rh.theassassinsapprentice-第29部分

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　　　　　　　〃Well。〃　Verity　bent　down　to　dry　his　legs。　〃Like　as　not；　you're　right；　boy。　Burrich　says　you've　a　way　with　the　hounds；　and　I　won't　ignore　what　you　say。　It's　just　that　he　seemed　so　moony；　and　usually　he　has　a　good　appetite　for　anything；　but　especially　for　anything　from　my　plate。〃　He　seemed　abashed；　as　if　caught　cooing　at　an　infant。　I　didn't　know　what　to　say。
　　　　　　　〃If　that's　all；　sir；　should　I　be　returning　to　the　stables？〃
　　　　　　　He　glanced　at　me　over　his　shoulder；　puzzled。　〃Seems　a　bit　of　a　waste　of　time　to　me。　Hands　will　see　to　your　mount；　won't　he？　You　need　to　bathe　and　dress　if　you're　to　be　on　time　for　dinner。　Charim？　Have　you　water　for　him？〃
　　　　　　　The　serving　man　straightened　from　arranging　Verity's　garments　on　the　bed。　〃Right　away；　sir。　And　I'll　lay　out　his　clothes　as　well。〃
　　　　　　　In　the　space　of　the　next　hour；　my　place　in　the　world　seemed　to　shift　topsy…turvy。　I　had　known　this　was　ing。　Both　Burrich　and　Chade　had　tried　to　prepare　me　for　it。　But　to　suddenly　go　from　an　insignificant　hanger…on　at　Buckkeep　to　part　of　Verity's　formal　entourage　was　a　bit　unnerving。　Everyone　else　assumed　I　knew　what　was　going　on。
　　　　　　　Verity　was　dressed　and　out　of　the　room　before　I　was　into　the　tub。　Charim　informed　me　that　he　had　gone　to　confer　with　his　captain　of　guards。　I　was　grateful　that　Charim　was　such　a　gossip。　He　did　not　consider　my　rank　so　lofty　as　to　forbear　chatting　and　plaining　in　front　of　me。
　　　　　　　〃I'll　make　you　up　a　pallet　in　here　for　the　night。　I　doubt　you'll　be　chill。　Verity　said　he　wanted　you　housed　close　by　him；　and　not　just　to　tend　the　hound。　He　has　other　chores　for　you　as　well？〃
　　　　　　　Charim　paused　hopefully。　I　covered　my　silence　by　ducking　my　head　into　the　lukewarm　water　and　soaping　the　sweat　and　dust　from　my　hair。　I　came　up　for　air。
　　　　　　　He　sighed。　〃I'll　lay　out　your　clothes　for　you。　Leave　me　those　dirty　ones。　I'll　wash　them　out　for　you。〃
　　　　　　　It　seemed　very　strange　to　have　someone　waiting　on　me　while　I　washed；　and　stranger　still　to　have　someone　supervise　my　dressing。　Charim　insisted　on　straightening　the　seams　on　my　jerkin　and　seeing　the　oversized　sleeves　on　my　new　best　shirt　hung　to　their　fullest　and　most　annoying　length。　My　hair　had　regrown　long　enough　to　have　snarls　in　it　and　these　he　tugged　quickly　and　painfully　out。　To　a　boy　accustomed　to　dressing　himself；　the　primping　and　inspection　seemed　endless。
　　　　　　　〃Blood　will　tell；〃　said　an　awed　voice　from　the　entry。　I　turned　to　find　Verity　beholding　me　with　a　mixture　of　pain　and　amusement　on　his　face。
　　　　　　　〃He's　the　image　of　Chivalry　at　that　age；　is　he　not；　my　lord？〃　Charim　sounded　immensely　pleased　with　himself。
　　　　　　　〃He　is。〃　Verity　paused　to　clear　his　throat。　〃No　man　can　doubt　who　fathered　you；　Fitz。　I　wonder　what　my　father　was　thinking　when　he　told　me　to　show　you　well？　Shrewd　he　is　called　and　shrewd　he　is；　I　wonder　what　he　expects　to　gain。　Ah；　well。〃　He　sighed。　〃That　is　his　kind　of　kingship；　and　I　leave　it　to　him。　Mine　is　simply　to　ask　a　foppish　old　man　why　he　cannot　keep　his　watchtowers　properly　manned。　e；　boy。　It's　time　we　went　down。〃
　　　　　　　He　turned　and　left　without　waiting　for　me。　As　I　hastened　after　him　Charim　caught　at　my　arm。　〃Three　steps　behind　him　and　on　his　left。　Remember。〃　And　that　is　where　I　fell　in　behind　him。　As　he　moved　down　the　hallway　others　of　our　entourage　stepped　out　from　their　chambers　and　followed　their　prince。　All　were　decked　in　their　most　elaborate　finery　to　maximize　this　chance　to　be　seen　and　envied　outside　of　Buckkeep。　The　fullness　of　my　sleeves　was　quite　reasonable　pared　with　what　some　were　sporting。　At　least　my　shoes　were　not　hung　with　tiny　chiming　bells　or　gently　rattling　amber　beads。
