fs.thesecondbookofswords-第13部分

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　〃I　have　secluded　myself　like　this　from　the　world　for　one　reason　only：　that　I　may　devise　the　most　terrible　vengeance　possible　upon　the　Blue　Temple　and　all　its　leaders。　For　the　past。。。　for　never　mind　how　many　years；　I　have　devoted　all　my　energies　to　that　one　object。　And　what　worse　vengeance　could　there　be；　upon　them；　than　to　rob　them　of　what　they　hold　dearer　than　life　itself。。。　hey；　Mitspieler？　Are　we　going　to　throw　open　those　vaults　of　theirs　or　not？〃　And　with　a　gesture　that　looked　somehow　out　of　character；　he　thumped　his　manservant　awkwardly　on　the　arm。
　　　The　servant　called　Mitspieler　looked；　if　not　quite　as　old　as　his　master；　somewhat　more　worn。　His　was　a　workman's　face；　beardless　and　lined。　His　stature　was　fairly　small；　his　build　sturdy；　his　arms　emerging　wiry　and　corded　from　short　sleeves。　His　hair；　short；　curly；　and　dark；　was　richly　mixed　with　gray。
　　　His　dark　eyes　gazed　off　into　the　distance　as　he　answered。　〃In　those　vaults　lies　treasure；　truly　beyond　price　and　beyond　pare。。。　aye；　we　can　open　them。　When　we　are　ready。　We　have　been　waiting　for　the　help　we　need。〃
　　　〃And　I　have　woven　spells；〃　said　Indosuaros；　〃that　the　needed　help　might　be　brought　to　me；　for　until　it　was；　a　robbery　on　the　requisite　scale　seemed　well…nigh　impossible。〃　He　smiled　at　Doon。　〃And　you　still　think　that　your　ing　here　was　a　matter　of　your　own　choosing？〃
　　　〃I　have　told　you　what　it　was　…　the　Sword's　guidance。　But　e；　I'm　interested。　Just　why　are　you　devoting　your　life　to　getting　back　at　the　moneybags？　Vengeance　for　what？〃
　　　〃It　is　a　long　story。〃
　　　〃I'll　hear　one；　if　necessary。〃
　　　〃Later；〃　said　Indosuaros；　vaguely。　〃Baron；　will　you　draw　your　Sword　once　more　if　I　request　it？　And　hold　it　up　for　me　to　see？〃
　　　Doon　pushed　his　chair　back　farther；　and　stood　up；　to　make　the　motion　easier。　And　yet　once　more　he　brought　Wayfinder　bright　out　of　its　sheath。　The　wizard　now　appeared　to　focus　his　full　attention　for　the　first　time　on　the　blade；　and　the　servant　standing　beside　his　chair　gazed　at　it　too。
　　　All　the　others　were　quietly　intent；　watching　Indosuaros。
　　　At　last　the　old　magician　looked　away；　frowning　lightly。　〃I　will　admit；〃　he　said；　〃that　your　Sword　is　genuine。　Considerable　power　rests　there　in　your　hand。〃
　　　〃Considerable？〃　Doon　came　near　to　being　outraged。　〃Is　that　the　best　word　that　you　can　find　for　it？〃
　　　Indosuaros　was　unruffled。　〃My　own　powers　are　also。。。　considerable。　And　I　tell　you　that　they　have　been　at　work　for　a　long　time　to　solve　the　problems　of　attacking　the　Blue　Temple。　I　have　set　them　to　bring　someone　well　qualified　…　perhaps　you　…　here　to　help　me。　So；　whether　your　presence　here　is　actually　due　to　the　Sword；　or。。。〃
　　　Doon　brandished　Wayfinder　once；　then　clapped　it　back　into　its　sheath；　as　if　to　save　it　from　the　gaze　of　disrespectful　eyes。　The　Baron　cried：　〃Forged　by　a　god！　By　Vulcan　himself！〃　It　appeared　that　he　could　not　credit　the　other's　attitude。　He　seated　himself　again；　banging　his　chair　on　the　pavement。
　　　〃I　have　admitted　that　your　Sword　has　worth。〃　Indosuaros　was　looking　at　his　guest　more　sternly　now。　〃My　chief　question　now　is；　what　do　you；　yourself；　bring　to　this　enterprise？　Apart；　that　is；　from　your　indisputable　greed；　and　courage　…　or　perhaps　foolhardiness。　Are　you　the　man　whose　help　I　need？　I　must　seek　an　answer　to　this　question　in　practical　terms。〃
