rh.theassassinsapprentice-第71部分

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ables　within　it。　Hands；　I　decided；　would　not　fare　poorly；　and　almost　I　wished　I　had　nothing　more　to　do　than　tend　the　animals　and　explore　this　bright　city。
　　　　　　　We　had　not　gone　far　up　the　winding　street　ascending　into　the　city　before　we　were　met　by　a　flock　of　litters　carried　by　tall　Chyurda　women。　We　were　earnestly　invited　to　mount　into　these　litters　and　be　carried　into　the　city；　and　many　apologies　were　made　that　we　had　been　wearied　by　our　trip。　August；　Sevrens；　the　older　lords；　and　most　of　the　ladies　of　our　party　seemed　only　too　happy　to　take　advantage　of　this　offer；　but　for　me；　it　was　a　humiliation　to　be　carried　into　the　city。　But　it　would　have　been　even　ruder　to　turn　down　their　polite　insistence；　and　so　I　surrendered　my　chest　to　a　boy　obviously　younger　than　myself；　and　mounted　into　a　litter　borne　by　women　old　enough　to　be　my　grandmother。　I　blushed　to　see　how　curiously　the　folk　on　the　streets　regarded　us；　and　how　they　stopped　to　talk　quickly　together　as　we　passed。　I　saw　few　other　litters；　and　they　were　inhabited　by　those　obviously　old　and　infirm。　I　set　my　teeth　and　tried　not　to　think　what　Verity　would　have　felt　about　this　display　of　ignorance。　I　tried　to　look　out　pleasantly　on　those　we　passed；　and　to　let　my　delight　in　their　gardens　and　graceful　buildings　show　on　my　face。
　　　　　　　I　must　have　succeeded　in　this；　for　presently　my　litter　began　to　move　more　slowly；　to　allow　me　more　time　to　see　things；　and　the　women　to　point　to　anything　they　thought　I　might　have　missed　noticing。　They　spoke　to　me　in　Chyurda　and　were　delighted　to　find　I　had　a　crude　understanding　of　their　language。　Chade　had　taught　me　the　little　he　knew；　but　he　had　not　prepared　me　for　how　musical　the　language　was；　and　it　soon　became　apparent　to　me　that　the　pitch　of　the　word　was　as　important　as　the　pronunciation。　Fortunately；　I　had　a　quick　ear　for　languages；　so　I　blundered　manfully　into　conversation　with　my　bearers；　resolved　that　by　the　time　I　spoke　to　my　betters　in　the　palace；　I　would　no　longer　sound　quite　so　much　an　outland　fool。　One　woman　undertook　to　give　me　a　mentary　on　all　she　passed。　Jonqui；　her　name　was；　and　when　I　told　her　mine　was　FitzChivalry；　she　muttered　it　to　herself　several　times　as　if　to　fix　it　in　her　mind。
　　　　　　　With　great　difficulty；　I　persuaded　my　bearers　to　pause　once　and　let　me　alight　to　examine　a　particular　garden。　It　was　not　the　bright　flowers　that　attracted　me；　but　what　appeared　to　be　a　sort　of　willow　that　was　growing　in　spirals　and　curls　rather　than　the　straight　willow　I　was　accustomed　to。　I　ran　my　fingers　along　the　supple　bark　of　one　limb　and　felt　sure　I　could　persuade　a　cutting　to　sprout；　but　dared　not　take　a　piece　of　it；　lest　it　be　construed　as　rude。　One　old　woman　stooped　down　beside　me；　grinned；　and　then　ran　her　hand　across　the　tops　of　a　low…growing；　tiny…leaved　bed　of　herbs。　The　fragrance　that　arose　from　the　stirred　leaves　was　astounding；　and　she　laughed　aloud　at　the　delight　on　my　face。　I　would　have　liked　to　linger　longer；　but　my　bearers　emphatically　insisted　we　must　hurry　to　catch　up　with　the　others　before　they　reached　the　palace。　I　gathered　there　was　to　be　an　official　weling；　one　I　must　not　miss。
