fs.thesecondbookofswords-第14部分

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　　　〃To　join　an　army？〃　Barbara　laughed；　though　not　unkindly。
　　　Ben　just　shook　his　head　in　silence。
　　　Mark　hadn't　really　expected　any　other　answer；　but　still　the　refusals；　Ben's　in　particular；　irritated　him。　〃So；　you're　going　to　hunt　dragons　instead？　That's　as　hard　as　fighting　in　a　war；　even　if　you　do　have　Dragonslicer。〃
　　　Ben　turned。　Enthusiasm　entered　his　voice　again。　〃I　told　you；　the　hunting's　only　a　small　part　of　it。　The　dragon　is　just　in　the　way　of　something　else。　I　wish　that　both　of　you　would　e　with　me。〃
　　　〃I'm　no　good　at　riddles；〃　Barbara　said。
　　　〃What　would　we　do？〃　Mark　asked。
　　　〃Gain　some　money。　More　than　just　that。　Wealth。〃
　　　〃I'm　not　out　to　get　wealthy；〃　Mark　told　him。
　　　〃All　right。　You're　out　to　help　Sir　Andrew　fight　for　his　land　and　get　it　back。。。〃
　　　〃And　for　his　people。〃
　　　〃All　right；　for　his　people。　Now　you　could　help　Sir　Andrew　a　lot　more　by　taking　him　a　share　of　treasure；　couldn't　you？　Imagine　yourself　showing　up　in　his　camp　with　jewels　and　gold　enough　to　feed　his　army　for　a　year。〃
　　　〃An　army；　for　a　year？〃
　　　〃Ten　years；　maybe。〃
　　　Barbara　had　turned　to　look　at　the　huge　man　with　concern。　〃Are　you　sick？〃　she　asked　him。　The　question　sounded　unfortably　serious。
　　　And　Mark　asked：　〃Where's　anyone　going　to　find　wealth　like　that？〃
　　　Ben　was　calm。　〃I'll　tell　you　both　if　you　say　you're　with　me。〃
　　　This　wasn't　like　Ben；　and　Mark　couldn't　figure　it　out。　〃Look；　Sir　Andrew　needs　real　help。　Not　some　scheme　that。。。　I'm　going　to　get　Coinspinner　and　take　it　to　him。　If　it's　still　wherever　Barbara　hid　it。〃
　　　Ben　was　looking　stubborn　now；　maybe　offended。　Mark　added：　〃I　think　now　that　we　were　wrong　to　hide　them　the　way　we　did。〃
　　　Barbara　said：　〃Then　you've　forgotten　how　tired　the　three　of　us　were　of　Swords。　Remember？　Wed　worry　that　they'd　be　stolen。　Or　that　somebody　powerful　would　find　out　that　we　had　them；　and　an　army　would　e　after　us；　or　a　demon；　or　some　magician　that　we'd　have　no　way　to　cope　with。　Then　we'd　think　of　trying　to　sell　them　to　someone；　and　we'd　realize　that　we'd　be　cheated　when　we　did；　and　murdered　afterwards。　Then　we'd　worry　that　Coinspinner　would　get　lost　of　itself。。。　remember　how　it'd　move　around？　We'd　hide　it　underneath　something　on　one　side　of　the　wagon；　and　find　it　on　the　other。　Or　just　outside。　I'm　not　sure　it's　going　to　be　there　when　we　look　for　it。〃
　　　〃We'll　look；　though；〃　said　Mark。　He　paused。　〃Neither　of　you　has　ever　heard　anything　of　Townsaver；　I　guess？〃
　　　As　he　had　expected；　the　others　signed　that　they　had　not。　Mark's　father；　Jord　the　blacksmith；　had　been　the　only　survivor　among　the　half　dozen　men　conscripted　by　Vulcan　to　forge　the　Swords。　And　when　the　job　was　done；　the　god　had　taken　Jord's　right　arm　…　and　given　him；　in　payment　he　had　said；　the　Sword　of　Fury；　Townsaver。　All　this　before　Mark　had　been　born。
　　　Then　Jord；　and　Mark's　older　brother　Kenn；　had　died　in　the　fight　when　Townsaver　saved　their　village　…　a　hollow　victory　indeed；　as　Mark　had　seen　for　himself。。。
　　　〃。。。　recovered　from　his　wounds？〃　Barbara　was　asking　him　something。
　　　With　an　effort　Mark　recalled　his　thoughts；　and　figured　out　what　she　was　talking　about。　〃Sir　Andrew？　You　mean　his　wounds　from　when　his　castle　fell？　That　was　five　years　ago。　He's　had　more　wounds　since　then；　and　overe　them　…　he　does　right　well　for　a　man　his　age。　Or　of　any　age；　for　that　matter。　Keeps　his　own　small　army　in　the　field；　most　of　the　year。　Supports　Princess　Rimac；　and　her　General　Rostov。　Harasses　the　Dark　King。　And　fights　Queen　Yambu；　of　course；　she　now　holds　Sir　Andrew's　old　lands。〃　〃Dame　Yoldi's　still　with　him？〃
