"Brian Thomsen - The Nobles 04 - The Mage in the Iron Mask" - читать интересную книгу автора (Thomsen Brian M)

giving Thurndan a chance to review it." The master trav-eler sighed again, and started to
head to the door.
The Senior Cloak, who was indeed eavesdropping on the goings-on, immediately burst
through the door. His face was a mask of enthusiasm and sur-prise desperately trying to
hide a look of embarrass-ment and fear over what he had just heard.
"Volo!" he hailed. "What a surprise! Come right in."
The master traveler reversed his steps and said, "I didn't want to disturb you. I am sure
you are very busy, and . .."
"Not at all," Thurndan replied, putting his arm around the shoulders of the mischievous
author and ushering him into his office, pausing quickly to turn to his secretary and whisper,
"Reschedule whatever you have to."
As he crossed the threshold the master traveler heard the secretary saying, "I am sorry
Mage McKern, perhaps we can reschedule for next month...."
*****
Volo's meeting with Tallwand was quite short. The master traveler made up an article that
he hoped the Senior Cloak might take a look at. The Senior Cloak quickly assented,
relieved that it had nothing to do with his earlier transgression that had made its way into the
notorious All Things Magical, and then set about getting rid of the master traveler as fast as
possible.
Volo, satisfied that no one would now be able to dispute that he had indeed checked in at
the Tower of Arcane Might and equally eager to be on his way, verbally recognized the
Senior Cloak's busy schedule and agreed to hurry along, promising to return at some later
date when they would both have some time to swap stories and spells.
The master traveler was quite full of himself as he passed the secretary who had tried to
bar his way. Volo chuckled, realizing that the lackey was proba-bly staring daggers at him.
That will teach him to try to get in the way of the master traveler of all Toril, Volo thought
proudly.
 Still preoccupied with his own elan and facility, Volo didn't even notice accidentally
bumping into the sour old mage whose appointment he had usurped. Had he done so he
probably would have apologized. Instead he continued on his oblivious path, not even
hearing the vitriolic curses that were being spewed behind his back.
*****
Upon returning to the Traveler's Cloak Inn, he was immediately greeted in the dining hall
by the now refreshed Passepout, whose pleasant afternoon nap had added fuel to his
already voracious appetite.
"Volo!" Passepout yelled. "Over here!"
I must remember to go alone on my visitations that require a low profile, the master
traveler re-minded himself, and then joined his friend at the op-ulently laid table.
"Dela darling," the portly thespian called to the barmaid, "Please set a place for my friend
here, and bring more food. He might be hungry." Turning his attention to the recently seated
Volo, he whispered, "I think she likes me. I have a way with barmaids."
"I remember," the master traveler replied. "You were always quite the ladies' man."
Dela quickly set a place for Volo, and was about to return to the bar when Passepout
gave her a friendly pat on the rump, and said, "Very nice, my sweet. Play your cards right,
and I'll put in a good word for you with the management."
Dela gave Volo a long-suffering look, and said, "You sure he's a friend of yours, Mr.
Geddarm?"
"Afraid so," the master traveler replied.
"Well, please advise him to keep his hands to him-self," she instructed, and regained her
place at the bar.