"Vance, Jack - Dying Earth 02 - The Eyes of the Overworld (Cugel the Clever) UCb" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

"Well then," he said, "what can you tell me of Cil? Are strangers greeted with cordiality, or driven off? Are inns to be found, or must the wayfarer sleep in a ditch?"
"Such matters He beyond our specific knowledge," said the first shell-creature. It fully opened its shell, and extruded pale arms and shoulders. "The folk of Cil, if rumor of the sea goes correctly, are withdrawn and suspicious, even to their ruler, who is a girl, no more, of the ancient House of Domber."
"There walks old Slaye now," said another. "He returns early to his cabin."
Another tittered. "Slaye is old; never will he find his amulet, and thus the House of Domber will rule Cil till the sun goes out."
"What is all this?" asked Cugel ingenuously. "Of what amulet do you speak?"
"As far as memory can return," one of the shell-creatures explained, "old Slaye has sifted sand, and his father before him, and yet other Slayes across the years. They seek a metal band, by which they hope to regain then-ancient privileges."
"A fascinating legend!" said Cugel with enthusiasm. "What are the powers of the amulet, and how are they activated?"
"Slaye possibly would provide this information," said one dubiously.
"No, for he is dour and crabbed," declared another. "Consider his petulant manner when he sieves a scoop of sand to no avail!"
"Is there no information elsewhere?" Cugel demanded anxiously. "No rumor of the sea? No ancient tablet or set of glyphs?"
The shell-creatures laughed in merriment. "You ask so earnestly that you might be Slaye himself. Such lore is unknown to us."
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Concealing his dissatisfaction, Cugel asked further questions, but the creatures were artless and unable to maintain their attention upon any single matter. As Cugel listened they discussed the flow of the ocean, the flavor of pearl, the elusive disposition of a certain sea-creature they had noted the day previously. After a few minutes Cugel once more turned the conversation to Slaye and the amulet, but again the shell-creatures were vague, almost childlike in the inconsequence of their talk. They seemed to forget Cugel, and, dipping their fingers in the water, drew pallid threads from the drops. Certain conches and whelks had aroused their disapproval through impudence, and they discussed a great urn lying on the off-shore seabottom.
Cugel finally tired of the conversation and rose to his feet, at which the shell-creatures once more gave him their attention. "Must you fare forth so soon? Just when we were about to inquire the reason for your presence; passers-by are few along Great Sandy Beach, and you seem a man who has journeyed far."
"This is correct," said Cugel, "and I must journey yet farther. Notice the sun: it starts down the western curve, and tonight I wish to house myself at Cil."
One of the shell-creatures lifted up its arms and displayed a fine garment it had woven from water-threads. "This garment we offer as a gift. You seem a sensitive man and so may require protection from wind and cold." It tossed the garment to Cugel. He examined it, marveling at the suppleness of the cloth and its lucent shimmer.
"I thank you indeed," said Cugel. 'This is generosity beyond my expectation." He wrapped himself in the garment, but at once it reverted to water and Cugel was drenched. The four in the shells shouted loud in mischievous glee, and as Cugel stepped wrathfully forward they snapped their shells shut.
Cugel kicked the shell of the creature which had tossed him the garment, bruising his foot and exacerbating his rage. He seized a heavy rock and dashed it down upon the shell, crushing it. Snatching forth the squealing creature, Cugel hurled it far up the beach, where it lay staring at him, head and small arms joined to pale entrails.
In a faint voice it asked, "Why did you treat me so?
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For a prank you have taken my life from me, and I have no other."
"And thereby you will be prevented from further pranks," declared Cugel. "Notice you have drenched me to the skua!"
"It was merely an act of mischief; a small matter surely." The shell-creature spoke in a fading voice. "We of the rocks know little magic, yet I am given the power to curse, and this I now pronounce: may you lose your heart's-desire, whatever its nature; you shall be bereft before a single day is gone."
"Another curse?" Cugel shook his head in displeasure. "Two curses already I have voided this day; am I now inflicted with another?
"This curse you shall not void," whispered the shell-creature. "I make it the final act of my life."
"Malice is a quality to be deplored," said Cugel fretfully. "I doubt the efficacy of your curse; nevertheless, you would be well-advised to clear the air of its odium and so regain my good opinion."
But the shell-creature said no more. Presently it collapsed into a cloudy slime which was absorbed into the sand.
Cugel set off down the beach, considering how best to avert the consequences of the shell-creature's curse. "One must use his wits in dealing with maledictions," Cugel said for the second time. "Am I known as Cugel the Clever for nothing?" No stratagem came to mind, and he proceeded along the beach pondering the matter in all its aspects.
The headland to the east grew distinct. Cugel saw it to be cloaked in tall dark trees, through which appeared glimpses of white buildings.
Slaye showed himself once more, running back and forth across the beach like one departed of his senses. He approached Cugel and fell on his knees. "The amulet, I beg of you! It belongs to the House of Slaye; it conferred upon us the rule of Cil! Give it to me and I will fulfill your heart's-desire!"
Cugel stopped short. Here was a pretty paradox! If he surrendered the amulet, Slaye evidently would betray him, or at the very least fail to make good his promiseЧ assuming the potency of the curse. On the other hand, if
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Cugel retained the amulet, he would lose his heart's-desire to no less a degreeЧassuming the potency of the curseЧbut the amulet would yet be his.
Slaye misinterpreted the hesitation as a sign of pliancy. "I will make you grandee of the realm!" he cried hi a fervent voice. "You shall have a barge of carved ivory, and two hundred maidens shall serve your wants; your enemies shall be clamped into a rotating cauldronЧo'nly give me the amuletl
"The amulet confers so much power?" inquired CugeL "It is possible to achieve all this?"
"Indeed, indeedl" cried Slaye, "when one can read the runes!"
"Well then," said Cugel, "what is their import?"
Slaye gazed at him in woeful injury. "That I cannot say; I must have the amulet!"
Cugel flourished his hand hi a contemptuous gesture. "You refuse to gratify my curiosity; in my turn I denounce your arrogant ambitions!"
Slaye turned to look toward the headland, where white walls gleamed among the trees. "I understand all. You intend to rule Cil in your own right!"
There were less desirable prospects, thought Cugel, and Firx, appreciating something of this, performed a small monitory constriction. Regretfully Cugel put aside the scheme; nevertheless, it suggested a means to nullify the shell-creature's curse. "If I am to be deprived of my heart's-desire," Cugel told himself, "I would be wise to fix upon a new goal, a fervent new enthusiasm, for at least the space of a day. I shall therefore aspire to the rule of Cil, which now becomes my heart's-desire." So as not to arouse the vigilance of Firx, he said aloud, "I intend to use this amulet to achieve highly important ends. Among them may well be the lordship of Cil, to which I believe I am entitled by virtue of my amulet."
Slaye gave a wild sardonic laugh. "First you must convince Derwe Coreme of your authority. She is of the House of Domber, gloomy and fitful; she looks little more than a girl, but she manifests the brooding carelessness of a forest grue. Beware of Derwe Coreme; she will order you and my amulet plunged into the ocean's deep!"
"If you fear to this extent," said Cugel with asperity,
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"instruct me in the use of the amulet, and I will prevent that calamity."