rh.theassassinsapprentice-第52部分

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　　　　　　　〃You　can't；　for　the　hawks　don't　like　you。　You're　too　warm　and　you　don't　mind　your　own　business　enough。　Now　listen　to　me。　You　didn't　fail；　you　fool。　Galen　tried　to　drive　you　away。　If　you　don't　go　back；　you'll　have　let　him　win。　You　have　to　go　back　and　you　have　to　learn　it。　But〃…and　here　he　turned　on　me；　and　the　anger　in　his　eyes　was　for　me…〃you　don't　have　to　stand　there　like　a　carter's　mule　while　he　beats　you。　You've　a　birthright　to　his　time　and　his　knowledge。　Make　him　give　you　what　is　yours。　Don't　run　away。　No　one　ever　gained　anything　by　running　away。〃　He　paused；　started　to　say　more；　and　then　stopped。
　　　　　　　〃I've　missed　too　many　lessons。　I'll　never…〃
　　　　　　　〃You　haven't　missed　anything；〃　Burrich　said　stubbornly。　He　turned　away　from　me；　and　I　couldn't　read　his　tone　as　he　added；　〃There　have　been　no　lessons　since　you　left。　You　should　be　able　to　pick　up　just　where　you　left　off。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　want　to　go　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　waste　my　time　by　arguing　with　me；〃　he　said　tightly。　〃Don't　dare　to　try　my　patience　that　way。　I've　told　you　what　you　are　to　do。　Do　it。〃
　　　　　　　Suddenly　I　was　six　years　old　again；　and　a　man　in　a　kitchen　backed　up　a　crowd　with　a　look。　I　shivered；　cowed。　Abruptly；　it　was　easier　to　face　Galen　than　to　defy　Burrich。　Even　when　he　added；　〃And　you'll　leave　that　pup　with　me　until　your　lessons　are　done。　Being　shut　up　inside　your　room　all　day　is　no　life　for　a　dog。　His　coat　will　go　bad　and　his　muscles　won't　grow　properly。　But　you'd　better　be　down　here　each　evening；　to　see　to　both　him　and　Sooty；　or　you'll　answer　to　me。　And　I　don't　give　a　damn　what　Galen　says　about　that；　either。〃
　　　　　　　And　so　I　was　dismissed。　I　conveyed　to　Smithy　that　he　was　to　stay　with　Burrich；　and　he　accepted　it　with　an　equanimity　that　surprised　me　as　much　as　it　hurt　my　feelings。　Dispirited；　I　took　my　pot　of　unguent　and　plodded　back　up　to　the　keep。　I　took　food　from　the　kitchen；　for　I　had　no　heart　to　face　anyone　at　table　and　went　up　to　my　room。　It　was　cold　and　dark；　no　fire　in　the　hearth；　no　candles　in　the　sticks；　and　the　fouled　reeds　underfoot　stank。　I　fetched　candles　and　wood；　set　a　fire；　and　while　I　was　waiting　for　it　to　take　some　of　the　chill　off　the　stone　walls　and　floors；　I　busied　myself　with　taking　up　the　floor　rushes。　Then；　as　Lacey　had　advised　me；　I　scrubbed　the　room　well　with　hot　water　and　vinegar。　Somehow　I　got　the　vinegar　that　had　been　flavored　with　tarragon；　and　so　when　I　was　finished；　the　room　smelled　of　that　herb。　Exhausted；　I　flung　myself　down　on　my　bed　and　fell　asleep　wondering　why　I'd　never　discovered　how　to　open　whatever　hidden　door　it　was　that　led　to　Chade's　quarters。　But　I　had　no　doubt　that　he　would　have　simply　dismissed　me；　for　he　was　a　man　of　his　word　and　would　not　interfere　until　Galen　had　finished　with　me。　Or　until　he　discovered　that　I　was　finished　with　Galen。
　　　　　　　The　Fool's　candles　awoke　me。　I　was　pletely　disoriented　as　to　time　and　place　until　he　said；　〃You've　just　time　to　wash　and　eat　and　still　be　first　on　the　tower　top。〃
　　　　　　　He'd　brought　warm　water　in　a　ewer；　and　warm　rolls　from　the　kitchen　ovens。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　going。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　the　first　time　I'd　ever　seen　the　Fool　look　surprised。　〃Why　not？〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　pointless。　I　can't　succeed。　I　simply　haven't　the　aptitude　and　I'm　tired　of　beating　my　head　against　the　wall。〃
