"Robert Jordan - Conan The Indomitable" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jordan Robert)

Lalo's grin never wavered. "I learned it from the little yellow men of Khitai," he said. "I spent several
years there. It is called jit-jit. By its use, a practiced small man may best a larger one, or even one
armed."
"Interesting," Conan said. "Perhaps a man who tempered his mirth might not have to use it at all."

"Ah," Lalo said, "but you see, that is my curse." He paused to glance at the two dead men. "I appreciate
your help, though I could have handled these two myself. Perhaps you will allow me to buy you a bottle
of wine and explain?"

Conan glanced at Elashi, who nodded. Of course. And, he had to admit, he was more than a little
curious himself.



"When I was a boy in the mountains of eastern Zamora," Lalo began, "my father ran afoul of the local
wizard. A very subtle being, this wizard was. He could have caused my father's crops to fail or our cows
to dry up, or perhaps visited a plague upon our family. But the magician was, as I have said, very subtle;
and his magics were no less effective for this. He laid his geas upon the sons of my father."

Lalo paused to sip at his wine. His smile remained constant.

"My brothersтАФI had threeтАФall perished from the effects of the wizard's curse within two years of its
placement. In an effort to escape, I fled across the vast Eastern Desert to Khitai. To no avail, in that the
curse stayed with me."

Elashi was leaning forward, fascinated. As for himself, Conan felt less interest now than dread. This
tended to happen whenever the subject of magic was broached. Such unnatural doings were not to his
taste. Still, the story was somewhat intriguing.

"It was there," Lalo continued, "in Khitai that I learned the fighting art of jit-jit. The Khitains are quite
adept at such things. Eventually my curse caused me to leave there as well. I cannot stay in one place too
long; even the most sympathetic souls cannot stand against the wizard's magic for more than a few
weeks."

"What exactly is this curse?" Conan asked.

"I cannot stop smiling," Lalo replied. "And I cannot prevent myself from making sport of those around
me. You, for instance, Conan, have so much muscle that it is doubtful you can stretch enough to scratch
an itch on your backside."

"What?" Conan started to rise from his seat.

Elashi touched his forearm. "The curse, Conan."

Conan relaxed, understanding. "I take your meaning, Lalo."

The smiling man sighed. "Indeed. Imagine if you can what it would be like to be with a woman and be
unable to avoid insulting comments even as you are joined together."

"How awful!" Elashi murmured.