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

babies were drownedтАФbut God saved Mordred, and sent him back to shame me afterwards, Morgause
sprang him on me one day, long after she had got him back. But she always pretended to other people
that he was a proper son of Lot's, like Gawaine and the rest. Naturally she didn't want to talk about the
business to outside people, and neither have the rest of his brothers,"
"Well," said Guenever, "if nobody knows about it except the Orkneys and ourselves, and if Mordred is
safe and sound..."
"You mustn't forget the other babies," he said miserably. "I dream about them."
"Why didn't you tell us before?"
"I was ashamed to."
This time Lancelot exploded.
"Arthur," he exclaimed, "you have nothing to be ashamed of. What you did was done to you, when you
were too young to know better. If I could lay my hands on the brutes who frighten children with stories
about sin, I would break their necks. What good does it do? Think of all that suffering, and for nothing!
And the poor babies!"
"All drowned."
They sat again, looking into the flames, until Guenever turned to her husband.
"Arthur," she asked, "why did you tell the story today?"
He waited, collecting the words.
"It is because I am afraid that Mordred bears me a grudge, poor boyтАФand rightly too."
"Treason?" inquired the commander-in-chief.
"Well, not exactly treason, Lance; but I think he is dissatisfied."
"Cut the sniveller's head off, and have done with him."
"No, I could never think of it! You forget that Mordred is my son. I am fond of him. I have done the boy
a great deal of wrong, and my family has always somehow been hurting the Cornwalls, and I couldn't
add to the wickedness. Besides, I am his father. I can see myself in him."
"There does not seem to be a great resemblance."
"But there is. Mordred is ambitious and fond of honour, as I always was. It is only because he has a
weak body that he has failed in our sports, and this has embittered him, as it probably would have
embittered me if I had not been lucky. He is brave, too, in a queer way, and he is loyal to his people.

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You see, his mother set him against me, which was natural, and I stand for the bad things in his mind.
He is almost sure to get me killed in the end."
"Are you seriously advancing this as a reason for not killing him now?"
The King suddenly looked surprised, or shocked. He had been sitting relaxed between them, because he
was tired and unhappy, yet now he drew himself up and met his captain in the eve.
"You must remember I am the King of England. When you are a king you can't go executing people as
the fancy takes you, A king is the head of his people, and he must stand as an example to them, and do
as they wish."
He forgave the startled expression in Lancelot's face, and took his hand once more.
"You will find," he explained, "that when the kings are bullies who believe in force, the people are
bullies too. If I don't stand for law, I won't have law among my people. And naturally I want my people
to have the new law, because then they are more prosperous, and I am more prosperous in consequence."
They watched him, wondering what he meant to convey. He held the look, trying to speak with their
eyes.
"You see, Lance, I have to be absolutely just. I can't afford to have any more things like those babies on
my conscience. The only way I can keep clear of force is by justice. Far from being willing to execute