"Alan Dean Foster - Catechist 3 - A Triumph Of Souls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

“L-lord, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I—I will pay for it.” Hastily, he began sweeping the larger fragments
into a pile, not caring if he cut himself on the fractured ceramic.

“Pay for it? It would take six months of your wages, lackey. I wouldn’t think of taking that from you. It
would be cruel. In the absence of your salary I am sure you have loved ones who would go hungry.
Besides, it’s only a plate. In this castle there are hundreds of plates.”

“Yes—yes, Lord.” Some of the terror drained from the man’s face. He swept faster, trying to gather up
every last shard and white splinter.

“However,” Hymneth continued, “while I could care less about a plate, you broke something else.
Something much more valuable.”

“Something else, Lord?” The attendant looked around helplessly, seeing nothing but broken crockery
and spilled baked goods. Next to him, the other servant was already backing away, straining desperately
to make himself invisible, discorporeal, nonexistent.

“Yes.” The Possessed sat up straighter in his grand chair. “My train of thought. And that I cannot abide.”
One huge, powerful arm rose slowly.

“No, Lord, please!”

The other attendant turned away and wrapped his arms around his head so he would not be able to see
what was coming. A twitch of sickly green leaped from Hymneth’s armored hand, writhing and coiling
like a giant heartworm. It struck the kneeling servant on the back of his neck. Instantly his entire body
arched rearward as if struck by a heavy hammer. With a muffled scream he snapped forward to lie prone
on the floor, arms outstretched to both sides, unconscious.

Wearied by this constant need to discipline his staff, Hymneth slumped back into his chair and waved
diffidently. “Take him out of here. Then come back and clean up the rest of this mess.”

Shaking violently, the other servant slowly removed his hands from around his head and straightened.
When he saw the figure of his friend lying on the floor, he screamed. It caught halfway in his throat,
broken by the realization that the noise might offend the looming figure seated at the head of the table.


file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20krui...0Catechist%2003%20-%20A%20Triumph%20Of%20Souls.htm (10 of 255)19-2-2006 17:08:14
 A Triumph of Souls: Journeys of the Catechist, Book 3


“Well?” the Possessed admonished him tersely. “Get on with it.”

“Yes—yes, my Lord.” Fighting to control his trembling, the other man reached down and grasped the
unconscious servant by his wrists. Slowly, he began to drag the limp body from the room.

“Throw some water on him,” Hymneth ordered. “He’ll be all right. And maybe from now on he won’t
drop dishes when I’m thinking.”

The other attendant did not reply. The Possessed’s meaning was clear. Indeed, it would be much harder