"Karl Edward Wagner - Sing a Last Song of Valdese" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wagner Karl Edward)

someone had suggested that each tell a story.
"The mountains of Halbrosn seem haunted with all manner of inhuman fiends,"
Dordron remarked with a shiver. "Jarcos, why did you insist we make this
journey to Rader? You know the wool market there has been dead for years."
"My astrologer agreed this was a wise venture. Let me worry about our
business, little brother." Jarcos contrived to shape his rolls of chins into a
resolute expression.
"Not only 'inhuman fiends' to watch for," Ranvyas commented, jerking a gnarled
thumb toward his prisoner. "Up until two days ago there was Mad Hef here.
Thoem knows how many poor travellers he's waylaid and murdered. Had a favorite
trick of crawling out onto the road all covered with blood and moaning he was
one of Mad Hef's victims. Too damn many good-hearted folks left their bones in
the rocks for the mice to nest in. And I'd as soon forget if I could some of
the things I seen back in that cave where he was laired."
Hef snickered and shook his chains against the post. "Got a special niche for
your skull there, Ranvyas dear. Old man like you should've brought help along,
'stead of trying to sneak after me all alone. You're just too brave for
your--"
Ranvyas raised his fist; Hef broke off in an angry mutter.
"There have been human monsters in these mountains worse than this
carrion-eater," the abbot said.
"Oh? Do you know this region, eminence?" asked the innkeeper, who had joined
them at the fire.
"Only from my learning. I dare say that the old provinces of the Halbros kings
have figured so prominently in our history and literature that all of us know
some tale of their mountains--though we are all strangers here."
He glanced around at the others. "Perhaps you observed the stone ruins that
crest the ridge along the gap ahead. Quite striking against the sunset, I
thought. That was the fortress from which Kane held these mountains in thrall
for a hundred years. He ruled the land with a bloody fist, exacted tribute
from all who passed through, fought back every expedition led against him.
Some say he had made a pact with the forces of evil by which they granted him
eternal youth and victory in return for the innocent blood he sacrificed each
dark of the moon.
"For a while he aided Halbros-Serrantho in the imperial wars, but even the
great emperor sickened of Kane's depravity and finally used the combined
armies of the new empire to pull the tyrant's citadel down on his head. They
say his evil ghost haunts the ruins to this day."
"A tale somewhat garbled by popular superstition," Claesna remarked. "Actually
the legend of Kane has far darker implications. His name, I have observed,
reappears in all ages and all lands. The literature of the occult recurrently
alludes to him. In fact, there is an ancient compendium of prehuman glyphics
that Kane is said to have authored. If it exists, I'd give a fortune to read
it."
"A rather long-lived villain, this Kane," said Passlo drily.
"Some occult authors contend that Kane was one of the first true men, damned
to eternal wandering for some dark act of rebellion against mankind's
creator."
"I doubt Thoem would have damned a blasphemer to immortality," scoffed the
abbot. "Doubtless his legend appeals to certain evil types who take his name