"Tad Williams - The Stanger's Hands" - читать интересную книгу автора (Williams Tad)

тАЬWe have been living somewhere there was food.тАЭ Feliks shrugged.
тАЬThe food ran out.тАЭ

Tobias stared at the other man, who still gazed at nothing, only the
slow movement of his chest behind his dark, travel-worn robe showing that
he was something other than a statue. тАЬWhatтАЩs his name?тАЭ

Feliks hesitated for a moment. тАЬEli.тАЭ He said it in the southern way, the
last syllable rising like a shorebirdтАЩs cryтАФEh-lee. тАЬHe was my master, but
he ... something happened to him. He lost his wits.тАЭ

Tobias now examined the big man with unhidden interestтАФif he had
no wits, it couldnтАЩt be rude to stare, could it? тАЬWhat happened?тАЭ

тАЬThe roof fell on him.тАЭ Feliks took the fish from the stick, burning his
fingers so that he almost dropped itтАФTobias was amused by how many
things the man didnтАЩt know how to doтАФand then cut it into two pieces with a
knife, handing the larger piece to the silent giant. Eli moved for the first
time; he took the fish without looking at it, put it in his mouth, and chewed
with bovine patience. Feliks began to eat the other piece, then turned
shamefacedly to Tobias. тАЬI should offer some to you, for your kind-ness.тАЭ

Tobias was old enough to understand this would not be a small
sacri-fice for Feliks. тАЬNo, IтАЩll eat at home. And IтАЩd better go now or Father
will have the strap out.тАЭ He looked through the trees to the angle of the sun,
which was definitely lower than he would have liked. тАЬHeтАЩll have the strap
out, anyway.тАЭ The boy stood. тАЬIтАЩll come back tomorrow, though. I can help
you catch better fish than that one.тАЭ He hesitated. тАЬHave you been to other
places? Other villages, even towns?тАЭ

Feliks nodded slowly. тАЬMany places. Many cities all over the Middle
Lands.тАЭ

тАЬCities!тАЭ Tobias swayed a little, faint-headed at the thought. тАЬReal
cities? IтАЩll be back!тАЭ

The tall man named Eli suddenly put out his hand, a gesture so
star-tling after his hour of near immobility that Tobias recoiled as though
from a snake.

тАЬHe ... I think he wants to thank you,тАЭ Feliks said. тАЬGo ahead, boyтАФ
take his hand. He was a great man once.тАЭ

Tobias slowly extended his own small hand, wondering if this might
be the beginning of some cruel or even murderous trickтАФif he had been
too trusting after all. EliтАЩs hand was big, knob-knuckled, and smudged with
dirt, and it closed on the boyтАЩs slim fingers like a church door swinging
closed.