"John Norman - Gor 06 - Raiders of Gor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norman John)

imperceptibly, unconsciously, to maintain an easy balance. I myself found it
difficult to stand in a rush craft. She did not lift the throwing stick
against me, nor did she attempt to flee,
but simply stood looking at me, watching me. She had no paddle, but, thrust it
in
the mud near her, was a long pole which she would use to propel her light
craft.
тАЬDo not be frightened,тАЭ I said to her.
She did not respond to me.
тАЬI will not hurt you,тАЭ I said.
тАЬDid you not see the warning marks,тАЭ asked she, тАЬthe white marks, and
the blood mark?тАЭ
тАЬI mean you,тАЭ I said, тАЬand your people, no harm.тАЭ I smiled. тАЬI want only
as much of your marsh as the width of my craft,тАЭ I said, тАЬand that only for as
long as it takes to pass.тАЭ This was a paraphrase of a saying common on Gor,
given by passing strangers to those through whose territories they would
travel:
Only the span of the wings of my tarn, only the girth of my tharlarion, only
the
width of my body, and no more, and that but for the time it takes to pass.
In Gorean, incidentally, the word for stranger and enemy are the same.
тАЬAre you of Port Kar?тАЭ she asked.
тАЬNo,тАЭ I said.
тАЬWhat is your city?тАЭ she inquired.
I wore no insignia on my garments, nor on my helment or shield. The red
of the warrior which I wore was now faded from the sun and stained with the
salt marsh.
тАЬYou are an outlaw,тАЭ she pronounced.
I did not reply.
тАЬWhere are you bound?тАЭ she asked
тАЬPort Kar,тАЭ I said.
тАЬTake him!тАЭ she cried.
Instantly there was a great cry from all sides, and, breaking through the
rushes and sedge, dozens of rence craft, bound with marsh vine, thrust into
view, each poled by one man, with another in the prow, a two- or three-pronged
marsh peach uplifted.
It was pointless to unsheath my sword, or to take up a weapon. From the
safety of the yards of marsh water separating me from my enemies I could have
been immediately slain, lost in a thicket of the two- or three-pronged marsh
spears.
The girl put her hands on her hips, threw back her had and laughed with
pleasure.
My weapons were taken. My clothing was removed. I was thrown forward
on my face in the rush craft. I felt my wrists pulled behind my back, and
crossed;
they were instantly lashed together with marsh vine; then my ankles were
crossed, and the, too, were lashed securely together with vine.
The girl stepped lightly onto my craft and stood with one foot on either
side of my body. She was handed the pole with which she had propelled her own
craft, which craft was tied to another of the rence craft of the men who had