rh.theassassinsapprentice-第15部分

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s　and　implements；　a　scale；　a　mortar　and　pestle；　and　many　things　I　couldn't　name。　A　fine　layer　of　dust　overlaid　much　of　it；　as　if　projects　had　been　abandoned　in　midcourse；　months　or　even　years　ago。　Beyond　the　table　was　a　rack　that　held　an　untidy　collection　of　scrolls；　some　edged　in　blue　or　gilt。　The　scent　of　the　room　was　at　once　pungent　and　aromatic；　bundles　of　herbs　were　drying　on　another　rack。　I　heard　a　rustling　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　movement　in　a　far　corner；　but　the　man　gave　me　no　time　to　investigate。　The　fireplace　that　should　have　warmed　this　end　of　the　room　gaped　black　and　cold。　The　old　embers　in　it　looked　damp　and　settled。　I　lifted　my　eyes　from　my　perusal　to　look　at　my　guide。　The　dismay　on　my　face　seemed　to　surprise　him。　He　turned　from　me　and　slowly　surveyed　the　room　himself。　He　considered　it　a　bit；　and　then　I　sensed　an　embarrassed　disgruntlement　from　him。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　a　mess。　More　than　a　mess；　I　suppose。　But；　well。　It's　been　a　while；　I　suppose。　And　longer　than　a　while。　Well。　It's　soon　put　to　rights。　But　first；　introductions　are　in　order。　And　I　suppose　it　is　a　bit　nippy　to　be　standing　about　in　just　a　nightshirt。　This　way；　boy。〃
　　　　　　　I　followed　him　to　the　fortable　end　of　the　room。　He　seated　himself　in　a　battered　wooden　chair　that　was　overdraped　with　blankets。　My　bare　toes　dug　gratefully　into　the　nap　of　a　woolen　rug。　I　stood　before　him；　waiting；　as　those　green　eyes　prowled　over　me。　For　some　minutes　the　silence　held。　Then　he　spoke。
　　　　　　　〃First；　let　me　introduce　you　to　yourself。　Your　pedigree　is　written　all　over　you。　Shrewd　chose　to　acknowledge　it；　for　all　his　denials　wouldn't　have　sufficed　to　convince　anyone　otherwise。〃　He　paused　for　an　instant　and　smiled　as　if　something　amused　him。　〃A　shame　Galen　refuses　to　teach　you　the　Skill。　But　years　ago　it　was　restricted；　for　fear　it　would　bee　too　mon　a　tool。　I'll　wager　if　old　Galen　were　to　try　to　teach　you；　he'd　find　you　apt。　But　we　have　no　time　to　worry　about　what　won't　happen。〃　He　sighed　meditatively　and　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Abruptly　he　went　on；　〃Burrich's　shown　you　both　how　to　work；　and　how　to　obey。　Two　things　that　Burrich　himself　excels　at。　You're　not　especially　strong；　or　fast；　or　bright。　Don't　think　you　are。　But　you'll　have　the　stubbornness　to　wear　down　anyone　stronger；　or　faster；　or　brighter　than　yourself。　And　that's　more　of　a　danger　to　you　than　to　anyone　else。　But　that　is　not　what　is　now　most　important　about　you。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　the　King's　man　now。　And　you　must　begin　to　understand；　now；　right　now；　that　that　is　the　most　important　thing　about　you。　He　feeds　you；　he　clothes　you；　he　sees　you　are　educated。　And　all　he　asks　in　return；　for　now；　is　your　loyalty。　Later　he　will　ask　your　service。　Those　are　the　conditions　under　which　I　will　teach　you。　That　you　are　the　King's　man；　and　loyal　to　him　pletely。　For　if　you　are　otherwise；　it　would　be　too　dangerous　to　educate　you　in　my　art。〃　He　paused　and　for　a　long　moment　we　simply　looked　at　one　another。　〃Do　you　agree？〃　he　asked；　and　it　was　not　a　simple　question　but　the　sealing　of　a　bargain。
　　　　　　　〃I　do；〃　I　said；　and　then；　as　he　waited：　〃I　give　you　my　word。〃
　　　　　　　〃Good。〃　He　spoke　the　word　heartily。　〃Now。　On　to　other　things。　Have　you　ever　seen　me　before？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　I　realized　for　an　instant　how　strange　that　was。　For；　though　there　were　often　strangers　in　the　keep；　this　man　had　obviously　been　a　resident　for　a　long；　long　time。　And　almost　all　those　who　lived　there；　I　knew　by　sight　if　not　name。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am；　boy？　Or　why　you're　here？〃