　　　〃Then　seek　it。〃
　　　It　was　probably　Hubert　himself　who　unwittingly　gave　warning。　Doon　must　have　seen；　mirrored　in　Hubert's　face；　that　something　untoward　was　developing　behind　the　Baron's　chair。
　　　The　door　leading　into　that　wall　of　the　courtyard　had　swung　open；　to　show　blackness　gathered　behind　it；　an　interior　as　dark　as　ever。　And　the　ebony　ape　was　there　again；　as　silent　as　before。　As　soon　as　its　eyes　fell　upon　Doon；　it　came　hurtling　toward　him　from　behind。　The　rush　was　swift　and　noiseless；　and　made　with　log…sized　arms　uplifted　to　seize　the　man　or　deal　him　a　crushing　blow。
　　　Hubert　was　on　his　feet。　But　he　knew　he　was　too　late；　too　slow；　knew　it　even　as　he　stood　there　with　his　own　weapon　but　half…drawn；　his　chair　still　in　the　act　of　toppling　behind　him。　Doon　had　meanwhile　rolled　sideways　from　his　own　chair；　ing　out　of　the　movement　somehow　on　his　feet　even　as　the　great　ape's　fists　crashed　down　to　splinter　his　chair's　back。　Hubert　had　not　seen　Wayfinder　drawn　again；　but　now　it　flickered　in　its　master's　hand；　the　silver　tongue　of　some　swift　serpent。
　　　The　ape　turned　with　a　roar；　but　not　in　time。　Black　fur　gushing　red　that　was　not　wine　upon　white　linen；　it　sprawled　forward　among　the　remaining　winecups。　Gurgling　its　death；　it　slid　off　the　table　slowly；　dragging　cloth　and　cups　to　crash　down　with　it。
　　　Four　men　stood　around　the　table　armed；　ready　for　the　next　threat　…　but　there　was　none。　One　man　sat　smiling　at　the　tables　head。　Nothing　but　approval　glinted　in　the　eye　of　Indosuaros。
　　　Once　more　Doon　waved　the　Sword。　〃I　told　you；　wizard！〃　he　roared　in　triumph。　〃I　told　you！　In　my　hand；　doubly　magic！〃
Chapter　5
　　　The　three　of　them；　Mark；　Ben；　and　Barbara；　had　been　awake　most　of　the　night。　They　had　been　busy　packing；　swapping　histories　and　stories；　trading　off　to　the　other　carnival　people　things　that　they　weren't　going　to　need。　Then　they　had　left　the　carnival　at　sunrise；　driving　in　Barbara's　wagon；　one　item　she　hadn't　wanted　to　trade　just　yet。　Tanakir　had　bartered　them　some　food　and　a　little　coin　for　Barbara's　little　dragon　and　its　cage；　which　he　meant　to　incorporate　into　his　own　act。　He　was　staying　on　with　the　carnival；　seeing　that　she　and　her　friends　were　leaving。　Viktor　waved　goodbye　to　the　three　of　them　at　dawn；　and　shouted　his　hope　that　they'd　e　back　next　season。
　　　Mark　doubted　that　very　much。　One　way　or　another；　he　thought；　they　were　sure　to　be　somewhere　else。
　　　Purkinje　Town　and　the　carnival　encampment　were　a　couple　of　hours　behind　them　now。　The　road　ahead　had　already　straightened　out；　entering　a　long　rise　of　nearly　flat　and　mostly　empty　country　that　mounted　slowly　toward　distant　mountains　that　were　now　only　just　visible。　An　hour　ago　they　had　paused　for　breakfast；　and　Mark；　as　in　the　old　days；　had　used　his　bow　to　hunt　down　a　couple　of　rabbits。
　　　Now　they　were　well　under　way　again；　heading　south　by　mutual　though　still　largely　unspoken　agreement。　The　decision　had　been　arrived　at　in　the　camp；　surrounded　by　eavesdroppers；　and　the　reasons　for　going　south　had　not　been　discussed　as　yet。
　　　Ben　was　driving　the　wagon　at　the　moment；　and　Barbara　talking。
　　　〃Ben；　you　haven't　told　us　what　you're　up　to。　You　say　you　joined　the　Blue　Temple；　but　you're　not　with　'em　any　more。　All　right；　so　you　deserted。　But　you've　got　a　look　about　you。　What're　you　planning　now？〃
　　　Ben　smiled　faintly。　〃I'm　planning　to　marry　you。〃
