"Elizabeth Moon - Those who Walk in Darkness" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

Selis closed his eyes, to see the paladinтАЩs gray eyes watching him
gravely. тАЬShe wasnтАЩt afraid,тАЭ he whispered.
тАЬWhat!тАЭ The Marshal went on in a quieter voice. тАЬWhat do you
mean, тАШsheтАЩ? What have you seen?тАЭ
He clenched his hands on the blanket. тАЬSir, they had aтАФa lady. A
fighterтАФтАЭ
тАЬA paladin,тАЭ said the Marshal. His voice had chilled. Selis glanced
at him and froze again; the MarshalтАЩs face was hard as dry bone.
тАЬGo on,тАЭ said the Marshal.
тАЬA paladin,тАЭ he repeated. тАЬThey hurt her. And she wasnтАЩt afraid.
She looked at me.тАЭ
тАЬLooked at you?тАЭ Selis could hear the effort of control; he shivered,
feeling great anger near.
тАЬYes, sir. WhenтАФwhen they hurt me, and when IтАФтАЭ He stopped,
shivering again. Surely the Marshal would kill him, if he told it. He
had tasted her blood; the memory sickened him.
тАЬWhat did you do?тАЭ asked the Marshal, in that remote quiet voice.
Selis found himself answering as quietly.

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Moon, Elizabeth - Lunar Activity SS 10- Those Who Walk in Darkness



тАЬThey called us upтАФthe childrenтАФwe had to spit on her and taste
тАФтАЭ he faltered momentarily. тАЬTaste her blood,тАЭ he finished. His
head sank, waiting for the blow.
тАЬWas that before or after they beat you?тАЭ asked the Marshal.
тАЬAfter,тАЭ said Selis.
тАЬAnd did you enjoy it?тАЭ asked the Marshal in the same level tone.
тАЬEnjoy!тАЭ SelisтАЩs head came up. тАЬMarshal, no! How could anyoneтАФ
it was terrible, but they would have killed meтАФmy father was there
тАФтАЭ
The MarshalтАЩs pale eyebrows had risen. тАЬNo one enjoyed it?тАЭ
Selis felt a wave of heat flush his face. тАЬSome,тАЭ he admitted. тАЬSome
did, butтАФтАЭ
тАЬBut you did not. And now do you think it was right, boy?тАЭ
Selis dropped his eyes again. тАЬNo, but I was afraid.тАЭ
тАЬAfter that beatingтАФтАЭ He heard the musing tone, a heavy sigh.
тАЬIt wasnтАЩt only that,тАЭ he found himself saying. тАЬMy fatherтАФthey
had told himтАФI heard them threaten himтАФwe were all afraid. Only
she wasnтАЩt. When I went forward, I forgot what to do; she looked at
me, not frightened, not angry. Then the priest hit me again, and told
meтАФandтАФand I did it. But sir, whatever they did, she was not
afraid. At the endтАФтАЭ
тАЬStop.тАЭ The MarshalтАЩs face was unreadable. After a long moment of
silence, he went on. тАЬBoy, you came to us frightened, cold, hungry
and hurt: do you acknowledge that?тАЭ
тАЬYes, Marshal.тАЭ