gc.thewhiterose-第43部分

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ast　a　riot。　On　and　on。　So…and…so　of　such…and…such；　with　Lady　Who's…is；　sixteen　titles；　four　of　which　made　sense。　By　the　time　the　heralds　finished　proclaiming　everyone；　the　party　must　have　died　or　encroaching　senility。
　　　Anyway；　along　about　the　middle　of　the　list　I　heard　a　little　catch　in　her　breath。　Aha！　I　said　to　myself。　A　bolt　strikes　close。　My　ears　pricked　up。
　　　She　went　on　smoothly。　Moments　later　I　was　not　sure　I　had　not　imagined　it。　Reason　told　me　the　name　that　startled　her　would　not　be　the　one　she　was　speaking。　She　was　toddling　along　at　my　writing　pace。　Her　eyes　would　be　well　ahead　of　my　hand。
　　　Not　one　of　the　names　that　followed　clanged　any　bell。
　　　I　would　go　over　the　list　later；　just　in　case；　hoping　she　had　deleted　something。
　　　No　such　luck。
　　　e　afternoon　she　said；　〃Break；　Croaker。　I'm　going　for　tea。　You　want　some？〃
　　　〃Sure。　Maybe　a　hunk　of　bread；　too。〃　I　scribbled　another　half　minute　before　realizing　what　had　happened。
　　　What？　The　Lady　herself　offering　to　fetch？　Me　putting　in　an　order　without　thinking？　I　got　a　case　of　the　nerves。　How　much　was　she　role…playing？　How　much　pretending　for　fun？　It　must　be　centuries　since　she　got　her　own　tea。　If　ever。
　　　I　rose；　started　to　follow；　halted　outside　my　cell　door。
　　　Fifteen　steps　down　the　tunnel；　in　the　grungy；　feeble　lamplight；　Otto　had　cornered　her　against　the　wall。　He　was　talking　some　shit。　Why　I　had　not　foreseen　the　problem　I　do　not　know。　I　doubted　that　she　had。　Surely　it　was　not　one　she　faced　normally。
　　　Otto　got　pushy。　I　started　to　go　break　it　up　then　vacillated。　She　might　be　angered　by　my　interference。
　　　A　light　step　from　the　other　direction。　Elmo。　He　paused。　Otto　was　too　single…minded　to　notice　us。
　　　〃Better　do　something；〃　Elmo　said。　〃We　don't　need　that　kind　of　trouble。〃
　　　She　did　not　appear　frightened　or　upset。　〃I　think　maybe　she　can　handle　it。〃
　　　Otto　got　a　〃no〃　that　could　not　be　misinterpreted。　But　he　did　not　accept　it。　He　tried　to　lay　hands　on。
　　　He　got　a　ladylike　slap　for　his　trouble。　Which　angered　him。　He　decided　to　take　what　he　wanted。　As　Elmo　and　I　moved　forward；　he　disappeared　in　a　flurry　of　kicks　and　punches　that　set　him　down　in　the　muck　on　the　floor；　holding　his　belly　with　one　arm　and　that　arm　with　the　other。　Ardath　went　on　as　though　nothing　had　happened。
　　　I　said；　〃I　told　you　she　could　handle　it。〃
　　　〃Remind　me　not　to　overstep　myself；〃　Elmo　said。　Then　he　grinned　and　tapped　my　arm。　〃Bet　she's　mean　on　the　horizontal。　Eh？〃
　　　Damned　if　I　did　not　blush。　I　gave　him　a　foolish　grin。　It　only　confirmed　his　suspicions。　What　the　hell。　Anything　would　have。　That　is　the　way　those　things　go。
　　　We　lugged　Otto　to　my　room。　I　thought　he　would　puke　up　his　guts。　But　he　controlled　himself。　I　checked　for　broken　bones。　He　was　just　bruised。　〃All　yours；　Elmo；〃　I　said；　for　I　knew　the　old　sergeant　was　rehearsing　a　few　choice　words。
　　　He　took　Otto　by　the　elbow　and　said；　〃Step　down　to　my　office；　soldier。〃　He　started　dirt　tumbling　from　the　tunnel　overheads　when　he　explained　the　facts　of　life。
　　　When　Ardath　returned　she　behaved　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　Perhaps　she　missed　us　watching。　But　after　half　an　hour　she　asked；　〃Can　we　take　a　break？　Go　outside？　Walk？〃
　　　〃You　want　me　to　e？〃
　　　She　nodded。　〃We　need　to　talk。　Privately。〃
　　　〃All　right。〃
