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

He checked the first barrel before him a last time, running his fingers slowly over the inside of the finely finished staves, nodding in satisfaction, before carrying it over to the finishing bench against the south rear wall. Then he returned to the turning bench and did the same with the second. The heads for both barrels were also laid outЧ single round sections, rather than sections of quartersawn wood doweled in place.
With a smile, he eased over to the quarter barrel that held sealant.
The smile vanished, and he looked up. УArthal!Ф
There was no answer, not that he expected one. After a moment, he walked to the steps and climbed up, and peered into the main room, where Charee was seated at her sewing table, working on the embroidery that she did for Fyona, the seamstress fancied by most of the consorts of the wealthier merchants.
УWhereТs Arthal?Ф Kharl asked his consort.
УHe said you were finished with him, and he had to meet some friends.Ф
Kharl pursed his lips tightly for a long moment. УI said he was free if heТd done everything. He did today. But he didnТt yesterday, and he didnТt tell me. IТm out of sealant, and he was supposed to get two buckets from Hyesal. He said heТd taken care of it, and he didnТt, and that meansЕ ohЕ never mindЕФ The cooper started to close the door, then turned back to Charee. УIf anyone should come by, IТll be back shortly. IТm going over to HyesalТs to get the sealant Arthal didnТt. IТll leave the door open so you can hear if anyone comes in. Or if Warrl gets back from his lessons.Ф
УDonТt be angry, Kharl. ArthalТs still young.Ф
УHeТs near-on double-eight, and I donТt like being misled.Ф Kharl snorted, then headed down the steps. УI should have asked him directЕ have to ask Сem every little thingЕ thinks heТs so brightЕФ he muttered to himself as he crossed the shop.
Kharl left by the front door. Outside, on CraftersТ Lane, he heard a low rumble and glanced up. Clouds were massing over the Eastern Ocean to the west of the harbor, and the wind had finally shifted from out of the east to the west, bringing with it an actual hint of rain, not just soggy air, and the chance that the long-overdue and welcome late-summer rains would finally arrive.
He glanced at TyrbelТs small display window, which held several books, including a red leather-bound Book of Godly PrayerЧa work that Tyrbel had done on his own as an offering to his faith. Kharl shook his head, thinking about the one-god believers. How could anyone believe that everything from the Great Western Ocean and beyond the Heavens to the Rational Stars could have been created by one god? Or that the same god knew everything everywhere, down to the smallest beetle? Or more important, from KharlТs viewpoint, that such a god cared equally for all men, women, and children? Given what he saw on the streets of Brysta, Kharl didnТt put much faith in such a god.
He laughed to himself at the last thought. He didnТt put any faith at all in such a god. Tyrbel did. With a rueful smile, he kept walking.
Two blocks down toward the harbor, he came to the upper market square, although most of the peddlers and vendors had already packed up their wares and left. A one-handed beggar was seated on the low stone wall that surrounded the near-empty square. Topped with redstone with rounded edges, the wall was a good place for sitting and resting.
УA copper, ser, just a copper for a poor fellow.Ф The bearded beggar, in a tattered gray tunic and trousers, held his cap upside down, lifting it toward Kharl.
The cooper ignored him and kept walking. УJust a copper, ser. Just a copperЕФ
Another thirty cubits down CraftersТ Lane, also seated on the wall, was a young woman, with short-cropped dark hair and wearing a tan tunic and trousers. Her skin was pale, but unblemished. Her boots were sturdy and brown, and beside her was a canvas pack, against which rested a shimmering black staff. She was small enough that her boots did not touch the cobblestones beneath the wall.
As Kharl neared her, he took in the blackstaffer, then nodded politely. She looked up. УGood day to you, ser.Ф Her brown eyes smiled with her mouth.
УAnd you as well,Ф Kharl replied, almost in spite of himself. But her expression had been warm and friendly on a cloudy afternoon, and not asking for anything. He found himself smiling as he left the square behind and made his way the last hundred cubits to HyesalТs apothecary shop, clearly marked with the crossed pestles above the door.