　　　〃Sir　Andrew'd　not　trust　any　other　seer；　I　think。　Nor　she；　I　suppose；　any　other　lord。〃
　　　Now　again　for　a　time　there　was　silence；　except　for　the　plodding　of　the　loadbeasts'　feet　and　the　creaking　of　the　wagon。　All　three　people　riding　in　it　were　examining　different　but　related　memories。　Ben　reached　up；　unconsciously；　to　rub　a　scar　that　crossed　his　left　shoulder　and　the　upper　part　of　his　arm。　It　was　from　a　wound　received　in　the　fierce　defense　of　Sir　Andrew's　castle；　five　years　ago。。。
　　　And　Mark　returned　to　that　day　now；　as　he　sometimes　did　in　nightmares。　Seeing　the　scaling　ladders　nosing　up　over　the　walls；　the　Gray　Horde　ready　to　swarm　up。　And　massed　behind　its　hideous　ranks　were　the　black　and　silver　of　Yambu；　the　blue　and　white　of　the　army　of　Duke　Fraktin　who　was　now　no　more。　That　had　been　Mark's　first　real　battle；　and　very　nearly　his　last。
　　　Barbara　said：　〃Every　time　I　think　of　that　day；　I　think　of　Nestor。〃
　　　〃Aye；〃　said　Ben。　And　then　again　all　three　were　silent。　On　the　subject　of　Nestor　there　was　no　more　to　be　said。　Dragonslicer　had　been　Nestor's；　as　had　this　very　wagon；　and　Nestor　must　have　fallen　at　some　point　in　the　defense；　perhaps　with　Townsaver　still　in　hand。　By　inheritance；　or　at　least　by　unspoken　agreement　among　Nestor's　friends；　Dragonslicer　had　e　to　Ben。
　　　〃How　large　is　Sir　Andrew's　army　now？〃　Barbara　asked　Mark。
　　　〃Even　if　I　knew　the　numbers；　I'd　be　wrong　to　tell　them。　Even　to　you　two。。。　anyway　the　numbers　change；　with　fortune　and　the　seasons。　But　he　needs　help。〃　Raw　urgency　was　in　Mark's　voice　as　he　repeated：　〃I　wish　you'd　e　with　me。　Both　of　you。〃
　　　Barbara　laughed　again。　It　was　not　a　mocking　sound；　but　quick　and　unhesitating。　〃I'm　fed　up　with　armies　and　with　fighting。　I'd　like　to　try　the　opposite　side　of　life　for　a　while。　Live　in　some　peaceful　town；　and　be　a　stodgy　citizen　with　my　own　house　and　my　own　bed。　A　solid　bed　with　four　legs；　one　that　doesn't　roll。　Let　the　world　do　its　fighting　outside　the　city　walls。〃　Again　she　looked　quickly　to　her　panions　on　left　and　right。　〃The　last　time　that　the　three　of　us　were　in　a　fight；　you　two　had　to　carry　me　out　of　it　…　that　should　have　been　warning　enough　for　all　of　us。〃
　　　〃And　I；〃　said　Ben；　〃have　had　enough　of　armies　too。　March　back　and　forth　to　no　purpose；　take　stupid　orders　and　sweat　and　freeze　and　starve。　That's　what　you　do　on　the　good　days。　And　once　in　a　while　bad　days　e　along。　As　both　of　you　know。〃　He　faced　Mark。　〃I　admire　Sir　Andrew；　but　I　have　to　say　that　I　think　his　brains　are　addled。　He's　never　going　to　win　his　lands　and　people　back。〃
　　　〃So　instead；〃　said　Mark；　〃you　are　going　back　to　something　safe　and　pleasant；　like　hunting　dragons　…　all　right；　just　one　dragon。　And　that's　going　to　make　you　fabulously　rich。　Is　that　what　you　said？〃
　　　〃I　didn't　say　that。　But　it　will。〃
　　　Barbara　made　a　derisive　sound。　〃The　dragon　guards　a　treasure？〃　That　was　a　situation　arising　only　in　old　fantastic　tales。
　　　〃In　a　manner　of　speaking；　yes；　it　does。〃　Her　mockery　had　stung　Ben。　〃And　I'll　tell　you　something　of　the　treasure。　It　has　at　least　one　more　of　the　Swords　in　it。　I　know。　I　saw　it　put　there　myself；　down　into　the　earth。〃
