Гладиатор
New Gladiators
"Thenyoukillhim,andtheAfrican,andhim,andahundredmore.Andwhentherearenomorementofight,you’refree."
"Ican’tdothat,"criedtheGreek.
"No,"saidHaken,suddenlyserious,"butIcan."HelookedfromonegladiatortothenextuntilhiseyesrestedonMaximus.
Maximusstaredbackathim,hisfacelikestone.
***
Proximoandhisgladiatorswalkedthroughthestreetsofthetownontheirwaytothearena.Hakenandthegladiatorswerechainedtogether,andProximo’sguardswalkedwiththem.Theywereallcarryingshortswords.
Thearenawassmall.ItwasnotliketheenormousColosseuminRome,althoughitwasthereforthesamereason-toentertainthepeople.Thisarenawasjustacircleofsandygroundwithalotofseatsaroundit.Buttheseatswerefilledwithpeople,andthepeoplewereexpectingtoseeblood.
Maximusandtheothergladiatorsweretakentoasmallareabehindtheseats.AbovethemwereProximo’sseats,nexttotheseatsofseveralothergladiatortrainers.Thisspecialpositiongavethetrainersagoodviewofthearenaandtheycouldalsoseethegladiatorspreparingtofight.Theydiscussedtheirgladiatorstogetherbeforetheconteststarted-whowouldliveandwhowoulddie.
"HastheAfricanfoughtbefore?"oneofthemenaskedProximo.
"No,firsttime."
"Andthatone?"heasked,pointingtoMaximus."Soldier?"
"Him?He’snogood,"saidProximo."ButIhaveanidea."
Hecalleddowntohisguards."ChaintheSpaniardtotheAfrican."hesaid.
TheothermanwasnotsureaboutMaximus.HelikedthelookoftheSpaniard.
