Запретный лес
III. Guests in Calidon Tower
--"IgotmyquietusayearsyneservingwithTorstenssonandhisSwedes--apitiablesmallaffairinSaxonia,whereIhadthemisfortunetomeetaroundshotonthericochetwhichcrackedmyshin-boneandhassetmehirplingfortherestofmydays.MyColonelwasSandyLeslie,abrotherofLeslieofBalquhain,himthatstuckWallensteinatEger,butamanofhonesterdispositionandagoodProtestant.Hebademegohome,forIwouldneveragainbeworthasoldier’shire,andfaith!whenthechirurgeonhadfinishedwithmylegIwasofthesameopinion.--Sohomeyoufindme,Will,roostinginthecauldrickleofstonesthatwasmyforbears’,whilerumoursofwarblowlikeaneastwinduptheglens.I’mwaitingforyournews.IhearwordthatDavieLeslie..."
"Ournewscanwait,Nick.We’veagentlemanheretowhoseearsthisbabbleofwarmustsoundoutlandish."ItseemedtoDavidthatsomesecretintelligencepassedbetweenthetwo,andthatafootofonewaspressedheavilyontheother’stoes.
"Iamamanofpeace,"Davidsaid,forthetalkhadstirredhisfancy,"butItoohavewordofagloriousvictoryinEnglandwonbytheCovenantarmies.Ifyouhavecomestraightfromthesouthyoucanmaybetellmemore."
"Therewasavictorybeyonddoubt,"saidthetallmanwiththesquint,"andthatiswhyweofLeven’sarepermittedtogohome.Wehavegottenourpay,whilkisanuncommonhappeningforthepoorsoldierinthisland."
"Ihaveheard,"saidDavid,"thattheranksoftheArmyoftheCovenantfoughtforhighermattersthanfilthylucre.
