"Andre Norton - Merlin' s mirror" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

the Dark to wreak their evil will on men.

Now she looked for Lugaid where he sat near her fa-
ther. He had the old knowledge and he had set up the
spirit protections about them this night. Though his un-
shaved beard was white, his lean body was not stooped,
nor did he have the signs of age about him. His white
robe was bright in the firelight and one thin hand stroked
his beard absentmindedly as he, too, listened to Vortigen's
man.

The Romans had striven to stamp out the old knowl-
edge and while they were in power men such as Lugaid
had moved secretly, keeping to their own silences. Now
they were honored once more among the kin and their
words were listened to. Brigitta doubted that Lugaid
would favor the High King, for he and his kind held the
ancient mysteries of this land and they liked the Winged
Hats no better than they had the Romans.

The ale was strong and made her a little dizzy. She
shoved the tankard aside, her eyes now drowsily watching
the play of the flames on the great hearth below. In and
out they danced, swifter, more gracefully, wilder than any
maid could weave her way across the grass on Beltaine
Eve. In and out. . . . Now the wind was roaring so loud
she could hardly catch more than an echo of the murmur
from below.

MERLIN'S MIRROR 11

It was dull anyway. This feast which had promised so
much in the way of excitement had been spoiled by the



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stupid affairs of war. Brigitta yawned widely. She was
both bored and disappointed. Distant kin had come riding
in yesterday, and she had had a wan hope that among
them her father would find a suitor he approved.

She tried now to search out those strangers below, find
one face which was to her own liking. But they were only
a blur of flesh, reddened by the flame play; the gaudy col-
ors of their plaid and checkered clothing bewildered her.
Though there were both young men and seasoned war-
riors, none had caught her attention when they arrived. Of