rh.theassassinsapprentice-第25部分

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contest；　they　to　find　villages　unaware　or　underarmed　and　for　us　to　lure　them　in　with　seemingly　vulnerable　targets　and　then　slaughter　and　plunder　the　pirates　themselves。　But　if　it　were　a　contest；　it　went　very　badly　for　us　that　summer。　My　every　visit　to　town　was　heavy　with　the　news　of　destruction　and　the　mutterings　of　the　people。
　　　　　　　Up　at　the　keep；　among　the　men…at…arms；　there　was　a　collective　feeling　of　doltishness　that　I　shared。　The　Outislanders　eluded　our　patrol　ships　with　ease　and　never　fell　into　our　traps。　They　struck　where　we　were　undermanned　and　least　expecting　it。　Most　disfited　of　all　was　Verity；　for　to　him　had　fallen　the　task　of　defending　the　kingdom　once　Chivalry　had　abdicated。　I　heard　it　muttered　in　the　taverns　that　since　he　had　lost　his　elder　brother's　good　counsel；　all　had　gone　sour。　No　one　spoke　against　Verity　yet；　but　it　was　unsettling　that　no　one　spoke　out　strongly　for　him　either。
　　　　　　　Boyishly；　I　viewed　the　raids　as　a　thing　impersonal　to　me。　Certainly　they　were　bad　things；　and　I　felt　sorry　in　a　vague　way　for　those　villagers　whose　homes　were　torched　or　plundered。　But　secure　at　Buckkeep；　I　had　very　little　feeling　for　the　constant　fear　and　vigilance　that　other　seaports　endured；　or　for　the　agonies　of　villagers　who　rebuilt　each　year；　only　to　see　their　efforts　torched　the　next。　I　was　not　to　keep　my　ignorant　innocence　long。
　　　　　　　I　went　down　to　Burrich　for　my　〃lesson〃　one　morning；　though　I　spent　as　much　time　doctoring　animals　and　teaching　young　colts　and　fillies　as　I　did　in　being　taught。　I　had　very　much　taken　over　Cob's　place　in　the　stables；　while　he　had　gone　on　to　being　Regal's　groom　and　dog　man。　But　that　day；　to　my　surprise；　Burrich　took　me　upstairs　to　his　room　and　sat　me　down　at　his　table。　I　dreaded　spending　a　tedious　morning　repairing　tack。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　going　to　teach　you　manners　today；〃　Burrich　announced　suddenly。　There　was　doubt　in　his　voice；　as　if　he　were　skeptical　of　my　ability　to　learn　such。
　　　　　　　〃With　horses？〃　I　asked　incredulously。
　　　　　　　〃No。　You've　those　already。　With　people。　At　table；　and　afterward；　when　folk　sit　and　talk　with　one　another。　Those　sorts　of　manners。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　frowned。　〃Because　for　reasons　I　don't　understand；　you're　to　acpany　Verity　when　he　goes　to　Neatbay　to　see　Duke　Kelvar　of　Rippon。　Lord　Kelvar　has　not　been　cooperating　with　Lord　Shemshy　in　manning　the　coastal　towers。　Shemshy　accuses　him　of　leaving　towers　pletely　without　watches；　so　that　the　Outislanders　are　able　to　sail　past　and　even　anchor　outside　of　Watch　Island；　and　from　there　raid　Shemshy's　villages　in　Shoaks　Duchy。
　　　　　　　Prince　Verity　is　going　to　consult　with　Kelvar　about　these　allegations。〃
　　　　　　　I　grasped　the　situation　pletely。　It　was　mon　gossip　around　Buckkeep　Town。　Lord　Kelvar　of　Rippon　Duchy　had　three　watchtowers　in　his　keeping。　The　two　that　bracketed　the　points　of　Neatbay　were　always　well　manned；　for　they　protected　the　best　harbor　in　Rippon　Duchy。　But　the　tower　on　Watch　Island　protected　little　of　Rippon　that　was　worth　much　to　Lord　Kelvar；　his　high　and　rocky　coastline　sheltered　few　villages；　and　would…be　raiders　would　have　a　hard　time　keeping　their　ships　off　the　rocks　while　raiding。　His　southern　coast　was　seldom　bothered。　Watch　Island　itself　was　home　to　little　more　than　gulls；　goats；　and　a　hefty　population　of　clams。　