lmb.shardsofhonor-第10部分

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　〃She　had　two　on　her　string；　or　her　on　theirs；　I　can't　say　which。　He　didn't　care　who　survived；　or　if　he　were　arrested。　He　imagined　he　was　dishonored；　you　see。　He　arranged　to　have　each　meet　him　at　a　deserted　place；　about　half　an　hour　apart。〃
　He　paused　for　a　long　time。　Cordelia　waited；　barely　breathing；　uncertain　whether　to　encourage　him　to　go　on　or　not。　He　continued　eventually；　but　his　voice　went　flatter　and　he　spoke　in　a　rush。
　〃The　first　was　another　pigheaded　young　aristocrat　like　himself；　and　he　played　out　the　game　by　the　rules。　He　knew　the　use　of　the　two　swords；　fought　with　flair；　and　almost　killed　m…my　friend。　The　last　thing　he　said　was　that　he'd　always　wanted　to　be　killed　by　a　jealous　husband；　only　at　age　eighty。〃
　By　this　time；　the　little　slip　was　no　surprise　to　Cordelia；　and　she　wondered　if　her　story　had　been　as　transparent　to　him。　It　certainly　seemed　so。
　〃The　second　was　a　high　government　minister；　an　older　man。　He　wouldn't　fight；　although　he　knocked　him　down　and　stood　him　up　several　times。　After…after　the　other；　who　had　died　with　a　joke　in　his　mouth；　he　could　hardly　bear　it。　He　finally　slew　him　outright　in　the　middle　of　his　begging；　and　left　them　there。
　〃He　stopped　at　his　wife's　apartment；　to　tell　her　what　he'd　done；　and　returned　to　his　ship；　to　wait　for　arrest。　This　all　happened　in　one　afternoon。　She　was　enraged；　full　of　wounded　pride…she　would　have　dueled　with　him；　if　she　could…and　she　killed　herself。　Shot　herself　in　the　head；　with　his　service　plasma　arc。　I　wouldn't　have　thought　it　a　woman's　weapon。　Poison；　or　cutting　the　wrists；　or　something。　But　she　was　true　Vor。　It　burned　her　face　entirely　away。　She'd　had　the　most　beautiful　imaginable　face。。。
　〃Things　worked　out　very　strangely。　It　was　assumed　the　two　lovers　had　killed　each　other…I　swear；　he　never　planned　it　that　way…and　that　she'd　killed　herself　in　despondency。　No　one　ever　asked　him　the　first　question　about　it。〃
　His　voice　slowed；　and　intensified。　〃He　went　through　that　whole　afternoon　like　a　sleepwalker；　or　an　actor；　saying　the　expected　lines；　going　through　the　expected　motions；　and　at　the　end　his　honor　was　no　better　for　it。　Nothing　was　served；　no　point　was　proved。　It　was　all　as　false　as　her　love　affairs；　except　for　the　deaths。　They　were　real。〃　He　paused。　〃So　you　see；　you　Betans　have　one　advantage。　You　at　least　permit　each　other　to　learn　from　your　mistakes。〃
　〃I'm…grieved；　for　your　friend。　Does　it　seem　very　long　ago？〃
　〃Sometimes。　Over　twenty　years。　They　say　that　senile　people　remember　things　from　their　youth　more　clearly　than　those　of　last　week。　Maybe　he's　getting　senile。〃
　〃I　see。〃　She　took　the　story　in　like　some　strange；　spiked　gift；　too　fragile　to　drop；　too　painful　to　hold。　He　lay　back；　silent　again；　and　she　took　another　turn　around　the　glade；　listening　at　the　wood's　edge　to　a　silence　so　profound　the　roaring　of　the　blood　in　her　ears　seemed　to　drown　it　out。　When　she'd　pleted　the　round；　Vorkosigan　was　asleep；　restless　and　shivering　in　his　fever。　She　filched　one　of　the　half…burned　bedrolls　from　Dubauer；　and　covered　him　up。
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR
　Vorkosigan　woke　about　three　hours　before　dawn；　and　made　her　lie　down　to　snatch　a　couple　hours　sleep。　In　the　grey　before　sunup　he　roused　her　again。　He　had　evidently　bathed　in　the　stream；　and　used　the　single…application　packet　of　depilatory　he　had　been　saving　in　his　belt　to　wipe　away　the　itchy　four…day　growth　on　his　face。
