cacb.thefarkingdoms-第98部分

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pion。　He　was　dead　before　he　could　scream　。。。　and　the　black　dome　was　gone　。。。　and　once　more　the　ruined　city　was　about　me　in　the　moonlight。　Stunned；　I　looked　up　toward　the　top　of　that　column。　The　air　shimmered　above　me；　and　I　dimly　saw　the　form　of　a　man。　〃Halab；〃　I　gasped。
　I　heard；　more　in　my　mind　than　anywhere；　the　soft　voice。　〃The　prince　knew　not　all　the　rules　of　all　the　worlds。　Even　a　ghost　may　move　the　real　。。。　If　the　call　is　great　enough。〃
　There　was　silence　but　for　the　rush　of　the　river　below；　then　Halab's　voice　again；　〃I　am　revenged；　and　my　ghost　will　wander　no　more。　I　go　now；　following　the　path　you　opened　to　Eanes　a　short　time　ago。〃
　I　bowed　my　head。　〃Good…bye；　my　brother。〃
　I　heard　Halab　for　the　last　time。
　〃Good…bye；　Amalric。　There　is　one　task　left。　I　cannot　be　with　you　。。。　cannot　be　of　aid。　But　it　is　one　which　must　be　pleted。　For　you；　for　the　family；　for　Orissa；　and　for　all　of　this　world。　I　make　you　a　final　gifting。　May　it　serve　you　well。〃
　I　felt　emptiness。　Something　was　gone　。。。　something　I　realized　had　been　not　far　from　me　all　these　years；　since　the　day　my　father　returned　from　the　palace　of　the　Evocators　with　the　tale　of　Halab's　death。
　I　took　a　deep　breath。　Yes。　There　was　a　final　task　to　be　performed。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…SEVEN　
　The　Last　Voyage
　NOW　THERE　WAS　little　to　fear　either　in　this　cursed　city　or　in　the　catabs　below。　I　took　the　poniard　from　beside　Raveline's　body　and　went　back　through　the　streets　to　where　the　entrance　to　the　Black　Prince's　burrow　yawned。　I　took　no　wrong　turnings；　nor　made　missteps；　as　sure　of　my　direction　as　if　I　were　in　Orissa。　I　followed　the　stone　steps　as　they　went　down；　down；　down；　and　knew　I　was　the　first　of　Raveline's　victims　ever　to　do　this。　I　passed　Greif's　sprawled　body　and　bethought　whether　I　should　find　some　dirt　to　sprinkle；　then　decided　otherwise。　His　ghost　had　much　evil　to　atone　for；　he　deserved　to　haunt　those　caves　for　an　eternity。
　The　black　gondola　was　still　moored　to　the　dock。　I　untied　the　boat　and　boarded　it。　Using　the　rudder　as　a　sweep；　I　turned　the　boat　toward　the　cavern's　mouth。　As　I　came　out　of　the　cavern　into　the　dark　river　that　poured　down　toward　the　flatlands　and　Irayas；　the　current　sent　the　boat　speeding　down　the　canyon。　The　craft　obeyed　my　unspoken　and　undefined　desire　as　well　as　it　had　Greif　s。
　I　could　see　dawn's　promise　as　I　neared　the　city。　Perhaps　I　should　have　made　the　enchanted　gondola　take　me　to　my　palace；　where　I　knew　Omerye　agonized。　But　I　also　knew　I　must　confront　Janos　now；　not　just　for　the　sake　of　my　people　。。。　but　for　all　who　live　as　wizards'　slaves。　To　this　day　I　honestly　do　not　know　what　end　I　foresaw　when　I　finally　did　confront　him。　For　my　soul's　sake；　I　pray　my　intent　was　pure　and　untainted　by　desire　for　revenge。
　As　Janos'　mansion　bulked　out　of　the　calm　waters；　I　dropped　Prince　Raveline's　dagger　into　the　river。　Through　the　remnants　of　the　night　I　saw　its　jewels　and　sorcelled　blade　spin　until　the　knife…my　only　weapon…vanished。　I　tied　Raveline's　boat　to　a　piling　under　the　main　deck　where　that　sobbing　woman's　skiff　had　been　lashed。　I　had　planned　to　climb　one　of　the　pilings　to　avoid　the　guard　that　should　have　been　on　the　landing；　but　there　was　none。　I　crept　up　the　stairs　and　noted　with　greater　surprise　that　one　of　the　edifice's　entryways　yawned　wide。　Perhaps；　I　thought；　this　was　the　gift　Halab's　ghost　had　promised；　I　slipped　within。　