"Love and War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthology)

THERE WAS A PROUD AND NOBLE STAG,

The stag froze, listening.

"There now," the sentry said to his companion with satisfaction, "years it's been since I've sung that, but I can still put it to the tune."

The other centaur answered dubiously, "It rubs against the tune, some places. Are the words right? I wouldn't know, it being new to me."

"New?" the first one questioned. "New? Why, that's the oldest song I know. It was old when our folk fled to the wood, in the time — what's the name? When the seas shook and rocks charged downhill like wild beasts —»

"Cataclysm," the other said.

"Cataclysm," the singer said carefully. "Right. And that's when we were pledged to guard this place. The Forestmaster, she had no living guard then, her own guards being dead and a lot of traitors."

"Traitors? Why?" the other asked.

The stag held his breath, thinking quietly, "Let them not remember. Let it be lost in time. If I know, and if she knows — and if the king knows — that is more than enough."

The first centaur slapped his own bristly side.

"Why? The song tells why. Let me see if I can put more

of it in mind. Somewhat about the stag serving the unicorn —»

He sang more hesitantly: