"Nancy Springer - Chains Of Gold" - читать интересную книгу автора (Springer Nancy)

sweet. Lonn did not speak much, but I think he understood how precious this time was; he sat and did
not hurry the preparation of our midnight cups. The poker still lay heating in the embers when,
soundlessly, a white shadow stirred and one of the Gwyneda came into the kitchen.

Both Arlen and Lonn startled violently and blanched in terror. Then both slumped where they sat in
relief. As for the white-robe, she stopped, then walked over to speak with us, her tread soft, as if she
herself were afraid of being heard.

тАЬAll powers be thanked that it is only you, Erta,тАЭ Arlen told her.

She answered him with a glance half amused, half rueful. Hers was a plain, comfortable face, square,
pale of brows, with the freckles and blotches of age; there was no trace of the pinched and peevish
expression I had seen on the other Gwyneda I had met.

тАЬIt is a harsh life for the white-robes,тАЭ Arlen said to me. тАЬThey are never allowed enough to eat, they
sleep on stone, they rise early to tend to the dawn observances of the goddessтАФтАЭ He stopped, seeming
to remember that within a day I would be a white-robe myself. тАЬThey bear it differently,тАЭ he went on
more softly after a moment. тАЬSome keep to their chambers as much as they can, others work like
demons in the gardens, others do stitchery, or divert themselves with friends and enemies, or tend the
children, or torment them. Most of them are bitter in one way or another, and happy to cause pain.тАЭ

тАЬAnd Erta is one of the few who are not,тАЭ Lonn said.

тАЬShe is our mother,тАЭ Arlen added, and both he and Lonn laughed so that I saw it was a jest. Erta did not
laugh, but she smiled a little. Her eyes did not smile. She looked worried.

тАЬGive the little one my greeting,тАЭ she said to Arlen, тАЬfor I cannot speak to her.тАЭ

She meant me, I understood. тАЬThere is a rule of silence with seculars,тАЭ Arlen explained to me.

Still in awe of his beauty, I only gazed back at him. He must have taken my glance as query.

тАЬThey are not allowed to speak to anyone not of the Sacred Isle, not even their relations who come to
the ceremonials,тАЭ he told me. тАЬNor am I, for that matter,тАЭ he added with a sort of wonder, and he
laughed. тАЬBut there is nothing they will be able to do to me after the morrow.тАЭ

тАЬThere are some who are very angry with you, Lonn,тАЭ Erta said to him.

For speaking to me in my chamber, I understood. Lonn got up, and poured a fourth tumbler of perry for
Erta, spiced it, and fetched the poker to heat it and the others, all without speaking. He gave us our
drinks, and we accepted them as silently as he offered them. I felt quite warm by then, and almost
contented.

тАЬIt does not matter,тАЭ Lonn said finally, and though he tried to keep despair out of his voice it rang
through hollowly.

тАЬI would like for you to stay whole a few months yet,тАЭ Erta told him mildly.

He shrugged and would not or could not speak.