I　did　not　know　how　close　I　would　be　able　to　e　to　Janos　before　his　own　watchdog　spell　would　clamor　him　awake；　but　I　continued　onward；　quietly　as　a　questing　ferret。　The　torches　and　lamps　that　illuminated　the　huge　building　were　guttering　low；　but　I　needed　no　illumination　as　dawn's　light　grew　steadily　around　me。　My　wonder　grew；　because　I　saw　never　a　sign　of　sentry；　factotum；　or　servant。　At　last　I　entered　the　courtyard　and　approached　the　tower　where　I　knew　Janos　would　be。　I　went　up　the　stairs　toward　his　bedchamber；　which　was　just　below　the　study　he　used　for　incantations。
　Janos　lay　sprawled　in　the　middle　of　his　huge　bed。　He　was　alone。　He　wore　but　a　silken　loincloth。　He　slept　deeply；　so　deeply　I　thought　he　had　been　enchanted。　At　that　moment　my　resolution　vanished　and　I　stood；　as　if　mired；　at　the　foot　of　his　bed。　Then　I　spoke　his　name。　Janos'　eyes　snapped　open；　and　as　I　saw　awareness　dawn；　he　rolled　sideways　and　was　on　his　feet；　graceful　and　deadly　as　a　startled　leopard。
　He　knew　instantly　what　had　happened。　〃You　killed　him？　You　killed　Raveline？〃　His　voice　was　incredulous。　〃And　I　sensed　nothing？　How　could　that　be？〃
　I　did　not　answer…I　only　stared　at　Janos　in　shock。　Only　two　days　gone　I　had　marveled　at　how　he　had　aged。　Yet　now　it　looked　as　if　decades　had　passed　since　we　looked　at　each　other　in　the　mirror　abovestairs。　Where　jaundiced　gray　had　striped　his　hair　and　beard　before；　it　now　discolored　it　in　patches；　and　his　face　was　as　raddled　as　a　rich　old　degenerate。　But　he　looked　worse　than　any　of　those　debauchees；　because　there　was　a　brooding　evil　in　his　appearance；　evil　like　I'd　seen　on　Raveline's　face　。。。　and　yes；　Mor…tacious'。　Janos'　eyes　had　changed　as　well。　Once　they　held　the　fierceness　of　the　eagle；　but　now　held　the　hard　glare　of　a　carrion　eater。　Most　telling　of　all　was　the　necklace　he　wore　about　his　neck：　the　dancing　girl　from　the　Far　Kingdoms　that　his　father　had　given　him。　She　had　been　〃healed〃　by　our　journey；　and　when　last　I　saw　her；　she　had　been　a　glorious；　seductive　work　of　art。　Now　she　was　tarnished　and　broken　at　the　hips　。。。　just　as　she　was　the　first　day　Janos　showed　her　to　me　at　the　wineshop　in　Orissa。　I　knew　at　once　that　although　I　had　been　the　one　who　had　been　tortured；　hunted；　and　savaged　by　beasts　on　four　legs　and　two　。。。　Janos　had　paid　a　heavier　price　for　betraying　me。
　I　had　said　nothing　since　calling　his　name　and　had　no　words　prepared。　I　held　Janos'　eyes　with　my　own　for　a　moment。　He　looked　away　。。。　it　was　the　first　time　he　had　not　been　able　to　face　me。　〃What　were　you　promised？〃　I　asked；　and　noted　there　was　no　anger　in　my　voice；　even　though　all　the　years　of　panionship　should　have　caused　me　to　seethe　rage。　〃How　much　silver　and　gold　was　offered　for　your　reward？〃
　Now　anger　grew　on　his　face。　〃There　was　no　price　named；〃　he　hissed。　〃What　I　did　。。。　was　needful。　You　would　have　destroyed　。。。　you　have　destroyed　everything。〃
　I　maintained　calmness。　〃What　is　this　everything；　Janos？　By　luck；〃　and　I　recollected　what　Raveline　had　told　me　luck　was；　'I　am　still　alive。　Now　Raveline's　darkness　will　not　be　able　to　destroy　our　lands。　And　now　we　have　the　measure　of　the　Far　Kingdoms。　And　even　if　King　Domas　expels　us　as　the　price　for　his　brother's　death；　what　of　it？　We　will　still　be　able　to　achieve　what　they　have　gained　。。。　and　more。　Is　that　everything？　Or　is　everything　the　ruin　of　your　own　ambitions　。。。　and　the　loss　of　your　black　guide？〃
　〃We　needed　Raveline；〃　Janos　said。　〃I　needed　him。　He　was　my　stepping　stone。　He　would　have　been　my　tool。〃
