"Frankowski, Leo - Stargard 3 - The Radiant Warrior" - читать интересную книгу автора (Frankowski Leo)

“No, my lord, you hadn’t.” Count Lambert had gotten entirely too good at the modem far-flung sort of chess-style. This time I threw an old-fashioned Stonewall attack at him.

“Well, you remember that the problems were that my lands are many days’ walk across, and if the peasants acting as beaters had to be out more than one day, we would have difficulty sheltering them at night, for the hunt must take place in the late fall, when the game is the fattest and the furs are good.”

“Also, no one knew how we could keep the wolves from sneaking out in the dark.”

“The solution is simple. Not one big hunt, but a lot of smaller ones! I shall divide my lands into many smaller ’hunting districts.' Each of these will be of such a size that a man can walk from the border to the center in less than a day.” He replied to the Stonewall in the standard manner. He hadn't forgotten a thing!

“Interesting, my lord, but what stops the animals from crossing from one district to another between hunts? You could have one district cleaned out, and then have it reinfested before you cleared out the next.” I fianchettoed my queen’s bishop.

“Not if we do all of them on the same day! I think I have peasants enough to do it, and if the nobles tire of the sport, why, the commoners can help with the killing as well. Also, I think that many knights from the surrounding counties might well come if invited.” He was pushing in at my center again.

“It sounds good to me, my lord. You can count on my support.” I castled king’s side.

“More than that, Sir Conrad. I was counting on your leadership. I want you to organize the thing.”

“Well, if you wish, my lord. But are you sure that I’m the best man for the job? I really don't know much about hunting. I don't know the borders of your lands at all. And I don't know which of your knights and barons own which sections of your lands. I don't even know who the surrounding counts are, except for your brother.”

“It could be a very remunerative position, Sir Conrad. As Master of the Hunt, you could claim a certain portion of the take for yourself. All the deer skins, for example.”

“Thank you, my lord. But I repeat, I’ll do it if you want me to, but I don't think I'm the best man for it.”

“I’ve already said that I want you to!”

I sighed. When Count Lambert wants something, he gets it. Best to bow to the inevitable. “As you wish, my lord, and thank you. Would you object if I appointed a deputy to assist me?”

“Not in the least. Who did you have in mind?”

“I think I’ll ask Sir Miesko first. If he's not interested, then perhaps Sir Vladimir. ”

“Excellent. Let me know when everything’s settled. No hurry on anything. Work all winter if you need to.”

“Thank you, my lord. On another subject, the second mill, the one that is to thresh and grind grain. I can’t help noticing that work is slowing down. Do you know why that is?” I was being smashed back into the corners again.

“In fact I do. I ordered it slowed down because I haven’t figured out yet what to do with my lawbreakers if there is no grain to grind. As it is, if there are no lawbreakers, my peasants must take turns at the hand-operated mill. After all, the grain must be ground and everybody knows it. This keeps them all on the lookout for any infraction. It also gives me a form of punishment that everyone knows is not cruel, but simply tedious. Few men would turn in a neighbor for a whipping, but for a few days at the stone? Why, that's treated with humor.”

“As a result, I have very little real crime and my people all love me. But without their having to grind grain, what am I to do?”

“I see, my lord. So you need a job that is unpleasant but necessary, and must be done year around by a few men. ”

“Yes. You have a thought?”

“Perhaps, my lord. Did you know that right here, we are sitting on top of one of the world’s major coal deposits?”

“Coal? Right here?”

“Many layers of coal, my lord. They stretch almost all the way from Cracow to Wroclaw. I don’t know how far down the first big seam is around here, but it's one of the thickest in the world, more than two dozen yards thick in most places. I would guess that it's at least eight dozen yards down. But most farmers would find working in a mine to be unpleasant.”

“Yes, I can see it! It might work! Slaving all day in the cold and dark and wet! They are cold, wet, and dark, aren’t they?”