"L. E. Modesitt - Recluce 07 - The magic Engineer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

the Eastern Ocean breaking upon the white sands under the cliffs to the east of the Coastal
Highway that fronts the Academy.
Lortren pauses at the top of the uncovered stone stoop before yet another black oak door-this
one to the student quarters. "Kadara, you can wait here or follow us upstairs. Dorrin, your room
is upstairs on the far end."
She opens the door, and Dorrin follows. After a moment, so does Kadara. Hegl trails them up the
stone steps and down the dim hallway to the last doorway on the left. The magistra opens the door.
"No locks. There's a small privacy bolt." She points to the metal fastening and steps aside to let
Dorrin enter.
Dorrin's room is not large, measuring no more than seven cubits long and a little more than
five wide and containing only a wardrobe, a narrow desk with a single drawer, a chair for the
desk, and a single bed not much more than a thin pallet upon a wooden frame. The polished stone
floor is bare,
"Very plain, but adequate."
On the foot of the bed is a folded sheet and a heavy brown blanket.
"At the fourth bell-that's also the announcement for dinner-meet me in the library, and we'll
go over the rest of the rules and your schedules. By then, most of the others should have arrived.
There are three others here so far. Feel free to walk anywhere on the grounds. You may enter any
room with an open doorway, although I would suggest knocking first." She pauses. "Any questions?"
"What would happen if I just left?"
"Nothing."
"And if I go where I'm not supposed to?"
Lortren snorts. "You can go anywhere you demon-well want to. If you interrupt a class or
someone's work, they'll naturally be upset. But that's your problem. You could hurt yourself if
you get careless in the armory, but that's also your problem. There's nothing secret about this
place. I just don't want to explain all the rules ten separate times. That's why we'll get
together before dinner and do it all at once."
The black-clad magistra turns to Kadara, who stands in the doorway. "Now .. . let's get you to
your room."
As the sound of steps fades away, Dorrin stands alone in the small room.
Sniff. . .
The redhead wrinkles his nose at the faint mustiness, then glances at the desk which sits
beneath the window. He has to lean across the wooden writing top in order to slide the window
open. As he straightens up, his head brushes the oil lamp in the bracket affixed to the edge of
the window casement.
Standing behind the desk, he looks through the open window toward the east. While the trees on
the far side of the coastal road block his view, he knows that the Eastern Ocean is there, the
breakers foaming on the kays of soft white sand that stretch toward Land's End.
He looks at the pack, then back out the window.
Finally, he lifts the pack and begins to remove the clothing, first the lighter shirts and the
underclothing, before beginning to place them in the wardrobe.



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