sheritepper.necromancer nine-第2部分

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　don't　we？　Change　yourself　into　a　baggage　horse。　That'll　be　useful。〃　He　went　on　with　our　packing；　interrupting　himself　to　suggest；　〃You　got　the　Talent　of　that　there　Dorn。　Why　not　use　him。　Go　as　a　Necromancer？
　〃Why　Dorn？〃　I　asked　and　shivered。　〃Why　not　Trandilar？〃　Of　the　two；　she　was　the　more　fortable；　though　that　says　little　for　fort。
　〃Because　if　you　go　traveling　around　as　a　Prince　or　King　or　any　one　of　the　Rulers；　you'll　catch　followers　like　a　net　catches　fish；　and　you'll　be　up　to　your　gullet　in　Games　before　we　get　to　the　River。　You　got　three　Talents；　boy。　You　can　Shift；　but　you　don't　want　to　Shift　into　something　in…con…spic…u…ous。　You　can　Rule；　but　that's　dangerous；　being　a　Prince　or　a　King。　Or　you　can；　well；　Necromancers　travel　all　over　all　the　time　and　nobody　bothers　them。　They　don't　need　to　use　the　Talent。　Just　have　it　is　enough。〃
　In　the　end　he　had　his　way。　I　wore　the　black；　broad…brimmed　hat；　the　full　cloak；　the　gauze　mask　smeared　with　the　death's　head。　It　was　no　more　unfortable　than　any　other　guise；　but　it　put　a　weight　upon　my　heart。　Windlow　may　have　guessed　that；　for　he　came　tottering　down　from　his　tower　in　the　chill　mowing　to　tell　us　good…bye。　〃You　are　not　pretty；　my　boy；　but　you　will　travel　with　fewer　plications　this　way。〃
　〃I　know；　Old　One。　Thank　you　for　ing　down　to　wave　me　away。〃
　〃Oh；　I　came　for　more　than　that；　lad。　A　message　for　your　thalan；　Mertyn。　Tell　him　we　will　need　his　help　soon；　and　he　will　have　word　from　the　Bright　Demesne。〃　There　was　still　that　awful；　pathetic　look　in　his　eyes。
　〃What　do　you　mean；　Windlow？　Why　will　you　need　his　help？〃
　〃There；　boy。　There　isn't　time　to　explain。　You　would　have　known　more　or　less　if　you'd　been　paying　attention　to　what's　been　going　on。　Now　is　no　time　to　bee　interested。　Journey　well。〃　He　turned　and　went　away　without　my　farewell　kiss；　which　made　me　grumpy。　All　at　once；　having　gained　my　own　way；　I　was　not　sure　I　wanted　it。
　We　stopped　for　a　moment　before　turning　onto　the　high　road。　Away　to　the　south　a　Traders'　train　made　a　plume　of　dust　in　the　early　sky；　a　line　of　wagons　approaching　the　Bright　Demesne。
　〃Traders。〃　Chance　snorted。　〃As　though　Himaggery　didn't　have　enough　problems。〃
　It　was　true　that　Traders　seemed　to　take　up　more　time　than　their　merchandise　was　worth；　and　true　that　Himaggery　seemed　to　spend　a　great　deal　of　time　talking　with　them。　I　wasn't　thinking　of　that；　however；　but　of　the　choice　of　routes　which　confronted　us。　We　could　go　up　the　eastern　side　of　the　Middle　River；　through　the　forests　east　of　the　Gathered　Waters　and　the　lands　of　the　Immutables。　Chance　and　I　had　e　that　way　before；　though　not　intentionally。　This　time　I　chose　the　western　side　of　the　River；　through　farmlands　and　meadowlands　wet　with　spring　floods　and　over　a　hundred　hump…backed；　clattering　bridges。　There　was　little　traffic　in　any　direction；　woodwagons　moving　from　forest　to　village；　water　oxen　shuffling　from　mire　to　meadow；　a　gooseherd　keeping　his　hissing　flock　in　order　with　a　long；　blossomy　wand。　Along　the　ditches　webwillows　whispered　a　note　of　sharp　gold　against　the　dark　woodlands；　their　downy　kit…　tens　ready　to　burst　into　bloom。　Rain　breathed　across　windrows　of　dried　leaves；　greening　now　with　upthrust　grasses　and　the　greeny…bronze　of　curled　fern。　There　was　no　hurry　in　our　going。　I　was　sure　Himaggery　had　sent　an　Elator　to　let　Mertyn　know　I　was　on　the　way。
