cacb.thefarkingdoms-第54部分

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　〃That　is　kind　of　you　to　say；〃　I　replied。　〃But；　I　know　that　last　time　I　was　so　green　that　I　was　little　real　help　to　you。　And　now　you　will　have　a　great　army；　with　many　experienced；　professional　men　to　advise　you。〃
　Janos　gave　his　head　a　hard　shake。　〃Your　one　real　flaw；　my　friend；〃　he　said；　〃is　you　do　not　realize　your　own　worth。　You　will　be　a　dangerous　man　when　you　do；　for　you　have　a　natural　talent　as　an　adventurer。　More　important；　you　have　the　strength　of　a　firm　heart　and　steady　vision。　Don't　bother　denying　it；　I　know　you　well；　perhaps　in　some　things　better　than　you　know　yourself。　We　are　much　alike；　Amalric　Antero。　As　alike　as　if　we　were　twins。　But　you　don't　have　my　dark　side；　thank　the　gods。〃
　He　peered　at　me；　and　I　saw　from　the　redness　in　his　eyes　he　was　a　little　drunk。　〃I　swear　to　you；　Amalric；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　stand　in　the　Far　Kingdoms；　I　will　make　sacrifice　in　your　honor。　And　I　shall　tell　the　masters　of　that　place　that　I　bring　greetings　from　my　good　friend；　and　twin　。。。〃　His　voice　stopped　in　midsentence；　and　I　saw　his　head　had　fallen。　I　plucked　the　tumbler　of　wine　from　his　hand　before　it　spilled；　and　as　I　crept　out　of　the　room　I　heard　his　first；　weary　snore。
　One　month　later　the　expedition　set　forth。　Every　craft　that　could　be　spared　had　been　pressed　into　service　to　carry　that　mighty　group　to　the　sea。　The　whole　city　turned　out　to　see　them　off。　I　stood　on　a　hill　near　the　bend　as　they　passed；　and　am　not　ashamed　to　admit　I　felt　a　little　regret　I　was　not　going　with　them。　But　when　the　last　ship　had　gone；　and　I　turned　toward　home；　I　thought　of　Deoce　and　Emilie；　and　my　step　was　suddenly　very　light。
　
　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　The　Dark　Seeker
　WHAT　I　WRITE　next　is　difficult。　I　would　pay　almost　any　price　if　I　could　scrape　this　time　from　the　scrolls　of　my　life。　Orissa　had　been　blessed　by　the　gods　for　years。　Our　sacrifices　had　been　rewarded　many　times　over：　the　harvest　bountiful；　the　river　quiescent；　soldiers　victorious；　health　excellent；　and　our　children　obedient。　Then　the　gods　called　in　the　debt。
　For　a　short　time　after　Janos　left；　my　life　was　nothing　but　joy。　I　spent　every　moment　of　free　time…and　robbed　my　business　for　more…with　Deoce　and　Emilie。　My　wife　was　all　things　to　me：　lover；　partner；　adviser；　and　friend。　She　had　a　head　for　business　and　was　beginning　to　e　to　the　docks　with　me　to　help　organize　the　trade　to　the　lands　Janos　and　I　had　opened　up。　At　home　she　was　the　delight　of　the　servants…a　much　cheerier　group　now　that　they　had　been　freed…for　she　relished　diving　into　the　work　at　hand；　fearing　no　dark　corners　where　cobwebs　gather　deep。　And　sometimes　she　would　surprise　me　at　my　desk　and　lure　me　away　to　a　quiet；　leafy　bower　where　we　made　love　as　we　had　in　the　days　of　the　valley　of　paradise。
　Emilie　proved　to　be　as　delightful　a　child　as　Deoce　had　predicted。　She　was　a　merry　little　girl　with　plump　cheeks；　fair　skin；　and　eyes　alive　with　curiosity。　My　heart　ached　when　I　heard　her　laugh；　and　the　moment　she　came　into　my　sight；　she　would　cry　out　with　delight　and　hug　me　with　her　chubby　arms；　and　my　senses　would　fill　up　to　the　overflowing　as　her　laughter　and　milky　perfume　overwhelmed　me。
　〃You　are　clay　in　her　hands；〃　Deoce　would　tease。　〃If　there　was　ever　a　child　who　was　her　father's　little　girl；　our　Emilie　is　that　toddler。　You　had　best　be　wary；　my　dear；　or　she　will　bee　insufferably　spoiled。〃