　　　To　tell　the　truth；　whenever　I　lifted　my　nose　from　my　work　I　got　a　little　claustrophobic　myself。　My　venture　westward　reminded　me　how　good　it　is　to　stretch　one's　legs。　〃Hungry？〃　I　asked。　〃Too　serious　to　make　a　picnic？〃
　　　She　looked　startled；　then　charmed；　by　the　idea。　〃Good。　Let's　do　that。〃
　　　So　we　went　to　the　cook　and　baker　and　filled　a　bucket　and　went　topside。　Though　she　did　not　notice　everyone　smirking；　I　did。
　　　There　is　but　one　door　in　the　Hole。　To　the　conference　room；　behind　which　Darling's　personal　quarters　lie。　Neither　my　quarters　nor　Ardath's　had　so　much　as　a　curtain　closure。　Folks　figured　we　were　off　for　the　privacy　of　the　wide　open　spaces。
　　　Dream　on。　Up　there　would　be　more　spectators　than　down　below。　They　just　would　not　be　human。
　　　The　sun　was　maybe　three　hours　short　of　setting　when　we　stepped　outside；　and　it　smacked　us　right　in　the　eyes。　Rough。　But　I　expected　it。　Should　have　warned　her。
　　　We　strolled　up　the　creek；　breathing　slightly　sagey　air　and　saying　nothing。　The　desert　was　silent。　Not　even　Father　Tree　stirred。　The　breeze　was　insufficient　to　sigh　in　the　coral。　After　a　while　I　said；　〃Well？〃
　　　〃I　needed　to　get　out。　The　walls　were　closing　in。　The　null　made　it　worse。　I　feel　helpless　down　there。　It　preys　on　the　mind。〃
　　　〃Oh。〃
　　　We　rounded　a　coral　head　and　encountered　a　menhir。　One　of　my　old　buddies；　I　guess；　for　he　reported；　〃There　are　strangers　on　the　Plain；　Croaker。〃
　　　〃No　lie？〃　Then：　〃Which　strangers；　rock？〃　But　it　had　nothing　more　to　say。
　　　〃They're　always　like　that？〃
　　　〃Or　worse。　Well。　The　null　begins　to　fade。　Feel　better？〃
　　　〃I　felt　better　the　moment　I　stepped　outside。　That's　the　gate　to　Hell。　How　can　you　people　live　like　that？〃
　　　〃It　isn't　much；　but　it's　home。〃
　　　We　came　to　bare　earth。　She　halted。　〃What's　this？〃
　　　〃Old　Father　Tree。　You　know　what　they　think　we're　up　to；　down　there？〃
　　　〃I　know。　Let　them　think　it。　Call　it　protective　coloration。　That　is　your　Father　Tree？〃　She　indicated　Himself。
　　　〃That's　him。〃　I　walked　on。　〃How　you　doing　today；　old…timer？〃
　　　Must　be　fifty　times　I　have　asked　that。　I　mean；　the　old　guy　is　remarkable；　but　just　a　tree。　Right？　I　did　not　expect　a　response。　But　Father　Tree's　leaves　started　tinkling　the　moment　I　spoke。
　　　〃e　back　here；　Croaker。〃　The　Lady's　voice　was　manding；　hard；　a　little　shaken。　I　turned　and　marched。
　　　〃Back　to　your　old　self？〃　From　the　corner　of　my　eye　I　caught　a　shadow　in　motion；　off　toward　the　Hole。　I　concentrated　on　a　bit　of　coral　and　nearby　brush。　〃Keep　your　voice　down。　We　have　an　eavesdropper。〃
　　　〃That's　no　surprise。〃　She　spread　the　ragged　blanket　she　had　brought；　sat　down　with　her　toes　right　at　the　edge　of　the　barren。　She　removed　the　rag　covering　the　bucket。　I　settled　beside　her；　positioned　so　I　could　watch　that　shadow。　〃Do　you　know　what　that　is？〃　she　asked；　nodding　at　the　tree。
　　　〃Nobody　does。　It's　just　Old　Father　Tree。　The　desert　clans　call　him　a　god。　We've　seen　no　evidence　of　that。　One…Eye　and　Goblin　were　impressed　with　the　fact　that　he　stands　almost　exactly　on　the　geographical　center　of　the　Plain；　though。〃
　　　〃Yes。　I　suppose　。　。　。　So　much　was　lost　in　the　fall。　I　should　have　suspected　。　。　。　My　husband　was　not　the　first　of　his　kind。　Croaker。　Nor　the　White　Rose　the　first　of　hers。　It　is　a　grand　cycle；　I　believe。〃
　　　〃You've　lost　me。〃
