rh.theassassinsapprentice-第35部分

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e　was；　the　fear　in　my　voice　energized　her。　She　leaped　forward；　and　my　jerk　on　the　reins　brought　Chade's　bay　with　us。　Chade　was　nearly　unseated；　but　he　clung　to　the　saddle；　and　I　took　us　out　of　the　dead　town　as　fast　as　we　could　go。　I　heard　shouts　behind　us；　colder　than　the　howling　of　wolves；　cold　as　storm　wind　down　a　chimney；　but　we　were　mounted　and　I　was　terrified。　I　didn't　pull　in　or　let　Chade　have　his　own　reins　back　until　the　houses　were　well　behind　us。　The　road　bent；　and　beside　a　small　copse　of　trees；　I　pulled　in　at　last。　I　don't　think　I　even　heard　Chade's　angry　demands　for　an　explanation　until　then。
　　　　　　　He　didn't　get　a　very　coherent　one。　I　leaned　forward　on　Sooty's　neck　and　hugged　her。　I　could　feel　her　weariness；　and　the　trembling　of　my　own　body。　Dimly　I　felt　that　she　shared　my　uneasiness。　I　thought　of　the　empty　folk　back　in　Forge　and　nudged　Sooty　with　my　knees。　She　stepped　out　wearily　and　Chade　kept　pace；　demanding　to　know　what　was　wrong。　My　mouth　was　dry　and　my　voice　shook。　I　didn't　look　at　him　as　I　panted　out　my　fear　and　a　garbled　explanation　of　what　I　had　felt。
　　　　　　　When　I　was　silent；　our　horses　continued　to　pace　down　the　packed　earth　road。　At　length　I　got　up　my　courage　and　looked　at　Chade。　He　was　regarding　me　as　if　I　had　sprouted　antlers。　Once　aware　of　this　new　sense；　I　couldn't　ignore　it。　I　sensed　his　skepticism。　But　I　also　felt　Chade　distance　himself　from　me；　just　a　little　pulling　back；　a　little　shielding　of　self　from　someone　who　had　suddenly　bee　a　bit　of　a　stranger。　It　hurt　all　the　more　because　he　had　not　pulled　back　that　way　from　the　folk　in　Forge。　And　they　were　a　hundred　times　stranger　than　I　was。
　　　　　　　〃They　were　like　marionettes；〃　I　told　Chade。　〃Like　wooden　things　e　to　life　and　acting　out　some　evil　play。　And　if　they　had　seen　us；　they　would　not　have　hesitated　to　kill　us　for　our　horses　or　our　cloaks；　or　a　piece　of　bread。　They　。。。〃　I　searched　for　words。　〃They　aren't　even　animals　anymore。　There's　nothing　ing　out　of　them。　Nothing。　They're　like　little　separate　things。　Like　a　row　of　books；　or　rocks　or…〃
　　　　　　　〃Boy；〃　Chade　said；　between　gentleness　and　annoyance；　〃you've　got　to　get　yourself　in　hand。　It's　been　a　long　night　of　travel　for　us；　and　you're　tired。　Too　long　without　sleep；　and　the　mind　starts　to　play　tricks；　with　waking　dreams　and…〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　I　was　desperate　to　convince　him。　〃It's　not　that。　It's　not　going　without　sleep。〃
　　　　　　　〃We'll　go　back　there；〃　he　said　reasonably。　The　morning　breeze　swirled　his　dark　cloak　around　him；　in　a　way　so　ordinary　that　I　felt　my　heart　would　break。　How　could　there　be　folk　like　those　in　that　village；　and　a　simple　morning　breeze　in　the　same　world？　And　Chade；　speaking　in　so　calm　and　ordinary　a　voice？　〃Those　folk　are　just　ordinary　folk；　boy；　but　they've　gone　through　a　very　bad　time；　and　so　they're　acting　oddly。　I　knew　a　girl　who　saw　her　father　killed　by　a　bear。　She　was　like　that；　just　staring　and　grunting；　hardly　even　moving　to　care　for　herself；　for　more　than　a　month。　Those　folk　will　recover　when　they　go　back　to　their　ordinary　lives。〃
　　　　　　　〃Someone's　ahead！〃　I　warned　him。　I　had　heard　nothing；　seen　nothing；　felt　only　that　tug　at　the　cobweb　of　sense　I'd　discovered。　But　as　we　looked　ahead　down　the　road　we　saw　that　we　were　approaching　the　tail　end　of　a　ragtag　procession　of　people。　Some　led　laden　beasts；　others　pushed　or　dragged　carts　of　bedraggled　possessions。　They　looked　over　their　shoulders　at　us　on　our　horses　as　if　we　were　demons　risen　from　the　earth　to　pursue　them。
