gc.thewhiterose-第30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！


hed　away。〃
　　　〃Hmm。〃　I　laid　fingers　on；　making　estimates。
　　　〃What　do　you　want　to　know　that　for？〃
　　　〃Business；〃　I　lied。　〃Heard　we　might　be　able　to　contact　one　of　the　bigger　tribes　around　a　place　called　Eagle　Rocks。〃
　　　〃That's　forty…five　miles。　You　wouldn't　make　it。　They'd　kill　you　and　take　what　you　had。　The　only　reason　they　don't　bother　the　Guard　and　the　road　is　that　those　have　the　Lady's　protection。　If　this　ing　winter　is　as　bad　as　the　last　few；　that　won't　stop　them；　either。〃
　　　〃Uhm。　Well；　it　was　an　idea。　You　the　one　called　Case？〃
　　　〃Yes。〃　His　eyes　narrowed　suspiciously。
　　　〃Heard　you　been　taking　care　of　some　guy　。　。　。　〃　I　let　it　drop。　His　reaction　was　not　what　I　expected。　〃Well；　that's　what　they're　saying　around　town。　Thanks　for　the　advice。〃　I　got　out。　But　I　feared　I　had　goofed。
　　　I　soon　knew　I　had　goofed。
　　　A　squad　manded　by　a　major　showed　up　at　the　inn　only　minutes　after　my　return。　They　had　the　bunch　of　us　under　arrest　before　we　knew　what　was　happening。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　barely　had　time　to　cast　spells　of　concealment　on　their　gear。
　　　We　played　ignorant。　We　cursed　and　grumbled　and　whined。　It　did　us　no　good。　Our　captors　knew　less　about　why　we　were　being　grabbed　than　we　did。　Just　following　orders。
　　　The　landlord　had　a　look　which　made　me　certain　he　had　reported　us　as　suspicious。　I　expect　Case　said　something　about　my　visit　that　tipped　a　balance　somewhere。　Whatever；　we　were　on　our　way　to　cells。
　　　Ten　minutes　after　the　door　clanged　shut；　the　very　mander　of　the　Eternal　Guard　turned　up。　I　sighed　in　relief。　He　hadn't　been　here　before。　At　least　he　was　no　one　we　knew。　He　shouldn't　know　us。
　　　We　had　had　time　to　rehearse　using　the　deaf　speech。　All　but　Tracker。　But　Tracker　seemed　lost　within　himself。　They　had　not　allowed　his　mutt　to　acpany　him。　He　had　been　angry　about　that。　Scared　the　crap　out　of　the　guys　who　arrested　us。　For　a　minute　they　thought　they　would　have　to　fight　him。
　　　The　mander　studied　us；　then　introduced　himself。　〃I'm　Colonel　Sweet。　I　mand　the　Eternal　Guard。〃　Case　hovered　behind　him；　anxious。　〃I　asked　you　men　here　because　aspects　of　your　behavior　have　been　unusual。〃
　　　〃Have　we　unwittingly　broken　a　rule　not　publicly　posted？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃Not　at　all。　Not　at　all。　The　matter　is　entirely　circumstantial。　What　you　might　call　a　question　of　undeclared　intent。〃
　　　〃You've　lost　me；　sir。〃
　　　He　began　pacing　up　and　down　the　passageway　outside　our　cell。　Up　and　down。　〃There　is　the　old　saw　about　actions　speaking　louder　than　words。　I've　had　reports　on　you　from　several　sources。　About　your　excessive　curiosity　about　matters　not　connected　with　your　business。〃
　　　I　did　my　best　to　appear　baffled。　〃What's　unusual　about　asking　questions　in　new　country？　My　associates　haven't　been　here　before。　It's　been　years　since　I　was。　Things　have　changed。　Anyway；　this　is　one　of　the　most　interesting　places　in　the　empire。〃
　　　〃Also　one　of　the　most　dangerous；　trader。　Candle；　is　it？　Mr。　Candle；　you　were　stationed　here　in　service。　What　unit？〃
　　　That　I　could　answer　without　hesitation。　〃Drake　Crest。　Colonel　Lot。　Second　Battalion。〃　I　was　here；　after　all。
　　　〃Yes。　The　Roses　mercenary　brigade。　What　was　the　Colonel's　favorite　drink？〃
　　　Oh；　boy。　〃I　was　a　pikeman；　Colonel。　I　didn't　drink　with　the　brigadier。〃
