gc.thewhiterose-第17部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　It　has　never　worked　with　men。　How　can　it　remember　them　in　a　desperate　moment？〃
　　　He　was　right；　probably。　But　at　the　moment　I　was　more　interested　in　him　than　in　his　theory。　That　I　would　have　stumbled　across　after　I　settled　down。　He　made　it　seem　one　huge　and　incredibly　difficult　piece　of　thinking。
　　　I　wondered　about　his　mind。　Was　he　just　slightly　more　than　a　half…wit？　Was　his　Ravenlike　act　not　a　product　of　personality　but　of　simpleness？
　　　The　Lieutenant　stood　on　the　parade　ground；　hands　on　hips；　watching　the　windwhale　leave　us　in　the　enemy's　palm。　After　a　minute　he　shouted；　〃Officers！　Assemble！〃　After　we　gathered；　he　said；　〃We're　in　for　it。　As　I　see　it；　we　have　one　hope。　That　that　big　bastard　gets　in　touch　with　the　menhirs　when　it　gets　back。　And　that　they　decide　we're　worth　saving。　So　what　we　do　is　hold　out　till　nightfall。　And　hope。〃
　　　One…Eye　made　an　obscene　noise。　〃I　think　we　better　run　for　it。〃
　　　〃Yeah？　And　let　the　imperials　track　us？　We're　how　far　from　home？　You　think　we　can　make　it　with　the　Limper　and　his　pals　after　us？〃
　　　〃They'll　be　after　us　here。〃
　　　〃Maybe。　And　maybe　they'll　keep　them　busy　out　there。　At　least；　if　we're　here；　they'll　know　where　to　find　us。　Elmo；　survey　the　walls。　See　if　we　can　hold　them。　Goblin；　Silent；　get　those　fires　put　out。　The　rest　of　you；　clean　out　the　Taken's　documents。　Elmo！　Post　sentries。　One…Eye。　Your　job　is　to　figure　out　how　we　can　get　help　from　Rust。　Croaker；　give　him　a　hand。　You　know　who　we　have　where。　e　on。　Move。〃
　　　A　good　man；　the　Lieutenant。　He　kept　his　cool　when；　like　all　of　us；　what　he　wanted　to　do　was　run　in　circles　and　scream。
　　　We　didn't　have　a　chance；　really。　This　was　the　end　of　it。　Even　if　we　held　off　the　troops　from　the　city；　there　was　Benefice　and　the　Limper。　Goblin；　One…Eye；　and　Silent　would　be　of　no　value　against　them。　The　Lieutenant　knew　that；　too。　He　did　not　have　them　put　their　heads　together　to　plot　a　surprise。
　　　We　could　not　get　the　fire　controlled。　The　barracks　had　to　burn　itself　out。　While　I　tended　two　wounded　men　the　others　made　the　pound　as　defensible　as　thirty　men　could。　Finished　doctoring；　I　went　poking　through　the　Limper's　documents。　I　found　nothing　immediately　interesting。
　　　〃About　a　hundred　men　ing　out　of　Rust！〃　someone　shouted。
　　　The　Lieutenant　snapped；　〃Make　this　place　look　abandoned！〃　Men　scurried。
　　　I　popped　up　to　the　wall　top　for　a　quick　peek　at　the　scrub　woods　north　of　us。　One…Eye　was　out　there；　creeping　toward　the　city；　hoping　to　get　to　Corder's　friends。
　　　Even　after　having　been　triply　decimated　in　the　great　sieges　and　occupied　for　years；　Rust　remained　adamant　in　its　hatred　for　the　Lady。
　　　The　imperials　were　careful。　They　sent　scouts　around　the　wall。　They　sent　a　few　men　up　close　to　draw　fire。　Only　after　an　hour　of　cautious　maneuver　did　they　rush　the　half…open　gate。
　　　The　Lieutenant　let　fifteen　get　inside　before　tripping　the　portcullus。　Those　went　down　in　a　storm　of　arrows。　Then　we　hustled　to　the　wall　and　let　fly　at　those　milling　around　outside。
　　　Another　dozen　fell。　The　others　retreated　beyond　bowshot。　There　they　milled　and　grumbled　and　tried　to　decide　what　next。
　　　Tracker　remained　nearby　all　that　time。　I　saw　him　loose　only　four　arrows。　Each　ripped　right　through　an　imperial。　He　might　not　be　bright；　but　he　could　use　a　bow。
　　　〃If　they're　smart；〃　I　told　him；　〃they'll　set　a　picket　line　and　wait　for　the　Limper。　No　point　them　getting　hurt　when　he　can　handle　us。〃
