Diana Wynne Jones

Castle in the Air


Скачать книгу

herself pleasing to a prince. Then, when my daughter was of marriageable age, I invited the prince here on a visit of state. He was to come here next year, when he had finished subduing a land he had just conquered with those same excellent weapons. And I knew that as soon as my daughter set eyes on him, the prophecy would make sure that I had him!” His eyes turned balefully down on Abdullah. “Then my plans are upset by an insect like you!”

      “That is unfortunately true, most prudent of rulers,” Abdullah admitted. “Tell me, is this prince of Ochinstan by any chance somewhat old and ugly?”

      “I believe him to be hideous in the same northern fashion as these mercenaries,” the Sultan said, at which Abdullah sensed the soldiers, most of whom ran to freckles and reddish hair, stiffened rather. “Why do you ask, dog?”

      “Because, if you will forgive further criticism of your great wisdom, oh nurturer of our nation, this seems somewhat unfair on your daughter,” Abdullah observed. He felt the eyes of the soldiers turn to him, wondering at his daring. Abdullah did not care. He felt he had little to lose.

      “Women do not count,” said the Sultan. “Therefore it is impossible to be unfair to them.”

      “I disagree,” said Abdullah, at which the soldiers stared even harder.

      The Sultan glowered down at him. His powerful hands wrung the nightcap as if it were Abdullah’s neck. “Be silent, you diseased toad!” he said. “Or you will make me forget myself and order your instant execution!”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEBLAEsAAD/4Rs8RXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAAagEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAUAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAhodp AAQAAAABAAAAnAAAAMgAAAEsAAAAAQAAASwAAAABQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIDcuMAAyMDEyOjA3 OjA1IDEwOjQwOjM1AAAAAAOgAQADAAAAAf//AACgAgAEAAAAAQAAAkygAwAEAAAAAQAAAxsAAAAA AAAABgEDAAMAAAABAAYAAAEaAAUAAAABAAABFgEbAAUAAAABAAABHgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAIBAAQA AAABAAABJgICAAQAAAABAAAaDgAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAAB/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABI AAD/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAv/uAA5BZG9iZQBkgAAAAAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwP FRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQO Dg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEI AIAAXwMBIgACEQEDEQH/3QAEAAb/xAE/AAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAADAAECBAUGBwgJCgsBAAEF AQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHCAkKCxAAAQQBAwIEAgUHBggFAwwzAQACEQMEIRIxBUFRYRMi cYEyBhSRobFCIyQVUsFiMzRygtFDByWSU/Dh8WNzNRaisoMmRJNUZEXCo3Q2F9JV4mXys4TD03Xj 80YnlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vY3R1dnd4eXp7fH1+f3EQACAgECBAQDBAUGBwcG BTUBAAIRAyExEgRBUWFxIhMFMoGRFKGxQiPBUtHwMyRi4XKCkkNTFWNzNPElBhaisoMHJjXC0kST VKMXZEVVNnRl4vKzhMPTdePzRpSkhbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2JzdHV2d3h5ent8f/ 2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AD9OzszqVtYY11GLhEHLfadt1j9rmNqdje2ylm7/AEzP0n85/IWu5jmND3A7 TxOkoOZULjVdU4V5bLa66bHCXFr3tbdiu/OfVbT6n6D/AK7/ADlfqLVdeyGl1FbgbvTeHDc528MO 4Paf0Vz/AH/zK5YiOQcQrGPlEdT6v07l+l8/8vbb2o03c727RLviZRsWhlrXOJdYQdrKmHVx+lrZ ts2e3+R71qVYuPVmsbUwvIcASAHuH6S2l7wHR6NbHU7n3fzjLEL9oYlbcirIJ9NlNVgqa32hhd9l utbW3Y11PrfpL6mKbHycgQZ1+l4wHDHi4pS/9BWnJezSbRVc4UFrsW1xLWlzi5m8/RrtY5vqVfu7 2/8AbarCnIFvpFri8nZ6ek7gYLQr9mTg5WQ/a71i2lpfaGuYwPa0V+4uaHbvzvo/QRBn0WPJNQc9 1TLLbAY1sLKc5rdn+E+yVetT6f8AwiHsA2JShGpUJekccP7sfRx/3VcR6AnTbxaL8eusfrGTVVZ+ 4wOtcHd2u9Jpq3/9dSbhm2vdS8WsEzAIdqRrsshX2ZFOGxlbjVWz9G90NlpY52Rvf72l2+3Fdjs9 3vUac3Fyq37Qbshm04lYGx4La6m5D6XbHeo73W2Ma5lv819BPjgwmgTEHtE+v9796XF/g4U3Lej+ z+X+G47q8my000023uYS0mpm4c7fpBRsZRQYyMmtjh9KquLrNNIO0txW/wBrJWtksvqyP2iLfRbU /fXTaXMB2t3OZ7vb+n/St/m6/f6npqOXjdOwbcq2otrsLH+kXbXEWWD162+g7e6p9LvT93p7P9L9 NOjggAb/AEZV6/l4f0ZV/g/vMgO3Wx0/e6uLb0Sl+Q3LrtfU3Cc82iyHveLwypgqtpNLvs9Vtu/I qc/0qfZ+mVG3o5x2U9PZmODXE2HJawbi6w2brDjktZXtyHvsfR/hP+mupyc3Gx2sfS70anRtbU1w se536b9Cxv8AN77LLadm2r/rtP6NYWeHHPqdSxozA2o2VsALftX57dkel9L0/Vr/ANN6imyCIiKO oI/7r/v2TBAylqKB/wDQX//Q1Ma/DNwfa18hw/Se57mtJ22ek2x+1jv7KtPzL6suzFx