"Stephen Lawhead - Pendragon Cycle 05 - Grail" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lawhead Stephen)

'I think we should leave you to your deliberations.'
Hwyl did not disagree, but merely nodded and said, That might be best.'
I told him when and where the council would be held, and then took my
leave of him. He walked with me out of the hall, passing by the place
where the young woman lay. The two looking after her rose as we
approached. 'She is sleeping soundly now,' the elder woman reported.
'Was it the sun?' I asked.
'Aye, it was,' the woman replied. 'Nor, I surmise, has she had a bite to eat
for a good few days.'
'She was gathering mushrooms when we found her.'
The woman regarded me suspiciously. 'Those? Even one of those would
kill a horse,' she explained as if I should have known better.
Hwyl asked, 'What would you have us do with her?'
'Might she stay here?'
'She does not belong here,' said Hwyl firmly. 'That much I know.'
'Her people may be searching for her,' the woman offered. 'But she is in no
wise fit to travel.'
'Perhaps,' I suggested, 'you could take care of her for a few days and bring
her with you when you come to the council. There will be people from
other settlements in the region; someone may know her.'
'That we will do,' Hwyl replied. 'Now I bid you farewell.'
'I wish our meeting had been otherwise,' I told him. 'I am sorry.'
The chieftain shook his head. 'Urien has brought this calamity upon us, not
you. I must speak to the people and decide what is to be done. We will
come to the council and give our answer."
We left the settlement then, all thoughts of ale vats far behind us, and rode
as far as we could before daylight left us. We made rough camp along the
way, and slept under the stars. I was long awake, however, thinking about
the young woman we had found, and the strangeness of that finding. But
stranger things were to come.
 FIVE


Rejoining the Cymbrogi next day, we found the entire lakeside camp in an
uproar. We rode into the midst of a throng, shouting and clamouring
outside the tent. Everyone was so excited that it took some moments
before I could make myself heard. Finally, leaning down from the saddle,
I seized the shoulder of the nearest warrior. 'Why this turmoil?' I
demanded. 'What trouble?'
'Trouble!' he cried, twisting around to see me. 'There is no trouble, Lord
Gwalchavad,' he replied, grinning, 'unless you think the happy return of
our Pendragon a quarrelsome thing.'
'Arthur returned?' I wondered. 'So soon?' Handing the warrior the reins of
my horse, I left him to care for the animal as a reward for his impudence,
and pushed my way nearer the tent. I caught sight of Cai, attempting to
subdue the enthusiasm of the crowd with an inadequate supply of gestures
and grimaces.
Pressing my way to him, I said, 'Where is he?'
'Ah, Gwalchavad! Thank God you are here. I could use another hand.'
They say Arthur has returned -'