"Michael Moorcock - Elric 4 - The Vanishing Tower" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

file:///F|/rah/Michael%20Moorcock/Moorcock,%20Michael%20-%20Elric%204%20-%20The%20Vanishing%20Tower.txt

BOOK ONE

The Torment of the Last Lord

.. . and then did Elric leave Jharkor
in pursuit of a certain sorcerer who
had, so Elric claimed, caused him
some inconvenience ...

тАФThe Chronicle of the Black Sword

CHAPTER ONE

Pale Prince on a Moonlit Shore

In the sky, a cold moon, cloaked in clouds,
sent down faint light that fell upon a sullen sea where
a ship lay at anchor off an uninhabited coast.

From the ship a boat was being lowered. It swayed in
its harness. Two figures, swathed in long capes, watched
the seamen lowering the boat while they, themselves,
tried to calm horses which stamped their hooves on
the unstable deck and snorted and rolled their eyes.

The shorter figure clung hard to his horse's bridle
and grumbled.

"Why should this be necessary? Why could not we
have disembarked at Trepesaz? Or at least some fish-
ing harbour boasting an inn, however lowly. . . ."

"Because, friend Moonglum, I wish our arrival in
Lormyr to be secret. If Theleb K'aarna knew of my
comingтАФas he soon would if we went to Trepesaz тАФ
then he would fly again and the chase would begin
afresh. Would you welcome that?"

Moonglum shrugged. "I still feel that your pursuit
of this sorcerer is no more than a surrogate for real
activity. You seek him because you do not wish to seek
your proper destiny. ..."

Elric turned his bone-white face in the moonlight
and regarded Moonglum with crimson, moody eyes.
"And what of it? You need not accompany me if you
do not wish to. ..."