"Diana Wynne Jones - Derkholm 1 - Dark Lord of Derkholm" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jones Diana Wynne)

тАЬOne what?тАЭ said King Luther.
тАЬCow. He canтАЩt spell,тАЭ said Barnabas.
тАЬтАФeven if there were any farms where he would be safe from the
tours,тАЭ said Querida. She shuffled more papers, saying as she
shuffled, тАЬPathetic letters from nuns, monks, werewolves. Where
areтАФ? Oh, yes, here.тАЭ She picked up a white sheet that glowed
faintly and a large pearly slice of what seemed to be shell, covered
with faint marks. тАЬProbably one of their old scales,тАЭ she remarked.
тАЬThese are protests from the elves and the dragons.тАЭ
тАЬWhat have they got to complain of?тАЭ another wizard asked
irritably.
тАЬBoth put it rather obscurely,тАЭ Querida confessed. тАЬI think the
Elfking is talking about blackmail and the dragons seem to be
bewailing the shrinking of their hoards of treasure, but both of
them seem to be talking about their birthrate, too, so one cannot be
sure. You can all read them in a short while, if you wish, along with
any other letters you want. For now, have I made my point?тАЭ Her
pouchy eyes darted to look at everyone around the long table. тАЬI
have asked everyone I can think of to tell me how the tours affect
them. I have received over a million replies. My study is
overflowing with them, and I invite you all to go and inspect it.
What I have here are only the most important. And the important
thing is that they all, in different ways, say the same thing. They
want an end to Mr. ChesneyтАЩs Pilgrim Parties.тАЭ
тАЬAnd have you thought of a way to stop them?тАЭ Barnabas asked
eagerly.
тАЬNo,тАЭ said Querida. тАЬThere is no way.тАЭ
тАЬWhat?тАЭ shouted almost everyone around the table.
 тАЬThere is no way,тАЭ Querida repeated, тАЬthat I can think of.
Perhaps I should remind you that Mr. ChesneyтАЩs decisions are
supported by an extremely powerful demon. All the signs are that
he made a pact with it when he first started the tours.тАЭ
тАЬYes, but that was forty years ago,тАЭ objected the young Emperor
of the South. тАЬSome of us werenтАЩt born then. Why should I have to
keep on doing what that demon made my grandfather do?тАЭ
тАЬDonтАЩt be foolish,тАЭ Querida snapped. тАЬDemons are immortal.тАЭ
тАЬBut Mr. Chesney isnтАЩt,тАЭ argued the young Emperor.
тАЬPossibly he isnтАЩt, but IтАЩve heard he has children being groomed to
take over after him,тАЭ Barnabas said sadly.
QueridaтАЩs eyes darted to the Emperor in venomous warning.
тАЬDonтАЩt speak like that outside this room. Mr. Chesney does not like
to hear anyone being less than enthusiastic about his Pilgrims, and
we do not mention the demon. Have I made myself plain?тАЭ The
young Emperor swallowed and sat back. тАЬGood,тАЭ said Querida.
тАЬNow, to business. The tour agents have been in this world for over
a month, and the arrangements for this yearтАЩs tours are almost
complete. Mr. Chesney is due here himself tomorrow to give the
Dark Lord and the Wizard Guides their final briefings. The purpose
of this meeting is supposed to be to appoint this yearтАЩs Dark Lord.тАЭ
Heavy sighs ran around the table. тАЬAll right,тАЭ said one of the