cacb.thefarkingdoms-第50部分

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the　only　moment　in　her　life　when　she　is　the　center　of　everyone's　attention；　important　above　all　others。〃　I　couldn't　quarrel；　for　hadn't　I　heard…Rali　bitterly　plain　about　similar　injustices？
　Deoce　took　my　hand　and　laid　it　gently　on　her　belly；　which　was　slightly　swollen　with　our　child。　We　knew　it　was　going　to　be　a　girl；　because　Rali　asked　the　witch　who　tended　her　troop's　minor　troubles　to　case　a　divining　spell。　I　laughed　when　I　felt　her　kick。
　〃What　shall　we　name　her？〃　I　asked。
　〃We　should　honor　your　mother；　and　mine　as　well；〃　Deoce　answered。　〃We　should　call　her　Emilie；　after　your　mother's　clan。　And　Ireena　after　my　mother。〃
　〃Consider　her　named；　then。　Emilie　Ireena　Antero　。。。　I　like　that。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　promise　me　something；　Amalric；〃　my　bride…to…be　asked。
　〃Anything。〃
　〃I　don't　want　our　daughter　to　be　raised　thinking　women　must　behave　as　they　do　in　Orissa。　You　can　feel　from　her　kick　she　is　going　to　be　a　strong…willed　child。　And　at　night；　when　all　is　very　quiet；　I　can　hear　her　little　heart　beating。　It　is　a　sensitive　heart；　Amalric；　and　please　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　I　know　this；　although　she　and　I　have　yet　to　meet。〃
　〃I　will　hire　the　best　tutors；〃　I　said。　〃And　we　have　Rah'　to　teach　by　example；　as　well　as　training。〃
　〃That　isn't　enough；〃　Deoce　answered。　〃Emilie　will　see　other　women　shuffle　about；　ducking　their　heads　in　men's　pany；　feeling　less　worthy　because　they　do　not　have　a　cock　and　set　of　balls；　suffering　instead　with　a　function　so　lowly　as　only　to　be　the　source　of　all　human　life。〃
　〃What　promise　can　I　make　to　prevent　this？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　want　my　mother　to　help　raise　her〃　was　her　answer。　I　was　alarmed；　for　what　father　would　wish　to　have　his　child　removed　from　his　sight？　She　saw　this　and　gripped　my　hand　hard。　〃Please；　you　must　do　this　for　me。　If　you　say　no；　I　will　accept　it；　not　as　a　dutiful　Orissan　wife；　for　this　I　can　never　be；　but　because　I　love　you；　my　Amalric。　No　child　can　ever　be　more　important　than　that　love。　I　don't　mean　she　should　be　sent　away；　for　I　could　not　bear　that　any　more　than　you。　I　mean；　in　three　years'　time…before　bad　influences　can　alter　her；　Emilie　Ireena　must　visit　long　with　my　mother　until　after　the　rites　of　womanhood；　when　she　is　sixteen。　After　that；　only　personal　weakness　can　affect　her　thinking。　And　I　promise　you；　my　Amalric；　this　child　will　not　be　weak　headed。〃
　The　more　I　thought　about　it；　the　more　I　agreed　with　what　Deoce　had　to　say。　I　was　even　enthusiastic；　seeing　the　whole　thing　as　a　grand；　modern　experiment：　two　cultures　joining　to　produce　a　perfect　child；　a　golden　child。　I　made　a　formal　promise；　and　afterward　we　clung　to　one　another　as　tight　as　two　lovers　can　cling。　I　felt　her　hand　slip　down　along　my　bare　thighs。　She　cupped　me　in　her　hand　and　bent　down　to　nuzzle　and　kiss　the　thick　muscle　she　found　there。　Then　she　looked　up；　dark　hair　streaming　over　her　face；　eyes　lighted　up　with　fun。　〃After　all　that　man…versus…woman　talk；〃　she　whispered；　〃I'd　better　make　sure　they　don't　get　their　feelings　hurt。〃　And　then　she　proceeded　to　soothe　them　with　her　hot　mouth。
　We　were　wed　one　week　later。　My　father　was　too　weak　to　do　more　than　sit　in　his　chair　and　weep　tears　of　joy。　Rali　stood　in　for　him；　cutting　the　lamb's　throat　and　letting　the　blood　flow　into　the　god's　offering　bowl。　Janos　took　the　part　of　Deoce's　brother；　anointing　our　brows　with　the　lamb's　blood。　When　it　was　done；　we　feasted；　and　everyone　made　merry　for　three　more　days。
