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

ceed my understanding. By some device she learned of your presence and so has issued the invitation which you have just heard."
"Very we]l," said Cugel glumly, "Be so good as to lead the way. You mentioned my amulet to her?"
"Derwe Coreme knows all," was Yodo's ambiguous reply. "This way, your lordship, if you please."
He led Cugel along the old corridors, finally through a tall narrow arch into a great hall. To either side stood a row of what appeared to be men-at-arms in brass armor with helmets of checkered bone and jet; there were forty in all, but only six suits of armor were occupied by living men, the others being supported on racks. Telamons of exaggerated elongation and grotesquely distorted visage supported the smoky beams; a rich rug of green concentric circles on a black ground covered the floor.
Derwe Coreme sat at the end of a circular table, this so massive as to give her the seeming of a girl, a sullen brooding girl of the most delicate beauty. Cugel approached with a confident mien, halted and bowed curtly. Derwe Coreme inspected him with gloomy resignation, her eyes dwelling upon the amulet. She drew a deep breath. "Who do I have the privilege to address?"
"My name is of no consequence," said Cugel. "You may address me as 'Exalted.' "
Derwe Coreme shrugged indifferently. "As you will. I seem to recall your face. You resemble a vagabond whom lately I ordered whipped."
"I am that vagabond," said Cugel. "I cannot say that your conduct has failed to leave a residue of resentment and I am now here to demand an explanation." And Cugel touched a carbuncle, evoking so desolate and heartfelt a groan that the crystalware rattled on the table.
Derwe Coreme blinked and her mouth sagged. She spoke ungraciously. "It appears that my actions were poorly conceived. I failed to perceive your exalted condition, and thought you only the ill-conditioned scapegrace your appearance suggests."
Cugel stepped forward, put his hand under the small pointed chin and turned up the exquisite face, "Yet you besought me to visit you at your palace. Do you recall this?"
Derwe Coreme gave a grudging nod.
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"Just so," said Cugel. "I am here."
Denve Coreme smiled, and for a brief period became winsome. "So you are, and knave, vagabond, or whatever your nature, you wear the amulet by which the House of Slaye ruled across two hundred generations. You are of this house?"
"In due course you will know me well," said Cugel. "I am a generous man, though given to caprice, and were it not for a certain Firx ... Be that as it may, I hunger, and now I invite yon to share the banquet which I have ordered the excellent Yodo to set before me. Kindly be good enough to move a place or two aside, and I will be seated."
Derwe Coreme hesitated, whereupon Cugel's hand went suggestively toward the amulet. She moved with alacrity and Cugel settled himself into the seat she had vacated. He rapped on the table: "Yodo? Where is Yodo?"
"I am here, Exalted!"
"Bring forth the banquet: the finest fare the palace offers!"
Yodo bowed, scuttled away, and presently a line of footmen appeared bearing trays and flagons, and a banquet more than meeting Cugel's specifications was arranged on the table.
Cugel brought forth the periapt provided by lucounu the Laughing Magician, which not only converted organic waste to nourishment, but also chimed warning in the presence of noxious substances. The first few courses were salubrious and Cugel ate with gusto. The old wines of Cil were as beneficial, and Cugel drank freely, from goblets of black glass, carved cinnabar and ivory inlaid with turquoise and mother-of-pearl.
Derwe Coreme toyed with her food and sipped her wine, watching Cugel thoughtfully all the while. Further delicacies were brought and now Derwe Coreme leaned forward. "You truly plan to rule Cil?"
"Such is my heart's-desire!" declared Cugel with fervor.
Derwe Coreme moved close to him. "Do you then take me as your consort? Say yes; you will be more than content."
"We will see, we will see," said Cugel expansively. "Tonight is tonight, tomorrow is tomorrow. Many changes will be made, this is certain."
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Derwe Coreme smiled faintly, and nodded to Yodo. "Bring the most ancient of our vintagesЧwe will drink the health of the new Lord of Cii."
Yodo bowed, and brought a dull flagon webbed and dusty, which he decanted with utmost solicitude, and poured into crystal goblets. Cugel raised his goblet, and the charm purred warning. Cugel abruptly set down the goblet, and watched as Derwe Coreme raised hers to her lips. He reached forth, took the goblet, and again the charm purred. Poison in both? Strange. Perhaps she had not intended to drink. Perhaps she had already ingested an antidote.
Cugel signaled Yodo. "Another goblet, if you please . .. and the decanter." Cugel poured a third measure and again the charm signified direness. Cugel said, "Though my acquaintance with the excellent Yodo is of short duration, I hereby elevate him to the post of Major-Domo of the Palace!"
"Exalted," stammered Yodo, "this is a signal honor indeed."
"Drink then of the ancient vintage, to solemnize this new dignity!"
Yodo bowed low. "With the most heartfelt gratitude, Exalted." He raised the goblet and drank. Derwe Coreme watched indifferently. Yodo put down the goblet, frowned, gave a convulsive jerk, turned a startled glance at Cugel, fell to the rug, cried out, twitched and lay still.
Cugel frowningly inspected Derwe Coreme. She appeared as startled as had Yodo. Now she turned to look at him. "Why did you poison Yodo?"
"It was your doing," said Cugel. "Did you not order poison in the wine?"
"No."
"You must say 'No, Exalted.' "
"No, Exalted."
"If you did notЧwho?"
"I am perplexed. The poison perhaps was meant for me." .
"Or both of us." Cugel signaled one of the footmen. "Remove the corpse of Yodo."
The footman signaled a pair of hooded under-servants, who carried off the unfortunate major-domo.
Cugel took the crystal goblets and stared down into
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the amber liquid, but did not communicate his thoughts. Derwe Coreme leaned back in her chair, and contemplated him at length. "I am puzzled," she said presently. "You are a man past the teaching of my experience. I cannot decide upon the color of your soul."
Cugel was charmed by the quaint turn of phrase. "You see souls in color, then?"
"Indeed. It was the birth-gift of a lady sorceress, who also provided me my walking boat. She is dead and I am alone, with no friend nor any who thinks of me with love. And so I have ruled Cil with little joy. And now you are here, with a soul which flickers through many colors, like that of no human man to come before me."
Cugel forebore to mention Firx, whose own spiritual exhalation, mingling with that of Cugel's, undoubtedly caused the variegation Derwe Coreme had noted. "There is a reason for this effect," said Cugel, "which in due course will be one shining with the purest ray imaginable."
"I will try to keep this in mind, Exalted."