"Sean Russell - River Into Darkness 1 - Beneath the Vaunted Hills" - читать интересную книгу автора (Russell Sean)

He passed through a candlelit square of light and looked down at his hands. There he was, not gone yet.
Still more or less substantial. Perhaps there was hope.

тАЬHis High and Mightiness is still among us, I see,тАЭ came an old manтАЩs voice out of the shadows. Hayes
stiffened, but walked on, feeling his resolve harden as well.

He would have thought his fall from grace into this world would have made him one of them, perhaps
even engendered some sympathy, but for some few it made him an object of enormous disdain. How
could anyone born to privilege have fallen so far as to land in Paradise Street? That is what they
thought. Only a fool or a weakling could take such a fall. And there were moments when Hayes feared
they were right. It made him all the more grateful for the kind treatment he received from some of his
other neighbors.

As he came up to his rooming house, he realized that there were perhaps a dozen people gathered in the
shadows across the street, but they were uncommonly quiet.

тАЬMr. Hayes!тАЭ said a woman who was one of the local busybod-ies. тАЬThereтАЩs men taking your rooms
apart. Look, sir.тАЭ She pointed up at his windows.

Shadows were moving in his room, though Hayes knew heтАЩd left no lamp burning.

тАЬFlames!тАЭ he heard himself say. He realized that everyone stood looking up, but no one made a move to
interfere.

Someone laid a hand on his arm as he went to run for his door. It was an old soldier who lived down the
street. тАЬThemтАЩs navy men, Mr. Hayes,тАЭ he said with distaste. тАЬMark my words. Navy men, whether they
wear their fine uniforms or no. YouтАЩd be best to give them a wide berth, sir. ThatтАЩs my advice, for what
itтАЩs worth.тАЭ

тАЬNavy men?тАЭ HayesтАЩ rally to save his possessions was stopped short. тАЬAgents of the Admiralty?тАЭ There
was clearly some mistake.

тАЬAnd they arenтАЩt the only ones, Mr. Hayes,тАЭ the woman said. тАЬWhen they arrived, they surprised others
already in your rooms. ThoseтАЩns jumped out the window. My Tom saw тАШem, didnтАЩt you, Tom?тАЭ she said
to a boy who clutched her hand.

The boy nodded and took his fingers from his mouth. тАЬThey floated down, landinтАШ soft as pigeons, if you
please. Soft as birdies.тАЭ The woman looked back to Hayes, as though awaiting an explanation.



тАЬBut who were they?тАЭ Hayes said, asking a question instead. тАЬRobbers? IтАФI have so little to steal.тАЭ

тАЬIf they were robbers, Mr. Hayes, they were uncommonly well-dressed ones. тАШGentlemen,тАЩ Tom said,
and the old blacksmith saw them, too. тАШGentlemen,тАЩ he said as well. I donтАЩt know what youтАЩve been up
to, Mr. Hayes, but there are men around asking after youтАФ navy men. YouтАЩd best be on your way
before someone turns you in for the few coins theyтАЩll get. There are enough around that would do it, too,
IтАЩm sorry to say.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩll talk to them. ThereтАЩs some explanation, IтАЩm sureтАжтАЭ