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

peace whilst he kept the kingтАЩs.
Among those subject to him, the pigs for which Glondrath was well known were more numerous than human
beings. The finest pork in Connacht, any agreed; the finest in all Eirrin, some said. And for this was known
the descendant of Niall!
Companions most of their adult lives, Art and Midhir had served the King of Connacht willingly and well. The
counsel of Lord Art, however, was seldom asked. Nor was he asked to come up to the capital where lesser
men glittered. No war came on Connacht, and the constant necessity of beating off the incursions of Pictish
raiding parties brought Art mac Comail no great fame or honour. Wealth and power avoided himтАФor rather
were denied him.
Even ArtтАЩs command of this southwestern keep came not by birthright or even as result of his strength, but
because of the weakness of another.
Gulban mac Luaig had commanded this rath and its people until eleven years agone; was then Gulban
embraced the New Faith and commenced to wear the cross rather than the torc and sundisk or lunula. Too,
he began to talk of peace with the Picts. With the Picts, who were not considered even so much as men! For
the New Faith changed men, as it was changing all Eirrin and thus historyтАФelse the sons of Eire would have
taken half of fallowing Britain erenow, rather than allow it to be sliced into pieces by pirates from oversea after
the RomansтАЩ departure. Battle and slaying were not тАЬright,тАЭ Gulban began to say. Honour did not lie therein,
as his people had believed for centuries upon centuries. One should turn the other cheek to him who slapped,
and do all in oneтАЩs power to embrace peace, to spread and maintain peaceтАФwithout point and edge. This
whether the Picts gave heed or no.
Was all well in theory, Cormac remembered Art and Sualtim as saying, despite the obvious fact that the
natural state of humankind and that which led it on, ever onтАФwas striving. That striving frequently led to
disputes and even war betwixt two strivers or striving peoples. And that led to the survival of the strong over all
the ridge of the world. It was hardly unkown that in what remained of the two-headed wolf that had been the
Empire of Rome, Christians slew each other with no less zeal than those they were arrogantly pleased to call
тАЬheathenтАЭ and тАЬpagan.тАЭ
Besides, the Picts did not subscribe to such views, either in theory or practice.
Those dark savages would as lief slice the stones off a priestтАФand later his throat, an they were in a merciful
moodтАФas of a weapon-man. These things Gulban, lord of Glondrath, knew well but seemed to have forgot.
ConnachtтАЩs king knew, too, and no forgetfulness was on that wise monarch.
Indeed, as reminder, a hideous trophy hung ever on his wall amid the painted shields and flint weapons taken
from slain Cruithne, Picts: a pouch stripped from the belt of one of those demons in semi-human guise. It was
a hand-made pouch, threaded with drawstrings, made of the breast of a Gaelic woman of Connacht.
ConnachtтАЩs kingтАЩs reluctance was overcome by his wisdom and concern for his realm; he had Gulban
stripped of rank and power. Indeed was said he had bade the man seek employment among the blackbirds,
as he called those Romish priests, or at the court of the High-king, who was reportedly leaning in a
crossward direction.
Was then that the Connacht-righ handed over command of his important rath to his captain of deeds and
strong will and arm, Art, son of Comal. With his wife and very young son, Art mac Comail moved to, Rath
Glondarth and took command. Even with the resentment that was on many because of the fall of their former
lord and commander, Art had these peoplesтАЩ respect at once, their loyalty in a season, and the love of most
within a year. For such a man was he.
Cormac well remembered the shame and dishonour on Gulban.
Gulban was changed aforetime, he mused this day after the funeral, and him a good man formerly. ItтАЩs no
friend of the New Faith, the faith of the Dead God IтАЩll be, ever, with their carpenter god who makes sleeping
dogs of men and would as soon that women were slaves. For such had never been the way of the daughters
of Eirrin!
In his fatherтАЩs chamber, Cormac sat, and he reflected on his growing to youth and manhood here, under the
tutelage of Art and of Sualtim and Midhir. Advice he gained, and example, and on some occasions his
lessons were accompanied by anguish and grief. Advice in the way of a man he gained, a man of Eirrin; a