"T. H. White - The Once and Future King" - читать интересную книгу автора (White T.H)

knights were never supposed to refuse an adventure. But the barge had promptly sailed away of its own

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accord, leaving the Queen of Flanders' daughter anxiously waving her pocket handkerchief. The
Questing Beast had thrust her head ot of the forest before they lost sight of land, looking, so far as they
could see at the distance, even more surprised than the lady. After that, they had gone on sailing till they
arrived in the Out Isles, and the further they went the more lovesick the King had become, which made
his company intolerable. He spent the time writing poems and letters, which could never be posted, or
telling his companions about the princess, whose nickname in her family circle was Piggy.
A state of affairs like this might have been bearable in England, where people like the Pellinores did
sometimes turn up, and even won a sort of tolerance from their fellow men. But in Lothian and Orkney,
where Englishmen were tyrants, it achieved an almost supernatural impossibility. None of the islanders
could understand what King Pellinore was trying to cheat them out ofтАФby pretending to be himselfтАФ
and it was thought wiser and safer not to acquaint any of the visiting knights with the facts about the war
against Arthur. It was better to wait until their plots had been penetrated.
On top of this, there was a trouble which distressed the children in particular. Queen Morgause had set
her cap at the visitors.
"What was our mother at doing," asked Gawaine, as they made their way toward St. Toirdealbhach's cell
one morning, "with the knights on the mountain?"
Gaheris answered with some difficulty, after a long pause: "They were at hunting a unicorn." "How do
you do that?" "There must be a virgin to attract it." "Our mother," said Agravaine, who also knew the
details, "went on a unicorn hunt, and she was the virgin for them." His voice sounded strange as he made
this announcement. Gareth protested: "I did not know she was wanting a unicorn. She has never said so."
Agravaine looked at him sideways, cleared his throat and quoted: "Half a word is sufficient to the wise
man." "How do you know this?" asked Gawaine. "We listened."
They had a way of listening on the spiral stairs, during the times when they were excluded from their
mother's interest.
Gaheris explained, with unusual freedom since he was a taciturn boy:
"She told Sir Grummore that this King's lovesick melancholy could be dispelled by interesting him in his
old pursuits. They were at saying that this King is in the habit of hunting a Beast which has become lost.
So she said that they were to hunt a unicorn instead, and she would be the virgin for them. They were
surprised, I think."
They walked in silence, until Gawaine suggested, almost as if it were a question: "I was hearing it told
that the King is in love with a woman out of Flanders, and that Sir Grummore is married already? Also


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the Saracen is black in his skin?"
No answer.
"It was a long hunt," said Gareth. "I heard they did not catch one."
"Do these knights enjoy to be playing this game with our mother?"
Gaheris explained for the second tune. Even if he were silent, he was not unobservant.
"I do not think they would be understanding at all."
They plodded on, reluctant to disclose their thoughts.