　　　〃Right。〃　He　paced。　I　could　not　tell　if　that　answer　worked　or　not。　Drake　Crest　hadn't　been　a　flashy；　storied　outfit　like　the　Black　pany。　Who　the　hell　would　remember　anything　about　them？　After　a　time。　〃You　must　understand　my　position。　With　that　thing　buried　out　there　paranoia　bees　an　occupational　hazard。〃　He　pointed　in　the　direction　the　Great　Barrow　must　lie。　Then　he　stalked　off。
　　　〃What　the　hell　was　all　that？〃　Goblin　asked。
　　　〃I　don't　know。　And　I'm　not　sure　I　want　to　find　out。　Somehow；　we　got　ourselves　into　big　trouble。〃　That　for　the　benefit　of　eavesdroppers。
　　　Goblin　accepted　his　cue。　〃Damnit；　Candle；　I　told　you　we　shouldn't　e　up　here。　I　told　you　the　Oar　people　would　have　an　arrangement　with　the　Guard。〃
　　　One…Eye　jumped　in　then。　They　really　ragged　me。　Meantime；　we　talked　it　over　with　the　finger　speech；　decided　to　wait　the　Colonel　out。
　　　Not　much　choice　anyway；　without　tipping　our　hands。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Two：　IMPRISONED　IN　THE　BARROWLAND
　　　
　　　It　was　bad。　Far　worse　than　we　suspected。　Those　Guard　guys　were　paranoid　plus。　I　mean；　they　didn't　have　an　inkling　who　we　were。　But　they　did　not　let　that　slow　them。
　　　Half　a　platoon　showed　up　suddenly。　Rattle　and　clang　at　the　door。　No　talk。　Grim　faces。　We　had　trouble。
　　　〃I　don't　think　they're　going　to　turn　us　loose；〃　Goblin　said。
　　　〃Out；〃　a　sergeant　told　us。
　　　We　went　out。　All　but　Tracker。　Tracker　just　sat　there。　I　tried　a　funny。　〃He　misses　his　dog。〃
　　　Nobody　laughed。
　　　One　of　the　Guards　punched　Tracker's　arm。　Tracker　took　a　long　time　turning；　looking　at　the　man；　his　face　an　emotional　blank。
　　　〃You　shouldn't　ought　to　have　done　that。〃　I　said。
　　　〃Shut　up；〃　the　sergeant　snapped。　〃Get　him　moving。〃
　　　The　man　who　had　punched　Tracker　went　to　hit　him　again。
　　　It　might　have　been　a　love　tap　in　slowed　motion。　Tracker　reached　around　the　moving　fist；　caught　the　advancing　wrist；　broke　it。　The　Guardsman　shrieked。　Tracker　tossed　him　aside。　His　face　remained　a　blank。　His　gaze　followed　the　man　belatedly。　He　seemed　to　begin　wondering　what　was　happening。
　　　The　other　Guards　gaped。　Then　a　couple　jumped　in　with　bared　weapons。
　　　〃Hey！　Take　it　easy！〃　I　yelled。　〃Tracker　。　。　。　〃
　　　Still　in　that　sort　of　mental　nowhere；　Tracker　took　their　weapons　away；　tossed　them　into　a　corner；　and　beat　the　crap　out　of　both　men。　The　sergeant　was　torn　between　awe　and　outrage。
　　　I　tried　to　mollify　him。　〃He's　not　very　bright。　You　can't　e　at　him　like　that。　You　have　to　explain　things　slow　like；　two　or　three　times。〃
　　　〃I'll　explain！〃　He　started　to　send　the　rest　of　his　men　into　the　cell。
　　　〃You　get　him　mad；　you're　going　to　get　somebody　killed。〃　I　talked　fast；　and　wondered　what　the　hell　it　was　with　Tracker　and　his　damned　pooch。　That　mutt　went　away；　Tracker　became　a　moron。　With　homicidal　tendencies。
　　　The　sergeant　let　sense　override　anger。　〃You　get　him　under　control。〃
　　　I　worked　on　it。　I　knew　the　immediate　future　boded　no　good　from　the　attitude　of　the　soldiers；　but　was　not　overly　worried。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　could　handle　whatever　trouble　developed。　The　thing　to　do　now　was　keep　our　heads　and　lives。
　　　I　wanted　to　tend　the　three　injured　soldiers；　but　dared　not。　Just　looking　at　One…Eye　and　Goblin　would　give　clues　enough　for　the　other　side　to　figure　out；　eventually；　who　we　were。　No　sense　giving　them　more。　I　concentrated　on　Tracker。　Once　I　got　him　to　focus　on　me　it　was　no　great　task　to　get　through；　to　calm　him　down；　to　explain　that　we　were　going　somewhere　with　the　soldiers。
　　　He　said；　〃They　shouldn't　ought　to　do　me　like　that；　Croaker。〃　He　sounded　like　a　child　whose　feelings　had　been　hurt。　I　grimaced。　But　the　Guards　did　not　react　to　the　name。
