fs.thesecondbookofswords-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　〃Colonel　Radulescu；　e　in；　be　seated。〃　The　Chairman　motioned　to　a　place　near　his　own。　〃How　are　you　getting　along　on　detached　duty？　Have　you　been　finding　enough　work　to　keep　you　busy？〃
　　　Radulescu；　in　the　months　since　the　ill…fated　delivery　of　treasure；　had　been　reassigned　under　several　formal　classifications　while　his　case　was　being　considered　and　reconsidered　by　the　Inner　Council　and　the　High　Priest。　In　the　last　ten　days　or　so　Radulescu　had　begun　to　sense　a　moderation　in　the　official　attitude　toward　him；　and　had　seized　on　this　as　a　favorable　sign。
　　　〃I　have　worked　diligently　on　the　problem　of　finding　ways　to　contribute　to　the　Temple；　Chairman；　and　I　hope　that　I　have　had　some　success。〃　Fortunately　he　had　anticipated　some　such　question；　and　he　counted　the　position　of　a　good　answer　for　it　as　part　of　the　work　that　he　had　found。
　　　〃Fine；　fine；〃　said　the　Chairman　vaguely；　looking　down　at　his　spread　papers　once　again。　They　looked　to　Radulescu　like　reports　having　to　do　with　his　own　case。　The　windows　behind　the　Chairman　were　windows　such　as　few　eyes　ever　saw；　with　real　and　almost　perfect　glass　in　them；　and　round　the　edges　semiprecious　stones　set　to　transmit　the　light　like　bits　of　glass。　The　thought　crossed　Radulescu's　mind　that　the　Chairman　was　really　only　a　man；　and　that　he　had　a　name；　Hyrcanus；　but　rarely　would　anyone　speak　or　even　think　of　such　an　exalted　personage　by　a　mere　human　name。　Only　a　few　scurrilous　and　regrettably　popular　songs　did　that。
　　　〃Fine。。。　good。　Now；　I　see　here　that　more　than　two　months　have　already　passed　since　you　had　that　misadventure。　Would　you　say　that　is　a　good　term　to　describe　what　happened？〃　And　the　Chairman　looked　up　with　sudden　sharpness　at　Radulescu；　treating　him　to　eyes　of　jovial　blue　ice。
　　　Radulescu　had　no　trouble　managing　to　look　properly　solemn　as　he　considered　the　question。　〃My　own　understanding　of　that　event　has　not　really　improved　in　two　months；　Chairman；　I　confess。〃　He　almost　sighed。　〃I　will　be　very　pleased　if　you　will　enlighten　me　with　yours。〃　Be　weary；　be　puzzled；　be　not　too　repentant；　he　cautioned　himself；　Radulescu　had　never　admitted　any　culpability　in　the　events　of　that　strange　night；　beyond　the　minimum　that　the　officer　in　charge　and　on　the　scene　could　not　escape。
　　　The　icy　eyes　considered　him；　the　red　face　nodded　lightly；　and　bent　again　to　a　consideration　of　the　many　papers。　〃The　man　is　really　still　unaccounted　for；〃　the　Chairman　mused。　There　was　no　need　for　him　to　specify　which　man　he　meant。　〃The　dragon　has　now　been　replaced。。。　very　expensive；　that；　in　itself。　We　had　the　dragon　that　was　involved　in　the　incident　killed　soon　after；　so　the　stomach　contents　could　be　examined。　The　results；　I　regret　to　say；　were　inconclusive。　A　few　shreds　of　cloth　found　in　the　stomach　were　identifiable　as　having　e　from　the　rascal's　cloak　or　at　any　rate　from　one　of　our　general　issue　infantry　cloaks。　As　you　may　remember；　his　cloak　was　found　between　the　cave　entrance　and　the　cliffs；　looking　somewhat　chewed。〃
　　　〃I　remember；　sir。　I　of　course　released　the　spells　binding　the　dragon　as　soon　as　I　fully　recovered　my　wits　inside　the　cave；　and　realized　what　must　have　happened。〃
　　　〃Yes。。。　yes。〃　Papers　shuffled。　〃So　you　stated　here　in　your　deposition。　And　at　the；　ah；　debriefing　sessions。〃