　Of　course；　all　was　not　blossoms　under　a　spring　sun。　There　were　problems：　Deoce　suffered　a　sprain；　Emilie　the　colic；　and　a　small　cargo　ship　from　the　Northern　Lands　was　lost。　Also　when　Janos　set　out；　he　left　our　enemies　behind。　For　a　time；　however；　they　were　too　fearful　to　do　more　than　whisper　foul　charges。
　There　were　things；　however；　that　might　have　given　us　warning　of　what　was　about　to　e；　but　most　of　us　had　been　lulled　into　sweet　dreamings　of　the　treasures　that　would　soon　pour　forth　from　the　Far　Kingdoms。　The　Kissing　of　the　Stones　had　gone　badly　that　season。　The　criminal　the　Evocators　crushed　to　bless　the　harvest　was　a　starveling　turned　thief；　who　produced　only　a　slender　trickle　of　blood　when　he　was　ground　between　the　two　ancient　stones。　Then　we　had　many　days　of　lightning　storms　that　rent　the　air　with　their　hot　breath　and　set　the　dogs　and　lizards　howling。　Afterward　the　dawning　sun　lighted　the　skies　a　fierce　red；　and　thick　black　clouds　swirled　about　making　ghastly　images。　The　rumors　also　heated　up。　There　were　stories　that　the　second　expedition　had　lost　its　way　several　times；　that　Janos　was　quarreling　with　his　officers；　and　there　was　much　immoral　practicing　of　black　magic　whose　only　purpose　was　sexual。　And　if　the　tales　told　on　Janos　weren't　enough；　we　received　travelers'　reports　that　the　Lycanthians　were　all　astir；　drilling　their　troops　and　talking　of　rebuilding　the　great　wall　we　had　torn　down　when　we　defeated　them。　Still；　except　for　idle　tavern　talk；　we　paid　little　mind；　but　just　added　it　all　to　the　general　gossip；　such　as　the　odd　lights　and　burning　odors　emanating　from　the　citadel　of　the　Evocators。　I　did　ask　Rali　about　this；　but　her　spy　could　only　report　that　the　Evocators　were　still　feuding；　except　they　were　keeping　their　quarrel　locked　behind　thick　doors　where　even　her　presence　would　be　suspect。
　Then　the　first　members　of　Janos'　expedition　returned　home　and　put　voice　and　person　to　the　rumors　attacking　him。　They　charged　that　he　had　bee　a　temperamental　leader；　who　took　no　counsel　other　than　his　own　and　publicly　humiliated　those　who　opposed　him。　They　said　not　only　had　the　expedition　bee　lost　several　times；　but　was　still　wandering　about　the　countryside；　losing　baggage　and　treasure　and　victims　to　marauding　tribes。　Most　of　this　was　believed　to　be　nonsense；　for　the　people　who　had　returned　were　notorious　sloths　and　cowards　whom　we　all　believed　had　only　gone　on　the　expedition　to　win　easy　glory。
　Cassini；　however；　immediately　seized　this　chance；　and　began　making　appearances　again；　berating　Janos　and　doing　his　best　to　harm　his　reputation。　His　supporters　trickled　out　from　under　their　rocks；　and　soon　he　became　bold　enough　to　participate　in　public　rites。　In　fact；　he　assisted　Jeneander　in　the　yearly　rain　ceremony；　tinkling　the　silver　bells　that　chimed　like　raindrops；　as　Jeneander　cut　the　throat　of　a　fat　bullock。
　The　rain　came　on　schedule…but　it　didn't　stop。　Hour　after　hour　it　fell；　and　it　came　so　thick　you　couldn't　tell　night　from　day；　and　all　over　Orissa　we　huddled　in　our　homes　and　listened　to　the　heavy　drumming　on　our　rooftops。　It　was　a　cold　rain；　and　we　all　had　to　keep　fires　burning　constantly　in　our　hearths；　and　it　wasn't　long　before　fuel　became　scarce。　A　green　mold　flourished　in　the　heavy　rain；　attacking　our　clothes　and　spoiling　our　food。　The　Evocators　rushed　about　casting　spells　to　rid　us　of　the　mold；　but　no　sooner　had　that　abated　than　ants　swarmed　by　the　millions；　pouring　into　our　houses　through　every　cranny；　and　driving　us　all　mad　with　itching　as　we　swept　them　off　our　walls；　ourselves；　and　our　children。
