"Leo Frankowski - Stargard 2 - High-Tech Knight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Frankowski Leo)

from Okoitz.

I looked forward to meeting Sir Conrad with a mixture of joy at the arrival of a hero and of fear at the
coming of a warlock; yet when I finally met him and got used to his astounding size, I found him to be
the most courteous and pleasant knight that could possibly be.

He had a fine voice and he knew thousands of songs; except on request, I don't think that he ever
repeated himself. He could dance and recite poetry for hours. The ladies insisted that we learn his polka
and mazurka and waltz. Sometimes Conrad would hire a few peasant musicians and we danced and
laughed into the night.

The warlocks of legend are all taciturn and secretive. Sir Conrad was eager to teach his skills to all
comers, peasant and noble alike; I found his mechanic arts to be fascinating and in time I came to
appreciate his reasons in the machines he planned, and even hoped that one day I would be able to

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imitate them.

Yet in some ways he was decidedly odd. The peasants had stopped cock-fighting because "Conrad
doesn't like it." The winter before, when Sir Stefan had brought in a bear for baiting-that is, to be tied to
a stake and be ripped apart by the castle dogs for sport--Conrad attempted to purchase the bear, slew it
with a single stroke of his remarkable sword and ordered the hide to be tanned and the meat served for
supper. He did not do this in sport. As he killed, they say, there was a look of great sadness on that noble
face.

Then there was his attitude toward children. Now, a normal man leaves children to the women until they
are old enough to be human, but Conrad took great pleasure in their company, sometimes preferring it to
that of his fellow knights. He always took time to explain what he was doing and never lost his temper
with them as he often did with adults. He paid the priest to teach them their letters and taught
mathematics himself. Moreover, he made them toys and taught them new games and sports.

Conrad was an absolute master of the sword and soon he was teaching us regularly every afternoon. He
disdained to use a shield, trusting only to his blade for blocking. Indeed, he had a low regard for the
usefulness of armor! Yet he was absolutely ignorant of the use of the lance and was remarkably clumsy
with one on horseback. Nor was he good with a bow, yet somehow these things only increased our
affection for him; it was a joy to find that I was better than him at something!

Lastly, there was Krystyana. She was a wench from Okoitz who had traveled to Cieszyn with Conrad. It
was obvious that she was hopelessly in love with him; and somehow, much of his charm and courtesy
had rubbed off on her, but in a most feminine way. She had the bearing and grace of a fine noblewoman
to such an extent that none of the knights could treat her as a peasant girl, but accorded her the courtesies
due to one of high rank.

Soon, some of the other "ladies-in-waiting" began to imitate her, my Annastashia among them. I found
this charming- indeed, I found everything that Annastashia did to be charming!-but the other knights
often reacted oddly. To tumble a village wench was one thing. To have intercourse with a noblewoman
was something else!