"Robin McKinley - The Outlaws of Sherwood" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKinley Robin)

they suggest, none too gently, as gentleness is not part of their training, that they
might just have a look in the old barn. HeтАЩs still the miller hereabouts; theyтАЩll leave
him alone for nowтАФand now is all we need.тАЭ
The straw in the loft was older than he was; it was hard to tell if his tongue would
have tasted mouldy this morning anyway, or if the unsubtle flavour was a result of
breathing ancient strawy dust all night. He muffled another sneeze, and crawled to
the edge of the loft to look down. A shadow darkened the narrow doorway, and he
flattened himself immediately; but it was only Much.
 тАЬYouтАЩre awake, then,тАЭ his friend said softly. тАЬI was beginning to think that what
we do with you next was irrelevant because you were going to sleep for the rest of
your life. Are you feeling any better?тАЭ
тАЬNo,тАЭ said Robin.
тАЬOh. Well, itтАЩs a bright clear day out, my father dispatched the sheriffтАЩs men
without half tryingтАФa timorous lot to be sure, to be set hunting a desperate
manтАФand some of my friends are coming round tonight to talk to you.тАЭ Much had
climbed the first rank of wall beams as he spokeтАФthe ladder that would bring him
the rest of the way to RobinтАЩs loft was in the loft with RobinтАФand his head was
now only a little below his friendтАЩs as Robin hung over the edge.
тАЬHow did my fatherтАЩs bow get here?тАЭ
тАЬI brought it up when I brought you breakfast,тАЭ said Much.
тАЬYou know what I mean.тАЭ
Much would not meet his eyes. тАЬYouтАЩll have to ask Marian. SheтАЩll be here
tonight.тАЭ
тАЬSheтАЩllтАФwhat? SheтАЩs not to get mixed up in this.тАЭ
MuchтАЩs face was invisible as his fingers groped along the edge of the loft for the
legs of the ladder. тАЬI seem to have pushed it a little too far back,тАЭ his voice said. тАЬIf
you couldтАФтАЭ
тАЬDid you tell Marian she could come?тАЭ
MuchтАЩs face re-emerged, looking cross. тАЬYou donтАЩt exactly tell Marian she may
or may not do things.тАЭ
Robin had noticed at their parting by the stream the night before that she seemed
preoccupied; but there was an abundance of material to be preoccupied with. Much
was leading him off to his refuge, Marian said only, тАЬGood night,тАЭ as she left them,
and Robin, too tired to do anything at allтАФincluding follow MuchтАФ assumed that
she was going home, and was relieved that she had gone so quietly. He had been
afraid she would insist on coming with them, and every minute she was in his
company was another minuteтАЩs terrible danger for her. If he had been more alert, he
might have noticed a gleam in her eyes.
тАЬShe is not to get mixed up in this,тАЭ he repeated.
тАЬYou get to tell her that,тАЭ said Much. тАЬNever mind the ladder; youтАЩre not fit for
conversation if youтАЩre going to brood, and thereтАЩs work waiting at the mill.тАЭ He
stared, exasperated, at his friendтАЩs inward-looking face for a moment. тАЬRobin, I do
know enough not to know what youтАЩre going through just now.тАЭ RobinтАЩs gaze
flicked back to him. тАЬButтАФdonтАЩt take it out on Marian?тАЭ
Robin said nothing. Much shook his head, and started to climb down. тАЬWhen
you need to go outтАФthe back of the barnтАЩs sheltered from any peering eyes; thereтАЩs
a broken board you can squeeze past.тАЭ He reached the floor. тАЬTry not to drop the
ladder; we might hear it at the mill, and mice and bats donтАЩt drop ladders. IтАЩll be
back to bring you indoors after dark.тАЭ