Kharl entered and stepped up to the long counter, time-aged golden oak, on which were arrayed various health tinctures. He looked around the small front room, but didnТt see the apothecary. УHyesal?Ф There was no answer. УHyesal!Ф
УJust a moment!Ф came the querulous reply. УIf youТre someone I know, just wait. If youТre someone I donТt, you can take that chance, too.Ф Kharl grinned and stood there, waiting, his eyes going over the bottles lined up at the back of the counter, taking in the labelsЧMorning Tonic, Digestive Tincture, Rheumatism Salve ...
The small but angular apothecary appeared behind the counter, as if by magery. УWell, KharlЕ what is it that wonТt wait but a moment?Ф
УSealant, the one you make for the good barrels. Arthal was supposed to come byЧФ
УNever did. I would have had it waiting here for you.Ф
УDo you have any ready?Ф
УI canТt say as I do, Kharl, and itТs not something I can slop together while you stand there. СSides, itТs got to stand overnight.Ф
Kharl could feel his anger rising, but Hyesal hadnТt created the problem. Arthal had. So he held his tongue.
УTell you what. After I finish this tincture, IТll get to work on it, and you can pick it up first thing in the morning.Ф
УIТd appreciate that. I would. IТve been working on these fancy fifth-barrels for YualtЕ ArthalЕ he told me heТd come byЕФ
УAnd you never forgot anything when you were young and starstruck over some lass?Ф
УHe doesnТt have enough brains to be starstruck at the moment.Ф Kharl snorted.
Hyesal laughed. УBe ready in the morning.Ф The apothecary turned and left Kharl standing at the counter.
With a shrug, the cooper stepped back and left the shop. In most cities, he would have gotten sealant from an alchemist, but not in Brysta, not that it mattered to Kharl so long as the sealant worked. What worked, that was what mattered, not which craft produced it.
Outside, he could smell the dampness of the rain that had already begun to fall on the ocean beyond the breakwaters, and he lengthened his stride as he hurried back up the gentle incline of CraftersТ Lane toward the square and his own shop.
The blackstaffer and the beggar had left the square, but a small figure in gray accosted Kharl as he passed the empty stone sitting wall. УMaster Kharl! How be the best cooper in Brysta?Ф
УJekatЕ howТs the most flattering urchin in Brysta?Ф
УNot bad, Master Kharl. СCourse a copper or twoТd help.Ф A grin crossed the towheadТs grimy face.
УCoppers always help.Ф The cooper grinned. УYou know anyone who needs barrels?Ф
УI heard the rendererЧWerwalЧheТs going to be needing some barrels Сfore long. I told SikalЧthatТs his manЧhe ought to see you. Werwal wonТt talk to me, but Sikal will.Ф
Kharl slipped a copper from his purse. УTake this, you worthless urchin.Ф He couldnТt help smiling.
УThank you, ser, and IТll not be telling no one Сbout your kindness.Ф Jekat skipped away across the square.
Kharl was less than half a block from the shop when the rain began to fallЧfat drops that splattered against everything. He began to hurry, but the shoulders of his gray tunic were black with water by the time he dashed into the shop.
УIs that you, Kharl?Ф called Charee from up the stairs.
УSure as life.Ф Kharl raised his voice to make sure Charee could hear him above the heavy rain pelting down on the roof. УAlmost made it back before it started raining. Arthal never ordered the sealant. WonТt be ready before tomorrow. WhereТs Warrl?Ф
УI sent him to FyonaТs with the embroidery. He came in right after you left.У
Kharl stopped by the workbench, then turned as Arthal ran inside, his tunic and trousers darkened with rain. Arthal stopped as he saw his father. УIТm not too happy with you, young fellow.Ф
УYouТre never happy with me, Da.Ф Arthal did not meet KharlТs eyes. УYou told me, yesterday, that youТd taken care of all the chores. I just got back from HyesalТs, and you never ordered the sealant. You told me youТd done that.Ф
УI said IТd do it. I was going down thereЧФ Arthal stepped back. УWhen? Next end-day? Whenever it met your fancy?Ф
УItТs not like that.Ф
УHow is it like?Ф asked Kharl. УI could have used the sealant today. It would have been ready today. YouТre almost a double-eight, and I shouldnТt have to follow up on everything you do.Ф
УYou said you wouldnТt finish those today.Ф ArthalТs voice was low. УThat isnТt the bladeТs edge, Arthal.Ф KharlТs tone dropped into resignation. УYou led me to believe that youТd ordered the sealant. ThatТs deception.Ф