"John Morressy - The Questing Of Kedrigern" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

"Sorry, love," said Bess, rubbing Princess's hands vigorously. "I keeps
forgetting that it's an acquired taste."
Princess gasped, coughed, and tried to speak, but could manage no more than
a strangulated squeak. Kedrigern helped her outside, where they walked for a
time in the cool night air. Before long, her voice returned, and Kedrigern was
surprised by her words.
"You once drank that stuffтАФfor my sake," she said.
Kedrigern shuddered at the memory. "I did, my dear."
"And I was so unkind, ungrateful, and unappreciative the next day, when you
felt so awful."
"As I recall, I botched things up a bit that day."
"I'm amazed that you could move and speak."
They walked once around the inn, and then Kedrigern said, "I think we ought
to get back inside. We don't want to leave our guests on their own for too
long."
"There's no hurry, Keddie. Everyone's behaving very well."
"They were before we had ajar of Old Fenny Snake on the premises. By now
they may all be behaving like ogres."


Princess glanced at him apprehensively. Without another word, they hurried
inside.
The atmosphere in the suite was subtly different. No one was actually
sprawled prostrate on the floor, or swinging from the beams, but the mood was
now one in which such behavior would not seem inappropriate. Kedrigern checked
the stone jar and saw, to his horror, that it was nearly empty. He knew that
the danger point was near; he hoped that it had not yet arrived.
As he stood by the jar, trying to decide what to do, an arm went around his
shoulder and a numbing breath swept over him. It was the noisy little man of
this morning, and he was well along to oblivion.
"Din' have a chance t' introduce myself *s morning," he said. "Name's
Smarmax. Doc Smarmax, A.D., Univers'y of Umleitung." Pausing to burp
delicately, he murmured, "Great stuff in that stone jar. Won'ful bouquet."
Here was a beginning, Kedrigern thought. "I do hope we'll have a chance to
chat when you're recovered," he said, taking Smarmax's arm and steering him to
the door.
He eased out a reeling conjurer and a trio of young men who had just begun
singing very indecent songs, and then his attention was caught by loud voices.
They came from the center of the room.
"I know your type. You don't do any magic all year long, then you come here
and try to pass yourself off as a big wizard. You're a phony!" one cried.
"Listen to boy conjurer," a second voice said scornfully in a heavy accent.
"Check record, sonny boyтАФfour spells and five counterspells last year I did,
and am working now on seven-spell contract with local margrave."
"Wimp wizard!"
"Creep conjurer!"
"You couldn't spell your way out of a gunny sack!"
"Have never had to, creep. Am not dumb enough to getting into gunny sack in
first places," the second speaker said. Suddenly there was a muffled cry,
followed by triumphant laughter. Kedrigern pushed through the crowd in time to