"Andre Norton - Dark Piper" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

тАЬBecause he does have something to hide?тАЭ she flashed.
тАЬBecause he must want peace and quiet.тАЭ
тАЬA soldier?тАЭ
тАЬEven they can grow tired of war.тАЭ I had skirted her prejudices before. They were rooted in what she
had been taught all her life. My situation as more guest than family had made me talk and walk with
circumspection ever since I had been sorrowfully and firmly put through a discussion session for
defending my absent fatherтАЩs beliefs with my fists when I was all of ten.
тАЬPerhaps.тАЭ But she was not convinced. тАЬDo you really think there is something in the Forerunner
artifact story? That seems unlikely. There were never any traces of anything found on the surface.тАЭ
тАЬNot that we have searched very thoroughly,тАЭ I countered, not because I did believe in any treasure,
but to keep the record correct. It was true that we had aerial surveys of much of the western continent,
plus the reports of all the early exploring parties, but although those made a network of the known across
much of the land, it was a loose one, with perhaps something to be learned about what lay in the gaps
between.
The land was wide and empty. Perhaps those of the refugee ship, were they permitted to settle, could
even find a good place to the north, south, or father west, without changing much the course of our
pattern. We prepared for an early takeoff in the morning, but we were still behind those who left for the
port. I gathered that they were assembling not only the full Committee, but also as many of the others as
they could to hear the petition of the orbiting ship. But for the children, this subject took second place.
The lava country had been so talked up by Gytha that I feared there might be some disappointment later.
So I sat in the pilotтАЩs seat, half facing around as we readied to go, and made it most plain to my
passengers that our destination was Butte Hold and not the rough country behind it, which we had no
intention of entering. Also, they were not to fasten on Lugard or enter the hold unless at his invitation,
which secretly I thought would not be uttered. Were he wise and caught sight of us on any view screen
when we landed, he would leave us to wander outside his wall. Privately, I had also made it clear to
Gytha that if Lugard did appear and be hospitable, she was not to mention Forerunners, treasure, or
anything of the sort.
I was answered by her scorn. As if she did not know how to act! I was, she commented, getting to be
as narrow-minded as Annet. And if that was what came of growing up, she would try to get some sort of
retarding pills from one of the labs and be herself for years yet. She liked to be the way she was, and she
didnтАЩt try to make people over either!
The flight-hop from Kynvet was shorter than that from the port. In the old days, Kynvet had been the
first link in the chain tying the Butte to the other settlements. In less than an hour, we touched down on
the blowing sand of the old landing. I fully expected to see the Butte firmly closed, but its door stood
open to the morning sun and there was Lugard, entirely as if he had invited and expected us.
Obeying orders, the Rovers hung back as I went to explain our presence, but I heard some muffled
exclamations. The veteran was not alone. On one of his thin shoulders perched a herwin, as if it had
known him since its hatching. And by his boots crouched a rock hanay, while between his fingers he held
a slender dark red rod. He did not speak or hail us, but rather he raised the rod to his lips. Then he
began to pipeтАФand at that trickle of clear notes falling in a trill as might spring rain, the herwin whistled its
morning call and the hanay rocked back and forth on its clawed digging paws, as if the music sent it into a
clumsy dance.
I do not know how long we stood there, listening to music that was like none I had ever heard before,
but which drew us. Then Lugard set aside the pipe, and he was smiling.
тАЬMagic,тАЭ he said softly, тАЬDrufin magic.тАЭ, He gave one last note, and the herwin took wing, sailing
straightway up into the sky, while the hanay seemed to see us for the first time, gave a startled grunt, and
waddled into hiding among the rocks.
тАЬWelcome.тАЭ Lugard still smiled. тАЬI am Griss and you areтАФ?тАЭ The children, as if released from a spell,
ran to him, and each called his name as if he wished to claim instant recognition from this worker of
magic. He gave them greeting and then suggested that they explore the Butte, making them welcome to