　　　〃A　very　long　time　ago；　even　as　I　measure　time；　there　was　another　war　like　that　between　the　Dominator　and　the　White　Rose。　The　light　overcame　the　shadow。　But　as　always；　the　shadow　left　its　taint　on　the　victors。　In　order　to　end　the　struggle；　they　summoned　a　thing　from　another　world；　plane；　dimension；　what…have…you；　the　way　Goblin　might　conjure　a　demon；　only　this　thing　was　an　adolescent　god。　Of　sorts。　In　a　sapling　avatar。　These　events　were　legendary　only　in　my　youth；　when　much　more　of　the　past　survived；　so　details　are　open　to　question。　But　it　was　a　summoning　of　such　scope；　and　such　price；　that　thousands　perished　and　counties　were　devastated。　But　they　planted　their　captive　god　over　the　grave　of　their　great　enemy；　where　it　would　keep　him　enchained。　This　tree…god　would　live　a　million　years。〃
　　　〃You　mean？　。　。　。　Old　Father　is　sitting　on　something　like　the　Great　Barrow？〃
　　　〃I　did　not　connect　the　legends　and　the　Plain　till　I　saw　that　tree。　Yes。　This　earth　constrains　something　as　virulent　as　my　husband。　So　much　suddenly　makes　sense。　It　all　fits。　The　beasts。　The　impossible　talking　rocks。　Coral　reefs　a　thousand　miles　from　the　sea。　It　all　leaked　through　from　that　other　world。　The　change　storms　are　the　tree's　dreams。〃
　　　She　rattled　on；　not　so　much　explaining　as　putting　things　together　for　herself。　I　gaped　and　remembered　the　change　storm　that　caught　me　on　the　way　west。　Was　I　accursed；　to　be　caught　in　a　god's　nightmare？
　　　〃This　is　crazy；〃　I　said；　and　at　the　same　instant　decrypted　the　shape　I　had　been　trying　to　pry　from　the　shadows；　bushes；　and　coral。
　　　Silent。　Squatting　on　his　hams；　motionless　as　a　snake　awaiting　prey。　Silent；　who　had　been　everywhere　I　went　the　last　three　days；　like　an　extra　shadow；　seldom　noticed　because　he　was　Silent。　Well。　So　much　for　my　confidence　that　my　return　with　a　panion　had　tickled　no　suspicions。
　　　〃This　is　a　bad　place　to　be；　Croaker。　Very　bad。　Tell　that　deaf　peasant　wench　to　move。〃
　　　〃If　I　did　that；　I　would　have　to　explain　why　and　reveal　who　gave　me　the　advice。　I　doubt　she　would　be　impressed。〃
　　　〃I　suppose　you're　right。　Well；　it　won't　matter　much　longer。　Let's　eat。〃
　　　She　opened　a　packet　and　set　out　what　looked　like　fried　rabbit。　But　there　are　no　rabbits　on　the　Plain。　〃For　all　they　got　kicked　around；　their　adventure　toward　Horse　improved　the　larder。〃　I　dug　in。
　　　Silent　remained　motionless　in　the　corner　of　my　eye。　You　bastard；　I　thought。　I　hope　you're　drooling。
　　　Three　pieces　of　rabbit　later　I　slowed　enough　to　ask；　〃That　about　the　old…timer　is　interesting；　but　does　it　have　any　relevance？〃
　　　Father　Tree　was　raising　a　ruckus。　I　wondered　why。　〃Are　you　afraid　of　him？〃
　　　She　did　not　answer。　I　chucked　bones　down　the　creek　bank；　rose。　〃Back　in　a　minute。〃　I　stomped　over　to　Father　Tree。　〃Old…Timer；　you　got　any　seeds？　Any　sprouts？　A　little　something　we　could　take　to　the　Barrowland　to　plant　on　top　of　our　own　villain？〃
　　　Talking　to　that　tree；　all　those　times　heading　past；　was　a　game。　I　was　possessed　of　an　almost　religious　awe　of　its　age；　but　of　no　conscious　belief　in　it　as　anything　like　either　the　nomads　or　the　Lady　claimed。　Just　a　gnarly　old　tree　with　weird　leaves　and　a　bad　temper。
　　　Temper？
　　　When　I　touched　it；　to　lean　against　it　while　looking　up　among　its　bizarre　leaves　for　nuts　or　seeds；　it　bit　me。　Well；　not　with　teeth。　But　sparks　flew。　The　tips　of　my　fingers　stung。　When　I　took　them　out　of　my　mouth　they　looked　burned。　〃Damn；〃　I　muttered；　and　backed　off　a　few　steps。　〃Nothing　personal；　tree。　Thought　you　might　want　to　help　out。〃
　　　Vaguely；　I　was　aware　that　a　menhir　now　stood　near　Silent's　lurking　place。　More　appeared　around　the　barren　area。
　　　Something　hit　me　with　the　force　of　windwhale　ballast　dumped　from　a　hundred　feet　up。　I　went　down。　Waves　of　po