"Gordon R. Dickson - Dragon Knight 03 - The Dragon on the Border" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

whatever the maker of that particular version had thought would make it most interesting, as well as long
and dramatic as possible. Nearly all versions, including the one the de Mers had heard, had Jim going to
London and asking permission of King Edward to go out and attack the creatures of the Loathly Tower.
Whereupon, the King had graciously given him permission to do so, with the implication that afterwards
he would be rewarded.

As it had happened, this particular added part had been heard by the King, himself; and pleased his
English Royal Majesty enough to make him convince himself that it was true. A result had been
confirmation of Jim’s possession of the castle and lands of Le Bois de Malencontri.

Another had been his award of arms to Jim. Though it was true that Jim could have created some arms
of his own, on the basis of his claiming to hold the mythical barony of Riveroak, which had been the name
of the twentieth-century college at which he and Angie had been graduate students and assistant teachers.
But an award of arms from the King was a special honor and much to be preferred.

For this and other reasons, the matter of the King’s permission was one part of the ballad that neither
Jim, Brian, nor Dafydd bothered to correct. For all Jim knew, Brian and Dafydd might have, like the
King, convinced themselves that it was the truth.

But there were other additions and even errors in the reporting of the ballad that could stand correcting;
and these the three mentioned.
 It was not until at last the food had been cleared away and they were well into the after-dinner
drinking-which was beginning to look rather frightening to Jim, since it seemed that both Herrac and his
other large sons could outdrink even such a notable imbiber as Giles had shown himself to be, in France.
Jim was very glad, consequently, when the question of Giles’s actions in France finally came up for
discussion, as a result of a direct question from Herrac about them.

“Giles has actually told us nothing but that he was slain at a large battle somewhere in France and that
the three of you brought his body back to the sea for burial,” said Herrac, looking down the table a little
severely at Giles-who avoided the glance. “I understand from what you gentlemen say that there was
more to it than that?”

“A great deal more,” answered Jim.

“Yes,” said Herrac, his deep-set eyes still on the embarrassed Giles, “why did you not tell us the rest of
it, Giles? I’m confident that there would be nothing unknightly or shameful about what you did.”

“Far from it,” murmured Brian.

“Well, Giles?” demanded his father.

“I-“ Giles almost stuttered, “I was rather hoping-just hoping, you understand-that some minor balladeer
somewhere might just be looking for something to make a new ballad about and choose it. That’s all.”

Hector let out a hoot of laughter from across the table.

“Giles thought they would make a ballad about him?” boomed Hector. “That would be something to tell
the crows! Giles in a ballad!”

“Indeed,” said the soft voice of Dafydd, “I know of many ballads made with less cause and with less of