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

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


тАЬWhatтАЩs your name?тАЭ He hesitated; what would happen to his
family? The Marshal went on impatiently. тАЬI need something to call
you besides boy; if you donтАЩt want to tell me your fatherтАЩs name,
thatтАЩs all right.тАЭ
тАЬSelis,тАЭ he answered.
тАЬSelis. You came here needing aid; Gird is the protector of those
who cannot protect themselves, and as his followers we are bound
to aid the helpless. Do you understand?тАЭ
тАЬYes.тАЭ He thought he did; they were oathbound, but unwilling.
тАЬI doubt that.тАЭ The Marshal went on. тАЬBut we have our rules too,
Selis. If you take our aid, we will expect payment from youтАФnot
these silvers in your pocketтАФтАЭ he jingled the coins in his hand.
тАЬBut the payment of an honest heart. Until now I have listened as I
might to any frightened child needing help. Frightened children lie,
to save themselves pain. I ask you now for the truth, Selis, and if
you lie I will not scruple to throw you out. Is that clear?тАЭ
тАЬYes, Marshal.тАЭ Selis stared, confused.
тАЬNow. You say you witnessed the priests of Liart tormenting a
paladin, a woman. Is that true?тАЭ
тАЬYesтАФтАЭ
тАЬAnd when was this?тАЭ
тАЬItтАФbegan some days ago, sir.тАЭ Selis counted on his fingers, to be
sure, backwards and forwards both. тАЬFive days, after sunset.тАЭ
тАЬAnd you spoke of an end: when?тАЭ
тАЬThis afternoon, near dark. It was dark when I came outside.тАЭ


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


тАЬAnd what was the end you saw, Selis?тАЭ
тАЬItтАФтАЭ Selis paused. In the confusion that had followed the healing
of the stone burns, he was not sure just what had happened. тАЬWhat I
saw,тАЭ he began cautiously, тАЬwas the burns going away. But she did
not wake, and the priests were angry and drove us all out. But I had
heard she was to be killed outside the walls somewhere.тАЭ
тАЬThe burns went away?тАЭ The MarshalтАЩs voice had warmed a trifle.
тАЬYes, Marshal. They had put hot stones to her legs, to cripple her,
and when they unbound them, the burns healed, disappeared, even
as they held her for everyone to see.тАЭ
тАЬGirdтАЩs grace.тАЭ Selis looked up at that, and saw the balding shiny
top of the MarshalтАЩs bowed head. Then the Marshal lifted his head
slowly; his eyes glittered with unshed tears. тАЬAnd so she lives?тАЭ
тАЬI think soтАФthen. The guards dropped her, and then they told us to
leave, and began pushing at us. I looked back, and saw one of them