"David Gemmell - Wolf in Shadow" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

the meal will be ready within the hour.'Shannow moved to the door, where pegs
had been hammered home. He unbuckled his scabbard belt and hung his sidearms
beside his coat. Turning back, he saw the fear once more in her eyes.

'Be not alarmed, Fray Taybard; a wandering man must protect himself. It
does not change my promise; that may not be so with all men, but my spoken
word is iron.'There are few guns in Rivervale, Mr Shannow. This was . . . is .
. .a peaceful land. If you would like to wash before eating, there is a pump
behind the house.’Do you have an axe, Lady?’Yes. In the wood-shed.’Then I
shall work for my supper. Excuse me.'He walked out into the fading light of
dusk and unsaddled the gelding, leading him into the paddock and releasing him
among the other three horses. Then he carried his saddle and bags to the porch
before fetching the axe. He spent almost an hour preparing firewood before
stripping to the waist and washing himself at the pump. The moon was up when
Donna Taybard called him in. She and the boy sat at one end of the table,
having set his place apart and facing the hearth. He moved his plate to the
other side and seated himself facing the door.

'May I speak a word of thanks, Fray Taybard?' asked Shannow as she
filled the plates. She nodded. 'Lord of Hosts, our thanks to thee for this
food. Bless this dwelling and those who pass their lives here. Amen.’You
follow the old ways, Mr Shannow?' asked Donna, passing a bowl of salt to the
guest.

'Old? It is new to me, Fray Taybard. But, yes, it is older than any man
knows and a mystery to this world of broken dreams.’Please do not call me
Fray, it makes me feel ancient. You may call me Donna. This is my son,
Eric.'Shannow nodded towards Eric and smiled, but the boy looked away and
continued to eat. The bearded stranger frightened him, though he was anxious
not to show it. He glanced at the weapons hanging by the door.

'Are they hand pistols?' he asked.

'Yes,' said Shannow. 'I have had them for seventeen years, but they are
much older than that.’Do you make your own powder?’Yes, I have casts for the
loads and several hundred brass caps.’Have you killed anyone with them?’Eric!'
snapped his mother. ‘That is no question to ask a guest - and certainly not at
table.'They finished the meal in silence and Shannow helped her clear away the
dishes. At the back of the house was an indoor water pump, and together they
cleaned the plates. Donna felt uncomfortable in the closeness of the pump-room
and dropped a plate which shattered into a score of shards on the tiled wooden
floor.

'Please do not be nervous,' he said, kneeling to collect the broken
pieces.

'I trust you, Mr Shannow. But I have been wrong before.’I shall sleep
outside and be gone in the morning. Thank you for the meal.’No,' she said, too
hurriedly. ‘I mean - you can sleep in the comfort chair. Eric and I sleep in
the back room.’And Mr Taybard?’Has been gone for ten days. I hope he will be