"Dave Freer - A Lineman for the Country" - читать интересную книгу автора (Freer Dave)

A Lineman For the Country
Dave Freer

The Thuringen Gardens was, as usual, dense with people. After collecting his first priority at the bar,
Dougal Lawrie looked about for his second priority: something to sit on that wasn't a saddle. The only
empty spot he could see was at a small corner table with a solitary American at it. Dougal could tell that
the man was an American by the teeth and the horn-rimmed spectacles. Well—what you could see of the
teeth. He had a moustache that would have looked fine on the hind end of Shetland pony.
Dougal's blue eyes took in the scene. It was a case of stand or sit over there. He decided that the
rotund morose-looking fellow was either a fighter or, more likely, a windbag. Well, the former didn't
worry him, and he'd always found that he could shut up a bore.
He walked over to the small table. "I'll be sitting here then," he said. No point in delaying a fight if
there was going to be one. He was tired. It had been a long ride from Halle to Grantville. He'd been on
the road for two days. Then he'd had to stand around while Colonel Mackay read the messages, and
hope to heaven he wouldn't be sent off again tonight. Anyway, with beer at that price he wouldn't be
staying long. Grantville was a boom town and bar prices reflected it.
The solid occupant nodded. "Can't stop you."
Dougal had none of Lennox or Mackay's awe for these Americans. Some of them were doughty
fighters, to be sure. Their firearms and devices were near miraculous. But he, Dougal Lawrie, was a
Supplicant, like the rest of the Clann, even if he had somewhat lapsed in his church-going these days.
Too much respect bordered on worship. The covenant made it clear: Worship was due to God and no
one else. And after all these years in foreign wars: respect was something you earned. If this American
got too talkative he'd give him short shrift. Anyway he had things to think on, and he was looking forward
to just relaxing. Being a dispatch carrier in troubled times and places meant most of your attention was
focused on the countryside. There was no chance to let your guard down. He'd done that once. Damned
near been killed for his stupidity.
After a few minutes of silence the American said: "Well, aren't you going to tell me how wonderful
our guns are?" The American's accent was particularly impenetrable, but Dougal was good with
languages.
Dougal took a pull at his beer. "Nae. They canna ride dispatches." That should shut him up. He
wanted to drink in peace and not sing praises to the wonder of sniper rifles. He'd heard enough of it in
the barracks. The average trooper didn't understand that it took more than guns to win wars. It took the
movement of men and materiel. And that rested with men and horses.
The slow smile spreading over the face of the American told him he'd guessed entirely wrong.
"Well, maybe you Scots aren't all damned fools."
This was fighting talk, even if it was said with a hint of a smile. Dougal tensed. "We're no' stupid.
We leave being fools to the susunnoch." These Americans spoke English of a sort but they did not have
the Gaelic. The American wouldn't even understand the insult.
The American took off his glasses. Placed them carefully in a pocket. "Watch your mouth, sonny.
You Scots are more Saxon than I am."
Dougal's eyes narrowed. "Mo chainnt?" Seeing the American was obviously trying to decide
whether "my language?" was an insult or not, he continued. "You don't have the Gaelic do you? Canan
uasal mor nan Gaidheal."
The American snorted. "No. I don't speak your damned language. I'm no good with foreign
languages." But he'd subsided somewhat. "Ma just used to call someone a Sassanach when she was mad
at them. I asked what it meant once. I guess it stuck because she used it pretty darn often."
 "So your mother was a Scot? What Clann?"
The American shook his head. "Ma was Irish. Came to the U.S. during the troubles. She had no
time for the Scottish." He tugged at his horse-tail moustache. "Well. She didn't have much time for
anyone."