　　　　　　　Verity　paused　at　the　top　of　a　stairway；　and　a　hush　fell　over　the　folk　gathered　below。　I　looked　out　over　the　faces　turned　up　to　their　prince　and　had　time　to　read　on　them　every　emotion　known　to　mankind。　Some　women　simpered　while　others　appeared　to　sneer。　Some　young　men　struck　poses　that　displayed　their　clothes；　others；　dressed　more　simply；　straightened　as　if　to　be　on　guard。　I　read　envy　and　love；　disdain；　fear；　and　on　a　few　faces；　hatred。　But　Verity　gave　none　of　them　more　than　a　passing　glance　before　he　descended。　The　crowd　parted　before　us　to　reveal　Lord　Kelvar　himself　waiting　to　conduct　us　into　the　dining　hall。
　　　　　　　Kelvar　was　not　what　I　expected。　Verity　had　called　him　foppish；　but　what　I　saw　was　a　rapidly　aging　man；　thin　and　harried；　who　wore　his　extravagant　clothes　as　if　they　were　armor　against　time。　His　graying　hair　was　pulled　back　in　a　thin　tail　as　if　he　were　still　a　man…at…arms；　and　he　walked　with　that　peculiar　gait　of　the　very　good　swordsman。
　　　　　　　I　saw　him　as　Chade　had　taught　me　to　see　folk；　and　thought　I　understood　him　well　enough　even　before　we　were　seated。　But　it　was　after　we　had　taken　our　places　at　table　（and　mine；　to　my　surprise；　was　not　so　far　down　from　the　high　folk）　that　I　got　my　deepest　glance　into　the　man's　soul。　And　this　not　by　any　act　of　his；　but　in　the　bearing　of　his　lady　as　she　arrived　to　join　us。
　　　　　　　I　doubt　if　Kelvar's　Lady　Grace　was　much　more　than　a　hand　of　years　older　than　I；　and　she　was　decked　out　like　a　magpie's　nest。　Never　had　I　seen　accoutrements　before　that　spoke　so　garishly　of　expense　and　so　little　of　taste。　She　took　her　seat　in　a　flurry　of　flourishes　and　gestures　that　reminded　me　of　a　courting　bird。　Her　scent　rolled　over　me　like　a　wave；　and　it；　too；　smelled　of　coin　more　than　flowers。　She　had　brought　a　little　dog　with　her；　a　feist　that　was　all　silky　hair　and　big　eyes。　She　cooed　over　him　as　she　settled　him　on　her　lap；　and　the　little　beast　cuddled　against　her　and　set　his　chin　on　the　edge　of　the　table。　And　all　the　time　her　eyes　were　on　Prince　Verity；　trying　to　see　if　he　marked　her　and　was　impressed。　For　my　part；　I　watched　Kelvar　watch　her　perform　her　flirtations　for　the　Prince；　and　I　thought　to　myself；　There　is　more　than　half　our　problems　with　keeping　the　watchtowers　manned。
　　　　　　　Dinner　was　a　trial　to　me。　I　was　ravenous；　but　manners　forbade　that　I　show　it。　I　ate　as　I　had　been　instructed；　picking　up　my　spoon　when　Verity　did；　and　setting　aside　a　course　as　soon　as　he　showed　disinterest　in　it。　I　longed　for　a　good　platter　of　hot　meat　with　bread　to　sop　up　the　juices；　but　what　we　were　offered　were　tidbits　of　meat　oddly　spiced；　exotic　fruit　potes；　pale　breads；　and　vegetables　cooked　to　pallor　and　then　seasoned。　It　was　an　impressive　display　of　good　food　abused　in　the　name　of　fashionable　cooking。　I　could　see　that　Verity's　appetite　was　as　slack　as　mine　and　wondered　if　all　could　see　that　the　Prince　was　not　impressed。
　　　　　　　Chade　had　taught　me　better　than　I　had　known。　I　was　able　to　nod　politely　to　my　dinner　panion；　a　freckled　young　woman；　and　follow　her　conversation　about　the　difficulty　of　getting　good　linen　fabric　in　Rippon　these　days；　while　letting　my　ears　stray　enough　to　pick　up　key　bits　of　talk　about　the　table。　None　of　it　was　about　the　business　that　had　brought　us　here。　Verity　and　Lord　Kelvar　would　closet　themselves　tomorrow　for　the　discussion　of　that。　But　much　of　what　I　overheard　touched　on　the　manning　of　Watch　Island's　tower　and　cast　odd　lights　on　it。