Yet　the　tower　there　was　critical　to　the　early　defense　of　Southcove　in　Shoaks　Duchy。　It　manded　views　of　both　the　inner　and　outer　channels；　and　was　placed　on　a　natural　summit　that　allowed　its　beacon　fires　to　be　easily　seen　from　the　mainland。　Shemshy　himself　had　a　watchtower　on　Egg　Island；　but　Egg　was　little　more　than　a　bit　of　sand　that　stuck　up　above　the　waves　on　high　tide。　It　manded　no　real　view　of　the　water；　and　was　constantly　in　need　of　repair　from　the　shifting　of　the　sands　and　the　occasional　storm　tide　that　overwhelmed　it。　But　it　could　see　a　watch…fire　warning　light　from　Watch　Island　and　send　the　message　on。　As　long　as　Watch　Island　Tower　lit　such　a　fire。
　　　　　　　Traditionally；　the　fishing　grounds　and　clamming　beaches　of　Watch　Island　were　the　territory　of　Rippon　Duchy；　and　so　the　manning　of　the　watchtower　there　had　fallen　to　Rippon　Duchy　as　well。　But　maintaining　a　garrison　there　meant　bringing　in　men　and　their　victuals；　and　also　supplying　wood　and　oil　for　the　beacon　fires；　and　maintaining　the　tower　itself　from　the　savage　ocean　storms　that　swept　across　the　barren　little　island。　It　was　an　unpopular　duty　station　for　men…at…arms；　and　rumor　had　it　that　to　be　stationed　there　was　a　subtle　form　of　punishment　for　unruly　or　unpolitical　garrisons。　More　than　once　when　in　his　cups；　Kelvar　had　declaimed　that　if　manning　the　tower　was　so　important　to　Shoaks　Duchy；　then　Lord　Shemshy　should　do　it　himself。　Not　that　Rippon　Duchy　was　interested　in　surrendering　the　fishing　grounds　off　the　island　or　the　rich　shellfish　beds。
　　　　　　　So　when　Shoaks's　villages　were　raided；　without　warning；　in　an　early　spring　spree　that　destroyed　all　hopes　of　the　fields　being　planted　on　time；　as　well　as　saw　most　of　the　pregnant　sheep　either　slaughtered；　stolen；　or　scattered；　Lord　Shemshy　had　protested　loudly　to　the　King　that　Kelvar　had　been　lax　in　manning　his　towers。　Kelvar　denied　it；　and　asserted　that　the　small　force　he　had　installed　there　was　suitable　for　a　location　that　seldom　needed　to　be　defended。　〃Watchers；　not　soldiers；　are　what　Watch　Island　Tower　requires；〃　he　had　declared。　And　for　that　purpose；　he　had　recruited　a　number　of　elderly　men　and　women　to　man　the　tower。　A　handful　of　them　had　been　soldiers；　but　most　were　refugees　from　Neatbay；　debtors　and　pickpockets　and　aging　whores；　some　declared；　while　supporters　of　Kelvar　asserted　they　were　but　elderly　citizens　in　need　of　secure　employment。
　　　　　　　All　this　I　knew　better　from　tavern　gossip　and　Chade's　political　lectures　than　Burrich　could　imagine。　But　I　bit　my　tongue　and　sat　through　his　detailed　and　strained　explanation。　Not　for　the　first　time　I　realized　he　considered　me　slightly　slow。　My　silences　he　mistook　for　a　lack　of　wit　rather　than　a　lack　of　any　need　to　speak。
　　　　　　　So　now；　laboriously；　Burrich　began　to　instruct　me　in　the　manners　that；　he　told　me；　most　other　boys　picked　up　simply　by　being　around　their　elders。　I　was　to　greet　people　when　I　first　encountered　them　each　day；　or　if　I　walked　into　a　room　and　found　it　occupied；　melting　silently　away　was　not　polite。　I　should　call　folk　by　their　names；　and　if　they　were　older　than　me　or　of　higher　political　station；　as；　he　reminded　me；　almost　anyone　I　met　on　this　journey　would　be；　I　should　address　them　by　title　as　well。　Then　he　inundated　me　with　protocol；　who　could　precede　me　out　of　a　room；　and　under　what　circumstances　（almost　anyone；　and　under　almost　all　conditions；　had　precedent　over　me）。　And　on　to　the　manners　of　the　table。　To　pay　attention　to　where　I　was　seated；　to　pay　attention　to　whoever　occupied　the　high　seat　at　that　table　and　pace　my　dining　accordingly；　how　to　drink　a　toast；　or　a　series　of　toasts；　without　overindulging　myself。　And　how　to　speak　engagingly；　or　more　likely；　to　listen　attentively；　to　whoever　might　be　seated　near　me　at　dinner。　And　on。　And　on。　Until　I　began　to　daydream　wistfully　of　endlessly　cleaning　tack。
