gc.thewhiterose-第22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　is　not　plete。〃
　　　〃No。　But　does　it　not　give　you　pause？〃
　　　〃You　have　no　idea　who　the　writer　is？〃
　　　〃No。　And　no　way　to　find　out；　short　of　looking　him　up。　Or　her。〃　Actually；　I　had　a　couple　of　suspicions；　but　each　seemed　more　unlikely　than　the　other。
　　　〃These　have　e　with　swift　regularity；〃　Darling　observed。　〃After　all　this　time。〃　That　made　me　suspect　she　shared　one　of　my　suspicions。　That　〃all　this　time。〃
　　　〃The　couriers　believe　they　were　forwarded　over　a　more　spread　period。〃
　　　〃It　is　interesting；　but　not　yet　useful。　We　must　await　more。〃
　　　〃It　will　not　hurt　to　consider　what　it　means。　The　end　part　of　the　last；　there。　That　is　beyond　me。　I　have　to　work　on　that。　It　may　be　critical。　Unless　it　is　meant　to　baffle　someone　who　intercepts　the　fragment。〃
　　　She　shuffled　out　the　last　sheet；　stared　at　it。　A　sudden　light　illuminated　her　face。　〃It　is　the　finger　speech。　Croaker；〃　she　signed。　〃The　letters。　See？　The　speaking　hand；　as　it　forms　the　alphabet。〃
　　　I　circled　behind　her。　I　saw　it　now；　and　felt　abysmally　stupid　for　having　missed　it。　Once　you　saw　that；　it　was　easy　to　read。　If　you　knew　your　sign。　It　said：
　　　This　may　be　the　last　munication；　Croaker。　There　is　something　I　must　do。　The　risks　are　grave。　The　chances　hang　against　me；　but　I　must　go　ahead。　If　you　do　not　receive　the　final　installment；　about　Bomanz's　last　days；　you　will　have　to　e　collect　it。　I　will　conceal　one　copy　within　the　home　of　the　wizard；　as　the　story　describes。　You　may　find　another　in　Oar。　Ask　for　the　blacksmith　named　Sand。
　　　Wish　me　luck。　By　now　you　must　have　found　a　place　of　safety。　I　would　not　bring　you　forth　unless　the　fate　of　the　world　hinged　upon　it。
　　　There　was　no　signature　here；　either。
　　　Darling　and　I　stared　at　one　another。　I　asked；　〃What　do　you　think？　What　should　I　do？〃
　　　〃Wait。〃
　　　〃And　if　no　further　episodes　are　forthing？〃
　　　〃Then　you　must　go　looking。〃
　　　〃Yes。〃　Fear。　The　world　was　marshaled　against　us。　The　Rust　raid　would　have　the　Taken　in　a　vengeful　frenzy。
　　　〃It　may　be　the　great　hope；　Croaker。〃
　　　〃The　Barrowland；　Darling。　Only　the　Tower　itself　could　be　more　dangerous。〃
　　　〃Perhaps　I　should　acpany　you。〃
　　　〃No！　You　will　not　be　risked。　Not　under　any　circumstances。　The　movement　can　survive　the　loss　of　one　beat…up；　worn…out　old　physician。　It　cannot　without　the　White　Rose。〃
　　　She　hugged　me　hard；　backed　off；　signed；　〃I　am　not　the　White　Rose；　Croaker。　She　is　dead　four　centuries。　I　am　Darling。〃
　　　〃Our　enemies　call　you　the　White　Rose。　Our　friends　do。　There　is　power　in　a　name。〃　I　waved　the　letters。　〃That　is　what　this　is　about。　One　name。　What　you　have　been　named　you　must　be。〃
　　　〃I　am　Darling；〃　she　insisted。
　　　〃To　me；　maybe。　To　Silent。　To　a　few　others。　But　to　the　world　you　are　the　White　Rose；　the　hope　and　the　salvation。〃　It　occurred　to　me　that　a　name　was　missing。　The　name　Darling　wore　before　she　became　a　ward　of　the　pany。　Always　she　had　been　Darling；　because　that　was　what　Raven　called　her。　Had　he　known　her　birthname？　If　so；　it　no　longer　mattered。　She　was　safe。　She　was　the　last　alive　to　know　it；　if　even　she　remembered。　The　village　where　we　found　her；　mauled　by　the　Limper's　troops；　was　not　the　sort　that　kept　written　records。
　　　〃Go；〃　she　signed。　〃Study。　Think。　Be　of　good　faith。　Somewhere；　soon；　you　will　find　the　thread。〃
　　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Two：THE　PLAIN　OF　FEAR
　　　