　Just　before　Deoce　and　I　left　on　our　wedding　journey；　my　father　died。　I　like　to　think　he　died　a　happy　man：　his　errant　son　had　proven　worth；　a　triumph　had　been　won　for　the　family　he　left　behind；　and　the　dream　of　his　youth　had　e　true。　However；　as　I　contemplate　his　feelings　and　sift　for　the　words　I　am　placing　in　this　journal；　I　cannot　help　but　remember　what　Janos　said　on　the　Pepper　Coast：　how　my　father　was　a　better　man　than　Janos　because　he　would　be　satisfied　if　his　son　acplished　what　had　been　denied　him。　My　father　was　a　good　man；　and　certainly　a　better　man　than　either　Janos；　or　myself。　But；　alas；　he　was　not　perfect；　and　only　a　perfect　man　would　have　died　in　happiness。　Not　when　it　was　plain　that　after　the　Far　Kingdoms；　the　world　he　knew　would　never　be　the　same。
　
　CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
　The　Second　Expedition
　IT　is　NO　boast　that　the　funeral　for　Paphos　Karima　Antero　was　one　of　the　largest　in　our　city's　history。　So　many　clamored　to　attend；　the　Magistrates　ordered　the　Great　Amphitheater　opened　for　the　viewing　of　the　pyre。　Then　all　Orissa　turned　out　for　the　long　procession　downriver　to　the　Groves　of　the　Wayfarers；　where　we　made　sacrifice　to　Te…Date　and　I　scattered　my　father's　ashes　to　the　winds。
　Everyone；　myself　included；　was　surprised　at　just　how　popular　a　figure　my　father　was。　He　was　by　nature　a　quiet　man　who　shunned　honors　and　large　pany。　But　as　I　mentioned　earlier　in　this　journal；　he　had　an　uncanny　ability　to　sniff　out　a　deserving　man's　misfortune　and　do　his　utmost　to　ease　that　man's　pain。　He　also　had　a　way　of　conducting　his　business；　so　when　he　came　the　better　of　a　bargain；　he　also　did　not　win　his　opponent's　ire。　That　his　great　popularity　had　never　evinced　itself　publicly；　however；　I　can　only　lay　at　the　feet　of　the　Evocators　and　the　wrong　they　did　Halab；　another　part　of　the　silent　price　my　family　paid　for　that　wrong。　Now；　however；　with　my　victory　so　recent；　no　one　feared　to　display　their　affection。　This　time　the　fear　was　entirely　on　the　other　side；　for　the　panoply　of　the　funeral　echoed　long　after　the　breeze　carried　away　the　last　of　my　father's　ashes。　Powerful　men　began　striking　new　bargains；　seeking　new　alliances；　the　dissension　carried　into　the　ranks　of　the　Evocators　themselves。
　My　father's　funeral；　with　all　the　weeping；　hair　tearing；　and　pompous　speeches；　was　an　important　sideshow　to　the　intense　debate　that　gripped　Orissa。　The　focus　of　that　debate　was　the　second　expedition　。。。　and　Janos　Greycloak。　None　of　us　realized　how　great　an　impact　the　Far　Kingdoms　had　on　our　lives。　Suddenly　all　the　old　ways　had　been　called　into　question。　People　from　the　highest　on　high　to　the　meanest　slave　believed　they　deserved　a　stake　in　what　was　to　e。　All　of　them　wanted　change　and　wanted　it　now。　For　the　mon　man　and　woman；　for　tinkerer；　soldier；　and　slave；　for　the　young　and　adventurous；　or　for　just　the　far…thinking；　Janos　became　the　standard　bearer。
