2023-03-21 16:50:45
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Dark souls 33
Straightening the letter on his knee, he looked up at the fat man by the fireplace.So. You, Justine, are a monk of the Order of Saint Francis...Abbot of the monastery in Beza, - a fat monk squeaked from his chair. Bertrand calmly continued:A man of the Church, invested with power by Cardinal Lombard, a faithful Jesuit of Rome, a favorite of the Bishop of Rossillon, a faithful follower of the Catholic Church, you have decided to bring a letter from one of my family's heretics to me, whom you consider a spawn of Satan. Explain it to me, dear Justine. The fat monk tossed and turned in his chair, turning over the wooden rosary in his hands.You see, sir," he began, in a slightly trembling voice. Your relative is concerned about the behavior of his younger brother. It seems to him that the beast from Zhevaudan, which Gaspard talked about, is his brother. True, he cannot catch him on this yet. But, if the district finds out about this, he is afraid that angry residents
Dark souls 34
Dawn caught Bertrand de Gault and Father Justine, the abbot of the monastery in Beze, accompanying him, on a country road past rare trees, still bare from winter, vast fields with ravens circling above them with a loud cawing, and rare fetid streams that suddenly appeared in front of them as if from nowhere. The fat monk, woken up in the middle of the night, sat uncertainly in the saddle, falling over first on one side, then on the other, from which his sleepy slumber stopped for a moment. Bertrand, looking cheerful and fresh, impatiently urged on his horse, occasionally throwing mocking glances at his companion. At noon, they passed a small town, in which there was tension and hidden anger. While the abbot quenched his insatiable appetite at one of the inns, Bertrand, who had a quick bite to eat, walked around the city, listening and looking closely at the excitement surrounding him. There was talk of the king, who was almost openly vilified for having an affair wit
Dark souls 35
Passing through dark corridors, they came to an ordinary, unremarkable door. Stopping beside her, Guillaume took several deep breaths and took out from his bosom the key that hung around his neck on a rope. After two turns, the door opened and the relatives entered an ordinary room, which gave the impression of being neglected and uninhabited. Going to a massive closet, Guillaume flung open the doors. There was nothing in the closet, except for a side shelf on the right side and a massive iron door in its rear wall. Fumbling on the shelf, Guillaume found a bunch of keys and one by one began to unlock the locks on the door. Bertrand chuckled but said nothing. When the last lock was unlocked, Guillaume, leaning on the door with his shoulder, opened it with a creak.I don't offer you the world. Vikt o ru doesn’t need him, neither do I,” he said without turning around. Without waiting for Bertrand's answer, he pushed his way through the gap.Hospitable host, - Bertrand muttere
Dark souls 36
Passing along a narrow and low corridor, Guillaume stopped at another iron door. Without looking at Bertrand, he muttered:He is there. Bertrand nodded. Guillaume hesitated, but unlocked the door. Bertrand's eyes met a huge stone hall, in which torches smoked. Water was running down the damp walls in some places. The darkness, which the torches could not illuminate, went forward and upward. The echo of footsteps echoed around, voicing the chilling atmosphere of hopelessness and grave peace that reigned.Strange," Guillaume muttered. “I thought I was putting out the torches here. He stepped forward, lighting his way with a torch taken from the wall. Shrugging his shoulders, Bertrand followed him. Ahead was clearly heard someone muttering and moaning, screaming and howling. Bertrand instinctively put his hand on the hilt, but then he laughed softly. Against the Zhevodan beast, not a sword, but a good club or mortar is needed. Captain Diomele with h
Dark souls 37
The rising sun woke him through the cracks in the door. Waking up, Bertrand tried to stretch his stiff body. Every movement was painful. After a while, he tried to see through the door what was happening outside. The smoke gave me an unbearable headache. And itching in my throat. The landing in front of the house was quiet, and Bertrand risked opening the door. Cautiously, he stuck his head out and looked around. The house itself was a pile of burnt stones. The window openings gaped with black holes, some of which had torn curtains dangling from them. The whole area was littered with fragments of burnt furniture and broken china. Fires were smoking nearby. Bertrand counted four of them. “So, besides Guillaume, Sarah and Mathieu, there was someone else whom I did not see,” thought Bertrand, carefully getting out. The abrasions on his body were bleeding in places, and torn clothes did not save from the morning cold. Shivering, Bertrand walked across the landing. The charred body of Gu
Dark souls 38
How are things with Bourbon? a man in a dirty jacket asked loudly, sipping wine from a mug.Which? the fat innkeeper immediately responded, stopping behind rough tables with mugs in one hand and a soiled towel in the other. “The one in the bottles* or the Palais Royal?” There was a harsh laugh. - The bottle has not been seen for a long time. And second? Hiding somewhere.He can't hide far, - a bearded man in a red cap answered rudely. With such a conspicuous mug, anyone will recognize him.What do you mean by conspicuous face? asked his neighbor curiously.Yes, take any louis - there his muzzle is knocked out, - the Bearded Man snapped his fingers. - And on banknotes in general, in all its glory, it is painted.Ha! If you're that rich, maybe you'll recognize this cuckold. I only saw louis in my dreams.Miracles happen. The bearded man took a sip from his mug. - I don't get louis from the sky. But I studied my tyrant by sight. If I notice, I will always know.Braggart.Who are you call
