rh.theassassinsapprentice-第55部分

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piece　to　a　wood　puzzle　had　suddenly　slid　into　place。　I　had　been　bribed　with　the　offer　of　knowledge　as　another　man　might　have　been　bribed　with　coins。
　　　　　　　I　did　not　think　very　well　of　myself　as　I　climbed　the　stairs　to　my　room。　I　lay　down　to　sleep　with　the　resolve　that　I　would　not　let　Galen　deceive　me　any　longer；　nor　persuade　me　to　deceive　myself。　I　also　resolved　most　firmly　that　I　would　learn　the　Skill；　no　matter　how　painful　or　difficult　it　might　be。
　　　　　　　And　so　dark　and　early　the　next　morning　I　plunged　fully　back　into　my　lessons　and　routine。　I　attended　Galen's；　every　word；　I　pushed　myself　to　do　each　exercise；　physical　or　mental；　to　the　extreme　of　my　ability。　But　as　the　week；　and　then　the　month；　wore　painfully　on；　I　felt　like　a　dog　with　his　meat　suspended　just　beyond　the　reach　of　his　jaws。　For　the　others；　something　was　obviously　happening。　A　network　of　shared　thought　was　building　between　them；　a　munication　that　had　them　turning　to　one　another　before　they　spoke；　that　let　them　perform　the　shared　physical　exercises　as　one　being。　Sullenly；　resentfully；　they　took　turns　being　partnered　with　me；　but　from　them　I　felt　nothing；　and　from　me　they　shuddered　and　pulled　back；　plaining　to　Galen　that　the　force　I　exerted　toward　them　was　either　like　a　whisper　or　a　battering　ram。
　　　　　　　I　watched　in　near　despair　as　they　danced　in　pairs；　sharing　control　of　one　another's　muscles；　or　as　one　walked　blindfolded　the　maze　of　the　coals；　guided　by　the　eyes　of　his　seated　partner。　Sometimes　I　knew　I　had　the　Skill。　I　could　feel　it　building　within　me；　unfolding　like　a　growing　seed；　but　it　was　a　thing　I　could　not　seem　to　direct　or　control。　One　moment　it　was　within　me；　booming　like　a　tide　against　rock　cliffs；　and　the　next　it　was　gone　and　all　within　me　was　dry　deserted　sand。　At　its　strength；　I　could　pel　August　to　stand；　to　bow；　to　walk。　The　next　he　would　stand　glaring　at　me；　daring　me　to　contact　him　at　all。
　　　　　　　And　no　one　seemed　able　to　reach　inside　me。　〃Drop　your　guard；　put　down　your　walls；〃　Galen　would　angrily　order　me　as　he　stood　before　me；　vainly　trying　to　convey　to　me　the　simplest　direction　or　suggestion。　I　felt　the　barest　brush　of　his　Skill　against　me。　But　I　could　no　more　allow　him　inside　my　mind　than　I　could　stand　placent　while　a　man　slid　a　sword　between　my　ribs。　Try　as　I　might　to　pel　myself；　I　shied　from　his　touch；　physical　or　mental；　and　the　touches　of　my　classmates　I　could　not　feel　at　all。
　　　　　　　Daily　they　advanced；　while　I　watched　and　struggled　to　master　the　barest　basics。　A　day　came　when　August　looked　at　a　page；　and　across　the　rooftop；　his　partner　read　it　aloud；　while　another　set　of　two　pairs　played　a　chess　game　in　which　those　who　manded　the　moves　could　not　physically　see　the　board　at　all。　And　Galen　was　well　pleased　with　all　of　them；　save　me。　Each　day　he　dismissed　us　after　a　touch；　a　touch　I　seldom　felt。　And　each　day　I　was　the　last　free　to　go；　and　he　coldly　reminded　me　that　he　wasted　his　time　on　a　bastard　only　because　the　King　manded　him　to　do　so。
