"George R. R. Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire 4 - A Feast for Crows" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin George R R)

The alchemist should have come by now. Had it all been some cruel jape, or
had something happened to the man? It would not have been the first time that
good fortune had turned sour on Pate. He had once counted himself lucky to be
chosen to help old Archmaester Walgrave with the ravens, never dreaming that
before long he would also be fetching the man's meals, sweeping out his
chambers, and dressing him ever}' morning. Everyone said that Walgrave had
forgotten more of ravencraft man most maesters ever knew, so Pate assumed a
black iron link was the least that he could hope for, only to find that
Walgrave could not grant him one. The old man remained an archmaester only by
courtesy. As great a maester as once he'd been, now his robes concealed soiled
smallclothes oft as not, and half a year ago some acolytes found him weeping in
the Library, unable to find his way back to his chambers. Maester Gormon sat
below the iron mask in Walgrave s place, the same Gormon who had once accused
Pate of theft.

In the apple tree beside the water, a nightingale began to sing. It was a
sweet sound, a welcome respite from the harsh screams and endless quorkmg of
the ravens he had tended all day long. The white ravens knew his name, and
would mutter it to each other whenever they caught sight of him, "Pcz/e. Pate.
Pate" until he wanted to scream. The big white birds were Archmaester Walgrave
s pride. He wanted them to eat him when he died, but Pate half suspected that
they meant to eat him too.

Perhaps it was the fearsomely strong ciderhe had not come here to drink, but
Allcras had been buying to celebrate his copper link, and guilt had made him
thirstybut it almost sounded as if the nightingale were trilling gold for
iron, gold for iron, gold for iron. Which was passing strange, because that was
what the stranger had said the night Rosev brought the two of them together.
"Who are you?" Pate had demanded of him. and the man had replied. "An
alchemist. I can change iron into



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gold." And then the coin was in his hand, dancing across his knuckles, the soft
yellow gold shining in the candlelight. On one side was a three-headed dragon,
on the other the head of some dead king. Gold for iron. Pate remembered, you
won't do better. Do you want her? Do you love her? "I am no thief.' he had told
the man who called himself the alchemist, 'I am a novice of the Citadel." The
alchemist had bowed his head, and said. "If you should reconsider. I shall
return here three days hence, with my dragon.'

Three days had passed. Pate had returned to the Quill and Tankard. still