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

There was a kettle-hat lying on the chest. After some time, he picked it up and carried it to the picture
light, where he stood with the same puzzled expression which the boy had had so long agoтАФlooking at
his reflection in the steel. He put it down, and began to march once more.
When the tap came on the door, he thought it was the signal. He was picking up the sword, and
stretching his hand to the latch, when the door opened on its own account. Gareth came in.
"May I come?"
"Gareth!"
He looked at him in surprise, then said without enthusiasm: "Come in. It is nice to see you."
"Lancelot, I have come to warn you."
After a close look, the old man grinned.
"Gracious!" he said. "I hope you are not going to warn me about anything serious?"
"Yes, it is serious."
"Well, come in, and shut the door."
"Lancelot, it is about the Queen. I don't know how to begin."
"Don't trouble to begin then."
He took the younger man by the shoulders, began propelling him back to the door.
"It was charming of you to warn me," he said, squeezing the shoulders, "but I don't expect you can tell
me anything I don't know."
"Oh, Lancelot, you know I would do anything to help you. I don't know what the others will say when

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they hear I have been to you. But I couldn't stay away."
"What is the trouble?"
He stopped their progress to look at him again.
"It is Agravaine and Mordred. They hate you. Or Agravaine does. He is jealous. Mordred hates Arthur
most. We tried our best to stop them, but they would go on. Gawaine says he won't have anything to do
with it, either way, and Gaheris was never good at making up his mind. So I had to come myself. I had
to come, even if it is against my own brothers and the clan, because I owe everything to you, and I
couldn't let it happen."
"My poor Gareth! What a state you have got yourself in!"
"They have been to the King and told him outright that youтАФthat you go to the Queen's bedroom. We
tried to stop them, and we wouldn't stay to listen, but that is what they told,"
Lancelot released the shoulder. He took two paces through the room.
"Don't be upset about it," he said, coming back. "Many people have said so before, but nothing came of
it. It will blow over."
"Not this time. I can feel it won't, inside me,"
"Nonsense."
"It is not nonsense, Lancelot. They hate you. They won't try a combat this time, not after Meliagrance.
They are too cunning. They will do something to trap you. They will go behind your back."
But the veteran only smiled and patted him.
"You are imagining things," he announced. "Go home to bed, my friend, and forget it. It was nice of you
to comeтАФ but go home now and cheer up, and have a good sleep. If the King had been going to make a
fuss, he would never nave gone off hunting,"
Garefh bit his fingers, plucking up the face to speak directly. "
At last he said; "Please don't go to the Queen tonight."
Lancelot lifted one of his extraordinary eyebrowsтАФbut lowered it on second thoughts.
"Why not?"