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

projecting gargoyles and wrapped around it automatically. To his surprise, the
carving held; he had underestimated the local masons.
Carefully, he worked his fingers up across the stone until his hold was
less precarious; then he swung his feet forward to press against the smooth
white marble of the palace wall and give him sufficient traction to shift his
grip, so that he could once again swing a leg up. This time it took two
attempts to hook a toe over the parapet behind the grinning sculptures; Garth
blamed it on the rapidly fading twilight rather than admit that he was tiring
already. He was not as young as he once was, having lived more than a century.
Though overmen could anticipate a lifespan of about two hundred years, Garth
had long since lost the first bloom of youthful vigor.
Having finally gained the security of the palace roof, he moved well
back from the edge, out of sight of the market-square if he kept his head
down, and rested. Looking about him, he realized that the palace, which he
already knew to be almost square, was a hollow square; a large courtyard
occupied its center. Though he could not be seen from the market, he was in
plain view of a third-floor open gallery that ran the length of the
courtyard's opposite side. He crouched lower instinctively, though he knew
that there was nowhere on the roof he could conceal himself completely; even
the various chimneys were low, little more than holes in the roof. He lay
motionless, waiting for a sound that would indicate Shang's whereabouts.
None came.
He remained where he was for several minutes, considering his best
course of action. It would be much easier to enter the palace by dropping down
into the courtyard or lowering himself into one of the galleries or balconies
that adorned it, than by climbing in the front window. In ordinary
circumstances it would also be less likely to be noticed. However,
circumstances in Mormoreth were far from ordinary; the city was apparently
uninhabited except for Shang, and Shang lived in the palace. Therefore, it was
quite possible that at any given time he might be on a balcony, in a gallery,
or strolling the courtyard, perhaps where he could watch Garth's descent while
Garth was unable to see him until it was too late. On the other hand, an
approach to the front window would be visible only from the marketplace and
the room immediately inside. Shang was not in the marketplace, and could be
seen and avoided if he were; and the odds against his presence in a single
zoom on an upper floor were much better than the odds on the courtyard.
Garth's original plan of action was still clearly the best.
Reaching into his pack, he brought out three ropes. He looped one around
one of the low chimneys, and tied it as best as he could in the gathering
darkness-which also recommended the front window, as glimmers of reflected
firelight, presumably from torches and lamps, could be discerned in the
courtyard, while a careful peering over the gargoyles showed the open window
to be dark. A second rope was placed around a gargoyle, Garth's faith in them
having been increased; and the third rope, since no other anchorage was
available, was tied to the head of another gargoyle adjacent to the first,
just behind the thing's batlike ears-it had no neck.
The three ropes were loosely braided together, and lowered carefully
over the edge; then Garth lowered himself and climbed cautiously onto the
dangling cord. To his relief it held, showing no signs of undue strain.
Once below the level of the carvings, it was a simple matter to reach