Spurge knocked the cane aside. "After brekkfist, matey. We want 'im fit t' cook our vittles first. Get to it, yew lazy lump!"

Obediently, Bowly stirred crushed mint leaves into the bubbling water, setting the pancakes on a thin shale slab which he balanced over the fire's edge. As he worked, Mariel strolled into the camp, smiling foolishly. She waved a paw at the two weasels.

"Morning! Lovely day, isn't it? Any breakfast going spare for a hungry traveler?"

Spurge and Agric could not believe their luck. Not only had the runaway surrendered, but they had suddenly got themselves a simpleton mousemaid traveling alone. It surely was turning out to be a nice day.

"Wot y'got in there, mousey?" said Spurge, eyeing the haversack their new arrival was carrying.

Mariel winked and wrinkled her nose. "Oh, a bit of this V that, y'know."

The weasels went into a huddle, sniggering and whispering. After a while Agric turned to Mariel saying, "If yew wants to eat you gotta 'elp, see. There's fresh fruit an' water in that holler under the rock. Yew 'elp that lazy 'edgepig to ready the vittles, then we'll see yew gets somethin' nice, won't we, matey?"

Spurge gave a malicious chuckle. "Ho yerss, it'll be a real surprise!"

The food stock was good. Mariel busied herself preparing a fruit salad of strawberries, apples, plums, and

pears. Pouring honey and water into a gourd, she crushed damsons in it and began shaking up a cordial. The weasels sat in the shade of the rock as the morning sun got up. They nudged each other, sniggering with ill-concealed mirth. Mariel winked at Bowly as she called out,

"Morning's risen and breakfast's here, Eat, my friends, and be of good cheer!"

Flipping his long dagger from paw to paw, Dandin strode boldly into the camp, kicking the weasels* foot-paws out of his way, instead of stepping over them.

"Well, well, Mariel the Gullwhacker, am I invited to eat?"

Mariel gave a roar of laughter quite inappropriate for a simple traveling mousemaid. "Hoho! Dandin, you old warrior, welcome!"

Mariel and Bowly laid the food down on the ground.

Dandin sat down between the two astonished weasels, calling out to Bowly, "Come on, little un, grab a plate and spoonЧjoin us."

Bowly obeyed with a will, helping himself to a hot apple pancake and a cooling beaker of damson cordial. As the weasels reached out for food, Dandin dealt them a couple of sharp slaps with the flat of his dagger blade and clucked disapprovingly at them. "Teh, tch! Where's your manners? Guests and young uns first. I'll tell you when it's your rum."

By this time, the two weasels were looking distinctly uneasy. A lone mousemaid was one thing, but this Dandin looked like a seasoned warrior.

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BRIAN JACQUES

The Bellmaker

Mariel, Dandin, and Bowly ate heartily, letting the mint tea cool as they sipped damson cordial and treated themselves to hot apple pancakes and fruit salad.