　　　〃Yes　sir。〃　Those　interrogations　had　been　hardly　less　frightening　than　that　first　shock　of　realization　in　the　dark　cave；　where　the　physical　pain　of　the　enforced　tumble　down　the　stairs　had　soon　been　swallowed　up　in　the　fear　of　what　was　going　to　happen　next。
　　　The　five　drivers；　knowing　only　that　they　were　all　blocked　in；　had　set　up　a　despairing　noise。　Responding　as　usual　to　this　signal；　the　Whitehands　had　started　to　e　up　into　the　upper　cave　on　their　usual　post　delivery　mission；　and　Radulescu　had　had　to　use　his　sword　by　flickering　candlelight　to　fight　them　off。　Fortunately　he　hadn't　forgotten　to　release　the　spells　that　bound　the　dragon。　After　giving　it　a　little　time　in　which　to　destroy　the　villain　outside；　he　had　called　it　with　another　spell　to　tilt　the　great　rock　open　from　outside。
　　　Briefly　Radulescu　had　been　tempted　to　try　to　keep　the　whole　fiasco　a　secret　from　his　superiors。　But　when　he　got　outside　again　and　saw　no　trace　of　the　missing　man　except　a　cloak；　he　knew　he'd　be　on　shaky　ground　in　trying　to　do　that。
　　　The　animals；　terrified　by　the　great　dragon　raging　near　them；　had　broken　their　tethers　and　run　off。　Radulescu　pledged　his　surviving　drivers　to　silence　on　the　journey　back　to　the　Temple；　by　the　most　terrifying　oaths；　and　then　marched　them　back；　sword　in　hand；　to　where　the　cavalry　was　still　waiting；　getting　restless。　No　use　disposing　of　the　five　drivers　now；　he　knew。　They'd　certainly　be　wanted　for　questioning。
　　　The　Chairman　was　moving　on；　at　least　for　the　time　being；　to　another　aspect　of　the　situation。　〃。。。　underwater　search　along　that　portion　of　the　coastline　has　turned　up　one　battered　helmet；　the　type　of　standard　issue　for　our　garrisons。。。　regrettably；　it　is　not　certain　whether　this　is　the　helmet　issued　to　the　missing　man。〃
　　　Radulescu　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃I　would　presume；　sir；　that　a　magical　investigation　of　the　helmet　has　been　attempted？〃
　　　〃Oh　yes。　Certainly。〃
　　　〃And　…　even　after　that　…　we　still　don't　know　if　it　belonged　to　this　Ben　or　not？〃
　　　Once　again　the　Chairman　gave　him　his　full　attention。　〃Regrettably　not。　Certain　pernicious　influences　have　been　at　work。〃
　　　〃Sir？〃　All　of　a　sudden　Radulescu　found　himself　totally　lost　…　a　feeling　that；　in　the　circumstances；　would　lead　almost　at　once　to　desperation。
　　　The　Chairman　looked　at　him；　and　appeared　to　undergo　a　moment　of　uncertainty　himself。　Then　he　came　to　a　decision。　He　rose　from　his　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table　and　went　to　one　of　the　long　walls　of　the　conference　room；　whereon　a　large　map　was　displayed。　The　site　of　the　treasure　trove　had　of　course　not　been　marked　on　this　or　any　other　map；　but　Radulescu's　eyes　automatically　went　to　that　coastline　spot　anyway。
　　　The　Chairman　raised　a　pointer；　not　to　that　vital　point；　but　to　another　place　very　near　it。　〃Here；　this　headland；　across　the　fjord　…　do　you　see　the　ownership　indicated　for　this　small　piece　of　land　right　on　the　promontory？〃
　　　It　was　only　a　tiny　dot　of　color；　that　meant　nothing　to　Radulescu　until　he　had　consulted　the　key　at　the　bottom　of　the　map。　〃Imperial　lands；〃　he　said　then；　softly；　He　hesitated；　then　added：　〃Yes　sir；　I　think　I　begin　to　understand。〃
　　　Even　that　much　was　a　daring　claim；　and　the　Chairman　kept　on　looking　at　him。　Radulescu　was　evidently　expected　to　say　more。　He　began　to　flounder。　〃The　Emperor　is　…　is　then　…　an　opposing　force？〃
