"Wilder, Cherry - Torin 01 - The Luck of Brin's Five UC - part 02" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilder Cherry)

caskets, each one big enough to contain two or three
Moruians, inside the Launcher's pavilion. Ablo was given a
generous share and left to head a guard chosen from
Blacklock's escort; this pleased him almost as much as the
cloth and credits he had won.
The gates had already been opened, and the members of
the Bird Clan were streaming across to the fairgrounds to
celebrate the New Year. A bridge of decorated barges stood
at the river gate; the double bridge past the citadel was
twined with flowers. Flying machines still passed overhead,
taking their leave. Diver instructed Fer Utovangan in the
control of the Tomarvan, and he flew a brief practice flight.
It was arranged that Fer and Blacklock should fly out the
next day or the day after that.
"I will care for this bird of yours," said Fer. "No harm
will come to the Tomarvan, and I hope you will fly in it
again." For he could see that Diver loved the flying machine
and did not really wish to part with it.

( 144 )






At last we were ready to leave and find our family at that
good pitch the Harper had told of in his skein, by the cloth
market. It was customary for the winner to leave in
triumph, with Bird Clan vassals playing music all the way
to the Sun Carpet, the famous dancing place in the center of
the fairgrounds. We did not use this escort, and it was
understood that this was out of respect for Jebbal, but we
had other reasons as well.
We set out at the third hour after midday, three nonde-
script Moruians, two adults and a child, muffled in plain
gray silken cloaks. We joined the crowds thronging the
double bridge, and I felt at last a lifting of my spirits. Home
again. Home to the tent after so long, with Mamor, the
Harper, Old Gwin, Narneen, and Tomar waiting for us. It
was a day when nothing but friendship should prevail. The
faces I saw everywhere were smiling; there was no ill-will,
no ill-natured jostling. Children ran about among the
crowd waving fair favors of colored wool that twirled on a
stick. As we passed the citadel, Brin checked suddenly,
then we walked across the second arch into Otolor.
"Something wrong?" asked Diver.
"I thought we had a follower . . . in twirler's dress."
"Petsalee!" I squeaked. "I saw him, I saw him . . ." It
seemed ages ago, before the race was won, before Jebbal