gc.thewhiterose-第27部分

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　　　Toadkiller　Dog　snarled　and　snapped。
　　　〃Knock　it　off；　you　clowns；〃　I　yelled。　〃It's　me。　Croaker。〃
　　　〃Who's　Croaker？〃　One…Eye　asked　Goblin。　〃You　know　anybody　named　Croaker？〃
　　　〃Yeah。　But　I　don't　think　we　ought　to　stop；〃　Goblin　replied；　after　sticking　his　head　out　of　the　shining　to　check。　〃He　deserves　it。〃
　　　〃Sure；〃　One…Eye　agreed。　〃But　Tracker　is　innocent。　I　can't　fine…tune　it　enough　to　get　just　Croaker。〃
　　　The　bugs　returned　to　routine　bug　business。　Eating　each　other；　I　guess。　I　constrained　my　anger　and　greeted　One…Eye　and　Goblin；　both　of　whom　had　donned　expressions　of　innocence　and　contrition。　〃What　you　got　to　say　for　yourselves；　guys？　Nice　horses。　Think　the　people　they　belong　to　will　e　looking　for　them？〃
　　　〃Wait　up；〃　Goblin　squawked。　〃Don't　go　accusing　us　of　。　。　。　〃
　　　〃I　know　you　guys。　Get　down　off　those　animals　and　e　eat。　We'll　decide　what　to　do　with　them　tomorrow。〃
　　　I　turned　my　back　on　them。　Tracker　had　returned　to　our　cook　fire　already。　He　dished　up　supper。　I　went　to　work　on　it；　my　temper　still　frayed。　Stupid　move；　stealing　horses。　What　with　the　uproar　they　had　caused　already　。　。　。　The　Lady　has　agents　everywhere。　We　may　not　be　enemies　of　the　grand　sort；　but　we　are　what　she　has。　Someone　was　bound　to　conclude　that　the　Black　pany　was　back　in　the　north。
　　　I　fell　asleep　contemplating　turning　back。　The　least　likely　direction　for　hunters　to　look　would　be　on　the　route　to　the　Plain　of　Fear。　But　I　could　not　give　the　order。　Too　much　depended　on　us。　Though　now　my　earlier　optimism　stood　in　serious　jeopardy。
　　　Damned　irresponsible　clowns。
　　　Way　back　down　the　line　the　Captain；　who　perished　at　Juniper；　must　have　felt　the　same。　We　all　gave　him　cause。
　　　I　braced　for　a　golden　dream。　I　slept　restlessly。　No　dream　came。　Next　morning　I　packed　Goblin　and　One…Eye　into　the　wagon；　beneath　all　the　clutter　we　deemed　necessary　for　our　expedition；　abandoned　the　horses；　and　took　the　wagon　past　Meystrikt。　Toadkiller　Dog　ran　point。　Tracker　strolled　along　beside。　I　drove。　Under　the　tucker；　Goblin　and　One…Eye　sputtered　and　grumbled。　The　garrison　at　the　fort　merely　asked　where　we　were　bound；　in　such　a　bored　manner　I　knew　they　did　not　care。
　　　These　lands　had　been　tamed　since　last　I　passed　through。　This　garrison　could　not　conceive　of　trouble　lifting　its　naughty　head。
　　　Relieved；　I　turned　up　the　road　that　led　to　Elm　and　Oar。　And　to　the　Great　Forest　beyond。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Seven：OAR
　　　
　　　〃Don't　this　weather　ever　let　up？〃　One…Eye　whined。　For　a　week　we　had　slogged　northward；　had　been　victimized　by　daily　showers。　The　roads　were　bad　and　promised　to　get　worse。　Practicing　my　Forsberger　on　wayside　farmers；　I　learned　that　this　weather　had　been　mon　for　years。　It　made　getting　crops　to　town　difficult　and；　worse；　left　the　grains　at　risk　from　disease。　There　had　been　an　outbreak　of　the　firedance　in　Oar　already；　a　malady　traceable　to　infected　rye。　There　were　a　lot　of　insects；　too。　Especially　mosquitos。
　　　The　winters；　though　abnormal　in　snow　and　rainfall；　were　milder　than　when　we　had　been　stationed　here。　Mild　winters　do　not　augur　well　for　pest　control。　On　the　other　hand；　game　species　were　diminished　because　they　could　not　forage　in　the　deep　snows。
　　　Cycles。　Just　cycles；　the　old…timers　assured　me。　The　bad　winters　e　around　after　the　Great　et　passes。　But　even　they　thought　this　a　cycle　among　cycles。
　　　Today's　weather　is　already　the　most　impressive　of　all　time。