　　　The　Chairman　carefully　laid　down　his　pointer；　and　posed　in　front　of　the　map　with　hands　clasped　behind　his　back。　〃I　doubt　you　truly　do　begin　to　understand。　Not　your　fault；　really；　you　couldn't　be　expected　to。。。　you　ought　to　soon；　though。　A　man　in　your　position；　presumably　ready　for　advancement　to　the　Council　itself　at　the　next　vacancy。。。　yes；　we　must　have　you　in　soon　for　a　briefing　session　with　our　top　magicians；　on　the　subject　of　the　Emperor。　That　is；　of　course；　provided　your　status　is　not；　downgraded　at　some　point　in　the　near　future；　for　some　reason。〃　Thus　Radulescu's　spirit；　that　had　shot　up　at　the　mention　of　promotion；　were　carefully　cut　down　again　to　the　proper　size。　〃You　do　know　at　least　that　the　Emperor　is　not　a　myth；　that　he's　still　a　real　factor　to　be　considered？〃
　　　Obviously　there　was　only　one　answer　that　could　be　returned　to　that。
　　　〃I'll　try　to　arrange　that　briefing　soon。　If　nothing　arises　to　prevent　it。〃　The　Chairman　returned　to　his　chair；　and　his　voice　to　its　usual　somewhat　dusty　joviality。　〃I　think　we　may　say　that　all　the　direct　evidence　we　have　at　this　time；　Colonel；　points　to　the　conclusion　that　this　man　Ben；　Ben　of　…　what　was　it？　Purkinje；　it　says　here　…　that　this　Ben　of　Purkinje　leaped　or　fell　to　his　death　in　the　sea；　if　indeed　he　did　manage　to　escape　the　dragon。　By　all　reports　he　was　somewhat　slow　on　his　feet；　so　the　probability　that　he　escaped　the　dragon　is　perhaps　not　very　great。
　　　〃What　I　would　like　to　ask　you　now　is　this。　Do　you；　yourself；　see　any　reason　why　this　office　should　not　consider　the　incident　closed？　Take　some　routine　precautions　of　course；　such　as　changing　the　spells　for　the　guardian　dragon　…　that's　already　been　done　…　but　then　go　on；　by　and　large；　as　we　were？〃
　　　Radulescu　cleared　his　throat　carefully。　He　did　not　need　to　exert　much　cleverness　to　sense　that　the　bland　question　might　well　contain　some　kind　of　trap。　〃Have　the　drivers　been　questioned；　sir？〃　he　asked。　〃I　would　assume　they　have。〃
　　　〃Oh；　indeed。　No　indications　of　any　plot　emerged　during　questioning。〃
　　　Radulescu　tried　to　think。　〃I　suppose；　sir；　that　an　actual　inventory　of　the　treasure　has　been　taken　by　now？〃
　　　The　Chairman　nodded。　〃By　myself；　personally。　It　is　secure。〃
　　　There　was　a　pause。　〃Well；　sir；〃　Radulescu　said　at　last。　〃There　are　still　a　couple　of　things　that　bother　me。〃
　　　〃Ah。　Such　as？〃
　　　〃A　clever　man；　pursued　by　a　dragon；　might　well　think　of　throwing　away　his　cloak　to　distract　the　beast。　And　from　what　I've　heard　about　dragons；　such　a　ploy　might　well　succeed；　at　least　momentarily。〃
　　　〃This　Ben　of　Purkinje　was　far　from　being　a　clever　man；　according　to　the　officers　who　knew　him。　You　know　that　clever　men　are　not　monly　selected　for　these　jobs。〃
　　　〃That's　true；　sir；　of　course。　But。。。　〃
　　　〃But　what？〃
　　　〃I　supervised；　as　you　know；　three　previous　deliveries　to　the　cave；　before　this　ill…starred　one。　Out　of　more　than　twenty　drivers　involved　in　the　four　deliveries　I　supervised；　he　was　the　only　one　to　suspect　that　anything　was　amiss。　Amiss　from　his　own　point　of　view；　I　mean。　At　least　he　was　the　only　one　who　took　any　steps　to　save　his　own　miserable　life。〃
　　　The　Chairman　was　silent　for　a　little　while；　pondering。　He　surprised　Radulescu　somewhat　when　he　spoke　at　last。　〃Wretched　life　those　fellows　must　lead。　I　really　don't　know　why　they　would　object　too　much　to　having　it　ended　for　them　…　ever　think　of　it　that　way？〃　〃No　sir；　I　can't　say　that　I　have。〃
　　　After　meditating　a　moment　longer；　the　Chairman　said：　〃However　that　may　be　…　I　daresay　you　were　warned；　before　you　started　making　deliveries；　that　other　officers　have　had