"Legacy Of Gird - 01 - Surrender None" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

УYes, sir.Ф There was nothing else to say.
УAnd youТre at fault in saying that your plums were stolen. They were your
lordТs plums, owed to him. If Rauf had given them in, the lord would still have
them. InsteadЧФ The steward waved his hand at the mess. Very few whole fruit had
survived the brawl. УBut your family has a good name, young Gird, and I think
you did not mean to cause trouble. So there will be no fine in fruit for your
familyЕ only you, along with these others, will stay and clean the court until
those stones are clean enough to satisfy Sergeant Mager here.Ф
УYes, sir.Ф And he would be late home, and get another whipping from his father.
УNow as for you, Sikan, and RaufЧФ For Rauf had begun to move about, and his
eyes opened, though aimlessly as yet. УSince you started trouble, and moreover
chose a smaller boy to bully, youТll spend a night in the stocks, when this work
is done.Ф And the steward turned away, back to his canopy over the account table
where the scribes made marks on long rolls of parchment.
Gird found the rest of that day instructive. He had scrubbed their stone floor
often enough at home, and scraped dung from the cowshed. But his mother was no
more particular about the bowls they ate from than Sergeant Mager about the
courtyard stones. He and the other boys picked up pieces of the squashed fruit
and put them in basketsЧwithout getting even a taste of it. Then they carried
buckets of waterЧbuckets so large that Gird couldnТt carry one by himselfЧand
brushed the stones with water and long-handled brushes. Then they rinsed, and
then they scrubbed again.
Just when Gird was sure that the stones could be no cleaner had they just been
quarried, the Sergeant would find a scrap of fruit rind, and they had it all to
do over again. But he did his best, working as hard as he could. By the time the
Sergeant let them go, it was well past midday, and GirdТs fingers were raw with
scrubbing. He called Gird back from the gate for an extra word.
УYour dadТs got a good name,Ф he said, laying a heavy hand on GirdТs shoulder.
УAnd youТre a good lad, if quick-tempered. YouТve got courage, tooЧyou were
willing to take on those bigger lads. Ever think of being a soldier?Ф
Gird felt his heart leap. УYou meanЕ like you?Ф
The sergeant laughed. УNot at first, of course. YouТd start like the others, as
a recruit. But youТre big for your age, and strong. You work hard. Think of itЕ
a sword, a spear maybeЕ you could make sergeant someday.Ф
УDo you ever get to ride a horse?Ф That was his dream, to ride a fast horse as
the lords did, running before the wind.
УSometimes.Ф The sergeant smiled. УThe steward might recommend you for training.
A lad like you needs the discipline, needs a place to work off his extra energy.
Besides, itТs a mouth less to feed at home.Ф He gave GirdТs shoulder a final
shake, and pushed him out the gate. УWeТll have a word with your dad, this next
day or so. DonТt start trouble again, eh?Ф
УHoly Lady of Flowers!Ф His mother had been half-way down the lane; she must
have been watching from the house. УGird, what did you meanЧФ
УIТm sorry.Ф He stared at the dust between his toes, aware of every rip in his
clothes. They had been his best, the shirt actually new, and now they looked
like his ragged old ones. УI didnТt start it, Mother, truly I didnТt. Rauf stole
some plums, and I thought we might have a fineЧФ
УEffa says Rauf hit you first.Ф
УYesТm.Ф He heard her sigh, and looked up. УI really didnТtЧС
УGirdЧФ She put a hand on his head. УAt least youТre back, and no fine. Effa