fs.thesecondbookofswords-第22部分

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rs　have　had　to　deal　with　recalcitrant　drivers　in　the　past？〃
　　　〃I　was　told　about　the　possibility　of　some　such　trouble；　yes　sir。　I　got　the　impression　that　all　actual　instances　had　been　in　the　fairly　remote　past。〃
　　　〃And　did　they　tell　you　that　the　officer　in　charge　had　always；　in　the　past；　managed　to　deal　with　it　successfully？　That's　why　we　see　to　it　that　you　are　armed；　you　know；　and　they　are　not。〃
　　　Radulescu　could　feel　his　ears　burning。　〃Yes；　Chairman；　I　certainly　got　that　impression　too。〃
　　　〃What；　do　you　think　we　ought　to　do　now；　Radulescu？　You've　had　a　couple　of　months　to　think　about　it。　What　would　you　order　if　you　were　in　my　position？　It　may；　but　it　shouldn't；　surprise　you　to　hear　that　I　have　enemies　on　the　Council；　people　who　would　love　to　see　me　make　a　grave　mistake　and　have　a　chance　to　bring　me　down。〃
　　　Radulescu　had　thought　about　it　indeed；　but　his　thinking　had　been　of　doubtful　benefit；　as　far　as　he　could　tell。　〃Well；　sir；　we　might　patrol　the　area　more　or　less　regularly　for　a　time。　I　know　that　ordinarily　we　don't　do　that　because。。。〃
　　　〃。。。because　of　the　excellent　reason　that　if　the　area　were　patrolled　regularly；　its　importance　would　soon　no　longer　be　a　secret。　Of　course；　if　we　were　sure　that　your　man　had　got　away；　then；　yes；　we　might　patrol。　At　least　until　we　could　arrange　to　relocate　the　whole　depository　somewhere　else。　And　how　much　chance　would　we　have　then　of　keeping　the　new　location　secret？　And　how　much　would　the　move　cost　us；　just　the　move　alone；　have　you　any　idea？　No；　of　course　you　haven't。　Just　be　glad　I　don't　propose　to　take　it　out　of　your　pay。〃　A　pleasantry；　by　all　the　gods。
Chapter　9
　　　The　little　ship　looked　old；　at　least　to　Mark's　admittedly　non…expert　eyes。　But　despite　this　appearance　of　age；　and　a　thick　bodied　shape；　she　had　a　certain　grace　of　movement。　Whether　this　was　due　to　her　construction；　to　sheer　magic；　or　to　the　fact　that　she　was　steered　and　driven　by　a　djinn；　was　more　than　Mark　could　tell。
　　　The　ship　had　two　masts；　and　two　cabins；　and　it　belonged　to　Indosuaros；　who　had　summoned　it　to　meet　Doon's　party　at　the　coastline；　three　days'　hard　ride　after　their　rescue　of　Ariane　from　the　Red　Temple。　Unmanned　by　any　visible　power；　the　vessel　had　e　sailing　into　shallow　water　to　meet　them；　almost　grounding　itself。　And　when　its　eight　human　passengers　had　climbed　aboard　with　their　slight　luggage；　it　had　needed　only　a　word　from　the　wizard　to　put　out　to　sea　again。　And　all　this　without　the　touch　of　a　human　hand　on　line　or　sail　or　rudder。　The　djinn　was　harmless　to　people；　or　at　least　to　Indosuaros'　friends；　so　Mitspieler　assured　them　all。　It　was　visible　only　desultorily；　as　a　small　cloud　or　vague　disturbance　in　the　air；　usually　above　the　masts；　and　sometimes　there　was　audible　an　echoing　voice；　that　seemed　to　e　from　some　great　distance；　exchanging　a　few　words　with　Indosuaros。
　　　Right　now；　in　the　broad　daylight　of　late　morning；　the　djinn　could　not　be　seen。　What　could　be　seen　was　fog；　not　far　ahead。　There　usually　was　fog　close　ahead；　except　when　it　lay　just　behind　the　ship；　or　between　the　ship　and　the　coastline；　or　enveloped　the　little　craft　entirely。　Except　for　fog；　the　coastline　had　not　been　out　of　sight　for　the　three　days　of　the　voyage。