　　　　　　　The　Fool's　eyes　widened　further。　〃I　thought　you　had　been　doing　well；　before　。。。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　my　turn　to　be　surprised。　〃Well？　Why　do　you　think　he　mocks　me　and　strikes　me？　As　a　reward　for　my　success？　No。　I　haven't　been　able　to　even　understand　what　it's　about。　All　the　others　have　already　surpassed　me。　Why　should　I　go　back？　So　Galen　can　prove　even　more　thoroughly　how　right　he　was？〃
　　　　　　　〃Something；〃　the　Fool　said　carefully；　〃is　not　right　here。〃　He　considered　a　moment。　〃Before；　I　asked　you　to　quit　the　lessons。　You　would　not。　Do　you　recall　that？〃
　　　　　　　I　cast　my　mind　back。　〃I'm　stubborn；　sometimes；〃　I　admitted。
　　　　　　　〃And　if　I　asked　you　now；　…to　continue？　To　go　up　to　the　tower　top；　and　continue　to　try？〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　have　you　changed　your　mind？〃
　　　　　　　〃Because　that　which　I　sought　to　prevent　came　to　pass。　But　you　survived　it。　So　I　seek　now　to　。。。〃　His　words　trailed　off。　〃It　is　as　you　said。　Why　should　I　speak　at　all；　when　I　cannot　speak　plainly？〃
　　　　　　　〃If　I　said　that；　I　regret　it。　It　is　not　a　thing　one　should　say　to　a　friend。　I　do　not　remember　it。〃
　　　　　　　He　smiled　faintly。　〃If　you　do　not　remember　it；　then　neither　shall　I〃　He　reached　and　took　both　of　my　hands　in　his。　His　grip　was　oddly　cool。　A　shiver　passed　over　me　at　his　touch。　〃Would　you　continue；　if　I　asked　it　of　you？　As　a　friend？〃
　　　　　　　The　word　sounded　so　odd　from　his　lips。　He　spoke　it　without　mockery；　carefully；　as　if　the　saying　of　it　aloud　could　shatter　the　meaning。　His　colorless　eyes　held　mine。　I　found　I　could　not　say　no。　So　I　nodded。
　　　　　　　Even　so；　I　rose　reluctantly。　He　watched　me　with　an　impassive　interest　as　I　straightened　the　clothes　I'd　slept　in；　splashed　my　face；　and　then　tore　into　the　bread　he'd　brought。　〃I　don't　want　to　go；〃　I　told　him　as　I　finished　the　first　roll　and　took　up　the　second。　〃I　don't　see　what　it　can　acplish。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know　why　he　bothers　with　you；〃　the　Fool　agreed。　The　familiar　cynicism　was　back。
　　　　　　　〃Galen？　He　has　to；　the　King　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Burrich。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　just　likes　bossing　me　about；〃　I　plained；　and　it　sounded　childish；　even　to　me。
　　　　　　　The　Fool　shook　his　head。　〃You　haven't　even　a　clue；　have　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃About　what？〃
　　　　　　　〃About　how　the　stablemaster　dragged　Galen　from　his　bed；　and　from　thence　to　the　Witness　Stones。　I　wasn't　there；　of　course；　or　I　would　be　able　to　tell　you　how　Galen　cursed　and　struck　at　him　at　first；　but　the　stablemaster　paid　no　attention。　He　just　hunched　his　shoulders　to　the　man's　blows；　and　kept　silent。　He　gripped　the　Skillmaster　by　the　collar；　so　the　man　was　fair　choked；　and　dragged　him　along。　And　the　soldiers　and　guards　and　stable　boys　followed　in　a　stream　that　became　a　torrent　of　men。　If　I　had　been　there；　I　could　tell　you　how　no　man　dared　to　interfere；　for　it　was　as　if　the　stablemaster　had　bee　as　Burrich　once　was；　an　iron　muscled　man　with　a　black　temper　that　was　like　a　madness　when　it　came　on　him。　No　one；　then；　dared　to　brook　that　temper；　and　that　day；　it　was　as　if　Burrich　was　that　man　again。　If　he　limped　still；　no　one　noticed　it　at　all。
　　　　　　　〃As　for　the　Skillmaster；　he　flailed　and　cursed；　and　then　he　grew　still；　and　all　suspected　that　he　turned　what　he　knew　upon　his　captor。　But　if　he　did；　it　had　no　effect；　save　that　the　stablemaster　tightened　his　grip　on　the　man's　neck。　And　if　Galen　strove　to　sway　others　to　his　cause；　they　did　not　react。　Perhaps　being　choked　and　dragged　was　sufficient　to　break　his　concentration。　Or　perhaps　his　Skill　is　not　so　strong　as　it　was　rumored。　Or　perhaps　too　many　remember　his　mistreatment　of　them　too　well　to　be　vulnerable　to　his　wiles。　Or　perhaps…〃
