rh.theassassinsapprentice-第26部分

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But　the　Fool　was　alone。　And　outside；　in　the　daylight！　The　thought　made　the　hair　on　my　arms　and　neck　stand　up　in　my　tightened　skin。　It　was　mon　knowledge　in　the　keep　that　the　King's　fool　could　not　abide　the　light　of　day。　mon　knowledge。　Yet；　despite　what　every　page　and　kitchen　maid　nattered　knowingly；　there　stood　the　Fool；　pale　hair　floating　in　the　light　breeze。　The　blue　and　red　silk　of　his　motley　jacket　and　trousers　was　startlingly　bright　against　his　paleness。　But　his　eyes　were　not　as　colorless　as　they　were　in　the　dim　passages　of　the　keep。　As　I　received　their　stare　from　only　a　few　feet　away　in　the　light　of　day；　I　perceived　there　was　a　blueness　to　them；　very　pale；　as　if　a　single　drop　of　pale　blue　wax　had　fallen　onto　a　white　platter。　The　whiteness　of　his　skin　was　an　illusion　also；　for　out　here　in　the　dappling　sunlight　I　could　see　a　pinkness　suffused　him　from　within。　Blood；　I　realized　with　a　sudden　quailing。　Red　blood　showing　through　layers　of　skin。
　　　　　　　The　Fool　took　no　notice　of　my　whispered　ment。　Instead；　a　finger　was　held　aloft；　as　if　to　pause　not　only　my　thoughts　but　the　very　day　around　us。　But　I　could　not　have　focused　my　attention　more　pletely　on　anything；　and　when　he　was　satisfied　of　this；　the　Fool　smiled；　showing　small　white　separate　teeth；　like　a　baby's　new　smile　in　a　boy's　mouth。
　　　　　　　〃Fitz！〃　he　intoned　in　a　piping　voice。　〃Fitz　fitz　fice　fitz。　Fatz　sfitz。〃　He　stopped　abruptly；　and　again　gave　me　that　smile。　I　stared　back　uncertainly；　without　word　or　movement。
　　　　　　　Again　the　finger　soared　aloft；　and　this　time　was　shaken　at　me。　〃Fitz！　Fitz　fix　fice　fitz。　Fats　sfitzes。〃　He　cocked　his　head　at　me；　and　the　movement　sent　the　dandelion　fluff　of　his　hair　wafting　in　a　new　direction。
　　　　　　　I　was　beginning　to　lose　my　fear　of　him。　〃Fitz；〃　I　said　carefully；　and　tapped　my　chest　with　my　forefinger。　〃Fitz；　that's　me。　Yes。　My　name　is　Fitz。　Are　you　lost？〃　I　tried　to　make　my　voice　gentle　and　reassuring　so　as　not　to　alarm　the　poor　creature。　For　surely　he　had　somehow　wandered　off　from　the　keep；　and　that　was　why　he　seemed　so　delighted　to　find　a　familiar　face。
　　　　　　　He　took　a　breath　through　his　nose；　and　then　shook　his　head　violently；　until　his　hair　stood　out　all　around　his　skull　like　a　flame　around　a　windblown　candle。　〃Fitz！〃　he　said　emphatically；　his　voice　cracking　a　little。　〃Fitz　fitzes　fyces　fitz。　Fatzafices。〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said　soothingly。　I　crouched　a　bit；　though　in　reality　I　was　not　that　much　taller　than　the　Fool。　I　made　a　soft　beckoning　motion　with　my　open　hand。　〃e　along；　then。　e　along。　I'll　show　you　the　way　back　home。　All　right？　Don't　be　afraid　now。〃
　　　　　　　Abruptly　the　Fool　dropped　his　hands　to　his　sides。　Then　he　lifted　his　face　and　rolled　his　eyes　at　the　heavens。　He　looked　back　at　me　fixedly　and　poked　his　mouth　out　as　if　he　wanted　to　spit。
　　　　　　　〃e　along　now。〃　I　beckoned　to　him　again。
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　he　said；　quite　plainly　in　an　exasperated　voice。　〃Listen　to　me；　you　idiot。　Fitz　fixes　fyces　fitz。　Fatsafices。〃
　　　　　　　〃What？〃　I　asked；　startled。
　　　　　　　〃I　said；〃　he　enunciated　elaborately。　〃Fitz　fixes　fyce　fits。　Fat　suffices。〃　He　bowed；　turned；　and　began　to　walk　away　from　me；　up　the　trail。
