"Naomi Novik - Temeraire 04 - Empire of Ivory" - читать интересную книгу автора (Novik Naomi)

folded his wings and dropped away, and the blistering flames were blown back against TemeraireтАЩs
flank. Temeraire, still scolding Gherni back into the line of flight, uttered a startled cry and jerked away
while sparks scattered over the glossy blackness of his hide, perilously close to the carrying-harness of
silk and linen and rope.

тАЬVerfluchtes Untier! Wir werden noch alle verbrennen,тАЭ one of the Prussian officers yelled hoarsely,
pointing at Iskierka, and fumbled with shaking hand in his bandolier for a cartridge.

тАЬEnough there; put up that pistol,тАЭ Laurence roared at him through the speaking-trumpet; Lieutenant
Ferris and a couple of the topmen hurriedly unlatched their harness-straps and let themselves down to
wrestle it out of the officerтАЩs hands. They could only reach the fellow by clambering over the other
Prussian soldiers, however, and while too afraid to let go of the harness, the men were obstructing their
passage in every other way, thrusting out elbows and hips with abrupt jerks, full of resentment and
hostility.

Lieutenant Riggs was giving orders, distantly, towards the rear; тАЬFire!тАЭ he shouted, clear over the
increasing rumble among the Prussians; the handful of rifles spoke with bright powder-bursts, sulfurous
and bitter. The French dragon made a little shriek and wheeled away, flying a little awkward: blood
streaked in rivulets from a rent in his wing, where a bullet had by lucky chance struck one of the thinner
patches around the joint and penetrated the tough, resilient hide.

The respite came late; some of the men were already clawing their way up towards TemeraireтАЩs back,
snatching at the greater security of the leather harness to which the aviators were hooked by their
carabiner straps. But the harness could not take all their weight, not so many of them: if the buckles
stretched open, or some straps gave way, and the whole began to slide, it would entangle TemeraireтАЩs
wings and send them all plummeting into the ocean together.

Laurence loaded his pistols fresh and thrust them into his waistband, loosened his sword, and stood up
again. He had willingly risked all their lives to bring these men out of a trap, and he meant to see them
safely ashore if he could; but he would not see Temeraire endangered by their hysteric fear.

тАЬAllen, Harley,тАЭ he said to the boys, тАЬdo you run across to the riflemen and tell Mr. Riggs: if we cannot
stop them, they are to cut the carrying-harness loose, all of it; and be sure you keep latched on as you
go. Perhaps you had better stay here with her, John,тАЭ he added, when Granby made to come away with
him: Iskierka had quieted for the moment, her enemy having quitted the field, but she still coiled and
re-coiled herself in sulky restlessness, muttering in disappointment.

тАЬOh, certainly! I should like to see myself do any such thing,тАЭ Granby said, taking out his sword; he had
for-gone pistols since becoming IskierkaтАЩs captain, to avoid the risk of handling open powder around
her.

Laurence was too unsure of his ground to pursue an argument; Granby was not properly his subordinate
any longer, and the more experienced aviator of the two of them, counting years aloft. Granby took the
lead as they crossed TemeraireтАЩs back, moving with the sureness of a boy trained up from the age of
seven; at each step Laurence handed forward his own lead-strap and let Granby lock it on to the harness
for him, which he could do one-handed, that they might go more quickly.

Ferris and the topmen were still struggling with the Prussian officer in the midst of a thickening clot of
men; they were disappearing from view under the violent press of bodies, only MartinтАЩs yellow hair
visible. The soldiers were near full riot, men beating and kicking at one another, thinking of nothing but an