"Greg Keyes - Age of Unreason 3 - Empire of Unreason" - читать интересную книгу автора (Keyes J Gregory)

He waited for the laughter to die, then put on a more somber face. тАЬNow. In all
seriousness.тАЭ

тАЬThe malakim,тАЭ August Stark said dourly. тАЬThat devilish brood and their
warlock footmen are our greatest worry.тАЭ



file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/Keyes,_J_Gregory_-_[Age_of_Unreason_03]_-_Empire_of_Unreason_(V1)_[html].html (10 of 427)22-12-2006 16:07:31
EMPIRE OF UNREASON




That chased all the good humor out of the room quickly enough.

тАЬYouтАЩre on the right track,тАЭ Franklin agreed, тАЬbut I was thinking more specific.тАЭ

Stark rubbed his hammer-heavy jaw. тАЬTsar Peter and his demon ships.тАЭ

тАЬThere. Mr. Stark gets the prize.тАЭ

тАЬYou have remedy for them?тАЭ Stark asked. тАЬWhat have you to show us,
Benjamin Franklin? Enough of this French wit. What have you invented?тАЭ

Franklin absorbed StarkтАЩs frank challenge with a modest bow. He understood
the manтАЩs attitudeтАФStarkтАЩs father had died in Venice, fighting those demon
ships. He was touchy on the subject, but a good man.

тАЬNo more delays,тАЭ Franklin promised, тАЬonce I have two тАШprentices to join me
here.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩll sign no indenture papers with you, no more than I would sign for the
devil,тАЭ Stark said, тАЬbut if itтАЩll get you on with it, IтАЩll assistтАФтАЭ

тАЬAnd me!тАЭ Tupman added.

The two men came up, as Franklin uncovered a simple wooden box, a yard
long and half that wide and deep, with two handles.

тАЬTake hold there, fellows,тАЭ Franklin encouraged, тАЬand try to lift her up.тАЭ

They did. Tupman was a wiry little man, but Stark was a blacksmith with arms
like the shanks of a plow horse. As much as they strained, neither could budge
the box.

тАЬNailed down, ainтАЩt she,тАЭ Shandy complained.

тАЬAlley-oop,тАЭ Franklin replied, and in a sudden motion, the box lifted from the