　　　　　　　I　shook　my　head　a　quick　negative　to　each　question。　〃Well；　no　one　else　does　either。　So　you　mind　it　stays　that　way。　Make　yourself　clear　on　that：　you　speak　to　no　one　of　what　we　do　here；　nor　of　anything　you　learn。　Understand　that？〃
　　　　　　　My　nod　must　have　satisfied　him；　for　he　seemed　to　relax　in　the　chair。　His　bony　hands　gripped　the　knobs　of　his　knees　through　his　woolen　robe。　〃Good。　Good。　Now。　You　can　call　me　Chade。　And　I　shall　call　you？〃　He　paused　and　waited；　but　when　I　did　not　offer　a　name；　he　filled　in；　〃Boy。　That's　not　names　for　either　of　us；　but　they'll　do；　for　the　time　we'll　have　together。　So。　I'm　Chade；　and　I'm　yet　another　teacher　that　Shrewd　has　found　for　you。　It　took　him　a　while　to　remember　I　was　here；　and　then　it　took　him　a　space　to　nerve　himself　to　ask　me。　And　it　took　me　even　longer　to　agree　to　teach　you。　But　all　that's　done　now。　As　to　what　I'm　to　teach　you　。。。　well。〃
　　　　　　　He　rose　and　moved　to　the　fire。　He　cocked　his　head　as　he　stared　into　it；　then　stooped　to　take　a　poker　and　stir　the　embers　to　fresh　flames。　〃It's　murder；　more　or　less。　Killing　people。　The　fine　art　of　diplomatic　assassination。　Or　blinding；　or　deafening。　Or　a　weakening　of　the　limbs；　or　a　paralysis　or　a　debilitating　cough　or　impotency。　Or　early　senility；　or　insanity　or　。。。　but　it　doesn't　matter。　It's　all　been　my　trade。　And　it　will　be　yours；　if　you　agree。　Just　know；　from　the　beginning；　that　I'm　going　to　be　teaching　you　how　to　kill　people。　For　your　king。　Not　in　the　showy　way　Hod　is　teaching　you；　not　on　the　battlefield　where　others　see　and　cheer　you　on。　No。　I'll　be　teaching　you　the　nasty；　furtive；　polite　ways　to　kill　people。　You'll　either　develop　a　taste　for　it；　or　not。　That　isn't　something　I'm　in　charge　of。　But　I'll　make　sure　you　know　how。　And　I'll　make　sure　of　one　other　thing；　for　that　was　the　stipulation　I　made　with　King　Shrewd。　That　you　know　what　you　are　learning；　as　I　never　did　when　I　was　your　age。　So。　I'm　to　teach　you　to　be　an　assassin。　Is　that　all　right　with　you；　boy？〃
　　　　　　　I　nodded　again；　uncertain；　but　not　knowing　what　else　to　do。
　　　　　　　He　peered　at　me。　〃You　can　speak；　can't　you？　You're　not　a　mute　as　well　as　a　bastard；　are　you？〃
　　　　　　　I　swallowed。　〃No；　sir。　I　can　speak。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　then；　do　speak。　Don't　just　nod。　Tell　me　what　you　think　of　all　this。　Of　who　I　am　and　what　I　just　proposed　that　we　do。〃
　　　　　　　Invited　to　speak；　I　yet　stood　dumb。　I　stared　at　the　poxed　face；　the　papery　skin　of　his　hands；　and　felt　the　gleam　of　his　green　eyes　on　me。　I　moved　my　tongue　inside　my　mouth；　but　found　only　silence。　His　manner　invited　words；　but　his　visage　was　still　more　terrifying　than　anything　I　had　ever　imagined。
　　　　　　　〃Boy；〃　he　said；　and　the　gentleness　in　his　voice　startled　me　into　meeting　his　eyes。　〃I　can　teach　you　even　if　you　hate　me；　or　if　you　despise　the　lessons。　I　can　teach　you　if　you　are　bored；　or　lazy　or　stupid。　But　I　can't　teach　you　if　you're　afraid　to　speak　to　me。　At　least；　not　the　way　I　want　to　teach　you。　And　I　can't　teach　you　if　you　decide　this　is　something　you'd　rather　not　learn。　But　you　have　to　tell　me。　You've　learned　to　guard　your　thoughts　so　well；　you're　almost　afraid　to　let　yourself　know　what　they　are。　But　try　speaking　them　aloud；　now；　to　me。　You　won't　be　punished。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　much　like　it；〃　I　suddenly　blurted。　〃The　idea　of　killing　people。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ah。