　　　Mark　blinked；　and　suddenly　found　himself　listening　to　Ben　seriously。　〃One　more　Sword？　Which　one？〃
　　　〃That　I　don't　know；〃　said　Ben　calmly；　〃The　Sword　was　well　wrapped　when　I　saw　it　put　away；　along　with　six　loadbeasts'　burden　of　some　other　treasure。　But　I　brushed　against　the　Sword　once；　and　even　through　the　wrappings　I　could　feel　the　power。　After　living　with　two　of　'em　here　in　the　wagon　for　a　couple　of　years；　I　know　what　I　felt。〃
　　　Barbara's　face　had　altered。　And　her　voice；　too；　when　she　spoke　again。　Now　it　came　out　in　a　whisper；　almost　awed。　〃You　were　in　Blue　Temple　service。〃
　　　〃Of　course。　That's　what　I've　been　telling　you。〃
　　　But　plainly　the　implications；　the　possibilities；　hadn't　really　dawned　on　her　till　now。
　　　At　sunset　they　made　camp。　As　so　often　in　the　old　days；　Ben　and　Mark　slept　under　the　wagon；　with　Barbara　inside。　In　the　morning　they　moved　on；　steadily　and　without　hurry。
　　　Several　days　passed　in　a　southward　journey。　Spring　would　have　shaded　into　summer　around　them；　except　that　the　country　was　growing　higher。　Modest　mountains　rose　up　ahead；　apparently　barring　their　progress。　Mark　had　never　learned　the　right　name　for　this　range；　though　he　had　passed　this　way　at　least　once　before。
　　　Next　day　the　road　started　to　wind　upward。　It　remained　a　paratively　easy　way；　for　a　route　that　traversed　a　mountain　pass。　Here　at　higher　altitude　the　end　of　winter　lingered　still；　in　wasted　fragments　of　snowbanks　that　survived　among　the　bold　spring　flowers。　The　scenery　began　to　tend　toward　the　tremendous。
　　　〃I　remember　this　place　now。　This　was　where　we　turned。〃
　　　There　was　a　small　side　canyon；　that　went　curving　up　from　the　main　road　that　traversed　the　pass。　The　wagon　could　get　up　the　side　canyon　for　a　couple　of　hundred　meters；　and　that　was　far　enough。　Suddenly　the　three　who　rode　in　it　came　in　sight　of　a　ruined　shrine　or　temple；　built　on　a　small　rise。　It　was　a　beautiful　setting；　prettiness　nearby　in　the　grass　and　wildflowers；　and　grandeur　in　the　distant　vistas。　What　god　or　goddess　the　temple　might　have　been　raised　to　honor　seemed　impossible　to　determine　now。　Certainly　it　was　very　old。
　　　It　was　midday　when　they　stood　before　the　ruin。　They　had　left　the　wagon　standing　just　a　few　meters　downslope；　where　the　drivable　surface　petered　out　pletely。
　　　〃You　hid　them　in　here？　In　the　ruins？〃
　　　Barbara　nodded。
　　　〃Why　in　here？〃
　　　〃Coinspinner　itself　directed　me　to　the　place。　I　thought　I　told　you　that　it　had　guided　me。〃
　　　The　wind　sighed　through　the　walls　of　the　canyon；　rocks　splintered　with　some　ancient　heaving　of　the　earth。　In　the　distance；　far　down　the　pass；　the　gentler　slopes　were　beautiful　with　spring。　Mark　could　see　a　group　of　white…robed　pilgrims　there　in　the　distance；　approaching　slowly　through　the　pass。　If　they　were　chanting　a　song　to　Ardneh；　as　seemed　likely；　he　couldn't　hear　it　at　this　range。　〃Is　this　one　of　Ardneh's　shrines；　I　wonder？〃
　　　〃I　suppose　the　local　people　would　know；〃　said　Barbara。　〃If　there　were　any　local　people。〃
　　　But　when　they　went　inside　the　roofless　walls　and　looked　about；　they　found　strong　evidence　that　there　were。　Dried　flowers；　and　freeze…dried　fruit；　were　arranged　on　a　low；　flat　stone；　that　might　or　might　not　originally　have　been　part　of　an　altar。
　　　Two　years　ago；　Barbara　had　climbed　up　to　this　place　alone　one　night；　from　their　camp　a　couple　of　hundred　meters　down　the　hill。　She　had　climbed　by　night；　with　moonlight　to　show　her　the　way　picked　out　by　t