"Mary Kirchoff. Kendermore ("Dragonlance Preludes I" #2) (angl)" - читать интересную книгу автора

sack. "I, uh, just wanted you to have something to remember your trip
to Solace," he said shyly, placing the sack in the dwarf's
outstretched hands. Then he wiped his own greasy ones on the front of
his apron. Gisella flashed the tubby barkeep a brilliant smile.

"You wonderful, thoughtful little man!" she cooed, planting a
red-lipped kiss on his plump, blushing cheek. Behind him, Tika crossed
her arms in disgust, a baleful glare on her young face.

"Well, Burrfoot, are you going to come with us easily," Gisella
began, her arms crossed in challenge, "or is Woodrow going to have to
carry you?"

Tasslehoff thought about his uncle locked up somewhere because
of him, and he realized there was no choice to be made. "I'll go
easily," he said. "Just let me get my things."

"Fine. Ta-ta!" Gisella called grandly to Otik, sweeping out
through the open door. Under Woodrow's watchful eye, Tas hurried back
to the table he'd shared with his friends and snatched up his hoopak,
the fork-shaped, slinglike weapon no kender would be without. Waving
good-bye to the preening Otik and scowling Tika, Tas followed Gisella
down the bridgewalk that spiraled around the trunk of the inn's
supporting vallenwood tree.

"Wow, what a wagon!" Tas breathed, catching sight of a large,
enclosed, wooden wagon hitched at the base of the tree. The roof was
arched instead of flat, showing intricate carving and workmanship.
Even the whees looked expensive: thick, with wrought iron spokes.
Painted on the side in bright red were the words: "Mr. Hornslager's
Hypermarket: You Want It, I Got It."

"Where's Mr. H?" Tas asked.

Gisella smiled broadly and slapped her thigh. "Right here,
Bramblefoot. It's good for business if people think I'm a Mrs. They
just assume I'm Mrs. H. It makes the poor saps think they got a better
deal by bamboozling the owner's silly wife." Gisella widened her eyes
and raised her voice an octave or two. "Oh," she mimicked, "I couldn't
sell it for that! We paid more than that! Well, if you really like
it... it looks so nice on you. But please don't tell my husband!"

Tas giggled helplessly. He raced down the remainder of the
bridgewalk and skidded to a halt before the wagon, "I can't wait to
see the inside! You collect stuff from all over the place, right'!
Gems and steel pieces and candy -"

She laughed. "No, that's what I get when I sell my goods. Right
now I have some spices, a few bolts of fabric, and some melons growing
riper by the minute."