"Andrew J. Offutt - Cormac 02 - The Tower of Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Offutt Andrew J)

тАЬHold!тАЭ
GuntramтАЩs crisp order stopped Proculus in his tracks. He gazed at the bleak-faced count, frozen in motion.
тАЬMy sons are beyond that door,тАЭ Guntram of Burdigala said, all in one deadly tone. тАЬThey have swords, and
will cut to pieces any one who leaves afore I have told him he may. Anybody, sir. An ye have complaints, you
can make them later, in that due form you love so wellтАФbut by God youтАЩll stomach it for now! This is urgent
business, should it chance that yeтАЩve not yet grasped it!тАЭ
The prefect looked stricken. No fleshy, high-coloured, wine-loving old Visigoth he faced now, baffled by law
and literacy and intent only on secure comfort in his declining years. Nay, this was Guntram the war-man
who had reddened his sword on a score of battlefields in doing his part to turn back AttilaтАЩs Huns and conquer
Hispania. The cheerful ruthlessness on the old soldierтАЩs face was warrant that the threatened murders would
be performed.
Proculus gathered what dignity he could, and returned to his place in that temper-littered room.
тАЬBetter; tha-atтАЩs better,тАЭ Guntram said, nigh purring. тАЬNow attend, all of you. I spoke of an inland raid. The
report is amid this litter somewhere...тАЭ Guntram looked hopelessly round himself. тАЬWell, the gist of it is that a
pack-train carrying oil, white salt and fine glassware from Italy, was ambushed and robbed on a forest road...
full twenty mile from the coast! The robbers were Danish pirates; their leader was recognized. There cannot
be two men of that size, accoutred so, and with beards so red and axes so huge. For that it was on me the
kingтАЩs anger fell. The stolen goods, yтАЩsee, were meant for the royal court. An I cannot deal a sharp blow to
these pirates within the year, there may be a new Count of Burdigala... and a new commander of the fleet.тАЭ
GuntramтАЩs eyes wandered to Athanagild; Guntram glowered about at them all before he went on:
тАЬCertain it is that there will be two less merchants in this city! And the new man, whoever he may be, will
have words whispered to him about the municipal curia... bribes and such, you know; the king cheated of his
taxes and the like. Think on it. Given our kingтАЩs the sort whoтАЩs apt to dismiss an old soldier who served his
father thirty years and feels his wounds every nightтАФto dismiss such a one over the matter of the royal table
salt, what can you expect? Eh? And itтАЩs written proof I have, and witnesses, mark me! Your fates depend on
mine, all of you. You had better be convinced of that.тАЭ
Guntram had gone to purring again; was worse and more menacing, those men thought, than his shout and
bluster.
тАЬIтАЩm with you, my lord Count,тАЭ Proculus assured him. тАЬA loyal subject should do all he can to put down
pirates. But how can I be of aid to you? I am no sailor or fighting man.тАЭ
тАЬYou can help with counsel,тАЭ he was told, тАЬand ere weтАЩre done there may well be a few little legal matters that
need smoothing over. The Syrian was not merely gabbling when he said pirates are too many, but we have no
need of sinking them by the dozens. Athanagild! Say that you knew where to find them, just where to find
them, man, and what their movements would be?тАЭ
The younger GothтАЩs eyes sparkled. тАЬMy lord! IтАЩd lay a couple of the greatest among them by the heels. WeтАЩd
set some examples to give pause to the rest.тАЭ
тАЬAnd gladden the kingтАЩs heart,тАЭ Guntram said, and he well nigh beamed. тАЬHe might then listen to me when I
urge him to march his war-host into the Charente, to subdue or destroy those serpentish Saxons there! The
damned place is a home away from home for Hengist and his throat-cutting captains! ThereтАЩd be glory in it for
you too, man. YouтАЩd have to strike from the sea at the same time.тАЭ
тАЬTrap your specimen pirates first,тАЭ Proculus advised with wise cynicism.
тАЬRight you are. I want Wulfhere and Cormac mac Art!тАЭ
тАЬMerciful Saviour,тАЭ Philip the Syrian whispered.
Fleet Commander Athanagild grinned broadly.
тАЬMy lord Count, your pardon,тАЭ one of the curiales said. тАЬI know little of individual pirate captains. Of these two I
have not heard.тАЭ
тАЬBy God,тАЭ Athanagild grunted, тАЬhad you my job, youтАЩd know their names! Or were you trader, or seaman or
pirate of any sort. My lord?тАЭ
тАЬBy all means tell him.тАЭ
тАЬWulfhere of the Danes is a giant. HeтАЩs all of a foot taller than I, with the bones of an ox, a chest like a wall,