rh.theassassinsapprentice-第30部分

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　　　　　　　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　noting　who　had　spoken　and　to　whom。　At　the　last　I　added　my　own　suppositions　about　the　significance　of　it　all。　〃Kelvar　is　a　man　who　has　taken　a　young　wife；　one　who　is　easily　impressed　with　wealth　and　gifts；〃　I　summarized。　〃She　has　no　idea　of　the　responsibilities　of　her　own　position；　let　alone　his。　Kelvar　diverts　money；　time；　and　thought　from　his　duties　to　enthralling　her。　Were　it　not　disrespectful　to　say　so；　I　would　imagine　that　his　manhood　is　failing　him；　and　he　seeks　to　satisfy　his　young　bride　with　gifts　as　a　substitute。〃
　　　　　　　Verity　sighed　heavily。　He　had　flung　himself　onto　the　bed　during　the　latter　half　of　my　recitation。　Now　he　prodded　at　a　too　soft　pillow；　folding　it　to　give　more　support　to　his　head。　〃Damn　Chivalry；〃　he　said　absently。　〃This　is　his　kind　of　a　knot；　not　mine。　Fitz；　you　sound　like　your　father。　And　were　he　here；　he'd　find　some　subtle　way　to　handle　this　whole　situation。　Chiv　would　have　had　it　solved　by　now；　with　one　of　his　smiles　and　a　kiss　on　someone's　hand。　But　that's　not　my　way；　and　I　won't　pretend　to　it。〃　He　shifted　about　in　his　bed　unfortably；　as　if　he　expected　me　to　raise　some　argument　to　him　about　his　duty。　〃Kelvar's　a　man　and　a　duke。　And　he　has　a　duty。　He's　to　man　that　tower　properly。　It's　simple　enough；　and　I　intend　to　tell　him　that　bluntly。　Put　decent　soldiers　in　that　tower　and　keep　them　there；　and　keep　them　happy　enough　to　do　a　job。　It　seems　simple　to　me。　And　I'm　not　going　to　make　it　into　a　diplomatic　dance。〃
　　　　　　　He　shifted　heavily　in　the　bed；　then　abruptly　turned　his　back　to　me。　〃Put　out　the　light；　Charim。〃　And　Charim　did；　so　promptly　that　I　was　left　standing　in　the　dark　and　had　to　blunder　my　way　out　of　the　chamber　and　back　to　my　own　pallet。　As　I　lay　down　I　pondered　that　Verity　saw　so　little　of　the　whole。　He　could　force　Kelvar　to　man　the　tower；　yes。　But　he　couldn't　force　him　to　man　it　well；　or　take　pride　in　it。　That　was　a　matter　for　diplomacy。　And　had　he　no　heed　for　the　roadwork　and　maintenance　on　the　fortifications　and　the　highwaymen　problem？　All　that　needed　to　be　remedied　now。　And　in　such　a　way　that　Kelvar's　pride　was　kept　intact；　and　that　his　position　with　Lord　Shemshy　was　both　corrected　and　affirmed。　And　someone　had　to　undertake　to　teach　Lady　Grace　her　responsibilities。　So　many　problems。　But　as　soon　as　my　head　touched　the　pillow；　I　slept。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　NINE
　　　　　　　Fat　Suffices
　　　　　　　THE　FOOL　CAME　to　Buckkeep　in　the　seventeenth　year　of　King　Shrewd's　reign。　This　is　one　of　the　few　facts　that　are　known　about　the　Fool。　Said　to　be　a　gift　from　the　Bingtown　traders；　the　origin　of　the　Fool　can　only　be　surmised。　Various　stories　have　arisen。　One　is　that　the　Fool　was　a　captive　of　the　Red…Ship　Raiders；　and　that　the　Bingtown　traders　seized　the　Fool　from　them。　Another　is　that　the　Fool　was　found　as　a　babe；　adrift　in　a　small　boat；　shielded　from　the　sun　by　a　parasol　of　sharkskin　and　cushioned　from　the　thwarts　by　a　bed　of　heather　and　lavender。　This　can　be　dismissed　as　a　creation　of　fancy。　We　have　no　real　knowledge　of　the　Fool's　life　before　his　arrival　at　King　Shrewd's　court。
　　　　　　　The　Fool　was　almost　certainly　born　of　the　human　race；　though　not　entirely　of　human　parentage。　Stories　that　he　was　born　of　the　Other　Folk　are　almost　certainly　false；　for　his　fingers　and　toes　are　pletely　free　of　webbing　and　he　has　never　shown　the　slightest　fear　of　cats。　The　unusual　physical　characteristics　of　the　Fool　（lack　of　coloring；　for　instance）　seem　to　be　traits　of　his　other　parentage；　rather　than　an　individual　aberration；　though　in　this　I　well　may　be　mistaken。