Dark souls 39
For a while everything went well. Lulled by the rolling of the road, the passengers slowly relaxed. After a while, they heard the sounds of an approaching crowd, and the carriage stopped with a strong push. The horses whinnied in fear.What's the matter? asked a plump man, leaning out of the window.And he asks, what's the matter? - a frail, unshaven man shouted indignantly into his face with anger on his unprepossessing face. You are King Louis. And you're going to run away from the country.Gentlemen, - the man said loudly, leaning out of the carriage. - You are wrong. I am not a king. And even more so, I do not want, as this man said, to run away from the country. I am Monsieur Durand. And this is the Baroness de Corfe with the children and the governess. And we are going to Russia to the husband of the baroness, who is now dying.Give us your documents, - the man demanded arrogantly.For starters, with whom do I have the honor? asked the man in the carriage politely.I am Drouet,
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Trembling from the morning freshness, people began to gather at the scaffold, barely dawn. A woman in simple but clean clothes was already at the pedestal when the first spectators began to approach. A handsome young man in a wide-brimmed hat with an ironic smile on his smooth face watched her for a while, wrapping himself in a cloak. Finally, when the square in front of the scaffold filled up a little, he slowly approached her and touched her on the shoulder. The woman turned around instantly, dagger clutched in her hand.Wow, sister, - the handsome man said, laughing, stepping back and putting his hands forward. “You shouldn’t greet your relatives like that!” He raised his hands momentarily in jester's surrender.Traitors are not my relatives,” the woman hissed, her eyes sparkling. Clouds of steam escaped from her mouth.And who did I betray? The young man folded his arms across his chest.Your family, bastard, - The woman spat at his feet.Even so? The young man chuckled. - I'm he
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“I told you to leave the sword,” the woman said calmly. The knight's fingers loosened. “I didn’t see you or your coat of arms. I haven't heard of you or the sorcerers. I was just waiting for you.- How did you know that I would come? the knight asked furiously. The woman shrugged and turned to the shack. - No, you say! The knight grabbed his sword again. But the woman, without turning around, waved her hand, and his fingers seemed to burn. He stared at his hand, then at the back of the retreating woman, and with a cry he rushed to grab her and strangle her. But his hands passed through the void. And the woman herself was a few steps ahead of him. The knight hesitated.- Well? the woman asked as she continued walking toward the shack. - Will you come in? Or am I here to predict your future? The knight hesitated and followed her. Indignation bubbled in his soul - this peasant woman dared to turn her back on him, and even expose him to ridicule with her tricks. Muttering curses,
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After a while, when there was no place for the apple to fall in the hall, the door slammed shut with a loud noise. Katya looked doomedly from one face to another: so different and so the same. Bodily deformities and mental pathologies, the gifts of the psyche and the curses of the soul - all this must soon be destroyed. All this will die and not be reborn. The poems written by a novice boy centuries ago were just poetry. And no prophecy. And now some fanatic decided in his own way to fulfill what he considered a prediction. All of a sudden, all heads went up to the glass ceiling. Katya also heard a sound and raised her head. High above her in white robes and a white mask on his face stood a man.Dear relatives! Suddenly, a voice sounded in her head. “Today, the prophecy of the old monk who was killed right on this spot will be fulfilled. Many years ago, the abbot Gilbert Orsi was crucified by our ancestor and, dying, predicted his punishment up to the thirteenth degree. Only
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During the same week, Katya tried to leave the castle , worrying about Agnia. She was also made nervous by the ever-increasing number of relatives gathering in the castle . And also the strange behavior of golems, wearing something all the time, dragging and repairing. What caused such a pilgrimage of relatives to her, no one could clearly say. However, the sane, interrogated by her, fell into some kind of inhibited state and insisted that they should be here. By the end of the second week, Katya became more and more worried. Moreover, Guillaume became somehow apathetic and clearly tried to avoid her. And Katerina just stopped noticing her. Discouraged Katya tried to act herself. But then her clothes suddenly turned out to be dirty or washed, then the keys to the car or passport disappeared somewhere, then it rained from morning to evening, turning the roads into impassable obstacles, then the candles in the car flooded, then gasoline disappeared somewhere, then she herself ha