　That　first　day　we　saw　only　a　few　pawns　plowing　in　the　fields；　making　the　diagonal　ward…of…evil　sign　when　they　saw　me　but　willing　enough　to　sell　Chance　fresh　eggs　and　greens　for　all　that。　The　second　day　we　caught　up　to　a　party　of　merchants　and　trailed　just　behind　them　into　Vestertown　where　they　and　we　spent　the　night　at　the　same　inn。　They　no　more　than　the　pawns　were　joyed　to　see　me；　but　they　were　traveled　men　and　made　no　larger　matter　of　my　presence　among　them。　Had　they　known　it；　they　had　less　to　fear　from　me　than　from　Chance。　I　would　take　nothing　from　them　but　their　courtesy；　but　Chance　would　get　them　gambling　if　he　could。　They　were　poorer　next　day　for　their　night's　recreation；　and　Chance　was　humming　a　victory　song　as　we　went　along　the　lake　in　the　morning　light。
　The　Gathered　Waters　were　calm　and　glittering；　a　smiling　face　which　gave　no　indication　of　the　storms　which　often　troubled　it。　Chance　reminded　me　of　our　last　traveling　by　water；　fleeing　before　the　wind　and　from　a　ship　full　of　pawners　sent　by　Mandor　of　Bannerweli　to　capture　me。
　〃I　don't　want　to　think　about　that；〃　I　told　him。　〃And　of　that　time。〃
　〃I　thought　you　was　rather　fond　of　that　girl；〃　he　said。　〃That　Immutable　girl。〃
　〃Tossa。　Yes。　I　was　fond　of　her；　Chance；　but　she　died。　I　was　fond　of　Mandor；　too；　once；　and　he　is　as　good　as　dead；　locked　up　in　Bannerwell　for　all　he　is　Prince　of　the　place。　It　seems　the　people　I　am　fond　of　do　not　profit　by　it　much。〃
　〃Ahh；　that's　nonsense；　lad。　You're　fond　of　Silkhands；　and　she's　Gaxnesmistress　down　in　Xammer　now；　far　better　off　than　when　you　met　her。　Windlow；　too。　You　helped　him　away　from　the　High　King；　Prionde；　and　I'd　say　that's　better　off。　It　was　the　luck　of　the　Game　did　Tossa；　and　I'm　sorry　for　it。　She　was　a　pretty　thing。〃
　〃She　was。　But　that　was　most　of　a　year　ago；　Chance。　I　grieved　over　her；　but　that's　done　now。　Time　to　go　on　to　something　else。〃
　〃Well；　you　speak　the　truth　there。　It's　always　time　for　something　new。〃
　So　we　rode　along；　engaged　at　times　in　such　desultory　conversation；　other　times　silent。　This　was　country　I　had　not　seen　before。　When　I　had　e　from　Bannerwell　to　the　Bright　Demesne　after　the　battle；　it　had　been　across　the　purlieus　rather　than　by　the　long　road。　In　any　case；　I　had　not　been　paying　attention　then。
　We　came　to　the　River　Banner　very　late　on　the　third　day　of　travel；　found　no　inn　there　but　did　find　a　ferrymaster　willing　to　have　us　sleep　in　the　shed　where　the　femes　were　kept。　We　hauled　across　at　first　light；　spent　that　night　camped　above　a　tiny　hamlet　no　bigger　than　my　fist；　and　rode　into　Schooltown　the　following　noon。
　Somehow　I　had　expected　it　to　be　changed；　but　it　was　exactly　the　same：　little　houses　humped　up　the　hills；　shops　and　Festival　halls　hulking　along　the　streets；　cobbles　and　walls　and　crooked　roofs；　chimneys　twisting　up　to　breathe　smoke　into　the　hazy　sky；　and　the　School　Houses　on　the　ridge　above。　Havad's　House；　where　Mandor　had　been　Gamesmaster。　Dorcan's　House　across　the　way。　Bilme's　House；　where　it　was　said　Wizards；　were　taught。　Mertyn's　House　where　my　thalan　was　chief　Gamesmaster；　where　I　had　grown　up　in　the　nurseries　to　be　bullied；　by　Karl　Pig…face　and　to　love　Mandor　and　to　depart。　A　sick；　sweet　feeling　went　through　me；　half　nausea；　half　delight；　together　with　the　crazy　idea　that　I　would　ask　Mertyn　to　let　me　stay　at　the　House；　be　a　student　again。　Most　students　did　not　leave　until　they　were　twenty…five。　I　could　have　almost　a　decade　here；　in　the　peace　of　Schooltown。　I　came　to　myself　to　find　Chance　clutching　my　horse's　bridle　and　staring　at　me　in　concern。
