"Eternal Champion - 01 - The Eternal Champion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

small hill. Behind us the tomb, apparently built of black quartz, looked time-
worn and ancient, pitted by the passing of many storms and many winds. On its
roof was the corroded statue of a warrior mounted on a great battle-charger, The
face had been smoothed by dust and rain, but I knew it. It was my face.

I looked away.

Below us a caravan was waiting. There were the richly caparisoned horses and a
guard of men dressed in that same golden armour I had seen in my dreams. These
warriors, however, were fresher looking than the others.

Their armour was fluted, embellished with raised designs, ornate and beautiful
but, according to my sparse reading on the subject of armour, coupled with
Erekose's stirring memory, totally unsuitable for war. The fluting and embossing
acted as a trap to catch the point of a spear or sword, whereas armour should be
made to turn a point. This armour, for all its beauty, acted more as an extra
danger than a protection.

The guards were mounted on heavy war-horses, but the beasts that knelt awaiting
us resembled a kind of camel from which all the camel's lumpen ugliness had been
bred. These beasts were beautiful. On their high backs were cabins of ebony,
ivory and mother-of-pearl, curtained in scintillating silks.

We walked down the hill, and as we walked I noticed that I still had the ring on
my finger that I had worn as John Daker. A ring of woven silver that my wife had
given me . . . My wife . . . I could not recall her face. I felt I should have
left the ring behind me-on that other body. But perhaps there is no body left
behind.

We reached the kneeling beasts and the guards stiffened their backs to
acknowledge our arrival. I saw curiosity in many of the eyes that looked at me.

King Rigenos gestured towards one of the beasts. 'Would you care to take your
cabin, Champion?' Though he himself had summoned me, he seemed to be slightly
wary of me.

'Thank you.' I climbed the little ladder of plaited silk and entered the cabin.
It was completely lined with deep cushions of a variety of hues.

The camels climbed to their feet and we began to move swiftly through a narrow
valley whose sides were lined with evergreen trees which I could not name-
something like spreading monkey-puzzle trees, but with more branches and broader
leaves.

I had lain my sword across my knees. I inspected it. It was a plain, soldier's
sword, having no markings on the blade. The hilt fitted perfectly into my right
hand as I gripped it. It was a good sword. But why it was poisonous to other
humans I did not know. Presumably it was also lethal to those whom King Rigenos
called the Hounds of Evil-the Eldren.