"Lawrence Watt-Evans - Dus 3 - Sword Of Bheleu" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watt-Evans Lawrence)

of Skelleth banished Garth; I was there, after all. Unfortunately, there are
those who prefer to view that entire scene as a fraud, a drama to convince me
that Garth was not in Skelleth while the Baron laid subtle plans for his
capture."
Saram snorted, a sound barely audible above the drumming rain. "That's
absurd."
"To you, it may seem so. To overmen and overwomen who know nothing of
humankind, it seems perfectly plausible. The treachery of mankind is legendary
among my people."
"But if I say where Garth has gone?"
"Merely another lie. However, I admit to a certain curiosity; where has
he gone? He told me only that he would be back before the start of the new
year."
"I had hoped to have some assurance of peace before revealing what I
know."
"I'm afraid, that we'll just have to forget about it; then. A pity. I
would very much like to know."
Saram considered for a moment, looking up at Galt's inhuman face, and
then said, "He has gone to Dûsarra on an errand for the Forgotten King."
Galt did not reply immediately; this brief answer raised so many further
questions that he preferred to tally them up in his head before asking any.
When he had thought it over, he asked, "Who is the Forgotten King?"
"An old man who lives in a tavern in Skelleth; more than that is hard to
say. He claims that his kingdom is also forgotten and that he has lived here
in Skelleth for centuries. There is good reason to believe him a wizard of
some sort."
"Why would Garth be running errands for him?"
Saram shrugged, and the lantern bobbed, its light dancing and
spattering. "Garth is not, perhaps, the least gullible of beings. Apparently,
some oracle told him that the old man could grant him wishes, and he believes
it. I think that his current quest is supposed to be rewarded with
immortality."
"An oracle, you say?"
"I believe he mentioned one."
"The Wise Women of Ordunin, perhaps?"
"I don't know; it could be."
This began to make sense. Garth was one of the privileged few the Wise
Women would speak to, and he had consulted them on several occasions. No one
had ever yet known the Wise Women to be wrong, or actually to lie; however,
they took a perverse delight in misleading their questioners. Undoubtedly
Garth had misinterpreted some deliberately vague answer and betaken himself to
this mysterious old man on the basis of that misinterpretation.
"Why, then, did this so-called King send Garth to Dûsarra?''
"I'm not sure. He has some complicated magic he's planning, but he lacks
some of the necessary ingredients, it seems, and I think Garth was supposed to
bring back something he needed."
"Where and what is Dûsarra?"
"I believe it is a city far to the west, in Nekutta."
"How far?"
"I don't know."