"Kay, Guy Gavriel - Fionavar Tapestry 1 - The Summer Tree" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kay Guy Gavriel)

Loren nodded abstractedly. УBut who,Ф he went on, looking at the green-stoned bracelet that the Dwarf still held, Уwho would ever give such a treasure into the hands of a svart alfar?Ф
The Dwarf looked down at the stone for a very long time as well before answering.
УSomeone who wants you dead,Ф Matt S\a246ren said.

\bChapter 2\b

The girls shared a silent taxi west to the duplex they rented beside High Park. Jennifer, partly because she knew her roommate very well, decided that she wouldnТt be the first to bring up what had happened that night, what they both seemed to have heard under the surface of the old manТs words.
But she was dealing with complex emotions of her own, as they turned down Parkside Drive and she watched the dark shadows of the park slide past on their right. When they got out of the cab the late-night breeze seemed unseasonably chill. She looked across the road for a moment, at the softly rustling trees.
Inside they had a conversation about choices, about doing or not doing things, that either one of them could have predicted.

Dave Martyniuk refused KimТs offer to share a cab and walked the mile west to his flat on Palmerston. He walked quickly, the athleteТs stride overlaid by anger and tension. \iYou are too quick to renounce friendship\i, the old man had said. Dave scowled, moving faster. What did \ihe\i know about it?
The telephone began ringing as he unlocked the door of his basement apartment.
УYeah?Ф He caught it on the sixth ring.
УYou are pleased with yourself, I am sure?Ф
УJesus, Dad. What is it this time?Ф
УDonТt swear at me. It would \ikill\i you, wouldnТt it, to do something that would bring us pleasure.Ф
УI donТt know what the hell youТre talking about.Ф УSuch language. Such respect.Ф УDad, I donТt have time for this any more.Ф УYes, hide from me. You went tonight as VincentТs guest to this lecture. And then you went off after with the man he most wanted to speak with. And you couldnТt even \ithink\i of asking your brother?Ф
Dave took a careful breath. His reflexive anger giving way to the old sorrow. УDad, please believe me\a151it didnТt happen that way. Marcus went with these people I know because he didnТt feel like talking to the academics like Vince. I just tagged along.Ф
УYou just tagged along,Ф his father mimicked in his heavy Ukrainian accent. УYou are a liar. Your jealousy is so much that you\a151Ф
Dave hung up. And unplugged the telephone. With a fierce and bitter pain he stared at it, watching how, over and over again, it didnТt ring.

They said good-night to the girls and watched Martyniuk stalk off into the darkness.
УCoffee time, amigo,Ф Kevin Laine said brightly. УMuch to talk about we have, yes?Ф
Paul hesitated, and in the moment of that hesitation KevinТs mood shattered like glass.
УNot tonight, I think. IТve got some things to do, Kev.Ф
The hurt in Kevin Laine moved to the surface, threatened to break through. УOkay,Ф was all he said, though. УGood night. Maybe IТll see you tomorrow.Ф And he turned abruptly and jogged across Bloor against the light to where heТd parked his car. He drove home, a little too fast, through the quiet streets.
It was after one oТclock when he pulled into the driveway, so he entered the house as silently as he could, sliding the bolt gently home.
УI am awake, Kevin. It is all right.Ф
УWhat are you doing up? ItТs very late, Abba.Ф He used the Hebrew word for father, as he always did.
Sol Laine, in pajamas and robe at the kitchen table, raised a quizzical eyebrow as Kevin walked in. УI need permission from my son to stay up late?Ф
УWho elseТs?Ф Kevin dropped into one of the other chairs.
УA good answer,Ф his father approved. УWould you like some tea?Ф
УSounds good.Ф
УHow was this talk?Ф Sol asked as he attended to the boiling kettle.
УFine. Very good, actually. We had a drink with the speaker afterwards.Ф Kevin briefly considered telling his father about what had happened, but only briefly. Father and son had a long habit of protecting each other, and Kevin knew that this was something Sol would be unable to handle. He wished it were otherwise; it would have been good, he thought, a little bitterly, to have \isomeone\i to talk to.
УJennifer is well? And her friend?Ф
KevinТs bitterness broke in a wave of love for the old man whoТd raised him alone. Sol had never been able to reconcile his orthodoxy with his sonТs relationship with Catholic Jennifer\a151and had resented himself for not being able to. So through their short time together, and after, KevinТs father had treated Jen like a jewel of great worth.
УSheТs fine. Says hello. KimТs fine, too.Ф
УBut Paul isnТt?Ф
Kevin blinked. УOh, Abba, youТre too sharp for me. Why do you say that?Ф
УBecause if he was, you would have gone out with him afterwards. The way you always used to. You would still be out. I would be drinking my tea alone, all alone.Ф The twinkle in his eyes belied the lugubrious sentiments.
Kevin laughed aloud, then stopped when he heard the bitter note creeping in.
УNo, heТs not all right. But I seem to be the only one who questions it. I think IТm becoming a pain in the ass to him. I hate it.Ф
УSometimes,Ф his father said, filling the glass cups in their Russian-style metal holders, Уa friend has to be that.Ф
УNo one else seems to think thereТs anything wrong, though. They just talk about how it takes time.Ф УIt does take time, Kevin.Ф Kevin made an impatient gesture. УI \iknow\i it does. IТm not that stupid. But I know him, too, I know him very well, and heТs. . . . ThereТs something else here, and I donТt know what it is.Ф
His father didnТt speak for a moment. УHow long is it now?Ф he asked, finally.
УTen months,Ф Kevin replied flatly. УLast summer.Ф
УAch!Ф Sol shook his heavy, still-handsome head. УSuch a terrible thing.Ф
Kevin leaned forward. УAbba, heТs been closing himself off. To everyone. I donТt . . . IТm afraid for what might happen. And I canТt seem to get through.Ф
УAre you trying too hard?Ф Sol Laine asked gently.