sheritepper.necromancer nine-第10部分

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by　my　head。　Some　of　us　they　got；　and　some　of　us　had　and　those　they　got　were　dead　and　those　they　missed　went　on；　me　among　them。　Well；　soon　after　we　came　upon　a　camp　full　of　big　men　who　took　us　in　and　gave　us　food；　and　seeing　how　shabby　we　were　and　in　what　bad　health；　gave　us　a　chart　to　lead　us　out　of　trouble。　While　they　were　at　it；　they　gave　me　stuff　to　put　on　the　eye　which　they　said　would　fix　it。　Came　morning　they　went　on　away　north　to　wherever　they　were　going；　and　we　took　the　chart　to　begin　working　our　way　back　into　civilized　lands。
　〃We　were　fools；　Gamesman；　fools。　Young　and　inexperienced　and　without　the　sense　to　save　our　necks。　The　chart　was　false　and　the　salve　for　my　eye　was　false；　and　when　we　had　done　with　both　I　was　blind　and　we　were　lost　in　the　Dorbor　Range　somewhere；　so　lost　we　thought　we'd　never　e　out　again。　They'd　been　Gifters；　you　see。〃
　〃Gifters？〃　I　murmured。
　〃Aye。　Gifters。　Devils　in　the　guise　of　humankind；　generous　with　gifts　which　lead　only　to　destruction。　Well；　we　didn't　want　to　die；　not　even　me；　blind　as　a　cave　newt。　So　we　worked　our　way　south　as　best　we　could。　There　was　stuff　to　eat　enough。　We　killed　mountain　zeller　and　ate　berries；　and　the　cliffs　were　full　of　springs　and　streams；　so　it　wasn't　that　we　hungered。　Then　we　came　upon　a　sizable　river　running　away　south。　We　built　ourselves　a　raft　and　let　the　few　horses　go…poor　beasts；　they　might　be　living　there　yet　if　the　pombis　didn't　get　them…and　floated　away　south。
　〃Then　it　was　hell；　Gamesman；　sheer　hell　for　days　on　end。　There　were　rocks　in　the　river；　and　falls；　and　taking　the　raft　apart　and　hauling　it　around　obstacles　and　putting　it　together　again。　Once　or　twice　my　panions　spotted　smoke　off　in　the　woods；　but　we　didn't　dare　see　who　was　there　for　fear　it　might　be　Gifters　again。　We　just　went　on　and　went　on　until　we　came　to　a　long；　placid　stretch　of　river；　and　then　we　curled　up　on　the　raft　and　slept。　I　think　we　may　have　slept　for　some　days；　because　when　we　came　to　ourselves　we　were　ing　to　the　town　of　Zebit；　some　ways　south　of　here。〃
　〃South　of　here；〃　I　said；　puzzled。　〃Bannerwell　is　south　of　here。〃
　〃No；　no；　Gamesman。　Bannerwell　is　south　and　a　little　east。　If　you　go　down　the　west　side　of　the　mountains；　you'll　e　to　Zebit；　and　it　is　south　of　here；　right　enough。　The　river　makes　a　long　curve；　so　we　had　floated　by　Betand　in　the　darkness。　The　river　I　speak　of　flows　just　west　of　the　city；　here；　over　a　low　swell　of　hills。　　　　〃Well；　they　had　all　had　enough　exploring　to　last　them　a　time；　and　I　wanted　only　to　have　a　Healer　do　something　with　my　eyes。　　Those　in　Zebit　said　there　was　nothing　they　could　do；　but　they　remended　a　Healer　here　in　Betand　who　was　said　to　be　very　powerful。　So　I　bought　a　small　pawnish　boy　to　be　my　guide；　and　we　crossed　the　river　there　at　Zebit　and　found　the　trail　into　the　mountains　and　then　north　to　Betand。　It　was　all　nonsense　about　the　Healer。　She　could　do　no　more　than　the　others。　So；　here　I've　stayed　since；　evoking　small　visions　in　return　for　a　place　to　sleep　or　a　bite　to　eat。　The　end　of　my　great　adventure；　the　only　one　I　am　ever　to　have。〃　　
　I　shook　my　head；　musing；　as　he　nodded；　lost　in　memory　and　the　flow　of　his　own　voice。　〃So；〃　I　said　at　last；　〃you　came　here　from　the　south。〃　That　didn't　help　me　at　all。　　　
　〃Oh；　you　might　say　so；　Gamesman。　But　I　came　from　the　east；　you　know；　and　from　the　north　as　well。　Twas　my　whole　adventure　brought　me　to　Betand；　and　it　was　in　all　directions　from　here。〃