　　　　　　　I　overheard　grumblings　that　the　roads　were　not　as　well　maintained　as　previously。　Someone　mented　she　was　glad　to　see　that　repair　on　Bayguard's　fortifications　had　been　resumed。　Another　man　plained　that　inland　robbers　were　so　mon；　he　could　scarcely　count　on　two　thirds　of　his　merchandise　ing　through　from　Farrow。　This；　too；　seemed　to　be　the　basis　of　my　dining　panion's　plaint　about　the　lack　of　good　fabric。　I　looked　at　Lord　Kelvar；　and　how　he　doted　upon　his　young　wife's　every　gesture。　As　if　Chade　were　whispering　in　my　ear；　I　heard　his　judgment。　〃There　is　a　duke　whose　mind　is　not　upon　the　governing　of　his　Duchy。〃　I　suspected　Lady　Grace　was　wearing　the　required　road　repairs　and　the　wages　of　those　soldiers　who　would　have　kept　his　trade　routes　policed　against　brigands。　Perhaps　the　jewels　that　dangled　from　her　ears　should　have　gone　to　pay　to　man　Watch　Island's　towers。
　　　　　　　Dinner　finally　ended。　My　stomach　was　full；　but　my　hunger　unabated；　there　had　been　so　little　substance　to　the　meal。　Afterward；　two　minstrels　and　a　poet　entertained　us；　but　I　tuned　my　ears　to　the　casual　talk　of　folk　rather　than　to　the　fine　phrasings　of　the　poet　or　the　ballads　of　the　minstrels。　Kelvar　sat　to　the　Prince's　right；　while　his　lady　sat　to　the　left；　her　lapdog　sharing　the　chair。
　　　　　　　Grace　sat　basking　in　the　Prince's　presence。　Her　hands　often　strayed　to　touch　first　an　earring；　then　a　bracelet。　She　was　not　accustomed　to　wearing　so　much　jewelry。　My　suspicion　was　that　she　had　e　of　simple　stock　and　was　awed　by　her　own　position。　One　minstrel　sang　〃Fair　Rose　Amidst　the　Clover；〃　his　eyes　on　her　face；　and　was　rewarded　with　her　flushed　cheeks。　But　as　the　evening　wore　on；　and　I　grew　weary；　I　could　tell　that　Lady　Grace　was　fading。　She　yawned　once；　lifting　a　hand　too　late　to　cover　it。　Her　little　dog　had　gone　to　sleep　in　her　lap；　and　twitched　and　yipped　occasionally　in　his　small…brained　dreams。　As　she　grew　sleepier　she　reminded　me　of　a　child；　she　cuddled　her　dog　as　if　it　were　a　doll；　and　leaned　her　head　back　into　the　corner　of　her　chair。　Twice　she　started　to　nod　off。　I　saw　her　surreptitiously　pinching　the　skin　on　her　wrists　in　an　effort　to　wake　herself　up。　She　was　visibly　relieved　when　Kelvar　summoned　the　minstrels　and　poet　forward　to　reward　them　for　their　evening。　She　took　her　lord's　arm　to　follow　him　off　to　their　bedchamber　while　never　relinquishing　the　dog　she　snugged　in　her　arm。
　　　　　　　I　was　relieved　to　make　my　way　up　to　Verity's　antechamber。　Charim　had　found　me　a　feather　bed　and　some　blankets。　My　pallet　was　fully　as　fortable　as　my　own　bed。　I　longed　to　sleep；　but　Charim　gestured　me　into　Verity's　bedchamber。　Verity；　ever　the　soldier；　had　no　use　for　lackeys　to　stand　about　and　tug　his　boots　off　for　him。　Charim　and　I　alone　attended　him。　Charim　clucked　and　muttered　as　he　followed　Verity　about；　picking　up　and　smoothing　the　garments　the　Prince　so　casually　shed。　Verity's　boots　he　immediately　took　off　into　a　corner　and　began　working　more　wax　into　the　leather。　Verity　dragged　a　nightshirt　on　over　his　head　and　then　turned　to　me。
　　　　　　　〃Well？　What　have　you　to　tell　me？〃
　　　　　　　And　so　I　reported　to　him　as　I　did　to　Chade；　recounting　all　I　had　overheard；　in　as　close　to　the　words　as　I　could　manage；　and