and immediately got with a boulder into water. The wolfhound looked after watchfully for
and again its dark-haired was shown how disappeared in small waves
head. It disappeared for a long time: Niilit dived surprisingly bravely,
without being afraid of depth at all. The sea was not such warm here, as at
it in Sakkarem, but the little girl was blissfully happy. From it it will be begun to bring
starfishes to announce them edible and to fry immediately on a fire.
The wolfhound wanted in water too. He by all means will plunge, but only
later, when will complete business.
He noticed the riders who left the wood between them and the city at once.
Three men on tall, full horses. The wolfhound looked back to Niilit: that as
came up time, holding in each hand on a two-fold sink about a bowl
size. Riders went slowly. They went to their party, but obviously anywhere
did not hurry. Was not to make out persons, and the Wolfhound looked narrowly at raincoats. Not
heroes. And not city guards. The Zhadoba with robbers?. Komesa
Cannibal?.
- Niilit, - the Wolfhound quietly called. It stood up to a neck in water: it
saw only her head, white shoulders twisted with a beads a neck and hands, busy
sinks. All the rest - a vague spot through transparent ripples.
- Take clothes, - by an equal voice the Wolfhound told. - Also float on that
party. You will reach?
The gulf was about a poluversta width here. Happen that, hardly there
they will easily get it from onions.
- I will try to frighten horses... - Niilit responded. - To me Tilorn
explained. At me it will turn out...
- It will turn out, but it is not necessary better, - the Wolfhound told. - Let's look still,
that at them on mind.
Niilit threw the got sinks on the coast:
- Perhaps they not with the evil?.
- Perhaps and not with the evil, - the Wolfhound told. - Float give.
Niilit came for a boulder... Venn not especially was surprised when it
there was dressed from there. Perhaps, it would throw it back in water if
would not know what is it is all the same useless. Here fidelity is worse than everyone
unfaithfulness. Niilit plaintively looked at it with blue eyes in which
the desperate fear lapped. Picked up the sinks and, having taken seat beside
fire, began to pick a shchepochka strong compressed shutters. From wet
braids, on a shirt between thin shovels the crude spot already blurred.
The wolfhound stretched it a knife. If something happens he will always manage to seize him...
Riders meanwhile came nearer. Two are huge men, obviously
being an expert in hand-to-hand. The third, gaunt old man, was almost
it is unarmed, except for a short dagger on a belt, but also that seemed
rather precious toy, than soldier's weapon. Such not for serious
affairs. Having made out it, the Wolfhound calmed down a little. The grandee with
bodyguards, most likely. And if so, it was necessary to wait not for a skirmish, and
talk.
At least in the beginning...
He looked at approaching, continuing to clean unperturbably
chain armor. Only moved on the very brink a stone on which sat, and
put legs so that it was possible to jump at once. Onions at
strangers it was not visible, horses on such stones close will not approach. And
on foot and on swords, three he not really were afraid.
- Hi, the Wolfhound, - having politely stopped in ten steps,
the aged man told it. A wolfhound, having hesitated, responded:
- And you hi, kind person. Only, do not become angry, something I you
I will not remember.
Niilit already opened both sinks and dexterously cut elastic light pink
meat, getting pieces on a twig.
- But you, the Wolfhound, many know, - the old man smiled. - Many
have heard a lot how you cut bandits of Zhadoby, and then overcame the soldier,
to which priests paid... they, by the way, expelled him and now look for on him
the place of whom is better. They did not come to you yet?. However, all this not
important. Important the fact that the few will be compared to you in private, the Wolfhound.
- Thanks on the kind word, - slowly spoke veins. Similar
popularity not too suited it, but it was necessary to think over it
somehow then, at a leisure.
It is unlikely the old goat arrived here only to praise me,
he thought, endeavoring to define to what tribe belonged it
interlocutor. Wide segvansky trousers, boots of kind velkhsky work,
solvennsky sleeveless jacket from colored cloth... and over everything - the road
the raincoat weaved in Arrantiady. Also says on-vennski as veins though
hair are short-haired. That the big city is also bad that the people in it all
mixes up, you will not sort on the person who such is and from where. Guess here,
as with it to behave. Unless this business?.
- Many have heard a lot also how people of Zhadoby suggested you to pass
on their party also promised a share in production, but you refused, - continued between
that stranger. - Fidelity was rather expensively appreciated at all times...
- Sit down to a fire, - the Wolfhound told. - Be treated, than Gods pardoned,
and we will talk... if is about what... - The old man lingered a little in
saddle, looking back at bodyguards, and veins grinned: - And still
you say as if about me heard something...
One of good fellows dismounted to take to the owner a stirrup, and then when
that approached to a kosterka and sat down against the Wolfhound, got up behind the back of the old man.
