"Paul McAuley - The Book of Confluence 02 - Ancients of Days" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mcauley Paul J)

more. They can march in perfect formation all day long without losing step, but they haven't the
heart to fight."
Tamora was angry with herself, and so all the more unforgiving. Nothing had gone right
since they had been ambushed by hired ruffians when they had arrived at the Gate of Double
Glory.
She added, "We're just a couple of caterans. We'll do our best with what we've been given,
but in the end it won't matter. Indigenous Affairs will march right in and slaughter the thralls and
take this place inside a day. This is a poor diversion in your search, Yama. I'm sorry for it."
"Without this subterfuge, I would not have been able to enter the Palace without being
questioned. Besides," Yama said, "I enjoy these exercises."
It was true. The sound of padded staves thumping on shields and the smell of chalk and
sweat had brought back happy memories of all the afternoons he had spent training with Telmon
and Sergeant Rhodean in the gymnasium of the peel-house. The practice fights satisfied a
fierceness he had not known he had possessed.
Tamora said, "I forget how young you are, and how hopeful. We might make these poor
fools believe they have the heart for a fight, but it'll delay their deaths by no more than a minute.
They know they're going to die, and they know that their wives and children will be killed too, or
put into slavery. We'll be ransomed, but because our ransoms have already been paid into bond
with the Department of Internal Harmony, we'll be freed and given our wages, and that'll be the
end of that."
"I pray you are right. I think that Prefect Corin is still searching for me, and he is a high
official in Indigenous Affairs."
They had talked about this before. Tamora said with exaggerated patience, "Of course I am
right. It is how it has always been, since the world was made. If it were not for the ancient
protocols, there would be constant civil war here. Your Prefect will not be able to interfere. I am
sure the Indigenous Affairs sent those fools to ambush us, and perhaps Prefect Corin had a hand
in it, but now we are inside the boundary of this Department he will dare do nothing else."
"Listen. Here is the problem. Not your Prefect, but the real problem. We fight because we're
paid. Once captured no harm will come to us. But the thralls fight because they've been told to
fight, and they've been told to fight because that fat fool who rules this place and claims to see
into the future predicts victory. The thralls know in their guts that she is wrong. That is why they
are so sullen."
Yama said, "We do not know that Luria does not have the powers she claims."
"Grah. She knows that she doesn't, and so does Syle, and so do the thralls. And the other
pythoness is no more than a whey-faced wet-brained child stolen from her cradle. I have not
heard her speak a single word since we came here."
Pandaras said, "From what I hear, Daphoene might be young, but she does have power, and
that's why she is forbidden to speak. Luria fears her because she thinks that one day innocent
Daphoene will expose her fraud. Master, I must speak with you about what I heard."
Yama said, "Daphoene is very young. She may appear to keep her own counsel, but perhaps
she has none to offer."
Tamora laughed. "Yama, you're so innocent that you're a danger to all around you. For once
your pet rat has said something sensible. If Daphoene does have true foresight, then Luria has
every reason to keep her quiet. Syle too, and that bloodless wife of his. For Daphoene will know
how badly the defense of this place will go."
Yama said, "Well, we will see her at work soon enough."
In two days, the oracle would be opened for public inquisition, and the pythonesses would
answer the questions of their petitioners. It might be the last time the ceremony was held, for ten
days after that the deadline for challenging the quit claim would run out. The Department of
Indigenous Affairs would be allowed to march on the crumbling glory of the High Morning Court