　　　The　weather　occupied　a　good　deal　of　the　attention　of　everyone　on　board。　It　had　been　good；　except　for　the　patchy　fog；　and　Mark　suspected　that　the　weather　too　was　at　least　partially　under　the　control　of　Indosuaros。　Mark　and　Ben；　both　landlubbers；　had　been　seasick　at　the　start　of　the　voyage；　but　Mitspieler　had　dosed　them　with　some　minor　potion　that　effected　an　instant　cure。
　　　Mark　and　Ben　were　sitting　on　the　foredeck　now。　Doon　and　Indosuaros　were　closeted　in　one　of　the　small　cabins　below；　and　Ariane　was　in　the　other。　Golok　and　Hubert　were　looking　over　the　stern；　engaged　in　their　own　conversation；　and　Mitspieler　was　ing　above　decks　and　going　below　again；　engaged　in　an　endless　series　of　observations　and　reports　on　the　weather；　the　ship's　position；　and　perhaps　other　factors　that　Mark　was　not　magically　sensitive　enough　to　appreciate。　Meanwhile　the　monkbird；　Dart；　was　moving　about　in　the　rigging。　It　spent　most　of　its　time　up　there　now；　having　reached　a　not　entirely　easy　truce　with　the　djinn　who　ran　the　ship。
　　　Ben；　for　approximately　the　tenth　time　since　they　had　left　the　Red　Temple；　was　asking　Mark：　〃Why　did　she　call　you　brother；　do　you　suppose？〃
　　　Mark　gave　virtually　the　same　answer　that　he　had　given　nine　times　before。　〃I　still　have　no　idea。　She　looks　nothing　at　all　like　the　sister　I　do　have。　Marian's　blond；　and　smaller　than　this　girl；　and　older　than　I　am。　This　one　says　she's　eighteen；　but　I'll　bet　that　she's　three　years　younger　than　that；　even　if　she　is　large。〃
　　　〃And　I'll　bet　that　she's　a　little　mad；〃　said　Ben。　〃Probably　more　than　a　little。〃
　　　Mark　pondered　that　theory。　〃She　says　they　gave　her　drugs；　in　the　caravan；　to　keep　her　quiet。　She　was　still　drugged　when　we　got　to　her；　and　that's　why　she　behaved　strangely　at　the　start。　Fainted；　and　so　on。〃
　　　Ariane　had　started　to　regain　her　senses　as　soon　as　they　reached　fresh　air；　before　they　were　out　of　the　Red　Temple　pound；　and　Ben　had　set　her　on　her　feet　and　let　her　walk　the　last　steps　to　where　their　mounts　were　waiting。　She'd　regained　her　wits　enough　by　then　to　grasp　that　the　men　had　not　e　simply　to　attack　her；　and　she　had　cooperated　with　them。　Golok　had　promptly　and　neatly　stolen　another　riding　beast　for　her　to　ride。　With　the　men　clustered　around　her；　they'd　ridden　unchallenged　out　through　the　main　gate。
　　　〃Fainting　and　confusion　I　can　understand；〃　said　Ben。　〃But　the　daughter　of　a　queen？　And　she　still　holds　to　that。〃　〃Well　…　kings　and　queens　must　have　daughters　sometimes；　I　suppose；　like　other　people。　And　she　looks　like　…　well；　there's　something　special　in　the　way　she　looks；　apart　from　being　well…shaped；　and　ely。〃
　　　〃And　red…haired。　And　big。　Aye。〃　Ben　did　not　appear　to　be　convinced。
　　　〃And　being　a　queen's　daughter　might　not　be　a　bad　claim　to　make　to　brigands　like　us；　to　try　to　get　good　treatment　for　herself。　You　know；　sometimes；　I　get　the　feeling　that　she's　laughing　at　the　rest　of　us。〃
　　　〃If　that's　not　madness；　in　her　situation；　then　I　don't　know　what　is。〃
　　　Mitspieler　had　gone　below；　just　a　moment　ago；　with　one　of　his　many　reports。　And　now　Doon　stepped　up　on　deck；　his　Sword　in　his　hands；　looking　as　if　he　wanted　to　try　an　observation　for　himself。　When　the　girl　had　first　told　him　her　story；　he　had　heard　it　patiently；　and　nodded　as　if　he　might　accept　it；　mad　as　it　sounded。　Mark　thought　that　princess；　beggar…girl；　or　queen　would　be　all　one　to　the　Baron；　provided　only　that　she　served　in　some　way　to　advance　his　schemes。