　　　　　　　Spring　was　ing　on　and　Smithy　grown　from　a　puppy　to　a　dog。　Sooty　dropped　her　foal　while　I　was　at　my　lessons；　a　fine　filly　sired　by　Verity's　stallion。　I　saw　Molly　once；　and　we　walked　together　near　wordlessly　through　the　market。　There　was　a　new　stall　set　up；　with　a　rough　man　selling　birds　and　animals；　all　captured　wild　and　caged　by　him。　He　had　crows；　and　sparrows；　and　a　swallow；　and　one　young　fox　so　weak　with　worms　he　could　scarcely　stand。　Death　would　free　him　sooner　than　any　buyer；　and　even　if　I　had　had　the　coin　for　him；　he　had　reached　a　state　where　the　worm　medicines　would　only　poison　him　as　well　as　his　parasites。　It　sickened　me；　and　so　I　stood；　questing　toward　the　birds　with　suggestions　of　how　picking　at　a　certain　bright　bit　of　metal　might　unpin　the　doors　of　their　cages。　But　Molly　thought　I　stared　at　the　poor　beasts　themselves；　and　I　felt　her　grow　cooler　and　farther　from　me　than　ever　she　had　been　before。　As　we　walked　her　home　Smithy　whined　beggingly　for　her　attention；　and　so　won　from　her　a　cuddle　and　a　pat　before　we　left。　I　envied　him　the　ability　to　whine　so　well。　My　own　seemed　to　go　unheard。
　　　　　　　With　spring　in　the　air；　all　in　the　seaport　braced；　for　soon　it　would　be　raiding　weather。　I　ate　with　the　guards　every　night　now　and　listened　well　to　all　the　rumors。　Forged　ones　had　bee　robbers　all　along　our　highways；　and　the　stories　of　their　depravities　and　depredations　were　all　the　tavern　talk　now。　As　predators；　they　were　more　devoid　of　decency　and　mercy　than　any　wild　animal　could　be。　It　was　easy　to　forget　they　had　ever　been　human；　and　to　hate　them　with　a　venom　like　nothing　else。
　　　　　　　The　fear　of　being　Forged　increased　proportionately。　Markets　carried　candy…dipped　beads　of　poison　for　mothers　to　give　their　children　in　the　event　the　family　was　captured　by　raiders。　There　were　rumors　that　some　seacoast　villagers　had　packed　up　all　their　belongings　in　carts　and　moved　inland；　forsaking　their　traditional　occupations　as　fishers　and　traders　to　bee　farmers　and　hunters　away　from　the　threat　of　the　sea。　Certainly　the　population　of　beggars　within　the　city　was　swelling。　A　Forged　one　came　into　Buckkeep　Town　itself　and　walked　the　streets；　as　untouchable　as　a　madman　as　he　helped　himself　to　whatever　he　wanted　from　the　market　stalls。　Before　a　second　day　had　passed；　he　had　disappeared；　and　dark　whispers　said　to　watch　for　his　body　to　wash　up　on　the　beach。　Other　rumors　said　a　wife　had　been　found　for　Verity　among　the　mountain　folk。　Some　said　it　was　to　secure　our　access　to　the　passes；　others　that　we　could　not　afford　a　potential　enemy　at　our　backs　when　all　along　our　seacoast　we　must　fear　the　Red…Ships。。　And　there　were　yet　other　rumors；　no；　the　barest　whispers；　too　brief　and　fragmented　to　be　rumors；　that　all　was　not　well　with　Prince　Verity。　Tired　and　sick　said　some；　and　others　sniggered　about　a　nervous　and　weary　bridegroom。　A　few　sneered　that　he　had　taken　to　drink　and　was　only　seen　by　day　when　his　headache　was　worst。
　　　　　　　I　found　my　concern　over　these　last　rumors　to　be　deeper　than　I　would　have　expected。　None　of　the　royals　had　ever　paid　much　mind　to　me；　at　least　not　in　a　personal　way。　Shrewd　saw　to　my　education　and　fort　and　had　long　ago　bought　my　loyalty；　so　that　now　I　was　his　without　even　giving　thought　to　any　alternative。　Regal　despised　me；　and　I　had　long　learned　to　avoid　his　narrow　glance；　and　the　casual　nudges　or　furtive　shoves　that　had　once　been　enough　to　send　a　smaller　boy　staggering。　But　Verity　had　been　kind　to　me；　in　an　absentminded　sort　of　way；　and　he　loved　his　dogs　and　his　horse　and　his　hawks　in　a　way　I　understood。　I　wanted　to　see　him　stand　tall　and　proud　at　his　wedding；　and　hoped　someday　to　stand　behind　the　throne　he　would　occupy　much　as　Chade　stood　behind　Shrewd's。　I　hoped　he　was　well；　and　yet　there　was　nothing　I　could　do　about　it　if　he　were　not；　nor　even　a　way　I　could　see　him。　Even　if　we　had　been　keeping　the　same　hours；　the　circles　we　moved　in　were　seldom　the　same。
