"Roger Taylor - Hawklan 4 - Into Narsindal" - читать интересную книгу автора (Taylor Roger)

Looking at them, the thought of Sylvriss, Hawklan and Isloman came inexorably to ArinndierтАЩs mind.
They should be through the mountains by now . . .

But the route taken by SylvrissтАЩs party was little used, and that taken by IslomanтАЩs was virtually
unexplored. And as far as could be seen from EldricтАЩs stronghold, snow had come to the higher, inner
mountains unexpectedly early. Of course there was nothing he could do, but it took some effort to remind
himself of that.

тАШWhatтАЩs that?тАЩ Tel-MindorтАЩs voice interrupted ArinndierтАЩs brooding.

The Goraidin was holding his hand up for silence and craning forward intently. Unconsciously, the others
imitated him.

Faintly, the sound of distant singing reached them. It came and went, carried on the slight breeze.

тАШI hope itтАЩs not some kind of celebration for us,тАЩ Arinndier said, patting his stomach.

The remark brought back to Jaldaric his tormented evening at Pedhavin when the villagers had held an
impromptu feast for them before he had had to return silently on his treacherous errand to snatch away
Tirilen. Several times during that evening he had forgotten utterly why he was there in the whirl of the
music and the dancing. Then his purpose would return to chill him to the heart like a mountain wind
striking through a sun-baked and sweltering walker breasting a ridge.

Since his welcome by the Orthlundyn however, this sad, dark thread running though his memory had
faded a little, and the happiness he had felt had become more dominant.

He smiled. тАШDonтАЩt worry, Lord,тАЩ he said. тАШIf itтАЩs a celebration, theyтАЩll soon dance the food off us.тАЩ

When they reached the next village however, despite the fact that there was quite a large crowd of
villagers on the small central green, there was no special celebration awaiting them. In fact, though they
were again offered food and drink, the attention that was paid to them was markedly less than that they
had received hitherto. The main topic of interest was the distant singing.

For distant it still was. As the Fyordyn had neared the village, the singing had grown a little louder and
clearer, but its source was obviously not near at hand.

тАШWhat is it?тАЩ Arinndier asked, but the villagers did not know and with polite head shaking declined to be
drawn into conjecture by these outlanders.
 Pausing by the village leaving-stone, Arinndier turned to the others. тАШSomething strange is happening,тАЩ he
said. тАШWhether itтАЩs bad or good I donтАЩt know, but I think we should move a little faster.тАЩ No one
disagreed.

Over the next few hours, the singing grew louder and, despite their concern, the four men could not be
other than swept up in its elaborate pulsing rhythms and joyous melodies.

тАШSomebody, somewhere, is celebrating without a doubt,тАЩ Berryn said. тАШThat is amazing singing.тАЩ

But Arinndier frowned slightly. тАШAmazing indeed,тАЩ he said. тАШBut who could sing so long and so well, and
with such power that it carries so far and so clearly?тАЩ