　　　From　the　hour　when　Ariane　had　first　e　into　their　hands；　Doon　had　grimly　warned　his　men　that　she　was　under　his　personal　protection。　One　of　the　ship's　two　small　cabins　was　inviolately　hers。　Doon　himself　slept　in　the　passage　athwart　her　door；　leaving　the　other　cabin　to　the　magicians。
　　　Now；　as　Doon　was　sighting　carefully　along　his　Sword；　trying　to　frown　his　vision　through　the　fog　ahead；　Ariane　herself　came　up　on　deck；　and　talk　ceased　momentarily　among　the　men。　She　was　dressed　now　in　man's　clothing；　a　clean　and　sturdy　shirt　and　trousers　from　the　rich　store　of　resources　that　Indosuaros　had　provided　for　the　expedition；　and　a　large…size　pair　of　sandals　on　her　feet。
　　　At　once　she　sprang　up　into　the　bow；　and　poised　there；　gripping　a　line　for　balance。　She　looked　for　a　moment　like　a　model　for　some　extravagant　figurehead　as　she　tried　to　peer　into　the　fog　ahead。　Since　she　had　been　away　from　litters　and　cells　her　fair　skin　was　growing　sunburnt。　Her　hair；　washed　in　her　cabin's　privacy；　blew　free　in　a　soft　red　cloud。
　　　〃Cliffs　ahead　now；〃　she　called　out　gaily。　Her　voice　was　almost　that　of　a　child；　very　unlike　that　in　which　she　had　called　out　abuse　to　the　men　entering　her　cell。　And　she　turned　now；　ignoring　Doon　for　the　moment；　to　drop　to　the　deck　beside　Mark　and　Ben。　She　was　smiling　at　them　as　if　this　were　all　some　pleasant　picnic　outing。　As　far　as　Mark　knew；　she　had　never　yet　asked　where　they　were　going。
　　　Neither　Ben　nor　the　Baron　seemed　to　know　quite　what　to　say。　So　it　was　Mark　who　spoke　to　her　first。　〃Who　is　your　mother　…　really？〃
　　　Ariane　sat　back　cross…legged　on　the　deck；　and　became　abruptly　serious。　〃I　suppose　it　is　hard　to　believe。　But　I　really　am　the　daughter　of　the　Silver　Queen。　I　must　have　been　still　dazed　when　I　first　told　you　that；　but　it's　the　truth。〃　She　shot　a　glance　at　Doon。　〃If　you　have　any　ideas　of　getting　ransom　from　her；　though；　you　may　as　well　forget　it。　She　is　my　deadly　enemy。〃
　　　Doon　made　a　gesture　of　indifference。　〃Well；　girl　…　Princess；　if　you'd　rather　…　I　care　very　little　if　your　story　be　true　or　not。　Just　out　of　curiosity；　though；　who's　your　father？　Yambu　reigns　without　any　regular　male　consort；　as　far　as　I'm　aware。　I　think　she　always　has。〃
　　　Ariane　tossed　a　magnificence　of　red　hair。　〃I　wouldn't　count　on　getting　any　ransom　from　my　father；　either。〃
　　　Doon　repeated　his　gesture。　〃I　tell　you　that　I　don't　count　on　any　ransom。。。　you'd　better　bind　up　that　hair；　or　braid　it；　or　get　it　out　of　the　way　somehow。　It　might　be　a　problem　where　we're　going。。。　and　why　is　your　mother　so　bitterly　your　enemy？　Was　it　she　who　sold　you　into　slavery？〃
　　　〃Indeed　it　was。〃　Ariane　seemed　to　accept　the　dictum　about　her　hair　without　argument；　for　her　fingers　began　working　at　it　as　if　testing　which　mode　of　treatment　would　be　best。　〃Certain　people　in　the　palace；　I　am　told；　had　the　idea　of　disposing　of　my　mother　and　putting　me　on　the　throne　instead。　The　heads　of　those　people　are　now　prominently　in　view　above　the　battlements。　Maybe　they　were　even　guilty；　I　don't　know。　They　never　consulted　me。　And　I've　seen　very　little　of　my　mother　in　my　lifetime。　I　don't　know。。。　〃
　　　〃You　don't　know　what？〃　asked　Mark；　fascinated。
　　　〃It　doesn't　matter。　Also；　I　sometimes　have　powers。。。〃
　　　〃I　know　you　do；〃　Doon　cut　in。　〃I　count　on　them；　in　fact。〃
　　　She　looked　at　him　again。　〃Do　you？　I　wish　I　could　count　on　them　to　help　me；　but　as　I　say　I　only　sometimes　have　them；　and　they　are　unreliable。　I　am　told；　again；　that　they　depend　somewhat　on　the　fact　that　no　man　has　ever　known　me。　The　Red　Temple　set　great　store　on　my　virginit