cacb.thefarkingdoms-第11部分

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n　himself　and　sent　him　out　to　Find　his　own　Tradewind。
　Janos　listened　intently　as　if　I　were　all　that　existed　in　the　world。　I　must　have　sounded　hesitant：　explaining　something　you　have　always　taken　as　a　monplace　is　very　difficult；　but　I　wanted　to　be　clear　and　concise；　for　the　other　purpose　for　my　seeking　out　Captain　Greycloak　was　to　test　him；　to　see　if　I　wanted　him　as　the　mander　of　my　own　guard。　I　knew　few　soldiers；　and　those　I　did　were　more　suited　for　the　wineshop　and　ceremonials　than　a　sudden　ambush　by　raiders。　It　was　traditional　for　the　army　of　Orissa　to　be　used　as　a　recruiting　station　for　Findings；　and　for　full…scale　merchant　expeditions。　Not　only　was　the　burden　of　the　soldiers'　wages　alleviated　while　they　served　a　merchant；　but　an　officer　and　the　men　he　chose　would　also　be　given　bonuses　dependent　on　the　expedition's　success。
　After　I'd　finished　my　carefully　chosen　exposition　Janos　thought　a　moment；　then　asked；　〃This　has　been　going　on　for　how　long？〃　I　didn't　know；　precisely；　but　my　father　had　told　me　of　his　father's　father's　father's　Finding；　so　as　far　as　I　knew；　forever。
　〃A　puzzlement；〃　Janos　said。　〃Each　year　someone…or　several　someones…go　seeking　new　worlds。　Yet　the　charts　I've　seen　in　Orissa　still　have　great　areas　that　are　marked　as　unknown　outlands。　Are　these　Findings　kept　secret；　familiar　only　to　you　merchants　and　your　rulers？〃
　All　merchants　have　trading　secrets；　and　any　new　discoveries　would　be　held　close　as　long　as　they　were　profitable；　but　I　told　him　that　wasn't　the　plete　story：　the　journey；　in　truth；　would　not　be　into　pletely　unknown　lands；　but　almost　certainly　to　the　west；　to　cities　and　regions　familiar　to　Orissans。　Perhaps　a　daring　young　man　might　chance　traveling　a　distance　to　the　south；　if　not　as　far　as　into　the　realm　of　the　Ice　Barbarians。　That　was　what　my　father　had　done　on　his　Finding。　But　he　had　been　regarded　as　a　wild　man；　or　so　I'd　heard　the　merchants　of　his　generation　say　when　drink　loosened　their　memories。　For　many　young　men　the　journey　was　expected　to　be　as　much　an　exploration　of　tine　wines　and　the　willing　maidens　of　other　cities　as　anything　else。　It　was　also　a　test；　of　sorts：　a　man　who　returned　from　his　Finding　having　shown　an　ability　to　get　along　with　his　father's　customers；　or　having　found　a　few　new　markets　or　goods；　or　who　survived　without　being　so　ludicrously　cursed　with　ill　luck　that　he　was　ambushed　by　bandits…　this　man　would　be　feasted　and　praised。　There　was　some　danger：　I　would　not　have　sought　out　Janos　if　the　Finding　was　nothing　more　than　a　celebration　of　beautiful　scenes；　women；　food；　and　drink。　But　I　dwelt　on　the　romance；　not　jeopardy；　being　the　true　son　of　Orissa's　most　silken…tongued　merchant。
　〃I　understand；　now。〃　Janos　turned　his　goblet　in　his　fingers。　〃So　then；　your　Finding　will　be　in　which　direction？〃
　I　stared。　Either　I　hadn't　explained　clearly；　or　else　a　Finding　was　something　pletely　alien　in　the　world　he　came　from。　〃Why；　west；　of　course。〃
　There　was　a　pause。　Janos　looked　at　me；　then　smiled；　and　the　sun　came　out　once　more。　〃Yes。　As　you　say：　of　course。〃　He　drained　his　goblet。　〃Perhaps　we　should　find　something　more　substantial　than　these　morsels　before　we　drink　any　more。　A　good　way　for　an　outlander　such　as　myself　to　suddenly　not　have　to　worry　about　promotion　beyond　captain　is　to　be　found　stumbling　through　the　streets　before　the　sun　lowers。　My　treat。〃