　〃I　need　some　help　with　this　leg。　I　want　to　open　and　drain　it　and　cover　it　back　up。　That　will　hold　until　this　afternoon；　and　after　that　it　won't　matter。〃
　〃Right。〃
　Vorkosigan　stripped　off　boot　and　sock；　and　Cordelia　had　him　hold　his　leg　under　a　rushing　spout　at　the　edge　of　the　waterfall。　She　rinsed　his　bat　knife；　then　laid　open　the　grossly　swollen　wound　in　a　deep；　quick　stroke。　Vorkosigan　went　white　around　the　lips；　but　said　nothing。　It　was　Cordelia　who　winced。　The　cut　squirted　blood　and　pus　and　odd…smelling　clotted　matter　which　the　stream　washed　away。　She　tried　not　to　think　about　what　new　microbes　they　might　be　introducing　by　the　procedure。　It　only　needed　to　be　a　temporary　palliative。
　She　packed　the　wound　with　the　last　of　the　tube　of　his　rather　ineffective　antibiotic；　and　stripped　out　the　tube　of　plastic　bandage　to　cover　it。
　〃It　feels　better。〃　But　Vorkosigan　stumbled　and　almost　fell　when　he　attempted　to　walk　normally。　〃Right；〃　he　muttered。　〃The　time　has　e。〃　Ceremoniously；　he　removed　the　last　painkiller　and　a　small　blue　pill　from　his　first…aid　kit；　swallowed　them；　and　threw　the　empty　case　away。　Cordelia　somewhat　absently　picked　it　up；　found　herself　with　no　place　to　put　it；　and　surreptitiously　dropped　it　again。
　〃These　things　work　great；〃　he　told　her；　〃until　they　give　out；　when　you　fall　down　like　a　marionette　with　the　strings　cut。　I'm　good　for　about　sixteen　hours　now。〃
　Indeed；　by　the　time　they'd　finished　the　field　rations　and　readied　Dubauer　for　the　day's　march；　he　looked　not　merely　normal；　but　fresh　and　rested　and　full　of　energy。　Neither　referred　to　the　previous　night's　conversation。
　He　led　them　in　a　wide　arc　around　the　mountain's　base；　so　that　by　noon　they　were　approaching　the　cratered　side　from　nearly　due　west　They　made　their　way　through　woods　and　glades　to　a　spur　opposite　a　great　bowl　that　was　all　that　remained　of　the　lower　mountainside　from　the　days　before　an　ancient　volcanic　cataclysm。　Vorkosigan　crawled　out　on　a　treeless　promontory；　taking　care　not　to　show　himself　above　the　tall　grass。　Dubauer；　wan　and　exhausted；　curled　up　on　his　side　in　their　place　of　concealment　and　fell　asleep。　Cordelia　watched　him　until　his　breathing　was　slow　and　steady；　then　crept　out　beside　Vorkosigan。　The　Barrayaran　captain　had　his　field　scope　out；　sweeping　over　the　hazy　green　amphitheater。
　〃There's　the　shuttle。　They're　camped　in　the　cache　caves。　See　that　dark　streak　beside　the　long　waterfall？　That's　the　entrance。〃　He　lent　her　the　scope　for　a　closer　look。
　〃Oh；　there's　somebody　ing　out。　You　can　see　their　faces　on　high　magnification。〃
　Vorkosigan　took　back　the　scope。　〃Koudelka。　He's　all　right。　But　the　thin　man　with　him　is　Darobey；　one　of　Radnov's　spies　in　my　munications　section。　Remember　his　face…you'll　need　to　know　when　to　keep　your　head　down。〃
　Cordelia　wondered　if　Vorkosigan's　air　of　enjoyment　was　an　artifact　of　the　stimulant；　or　a　primitive　anticipation　of　the　clash　to　e。　His　eyes　seemed　to　gleam　as　he　watched；　counted；　and　calculated。
　He　hissed　through　his　teeth；　sounding　a　bit　like　one　of　the　local　carnivores　himself。　〃There's　Radnov；　by　God！　Wouldn't　I　like　to　get　my　hands　on　him。　But　this　time　I　can　take　the　Ministry　men　to　trial。　I'd　like　to　see　them　try　to　get　one　of　their　pets　out　from　under　a　bona　fide　charge　of　mutiny。　The　high　mand　and　the　Council　of　Counts　will　be　with　me　this　time。　No；　Radnov；　you're　going　to　live…and　regret　it。〃　He　settled　on　stomach　and　elbows　and　devoured　the　scene。
