"Recluce - 09 - Colors Of Chaos" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

   Cerryl frowned. "The Guild isn't that big?"
   The overmage nodded. "Yes, and Gallos as it is now is too large and
too powerful, and all the tariffs and all the taxes will barely pay for
our mages and our lancers. Yet we must ensure that Gallos pays its road
taxes or soon none will do so. That is why Jeslek set you to kill Lyam
and why he is raising mountains. And why Sterol must allow it." Cerryl
licked his lips. He had known that Jeslek had needed to raise the Little
Easthorns for more than a vain show of power.
   "I would not be overly surprised if we must send Eliasar and the White
Lancers to Gallos before long. There must be someone to replace Sverlik,
and that wizard must have enough force behind him to convince Syrma to
treat with him."
   "There must be a reason, ser, but can you tell me why we cannot raise
the taxes and tariffs?"
   "Cerryl... think ... What did I tell you when you sat down?" Kinowin's
face was expressionless.
   The thin-faced and slender junior mage tried to recollect what the
overmage had said. "Oh... because higher tariffs make the prices higher
and people won't use the roads and pay any taxes?"
   Kinowin nodded. "Roads are more costly than shipping, especially when
the Blacks can call the winds to their beck."
   Cerryl thought some more. "There are a lot of things you can't get
from Recluce or by ship. Carpets from Sarronnyn and olives from Kyphros
and brimstone from Hydlen."
   "People forget the gains from the roads; they only think of the
costs." Kinowin cleared his throat. "You need to think about those
things. You can talk all you want to your friends about trade and
tariffs." The overmage smiled. "Even to a certain blonde healer, but not
a word about the pay chests or any thought of war. And not a word outside
the Halls of the Mages."
   "Yes, ser." Cerryl couldn't quite keep from flushing at the reference
to Leyladin.
   "Go get something to eat. Your guts are growling."
   Cerryl rose and slipped out the door, noting that Kinowin had turned
back to the window, hands clasped behind his back.
 
 
IV
 
Cerryl glanced up as he started up the steps from the front foyer of the
Halls of the Mages, his eyes going to the full-body stone images on the
ledge just below the top of the wall-the images of the great mages, he
guessed. He knew the stocky figure that was the second from the far left
was Hartor, the High Wizard who had restructured the Guild to oppose
Recluce. As if it had done much good.
   He paused on the stone landing just outside the White Tower's first
level. Did he hear a set of boots on the stone steps? He stepped into the
lower level, where one of the guards he did know, Gostar, was talking to
the boy in the red tunic of a messenger who sat on the stool behind the
guards, waiting for a summons from one of the higher mages in the tower.