The wolfhound looked how he jumped from a stone on a stone mighty
the bodyguard, also understood that if something happens it will be the terrible opponent.
Strong, as bear, and besides easy, as cat.
- I know your people, - the old man told suddenly. - At you consider
impolite if someone starts talking about business at once, without having had a talk at first
about that and about this. Your people are wise, but its custom is good if anywhere not
you hurry, and you see the new person time in half a year...
Why so, the Wolfhound thought. Was enough too, half a year. Once a month,
or perhaps even is more often!
- What life, such is and custom, - the old man continued. - I here everyone
day I meet many people and has to agree with everyone. So
that do not judge me strictly... I came to tell you, veins that in it
the city there are people knowing how to fetter gold your sword.
- What for people? - quietly the Wolfhound asked. And itself thought: honest
the person, it was necessary for whom, we will tell the security guard, could come to employ
it directly on inn or to Varokh from anybody without being concealed.
- These are the people able to enrich themselves and others, - the old man answered. -
Very much, very reasonable people. - Also added, having kept silent: - I hope, veins, yours
fidelity does not belong to anybody, except this beauty yet?
Niilit timidly smiled.
- Belongs, - the Wolfhound told. - To my friends and the person who gave
to me shelter.
- And now listen to me, - the stranger told and slightly bent
forward. - On light much influential and rich people who are bothered
enemies. You understand
what I speak about?
- I understand, - the Wolfhound quietly told. He not a per vy time heard about
to itself that to it, he takes in head to go in hitmen, the price would not be.
- Besides, - the old man continued, - there are many experts on military
arts, ready to lay out fair money, if only to see how
the real fighters battle. The audience bets, and to soldiers gets
generous awards. Especially to the winner...
- I know, - the Wolfhound nodded. - I thank you and I hope that soon
the soldiers ready to you to the ambassador will be found to live.
- But not you?
Because to me not all the same whom to kill, the Wolfhound thought. And for the sake of
whom. He already wanted to answer: "No, not I", it is also unknown how turned
the conversation is farther, but in it the Wolfhound is a high time felt in a breast
familiar burning. And during the next instant - choked with uncontrollable cough,
having dropped not finished cleaning chain armor.
- I want to live a century quietly... - hardly he uttered, having recovered the breath
and having thought that the miner heritage could do an ill turn to it once.
From the old man did not take cover as veins looked at a palm of which wiped
mouth. And with what alarm the beautiful maid moved to it. Venn not
pretended to be, and at the employer to him all interest was gone at once.
It with regret rose, and the hefty bodyguard carefully shook off
behind his figured raincoat. The wolfhound understood something in people and rejoiced
about that had not to be spoken "no".
Already sitting down on a horse, the old man put a hand in a zone burse and pulled out
the first that got, - a big gold coin. How many them it is everyone
day dragged at itself? And how many directly on the place would pass to the Wolfhound,
take in head to become that his hired fighter?. Or whom there still?. Old man not
looking threw a coin of Niilit on knees. Touched reins and at a trot went
away on sand.
When riders disappeared in the wood again, Niilit gave to the Wolfhound a coin
also asked for some reason in a whisper:
- You got sick?.
- No, - the Wolfhound indifferently told, continuing to clean a chain armor.
- And who it was?. The wolfhound shook the head.
- I do not know. I think only, Zhadoba at it the most bigger on parcels.
On the way back, going through the floor space by Copper God and
the semi-sorted scaffold. The wolfhound curtailed into one of passes between
ranks. He remembered that he somehow saw the person trading in books there.
This person sat in the place, at up to the top filled up also now
tray. Unlike other sellers, it did not tear a throat, extolling
the goods, were not enough passersby for sleeves and raincoats. Sat to himself on folding,
to cunning vytesanny small bench, and, having propped up a hand a chin, read something.
Apparently, trade in books was for it not business, and it is rather so,
pleasure. What he actually earned to himself a living by?
Before calling to him, the Wolfhound examined a counter. Books were on
different languages, and almost everyone if to trust appearance, lived long
and life full of dangers. The wolfhound ran all over a look chubby volumes in
wooden and leather covers, the whole states costing, probably, and
stretched to an ordinary-looking greyish book, having decided that it, on the
trifles, was here and the cheapest. Having put the got wet sack with
sinks at legs, he took a book in hand and carefully opened in the middle:
whether it will be possible to sort at least one familiar word?. The benefit for погляд, as
it is known, money is not taken. managed to see 0 N only that letters inside
were solvennsky.
- The valorous soldier is not indifferent to poetry? - having raised the head, unexpectedly
the dealer inquired, and the distracted Wolfhound nearly dropped the book.
To generally overtake it it was unawares difficult: here what does with
person learning! And the dealer continued: - Not the truths. whether, at Vidokhi
Bortnika not everything is equally good, but also excellent lines come across?
