cacb.thefarkingdoms-第29部分

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st　laughed；　for　his　gape　at　still　being　among　the　living　must　have　been　a　twin　of　my　own　surprise。　I　heard　men　crying　out　and　turned　to　see　how　I　could　help。　Amazingly；　Maeen　and　the　soldiers　seemed　to　have　survived；　and　the　number　of　seamen　did　not　seem　much　fewer。
　〃Over　there；〃　Janos　gasped；　pointing。　Three　of　our　seamen　must　have　been　flung　from　the　ship　when　she　struck。　They　were　wading　through　waist…high　surf　toward　the　rocky　beach。　One　of　the　men；　I　noted；　was　Crop　Ear。　He　seemed　stronger　than　the　others　and　strode　vigorously　forward。　One　of　his　panions；　weak　and　bleeding；　grabbed　him　for　help；　but　Crop　Ear　swatted　him　off　and　pushed　on。
　Janos　gave　a　sudden　groan。　〃Ah；　the　poor　bastards。〃　I　saw　the　reason　for　his　lament。　Hundreds　of　dark　figures　scuttled　along　the　beach　toward　the　wading　seamen。　They　were　waist　high　to　a　man　and　seemed　to　be　posed　of　hard　shell　and　sharp　spines。　At　that　moment　the　sun　broke　through　the　stormy　skies。　The　figures　were　not　creatures　at　all；　they　were　miniature　men；　savages　really；　armed　with　tridents　for　spears　and　wearing　shields　and　armor　made　of　some　species　of　thick…shelled　beasts。　Scores　of　them　plunged　into　the　surf　for　the　seamen。　Crop　Ear　bellowed　alarm　and　tried　to　flee。　In　moments　they　swarmed　over　him。　Soon　they　had　Crop　Ear　and　the　other　seamen　spread…eagled　on　the　shore。　One　of　the　small　warriors　leaned　in　and　cut　a　long　strip　of　flesh　from　Crop　Ear's　wriggling；　squealing　body。
　The　savage　held　up　the　strip　of　bleeding　hide。　He　shouted　a　challenge　at　the　ship；　then　raised　his　head　and　swallowed　the　flesh　whole；　like　a　cormorant　taking　a　fish。　He　whirled　around　and　plunged　back　at　Crop　Ear　for　more。　There　was　nothing　we　could　do　but　watch　as　the　savages　devoured　our　rades　alive。
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　The　Warrior　in　Amber
　JANOS　BELLOWED；　〃FOLLOW　me。〃　I　saw　him　grab　a　fishing　net。　I　could　see　it　was　snagged；　and　wondered　why　my　friend　wanted　to　go　fishing　when　we　were　all　about　to　be　eaten　by　those　fearsome　folk　on　the　shore。　He　bellowed　again；　breaking　my　coward's　death　grip　on　the　rail；　and　I　stumbled　to　help。　The　net　came　free；　and　Janos　threw　it　over　his　shoulder　and　leaped　onto　the　railing。　〃e　on；〃　he　shouted。　He　plunged　over　the　side。　I　didn't　think；　but　vaulted　after　him。　I　followed　him；　splashing　and　bounding　across　the　reef　and　into　the　shallows…knowing　he　was　mad；　but　I　was　madder　still。
　Janos　was　screaming　at　the　Shore　People。　The　words　were　unintelligible　at　first；　then　I　realized　they　were　in　Trader's　Tongue。　〃　'Ware　the　ghosts！〃　he　was　shouting。　〃　'Ware！　These　be　evil　men。　'Ware　the　ghosts！　'Ware！〃　Then　we　were　among　the　enemy。　They　must　have　thought　we　were　mad　as　well；　for　instead　of　falling　on　us　like　sensible　little　savages；　they　stood　back；　gaping；　shields　and　spears　drooping。　〃Evil　men　。。。　'Ware　the　ghosts！〃　Janos　kept　shouting；　and　they　parted　ranks　and　let　us　through。　I　saw　frightened　faces；　stunned　faces；　even　a　few　grateful　faces　blur　past。　Every　stride　we　took　and　every　shout　Janos　gave　made　them　believe　they　faced　a　terrible　threat；　and　we　were　not　that　threat。　As　we　sprinted　for　the　knot　dining　on　our　rades；　Janos　unslung　the　net。　〃Back；〃　he　shouted。　〃Get　back。　'Ware　the　ghosts！〃