　　　　　　　It　was　still　not　quite　full　spring　when　Galen　made　his　announcement。　The　rest　of　the　keep　was　making　its　preparations　for　Springfest。　The　stalls　in　the　marketplace　would　be　sanded　clean　and　repainted　in　bright　colors；　and　tree　branches　would　be　brought　inside　and　gently　forced　so　that　their　blossoms　and　tiny　leaves　could　grace　the　banquet　table　on　Springseve。　But　tender　new　greens　and　eggcake　with　carris　seed　toppings　were　not　what　Galen　had　in　mind　for　us；　nor　puppet　shows　and　hunt　dances。　Instead；　with　the　ing　of　the　new　season；　we　would　be　tested；　either　to　be　proven　worthy　or　discarded。
　　　　　　　〃Discarded；〃　he　repeated；　and　if　he　had　been　condemning　those　unchosen　to　death；　the　attention　of　his　other　students　could　not　have　been　more　intent。　I　numbly　tried　to　understand　in　full　what　it　would　mean　to　me　when　I　failed。　I　had　no　belief　that　he　would　test　me　fairly；　or　that　I　could　pass　such　a　test　even　if　he　did。
　　　　　　　〃You　shall　be　a　coterie；　those　of　you　who　prove　yourselves。　Such　a　coterie　as　has　never　been　before；　I　would　think。　At　the　height　of　Springfest；　I　myself　will　present　you　to　your　king；　and　he　shall　see　the　wonder　of　what　I　have　wrought。　As　you　have　e　this　far　with　me；　you　know　I　will　not　be　shamed　before　him。　So　I　myself　will　test　you；　and　test　you　to　your　limits；　to　be　sure　that　the　weapon　I　place　in　my　king's　hand　holds　an　edge　worthy　of　its　purpose。　One　day　from　now；　I　will　scatter　you；　like　seeds　in　the　wind；　across　the　kingdom。　I　have　arranged　that　you　will　be　taken　hence；　by　swift　horse；　to　your　destinations。　And　there　each　of　you　will　be　left；　alone。　Not　one　of　you　will　know　where　any　of　the　others　are。〃　He　paused；　I　think　to　let　each　of　us　feel　the　tension　thrumming　through　the　room。　I　knew　that　all　the　others　vibrated　in　tune；　sharing　a　mon　emotion；　almost　a　mon　mind　as　they　received　their　instruction。　I　suspected　they　heard　far　more　than　the　simple　words　from　Galen's　lips。　I　felt　a　foreigner　there；　listening　to　words　in　a　language　whose　idiom　I　could　not　grasp。　I　would　fail。
　　　　　　　〃Within　two　days　of　being　left；　you　will　be　summoned。　By　me。　You　will　be　directed　who　to　contact；　and　where。　Each　of　you　will　receive　the　information　you　need　to　make　your　way　back　here。　If　you　have　learned；　and　learned　well；　my　coterie　will　be　here　and　present　on　Springseve；　ready　to　be　presented　to　the　King。〃　Again　the　pause。　〃Do　not　think；　however；　that　all　you　must　do　is　find　your　way　back　to　Buckkeep　by　Springseve。　You　are　to　be　a　coterie；　not　homing　pigeons。　How　you　e　and　in　what　pany　will　prove　to　me　that　you　have　mastered　your　Skill。　Be　ready　to　leave　by　tomorrow　morning。〃
　　　　　　　And　then　he　released　us；　one　by　one；　again　with　a　touch　for　each；　and　a　word　of　praise　for　each；　save　me。　I　stood　before　him；　as　open　as　I　could　make　myself；　as　vulnerable　as　I　dared　to　be；　and　yet　the　brush　of　the　Skill　against　my　mind　was　less　than　the　touch　of　the　wind。　He　stared　down　at　me　as　I　looked　up　at　him；　and　I　did　not　need　the　Skill　to　feel　that　he　both　loathed　and　despised　me。　He　made　a　noise　of　contempt　and　looked　aside；　releasing　me。　I　started　to　go：
　　　　　　　〃Far　better；〃　he　said　in　that　cavernous　voice　of　his；　〃if　you　had　gone　over　the　wall　that　night；　bastard。　Far　better。　Burrich　thought　I　abused　you。　I　was　only　offering　you　a　way　out；　as　close　to　an　honorable　way　as　you　were　capable　of　finding。　Go　away　and　die；　boy；　or　at　least　go　away。　You