　He　clapped　me　on　the　back；　dropped　coins　on　the　table；　and　we　went　out。　He　had　said　nothing　。。。　and　his　face　had　shown　less。　But　I　felt　I　had　somehow　failed　a　test。
　
　I　REMEMBER　ORISSA　as　beautiful　in　that　bright　spring　day　as　we　wandered　the　winding　lanes；　Eanes；　for　once；　not　trying　to　parade　his　wisdom　and　walking　some　five　paces　behind　us。　Orissa　was　much　then　as　it　is　now：　a　farm　could　still　be　found　beside　a　smith's　forge；　and　a　free　peasant's　shack　just　behind　a　sprawling　villa　such　as　my　father's。　There　were　fewer　people　then；　so　the　land　was　more　open。　The　great　city　and　its　suburbs　and　outer　district　censused　no　greater　than　three　tens　of　thousands　free；　and　the　same　number　slave。　No　fool　had　yet　proposed　a　Grand　Plan　for　the　city；　as　has　been　mentioned　recently；　to　turn　Orissa　into　a　nightmare　of　orderliness　such　as　Lycanth。　The　rolling　hills　that　rose　to　the　Magistrates'　Citadel　were　rainbows；　each　house　or　shop　painted　or　stained　as　its　owners　saw　fit。　Many　shades　of　reds；　blues；　golds；　and　even　purples　made　Orissa　the　beautiful　artist's　palette　it　was。　A　visitor　from　the　west　had　once　said　that　Orissa　looked　like　a　magpie's　nest；　undignified　in　its　chaos　of　hues。　My　father　had　eyed　him　with　barely　concealed　scorn　and　wondered　if　he　thought　Orissa　would　still　be　marveled　at　as　the　Queen　of　Cities　if；　like　Lycanth；　its　buildings　and　streets　were　gray　and　black；　or　if　they　were　shamefully　left　in　their　mon　stone　or　wood　colors。　That　was　what　the　great　hairy　not…men　of　the　northern　tropics　did；　to　conceal　their　lean…tos　in　the　jungle。　As　did　the　barbarians　of　the　ice　who　tried　to　pretend　their　great　bare　stone　monoliths　showed　the　virtues　of　simplicity　rather　than　a　lack　of　imagination　and　courage　to　shout　splendor　to　the　envious　gods。
　Eventually　we　found　ourselves　on　the　Street　of　the　Gods。　ing　down　the　middle　of　the　street；　behaving　as　if　there　were　no　other　traffic；　was　a　Master　Evocator…his　name　was　Jeneander。　In　front　of　him　were　staff…armed；　naked　servants；　their　bodies　shaved　bare；　and　behind　him　was　his　retinue　of　journeymen；　adepts；　and　secretaries。　I　turned　away；　not　making　obeisance；　as　if　suddenly　entranced　by　the　shabby　tabernacle　that　honored　some　fruit　growers'　deity。　From　the　corner　of　my　eye　I　saw　Janos　knuckle　a　mark　of　respect；　then　he　turned　in　the　same　direction　I　was　facing。　He　laughed；　a　barely　audible　chuckle。
　〃Even　here　in　Orissa；〃　he　murmured；　〃superstition　calls　it　the　worst　of　luck　for　a　Evocator　to　cross　your　path。　In　some　places　I　have　visited；　seeing　such　a　man　or　woman　would　require　you　to　return　home　and　go　immediately　to　bed…or　face　the　worst　of　nameless　fates。〃
　I　nodded　and　said　something　such　as　yes；　I　supposed　even　the　most　rational　of　us　had　some　superstitions；　but　I　did　not　tell　him　the　real　explanation。　It　was　not　superstition　at　all；　but　cold　hatred：　for　the　Evocators　and　their　magic　had　murdered　my　brother。
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR
　Dance　of　the　Far　Kingdoms
　WE　WERE　DAWDLING　through　a　sculpture　garden　near　my　villa　before　I　broached　the　subject　again。　We　had　been　talking　of　nothing；　talking　of　everything；　each　taking　the　measure　of　the　other。　Finally　I　was　fortable　enough　with　my　new　friend　to　ment　on　something　that　had　been　troubling　me　for　a　time。　〃I　saw　your　look　of　disapproval　when　I　said　I　would　journey　west　in　my　Finding；〃　I　said。
