"Lawrence Watt-Evans - Dus 1 - Lure Of The Basilisk" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watt-Evans Lawrence)

center of the city.
He called for his beast, and Koros appeared from the alley in which
Garth had left him. Leading the monster, he strolled on at a casual pace,
mulling over possible plans for invading the palace without again confronting
Shang.


CHAPTER FIVE

Before he had gone very far, Garth sighted his objective. The street he was on
was very nearly straight, an oddity in human cities, with only a single curve
in it perhaps a mile from the gate. After rounding this bend, the overman
found himself looking down a broad avenue that opened into a large square. On
the far side of the square, its door directly in line with Garth's gaze, was a
large and well-made structure some three stories in height, built of gleaming
white stone, like most of Mormoreth, and which was plainly the palace that
Shang had appropriated. It was still perhaps a quarter mile distant. Garth
paused to consider his approach. It was clearly impossible to attempt any kind
of stealth with Koros in tow, so he led the beast into a convenient forecourt,
out of sight of the square, and tied it loosely to a hitching post; he was
well aware that the rope would scarcely begin to restrain the monster if it
wanted to leave, but it would serve to reinforce his verbal instruction to
stay. He could only hope and trust that he would be back before Koros got
hungry enough to disobey him.
Leaving it standing there placidly, still saddled and loaded in case a
rapid departure was necessary, he gathered what he thought he might need and
proceeded as quietly as he could down the shadowy side of the avenue. His
supplies consisted of his broadsword, his dirk, his battle-axe, and a sack
containing ropes, chains, hooks, and two shaving mirrors appropriated from
dead bandits after his first encounter with Elmil's band, in addition to the
two magical talismans he had acquired and such staples as purse, canteen, and
a wallet of provisions. In his belt were flint and steel as well as a prepared
torch.
Reaching the corner where the avenue met the square, Garth looked about.
The open area was clearly a marketplace, with taverns and inns standing dark
and vacant on all sides, the canopies and tents of various merchants scattered
in the dust before him. It was a good fifty yards square, perhaps more. The
dusty and disarrayed awnings and such numbered in the dozens.
 Almost the entire opposite side was occupied by a single building: the
palace, glistening white marble that remained spotless despite the city's
current depopulated condition. It had a single great door in the middle of its
façade, a gem-encrusted expanse of beaten gold at the top of three steps of
some rich red stone; the ground floor had no windows or ornaments except this
portal, set in the smooth, blank marble.
Upper stories were another matter; half a dozen evenly spaced slits
served as windows for the second floor, while the third had a dozen broad
casements of elaborately leaded glass. The gently sloping roof was edged with
innumerable gargoyles, carved of the same white marble as the walls.
Garth studied the situation. Shang was in there somewhere, presumably,
but the structure was large enough that most of its interior would undoubtedly