　Greycloak　shone　under　the　intense　light　of　his　sudden　popularity。　He　attended　endless　banquets　in　his　honor　and　then　gathered　up　the　rich　food　and　drink　left　over　and　distributed　them　to　the　poor　in　the　streets。　He　told　the　tale　of　our　journey　again　and　again　in　settings　from　luxurious　villas　to　impromptu　storytellings　in　riverfront　slum　lots。　Each　time　he　told　it；　the　tale　became　fresher；　and　his　emotions　never　played　false　or　stale　when　he　came　to　the　moment　when　we　saw　that　black…fisted　mountain　range。　Women　accosted　him　on　the　street　and　begged　to　let　them　bear　his　child；　mothers　named　their　sons　after　him；　fathers　stood　for　hours　on　the　chance　he　might　pass　and　they　could　shake　his　hand。　Every　one　of　them　had　a　question。　〃I've　been　asked　everything　from　the　cost　of　taxes　to　the　price　of　tavern　wine；〃　Janos　told　me　one　afternoon　when　he　had　a　few　moments　to　spare。　〃Whether　bread　rises　best　when　the　tides　are　high　or　low　and　if　horses　with　heavy　haunches　are　haulers　or　runners。　A　fisherman　asked　if　it　was　best　to　lay　the　nets　at　the　dark　of　the　moon。　And　a　woman；　by　Butala；　even　asked　if　I　thought　her　daughter　fair　and　then　pressed　me　to　try　her　out　to　see　if　she　would　make　a　good　lover。〃　His　grin　flashed　through　his　dark　beard；　and　he　stroked　his　moustache。　〃Fortunately；　it　was　no　test　of　my　veracity　to　answer　yea　to　both　of　those　questions。〃
　If　Janos　was　bemused　by　this　idolatry；　he　did　not　let　it　affect　him。　He　threw　himself　into　this　madness　with　a　single　purpose：　when　he　emerged；　he　would　lead　the　next　and；　he　swore；　final　expedition　to　the　Far　Kingdoms。　〃I　am　not　a　politician；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　no　desire　to　be　Magistrate；　or　king…if　that　were　this　city's　custom。　Riches　are　for　rich　men；　let　them　enjoy　their　greed　if　they　can。　An　idea　is　the　only　thing　of　value　in　this　life；　and　I　am　beginning　to　suspect　it　is　the　same　in　the　next。〃
　It　might　seem　Janos　was　the　obvious　choice　to　head　the　second　expedition。　In　fact；　it　was　so　obvious　for　a　time　it　looked　very　much　as　if　it　would　be　denied　him。　In　our　naivete；　we　also　were　surprised　that　the　main　voice　of　opposition　was　Cassini。
　Heroism；　or　at　any　rate　the　public　recognition　thereof；　is　an　odd　human　trait。　A　person　does　not　emerge　from　a　great　trial　with　a　hero's　mark　on　his　or　her　brow。　Heroism　must　be　conferred；　others　must　decree　it；　still　more　must　accept　the　declaration　and　willingly　bow　in　the　streets　when　the　hero　passes。　Once　someone　has　been　acclaimed　a　hero；　it　is　not　so　easy；　we　learned；　for　that　mantle　to　be　ripped　away。　Cassini's　supporters；　and　they　were　many；　were　certain　he　was　the　victim　of　injustice。　The　lies　he　told　were　garbled　in　the　passions　that　followed。　Some　conveniently　forgot　the　lies；　some　said　his　words　were　deliberately　twisted；　some　said　Janos　and　I　had　faked　our　deaths　for　an　unstated；　dark　purpose。　Many　of　his　supporters　were　only　honest　fools：　if　you　have　shaken　the　hand　of　a　hero　and　praised　his　name　at　hearth　and　tavern；　it　is　difficult　to　suddenly　think　ill　of　him；　since　his　heroism　reflects　on　you。　Cassini's　most　powerful　supporters；　however；　had　more　plex　reasons。　Influence；　and　therefore　fortune；　had　been　staked　on　Cassini。　To　admit　his　villainy　would　be　to　suffer　humiliation；　and　in　the　corridors　of　power　where　battles　are　won　or　lost　on　an　errant　word；　humiliation　cannot　be　countenanced。
　There　was　one　other　thing　in　Janos'　way：　there　were　a　quiet　but　mighty　few　who　had　no　desire　to　investigate　the　Far　Kingdoms。　They　were　content　with　the　way　things　were。　Their　coffers　were　full；　their　slaves　pliant；　and　they　saw　only　danger　to　their　forts　if　there　was　any　change　whatsoever。
　Malaren；　a　friend　and　fellow　trader；　summed　it　up　well　one　day。　He　was　my　age；　and　although　a　bit　of　a　fop；　was　a　hardheaded　thinker　who　masked　his　talents　with　an　airy；　devil…may…care　attitude。　〃Oh；　you　don't　have　to　convince　me；　my　dear　Amalric；〃　he　said。　〃I　find　it　all　quite　exciting。　Quite。　But；　everyone　knows　I　believe　Orissa　has　bee　a　dreary　old　h