　　　　　　　Our　procession　wound　up　a　terraced　street；　ever　higher；　until　our　litters　were　set　down　outside　a　palace　that　was　a　cluster　of　the　bright　budlike　structures。　The　main　buildings　were　purple　tipped　with　white；　putting　me　in　mind　of　the　roadside　lupine　and　beach　pea　flowers　of　Buckkeep。　I　stood　beside　my　litter；　staring　up　at　the　palace；　but　when　I　turned　to　my　bearers　to　indicate　my　pleasure　in　it；　they　were　gone。　They　reappeared　moments　later；　robed　in　saffron　and　azure；　peach　and　rose；　as　did　the　other　bearers；　and　walked　among　us；　offering　us　basins　of　scented　water　and　soft　cloths　to　wash　the　dust　and　weariness　from　our　faces　and　necks。　Boys　and　young　men　in　belted　blue　tunics　brought　a　berry　wine　and　tiny　honey　cakes。　When　every　guest　was　washed　and　greeted　with　wine　and　honey；　we　then　were　bid　to　follow　them　into　the　palace。
　　　　　　　The　interior　of　the　palace　was　as　foreign　to　me　as　the　rest　of　Jhaampe。　A　great　central　pillar　supported　the　main　structure；　and　closer　examination　showed　it　to　be　the　immense　trunk　of　a　tree；　with　the　swells　of　its　roots　still　obvious　beneath　the　paving　stones　around　its　base。　The　supports　of　the　gracefully　curving　walls　were　likewise　trees；　and　days　later　I　was　to　find　that　the　〃growing〃　of　the　palace　had　taken　almost　one　hundred　years。　A　central　tree　had　been　selected；　the　area　cleared；　and　then　the　circle　of　supporting　trees　planted　and　tended；　and　shaped　during　their　growing　by　ropes　and　pruning；　so　that　they　all　bowed　toward　the　center　tree。　At　some　point　in　time；　all　other　branches　had　been　lopped　away；　and　the　treetops　interwoven　to　form　a　crown。　Then　the　walls　had　been　created；　first　with　a　layer　of　finely　woven　fabric；　that　was　then　varnished　to　hardness；　and　then　overlaid　with　lapping　after　lapping　of　sturdy　cloth　made　from　bark。　The　barkcloth　was　daubed　over　with　a　peculiar　local　clay；　and　then　coated　with　a　bright　layer　of　resinous　paint。　I　never　did　discover　if　every　building　in　the　city　had　been　created　in　this　laborious　fashion；　but　the　〃growing〃　of　the　palace　had　enabled　its　creators　to　give　it　a　living　grace　that　stone　could　never　mimic。
　　　　　　　The　immense　interior　was　open；　not　unlike　the　great　hall　at　Buckkeep；　with　a　similar　number　of　hearths。　There　were　tables　set　out；　and　areas　obviously　for　cooking　and　weaving　and　spinning　and　preserving；　and　all　the　other　necessities　of　a　great　household。　The　private　chambers　seemed　to　be　no　more　than　curtained　alcoves；　or　rooms　like　small　tents　set　against　the　exterior　wall。　There　were　also　some　elevated　chambers；　reached　by　a　network　of　open　wooden　stairs；　reminding　me　of　tents　pitched　on　stilt　platforms。　The　supporting　legs　of　these　chambers　were　natural　tree　trunks。　My　heart　sank　as　I　realized　how　little　privacy　there　would　be　for　any　〃quiet〃　work　I　needed　to　do。
　　　　　　　I　was　shown　quickly　to　a　tent　chamber。　Inside　I　found　my　cedar　chest　and　clothing　bag　awaiting　me；　as　well　as　more　warm　and　scented　wash　water　and　a　dish　of　fruit。　I　changed　quickly　from　my　dusty　traveling　clothes　into　an　embroidered　robe　with　slitted　sleeves　and　matching　green　leggings　that　Mistress　Hasty　had　decreed　appropriate。　I　wondered　once　more　at　the　threatening　buck　embroidered　on　it；　then　set　it　out　of　my　mind。　Perhaps　Verity　had　thought　this　changed　crest　less　humiliating　than　the　one　that　so　clearly　proclaimed　my　illegitimacy。　In　any　case；　it　would　serve。　I　heard　chimes　and　small　drums　from　the　great　central　room　and　left　my　chamber　hurriedly　to　find　out　what　was　afoot。
