The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Author:Patrick Rothfuss [Rothfuss, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Novela, Fantástico
Publisher: ePubLibre
Published: 2011-04-22T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 74

Rumors

THE DAY AFTER I fought with Denna, I woke late in the afternoon, feeling miserable for all the obvious reasons. I ate and bathed, but pride kept me from heading down to Severen-Low to look for Denna. I sent a ring to Bredon, but the runner returned with the news that he was still away from the estate.

So I opened a bottle of wine and began to leaf through the pile of stories that had been slowly accumulating in my room. The majority of these were scandalous, spiteful things. But their petty meanness suited my mood and helped distract me from my own misery.

Thus I learned the previous Compte Banbride hadn’t died of consumption, but of syphilis contracted from an amorous stable hand. Lord Veston was addicted to Denner resin, and money intended for the maintenance of the king’s road was paying for his habit.

Baron Jakis had paid several officials to avoid scandal when his youngest daughter was discovered in a brothel. There were two versions of that story, one where she was selling, and another where she was buying. I filed that information away for future use.

I’d started a second bottle of wine by the time I read that young Netalia Lackless had run away with a troupe of traveling performers. Her parents had disowned her, of course, leaving Meluan the only heir to the Lackless lands. That explained Meluan’s hatred of the Ruh, and made me doubly glad I hadn’t made my Edema blood public here in Severen.

There were three separate stories of how the Duke of Cormisant flew into rages while in his cups, beating whoever happened to be nearby, including his wife, his son, and several dinner guests. There was a brief speculative account of how the king and queen held depraved orgies in their private gardens, hidden from the eyes of the royal court.

Even Bredon made an appearance. He was said to conduct pagan rituals in the secluded woods outside his northern estates. They were described with such extravagant and meticulous detail that I wondered if they weren’t copied directly from the pages of some old Aturan romance.

I read well into the evening, and was only halfway through the stack of stories when I finished the bottle of wine. I was just about to send a runner for another when I heard the soft hush of air from the other room that announced Alveron’s entrance into my chambers through his secret passage.

I pretended to look surprised when he entered the room. “Good afternoon, your grace,” I said as I came to my feet.

“Sit if you wish,” he said shortly.

I remained standing out of deference, as I’d learned it was better to err on the side of formality with the Maer. “How are things progressing with your lady?” I asked. From Stapes’ excited gossip, I knew matters were rapidly coming to a close.

“We pledged a formal troth today,” he said distractedly. “Signed papers and all. It’s done.”

“If you’ll forgive me for saying so, your grace, you don’t seem very pleased.

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