"Modesitt, L E - Recluce12 - Wellspring Of Chaos 1.5" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

II

Right after his early breakfast, Kharl took the broom and stepped outside the front of the cooperage to sweep the stones of the narrow sidewalk. Warrl was supposed to have done it, but the boy was already laying out the white oak shooks that Kharl would be jointing for the hogshead ordered by Captain Hagen for the Seastag. It was less trouble for Kharl to sweep than to rail at Warrl, and at least the boy was already working, unlike his older brother. Since the cooper didnТt want to be caught out front if Korlan drove his wagon up to the loading door in the rear, Kharl swept quickly.
Every few moments, Kharl stopped briefly to listen, although he doubted that the vintner would arrive before midmorning, but with Korlan, one could never tell. The air already felt hot and damp. He glanced to the east, at the barrel set on the stone slab between the cooperage and DerdanТs woolen shop, the barrel filled with damp sand for use against fires. The water barrel was more toward the harbor, past TyrbelТs scriptorium.
He began to sweep again, trying not to sneeze. As gently as he moved the broom, dust still rose from the stones, dust from a long and dry summer. With the prevailing easterlies, Brysta was hot and damp, but seldom had much rain until late summer. So the air was moist, and the streets were dusty. Finally, he lifted the broom and turned to reenter the cooperage.
УAhhhЕФ
Kharl looked up.
Tyrbel stood there, with a small smudge of ink on his jaw. УKharlЕ just wanted toЕ last nightЕ Sanyle.Ф The angular scrivener did not met the cooperТs eyes. УЕ asked her to deliver some fancy cards up the hill. They must have followed her back.Ф
УJust fortunate to be back by the loading dock. Might not have heard otherwise.Ф
УSome would have heard, and done nothing,Ф Tyrbel replied. УI owe you thanks and more.Ф
УYou donТt owe me. Neighbors donТt look out for neighborsЕ who will?Ф Kharl smiled. УSheТs a good girl.Ф
УBest of them all,Ф Tyrbel agreed. УDo you know who they were?Ф Kharl shook his head, still listening for KorlanТs team and wagon. УNo. Wore velvets and blades. Looked like some merchantТs spoiled brats. Had too much to drink and didnТt care who they hurt.Ф
УSanyle said they drew against you.Ф
УHad my cudgel. Worked better.Ф Kharl laughed brusquely.
УI hope they were very drunk and didnТt know exactly where they were,Ф offered Tyrbel. УMerchantsТ sonsЕ well, some of them donТt forget. Sometimes wealth is the wellspring of chaos.Ф
УIt was dark,Ф Kharl replied, glancing toward the inside of his shop.
УI wonТt keep you.Ф
УIТm waiting for Korlan, and I donТt want him to load his barrels without leaving whatТs in his purse.Ф
Tyrbel laughed. УI understand. It took me four eightdays to collect from him for making a copy of EmylТs Tales.Ф The scrivener paused. УBut I did want to thank you. Neighbors or not, most wouldnТt put themselves out.Ф
УBeen my daughter, IТd have wanted someone to put themselves out,Ф Kharl said. УSheТs always been thoughtful to us.Ф
УShe is.Ф Tyrbel smiled. УThat she is.Ф After a moment, he cleared his throat. УI must be going. I have to go to the Quadrant Hall.Ф
УCopying some records?Ф
УExactly. I canТt really say who or why, you understand?Ф
Kharl didnТt and never had, but he nodded anyway.
УThank you, my friend,Ф said Tyrbel as he turned.
Kharl lifted the broom and headed back into the shop.
Warrl looked up. УThe shooks are here, Da, and there are two extra, like you said.Ф
Except for the two of them, the cooperage was empty.
УGood.Ф Kharl looked around. УArthal?Ф
УIТm coming.Ф The lanky dark-haired youth slumped as he made his way down the stairs from above. УIТm coming.Ф He paused on the fourth step and rocked back and forth, until the step squeaked.
УSo is year-end,Ф suggested Kharl, Уand it well might get here before you.Ф He waited until his older son reached the workbench before continuing. УSmythal promised he would have the iron blanks for the hogshead last night. I need you to pick them up. Tell him IТll stop by with the coins later today.Ф
УYes, ser. What if he wants the coins now?Ф
УHe wonТt. But if he does, then come get me.Ф
Kharl watched for a moment as Arthal left, not quite slouching, but not exactly hastening, either. Then he turned. During KharlТs conversation with Arthal, Warrl had laid out the hollowing knife and the round shave. The younger boy stood at the end of the main workbench.
УHave you sharpened the hollowing knife? And the planer blade?Ф Kharl looked at Warrl.
УI sharpened the blade the day before yesterday, DaЕФ The redhead looked down, not meeting his fatherТs eyes.
УThat was the day before yesterday. Today, we have heavy oak to joint.Ф
УYes, ser.Ф
WarrlТs tone was so resigned that Kharl had trouble not smiling in response before he replied, УThe sooner you start, the sooner youТll be done, and then you can head off to Master FonwylТs.Ф
УYes, ser.Ф The younger boyТs tone was even more resigned.
Kharl was not amused at WarrlТs lack of enthusiasm about his tutor and his lessons, not with the coppers they were costing Kharl.


III

First thing on fiveday, Kharl had opened the loading door and left it ajar, waiting as he was for a teamster heТd hired to cart the finished hogshead standing just inside the door down to the Seastag. Kharl had tried to complete the cask earlier, but heТd had to wait for Smythal to finish the iron blanks that Kharl forged into hoops, and that had meant sending Arthal twice.
The Austran trader wasnТt due to cast off until tomorrow, on sixday, but Kharl found himself glancing at the large cask and loading door again and again as he continued to plane and joint the small black oak staves for the set of fancy fifth-barrels for Yualt. HeТd already commissioned the brass spigots, and heТd have to pay a silver to Cupret before eightday.
Arthal was at the other workbench, rough-shaping red oak shooks into proper staves for flour barrels, not that Kharl had any orders, but because he always had some from Wassyt, the miller, come harvest. That was good, because, fast as he made coins, it seemed as though he had to spend them almost as swiftly.
Hot damp air seeped into the shop as always in summer in Brysta. Kharl hoped it wouldnТt be too long before the winds changed, and Nordla got some rain, but the easterlies had lasted longer this summer.
The cooper blotted his forehead with the back of his forearm before pausing and readjusting the plane.