　　　Tracker　grunted。　Toadkiller　Dog　opened　one　eye；　grumbled　deep　in　his　throat。　Down　the　way；　Goblin　and　Silent　crouched　with　heads　together；　alternately　popping　up　to　look　outside。　I　figured　they　were　plotting。
　　　Tracker　stood　up；　grunted　again。　I　looked　myself。　More　imperials　were　leaving　Rust。　Hundreds　more。
　　　Nothing　happened　for　an　hour；　except　that　more　and　more　troops　appeared。　They　surrounded　us。
　　　Goblin　and　Silent　unleashed　their　wizardry。　It　took　the　form　of　a　cloud　of　moths。　I　could　not　discern　their　provenance。　They　just　gathered　around　the　two。　When　they　were　maybe　a　thousand　strong；　they　fluttered　away。
　　　For　a　while　there　was　a　lot　of　screaming　outside。　When　that　died　I　ambled　over　and　asked　a　grim…faced　Goblin；　〃What　happened？〃
　　　〃Somebody　with　a　touch　of　talent；〃　he　squeaked。　〃Almost　as　good　as　us。〃
　　　〃We　in　trouble？〃
　　　〃In　trouble？　Us？　We　got　it　whipped；　Croaker。　We　got　them　on　the　run。　They　just　don't　know　it　yet。〃
　　　〃I　meant　。　。　。　〃
　　　〃He　won't　hit　back。　He　don't　want　to　give　himself　away。　There's　two　of　us　and　only　one　of　him。〃
　　　The　imperials　began　assembling　artillery　pieces。　The　pound　had　not　been　built　to　withstand　bombardment。
　　　Time　passed。　The　sun　climbed。　We　watched　the　sky。　When　would　doom　e　riding　in　on　a　carpet？
　　　Certain　the　imperials　would　not　immediately　attack；　the　Lieutenant　had　some　of　us　gather　our　plunder　on　the　parade　ground；　ready　to　board　a　windwhale。　Whether　he　believed　it　or　not；　he　insisted　we　would　be　evacuated　after　sunset。　He　would　not　entertain　the　possibility　that　the　Taken　would　arrive　first。
　　　He　did　keep　morale　up。
　　　The　first　missile　fell　an　hour　after　noon。　A　ball　of　fire　smacked　down　a　dozen　feet　short　of　the　wall。　Another　arced　after　it。　It　fell　on　the　parade　ground；　sputtered；　fizzled。
　　　〃Going　to　burn　us　out；〃　I　muttered　to　Tracker。　A　third　missile　came。　It　burned　cheerfully；　but　also　upon　the　parade。
　　　Tracker　and　Toadkiller　Dog　stood　and　stared　over　the　ramparts；　the　dog　stretching　on　his　hind　legs。　After　a　while　Tracker　sat　down；　opened　his　wooden　case；　withdrew　a　half　dozen　overly　long　arrows。　He　stood　again；　stared　toward　the　artillery　engines；　arrow　across　his　bow。
　　　It　was　a　long　flight；　but　reachable　even　with　my　weapon。　But　I　could　have　plinked　all　day　and　not　e　close。
　　　Tracker　fell　into　a　state　of　concentration　almost　trancelike。　He　lifted　and　bent　his　bow；　pulled　it　to　the　head　of　his　arrow；　let　fly。
　　　A　cry　rolled　up　the　slope。　The　artillerymen　gathered　around　one　of　their　number。
　　　Tracker　loosed　shafts　smoothly　and　quickly。　I'd　guess　he　put　four　in　the　air　at　one　time。　Each　found　a　target。　Then　he　sat　down。　〃That's　that。〃
　　　〃Say　what？〃
　　　〃No　more　good　arrows。〃
　　　〃Maybe　that's　enough　to　discourage　them。〃
　　　It　was。　For　a　while。　About　long　enough　for　them　to　move　back　and　put　up　some　protective　mantlets。　Then　the　missiles　came　again。　One　found　a　building。　The　heat　was　vicious。
　　　The　Lieutenant　prowled　the　wall　restlessly。　I　joined　his　silent　prayer　that　the　imperials　would　not　get　worked　up　and　rush　us。　There　would　be　no　way　to　stop　them。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Eighteen：SIEGE
　　　
　　　The　sun　was　settling。　We　were　alive　still。　No　Taken　carpet　had　e　swooping　out　of　the　Plain。　We　had　begun　to　believe　there　was　a　chance。
　　　Something　hammered　on　the　gate；　a　great　loud　pounding；　like　the　hammer　of　doom。　One…Eye　roared　up；　〃Let　me　in；　damnit！〃
　　　Somebody　scooted　down　and　opened　up。　He　came　to　the　ramparts。　〃Well？〃　Goblin　demanded。
