"Andre Norton - Huon of the Horn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

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King Charlemagne showed open surprise, for
he could not remember any rebel duchy. And he
asked:

"Name you this Duke who is rebel against us."

Amaury replied readily and openly enough:

"My Lord King, I speak of Bordeaux which is
forfeit to Your Grace, since Huon and his brother
Gerard who now rule there have not come to your
court to do homage for their landsтАФas is your will

13

and the law of France. Duke Sevin, their father,
is long dead, and yet never have their faces been
seen among your lords."

Then did Duke Naymes rise up in such haste
as to nigh overturn his chair of state. Black with
anger was his face and hot his voice as he made
answer:

"The truth of this matter is otherwise, Lord
King. When Sevin, who was much loved amongst
us and for good cause, departed into Paradise, his
sons were but green youths, untried in judgment
or battle. And in their names the Duchess Aclis
hath ruled these many years. Greatly did she love
Sevin and greatly does she love these sons of his
who are much like him as he was in the days of
his first youth. Therefore she cannot bear that
they go from her or that they be placed in any
risk. So have they not yet come to court by reason
of their tender years and their mother's great love
for themтАФand not because of any willful rebellion
against Your Grace. In proof of my wordsтАФsend
now to Bordeaux and summon these two!"

As Naymes spoke, King Charlemagne remem-
bered well Duke Sevin and bethought himself that
the sons of such a worthy father could not be
judged rebels without good cause. So he called to
him two trusty knights and laid these commands