　　　〃Deal；〃　Goblin　said；　and　he　did　not　mean　cards。　That　fortress；　which　the　pany　took　from　the　Rebel　years　ago；　loomed　ahead。　The　road　meanders　beneath　its　scowling　walls。　I　was　troubled；　as　always　I　was　when　our　path　neared　an　imperial　bastion。　But　there　was　no　need　this　time。　The　Lady　was　so　confident　of　Forsberg　that　the　great　fortress　stood　abandoned。　In　fact；　close　up；　it　looked　ragged。　Its　neighbors　were　stealing　it　piece　by　piece；　after　the　custom　of　peasants　the　world　over。　I　expect　that　is　the　only　return　they　get　on　taxes；　though　they　may　have　to　wait　generations　for　the　worm　to　turn。
　　　〃Oar　tomorrow；〃　I　said　as　we　left　the　wagon　outside　an　inn　a　few　miles　past　Deal。　〃And　this　time　there　will　be　no　screwups。　Hear？〃
　　　One…Eye　had　the　grace　to　look　abashed。　But　Goblin　was　ready　to　argue。
　　　〃Keep　it　up；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　have　Tracker　thrash　you　and　tie　you　up。　We　aren't　playing　games。〃
　　　〃Life　is　a　game；　Croaker；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃You　take　it　too　damned　serious。〃　But　he　behaved　himself；　both　that　night　and　the　next　day　when　we　entered　Oar。
　　　I　found　a　place　well　outside　areas　we　frequented　before。　It　catered　to　small…time　traders　and　travelers。　We　drew　no　especial　attention。　Tracker　and　I　kept　a　watch　on　Goblin　and　One…Eye。　They　did　not　seem　inclined　to　play　the　fool　again；　though。
　　　Next　day　I　went　looking　for　a　smith　named　Sand。　Tracker　acpanied　me。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　stayed　behind；　constrained　by　the　most　terrible　threats　I　could　invent。
　　　Sand's　place　was　easily　found。　He　was　a　longtime　member　of　his　trade；　well…known　among　his　peers。　We　followed　directions。　They　led　me　through　familiar　streets。　Here　the　pany　had　had　some　adventures。
　　　I　discussed　them　with　Tracker　as　we　walked。　I　noted；　〃Been　a　lot　of　rebuilding　since　then。　We　tore　the　place　up　good。〃
　　　Toadkiller　Dog　was　on　point；　as　often　he　was　of　late。　He　stopped　suddenly；　looked　around　suspiciously；　took　a　few　tentative　steps；　sank　onto　his　belly。　〃Trouble；〃　Tracker　said。
　　　〃What　kind？〃　There　was　nothing　obvious　to　the　eye。
　　　〃I　don't　know。　He　can't　talk。　He's　just　doing　his　watch…out…for…trouble　act。〃
　　　〃Okay。　Don't　cost　anything　to　be　careful。〃　We　turned　into　a　place　that　sold　and　repaired　harness　and　tack。　Tracker　yakked　about　needing　a　saddle　for　a　hunter　of　large　beasts。　I　stood　in　the　doorway　watching　the　street。
　　　I　saw　nothing　unusual。　The　normal　run　of　people　went　about　their　normal　business。　But　after　a　while　I　noted　that　Sand's　smithy　had　no　custom。　That　no　smithery　sounds　came　forth。　He　was　supposed　to　supervise　a　platoon　of　apprentices　and　journeymen。
　　　〃Hey。　Proprietor。　Whatever　happened　to　the　smith　over　there？　Last　time　we　were　here　he　did　us　some　work。　Place　looks　empty。〃
　　　〃Grey　boys　is　what　happened。〃　He　looked　unfortable。　Grey　boys　are　imperials。　The　troops　in　the　north　wear　grey。　〃Fool　didn't　learn　back　when。　Was　into　the　Rebellion。〃
　　　〃Too　bad。　He　was　a　good　smith。　What　leads　regular　folks　to　get　into　politics；　anyway？　People　like　us；　we　got　trouble　enough　just　trying　to　make　a　living。〃
　　　〃I　heard　that；　brother。〃　The　tackmaker　shook　his　head。　〃Tell　you　this。　You　got　smithery　needs　doing；　take　your　custom　elsewhere。　The　grey　boys　been　hanging　around；　taking　anybody　who　es　around。〃
　　　About　then　an　imperial　strolled　around　the　side　of　the　smithy　and　crossed　to　a　pasty　stall。　〃Damned　clumsy；〃　I　said。　〃And　crude。〃