　Janos　stopped　in　his　tracks；　made　a　musing　sound；　and　stroked　his　beard。　His　actions　gave　me　yet　another　reason　to　find　the　altar　of　the　godlet　who　ruled　over　face　hair：　beard　stroking　seemed　a　wonderful　device　for　a　canny　man　to　use　to　consider　his　words　before　they　tumbled　out。　〃My　apologies；〃　he　said。　〃I　thought　I　was　more　capable　at　the　graces　of　civility　than　I　evidently　am。　You　appear　to　have　some　of　the　talents　of　a　seer。〃
　〃There's　no　magic　to　it；〃　I　said。　〃I　am　only　someone　who　grew　tired　of　being　thought　a　rich　fool。　You　should　see　all　the　flies　that　buzz　about　when　you　have　a　wealthy　father；　all　saying　how　wise　you　are；　how　handsome；　how　your　games　are　the　best　to　be　played；　how　you　should　be　the　captain　of　the　team。　Even　how　your　lovemaking　is　the　most　head…spinning　they　have　ever　encountered。　And　could　you　spare　a　bit　of　your　purse　for　a　few　days；　Amalric；　my　friend？〃
　Janos　nodded。　〃The　best　way　to　live；　and　I　wish　it　were　possible；　is　to　live　honestly。　All　we　need　do　is　find　a　world　where　everyone　about　us　is　equally　as　virtuous。　And　thick…skinned。　I　confess　that　I　did　disapprove　of　what　you　plan　for　the　Finding　of　your　Tradewind。　Because　I　was　judging　your　actions　by　what　I　would　do　were　I　in　your　place。〃
　〃What　would　you　do；　friend　Janos？　If　you　were　magically　transformed　into　Amalric　Antero？〃
　〃First；　I　would　endow　a　certain　Janos　Greycloak　with　riches　to　indulge　himself　beyond　his　wildest　dreams；　so　he'd　never　again　have　to　dance　attendance　on　fat　old　fools。　Then　I　would　seek　my　Tradewind…to　the　east。　And　if　I　lived；　my　Finding　would　not　only　make　me　rich；　and　give　me　knowledge　and　power　beyond　that　held　by　the　most　hoary　Evocator；　but　ensure　my　name　would　be　remembered　from　this　day　to　the　ending　of　history。〃
　〃Ah；〃　I　said；　grinning。　〃You　would　seek　out　the　Far　Kingdoms。〃
　〃Just　so。〃
　I　started　to　laugh；　for　I　had　thrown　out　the　goal　as　a　jest；　I　then　saw　his　face　was　darkly　serious。　〃You　believe　such　a　place　exists？〃
　〃I　do　not　believe。　I　know。〃
　〃Oh。〃　I　could　feel　the　shutters　of　my　mind　close；　just　as　it　does　when　a　respected　tutor　announces　there　are　worlds　beyond　our　own；　or　when　a　sage　begins　drooling　like　a　goat　in　heat　over　an　empty…headed　strumpet。
　As　a　boy　I　had　eagerly　listened　to　the　tales　of　the　greatness　of　the　Far　Kingdoms；　located　in　the　distant　east；　well　beyond　the　ken　of　man。　Most　tales　agreed　that　it　lay　across　the　straits　of　the　Narrow　Sea；　beyond　the　benighted　Pepper　Coast；　in　uncharted　territory。　If　a　man　could　survive　such　a　hazardous　journey…which；　all　agreed；　no　one　alive　could；　since　we　were　a　far　cry　from　the　giants　of　earlier　days…he　would　find　himself　in　a　land　of　fabled　wealth　and　wizardry。　I　had　always　considered…even　when　I　had　told　some　of　the　tales　myself　as　a　sprat…the　Far　Kingdoms　were　suitable　for　philosophers'　examples；　peasant　dreams；　or　the　fictions　of　the　bards。　In　the　past；　hearing　such　a　statement　as　Janos　had　just　made；　I　would　have　politely　smiled；　chatted　tin　for　a　while；　made　my　excuses；　and　then　left…determined　to　find　another　officer　to　acpany　me　on　my　Finding。　But　now；　hard　on　my　new　course　of　honesty；　I　pressed　on。
　〃I　have　always　believed；　as　did　my　father…and；　for　that　matter；　all　the　educated　men　I've　encountered…that　the　Far　Kingdoms　was　a　dream。　Just　as　some　peasants　believe　there　was　a　Golden　Age　before　us；　when　men　were　all　heroes；　women　were　all　virgin…whore…mothers；　all　things　were　free　for　the　asking；　and　so　forth。〃
　And　Janos　asked；　〃What　would　convince　you　a　dream　is；　in　fact；　real？〃
　His　ment　gave　me　a　jolt；　which　I　hid；　as　I　s