　　　　　　　〃The　Pocked　Man！〃　cried　a　man　close　to　the　end　of　the　line；　and　he　lifted　a　hand　to　point　at　us。　His　face　was　drawn　with　weariness　and　white　with　fear。　His　voice　cracked　on　the　words。　〃It's　the　legends　e　to　life；〃　he　warned　the　others；　who　halted　fearfully　to　stare　back　at　us。　〃Heartless　ghosts　walk　embodied　through　our　village　ruins；　and　the　black…cloaked　Pocked　Man　brings　his　disease　upon　us：　We　have　lived　too　soft；　and　the　old　gods　punish　us。　Our　fat　lives　will　be　the　death　of　us　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　damn　it　all。　I　didn't　mean　to　be　seen　like　this；〃　Chade　breathed。　I　watched　his　pale　hands　gather　his　reins　turning　his　bay。　〃Follow　me；　boy。〃　He　did　not　look　toward　the　man　who　still　pointed　a　quivering　finger　at　us。　He　moved　slowly；　almost　languorously；　as　he　guided　his　horse　off　the　road　and　up　a　tussocky　hillside。　It　was　the　same　unchallenging　way　of　moving　that　Burrich　had　when　confronting　a　wary　horse　or　dog。　His　tired　horse　left　the　smooth　trail　reluctantly。　Chade　was　headed　up　into　a　stand　of　birches　on　the　hilltop。　I　stared　at　him　unprehendingly。　〃Follow　me；　boy；〃　he　directed　me　over　his　shoulder　when　I　hesitated。　〃Do　you　want　to　be　stoned　in　the　road？　It's　not　a　pleasant　experience。〃
　　　　　　　I　moved　carefully；　swinging　Sooty　aside　from　the　road　as　if　I　were　totally　unaware　of　the　panicky　folk　ahead　of　us。　They　hovered　there；　between　anger　and　fear。　The　feel　of　it　was　a　black…red　smear　on　the　day's　freshness。　I　saw　a　woman　stoop；　saw　a　man　turn　aside　from　his　barrow。
　　　　　　　〃They're　ing！〃　I　warned　Chade；　even　as　they　raced　toward　us。　Some　gripped　stones　and　others　green　staffs　freshly　taken　from　the　forest。　All　had　the　bedraggled　look　of　townsfolk　forced　to　living　in　the　open。　Here　were　the　rest　of　Forge's　villagers；　those　not　taken　hostage　by　the　Raiders。　All　of　that　I　realized　in　the　instant　between　digging　in　my　heels　and　Sooty's　weary　plunge　forward。　Our　horses　were　spent；　their　efforts　at　speed　were　grudging；　despite　the　hail　of　rocks　that　thudded　to　the　earth　in　our　wake。　Had　the　townsfolk　been　rested；　or　less　fearful；　they　would　have　easily　caught　us。　But　I　think　they　were　relieved　to　see　us　flee。　Their　minds　were　more　fixed　on　what　walked　the　streets　of　their　village　than　in　fleeing　strangers；　no　matter　how　ominous。
　　　　　　　They　stood　in　the　road　and　shouted　and　waved　their　sticks　until　we　were　among　the　trees。　Chade　had　taken　the　lead　and　I　didn't　question　him　as　he　took　us　on　a　parallel　path　that　would　keep　us　out　of　the　sight　of　the　folk　leaving　Forge。　The　horses　had　settled　back　into　a　grudging　plod。　I　was　grateful　for　the　rolling　hills　and　scattered　trees　that　hid　us　from　any　pursuit。　When　I　saw　a　stream　glinting；　I　gestured　to　it　without　a　word。　Silently　we　watered　the　horses　and　shook　out　for　them　some　grain　from　Chade's　supplies。　I　loosened　harness　and　wiped　their　draggled　coats　with　handfuls　of　grass。　For　ourselves；　there　was　cold　stream　water　and　coarse　travel　bread。　I　saw　to　the　horses　as　best　as　I　could。　Chade　seemed　full　of　his　own　thoughts；　and　for　a　long　time　I　respected　their　intensity。　But　finally　I　could　contain　my　curiosity　no　longer　and　I　asked　the　question。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　really　the　Pocked　Man？〃