　He　stiffened　suddenly；　and　grinned。　〃It's　time　my　luck　changed。　There's　Gottyan；　armed；　so　he　must　be　in　charge。　We're　nearly　home。　e　on。〃
　They　crept　back　to　the　cloaking　shelter　of　the　trees。　Dubauer　was　not　where　they'd　left　him。
　〃Oh；　lord；〃　breathed　Cordelia；　turning　and　peering　into　the　brush　in　all　directions。　〃Which　way　did　he　go？〃
　〃He　can't　have　gone　far；〃　reassured　Vorkosigan；　although　he　too　looked　worried。　They　each　made　a　circle　of　a　hundred　meters　or　so　through　the　woods。　Idiot！　Cordelia　castigated　herself　furiously　in　her　panic。　You　just　had　to　go　peek。。。　They　met　back　at　the　original　spot　without　seeing　any　mark　made　by　the　wandering　ensign。
　〃Look；　we　haven't　the　time　to　search　for　him　now；〃　said　Vorkosigan。　〃As　soon　as　I've　regained　mand；　I'll　send　a　patrol　out　to　look　for　him。　With　proper　search…scopes；　they　could　find　him　faster　than　we　can。〃
　Cordelia　thought　of　carnivores；　cliffs；　deep　pools；　Barrayaran　patrols　with　twitchy　trigger　fingers。　〃We've　e　so　far；〃　she　began。
　〃And　if　I　don't　regain　mand　soon；　neither　of　you　will　survive　anyway。〃
　Torn；　but　obedient　to　reason；　she　allowed　Vorkosigan　to　take　her　by　the　arm。　Only　leaning　on　her　slightly；　he　picked　a　way　down　through　the　woods。　As　they　neared　the　Barrayaran　camp；　he　put　a　thick　finger　to　his　lips。
　〃Go　as　quietly　as　you　can。　I　haven't　e　this　far　to　be　shot　by　one　of　my　own　pickets。　Ah。　Lie　down　here。〃　He　placed　her　in　a　spot　behind　some　fallen　logs　and　knee…high　vegetation　overlooking　a　faint　new　path　beaten　through　the　brush。
　〃You're　not　just　going　to　knock　on　the　front　door？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not；　if　your　Gottyan　is　all　right？〃
　〃Because　there's　something　else　wrong。　I　don't　know　why　this　landing　party　is　here。〃　He　meditated　a　moment；　then　handed　her　back　the　stunner。　〃If　you　have　to　use　a　weapon；　it　had　better　be　one　you　can　handle。　It　still　has　a　bit　of　charge…one　or　two　shots。　This　path　runs　between　sentry　points；　and　sooner　or　later　someone's　going　to　e　down　it。　Keep　your　head　down　until　I　call　you。〃
　He　loosed　his　knife　in　its　sheath　and　took　a　concealed　position　on　the　other　side　of　the　path。　They　waited　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　then　another。　The　woodland　drowsed　in　the　warm；　soft；　white　air。
　Then　down　the　path　came　the　sound　of　boots　scuffing　through　the　leaf　litter。　Cordelia　went　rigidly　still；　trying　to　peer　through　the　weeds　without　raising　her　head。　A　tall　form　in　the　wonderfully　effective　Barrayaran　camouflage　fatigues　resolved　itself　as　a　grey…haired　officer。　As　he　passed　Vorkosigan　rose　from　his　hiding　place　as　if　resurrected。
　〃Korabik；〃　he　said　softly；　but　with　genuine　warmth　in　his　voice。　He　stood　grinning；　arms　folded；　waiting。
　Gottyan　spun　about；　one　hand　drawing　the　nerve　disruptor　at　his　hip。　After　a　beat；　a　look　of　surprise　came　over　his　face。　〃Aral！　The　landing　party　reported　the　Betans　had　killed　you；〃　and　he　stepped；　not　forward　as　Cordelia　had　expected　from　the　tone　of　Vorkosigan's　voice；　but　back。　The　disruptor　was　still　in　his　hand　as　if　he　had　forgotten　to　put　it　away；　but　gripped　firmly；　not　dangling。　Cordelia's　stomach　sank。
　Vorkosigan　looked　faintly　puzzled；　as　if　disappointed　by　the　cool；　controlled　reception。　〃I'm　glad　to　know　you're　not　superstitious；〃　he　joked。
　〃I　should　have　known　better　than　to　think　you　dead　until　I'd　seen　you　buried　with　a　stake　through　your　heart；〃　said　Gottyan；　sadly　ironic。
　〃What's　wrong；　Korabik？〃　asked　Vorkosi