　　　Barbara　looked　exasperated。　〃We　went　through　all　that　before　you　left。　Nothing's　changed。　When　I　marry　somebody；　it's　going　to　have　to　mean　that　I　can　live　like　a　real　person　somewhere。　No　more。。。〃　She　waved　a　hand；　vaguely　indicating　the　wagon　and　the　road。
　　　〃Fine　with　me；〃　said　Ben。
　　　Her　curiosity　obviously　aroused；　Barbara　looked　at　him　closely。　〃Have　you　got　any　money　in　your　pockets？〃
　　　〃Not　in　my　pockets。　Not　with　me。〃
　　　〃Hidden　somewhere；　then？〃
　　　〃I　haven't　got　it　yet。　But。。。　〃
　　　With　a　loud　sigh；　Barbara　sat　back　between　the　men；　folding　her　arms。　One　more　dream…possibility　demolished。
　　　Mark　enjoyed　listening　to　the　two　of　them。　He　was　curious　about　Ben's　plans　too；　but　he　didn't　want　to　interrupt。　Now　Ben　appeared　to　be　content；　for　the　time　being；　to　look　mysterious　as　he　gazed　into　the　distance　along　the　road　ahead。
　　　They　drove　for　a　while　without　conversation。　Then　Barbara　said　to　Ben：　〃I　know　what　it　is。　You　want　to　get　your　Sword　back；　you're　ready　to　try　to　sell　it。〃
　　　〃I　want　to　get　it　back；　yes。　Sell　it；　no。　We　got　rid　of　the　idea　of　selling　them　even　before　we　hid　the　two　Swords。　We'd　get　cheated　or　murdered　for　sure。　No；　I've　got　a　use　for　Dragonslicer。〃
　　　Mark　asked　him：　〃A　dragon　hunt　somewhere？　Even　Nestor　never　made　much　money　doing　that；　remember？〃
　　　They　all　remembered。　Ben　said：　〃Nestor　wasn't　at　it　long　enough。　Anyway；　it's　a　special　hunt　that　I　have　in　mind。　There's　just　one　dragon　that　needs　to　be　got　rid　of。〃
　　　〃Everyone　who's　plagued　with　dragons　on　his　land　says　that；〃　Barbara　advised　him。　〃Get　your　pay　in　advance。〃　Now　she　swiveled　her　head　to　look　at　the　two　men　in　quick　succession。　〃Both　of　you；　ing　back　at　the　same　time　like　this　…　I　wonder　if　there's　some　connection？〃
　　　〃I　want　my　Sword　back　too；〃　said　Mark。　〃But　I'm　not　going　dragon　hunting。　And　I　had　no　idea　Ben　had　gone　off　to　enlist；　or　that　he'd　be　looking　for　Dragonslicer　now。〃
　　　〃What　do　you　need　Coinspinner　for？〃　Barbara　asked　him。　〃Not　that　I　have　to　know。　I'll　get　it　back　for　you　anyway。〃
　　　〃No　secret　about　it。　I'm　going　back　to　Sir　Andrew's　army。〃　〃Why　do　you　want　to　do　that？〃　Ben　shot　at　him。
　　　〃I　don't　know　if　I　want　to。　I　just　feel　like　I've　got　to。　I　told　you　I　was　with　him　for　a　while；　and　then　things　got　to　seeming　hopeless；　and　I　left。　And　then。。。　〃
　　　〃They　probably　are　hopeless；〃　said　Ben。
　　　〃Then　I　went　back　to　my　old　village；　Arin…on…Aldan；　to　see　if　I　could　locate　my　mother　and　my　sister。　There。。。　wasn't　any　village　any　more。　Five　years　since　I've　been　there。　Maybe　I'll　never　know　what　happened　to　them。〃　Mark　paused。　〃But　I'm　going　back　to　Sir　Andrew　now。　With　Coinspinner；　if　I　can。〃
　　　〃Why？〃　pursued　Ben。
　　　Mark　leaned　forward　to　talk　past　Barbara。　〃Look；　he's　trying　to　help　his　people。　The　people　who　were　his；　before　he　lost　his　lands。　Don't　you　think　they　want　him　back？　It　isn't　just　the　lands；　the　wealth；　that　he's　trying　to　recover。〃　Feelings；　ideas；　were　struggling　in　Mark　but　he　couldn't　find　the　words　to　let　them　out。　〃He　keeps　on　fighting　the　Dark　King；〃　he　concluded；　feeling　even　as　he　spoke　how　inadequate　the　words　were。
　　　〃Sounds　hopeless；〃　said　Ben；　remorselessly　practical。
　　　〃Everything's　hopeless；　as　long　as　people　don't　try。〃　And　Mark　added　suddenly：　〃I　wish　that　you　and　Barbara　would　e　with　me。〃
　　　〃To　join　an　army？〃　Barbara　laughed；　though　not　unkindly。
　　　Ben　just　shook　his　head　in　silence。
　　　Mark　hadn't　really　expected　any　other