　〃Save　west；〃　I　said；　suddenly　enlightened。〃　　
　〃True；〃　he　murmured；　saddened。　〃I　slept　in　the　west；　but　I　did　not　see　it。　Oh；　I've　seen　it　in　visions；　the　sounds　of　metal；　the　green　lights；　the　great　defenders。〃　
　Would　I　had　paid　him　more　attention；　but　I　did　not。　My　question　had　been　answered；　and　I　was　on　fire　to　be　away。　　So　I　pressed　coins　into　his　hands　and　left　him　without　hearing　what　he　was　going　on　about。　He　had　e　to　Betand　from　every　direction　except　the　west；　therefore　west　was　the　direction　I　should　go。　I　wondered　briefly　what　guise　Mavin　had　taken　to　hear　the　old　man's　tale。　She　may　have　sat　in　the　same　place；　buying　beer　as　I　had　done　and　listening　to　him　tell　the　well…rehearsed　story。　Well。　Enough　of　that　and　time　to　be　off。　I　did　not　even　really　listen　to　his　tale　of　the　perfidious　Gifters。　　　I　left　the　city　through　the　northern　gate　and　would　have　ridden　on　at　speed　save　for　a　voice　hailing　me　from　among　tents　and　wains　at　the　side　of　the　road。　　
　〃O；　traveler。　And　were　you　amused　by　the　city　of　Betand？〃　　It　was　that　same　wide…mouthed　trader　I　had　met　in　the　tavern　to　the　south　of　the　city。　I　remembered　he　had　said　he　would　meet　me；　but　I　had　paid　little　attention。　Cursing　silently；　I　reined　in　and　waited　for　him　to　e　up　to　me。
　〃Was　it　interesting；　Necromancer？〃
　〃The　city　was　not　a　bad　city；　Trader。〃
　〃Nap；　friend。　Laggy　Nap。　Oh；　yes；　Betand　is　interesting；〃　he　said　and　again　came　that　lewd　laughter　I　remembered。　〃Interesting　to　get　for　no　cost　what　one　must　pay　for　in　other　places；　hmmm？〃　When　I　did　not　reply；　he　went　on；　〃Well；　have　you　a　story　to　tell？〃
　〃None；　Trader　Nap。　I　have　acplished　my　business　in　Betand　and　now　ride　west　of　here。　Thank　you　for　your　interest。〃
　〃Oh；　more　than　interest；　friend！　Much　more。　Concern。　Yes；　true　concern。　We　make　it　a　practice；　my　fellows　and　I；　to　befriend　any　Gamesman　traveling　alone。　It　is　a　wicked　world；　young　sir；　an　unconscionable　world。　It　takes　no　account　of　youth　or　business。　No；　only　with　numbers　does　protection　e。　If　you　ride　west；　then　you　ride　as　we　do。　e；　let　me　introduce　you　to　my　people。〃
　I　should　have　ridden　away；　simply　ignored　the　fellow　and　gone；　but　the　habit　of　courtesy　was　still　too　fresh　in　me。　Fretting　at　the　delay；　I　dismounted　and　walked　with　him　to　the　line　of　wains　at　the　roadside。
　〃Izia；〃　he　called。　〃e　out　and　greet　a　Gamesman　who　travels　alone。〃
　She　came　from　behind　one　of　the　wagons；　came　like　a　vision；　a　Priestess；　a　Princess；　a　Goddess。　I　am　sure　my　mouth　dropped　open。　We　had　statues　in　the　public　square　in　Schooltown　which　embodied　the　ideal　of　female　grace　and　form。　If　one　of　them　had　e　to　life　and　walked；　thus　was　Izia's　walk。　Her　hair　was　black　without　any　light　in　it　at　all。　Her　eyes　were　smudged　with　deep　shadow。　Her　lips　curved　downward　and　upward　in　the　center　in　that　most　sensuous　of　lines；　that　half　smile　which　is　a　silent　evocation　of　passion。　A　few　days　before　I　would　not　have　noticed。　Now　I　did。　So　much　had　I　learned　in　Betand。　She　walked　with　grace；　but　with　a　slight　。。。　what　was　it？　A　kind　of　hesitation；　a　tentative　placement　of　her　feet；　as　though　she　had　some　reluctance。　So　she　came　beside　the　wide…mouthed　man　and　said　in　a　soft；　neutral　voice；　〃Wele；　traveler。　Would　you　desire　food　or　drink？〃
　〃Not　for　me；〃　I　said　hastily。　I　felt　I　had　done　nothing　but　eat　and　drink　for　several　days。　〃Truly；　and　thank　you。　I　must　ride　on。
