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

with a brick fireplace and a real wooden floor. He stopped and looked at me hesitantly, so I drew my
sword and placed it before me, point down with my palms on the pommel. He changed clothes rapidly.

"But, sir knight... "

I ground the point of my sword into the floor, twisting it. He darted out to his shop. I followed.

Once he had a fire going in his forge, he said, "But I have forgotten! I have no more iron! I used the last
of it Thursday and no more will come until tomorrow."

"No iron? Then we must find you some. Hmmm... the hinges on this door are iron. It's a start." I ripped
the door from the frame and threw it at him. It's a pity to have to use such techniques on such a sniveling
wretch, but he had exhausted my patience.

"But that's not nearly enough and hinges are so hard to make!"

There were plenty of iron tools about, but I hate to deprive a man of his livelihood. I stalked back to his
house. "That crucifix is iron."

"But that was blessed by the priest! We can't..."

"No, I guess we can't. Those candlesticks... the two of them will make a shoe and nails and we can spare
your hinges."

"But I made those for my wife!"

"If your wife demands gimcracks while you lack the wherewithal of your trade, she deserves a good
beating! Take them!"

It was eight hours of welding and forging, filing and fitting before my horse was shod. While I waited,
his wife returned. I sent her out for wine and meat. Lent was over and I had a craving for a thick slab of

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roast pork.

What I got was small beer and chicken, the best-she claimed-to be had in that festering dump.

Finally, it was past none when I saddled Witchfire.

The blacksmith ran up. "But sir knight, you owe me for the shoeing!"

"The last time I had a shoe put on, it cost me eight silver pennies, so that's what I'll pay. And here's
another penny for the meal, though it wasn't worth it." I rose to the saddle.

"But the candlesticks alone were worth twice this!"

"Then next time be better prepared." I rode out of town. Actually, I'd paid him half the money I had. My
father was not a wealthy man.