"John Morressy - The Juggler" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

mas-ter's questions. "Your Excellency's justice is beyond question. And yet . . . a lesser punishment might
perhaps have served the purpose, and Your Excel-lency would be able to enjoy further displays of the
man's skill."
The count laughed and shook his head. "Had I spared his hand, the fellow would still be able to per-form
for others. And since none is as capable of appre-ciating his skill or as generous in rewarding it as I, he
would in time find himself before a less satisfactory audience. I have spared him a bitter disappointment."
The chamberlain bowed. "Your Excellency is judi-cious indeed."
"However, if anyone here feels that I have been unduly severe, then I will allow that gentle soul to offer
his hand, or hers, in place of the juggler's," said the count. He scanned the hall slowly, a faint, expec-tant
smile on his face. Few met his glance and no one spoke. His eyes came to rest on the juggler. "The others
do not question my sentence. Do you?"
"No."
"Then my justice is manifest to all. Let it be done."
The sentence was carried out that very day. The count's physician attended, binding the stump of the
severed hand and seeing that the juggler was cared for until he was fit to travel.
Next day, the count went hunting with his nobles. Though the hunt was successful, he returned to his
palace in a dark mood and kept to himself for two full days, not emerging from his chamber in all that time.
He was heard to call out in the night, but he dismissed the guards who rushed to his aid.
At the end of five days, he visited the juggler, who was by now recovered from his ordeal. The physician,
present on the count's order, was astonished to see the count take a small crystal jar from a pocket of his
robe and hold it up.
"This ointment will ease the pain and assist in heal-ing. I want it to be used, and used generously, for this
man's relief," said the count, placing it in the physi-cian's hand.
"But Your Excellency, this is the rarest of-" the physician began.
The count silenced him with "Do as I bid you." He drew forth a purse of gold larger than the first he had
given the juggler, and laid it on the stones beside his victim's pallet.
"This is for you. You are free to leave whenever you choose. You are not a prisoner," the count told him.
"I will travel tomorrow, if it is your will," said the juggler.
"Let it be as you desire. You will have a horse, a fine gray gelding from my own stables."
The juggler looked at him in surprise, then knelt. "Your Excellency is most generous."
The count took him up and clapped him on the shoulder in a gesture of amity. "I have dispensed justice. It
is my duty. Now I may show mercy. You understand that, do you not? What I did to you was just, was it
not?"
"You have been just to me," said the juggler.
"Do you hear that, all of you?" said the count, turn-ing first to the physician and then to the guards who
stood by the door. "This man does not question my sentence." To the juggler he said, "Go then, and go in
safety. You shall bear a letter that places you under my protection. No one will dare to raise a hand against
you."
Before the juggler could express his thanks, the count turned and strode from the chamber. When the
guards stepped to one side, the count stopped and mo-tioned for them to walk ahead. As the men passed
down the corridor, the physician saw the count glance back twice, quickly and nervously, as if he expected
to see someone stealing up behind him.
The juggler left early the following morning. He wore new boots and a new outfit of fine cloth, gifts of
the count Osostro. The gray gelding had been fitted out with a splendid saddle and harness. The
sad-dlebags were filled with provisions, and a thick new blanket was rolled up behind. Tucked inside the
jug-gler's tunic was a letter of safe passage bearing the count's own seal. He passed through the gate, onto
the western road, and was never seen in the count's do-main again.

THE VILLAGE