　　　　　　　In　the　matter　of　the　Fool；　that　which　we　do　not　know　is　almost　more　significant　than　that　which　we　do。　The　age　of　the　Fool　at　the　time　of　his　arrival　at　Buckkeep　has　been　a　matter　for　conjecture。　From　personal　experience；　I　can　vouch　that　the　Fool　appeared　much　younger；　and　in　all　ways　more　juvenile　than　at　present。　But　as　the　Fool　shows　little　sign　of　aging；　it　may　be　that　he　was　not　as　young　as　he　initially　appeared；　but　rather　was　at　the　end　of　an　extended　childhood。
　　　　　　　The　gender　of　the　Fool　has　been　disputed。　When　directly　questioned　on　this　matter　by　a　younger　and　more　forward　person　than　I　am　now；　the　Fool　replied　that　it　was　no　one's　business　but　his　own。　So　I　concede。
　　　　　　　In　the　matter　of　his　prescience　and　the　annoyingly　vague　forms　that　it　takes；　there　is　no　consensus　as　to　whether　it　is　a　racial　or　individual　talent　being　manifested。　Some　believe　he　knows　all　in　advance；　and　even　that　he　will　always　know　if　anyone；　anywhere；　speaks　about　him。　Others　say　it　is　only　his　great　love　of　saying；　〃I　warned　you　so！〃　and　that　he　takes　his　most　obscure　sayings　and　twists　them　to　have　been　prophecies。　Perhaps　sometimes　this　has　been　so；　but　in　many　well…witnessed　cases；　he　has　predicted；　however　obscurely；　events　that　later　came　to　pass。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　Hunger　woke　me　shortly　after　midnight。　I　lay　awake；　listening　to　my　belly　growl。　I　closed　my　eyes；　but　my　hunger　was　enough　to　make　me　nauseated。　I　got　up　and　felt　my　way　to　the　table　where　Verity's　tray　of　pastries　had　been；　but　servants　had　cleared　it　away。　I　debated　with　myself；　but　my　stomach　won　out　over　my　head。
　　　　　　　Easing　open　the　chamber　door；　I　stepped　out　into　the　dimly　lit　hall。　The　two　men　Verity　had　posted　there　looked　at　me　questioningly。　〃Starving；〃　I　told　them。　〃Did　you　notice　where　the　kitchens　were？〃
　　　　　　　I　have　never　known　a　soldier　who　didn't　know　where　the　kitchens　were。　I　thanked　them　and　promised　to　bring　back　some　of　whatever　I　found。　I　slipped　off　down　the　shadowy　hall。　As　I　descended　the　steps　it　felt　odd　to　have　wood　underfoot　rather　than　stone。　I　walked　as　Chade　had　taught　me；　placing　my　feet　silently；　moving　within　the　shadowiest　parts　of　the　passageways；　walking　to　the　sides　where　floorboards　were　less　likely　to　creak。　And　it　all　felt　as　natural。
　　　　　　　The　rest　of　the　keep　seemed　well　asleep。　The　few　guards　I　passed　were　mostly　dozing；　none　challenged　me。　At　the　time　I　put　it　down　to　my　stealth；　now　I　wonder　if　they　considered　a　skinny；　tousleheaded　lad　any　threat　worth　bothering　with。
　　　　　　　I　found　the　kitchens　easily。　It　was　a　great　open　room；　flagged　and　walled　with　stone　as　a　defense　against　fires。　There　were　three　great　hearths；　fires　well　banked　for　the　night。　Despite　the　lateness；　or　earliness；　of　the　hour；　the　place　was　well　lit。　A　keep's　kitchen　is　never　pletely　asleep。
　　　　　　　I　saw　the　covered　pans　and　smelled　the　rising　bread。　A　large　pot　of　stew　was　being　kept　warm　at　the　edge　of　one　hearth。　When　I　peeked　under　the　lid；　I　saw　it　would　not　miss　a　bowl　or　two。　I　rummaged　about　and　helped　myself。　Wrapped　loaves　on　a　shelf　supplied　me　with　an　end　crust　and　in　another　corner　was　a　tub　of　butter　kept　cool　inside　a　large　keg　of　water。　Not　fancy。　Thank　all；　it　was　not　fancy；　but　the　plain　simple　food　I　had　been　craving　all　day。