　　　The　tackmaker　looked　at　me　askance。　Tracker　covered　well；　drawing　him　back　to　business。　Not　as　dumb　as　he　appeared；　I　noted。　Maybe　just　not　socially　adept。
　　　Later；　after　Tracker　expressed　a　desire　to　think　on　the　deal　the　tackmaker　offered　and　we　departed；　Tracker　asked；　〃What　now？〃
　　　〃We　could　bring　up　Goblin　and　One…Eye　after　dark；　use　their　sleeping　spell；　go　in　and　see　what's　to　see。　But　it　don't　seem　likely　the　imperials　would　leave　anything　interesting。　We　could　find　out　what　they　did　with　Sand　and　try　to　reach　him。　Or　we　could　go　on　to　the　Barrowland。〃
　　　〃Sounds　the　safest。〃
　　　〃On　the　other　hand；　we　wouldn't　know　what　we　were　headed　into。　Sand's　being　taken　could　mean　anything。　We　better　talk　it　over　with　the　others。　Catalog　our　resources。〃
　　　Tracker　grunted。　〃How　long　before　that　hutler　gets　suspicious？　The　more　he　thinks　about　it；　the　more　he's　going　to　realize　we　were　interested　in　the　smith。〃
　　　〃Maybe。　I'm　not　going　to　sweat　it。〃
　　　Oar　is　a　city　like　most　of　substantial　size。　Crowded；　Filled　with　distractions。　I　understood　how　Goblin　and　One…Eye　had　been　seduced　by　Roses。　The　last　major　city　the　pany　dared　visit　was　Chimney。　Six　years　ago。　Since　then　it　has　been　all　the　hard　times　and　small　towns　you　can　imagine。　I　battled　temptations　of　my　own。　I　knew　places　of　interest　in　Oar。
　　　Tracker　kept　me　on　the　straight　line。　I've　never　met　a　man　less　interested　in　the　traps　which　tempt　men。
　　　Goblin　thought　we　should　put　the　imperials　to　sleep；　give　them　the　question。　One…Eye　wanted　to　get　out　of　town。　Their　solidarity　had　perished　like　frost　in　the　sun。
　　　〃Logically；〃　I　said；　〃they　would　get　a　stronger　guard　after　dark。　But　if　we　drag　you　down　there　now；　somebody　is　sure　to　recognize　you。〃
　　　〃Then　find　that　old　boy　who　brought　the　first　letter；〃　Goblin　said。
　　　〃Good　idea。　But。　Think　about　it。　Assuming　he　had　perfect　luck；　he'd　still　be　a　long　way　from　here。　He　didn't　catch　a　ride　like　we　did。　No　go。　We　get　out。　Oar　is　making　me　nervous。〃　Too　many　temptations；　too　many　chances　to　be　recognized。　And　just　too　many　people。　Isolation　had　grown　on　me　out　there　on　the　Plain。
　　　Goblin　wanted　to　argue。　He　had　heard　the　north　roads　were　terrible。
　　　〃I　know；〃　I　countered。　〃I　also　know　the　army　is　building　a　new　route　to　the　Barrowland。　And　they've　pushed　its　north　end　far　enough　so　traders　are　using　it。〃
　　　No　more　argument。　They　wanted　out　as　much　as　I。　Only　Tracker　now　seemed　reluctant。　He　who　first　thought　it　best　to　go。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Eight：TO　THE　BARROWLAND
　　　
　　　Oar's　weather　was　less　than　exciting。　Farther　north　it　became　misery　curdled；　though　the　imperial　engineers　had　done　their　best　to　make　the　forest　road　usable。　Much　of　it　was　corduroy；　of　logs　trimmed　and　tarred　and　laid　side　by　side。　In　areas　where　snow　became　obnoxious；　there　were　frameworks　to　support　canvas　coverings。
　　　〃Amazing　scope。〃　One…Eye　said。
　　　〃Uhm。〃　There　was　supposed　to　be　zero　concern　about　the　Dominator　since　the　Lady's　triumph　at　Juniper。　This　seemed　a　lot　of　effort　to　keep　a　road　open。
　　　The　new　road　swung　many　miles　west　of　the　old　because　the　Great　Tragic　River　had　shifted　its　bed　and　continued　doing　so。　The　trip　from　Oar　to　the　Barrowland　was　fifteen　miles　longer。　The　last　forty…five　were　not　wholly　finished。　We　endured　some　rough　going。
　　　We　encountered　the　occasional　trader　headed　south。　They　all　shook　their　heads　and　told　us　we　were　wasting　our　time。　The　fortunes　to　be　had　had　evaporated。　The　tribes　had　hunted　the　furbearers　to　extinct