　　　　　　　〃Wait！〃　I　demanded。　My　ears　were　turning　red　with　my　embarrassment。　How　do　you　politely　explain　to　someone　that　you　had　believed　for　years　that　he　was　a　moron　as　well　as　a　fool？　I　couldn't。　So：　〃What　does　all　that　fitzy…ficeys　stuff　mean？　Are　you　making　fun　of　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃Hardly。〃　He　paused　long　enough　to　turn　and　say；　〃Fitz　fixes　feists　fits。　Fat　suffices。　It's　a　message；　I　believe。　A　calling　for　a　significant　act。　As　you　are　the　only　one　l　know　who　endures　being　called　Fitz；　I　believe　it's　for　you。　As　for　what　it　means；　how　should　I　know？　I'm　a　fool；　not　an　interpreter　of　dreams。　Good　day。〃　Again　he　turned　away　from　me；　but　this　time　instead　of　continuing　up　the　path；　he　stepped　off　it；　into　a　clump　of　buckbrush。　I　hurried　after　him；　but　when　I　got　to　where　he　had　left　the　path；　he　was　gone。　I　stood　still；　peering　into　the　open；　sun…dappled　woods；　thinking　I　should　see　a　bush　still　swaying　from　his　passage；　or　catch　a　glimpse　of　his　motley　jacket。　But　there　was　no　sign　of　him。
　　　　　　　And　no　sense　at　all　to　his　silly　message。　I　mulled　over　the　strange　encounter　all　the　way　back　to　the　keep；　but　in　the　end　I　set　it　aside　as　a　strange　but　random　occurrence。
　　　　　　　Not　that　night；　but　the　next；　Chade　called　me。　Burning　with　curiosity；　I　raced　up　the　stairs。　But　when　I　reached　the　top；　I　halted；　knowing　that　my　questions　would　have　to　wait。　For　there　sat　Chade　at　the　stone　table；　Slink　perched　atop　his　shoulders；　and　a　new　scroll　half…unwound　on　the　table　before　him。　A　glass　of　wine　weighted　one　end　as　his　crooked　finger　traveled　slowly　down　some　sort　of　listing。　I　glanced　at　it　as　I　passed。　It　was　a　list　of　villages　and　dates。
　　　　　　　Beneath　each　village　name　was　a　tally　…　so　many　warriors；　so　many　merchants；　so　many　sheep　or　casks　of　ale　or　measures　of　grain；　and　so　on。　I　sat　down　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　table　and　waited。　I　had　learned　not　to　interrupt　Chade。
　　　　　　　〃My　boy；〃　he　said　softly；　without　looking　up　from　the　scroll。　〃What　would　you　do　if　some　ruffian　walked　up　behind　you　and　rapped　you　on　the　head？　But　only　when　your　back　was　turned。　How　would　you　handle　it？〃
　　　　　　　I　thought　briefly。　〃I'd　turn　my　back　and　pretend　to　be　looking　at　something　else。　Only　I'd　have　a　long；　thick　stick　in　my　hands。　So　when　he　rapped　ine；　I'd　spin　around　and　break　his　head。〃
　　　　　　　〃Hm。　Yes。　Well；　we　tried　that。　But　no　matter　how　nonchalant　we　are；　the　Outislanders　always　seem　to　know　when　we　are　baiting　them　and　never　attack。　Well；　actually；　we've　managed　to　fool　one　or　two　of　the　ordinary　raiders。　But　never　the　Red…Ship　Raiders。　And　those　are　the　ones　we　want　to　hurt。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　〃Because　they　are　the　ones　that　are　hurting　us　the　worst。　You　see；　boy；　we　are　used　to　being　raided。　You　could　almost　say　that　we've　adapted　to　it。　Plant　an　extra　acre；　weave　another　bolt　of　cloth；　raise　an　extra　steer。　Our　farmers　and　townsfolk　always　try　to　put　a　bit　extra　by；　and　when　someone's　barn　gets　burned　or　a　warehouse　is　torched　in　the　confusion　of　a　raid；　everyone　turns　out　to　raise　the　beams　again。　But　the　Red…Ship　Raiders　aren't　just　stealing；　and　destroying　in　the　process　of　stealing。　They're　destroying；　and　what　they　actually　carry　off　with　them　seems　almost　incidental。〃　Chade　paused　and　stared　at　a　wall　as　if　seeing　through　it。
　　　　　　　〃It　makes　no　sense；〃　he　continued　bemusedly；　more　to　himself　than　to　me。　〃Or　at　least　no　sense　that　I　can　unravel。　It's　like　killing　a　cow　that　bears　a　good　calf　every　year。　Red…Ship　Raiders　torch　the　grain　and　hay　still　standing　in　the　fields。　They　slaughter　the　stock　they　can't　carry　off。　Three　weeks　ago；　in　Tomsby；　they　set　fire　to　the　mill　and　slashed　open　the　sacks　of　grain　and　flour　there。
