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Dark souls 1
Prologue While there is no peace in the soul,There is only evil and darkness in it,that will be damned man from birth to ages.Fall on his race with a curse. Given only as long as While the sinless child They won't let you under the axe. The red winter sun shone dimly on the towers darkening at sunset. Flashes of fire illuminated the battlements and the jagged stones in them. Black snow covered the roofs, and acrid smoke obscured the eyes. The once rich monastery of Saint-Catherine now burned like a great fire. Clouds of crows, covering the sky, circled over him. What happened to the dwelling of the brides of Christ, which even corrupt churchmen considered a model of virtue and Christian humility? Where did the elderly priest come from in the nunnery, now nailed to a cross made of unplaned roughly knocked together boards with a white beard fluttering in the wind? His body, blue from the cold, was black in places with soot and blood, and from his clothes there was only a dirty rag
Dark souls 1.2
- But they are cold, - said the second slyly, named his curious comrade Giles. Let's warm them up. He picked up a burning torch nearby and threw it into a pile of bodies. Frozen clothes slowly settled in. The rest of the soldiers rushed to the other torches. And soon, spreading the stench and the smell of burnt flesh, a bright fire blazed. Occupied with maintaining it, they did not notice how a black shadow rushed from the other end of it and disappeared in dense bushes of nettles, thistles and thistles. The rest of the soldiers also awoke. Exchanging jokes over the fire for some time, the soldiers wandered into the monastery building, where, if there is no special heat, there are walls, a roof and a fireplace. Not to mention wine cellars. In the monastery of Saint-Catherine, weak wine was made, which, although not in great demand, brought income. When the conversations of the soldiers died down, and the silence of the night was interrupted only by the crackling of a
Dark souls 1.3
The boy looked at her. Fear on his face gave way to doubt, then to determination. He went to the nearest barrel and made a hole in it the third time. A thin trickle flowed, filling the rest of the barrels. He did the same with three more."Now go," Sister Charlotte said. - Do not take sin on your soul. I will do everything myself. She swayed and fell. The boy rushed to the still-smoldering torch and fanned it. Then he handed the torch to the woman and rushed upstairs from the cellar. At the exit, he crossed himself and carefully locked the heavy bolt behind him. Sister Charlotte held the torch to the nearest soldier. The fabric of his pants, soaked with wine, took up quickly. Sister Charlotte crawled over to the next one. Soon the whole basement was on fire like a big fire. Sister Charlotte threw the torch into the barrels and sang "Te Deum"*. From the heat and smoke, some soldiers began to wake up. However, the sleepy grass made them clumsy and drowsy. An
Dark souls 2
Part one. Chapter firstYou understand everything, Jane. This marriage is a deal. We are not given a choice. If your father hadn’t refused the king’s offer, you and your unlucky brother would have bathed in gold, ”the tall, prim lady said to the young serious girl, nervously fiddling with a scarf in her hands. “My dear, understand: twenty-seven years old, no dowry, ordinary appearance and your absurd character make you not a very attractive party. And your brother's debts scare away any girl from him, despite his beauty. Maps and wine are not the best pastime for the only remaining member of the Gladstone family. But your uncle put up with it. And even though it killed him, there was nothing he could do about it. And so he went to his grave disappointed. But cheers , Jane! This is your family namemok! Your generation has lived in it since the time of William the Conqueror! Are you going to let him go to some Harris and Bridges? Yes, they are related, but are they Gladstones? This is s
Dark souls 2.1
In turn, there was never a crowd of admirers around Jane. She, unlike her brother, did not shine with beauty, but she was too independent and proud to be just an attachment to her husband. Stupid men considered her an arrogant ugly girl and a hardened old maid. And the smart ones, who could hardly be counted on the fingers of one hand, stayed with her like friends or brothers. However, it never occurred to either of them that it was possible to fall in love with her. And now, like a bolt from the blue - a proposal from Bertrand de Gault, a French baron, whose family could be considered as ancient as the Gladstone family. Jane, who was well aware of her situation, from the very first days began to make inquiries about this man. She was surprised and alarmed why a noble, rich and young seigneur wanted to marry a noble, but poor and ugly girl, and not her first youth. Yes, even without seeing her and really knowing nothing about her. Moreover, from England, when France is full
Dark souls 3
The possessions of the Baron de Gau were extensive. Good roads, strong houses, fields, meadows, forests - everything indicated that the owner was rich and did not skimp on maintaining his wealth in the proper form. However, all this did not dispel the confusion in the soul of Jane Gladstone. There were few inhabitants in the villages, and those who came across tried to quickly hide in their homes. Himself for athe mok was gloomy, like a prison. And when, passing a wide ditch, the high wrought-iron gates slammed shut behind Jane, it seemed to her that she was a mouse caught in a mousetrap. To meet Jane and her small escort, consisting of a maid and a strong servant with a huge club, a few servants with gloomy faces came out. Without looking at her and her servants, they took their meager possessions and carried them to the castle. Jane looked around. The vast courtyard, covered with fresh straw on the side of the stables and the barn, and in other places paved with large stones, stron
Dark souls 3.1
A knock on the door saved Jane from answering this strange question. A grimace of displeasure flashed across Katerina's face. A pale girl entered, her eyes downcast to the floor.Baron Bertrand has sent me to serve you, mademoiselle,” she said in a barely audible voice.You walked for a long time, - Catherine said sharply, and turning to Jane, she, smiling charmingly, said:It was nice to meet you. I'll see you at dinner, dear," and she headed for the door. When the door closed behind Catherine de Gou, Jane looked at the girl carefully. Small in stature with brown hair hidden under a cap, the fragile pale figure of a girl was like a ghost in this gloomy castle.Tell me, my dear, - Jane said, not taking her eyes off her. "Where's my chambermaid?" Why wasn't she sent to me, as your master said? The girl glanced quickly at Jane, then lowered her eyes again, busy sorting through Jane's things.Oh, mademoiselle. The owner gave her a very nice room on the half of the serv
Dark souls 4
Once again, she was distracted from this exciting affair, this time by a slight noise behind one of the draped doors. With a cold heart, Jane waited to see what would happen next. Finally, the noise grew a little louder, and a key creaked in the lock. Jane ran to the fireplace and pulled out another poker. The door slowly opened, and a broken voice was heard from the dark opening:Please, Mademoiselle Jeanne! This is Bianca le Mui. May I come in? Holding the poker in her hands, Jane went to the draped opening, in which she saw the pale and sad face of Bianca.It is you? she asked in amazement, looking at the guest's black attire.I'm afraid it's powerless against my cousin," Bianca said, pointing to the poker. But I wasn't wrong about you. You are not stupid like those four stupid chickens.Against your cousin? Jane asked, lowering the poker. - Excuse me, but what are you doing here? And why did they enter in this way?Leave the questions, - Bianca rushed to Jane. - Run
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- Dark souls
67
“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,
- Dark souls
66
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
- Dark souls
65
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
- Dark souls
64
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
- Dark souls
63
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
- Dark souls
62
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,
- Dark souls
61
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
- Dark souls
60
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
- Dark souls
59
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
