"Mary Stewart - The Arthurian Saga 02 - The Hollow Hills" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stewart Mary)

"Well, the Saxons can't have known that King Uther was inCornwall , with all the force he'd brought
down to fight Duke Gorlois. He gathered his army and called on the Dum-nonians to help him, and
marched to drive the Saxons back." He paused, compressing his lips, then finished briefly: "Cador went
with him."

"Did he indeed?" I was thoughtful. "You didn't happen to hear what had passed between them?"

"Only that Cador had been heard to say that since he couldn't defend his part of Dumnonia alone he
didn't mind fighting alongside the Devil himself, as long as the Saxons could be cleared from the coast."

"He sounds a sensible young man."

Ralf, hot on his grievance, was not listening. "You see, he didn't exactly make peace with Uther тАФ"

"Yes. One gathers that."

" тАФ but he did march with him! And I could not! I went to him, and to my lady, and begged to go, but
he wouldn't take me!"

"Well," I said, reasonably, "how could he?"

That stopped him. He stared at me, ready to be angry again. "What do you mean? If you think me a
traitor тАФ"

"You're the same age as Cador, aren't you? Then try to show as much common sense. Think. If Cador
was to go into battle beside the King, then the King, for your sake, could hardly take you. Uther may
surfer a few pangs of conscience when he lays eyes on you, but Cador must see you as one of the causes
of his father's death. Do you think he would bear you near him, however much he may need the King and
his legions? Now do you see why you were left at home, and then sent north to me?"

He was silent. I said, gently: "What's done is done, Ralf. Only a child expects life to be just; it's a man's
part to stand by the consequence of his deeds. As we both shall, believe me. So put all this behind you,
and take what the gods send. Your life is not over because you have had to leave the court, or even
because you have had to leaveCornwall ."

There was a longer silence. Then he picked up his empty bowl and mine and got to his feet. "Yes, I see.
Well, since for the moment I can't do much else, I'll stay and serve you. But not because I'm afraid of the
King, or because my grandmother wants to get me out of Duke Cador's way. It's because I choose. And
indeed" тАФ he swallowed тАФ "I reckon I owe it to you." His tone was neither grateful nor conciliatory. He
stood there like a soldier, stiffly, the bowls clutched to his ribs.

"Then start paying your debt and wash the supper dishes," I said equably, and picked up a book.

He hung on his heel a moment, but I neither spoke nor looked up. He went then, without another word,
to draw water from the spring outside.

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