"Lawrence Watt-Evans - Ethshar 2 - With a Single Spell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watt-Evans Lawrence)

"Nothing, that's just the problem. I have an apprentice of my own coming
next month, when she turns twelve, so I have no need for a student,
particularly as you can't be apprenticed at your age in any case. You have no
way to pay me for food or shelter, let alone teaching you spells. We don't do
that, you know; a wizard's spells are his stock in trade, and he's not likely
to give them out to the competition. I'll trade spells on occasion, teach a
fellow one of mine in exchange for learning one of his, but I don't sell them
and I certainly don't teach them for free." Seeing Tobas' look of utter
desolation, he tried to soften the blow by adding, "But you can stay here
tonight; I can do that much for you, keep a roof over your head for one night
and give you breakfast in the morning. When you've rested and had a good meal,
the world will look better. Perhaps you can find someone on Wizard Street who
will take pity on you."
Tobas nodded in mute acceptance.
"All right, then. I'll show you where you'll sleep; I have an extra bed
upstairs that my apprentice uses, when I have an apprentice. You're probably
weary from your travels and ready to sleep, aren't you?"
Tobas nodded again and followed.


CHAPTER 7

Tobas spent the entire day after his arrival talking to wizard after
wizard, up and down Wizard Street and all through the Wizards' Quarter, which,
despite the name, also included an incredible variety of other magicians, from
warlocks to witches and priests to prestidigitators, seers, sorcerers, and
soothsayers, demonologists and necromancers, scientists and ritual dancers.
It was one of the most frustrating and depressing days of his life. Every
single wizard acknowledged that Tobas was indeed a true compatriot and member
of the Guild, and that he had had amazingly bad luck in having Roggit die when
he did, and every single wizard refused to consider teaching him anything at
all. His age, obviously well over thirteen, immediately ruled out the
possibility of an actual apprenticeship, and his complete lack of money or
negotiable skills ruled out any possibility of buying lessons.
And no wizard in all of Ethshar of the Spices gave away trade secrets for
free, not even to acknowledged compatriots and fellow Guild members.
Alderamon had been exactly right.
"Listen," one very sincere young woman had told him after rejecting his
desperate offer of a months' servitude for a single useful spell, since she
could get apprentices, why bother with a bondsman? "Why don't you just forget
about being a wizard for now? Go out and make your fortune at something else,
then come back and buy spells. All of us can use money, despite what some of
these hypocrites may have told you; if we didn't need money, we wouldn't be
running shops here, would we? You won't see any really powerful wizards around
the Wizards' Quarter, you know, they can afford better. So go and get rich and
you can come back and laugh at us all. Don't tell anyone you're a wizard; keep
the Combustion a secret, for emergencies. Any spell can be useful if used
cleverly, and there are plenty of opportunities for a brave young man."
"I don't think I'm particularly brave," Tobas answered doubtfully.
"Well, a clever young man, then; brains are better than brawn, anyway."