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.Page 43ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlMark held his breath as the blind face turned once more toward him, and this time stayed turned in his direction.Behind those eyelashes, white and grotesquely long, the pale collapsed lids were as magnetic as any stare.Something about them was perversely beautiful.There was a tiny almost inaudible humming, a miniature disturbance in the air near the Dark King's head.Some demonic or familiar power was communicating with him-so Mark perceived, watching with Sightblinder's handle in the grip of his hand.The Dark King seemed about to speak, but hesitated, as if he were magically aware that something was wrong, that matters here in this innermost seat of his power were not as they should be.Still the blind face confronted Mark, and Vilkata whispered a soft question into the air.A humming answer came.Mark could feel the power of thefile:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Sab.%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt (51 of 171) [2/5/2004 12:22:42 AM]file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Saberhagen%20-%20Swords%2003%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt sheathed Sword at his own side suddenly thrum more strongly.When Vilkata did speak aloud, Mark was surprised at the sound of his voice, smooth, deep, and pleasant."Burslem, I am surprised to see you here.I take it that the task I sent you on has been completed?"Burslem.To Mark the name meant nothing."It is indeed, my lord.My head on it.""Indeed, as you say.now all of you, finish quickly what you are about in here.I want you all at the conference table as quickly as possible.The generals are waiting." And Vilkata and his halfvisible familiar vanished, behind a sable swirl of draperies.One wizard, a junior member of the group perhaps, stayed behind briefly to settle whatever still remained to be settled upon their ghastly altar.The others, Mark among them, filed through the doorway where Vilkata had disappeared.They passed through the next chamber, which was filled with what looked like draped furniture, and entered the next beyond that.The room was larger, and somewhat better lighted.It contained a conference table large enough to accommodate in its surrounding chairs all of the magicians and an approximately equal number of military-looking men and women, who as Vilkata had said were already seated and waiting.The military people wore symbolic scraps of armor, though as Mark noted none of them were visibly armed there in the presence of their King.Vilkata himself, predictably, was seated in a larger chair than the others, at one end of the table.Behind him a map on a large scale, supported on wooden poles, bore many symbols, indicating among other things what appeared to be the positions of several armies.There was Tashigang, near the center of the map, there the winding Corgo making its way northward to the sea.There was the Great Swamp.Mark was making a hasty effort to memorize the types and positions of the symbols on the map, but the distractions at the moment were overpowering.The magicians were taking their places at the table, and fortunately there seemed to be little ceremony about it.But again Mark had to delay marginally, to be able to make a guess as to what place Burslem ought to take.He was not sure whether to be relieved or not, when he found himself pulling out the last vacant chair, some distance down the table from the King.As the faint noise of people seated themselves died out, a silence hold upon the room, and stretched.AsVilkata sat on his raised chair, the hilt of the Page 44ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlMindsword at his side was plainly visible to the rest of the assembly.And the humming presence above theKing's head came and went, all but imperceptibly to the others in the room."I see," the Dark King said at last-and if there was irony in those two words, Mark thought that it was subtly measured-"that none of you are able to tear your eyes away from my new toy here at my side.Doubtless you are wondering where I got it, and how file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Sab.%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt (52 of 171) [2/5/2004 12:22:42 AM]file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Saberhagen%20-%20Swords%2003%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txtI managed to so without your help.Well, I'll give you all a close look at it presently.But first there's a report or two I want to hear."Again the blind face turned back and forth, as if Vilkata were seeking to make sure of something.A faint frown creased the white brow, otherwise youthfully unlined."Burslem,"the Dark King added in his pleasant voice, "I want to hear your report in private, a little later.After you have seen my Sword.""As you will, Lord," Mark said clearly.In his own ears, his voice still sounded like his own.The others all heard it without noticing anything amiss.But whatever Vilkata heard did not erase his faint suspicious frown.Now some of the magicians and generals, following an order of precedence that Mark could not identify, began to make reports to the King and his council, each speaker in turn standing up at his or her own place at the table.The unsuspected spy was able to listen, half-comprehending, to lists of military units, to descriptions of problems in levying troops and gathering supplies, to unexpected difficulties with the constructions of a road that would be needed later to facilitate the unexplained movement of some army.It seemed to Mark that invaluable facts, information vital for Sir Andrew and his allies, were marching at a fast pace into his ears and out again.Listen! he demanded of himself in silent anguish.Absorb this, retain it! Yet it seemed that he could not.Then there came a relieving thought [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Page 43ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlMark held his breath as the blind face turned once more toward him, and this time stayed turned in his direction.Behind those eyelashes, white and grotesquely long, the pale collapsed lids were as magnetic as any stare.Something about them was perversely beautiful.There was a tiny almost inaudible humming, a miniature disturbance in the air near the Dark King's head.Some demonic or familiar power was communicating with him-so Mark perceived, watching with Sightblinder's handle in the grip of his hand.The Dark King seemed about to speak, but hesitated, as if he were magically aware that something was wrong, that matters here in this innermost seat of his power were not as they should be.Still the blind face confronted Mark, and Vilkata whispered a soft question into the air.A humming answer came.Mark could feel the power of thefile:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Sab.%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt (51 of 171) [2/5/2004 12:22:42 AM]file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Saberhagen%20-%20Swords%2003%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt sheathed Sword at his own side suddenly thrum more strongly.When Vilkata did speak aloud, Mark was surprised at the sound of his voice, smooth, deep, and pleasant."Burslem, I am surprised to see you here.I take it that the task I sent you on has been completed?"Burslem.To Mark the name meant nothing."It is indeed, my lord.My head on it.""Indeed, as you say.now all of you, finish quickly what you are about in here.I want you all at the conference table as quickly as possible.The generals are waiting." And Vilkata and his halfvisible familiar vanished, behind a sable swirl of draperies.One wizard, a junior member of the group perhaps, stayed behind briefly to settle whatever still remained to be settled upon their ghastly altar.The others, Mark among them, filed through the doorway where Vilkata had disappeared.They passed through the next chamber, which was filled with what looked like draped furniture, and entered the next beyond that.The room was larger, and somewhat better lighted.It contained a conference table large enough to accommodate in its surrounding chairs all of the magicians and an approximately equal number of military-looking men and women, who as Vilkata had said were already seated and waiting.The military people wore symbolic scraps of armor, though as Mark noted none of them were visibly armed there in the presence of their King.Vilkata himself, predictably, was seated in a larger chair than the others, at one end of the table.Behind him a map on a large scale, supported on wooden poles, bore many symbols, indicating among other things what appeared to be the positions of several armies.There was Tashigang, near the center of the map, there the winding Corgo making its way northward to the sea.There was the Great Swamp.Mark was making a hasty effort to memorize the types and positions of the symbols on the map, but the distractions at the moment were overpowering.The magicians were taking their places at the table, and fortunately there seemed to be little ceremony about it.But again Mark had to delay marginally, to be able to make a guess as to what place Burslem ought to take.He was not sure whether to be relieved or not, when he found himself pulling out the last vacant chair, some distance down the table from the King.As the faint noise of people seated themselves died out, a silence hold upon the room, and stretched.AsVilkata sat on his raised chair, the hilt of the Page 44ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlMindsword at his side was plainly visible to the rest of the assembly.And the humming presence above theKing's head came and went, all but imperceptibly to the others in the room."I see," the Dark King said at last-and if there was irony in those two words, Mark thought that it was subtly measured-"that none of you are able to tear your eyes away from my new toy here at my side.Doubtless you are wondering where I got it, and how file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Sab.%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txt (52 of 171) [2/5/2004 12:22:42 AM]file:///G|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Fred%20Saberhagen%20-%20Swords%2003%20-%20The%20Third%20Book%20Of%20Swords.txtI managed to so without your help.Well, I'll give you all a close look at it presently.But first there's a report or two I want to hear."Again the blind face turned back and forth, as if Vilkata were seeking to make sure of something.A faint frown creased the white brow, otherwise youthfully unlined."Burslem,"the Dark King added in his pleasant voice, "I want to hear your report in private, a little later.After you have seen my Sword.""As you will, Lord," Mark said clearly.In his own ears, his voice still sounded like his own.The others all heard it without noticing anything amiss.But whatever Vilkata heard did not erase his faint suspicious frown.Now some of the magicians and generals, following an order of precedence that Mark could not identify, began to make reports to the King and his council, each speaker in turn standing up at his or her own place at the table.The unsuspected spy was able to listen, half-comprehending, to lists of military units, to descriptions of problems in levying troops and gathering supplies, to unexpected difficulties with the constructions of a road that would be needed later to facilitate the unexplained movement of some army.It seemed to Mark that invaluable facts, information vital for Sir Andrew and his allies, were marching at a fast pace into his ears and out again.Listen! he demanded of himself in silent anguish.Absorb this, retain it! Yet it seemed that he could not.Then there came a relieving thought [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]