"Roger Zelazny - Dragons" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zelazny Roger)

ON THAT AFTERNOON he got his horse from the stable, put on
a suit of armor, picked up his sword and shield and rode toward
the mountains.

The only one who missed him was his dowager aunt, who was
a friend of the queen. She waved a pink handkerchief from a
window of the highest tower in the castle, and he waved at her
once and then did not look back.

For three days he made his way through the mountains, but
he did not meet any dragons. On the fourth day he came to a
valley. It was marked on the map he carried, and slightly
beyond it were written the words,

-HERE THERE BE DRAGONS-

He dismounted and looked around. He looked for a long
while, but there were no dragons. Then he sat down on a rock.

After he had been sitting there for some time, he felt as
if he were being stared at. He turned his head slowly. A small
lizard was watching him from beneath a bush.

"Hello," he said to the lizard. "Any dragons around?"

The lizard kept staring at him. It blinked once, slowly.

"I wonder if you could be a baby dragon?" he said. "I
think I'll capture you for practice." He grabbed at the lizard.

It dashed away. He threw his shield, aiming carefully. The
shield, which was curved, came down over it, trapping it in the
hollow place beneath. He reached there then and seized the
lizard. Then he lifted the shield. The little lizard was
silver, the same color as the metal.

"You were green a moment ago," he said.

"That is because I was under a green bush," said the lizard.

"You can talk!" said William.

"Yes. There are lizards and there are lizards," replied
the creature. "I am an educated lizard. Now, if you please,
release me."

"No," said William. "You are the closest thing to a dragon
that I've found so far, and I am going to keep you until