"Stasheff, Christopher - Warlock 04 - The Warlock Enraged" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

6 Christopher Stasheff
Х Х Х

Rod finally came to a halt at the top of a hill, a mile
from home. He stood, staring down at the broad plain below,
not really seeing it. Finally, he sank down to sit on the dry
grass. His thoughts had slowed in their turmoil as he walked;

now, gradually, they sank away, leaving a blank in his mind.
Into that, a niggling doubt crept. Softly, he asked, "What

happened, Fess?"

The robot-horse answered, though he was a mile away
in the stable. Rod heard him through the earphone embedded
in his mastoid process, behind his ear. "You lost your tem-
per, Rod."

Rod's mouth twitched with impatience. The robot's horse
body might be a distance away in the stable, but the old
family retainer could see into him as well as if they were
only a foot apart. "Yes, I do realize that much." The mi-
crophone embedded in his maxillary, just above the teeth,
picked up his words and transmitted them to Pess. "But it
was more than simple anger, wasn't it?"

"It was rage," Fess agreed. "Full, thorough, open wrath,

without any restraints or inhibitions."

After a moment. Rod asked, "What would have happened
if my family hadn't been able to defend themselves so well?"

Fess was silent. Then he said, slowly, "I would hope that
your inborn gentleness and sense of honor would have pro-
tected them adequately. Rod."

"Yes," Rod muttered. "I would hope so, too."

And he sat, alone in his guilt and self-contempt, in si-
lence. Even the wind passed him by.

Quite some while later, cloth rustled beside him. He gave
no sign of having heard, but his body tensed. He waited,
but only silence filled the spaces of the minutes.

Finally, Rod spoke. "I did it again."