　〃What　is　it；　boy？　You　look　as　though　you'd　been　ghost　bit。〃
　〃Nothing。〃　I　laughed；　a　bit　unsteadily。　〃A　crazy　idea；　Brother　Chance。〃
　〃You　haven't　called　me　that　since　we　left　here。〃
　〃No。　But　we're　back；　now；　aren't　we？　Don't　worry；　Chance。　I'm　all　right。〃　We　turned　the　horses　over　to　a　stable　pawn　and　went　in　through　the　small　side　door　beside　the　kitchens。　It　was　second　nature　to　do　so；　habit；　habit　to　remove　my　hat；　to　go　off　along　the　corridor　behind　Chance；　habit　to　hear　a　familiar　voice　rise　tauntingly　behind　me。
　〃Why；　if　it　isn't　old　Fat　Chance　and　Prissy　Pete；　e　back　to　go　to　School　with　us　again。〃
　I　stopped　dead　in　savage　delight。　So；　Karl　Pig…face　was　still　here。　Of　course　he　was　still　here；　along　with　all　his　fellow　tormentors。　He　had　not　seen　my　face。　Slowly　I　put　the　broad　black　bat　upon　my　head；　turned　to　face　them　where　they　hovered　in　the　side　corridor；　lips　wet　and　slack　with　anticipation　of　another　bullying。　I　was　only　a　shadow　to　them　where　I　stood。　I　shook　Chance's　restraining　hand　from　my　shoulder；　moved　toward　the　lantern　which　hung　always　just　at　that　turning。
　〃Yes；　Karl；〃　I　whispered　in　Dora's　voice。　〃It　is　Peter　e　to　School　again；　but　not　with　you。〃　Stepping　into　the　light　on　the　last　word；　letting　them　see　the　death's…head　mask；　hearing　the　indrawn　breath；　the　retching　gulp　which　was　all　Karl　could　get　out。　Then　they　were　gone；　yelping　away　like　whipped　pups；　away　to　the　corridors　and　attics。　I　laughed　silently；　overe。
　〃That　wasn't　nice；〃　said　Chance　sanctimoniously。
　〃Aaah；　Chance。〃　I　poked　him　in　his　purse；　where　the　merchants'　coins　still　clinked　fulsomely。　〃We　have　our　little　failings；　don't　we？　It　was　you　who　told　me　to　travel　as　a　Necromancer；　Chance。　I　cannot　help　it　if　it　scares　small　boys　witless。〃　My　feelings　of　sick　sweet　nostalgia　had　turned　to　ones　of　delighted　vengeance。　Karl　might　think　twice　before　bullying　a　smaller　boy　again。　I　planned　how；　before　I　left；　I　might　drive　the　point　home。
　In　order　to　reach　Mertyn's　tower　room　we　had　to　climb　past　the　schoolrooms；　the　rooms　of　the　other　Masters。　Gamesmaster　Gervaise　met　us　on　the　landing　outside　his　own　classroom；　and　he　knew　me　at　once；　seeming　totally　unawed　by　the　mask。
　〃Peter；　my　boy。　Mertyn　said　you'd　be　ing　to　visit。　He's　down　in　the　garden；　talking　to　a　tradesman　just　now。　e　in　and　have　wine　with　me　while　you　wait　for　him。　e　in；　Chance。　I　have　some　of　your　favorite　here　to　drown　the　dust　of　the　road。　I　remember　we　had　trouble　keeping　it　when　you　were　here；　Chance。　No　less　trouble　now；　but　it's　I　who　drink　it。〃　He　led　us　through　the　cold　classroom　where　the　Gamemodel　swam　in　its　haze　of　blue　to　his　own　sitting　room；　warm　with　firelight　and　sun。　〃Brrrr。〃　He　shivered　as　he　shut　the　door。　〃The　older　I　get；　the　harder　it　bees　to　bear　the　cold　of　the　game　model。　But　you　remember。　All　you　boys　have　chapped　hands　and　faces　from　it。〃
　I　shivered　in　sympathy　and　remembrance；　accepting　the　wine　he　poured。　〃You　always　had　us　work　with　the　model　when　it　was　snowing　out；　Master　Gervaise。　And　in　the　heat　of　summer；　we　never　did。〃
　〃Well；　that　seems　perverse；　doesn't　it？　It　wasn't　for　that　reason；　of　course。　In　the　summer　it's　simply　too　difficult　to　keep　the　models　cold。　We　lock　them　away　down　in　the　ice　cellar。　It　will　soon　be　too　warm　this　year。　Not　like　last　season　where　winter　went　on　almost　to　midsummer。〃　He　poured　wine　fo