　〃For　what　end？　So　you　could　bee　more　evil　than　he？　So　you　could　reach　deeper　into　demon　worlds　than　he　has？　So　you；　in　the　end；　would　be　able　to　rule　with　fire　and　the　lash　in　a　manner　that　would　make　people　remember　the　Black　Prince　as　a　kindly　benefactor？〃
　〃Words；　words；　Antero；〃　Janos　barked。　〃You　still　use　words　that　you　do　not　know　the　meaning　of。。。　or　that　have　no　meaning　at　all。　Evil。。。　good　。。。　We　stand　at　the　threshold　of　another　age；　an　age　beyond　all　of　the　petty　considerations　of　prattling　parents　and　teachers。　Men　say　that　once　there　was　a　Golden　Age；　when　we　were　all　like　gods。　That　age　never　existed。　All　there　has　been；　since　this　world　formed　itself　from　the　slime；　were　flounderings；　sometimes　a　bit　toward　the　light；　sometimes　a　slip　back　into　the　abyss。　Raveline　would　have　helped　me　split　the　clouds　and　let　the　radiance　shine　for　all　eternity。　Men　would　have　been；　not　gods；　but　beyond　gods。　Except　for　your　doing。　Except　for　one　small…souled　peddler　who　can　see　nothing　but　profit　and　some　sort　of　mythical　woolly…brained　benevolence　in　a　world　where　there　is　nothing　but　predator　and　prey。　There　was　but　one　chance　for　all　of　us。　Can't　you　see？　Chance；　which　is　the　only　real　god　to　worship；　created　one　brief　moment　for　this　change　to　begin；　for　man　to　step　up　and　beyond。〃
　That　was　quite　enough。　〃Gods；〃　I　said；　and　there　was　anger　in　my　voice　as　well。　〃You　claim　I　use　meaningless　words。　Well；　this　peddler　is　having　trouble　with　some　of　your　words；　and　gods　is　one　of　them。　Another　is　this　new　age　you　mention。　If　we　are　to　be　gods；　my　pardon；　more　than　gods；　all　of　us　small…souled　beings　should　now　look　at　the　face　of　Janos　Greycloak；　and　see　the　awful　halo　of　the　future　he　promises。　Look　at　yourself。　Your　face　mirrors　what　you　have　bee；　man！　You're　nothing　but　a　degenerate　who　prattles　drunkenly　of　the　morrow's　blessing　while　he　cheerfully　plunges　into　the　gutter　with　the　swine。　Janos；　can't　you　see？　I　recollect　a　time　when　you　spoke　of　what　gains　we　could　bring　back　from　the　Far　Kingdoms　。。。　gains　for　everyone。　Instead；　what　is　your　goal；　now？　You　told　me　to　look　at　one　grain　of　sand　and　see　a　myriad　within　it。　I　cannot。　All　I　see　is　that　poor　woman　in　her　boat；　sorrowing　under　your　mansion。　What　did　you　give　her；　Greycloak？　Did　you　make　her　。。。　or　her　children　。。。　more　than　gods？　Look　at　yourself　now；　my　once　friend。　And　answer　this　simple　merchant's　question：　why；　if　your　quest　is　for　the　heavens；　do　you　now　have　the　face　of　a　demon？〃
　Janos　did　not　look　away。　His　obvious　scorn　grew；　and　I　realized　why　he　was　letting　his　anger　build。　〃Knowledge　。。。　power　。。。　exacts　its　own　price；〃　he　said。　〃You　would　know　that；　if　you　were　anything　but　a　child。〃
　We　stared　at　each　other　for　a　long　moment；　and　in　that　moment；　Halab's　final　gift　manifested　itself。　I　knew　what　must　be　done；　and　my　heart　shriveled　as　it　realized　that　just　as　there　had　been　no　possibility　of　Janos'　redemption；　my　duty　was　now　equally　graven　in　stone。　I　fought　the　revelation；　but　knew　its　truth。
　The　second　part　of　the　gift　followed。　I　was　suddenly　watching　the　room　with　two　sets　of　eyes；　as　if　one　brain　controlled　two　beings　who　stood　apart　from　one　another。　Images　of　everything　doubled　and　overlapped。　Everything…except　for　Janos。　His　eyes　gleamed　brightly　as　they　became　lamps；　their　glow　not　dissimilar　from　the　light　that　had　shone　from　Greif's　blind　eye。　〃Could　have；〃　he　murmured；