So far the Wolfhound thought how to answer, without losing to a stoinstvo, on
revenue to it Niilit came. There was enough literacy a vein exactly so,
at least not to hold the book head over heels. And Niilit,
having leaned out because of his elbow, quietly read drawlingly:
Managing failure the circle appointed from a century
Drops the Sky down to the ground snow flakes,
Also special luxury muffles up
Gray-haired Earth the growing dumb cover.
I will compare them to a couple of old men?
The same in silent, caress their love...
The wolfhound had to listen to the wandering storytellers. Niilit quite
could live, reading to people verses. He would bet that
she knew also great variety. Or perhaps and itself composed. To speak so
the song can only the one who knows how to cope with the word.
- And I thought, our time absolutely became scanty gifted people! -
the book seller admired. - To tell the truth, I dared and to hope,
that the last work of Vidokhi who is treated kindly by Gods found worthy here
judges... I so believe, the nice soldier, you buy. Cover,
the truth, poorish, at all not such what ought to be. But
only one and a half horses silver...
The wolfhound shook the head and mentally sighed, and aloud asked:
- Do you have, respectable, some absolutely simple book? With
the simplest words...
- For those who only seize art to read;
- Yes.
Having bent down, the seller opened a ragged birch bark box and took
even not that the book - just a notebook from several leather leaves,
sewed together by thick strong threads. He stretched it to the Wolfhound, and that
took. On the first page solvennsky letters flaunted. All thirty
six pieces. Four columns, in everyone on nine.
- Virunta! - the seller told. The wolfhound did not understand and just in case
kept silent. On the second page there were already words. At the top of a leaf - short,
below - is longer. Then the words going one after another as pack
horses or vehicles in a merchant caravan. At the end of their book was already
so many that at the Wolfhound slightly zaryabit in eyes.
- The noble soldier not only appreciates verses, but also teaches the diploma of the son?
The wolfhound closed a leather notebook. Eventually, Tilorn with Evrikh
really talked some sense to freckled Zuyko's diploma so especially to lie
also it is not required...
- I am not able to read it, - he spoke quietly. - And about Vidokhu
the first time I hear yours. But I want to learn. How many you ask for this
book?
- Three quarters of a horse silver, - the dealer smiled. - Really, soldier,
expense will pay off.
- I will think, - the Wolfhound told. - Thanks, respectable.
They bought sweet onions which Niilit was going to roast on
hempy oil together with mollusks, also walked home. A wolfhound with
gloomy persistence read howling signs in a row and, of course, was mistaken,
accepting "Red Kot pro of Razhego Keith" and vice versa. Also growled to Niilit,
when she tried to prompt.
- What is Virunta? - he asked, already approaching a workshop.
Niilit thought and answered:
- So solvenna call an order of the letters. On the first seven.
The wolfhound did not sustain:
- Too the neighbor taught?
Niilit crafty squinted blue eyes.
- No, I just saw them in that book that you watched... - Then
ceased to smile and told: - You, probably, after all caught a cold. You are so
coughed...
- Perhaps also coughed, - the Wolfhound told. Niilit, quailing, offered:
- We would treat you...
The wolfhound kept silent. Niilit only sighed, without deciding to insist.
Having taken her home, the Wolfhound went to kolchuzhnik. It is necessary to go there
was besides by the floor space and various pubs,
it is a lot of it surrounding. In spite of the fact that day hardly passed
midday line, in this place it was quite possible to run into early
drunkard. The wolfhound, out of harm's way, quickened the pace.
Quickly it was not succeeded to pass, however. Hardly it curtailed for a corner, as with
the opposite side the riders at a trot going towards seemed -
probably, in Krom. In the middle on a black halisunsky stallion flaunted
young boyar. The wolfhound recognized him without effort: that that stood on
the left hand of a knesinka when she judged them with old Varokh. Name of the boyar
there was Luchezar, but the Wolfhound about himself and called it Left. Very much
for show, in his opinion, it pulled a hand to a sheath when the knesinka ordered
To wolfhound to come nearer. What it to love for?.
Veins looked at the approaching riders and grinned in moustaches.
Ahead and on each side the boyar bright adolescents, and at everyone in hands jumped
the spear rocked. One never knows, suddenly yes somebody will offend the grandee!
Though that from the cradle to boys learned to fight. Seemingly, even
there was a wish that such unreasonable was found. At least one on all Galirad.
That they are it...
The wolfhound receded back, to a wall of some house, and thought:
galiradsky solvenna, at least, did not break caps, having met on
to the street of heroes of the knes. For the present did not break. Probably, soon
will begin...
And at this time by it ran some poorly dressed, not well-groomed
Bloody Revenge Page 21