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Guillaume looked attentively at Katya, sighed and opened his mouth to continue the story. Suddenly he became alert. Katya also had an unpleasant feeling. For a while, an uneasy silence surrounded and weighed on them. Then there was a thump of feet, and the door swung open. Katerina stood in the doorway, alarmed.Catherine,” Guillaume turned to her. “I feel the presence of a member of our family. Who is this? Katerina suppressed her surprise and spoke quickly.Some woman came and brought the police. She screamed that her friend had gone mad here and she was being locked up like a beast. That people are being killed and eaten here. She brought her hands up to her face. “And worst of all, the commissar who came with her is a distant descendant of ours. Guillaume looked at Katya with a smile. Then he turned to Katherine.But is it possible to influence him?Bertrand finds out just that,” Catherine said calmly.And what is the name of a friend, she did not say? Katya ask
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Well, - Guillaume clapped his hands and rubbed his hands. – Would you like to have a bite to eat? A simple question reminded Katya of a monstrous feast, and nausea rose in her throat.No, no, she shook her head. - Do not worry.Then coffee. Suddenly, quickly, the little man rode up in his chair to the corner where he had a kitchen. It really was a miniature kitchen with a refrigerator, electric stove, microwave and dishwasher. A switch flipped, and a soft, muted light lit up the corner. Everything was sparkling clean and tidy. Jars of coffee, a sugar bowl, a teapot, a salt shaker and other little things were at arm's length. Katya watched in amazement as Guillaume deftly managed all the objects, moving his chair along the way.Yes, in this sense I am not disabled, - he said without looking at her. I have been living with a chair for a long time. It is my legs, and it would be surprising if I had not learned to manage it for so many years. He pointed Katya to
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The room they arrived at was huge, dark, lit only by candles and torches. Through the high window openings one could see the starry sky and the full moon. A circle was drawn in the middle of the room, in which a pentagram was inscribed. There was an inscription in Latin around the circle, black candles burned at the corners of the pentagram. A cross was inscribed inside the pentagram. A smaller part of him was looking at the door. In the place where the planks of the cross met, there was a bowl. Along the walls of the round room were couches with pillows and bedspreads, which could be guessed from the outlines, since most of the room was in the shade. Bertrand de Gault came out of the darkness with a tarred torch.“Here you are,” he said, and lit a torch from a nearby candle. Sweetish smoke drifted across the room. Bertrand waved his hand. Pierre put a three-legged stool over the cup in a pentagram and led Boris to it. Boris, who had already begun to have its effect on the smoke,
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Entering, he saw the hostess standing by the fireplace. In her hand was a frighteningly long mouthpiece, at the end of which a cigarette smoldered, spreading a sweet, intoxicating aroma.I don’t understand you, Boris,” she said. - Why was it necessary to hide and eavesdrop if you are a member of the family, and everything will be told to you anyway?However, about Agnia, you fooled me. Boris walked over to the fireplace and took a cigar from a box on the shelf. The flame of the candle danced merrily at the tip. The woman smiled as she puffed out a puff of smoke.You already think we're out of your mind. What if we told you the whole truth right away? You would run and call a psychiatrist here. We don't need more noise today. Boris thought and nodded in agreement.You were talking about guests. Will there be someone else? The woman stepped away from the fireplace and, taking a cigarette out of the holder, put it out in an ashtray on the table.I received a
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The silence was broken by the melodious chime of a clock that stood somewhere in the darkness. The candles had long been extinguished, and only the light of the moon, softly pouring from the window, dispelled the darkness. The clock, having finished cooing, struck eleven.It's time to get up, - Katya said languidly, stretching under a light sheet. The shifted corner revealed Boris's contentedly resting nature.So you can’t see a damn thing, ”he muttered, sitting up on the bed.And what? - Katya jumped off easily and ran barefoot to the door. – Peter! she called. - Light!What are you? - Boris involuntarily covered his penis with a sheet and stared in amazement at Katya. - Cover up! But she did not pay attention to his words, impatiently tapping her bare foot at the door, while the impassive Pierre lit the candles in the room. He walked from one chandelier to another. It seemed that the darkness and twilight did not bother him at all. When he finished with th
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Finally, the forest ended with a clearing, which in turn turned into a small clearing. The outlines of a castle rose on the horizon . Light shone from two windows. The trees creaked ominously in the wind. The road through the clearing led to a high wrought-iron gate that locked a stone fence. When the car pulled up, the gate swung open noiselessly and closed behind her just as silently. After making a semicircle around the dark mass of a flower bed, the flowers of which were difficult to see in the dark, the car stopped in front of a high dark door, which immediately swung open. A tall, gray-haired man in a gray sweater stood in the doorway. Approaching him with a simple luggage, Boris shuddered: on both eyes of the man there were thorns that completely covered the pupils.Welcome to us, - he said in a hollow voice and smiled. His face instantly changed: he looked like a cunning dwarf. Pierre will take your things. A stocky man with a stiff expression stepped out o