　　　〃I　don't　know。　Too　many　imperials。　Not　enough　Rebels。　They　wanted　to　argue　it　out。〃
　　　〃How　did　you　get　through？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃Walked；〃　he　snapped。　Then；　less　belligerently；　〃Trade　secret；　Croaker。〃
　　　Sorcery。　Of　course。
　　　The　Lieutenant　paused　to　hear　One…Eye's　report；　resumed　his　ceaseless　prowl。　I　watched　the　imperials。　There　were　indications　they　were　out　of　patience。
　　　One…Eye　evidently　supported　my　suspicion　with　direct　evidence。　He；　Goblin；　and　Silent　started　plotting。
　　　I　am　not　certain　what　they　did。　Not　moths；　but　the　results　were　similar。　A　big　outcry；　soon　stifled。　But　now　we　had　three　spook　doctors　to　work　the　mine。　The　extra　man　sought　the　imperial　who　negated　the　spell。
　　　A　man　ran　toward　the　city；　aflame。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　howled　victoriously。　Not　two　minutes　later　an　artillery　engine　burst　into　flames。　Then　another。　I　watched　our　wizards　closely。
　　　Silent　remained　all　business。　But　Goblin　and　One…Eye　were　getting　carried　away；　having　a　good　time。　I　feared　they　would　go　too　far；　that　the　imperials　would　attack　in　hope　of　overwhelming　them。
　　　They　came；　but　later　than　I　expected。　They　waited　till　nightfall。　And　then　they　were　more　cautious　than　the　situation　demanded。
　　　Meantime；　smoke　began　to　waft　up　over　the　ruined　walls　of　Rust。　One…Eye's　mission　had　succeeded。　Somebody　was　doing　something。　Some　of　the　imperials　pulled　out　and　hurried　back　to　deal　with　it。
　　　As　the　stars　came　out　I　told　Tracker；　〃Guess　we'll　soon　know　if　the　Lieutenant　was　right。〃
　　　He　just　looked　puzzled。
　　　Imperial　horns　sounded　signals。　panies　moved　toward　the　wall。　He　and　I　stood　to　our　bows；　seeking　targets　that　were　difficult　in　the　darkness；　though　there　was　a　bit　of　moon。　Out　of　the　nowhere；　he　asked；　〃What's　she　like；　Croaker？〃
　　　〃What？　Who？〃　I　let　fly。
　　　〃The　Lady。　They　say　you　met　her。〃
　　　〃Yeah。　A　long　time　ago。〃
　　　〃Well？　What's　she　like？〃　He　loosed。　A　cry　answered　the　twang　of　his　bowstring。　He　seemed　perfectly　calm。　Seemed　unaware　that　he　might　die　in　minutes。　That　disturbed　me。
　　　〃About　what　you'd　expect；〃　I　replied。　What　could　I　say？　My　contacts　with　her　were　but　sketchy　memories　now。　〃Hard　and　beautiful。〃
　　　The　answer　did　not　satisfy　him。　It　never　satisfies　anyone。　But　it　is　the　best　I　can　give。
　　　〃What　did　she　look　like？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know；　Tracker。　I　was　scared　shitless。　And　she　did　things　to　my　mind。　I　saw　a　young；　beautiful　woman。　But　you　can　see　those　anywhere。〃
　　　His　bow　twanged；　was　answered　by　another　cry。　He　shrugged。　〃I　sort　of　wondered。〃　He　began　loosing　more　quickly。　The　imperials　were　close　now。
　　　I　swear；　he　never　missed。　I　loosed　when　I　saw　something；　but　。　。　。　He　has　eyes　like　an　owl。　All　I　saw　was　shadows　among　shadows。
　　　Goblin；　One…Eye；　and　Silent　did　what　they　could。　Their　witcheries　painted　the　field　with　short…lived　little　flares　and　screams。　What　they　could　do　was　not　enough。　Ladders　slapped　against　the　wall。　Most　went　right　back　over　again。　But　men　came　up　a　few。　Then　there　were　a　dozen　more。　I　scattered　arrows　into　the　darkness；　almost　randomly；　as　quickly　as　I　could；　then　drew　my　sword。
　　　The　rest　of　the　men　did　likewise。
　　　The　Lieutenant　shouted；　〃It's　here！〃
　　　I　flicked　a　glance　at　the　stars。　Yes。　A　vast　shape　had　appeared　overhead。　It　was　settling。　The　Lieutenant　had　guessed　right。
　　　Now　all　we　had　to　do　was　get　aboard。
　　　Some　of　the　young　men　broke　for　the