　The　little　men　leaped　away　in　shock　as　Janos　hurled　the　net　into　the　air。　It　spread　its　wings　like　a　mountain　bird　and　floated　down　and　down。　The　savages　held　their　breaths；　watching　it　fall；　and　I　knew　they　were　calling　on　their　own　gods　to　aid　the　net。　A　sigh　rose　as　it　settled　over　the　corpses。　They　were　safe　from　the　ghosts。
　Janos　whirled　about；　and　when　he　saw　the　warrior　who　had　challenged　us　when　we　were　aboard　ship；　he　assumed　the　man　was　one　of　the　leaders。　〃Thank　the　gods　you　slew　these　men；〃　he　said　with　great　emotion。　〃Please　tell　us　what　deities　bless　this　place　and　we　will　make　immediate　sacrifice。　For　we　are　men　of　Orissa；　known　to　all　the　world　for　our　piety。〃　I　heard　the　word　Orissa　echo　through　the　crowd。　There　were　gasps　of　recognition；　but　amazement　as　well。　The　warriors　had　heard　of　our　river　kingdom；　but　we　were　evidently　the　first　to　e　among　them。
　The　warrior　leader　goggled　at　Janos。　His　shell　armor　gave　a　dry　rattle　as　he　shifted；　unsure。　〃These　Lycanthians　were　your　enemies？〃　he　asked。　I　heard　more　rattling　as　the　other　warriors　crept　closer。
　'To　be　Lycanthian　is　to　be　an　enemy　of　all　civilized　folk；〃　Janos　chanced。　There　were　mutters　of　angry　agreement。　〃But　these　men　you　killed　were　worse；〃　Janos　said　hotly。　〃They　were　either　demons　in　men's　skin；　or　possessed　by　demons。　It　is　because　of　them　that　we　find　ourselves　wrecked　on　your　shores；　and　begging　your　hospitality。〃
　He　half　turned　to　me；　still　speaking　in　the　tongue　of　the　traders　so　all　could　understand。　〃We　are　most　fortunate　to　e　among　these　people；　my　lord。　I　fear　your　aged　father　would　soon　be　weeping　for　his　youngest　son　if　they　had　not　witnessed　our　plight。　And　joined　in　disposing　of　this；　this…〃　Janos　spat　at　the　bodies。　〃…Lycanthian　filth！〃　I　looked　at　the　net　and　saw　Crop　Ear　grinning　back　at　us。　But　Janos　was　urging　me　to　join　in　this　desperate　game　quickly。　Most　of　the　warriors　seemed　confused；　open　to　suggestion。　But　I　still　saw　doubt。　A　few　were　even　eyeing　us　spec…ulatively。　If　they　were　our　rescuers；　then　what　price　could　they　exact　for　our　salvation？
　〃The　crimes　of　the　Lycanthians　are　known　to　all；〃　I　said；　then　made　my　face　solemn。　〃But　not　all　these　men　were　evil。　Do　you　not　see；　Captain　Greycloak；　who　lies　among　our　enemies？〃　I　pointed　at　the　only　body　that　quickly　caught　attention…Crop　Ear。
　Janos　caught　my　ploy。　He　stared　closer　at　the　net；　and　all　the　warriors　stared　with　him。　When　he　saw　Crop　Ear；　he　gave　a　low　moan　of　sorrow。　〃Why　it　is　our　brother；　the　Holy　Crop　Ear。〃　He　stifled　a　sob。　〃Poor　Crop　Ear。　And　he　was　so　kind　to　homeless　children；　and　starving　widows。〃
　〃This　man　was　not　evil？〃　the　warrior　said；　alarmed。　〃But　。。。　he　is　Lycanthian。　It　is　plain　to　see　by　his　costume。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course　he　is；〃　I　said　〃But　he　is　one　the　gods　blessed　with　knowledge　of　his　own　people's　foulness。　He　came　to　Orissa　many　years　ago；　and　performed　so　many　acts　of　charity　and　other　pious　deeds　he　was　purified　by　our　greatest　Evocators。　Since　that　time；　he　has　bee　a　hero　among　us　and　an　example　for　our　children。〃
　The　warrior　still　wasn't　convinced。　He　pointed　at　the　scarred　reminders　that　Crop　Ear　was　a　felon　many　times　over。　〃Why　does　he　carry　those　marks？〃
　〃They　were　self…inflicted；〃　I　said。　〃The　Holy　Crop　Ear　wanted　the　gods　to　let　him　bear　the　burden　of　the　sins　of　the　innocent。〃