　All　these　troubles　were　minor；　however；　pared　to　the　sudden　fright　we　all　had　when　the　river　began　to　rise。　There　was　no　one　living　who　had　known　it　to　jump　its　banks；　but　there　were　old　scars　on　the　hillsides　far　from　its　bed　that　told　an　ancient　tale　of　terror　and　destruction。　So　when　the　river　became　a　boiling　mass　of　mud　and　debris　that　swept　away　one　of　the　smaller　docks；　panic　gripped　the　city。　After　conferring　with　the　Evocators；　the　Magistrates　fetched　a　felon…who　had　slain　his　wife　and　children　and　then　roasted　them　for　a　meal…from　the　cells。　The　whole　city　was　ordered　out；　and　we　all　made　a　dreary　parade　down　to　the　place　of　sacrifice。　We　huddled　in　the　rain；　miserable　and　cold；　as　Jeneander　and　Cassini…along　with　a　large　contingent　of　Evocators…chanted　river…taming　spells　for　what　seemed　like　an　eternity。　Gamelan　was　absent；　which　said　much　to　me。　Prevotant；　that　old　thief；　was　present；　which　said　even　more。　The　ceremony　went　badly：　the　incense　pots　wouldn't　stay　lighted；　and　when　they　tied　the　felon　up；　the　knots　kept　undoing　themselves。　The　poor　fellow　shrieked　and　moaned　and　flung　himself　about；　so　we　knew　the　numbing　potion　they'd　fed　him　wasn't　working。　People　were　frightened　at　all　the　mishaps；　no　one　even　laughed　when　Jeneander　took　a　tumble　in　the　mud　while　struggling　with　the　sacrificial　victim。　Some　felt　sorry　for　the　man；　there　were　mutterings　that　he'd　only　been　driven　mad　by　the　rain；　and　wasn't　that　the　fault　of　the　Evocators；　who　should　have　known　better　than　to　order　up　so　much？
　Then　Cassini　stepped　forward　and　clubbed　him　over　the　head　with　a　log。　He　and　Jeneander　grabbed　him　by　the　legs　and　arms；　and　without　further　ado；　flung　him　into　the　water　to　drown。　Everyone　went　home　unhappy　and　angry　at　the　city's　leadership。
　To　no　one's　surprise；　the　sacrifice　failed…the　river　kept　rising。　I　rushed　about　with　other　men　who　made　their　living　from　the　great　stream。　We　emptied　the　warehouses；　hauled　up　the　boats；　and　sent　larger　craft　away。　When　I　went　home　late　that　night；　the　water　was　running　into　the　warehouses。
　Deoce　shook　me　awake　just　before　morning。　〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked；　ing　up　instantly…a　habit　I'd　formed　in　my　journey　with　Janos；　and　that　I　have　kept　to　this　day。　She　stood　by　our　bed　in　a　white　gown；　Emilie　clutched　in　her　arms。　Deoce　was　pale　and　trembling。　Emilie's　eyes　were　wide…in　a　moment　she　was　certain　to　cry。
　〃Listen；〃　was　all　Deoce　said。
　I　heard　a　distant　thundering…no；　it　was　a　roar。　Amidst　that　roar　I　could　also　hear　the　cracking　and　creaking　sounds　of　large　objects　breaking　up。　I　jumped　from　the　bed　and　flung　open　the　window。　Even　over　the　scudding　rain；　the　sound　was　louder；　but　that　rain　was　so　thick；　and　the　night　so　dark　that　I　couldn't　see　what　was　happening。　I　turned　back　to　Deoce；　knowing　just　the　same。
　〃It's　the　river。〃
　〃Shall　we　flee？〃　Deoce's　voice　was　shaking。　I　had　never　seen　her　display　fear　before；　then　I　realized　she'd　never　lived　by　a　river。
　〃We're　quite　safe；　here；〃　I　assured　her。　〃Besides　the　old　embankment…which　the　river　has　rarely　reached…there　are　many　hills　between　us。〃
　I　was　worried　about　the　docks　and　warehouses；　and　I　was　more　worried　for　the　people　who　lived　and　worked　by　the　river；　but　there　was　nothing　I　could　do。　I　was　no　god　who　could　halt　a　flood。　So　I　pulled　my　wife　and　babe　back　into　the　bed　and　held　them　in　my　arms。　When　the　morning　came；　the　ra