　〃We　will　not　hear　of　it。〃　The　Trader　had　a　firm　arm　about　my　shoulders；　fingers　dug　into　my　upper　arm　in　what　might　have　been　a　friendly　grip　but　felt　like　the　talons　of　a　bird　of　prey。　〃Never。　You　will　ride　with　us；　and　we　with　you；　for　our　mutual　protection。　If　you　need　to　go　now；　then　so　will　we。〃　And　with　that　he　called　instructions　to　some　of　the　people　in　the　shade　of　the　wagons　and　provoked　a　swift　turmoil　of　harnessing　and　packing。　I　tried　vainly　to　remonstrate　with　him；　to　no　avail。　Each　argument　was　met　with　firm；　smiling　denial；　while　all　the　time　his　eyes　looked　into　my　soul　without　smiling　at　all。　I　had　never　before　met　one　who　would；　on　no　acquaintance；　call　me　friend　so　often　in　so　insistent　a　voice。　　Well；　what　could　I　do？　They　were　moving　out　onto　the　road；　going　in　the　way　I　intended　to　go。　It　was　with　no　good　grace　I　acpanied　them；　but　acpany　them　I　did。　All　the　while　the　woman；　Izia；　moved　among　the　horses；　as　I　watched　her　broodingly。　clucking　to　them；　speaking　softly　to　them；　fingers　going　to　the　harness　as　she　murmured　into　their　cocked　ears；　submitted　to　the　nuzzling　of　their　muzzles。　When　Nap　came　near；　the　animals　shied　away；　but　they　responded　to　her　as　though　she　had　been　one　of　them。　She　was　dressed　in　a　swinging；　wide　skirt；　a　tightly…laced　bodice　over　a　wide…sleeved　shirt；　and　high　gray　boots　of　some　strange　metallic　weave。　From　time　to　time　she　would　bend　to　stroke　the　boots；　or　more…to　stroke　her　legs　through　the　boots；　first　one　and　then　the　other；　almost　without　seeming　to　know　she　did　it。　I　wondered；　once　more；　at　the　hesitancy　in　her　step；　then　decided　it　must　be　a　thing　mon　to　her　people；　for　several　of　those　in　the　train　walked　in　the　same　way。　Probably；　I　thought；　it　was　a　habit　peculiar　to　whatever　land　they　had　e　from。
　I　cast　my　mind　back　to　the　time　when　Silkhands　the　Healer　had　spent　hours　and　days　teaching　me　all　the　Gamesmen　in　the　Index。　It　had　been　boring　at　the　time；　but　now　I　searched　the　memories　to　find　what　type　of　creature　this　Laggy　Nap　might　be。　〃Trader〃　had　been　in　the　Index。　I　recalled　the　Talents　of　a　Trader；　to　hold　power；　some；　and　to　have　beguilement。　The　dress　of　a　Trader　was　leather　boots；　trousers　of　striped　brown　and　red；　wide…sleeved　shirt；　and　over　all　loose　cap　and　tunic　embroidered　with　symbols　of　whatever　stuff　was　traded。　Laggy　Nap's　tunic　was　covered　with　embroidered　pictures　of　everything　from　pans　and　lids　to　horses'　heads；　tinner　to　horse　dealer；　he　seemed　a　man　of　many　trades。　None　of　the　others　wore　the　guise　of　Gamesmen。　They　were　dressed　much　as　the　woman　was；　full　short　trousers　over　the　gray　boots；　wide　shirts　and　laced　vests。　I　wondered　where　they　came　from　but　forbore　to　ask。　I　did　not　want　to　talk　to　the　Trader　more　than　necessary。　I　did　not　know　why；　could　not　have　explained　why；　but　the　feeling　was　strong。　It　was　as　though　I　felt　he　could　hear　more　in　my　words　than　I　meant；　see　more　in　my　face　than　I　cared　to　show。　I　smiled；　therefore；　and　nodded　as　he　spoke　to　me；　saying　little　in　return。　So　are　fools　sometimes　protected　by　instinct　when　they　are　too　stupid　to　do　it　by　wit。　　So　we　rode　out；　me　silent　as　could　be；　spending　most　of　my　time　watching　the　woman。　At　first　it　was　because　I　thought　her　so　beautiful；　but　after　a　time　I　saw　that　she　was　not　so　lovely　as　first　glance　had　told　me。　Her　nose　was　too　long。　Her　mouth　too　wide。　One　eye　was　a　little　higher　than　the　other；　and　she　seemed　always　to　have　her　head　cocked　as　tho