　I　heard　sympathetic　noises　from　the　ranks。　The　warrior　chief　was　so　crestfallen；　Janos　dared　to　step　closer；　shrinking　his　form…by　craft；　not　wizardry…to　not　bulk　large　over　the　man。　〃Do　not　mourn；　my　friend。　You　could　not　know。〃　He　cast　an　arm　out　toward　our　wrecked　ship　on　the　reef。　〃These　Lycanthians　seized　us　at　sea。　By　sorcery；　I　assure　you；　not　by　arms；　for　our　soldiers　would　have　soon　overpowered　the　pirates。　They　plotted　to　use　our　ship；　with　us　as　their　slaves；　to　spread　their　foul　influence　wherever　they　could。　For　some　reason；　they　chose　to　e　here　to　mit　their　first　black　deeds。〃
　The　mutterings　in　the　ranks　grew　louder；　proving　Janos　had　correctly　guessed　that　pirates　and　Lycanthians　had　clashed　with　the　Shore　People　more　than　once。　〃But　our　own　Evocator；　who　was　ill　at　the　time；　or　else　they　could　not　have　trifled　with　such　a　powerful　wizard；　joined　with　the　Holy　Crop　Ear　to　thwart　them。　For　all　of　us　had　heard　of　the　goodly　folk　of　the　Pepper　Coast；　and　how　you　have　suffered　at　the　hands　of　the　Lycanthians。　When　the　storm　caught　us；　we　thought　we　were　blessed。　If　we　were　to　die；　at　least　these　demons　would　be　stopped。　But　the　storm　wrecked　us　on　your　shores；　and　those　men〃…he　jabbed　a　disdainful　thumb　at　the　bodies…〃tried　to　escape　into　your　lands；　where　they　could　cause　great　misery。　The　Holy　Crop　Ear　tried　to　stop　them。　But；　alas　。。。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃It　was　an　easy　mistake　to　make；　my　friend。　I　am　sure　he　would　forgive　you。〃
　The　warrior　chief　removed　his　helmet　and　wiped　a　tear。　I　heard　a　few　soldierly　noses　being　blown。　My　merchant's　instinct　nudged。　It　was　time　to　close　the　sale。　〃Certainly；　he　would；〃　I　said。　〃And　I　can　see　that　great　good　will　e　from　all　this。　For　now　we　Orissans　and　the　Shore　People　have　finally　e　together。　All　our　gods　are　sure　to　bless　such　a　joining。　And　there　can　be　much　profit　as　well；　for　both　our　people。　Friendship　and　trade　will　blossom　on　these　bountiful　shores。〃
　I　lifted　my　hand　in　formal　greetings。　〃I　am　Amalric　Emilie　Antero。　Son　of　Paphos　Karima　Antero；　the　greatest　merchant　prince　in　all　Orissa。　And　in　his　name；　I　offer　you　the　friendship　of　our　noble　house。〃
　The　warrior；　too；　raised　a　hand。　〃I　am　Black　Shark；　shaman　and　chief　of　the　Shore　People。　Wele；　men　of　Orissa。　Wele。〃　As　his　hand　dropped；　he　thrust　a　chin　at　the　corpses。　〃And　we　owe　you　thanks　as　well　for　capturing　their　ghosts。　We　did　not　know　they　were　demons　when　we　began　to　eat　them。〃
　'Think　nothing　of　it；　Black　Shark；〃　Janos　said。　〃Now；　if　it　wouldn't　be　too　much　trouble　。。。〃　He　pointed　at　the　tattered　Kittiwake　and　our　forlorn　rades；　who　peered　out　at　us　from　the　wreck。　〃Perhaps　we　could　organize　a　party　to　fetch　those　people　ashore？〃
　Black　Shark　smiled。　It　was　meant　to　be　gentle；　but　was　spoiled　by　the　filed　teeth。
　〃Don't　forget　the　cargo；〃　I　said。
　〃Right；〃　Janos　said。　〃Could　you　take　off　the　cargo　as　well？〃
　〃It　will　be　done　before　the　tides　turn；〃　Black　Shark　said。　He　barked　orders　in　their　native　tongue；　and　while　I　was　congratulating　myself　for　being　alive；　the　cannibals　of　the　Pepper　Shore　laid　down　their　weapons　and　swarmed　out　to　the　Kittiwake　to　help　our　friends。　True　to　his　word；　Black　Shark　plucked　everyone　off　and　salvaged　our　gear　before　the　tides　covered　the　reef。　By　nightfall　they　had　helped　us　erect　shelter　in　their　village；　which　was　hidden　in　a　nearby　cove　not　far　from　the　mouth　of　a　river；　and　Janos；　Cassini；　Captain　L'ur；　and　I　were　sitting　about　a　driftwood　fire；　sucking　the　meat　out　of　roasted　crab　claws。
　The　human　toll　had　been　light；　except　for　Crop　Ear　and　his　poor　sailor　friends；　only　one　other　fellow　was　dead…and　he　was　a　sailor　as　well。　Black　Shark　and　his　people　had　easily　accepted　our　assurances　that　these