"Jack Vance - The Dying Earth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

claret, topaz, rich violet, radiant green. He now perceived that the colors of
the flowers and the trees were but fleeting functions of the sky, for now the
flowers were of salmon tint, and the trees a dreaming purple. The flowers
deepened to copper, then with a suffusion of crimson, warmed through maroon to
scarlet, and the trees had become sea-blue.
"The Land None Knows Where," said Turjan to himself. "Have I been brought
high, low, into a pre-existence or into the after-world?" He looked toward the
horizon and thought to see a black curtain rising high into the murk, and this
curtain encircled the land in all directions.
The sound of galloping hooves approached; he turned to find a black horse
lunging break-neck along the bank of the pool. The rider was a young woman
with black hair streaming wildly. She wore loose white breeches to the knee
and a yellow cape flapping in the wind. One hand clutched the reins, the other
flourished a sword.
Turjan warily stepped aside, for her mouth was tight and white as if in
anger, and her eyes glowed with a peculiar frenzy. The woman hauled back on
the reins, wheeled her horse high around, charged Turjan, and struck out at
him with her sword.
Turjan jumped back and whipped free his own blade. When she lunged at him
again, he fended off the blow and leaning forward, touched the point to her
arm and brought a drop of blood. She drew back startled; then up from her
saddle she snatched a bow and flicked an arrow to the string. Turjan sprang
forward, dodging the wild sweep of her sword, seized her around the waist, and
dragged her to the ground.
She fought with a crazy violence. He had no wish to kill her, and so
struggled in a manner not entirely dignified. Finally he held her helpless,
her arms pinioned behind her back.
"Quiet, vixen!" said Turjan, "lest I lose patience and stun you!"
"Do as you please," the girl gasped. "Life and death are brothers."
"Why do you seek to harm me?" demanded Turjan. "I have given you no
offense."
"You are evil, like all existence." Emotion ground the delicate fibers of
her throat. "If power were mine, I would crush the universe to bloody gravel,
and stamp it into the ultimate muck."
Turjan in surprise relaxed his grip, and she nearly broke loose. But he
caught her again,
"Tell me, where may I find Pandelume?'.'
The girl stilled her exertion, twisted her head to stare at Turjan. Then:
"Search all Embelyon. I will assist you not at all."
If she were more amiable, thought Turjan, she would be a creature of
remarkable beauty.
"Tell me where I may find Pandelume," said Turjan, "else I find other uses
for you."
She was silent for a moment, her eyes blazing with madness. Then she spoke
in a vibrant voice.
"Pandelume dwells beside the stream only a few paces distant."
Turjan released her, but he took her sword and bow.
"If I return these to you, will you go your way in peace?"
For a moment she glared; then without words she mounted her horse and rode
off through the trees.