"Ursula K. LeGuin - Earthsea 5 - The Other Wind" - читать интересную книгу автора (Le Guin Ursula K)

gesture behind his back, thumb and first and last finger of the left hand all pointed at
him: May you never come back!
He hesitated on the pier, shouldered his pack, and set off into the streets of Gont Port.
They were busy streets, and he got at once into the Fish Market, abrawl with hawkers
and hagglers, paving stones glittering with fish scales and brine. If he had a way, he
soon lost it among the carts and stalls and crowds and the cold stares of dead fish.
A tall old woman turned from the stall where she had been insulting the freshness of
the herring and the veracity of the fishwife. Seeing her glaring at him, the stranger said
unwisely, "Would you have the kindness to tell me the way I should go for Re Albi?"
"Why, go drown yourself in pig slop for a start," said the tall woman and strode off,
leaving the stranger wilted and dismayed. But the fishwife, seeing a chance to seize the
high moral ground, blared out, "Re Albi is it? Re Albi you want, man? Speak up then!
The Old Mage's house, that would be what you'd want at Re Albi. Yes it would. So
you go out by the corner there, and up Elvers Lane there, see, till you reach the
towerтАж"
Once he was out of the market, broad streets led him uphill and past the massive
watchtower to a town gate. Two stone dragons large as life guarded it, teeth the length
of his forearm, stone eyes glaring blindly out over the town and the bay. A lounging
guard told him just turn left at the top of the road and he'd be in Re Albi. "And keep on
through the village for the Old Mage's house," the guard said.
So he went trudging up the road, which was pretty steep, looking up as he went to the
steeper slopes and far peak of Gont Mountain that overhung its island like a cloud.
It was a long road and a hot day. He soon had his black cloak off and went on
bareheaded in his shirtsleeves, but he had not thought to find water or buy food in the
town, or had been too shy to, maybe, for he was not a man familiar with cities or at
ease with strangers.
After several long miles he caught up to a cart which he had seen far up the dusty way
for a long time as a dark blot in a white blot of dust. It creaked and streaked along at
the pace of a pair of small oxen that looked as old, wrinkled, and unhopeful as
tortoises. He greeted the carter, who resembled the oxen. The carter said nothing, but
blinked.
"Might there be a spring of water up the road?" the stranger asked.
The carter slowly shook his head. After a long time he said, "No." A while later he
said, "There ain't."
They all plodded along. Discouraged, the stranger found it hard to go any faster than

file:///F|/rah/Ursula%20LeGuin/LeGuin,%20Ursu...sea%2005%20-%20The%20Other%20Wind%20[v1].html (2 of 126) [7/17/03 11:34:21 PM]
Le Guin, Ursula - [Earthsea 05] The Other Wind

the oxen, about a mile an hour, maybe.
He became aware that the carter was wordlessly reaching something out to him: a big
clay jug wrapped round with wicker. He took it, and finding it very heavy, drank his
fill of the water, leaving it scarcely lighter when he passed it back with his thanks.
"Climb on," said the carter after a while.
"Thanks. I'll walk. How far might it be to Re Albi?"
The wheels creaked. The oxen heaved deep sighs, first one, then the other. Their dusty
hides smelled sweet in the hot sunlight.
"Ten mile," the carter said. He thought, and said, "Or twelve." After a while he said,
"No less."
"I'd better walk on, then," said the stranger.