"Roads by Seabury Quinn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Quinn Seabury)

somewhat paid the debt your kinsmen owed these murdering
dogs."
"Alas," the traveler returned, "you have put your life in
jeopardy for us, sir. After this there is a price upon your head,
and Herod will not rest until he nails you to a cross for all to
see the vengeance of the King."
"Sayest thou?" Claus laughed, but not with mirth.
"Methinks the sword will sing its song and many more like
these will journey to the storm-land ere they hang me on the
doom tree."
The blue eyes of the woman were on him as he spoke,
and he stopped abashed. Never in the score and two years of
wild life that had been his had Claus the Northman, Claus the
gladiator, Claus the champion, felt a gaze like hers. He had a
feeling of unworthiness, a sense that he stood in the presence

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of some being from another sphere, a sure and certain
knowledge that this woman differed from all other women in
the world.
"Your baby, Mistress," he said awkwardly, "may I look
upon its face ere I go my ways? 'Tis something to have saved
a little child from murderers' steel - a pity 'tis I was not in
the village to save Widow Rachael's child as well."
The woman raised the infant in her arms and the little
boy's blue eyes were fixed on Claus. The Northman took a
forward step to stroke the baby's smooth pink cheek, then, as
if it had been a wall of stone that stopped him, halted where
he stood. For a voice was speaking to him, or, rather, it was
no mortal voice that spake, but a sound that touched his ears,
yet seemed to come from nowhere.
"Claus, Claus," the softly modulated voice proclaimed,
"because thou hast done this for me and risked thy life and
freedom for a little child, I say that never shalt thou taste of
death until thy work for me is finished."
Now though the infant's lips moved not, Claus knew the
words proceeded from him. At first he was astonished, even
frightened, for the world he knew was peopled with strange
spirit-beings, all of whom were enemies to man. Yet as he
looked into the baby boy's blue eyes, so calm, so knowing for
an infant's, he felt his courage coming back, and made answer
as was fitting when addressing a magician of more than usual
power.


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