"L. E. Modesitt - Timedivers -Timegods - 03 - Timegods' World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

Crack! Whmmmpt!

"Suffer not a witch, nor a witch's child . . ."

The boy looked from one face to another, back and forth, as if seeking reassurance.

Crack!

One of the rocks struck his shoulder, hard enough to stagger him.

"Witch! Witch! Witch!" The chant began in earnest, echoing between the walls, drowning
out the occasional low rumble of dry cloud thunder. Thunder that promised nothing but
clouds that delivered no rain, no respite.

"Witch! Witch! Witch . . . !"

Crack!

Suddenly, the boy's dazed expression vanished and his face screwed up, as if he were
about to cry. In a single motion, he tightened his lips and jumped down on the far side of
the wall, away from the crowd, and began to run.
Pad, pad, pad, pad . . . ! The alleyway remained silent for an instant, the villagers
momentarily silenced.

"Witch! Witch! Witch . . . !" The chant took on an even more frantic note.

Some of the veterans dragged themselves over the wall and hobbled or ran, knives in the
hands of those who still had hands, after the fleeing child. Others turned back into the
main street and dashed around toward the other end of the alley into which the child had
fled.

"Witch! Witch! Witch . . . !"

Thud! Thud, thuuddd, thhuuddd . . . The heavy roll of the priests' drums supplemented the
chant.

From huts and houses, from the vintners and the villas, the pursuers gathered, pounding
down street and alley, tearing through house and hovel.

"There he is!"

". . . witch-child . . . !"

"SUFFER NOT A WITCH TO LIVE, NOR A WITCH'S CHILD!" boomed the amplified voice
of the priest.

The boy, backed into a narrow niche between two walls behind the produce market, held a
rock in each hand, waiting.