　　　　　　　On　a　dais　set　before　the　great　trunk　and　decorated　with　flowers　and　evergreen　swags；　August　and　Regal　stood　before　an　old　man　flanked　by　two　servants　in　plain　white　robes。　A　crowd　had　gathered　in　a　great　circle　around　the　dais；　and　I　quickly　joined　them。　One　of　my　litter　bearers；　now　robed　in　rose　drapings　and　crowned　with　a　twining　of　ivy；　soon　appeared　at　my　side。　She　smiled　down　at　me。
　　　　　　　〃What　is　happening？〃　I　made　bold　to　ask。
　　　　　　　〃Our　Sacrifice；　er；　ah；　you　say；　King　Eyod　will　wele　you。　And　he　will　show　to　you　all　his　daughter；　to　be　your　Sacrifice；　hem；　ah；　Queen。　And　his　son；　who　will　rule　for　her　here。〃　She　stumbled　through　this　explanation；　with　many　a　pause；　and　many　encouraging　nods　from　me。
　　　　　　　With　mutual　difficulty；　she　explained　that　the　woman　standing　beside　King　Eyod　was　her　niece　and　I　awkwardly　managed　a　pliment　to　the　effect　that　she　looked　both　healthy　and　strong。　At　the　moment　it　seemed　the　kindest　thing　I　could　find　to　say　of　the　impressive　woman　standing　so　protectively　by　her　king。　She　had　an　immense　mass　of　the　yellow　hair　that　I　was　being　accustomed　to　in　Jhaampe；　with　some　of　it　braided　up　and　coiled　about　her　head；　and　some　flowing　loose　down　her　back。　Her　face　was　grave；　her　bare　arms　muscular。　The　man　on　the　other　side　of　King　Eyod　was　older；　but　still　as　like　to　her　as　a　twin；　save　that　his　hair　was　cut　severely　short　at　his　collar。　He　had　the　same　jade　eyes；　straight　nose；　and　solemn　mouth。　When　I　managed　to　ask　the　old　woman　if　he；　too；　was　a　relative；　she　smiled　as　if　I　must　be　a　bit　dim　and　replied　that　of　course；　he　was　her　nephew。　She　shushed　me　then；　as　if　I　were　but　a　child；　for　King　Eyod　was　speaking。
　　　　　　　He　spoke　slowly　and　carefully；　but　even　so；　I　was　glad　of　my　conversations　with　my　litter　bearers；　for　I　was　able　to　make　out　most　of　his　speech。　He　greeted　us　all　formally；　including　Regal；　for　he　said　that　previously　he　had　greeted　him　only　as　the　emissary　of　King　Shrewd　and　now　he　greeted　him　as　Prince　Verity's　symbol　of　his　presence。　August　was　included　in　this　greeting；　and　both　were　presented　with　several　gifts；　jeweled　daggers；　a　precious　fragrant　oil；　and　rich　fur　stoles。　When　the　stoles　were　placed　about　their　shoulders；　I　thought　with　chagrin　that　both　now　looked　more　like　decorations　than　princes；　for　in　contrast　to　the　simple　garb　of　King　Eyod　and　his　attendants；　Regal　and　August　were　decked　in　circlets　and　rings；　and　their　garments　were　of　opulently　rich　fabrics　and　cut　with　no　regard　for　either　thrift　or　service。　To　me；　they　both　appeared　foppish　and　vain；　but　I　hoped　that　our　hosts　would　merely　think　their　outlandish　appearance　was　part　of　our　foreign　customs。
　　　　　　　And　then；　to　my　personal　chagrin；　the　King　summoned　forward　his　male　attendant　and　introduced　him　to　our　assemblage　as　Prince　Rurisk。　The　woman　was；　of　course；　Princess　Kettricken；　and　Verity's　betrothed。
　　　　　　　And　finally　I　realized　that　those　who　had　been　our　litter　bearers　and　greeted　us　with　cakes　and　wine　were　not　the　servants；　but　the　women　of　the　royal　household；　the　grandmothers；　aunts；　and　cousins　of　Verity's　betrothed；　all　following　the　Jhaampe　tradition　of　serving　their　people。　I　quailed　to　think　I　had　spoken　to　them　so　familiarly　and　casually；　and　again　mentally　cursed　Regal　that　he　had　not　foreseen　to　send　us　more　word　of　their　customs　rather　than　the　long　list　of　clothing　and　jewelry　he　wished　brought　for　himself。　The　elderly　woman　beside　me；　then；　was　the　King's　own　sister。　I　think　she　must　have　sensed　my　confusion；　for　she　patted　my　shoulder　benignly　and　smiled　at　my　blushes　as　I　attempted　to　stutter　an　apology。
　　　　　　　〃For　you　have　done　nothing