"Anthony Piers - Incarnations Of Immortality 6 - For Love Of Evil" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

"Slowly," he cautioned. "One small bite at a time. Like
so." He took a delicate bite of his own. "Chew it well before
swallowing." He was aware that a hungry peasant tended to
gulp good rood, fearing it would vanish. He did not want the
girl to make herself sick.

She took a bite, emulating him exactly.

"Fifteen years ago, me Sorcerer was preparing a major spell,"




6 PiersAwthony

Parry said.' 'For this he required a blood sacrifice. So he bought
a baby. As you know, such babies are for sale by poor families
who have too many to feed already."
She knew. She chewed deliberately, watching him.
"I was that baby," he continued. "It was my destiny to be
cut and bled on the altar, my life's blood lending substance to
the potency of the spell. I believe it was a weather spell; there
had been a drought, and the Lord of the Manor feared for his
crops and the wild animals on his preserve. He did not want
to suffer poor hunting. So he hired this service of the Sorcerer,
in the year of our Savior 1190. The sacrifice was to be private.
because the Holy Church frowns on human sacrifice."

He paused, glancing at her. She watched him as if mes-
merized, slowly chewing.

"But the Abbot somehow learned of it," Parry continued
after a moment. "He showed up at the site in person. 'What's
this noise of sacrifice?' he demanded. 'You know it is forbidden
to cut a living human baby!' And naturally the Lord had to
disavow it, because the Abbot could make things very difficult
for the progress of his soul to Heaven. 'No, no. Abbot, you
misunderstand!' he protested. "This is no human sacrifice! We
have a fine sheep for that!' And he signaled his minion to fetch
a sheep from the herd.

" "Then what is mis human baby doing here?' the Abbot
demanded, for he was no fool. The Lord had to think fast.
'Why, this is the Sorcerer's newbom son,' he explained. 'But
the Sorcerer is not married,' the Abbot pointed out. "That is
why he is adopting this fine baby,' the Lord said.

"The Abbot looked at the Sorcerer, whom he didn't like
because magic was, strictly speaking, forbidden outside the
auspices of the Church. But on occasion the community did