　　　　　　　〃Fool！　Get　on　with　it！　What　happened？〃　A　light　sweat　cloaked　my　body　and　I　shivered；　not　knowing　what　I　hoped　for。
　　　　　　　〃I　wasn't　there；　of　course；〃　the　Fool　asserted　sweetly。　〃But　I　have　heard　it　said　that　the　dark　man　dragged　the　skinny　man　all　the　way　up　to　the　Witness　Stones。　And　there；　still　gripping　the　Skillmaster　so　he　could　not　speak；　he　asserted　his　challenge。　They　would　fight。　No　weapons；　but　hands　only；　just　as　the　Skillmaster　had　assaulted　a　certain　boy　the　day　before。　And　the　Stones　would　witness；　if　Burrich　won；　that　Galen　had　had　no　call　to　strike　the　boy；　nor　had　he　the　right　to　refuse　to　teach　the　boy。　And　Galen　would　have　refused　the　challenge　and　gone　to　the　King　himself；　except　that　the　dark　man　had　already　called　the　Stones　to　witness。　And　so　they　fought；　in　much　the　same　way　that　a　bull　fights　a　bale　of　straw　when　he　tosses　and　stamps　and　gores　it。　And　when　he　was　done；　the　stablemaster　bent　and　whispered　something　to　the　Skillmaster；　before　he　and　all　others　turned　and　left　the　man　lying　there；　with　the　Stones　witness　to　his　whimpering　and　bleeding。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　did　he　say？〃　I　demanded。
　　　　　　　〃I　wasn't　there。　I　saw　and　heard　nothing　of　it。〃　The　Fool　stood　and　stretched。　〃You'll　be　late　if　you　tarry；〃　he　pointed　out　to　me；　and　left。　And　I　left　my　room；　wondering；　and　climbed　the　tall　tower　to　the　Queen's　stripped　garden　and　was　still　in　time　to　be　the　first　one　there。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　SIXTEEN
　　　　　　　Lessons
　　　　　　　ACCORDING　TO　ANCIENT　CHRONICLES；　Skill　users　were　organized　in　coteries　of　six。　These　groups　did　not　usually　include　any　of　exceptional　royal　blood；　but　were　limited　to　cousins　and　nephews　of　the　direct　line　of　ascension；　or　those　who　showed　an　aptitude　and　were　judged　worthy。　One　of　the　most　famous；　Crossfire's　Coterie；　provides　a　splendid　example　of　how　they　functioned。　Dedicated　to　Queen　Vision；　Crossfire　and　the　others　of　her　coterie　had　been　trained　by　a　Skillmaster　called　Tactic。　The　partners　in　this　coterie　were　mutually　chosen　by　one　another；　and　then　received　special　training　from　Tactic　to　bind　them　into　a　close　unit。　Whether　scattered　across　the　Six　Duchies　to　collect　or　disseminate　information；　or　when　massed　as　a　group　for　the　purpose　of　confounding　and　demoralizing　the　enemy；　their　deeds　became　legendary。　Their　final　heroism；　detailed　in　the　ballad　〃Crossfire's　Sacrifice；〃　was　the　massing　of　their　strength；　which　they　channeled　to　Queen　Vision　during　the　battle　of　Besham。　Unbeknownst　to　the　exhausted　Queen；　they　gave　to　her　more　than　they　could　spare　themselves；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　victory　celebration　the　coterie　was　discovered　in　their　tower；　drained　and　dying。　Perhaps　the　people's　love　of　Crossfire's　Coterie　stemmed　in　part　from　their　all　being　cripples　in　one　form　or　another：　blind；　lame；　harelipped；　or　disfigured　by　fire　were　all　of　the　six；　yet　in　the　Skill　their　strength　was　greater　than　that　of　the　largest　warship；　and　more　important　to　the　defense　of　the　Queen。
　　　　　　　During　the　peaceful　years　of　King　Bounty's　reign；　the　instruction　of　the　Skill　for　the　creation　of　coteries　was　abandoned。　Existing　coteries　disbanded　due　to　aging；　death；　or　simply　a　lack　of　purpose。　Instruction　in　the　Skill　began　to　be　limited　to　princes　only；　and　for　a　time　it　was　seen　as　a　rather　archaic　art。　By　the　time　of　the　Red…Ship　raids；　only　King　Shrewd　and　his　son　Verity　were　active　practitioners　of　the　Skill。　Shrewd　m