"Деннис Уитли. The Devil Rides Out (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

certainty.' With light, quick, padding steps he crossed the yard and
came 'out into the garden on the far side of the house.
Here too every window was shrouded in darkness and an uncanny
stillness brooded over the place.
'I don't like it,' whispered De Richleau. 'Simon can't have been
back more than a quarter of an hour at the outside-so there ought
still to be lights in the upper rooms. Anyhow, it looks at if the
others have gone home, which is something- we must chance an
ambush.'
He pointed to a narrow, ground floor window. 'That's probably the
lavatory, and most people forget to close their lavatory
windows-come on!'
Silently Rex followed him across the grass, then gripping him by
the knees, heaved him up until he was well above the level of the
sill.
The sash creaked, the upper half of the window slid down, and the
Duke's head and shoulders disappeared inside.
For a moment Rex watched his wriggling legs, heard a bump,
followed by a muffled oath, and then clambered up on to the sill.
'Hurt yourself?' he whispered, as De Richleau's face appeared, a
pale blot in the darkness.
'Not much-though this sort of thing is not amusing for a man of
my age. The door here is unlocked, thank goodness.'
Immediately Rex was inside, the Duke squatted down on the floor.
Take off your shoes,' he ordered. 'And your socks.'
'Shoes if you like, though we'll hurt our feet if we have to
run-but why the socks?'
'Don't argue-we waste time.'
'Well-what now?' Rex muttered after a moment.
'Put your shoes on again and the socks over them-then you can run
as fast as you like.' As Rex obeyed the Duke went on in a low voice.
'Not a sound now. I really believe the others have gone, and if
Mocata is not lying in wait for us, we may be able to get hold of
Simon. If we come up against that black servant, for God's sake
remember not to look at his eyes.'
With infinite care he opened the door and peered out into the
darkened hall. A faint light from an upper window showed the double
doors that led to the salon standing wide open. He listened intently
for a moment, then slipping out stood aside for Rex to follow, and
gently closed the door behind them.
Their footsteps, now muffled by the socks, were barely audible as
they stole across the stretch of parquet. When they reached the
salon De Richleau carefully drew aside a blind. The dim starlight
was just sufficient to show the outlines of the gilded furniture,
and they could make out plates and glasses left scattered upon the
buhl and marquetry tables.
Rex picked up a goblet two-thirds full of champagne and held it
so that the Duke could see the wine still in it.
De Richleau nodded. The Irish Bard, the Albino, the one-armed
Eurasian, the hare-lipped man and the rest of that devilish company