　　　The　men　who　fled　Rust　with　the　cowardly　windwhale　eventually　arrived。　We　learned　that　the　Taken　had　escaped　the　Plain；　all　in　a　rage　because　but　one　carpet　survived。　Their　offensive　would　be　delayed　till　the　carpets　were　replaced。　And　carpets　are　among　the　greatest　and　most　costly　magicks。　I　suspect　the　Limper　had　to　do　a　lot　of　explaining　to　the　Lady。
　　　I　drafted　One…Eye；　Goblin；　and　Silent　into　an　expanded　project。　I　translated。　They　extracted　proper　names；　assembled　them　in　charts。　My　quarters　became　all　but　impenetrable。　And　barely　livable　while　they　were　there；　for　Goblin　and　One…Eye　had　had　a　couple　of　tastes　of　life　outside　Darling's　null。　They　were　at　one　another　constantly。
　　　And　I　began　having　nightmares。
　　　One　evening　I　posed　a　challenge；　half　as　a　result　of　no　further　courier　arriving；　half　as　busy　work　meant　to　stop　Goblin　and　One…Eye　from　driving　me　mad。　I　said；　〃I　may　have　to　leave　the　Plain。　Can　you　do　something　so　I　don't　attract　any　special　attention？〃
　　　They　had　their　questions。　I　answered　most　honestly。　They　wanted　to　go　too；　as　if　a　journey　west　was　established　fact。　I　said；　〃No　way　are　you　going。　A　thousand　miles　of　this　crap？　I'd　mit　suicide　before　we　got　off　the　Plain。　Or　murder　one　of　you。　Which　I'm　considering　anyway。〃
　　　Goblin　squeaked。　He　pretended　mortal　terror。　One…Eye　said；　〃Get　within　ten　feet　of　me　and　I'll　turn　you　into　a　lizard。〃
　　　I　made　a　rude　noise。　〃You　can　barely　turn　food　into　shit。〃
　　　Goblin　cackled。　〃Chickens　and　cows　do　better。　You　can　fertilize　with　theirs。〃
　　　〃You　got　no　room　to　talk；　runt；〃　I　snapped。
　　　〃Getting　touchy　in　his　old　age；〃　One…Eye　observed。　〃Must　be　rheumatiz。　Got　the　rheumatiz；　Croaker？〃
　　　〃He'll　wish　his　problem　was　rheumatism　if　he　keeps　on；〃　Goblin　promised。　〃It's　bad　enough　I　have　to　put　up　with　you。　But　you're　at　least　predictable。〃
　　　〃Predictable？〃
　　　〃Like　the　seasons。〃
　　　They　were　off。　I　sped　Silent　a　look　of　appeal。　The　son…of…a…bitch　ignored　me。
　　　Next　day　Goblin　ambled　in　wearing　a　smug　smile。　〃We　figured　something　out；　Croaker。　In　case　you　do　go　wandering。〃
　　　〃Like　what？〃
　　　〃We'll　need　your　amulets。〃
　　　I　had　two　that　they　had　given　me　long　ago。　One　was　supposed　to　warn　me　of　the　proximity　of　the　Taken。　It　worked　quite　well。　The　other；　ostensibly；　was　protective；　but　it　also　let　them　locate　me　from　a　distance。　Silent　tracked　it　the　time　Catcher　sent　Raven　and　me　to　ambush　Limper　and　Whisper　in　the　Forest　of　Cloud；　when　Limper　tried　to　go　over　to　the　Rebel。
　　　Long　ago　and　far　away。　Memories　of　a　younger　Croaker。
　　　〃We'll　work　up　some　modifications。　So　you　can't　be　located　magically。　Let　me　have　them。　Later　we'll　have　to　go　outside　to　test　them。〃
　　　I　eyed　him　narrowly。
　　　He　said；　〃You'll　have　to　e　so　we　can　test　them　by　trying　to　find　you。〃
　　　〃Yeah？　Sounds　like　a　drummed…up　excuse　to　get　outside　the　null。〃
　　　〃Maybe。〃　He　grinned。
　　　Whatever；　Darling　liked　the　notion。　Next　evening　we　headed　up　the　creek；　skirting　Old　Father　Tree。　〃He　looks　a　little　peaked；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Caught　the　sidewash　of　a　Taken　spell　during　the　brouhaha；〃　One…Eye　explained。　〃I　don't　think　he　was　pleased。〃
　　　The　old　tree　tinkled。　I　stopped；　considered　it。　It　had　to　be　thousands　of　years　old。　Trees　grow　very　slow　on　the　Plain。　What　stories　it　would　tell！
　　　〃e　on；　Croaker；〃　Goblin　called。　〃Old　Father　ain't　talking。〃　He　grinned　his　frog　grin。
　　　They　know　me　too　well。　Know　when　I　see　anything　old　I　wonder　what　it　has　seen。　Damn　them；　anyhow。
