Mpak: переводы

→Behind them came the sounds of struggle, and closer, the sounds of boots on the dirt as at least one of the bandits chased alter them. Tad and Zane both possessed the reckless certainty of boys their age, that somehow they could navigate this rapidly darkening maze of trees and brush. Zane glanced backwards, almost losing his footing as he caught a glimpse of the man pursuing, and Tad stumbled.

→Without hesitation, Tad and Zane were off as instructed, stumtiling and barely keeping control of themselves as they hit the ground and ran downhill, dodging trees and rocks.

→Caleb shouted, 'Run!' as he grabbed his sword, leaped to the right, putting the wagon between himself and three of the men, facing the two on his right first.

→'There's something about you I don't like,' said the bandit, pulling his sword. 'You're no more a teamster than I am. Mercenary, maybe. No one hires a mercenary to drive a wagon unless there's something worth killing over.' He saw the small chest tucked under the wagon's seat. 'Maybe you have some¬thing valuable in that chest, huh?' He laughed and glanced first right, then left at his companions. 'Besides, I have no doubt should the situation arrive that you'd be happy to describe us in great detail to the local constables. That would make it hard to spend our booty!' He drew his sword with his left hand and said, 'Kill them!'

→Caleb stood, showing he was wearing only his tunic, trousers, boot and hat. His sword rested on the seat next to him. 'No gold belt, no pouch. Only spare clothes in the chest. You can search the wagon, but let me and the boys go.5

→'How do we know you're not hiding gold on you?' said the bandit leader, losing his smile. 'Maybe you have it tucked in a belt or under your tunic?'

→Caleb looked around and said, 'Look, there are five of you and I'm not inclined to fight over this wagon. You know this rig isn't worth much, so I'll not risk these boys and myself to keep it. I'm getting paid when I get back and Mijes and Zagon can afford to buy a new one. So, how about I just get down and walk away?'

→Tad's hand closed on Zane's wrist, and Zane understood what it meant: be ready to jump and run. Tad glanced slightly behind him, and Zane recognized the bandits had left the rear of the wagon unguarded.

→'Yadom,' Zane answered quietly as he watched four others, one armed with a crossbow, surround the wagon. 'At Mijes and Zagon's . . .'he was about to say, 'shop', but realized Caleb hadn't informed him just what sort of business that was, freight company, supplier, or merchant. He just let his words fall off as if he was frightened out of his wits, which he was.

→Other men began to appear from the trees, and the leader of the bandits said, 'Boy,' pointing at Zane, 'where'd you get your load?'

→Caleb sighed, as if he had been through this before. 'We're travelling empty. My apprentices and me just ran some trade goods into Stardock, prepaid, so we're not carrying any gold. I've got a purse with two silvers and a few coppers in it, and the rest is the clothes on my back.'

→The man smiled, then said, 'That's the question, isn't it? What can you do for me?'

→Caleb nodded. 'Many times. It's why my employer hired me for this run. What can I do for you, stranger?'

→'You've been over this road before?'

→Caleb's voice was calm. 'Just decided to push on a bit. There's a clearing about a mile up the road that's a nice campsite, near water.'

→He was a stocky man in dirty clothing, a mixture of buckskin pants, a once richly brocaded shirt, a heavy faded blue sash around his waist and a sleeveless overjacket of black leather. His hair was hidden under a red bandanna and two large golden earrings were visible. He wore a long sword at his right hip and a pair of daggers on the left. His boots were frayed and down at the heel. When he smiled, the boys could see his two upper front teeth were missing. 'Late for travel, isn't it?'

→As they mounted the rise Caleb slowed the wagon, and at the crest, halted the horses. The sun had set over the ridge behind Caleb and the boys, taming the forest ahead into a dark tunnel as shadows quickly deepened. Caleb waited. After a moment, a man emerged from behind a tree. 'Good day, traveller,' he said with a smile devoid of any hint of warmth. He spoke Keshian with a Kingdom accent.

→'Then I'll shout "run", and you two take off into the woods. As fast as you can, work your way back down into the dell behind us - you'll never elude them if you're trying to run uphill. When you get to the bottom, follow the creek to the south, then in the morning you'll find a game trail a mile south coming out of the foothills. It will lead back to this road about five miles outside the village of Yar-Rin. Go there and find a man named McGrudder at the sign of the Sleeping Rooster. Tell him what happened and do as he says.' Tad started to ask a question, but Caleb said, 'Now silence. Do not say anything. I will do the talking.'

→As they started to climb upwards to the next ridge, Zane said, 'What if they don't believe you?'

→Caleb said, 'All I have to lose is my sword, and I can buy another.' The wagon reached the bottom of the dell, the road disappearing under a shallow wide rill strewn with rocks which caused the wagon to bounce the boys more than usual.