　　　　　　　Where's　the　profit　in　that　for　them？　Why　do　they　risk　their　lives　simply　to　destroy？　They've　made　no　effort　to　take　and　hold　territory；　they　have　no　grievance　against　us　that　they've　ever　uttered。　A　thief　you　can　guard　against；　but　these　are　random　killers　and　destroyers。　Tornsby　won't　be　rebuilt；　the　folk　that　survived　have　neither　the　will　nor　the　resources。　They've　moved　on；　some　to　family　in　other　towns；　others　to　be　beggars　in　our　cities。　It's　a　pattern　we're　seeing　too　often。〃
　　　　　　　He　sighed；　and　then　shook　his　head　to　clear　it。　When　he　looked　up；　he　focused　on　me　totally。　It　was　a　knack　Chade　had。　He　could　set　aside　a　problem　so　pletely　you　would　swear　he　had　forgotten　it。　Now　he　announced；　as　if　it　were　his　only　care；　〃You'll　be　acpanying　Verity　when　he　goes　to　reason　with　Lord　Kelvar　at　Neatbay。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　Burrich　told　me。　But　he　wondered；　and　so　do　I。　Why？〃
　　　　　　　Chade　looked　perplexed。　〃Didn't　you　plain　a　few　months　ago　that　you　had　wearied　of　Buckkeep　and　wished　to　see　more　of　the　Six　Duchies？〃
　　　　　　　〃Certainly。　But　I　rather　doubt　that　that　is　why　Verity　is　taking　me。〃
　　　　　　　Chade　snorted。　〃As　if　Verity　paid　any　attention　as　to　who　makes　up　his　retinue。　He　has　no　patience　with　the　details；　and　hence　none　of　Chivalry's　genius　for　handling　people。　Yet　Verity　is　a　good　soldier；　and　in　the　long　run；　perhaps　that　will　be　what　we　need。　No；　you　are　right。　Verity　has　no　inkling　as　to　why　you　are　going　。。。　yet。　Shrewd　will　tell　him　you　are　trained　as　a　spy。　And　that　is　all；　for　now。　He　and　I　have　consulted　together　upon　this。　Are　you　ready　to　begin　repaying　all　he　has　done　for　you？　Are　you　ready　to　begin　your　service　for　the　family？〃
　　　　　　　He　said　it　so　calmly　and　looked　at　me　so　openly　that　it　was　almost　easy　to　be　calm　as　I　asked；　〃Will　I　have　to　kill　someone？〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps。〃　He　shifted　in　his　chair。　〃You'll　have　to　decide　that。　Deciding　and　then　doing　it　。。。　it's　different　from　simply　being　told；　'That　is　the　man　and　it　must　be　done。　It's　much　harder；　and　I'm　not　all　that　sure　you're　ready。〃
　　　　　　　〃Would　I　ever　be　ready？〃　I　tried　to　smile；　and　grinned　like　a　muscle　spasm。　I　tried　to　wipe　it　away；　and　couldn't。　A　strange　quiver　passed　through　me。
　　　　　　　〃Probably　not。〃　Chade　fell　silent；　and　then　decided　that　I　had　accepted　the　mission。　〃You'll　go　as　an　attendant　for　an　elderly　noblewoman　who　is　also　going　along；　to　visit　relatives　in　Neatbay。　It　will　not　be　too　heavy　a　task　for　you。　She　is　very　elderly　and　her　health　is　not　good。　Lady　Thyme　travels　in　a　closed　litter。　You　will　ride　beside　it；　to　see　she　is　not　jolted　too　much；　to　bring　her　water　if　she　asks　for　it；　and　to　see　to　any　other　such　small　requests。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　doesn't　sound　too　different　from　caring　for　Verity's　wolfhound。〃
　　　　　　　Chade　paused；　then　smiled。　〃Excellent。　That　will　fall　to　you　as　well。　Bee　indispensable　to　everyone　on　this　journey。　Then　you　will　have　reasons　to　go　everywhere　and　hear　everything；　and　no　one　will　question　your　presence。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　my　real　task？〃
　　　　　　　〃To　listen　and　learn。　It　seems　to　both　Shrewd　and　me　that　these　Red…Ship　Raiders　are　too　well　acquainted　with　our　strategies　and　strengths。　Kelvar　has　recently　begrudged　the　funds　to　staff　the　Watch　Island　Tower　properly。　Twice　he　has　neglected　it；　and　twice　have　the　coast　villages　of　Shoaks　Duchy　paid　for　his　negligence。　Has　he　gone　beyond　negligence　to　treachery？　Does　Kelvar　confer　with　the　enemy　to　his　profit？　We　want　you　to　sn