　　　　　　　Chade　started；　and　then　stared　at　me。　There　were　equal　parts　amazement　and　ruefulness　in　that　look。　〃The　Pocked　Man？　The　legendary　harbinger　of　disease　and　disaster？　Oh；　e；　boy；　you're　not　simple。　That　legend　is　hundreds　of　years　old。　Surely　you　can't　believe　I'm　that　ancient。〃
　　　　　　　I　shrugged。　I　wanted　to　say；　〃You　are　scarred；　and　you　bring　death；〃　but　I　did　not　utter　it。　Chade　did　seem　very　old　to　me　sometimes；　and　other　times　so　full　of　energy　that　he　seemed　but　a　very　young　man　in　an　old　man's　body。
　　　　　　　〃No；　I　am　not　the　Pocked　Man；〃　he　went　on；　more　to　himself　than　to　me。　〃But　after　today；　the　rumors　of　him　will　be　spread　across　the　Six　Duchies　like　pollen　on　the　wind。　There　will　be　talk　of　disease　and　pestilence　and　divine　punishments　for　imagined　wrongdoing。　I　wish　I　had　not　been　seen　like　this。　The　folk　of　the　kingdom　already　have　enough　to　fear。　But　there　are　sharper　worries　for　us　than　superstitions。　However　you　knew　it；　you　were　right。　I　have　been　thinking；　most　carefully；　of　everything　I　saw　in　Forge。　And　recalling　the　words　of　those　villagers　who　tried　to　stone　us。　And　the　look　of　them　all。　I　knew　the　Forge　folk；　in　times　past。　They　were　doughty　folk；　not　the　type　to　flee　in　superstitious　panic。　But　those　folk　we　saw　on　the　road；　that　was　what　they　were　doing。　Leaving　Forge；　forever；　or　at　least　so　they　intend。　Taking　all　that　is　left　that　they　can　carry。　Leaving　homes　their　grandfathers　were　born　in。　And　leaving　behind　relatives　who　sift　and　scavenge　in　the　ruins　like　witlings。
　　　　　　　〃The　Red…Ship　threat　was　not　an　empty　one。　I　think　of　those　folk　and　I　shiver。　Something　is　sorely　wrong；　boy；　and　I　fear　what　will　e　next。　For　if　the　Red…Ships　can　capture　our　folk；　and　then　demand　that　we　pay　them　to　kill　them；　on　fear　that　they　will　otherwise　return　them　to　us　like　those　ones　were　…　what　a　bitter　choice！　And　once　more　they　have　struck　when　we　were　least　prepared　to　deal　with　it。〃　He　turned　to　me　as　if　to　say　more；　then　suddenly　staggered。　He　sat　down　abruptly；　his　face　graying。　He　bowed　his　head　and　covered　his　face　with　his　hands。
　　　　　　　〃Chade！〃　I　cried　out　in　panic；　and　sprang　to　his　side；　but　he　turned　aside　from　me。
　　　　　　　〃Carris　seed；〃　he　said　through　muffling　hands。　〃The　worst　part　is　that　it　abandons　you　so　suddenly。　Burrich　was　right　to　warn　you　about　it；　boy。　But　sometimes　there　are　no　choices　but　poor　ones。　Sometimes；　in　bad　times　like　these。〃
　　　　　　　He　lifted　his　head。　His　eyes　were　dull；　his　mouth　almost　slack。　〃I　need　to　rest　now；〃　he　said　as　piteously　as　a　sick　child。　I　caught　him　as　he　toppled　and　eased　him　to　the　ground。　I　pillowed　his　head　on　my　saddlebags　and　covered　him　with　our　cloaks。　He　lay　still；　his　pulse　slow　and　his　breathing　heavy；　from　that　time　until　afternoon　of　the　next　day。　I　slept　that　night　against　his　back；　hoping　to　keep　him　warm；　and　the　next　day　used　what　was　left　of　our　supplies　to　feed　him。
　　　　　　　By　that　evening　he　was　recovered　enough　to　travel；　and　we　began　a　dreary　journey。　We　went　slowly；　going　by　night。　Chade　chose　our　paths；　but　I　led；　and　often　he　was　little　more　than　a　load　upon　his　horse。　It　took　us　two　days　to　cover　the　distance　we　had　traversed　in　that　one　wild　night。　Food　was　sparse；　and　talk　was　even　scarcer。Just　thinking　seemed　to　weary　Chade；　and　whatever　he　thought　about；　he　found　too　bleak　for　words。
　　　　　　　He　pointed　out　where　I　should　kindle　the　signal　fire　that　brought　the　boat　back　to　us。　They　sent　a　dory　ashore　for　him；　and　he　got　into　it　without　a　word。　That　showed　how　spent　he　was。　He　simply　assumed　I　would　be　able　to　get　our　weary　horses　aboard　the　ship。　So　my　pride　forced　me　to　manage