　　　　　　　I　was　halfway　through　my　second　bowl　when　I　heard　the　light　scuff　of　footsteps。　I　looked　up　with　my　most　disarming　smile；　hoping　that　this　cook　would　prove　as　softhearted　as　Buckkeep's。　But　it　was　a　serving　girl；　a　blanket　thrown　about　her　shoulders　over　her　night　robe　and　her　baby　in　her　arms。　She　was　weeping。　I　turned　my　eyes　away　in　disfort。
　　　　　　　She　scarcely　gave　me　a　glance　anyway。　She　set　her　bundled　baby　down　atop　the　table　and　fetched　a　bowl　and　dipped　it　full　of　cool　water；　muttering　all　the　time。　She　bent　over　the　babe。　〃Here；　my　sweet；　my　lamb。　Here；　my　darling。　This　will　help。　Take　a　little。　Oh；　sweetie；　can't　you　even　lap？　Open　your　mouth；　then。　e　now；　open　your　mouth。〃
　　　　　　　I　couldn't　help　but　watch。　She　held　the　bowl　awkwardly　and　tried　to　maneuver　it　to　the　baby's　mouth。　She　was　using　her　other　hand　to　force　the　child's　mouth　open；　and　using　a　deal　more　force　than　I'd　ever　seen　any　other　mother　use　on　a　child。　She　tipped　the　bowl；　and　the　water　slopped。　I　heard　a　strangled　gurgle　and　then　a　gagging　sound。　As　I　leaped　up　to　protest；　the　head　of　a　small　dog　emerged　from　the　bundle。
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　he's　choking　again！　He's　dying！　My　little　Feisty　is　dying　and　no　one　but　me　cares。　He　just　goes　on　snoring；　and　I　don't　know　what　to　do　and　my　darling　is　dying。〃
　　　　　　　She　clutched　the　lapdog　to　her　as　it　gagged　and　strangled。　It　shook　its　little　head　wildly　and　then　seemed　to　grow　calmer。　If　I　hadn't　been　able　to　hear　its　labored　breathing；　I'd　have　sworn　it　had　died　in　her　arms。　Its　dark　and　bulgy　eyes　met　mine；　and　I　felt　the　force　of　the　panic　and　pain　in　the　little　beast。
　　　　　　　Easy。　〃Here；　now；〃　I　heard　myself　saying。　〃You're　not　helping　him　by　holding　him　that　tight。　He　can　scarce　breathe。　Set　him　down。　Unwrap　him。　Let　him　decide　how　he　is　most　fortable。　All　wrapped　up　like　that；　he's　too　hot；　so　he's　trying　to　pant　and　choke　all　at　once。　Set　him　down。〃
　　　　　　　She　was　a　head　taller　than　I；　and　for　a　moment　I　thought　I　was　going　to　have　to　struggle　with　her。　But　she　let　me　take　the　bundled　dog　from　her　arms　and　unwrap　him　from　several　layers　of　cloth。　I　set　him　on　the　table。
　　　　　　　The　little　beast　was　in　total　misery。　He　stood　with　his　head　drooping　between　his　front　legs。　His　muzzle　and　chest　were　slick　with　saliva；　his　belly　distended　and　hard。　He　began　to　retch　and　gag　again。　His　small　jaws　opened　wide；　his　lips　writhed　back　from　his　tiny　pointed　teeth。　The　redness　of　his　tongue　attested　to　the　violence　of　his　efforts。　The　girl　squeaked　and　sprang　forward；　trying　to　snatch　him　up　again；　but　I　pushed　her　roughly　back。　〃Don't　grab　him；〃　I　told　her　impatiently。　〃He's　trying　to　get　something　up；　and　he　can't　do　it　with　you　squeezing　his　guts。〃
　　　　　　　She　stopped。　〃Get　something　up？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　looks　and　acts　like　he's　got　something　lodged　in　his　gullet。　Could　he　have　gotten　into　bones　or　feathers？〃
　　　　　　　She　looked　stricken。　〃There　were　bones　in　the　fish。　But　only　tiny　ones。〃
　　　　　　　〃Fish？　What　idiot　let　him　get　into　fish？　Was　it　fresh　or　rotten？〃　I'd　seen　how　sick　a　dog　could　get　when　it　got　into　rotten；　spawned…out　salmon　on　a　riverbank。　If　that's　what　this　little　beast　had　gobbled；　he　didn't　have　a　chance。
　　　　　　　〃It　was　fresh；　and　well　cooked。　The　same　trout　I　had　at　dinner。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　at　least　it's　not　likely　to　be　poisonous　to　him。　Right　now；　it's　just　the　bo