　　　They　surrounded　us；　all　with　hands　upon　weapons；　except　those　trying　to　get　their　injured　panions　to　the　horse　doctor　who　served　as　the　Guard's　physician。　Some　of　them　were　itching　to　get　even。　I　worked　hard　to　keep　Tracker　calm。
　　　The　place　they　took　us　did　not　encourage　me。　It　was　a　sodden　cellar　beneath　the　headquarters。　It　looked　like　a　caricature　of　a　torture　chamber。　I　suspect　it　was　meant　to　intimidate。　Having　seen　real　torture　and　real　torture　implements；　I　recognized　half　the　equipment　as　prop　or　unusually　antiquated。　But　there　were　some　serviceable　implements；　too。　I　exchanged　glances　with　Goblin　and　One…Eye。
　　　Tracker　said；　〃I　don't　like　it　here。　I　want　to　go　outside。　I　want　to　see　Toadkiller　Dog。〃
　　　〃Stand　easy。　We'll　be　out　in　a　little　while。〃
　　　Goblin　grinned　his　famous　grin；　though　it　was　a　little　lopsided。　Yes。　We　would　be　out　soon。　Maybe　feet　first；　but　out。
　　　Colonel　Sweet　was　there。　He　did　not　seem　pleased　by　our　reaction　to　his　stage。　He　said；　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you　men。　You　didn't　seem　eager　to　chat　earlier。　Are　these　surroundings　more　amenable？〃
　　　〃Not　exactly。　They　make　one　wonder；　though。　Is　this　the　penalty　for　stepping　on　the　heels　of　the　gentlemen　traders　of　Oar？　I　didn't　realize　they　had　the　blessing　of　the　Guard　in　their　monopoly。〃
　　　〃Games。　No　games；　Mr。　Candle。　Straight　answers。　Now。　Or　my　men　will　make　your　next　few　hours　extremely　unpleasant。〃
　　　〃Ask。　But　I　have　a　bad　feeling　I　don't　have　the　answers　you　want　to　hear。〃
　　　〃Then　that　will　be　your　misfortune。〃
　　　I　glanced　at　Goblin。　He　had　gone　into　a　sort　of　trance。
　　　The　Colonel　said；　〃I　do　not　believe　you　when　you　say　you're　just　traders。　The　pattern　of　your　questions　indicate　an　inordinate　interest　in　a　man　named　Corbie　and　his　house。　Corbie；　let　it　be　noted；　is　suspected　of　being　either　a　Rebel　agent　or　Resurrectionist。　Tell　me　about　him。〃
　　　I　did；　almost　pletely；　and　truthfully：　〃I　never　heard　of　him　before　we　got　here。〃
　　　I　think　he　believed　me。　But　he　shook　his　head　slowly。
　　　〃You　see。　You　won't　believe　me　even　when　you　know　I'm　telling　the　truth。〃
　　　〃But　how　much　are　you　telling？　That　is　the　question。　The　White　Rose　partments　its　organization。　You　could　have　had　no　idea　who　Corbie　was　and　still　have　e　looking　for　him。　Has　he　been　out　of　touch　for　a　while？〃
　　　This　sucker　was　sharp。
　　　My　face　must　have　been　too　studiedly　blank。　He　nodded　to　himself；　scanned　the　four　of　us；　zeroed　in　on　One…Eye。　〃The　black　man。　Pretty　old；　isn't　he？〃
　　　I　was　surprised　he　did　not　make　more　of　One…Eye's　skin　color。　Black　men　are　extremely　rare　north　of　the　Sea　of　Torments。　Chances　are　the　Colonel　had　not　seen　one　before。　That　a　black　man；　very　old；　is　one　of　the　cornerstones　of　the　Black　pany　is　not　exactly　a　secret。
　　　I　did　not　answer。
　　　〃We'll　start　with　him。　He　looks　least　likely　to　stand　up。〃
　　　Tracker　asked；　〃You　want　me　to　kill　them。　Croaker？〃
　　　〃I　want　you　to　keep　your　mouth　shut　and　stand　still；　that's　what　I　want。〃　Damn。　But　Sweet　missed　the　name。　Either　that　or　I　was　less　famous　than　I　thought　and　overdue　for　ego　deflation。
　　　Sweet　did　seem　amazed　that　Tracker　was　so　confident。
　　　〃Take　him　to　the　rack。〃　He　indicated　One…Eye。
　　　One…Eye　chuckled　and　extended　his　hands　to　the　men　who　approached　him。　Goblin　snickered。　Their　amusement　disturbed　everyone。　Me　not　least；　for　I　knew　their　senses　of　humor。
　　　Sweet　looked　me　in　the　eye。　〃They　find　this　am