　　　　　　　Burrich　recalled　my　attention　with　a　sharp　poke。　〃And　you're　not　to　do　that；　either。　You　look　an　imbecile；　sitting　there　nodding　with　your　mind　elsewhere。　Don't　fancy　no　one　notices　when　you　do　that。　And　don't　glare　like　that　when　you're　corrected。　Sit　up　straight；　and　put　a　pleasant　expression　on　your　face。　Not　a　vacuous　smile；　you　dolt。　Ah；　Fitz；　what　am　I　to　do　with　you？　How　can　I　protect　you　when　you　invite　troubles　on　yourself？　And　why　do　they　want　to　take　you　off　like　this　anyway？〃
　　　　　　　The　last　two　questions；　put　to　himself；　betrayed　his　real　concern。　Perhaps　I　was　a　trifle　stupid　not　to　have　seen　it。　He　wasn't　going。　I　was。　For　no　good　reason　that　he　could　discern。　Burrich　had　lived　long　enough　near　court　to　be　very　cautious。　For　the　first　time　since　he　had　been　entrusted　with　my　care；　I　was　being　removed　from　his　watchfulness。　It　had　not　been　so　long　since　my　father　had　been　buried。　And　so　he　wondered；　though　he　didn't　dare　say；　whether　I　would　be　ing　back　or　if　someone　was　making　the　opportunity　to　quietly　dispose　of　me。　I　realized　what　a　blow　to　his　pride　and　reputation　it　would　be　if　I　were　to　be　〃vanished。〃　So　I　sighed；　and　then　carefully　mented　that　perhaps　they　wanted　an　extra　hand　with　the　horses　and　dogs。　Verity　went　nowhere　without　Leon；　his　wolfhound。　Only　two　days　before　he　had　plimented　me　on　how　well　I　managed　him。　This　I　repeated　to　Burrich；　and　it　was　gratifying　to　see　how　well　this　small　subterfuge　worked。　Relief　flooded　his　face；　then　pride　that　he　had　taught　me　well。　The　topic　instantly　shifted　from　manners　to　the　correct　care　of　the　wolfhound。　If　the　lectures　on　manners　had　wearied　me；　the　repetition　of　hound　lore　was　almost　painfully　tedious。　When　he　released　me　to　go　to　my　other　lessons；　I　left　with　winged　feet。
　　　　　　　I　went　through　the　rest　of　the　day　in　a　distracted　haze　that　had　Hod　threatening　me　with　a　good　whipping　if　I　didn't　attend　to　what　I　was　doing。　Then　she　shook　her　head　over　me；　sighed；　and　told　me　to　run　along　and　e　back　when　I　had　a　mind　again。　I　was　only　too　happy　to　obey　her。　The　thought　of　actually　leaving　Buckkeep　and　journeying；　journeying　all　the　way　to　Neatbay　was　all　I　could　fit　inside　my　head。　I　knew　I　should　wonder　why　I　was　going；　but　felt　sure　Chade　would　advise　me　soon。　Would　we　go　by　land　or　by　sea？　I　wished　I　had　asked　Burrich。　The　roads　to　Neatbay　were　not　the　best；　I'd　heard；　but　I　wouldn't　mind。　Sooty　and　I　had　never　been　on　a　long　journey　together。　But　a　sea　trip；　on　a　real　ship　。。。
　　　　　　　I　took　the　long　way　back　to　the　keep；　up　a　path　that　went　through　a　lightly　wooded　bit　of　rocky　hillside。　Paper　birches　struggled　there；　and　a　few　alder；　but　mostly　it　was　nondescript　brush。　Sunlight　and　a　light　breeze　were　playing　together　in　the　higher　branches；　giving　the　day　a　fey　and　dappled　air。　I　lifted　my　eyes　to　the　dazzle　of　sun　through　the　birch　leaves；　and　when　I　looked　down；　the　King's　fool　stood　before　me。
　　　　　　　I　stopped　in　my　tracks；　astonished。　Reflexively；　I　looked　for　the　King；　despite　how　ridiculous　it　would　have　been　to　find　him　here。　But　the　Fool　was　alone。　And　outside；　in　the　daylight！　The　thought　made　the　hair　on　my　arms　and　neck