〃　He　paused。　〃Neither　did　I；　when　it　came　down　to　it。　Nor　do　I；　still。〃　He　sighed　suddenly；　deeply。　〃As　each　time　es；　you'll　decide。　The　first　time　will　be　hardest。　But　know；　for　now；　that　that　decision　is　many　years　away。　And　in　the　meantime；　you　have　much　to　learn。〃　He　hesitated。　〃'There　is　this；　boy。　And　you　should　remember　it　in　every　situation；　not　just　this　one。　Learning　is　never　wrong。　Even　learning　how　to　kill　isn't　wrong。　Or　right。　It's　just　a　thing　to　learn；　a　thing　I　can　teach　you。　That's　all。　For　now；　do　you　think　you　could　learn　how　to　do　it；　and　later　decide　if　you　want　to　do　it？〃
　　　　　　　Such　a　question　to　put　to　a　boy。　Even　then；　something　in　me　raised　its　hackles　and　sniffed　at　the　idea；　but　boy　that　I　was；　I　could　find　no　objection　to　raise。　And　curiosity　was　nibbling　at　me。
　　　　　　　〃I　can　learn　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Good。〃　He　smiled；　but　there　was　a　tiredness　to　his　face　and　he　didn't　seem　as　pleased　as　he　might　have。　〃That's　well　enough；　then。　Well　enough。〃　He　looked　around　the　room。　〃We　may　as　well　begin　tonight。　Let's　start　by　tidying　up。　There's　a　broom　over　there。　Oh；　but　first；　change　out　of　your　nightshirt　into　something　。。。　ah；　there's　a　ragged　old　robe　over　there。　That'll　do　for　now。　Can't　have　the　washer　folk　wondering　why　your　nightshirts　smell　of　camphor　and　pain's　ease；　can　we？　Now；　you　sweep　up　the　floor　a　bit　while　I　put　away　a　few　things。〃
　　　　　　　And　so　passed　the　next　few　hours。　I　swept；　then　mopped　the　stone　floor。　He　directed　me　as　I　cleared　the　paraphernalia　from　the　great　table。　I　turned　the　herbs　on　their　drying　rack。　I　fed　the　three　lizards　he　had　caged　in　the　corner；　chopping　up　some　sticky　old　meat　into　chunks　that　they　gulped　whole。　I　wiped　clean　a　number　of　pots　and　bowls　and　stored　them。　And　he　worked　alongside　me；　seeming　grateful　for　the　pany；　and　chatted　to　me　as　if　we　were　both　old　men。　Or　both　young　boys。
　　　　　　　〃No　letters　as　yet？　No　ciphering。　Bagrash！　What's　the　old　man　thinking？　Well；　I　shall　see　that　remedied　swiftly。　You've　your　father's　brow；　boy；　and　just　his　way　of　wrinkling　it。　Has　anyone　ever　told　you　that　before？　Ah；　there　you　are；　Slink；　you　rascal！　What　mischief　have　you　been　up　to　now？〃
　　　　　　　A　brown　weasel　appeared　from　behind　a　tapestry；　and　we　were　introduced　to　one　another。　Chade　let　me　feed　Slink　quail　eggs　from　a　bowl　on　the　table；　and　laughed　when　the　little　beast　followed　me　about　begging　for　more。　He　gave　me　a　copper　bracelet　that　I　found　under　the　table；　warning　that　it　might　make　my　wrist　green；　and　cautioning　that　if　anyone　asked　me　about　it；　I　should　say　I　had　found　it　behind　the　stables。
　　　　　　　At　some　time　we　stopped　for　honey　cakes　and　hot　spiced　wine。　We　sat　together　at　a　low　table　on　some　rugs　before　the　fireplace；　and　I　watched　the　firelight　dancing　over　his　scarred　face　and　wondered　why　it　had　seemed　so　frightening。　He　noticed　me　watching　him；　and　his　face　contorted　in　a　smile。　〃Seems　familiar；　doesn't　it；　boy？　My　face；　I　mean。〃
　　　　　　　It　didn't。　I　had　been　staring　at　the　grotesque　scars　on　the　pasty　white　skin。　I　had　no　idea　what　he　meant。　I　stared　at　him　questioningly；　trying　to　figure　it　out。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　trouble　yourself　about　it；　boy。　It　leaves　its　tracks　on　all　of　us；　and　sooner　or　later　you'll　get　the　tumble　of　it。　But　now；　well　。。。〃　He　rose；　stretching；　so　that　his　cassock　bared　his　skinny　white　calves。　〃Now　it's　mostly　later。　Or　earlier；　depending　on　which　end　of　the　day　you　fancy　most。　Time　you　headed　back　to　your　bed。　Now。　You'll　remember　that　thi