　　　We　left　the　watercourse　five　miles　from　the　Hole；　quartered　westward　into　desert　where　the　coral　was　especially　dense　and　dangerous。　I　guess　there　were　five　hundred　species；　in　reefs　so　close　they　were　almost　impenetrable。　The　colors　were　riotous。　Fingers；　fronds；　branches　of　coral　soared　thirty　feet　into　the　air。　I　remain　eternally　amazed　that　the　wind　does　not　topple　them。
　　　In　a　small　sandy　place　surrounded　by　coral；　One…Eye　called　a　halt。　〃This　is　far　enough。　We'll　be　safe　here。〃
　　　I　wondered。　Our　progress　had　been　followed　by　mantas　and　the　creatures　that　resemble　buzzards。　Never　will　I　trust　such　beasts　pletely。
　　　Long；　long　ago；　after　the　Battle　at　Charm；　the　pany　crossed　the　Plain　en　route　to　assignments　in　the　east。　I　saw　horrible　things　happen。　I　could　not　shake　the　memories。
　　　Goblin　and　One…Eye　played　games　but　also　tended　to　business。　They　remind　me　of　active　children。　Always　into　something；　just　to　be　doing。　I　lay　back　and　watched　the　clouds。　Soon　I　fell　asleep。
　　　Goblin　wakened　me。　He　returned　my　amulets。　〃We're　going　to　play　hide…and…seek；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　give　you　a　head　start。　If　we've　done　everything　right；　we　won't　be　able　to　find　you。〃
　　　〃Now　that's　wonderful；〃　I　replied。　〃Me　alone　out　here；　wandering　around　lost。〃　I　was　just　carping。　I　could　find　the　Hole。　As　a　nasty　practical　joke　I　was　tempted　to　head　straight　there。
　　　This　was　business；　though。
　　　I　set　off　to　the　southwest；　toward　the　buttes。　I　crossed　the　westward　trail　and　went　into　hiding　among　quiescent　walking　trees。　Only　after　darkness　fell　did　I　give　up　waiting。　I　walked　back　to　the　Hole；　wondering　what　had　bee　of　my　panions。　I　startled　the　sentry　when　I　arrived。　〃Goblin　and　One…Eye　e　in？〃
　　　〃No。　I　thought　they　were　with　you。〃
　　　〃They　were。〃　Concerned；　I　went　below；　asked　the　Lieutenant's　advice。
　　　〃Go　find　them；〃　he　told　me。
　　　〃How？〃
　　　He　looked　at　me　like　I　was　a　half…wit。　〃Leave　your　silly　amulets；　go　outside　the　null；　and　wait。〃
　　　〃Oh。　Okay。〃
　　　So　I　went　back　outside；　walked　up　the　creek；　grumbling。　My　feet　ached。　I　was　not　used　to　so　much　hiking。　Good　for　me；　I　told　myself。　Had　to　be　in　shape　if　there　was　a　trip　to　Oar　in　the　cards。
　　　I　reached　the　edge　of　the　coral　reefs。　〃One…Eye！　Goblin！　You　guys　around？〃
　　　No　answer。　I　was　not　going　on　looking；　though。　The　coral　would　kill　me。　I　circled　north；　assuming　they　had　moved　away　from　the　Hole。　Each　few　minutes　I　dropped　to　my　knees；　hoping　to　spot　a　menhir's　silhouette。　The　menhirs　would　know　what　had　bee　of　them。
　　　Once　I　saw　some　flash　and　fury　from　the　corner　of　my　eye　and；　without　thinking；　ran　that　way；　thinking　it　was　Goblin　and　One…Eye　squabbling。　But　a　direct　look　revealed　the　distant　rage　of　a　change　storm。
　　　I　stopped　immediately；　belatedly　remembering　that　only　death　hurries　on　the　Plain　by　night。
　　　I　was　lucky。　Just　steps　onward　the　sand　became　spongy；　loose。　I　squatted；　sniffed　a　handful。　It　held　the　smell　of　old　death。　I　backed　away　carefully。　Who　knows　what　lay　in　waiting　beneath　that　sand？
　　　〃Better　plant　somewhere　and　wait　for　the　sun；〃　I　muttered。　I　was　no　longer　certain　of　my　position。
　　　I　found　some　rocks　that　would　break　the　wind；　some　brush　for　firewood；　and　pitched　camp。　The　fire　was　more　to　declare　myself　to　beasts　than　to　keep　warm。　The　night　was　not　cold。
　　　Firemaking　was　a　symbolic　statement　out　there。
　　　Once　the　flames　rose　I　found　that　the　place　had　been　used　before。　Smoke　had　blackened　the　rocks。　Native　humans；　probably。　They　wander　i