"Andrew J. Offutt - Cormac 01 - The Mists of Doom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Offutt Andrew J)

Now Lugaid straightened. Now he took note of his mug, with beaming eye. He drank off a draught of wine.
тАЬWhat said ye, Milchu, of GodтАЩs placing tools before us...тАЭ
Milchu smiled, very thinly, as if with reluctance to allow such interference with his ascetic mien.
тАЬEven so,тАЭ he said. тАЬAnd it is of interest that Eoin is baptised as one of us, one of the Saints.тАЭ
Lugaid was grinning. Shoulders hunched, he leaned forward on his table. тАЬAnd will do as bids a priest of his
faith?тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs only a priest of Connacht has stayed him from having his feud-vengeance on Art, lord King. Nor does he
refrain with much willingness on him. This has he said of his lord, Art: тАШIf he did fifty good deeds on me, surely
this would be my thanks, I would not give him peace, and him in distress, but every great want I could put on
him.тАЭтАЩ
тАЬA fine worthy young son of Eirrin! And does he have a brain within him, as well?тАЭ
тАЬHe stays his hand, lord King.тАЭ
тАЬUmm. But unwillingly.тАЭ
тАЬEven so, lord King.тАЭ
тАЬHo.тАЭ Lugaid drank. тАЬHa. And were a priest to speak otherwise, counsel the opposite course, perhaps point
out that Art is a great enemy of Iosa ChriostтАФтАЭ
тАЬIn truth, lord King, he is no friendтАФтАЭ
тАЬSurely then would be this fine young manтАЩs holy duty to avenge his poor father!тАЭ
тАЬSurely, my lord. Were he to be so convinced.тАЭ And as if heтАЩd forgot and only just thought of it, Milchu
coughed again.
тАЬA bad cough,тАЭ the High-king commented.
тАЬThe... night air... the fog,тАЭ Milchu said weakly, bent forward so that his chin was nearly on the table.
He did not move from that strange posture, for the other manтАЩs eyes were upon him. The two gazed steadily
at each other. Nor did either misunderstand the other. The fire crackled and played games of light and
shadow with their faces, though not with their eyes.
So, the Ard-righ of Eirrin thought, so simple it appears, and now we are come down to it. Will it be so simple,
MilchuтАЩs agreement to gain? Methinks not. He waits now... for he wants something. And that something,
whatever it may be, lies here in these hands, for I am High-king in Eirrin!
тАЬShall I ask, Priest?тАЭ
тАЬMy lord?тАЭ
тАЬSeek ye not to play at games with me, Milchu, who has played so many for so long, and who wears EirrinтАЩs
highest crown!тАЭ
тАЬMy lord High-king. IтАФтАЭ
тАЬNor will I bargain as with some merchant over pigs or embroidery-work! Ye know well my meaning. What is it
yeтАЩd be having, Milchu, Priest, to... counsel with Eoin as to his honour and his duty?тАЭ
тАЬMy lord!тАЭ
Lugaid said nothing. Again his fingers were tracing out the shape and the inlays of his tankardтАЩs handle. He
waited.
At last Milchu leaned back, though he did not relax. тАЬGreat honour would accrue to my lord God,тАЭ he said
reflectively, тАЬand to my lord High-king and thus to Eirrin, were it Lugaid. LaegairтАЩs son who approved my
buiding a fine church in the town of Ath Cliath, with myself as Bishop once itтАЩs done, to do glory to both God
and the High-king who pleases Him.тАЭ
For a time Lugaid remained as if frozen. Then he too sat back. He bethought him. Well he knew that men
said his crown rested shakily on his thinning russet locks ... that he was a man who like a child abroad alone
at night saw demain shapes in every shadow...
Such men of course were fools. The demons of treachery, Lugaid was convinced, did lurk in all places. The
cleverer he, who with such hidden eyes as those of Milchu could pierce the shadows and draw away the dark
veils from those who made plots against him. Fail to discover them and surely heтАЩd not be toppled, for there
was his uncle Mac Erca with the weaponish host But... if Muirchetach mac Erca decided that a High-king
who had to be protected, nephew or no, were not, worthy of remaining enthroned?