tp.wyrd sisters-第39部分

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　The　Fool　waited　in　the　meadow　with　the　lake。　He　stared　wistfully　at　the　sky　and　wondered　where　the　hell　Magrat　was。　This　was；　she　said；　their　place；　the　fact　that　a　few　dozen　cows　also　shared　it　at　the　moment　didn't　appear　to　make　any　difference。
　She　turned　up　in　a　green　dress　and　a　filthy　temper。
　'What's　all　this　about　a　play？'　she　said。
　The　Fool　sagged　on　to　a　willow　log。
　'Aren't　you　glad　to　see　me？'　he　said。
　'Well；　yes。　Of　course。　Now；　this　play　。　。　。'
　'My　lord　wants　something　to　convince　people　that　he　is　the　rightful　King　of　Lancre。　Himself　mostly；　I　think。'
　'Is　that　why　you　went　to　the　city？'
　'Yes。'
　'It's　disgusting！'
　The　Fool　sat　calmly。　'You　would　prefer　the　duchess's　approach？'　he　said。　'She　just　thinks　they　ought　to　kill　everyone。　She's　good　at　that　sort　of　thing。　And　then　there'd　be　fighting；　and　everything。　Lots　of　people　would　die　anyway。　This　way　might　be　easier。'
　'Oh；　where's　your　spunk；　man？'
　'Pardon？'
　'Don't　you　want　to　die　nobly　for　a　just　cause？'
　'I'd　much　rather　live　quietly　for　one。　It's　all　right　for　you　witches；　you　can　do　what　you　like；　but　I'm　circumscribed；'　said　the　Fool。
　Magrat　sat　down　beside　him。　Find　out　all　about　this　play；　Granny　had　ordered。　Go　and　talk　to　that　jingling　friend　of　yours。　She'd　replied；　He's　very　loyal。　He　might　not　tell　me　anything。　And　Granny　had　said；　This　is　no　time　for　half　measures。　If　you　have　to；　seduct　him。
　'When's　this　play　going　to　be；　then？'　she　said；　moving　closer。
　'Marry；　I'm　sure　I'm　not　allowed　to　tell　you；'　said　the　Fool。　'The　duke　said　to　me；　he　said；　don't　tell　the　witches　that　it's　tomorrow　night。'
　'I　shouldn't；　then；'　agreed　Magrat。
　'At　eight　o'clock。'
　'I　see。'
　'But　meet　for　sherry　beforehand　at　seven…thirty；　i'faith。'
　'I　expect　you　shouldn't　tell　me　who　is　invited；　either；'　said　Magrat。
　'That's　right。　Most　of　the　dignitaries　of　Lancre。　You　understand　I'm　not　telling　you　this。'
　'That's　right；'　said　Magrat。
　'But　I　think　you　have　a　right　to　know　what　it　is　you're　not　being　told。'
　'Good　point。　Is　there　still　that　little　gate　around　the　back；　that　leads　to　the　kitchens？'
　'The　one　that　is　often　left　unguarded？'
　'Yes。'
　'Oh；　we　hardly　ever　guard　it　these　days。'
　'Do　you　think　there　might　be　someone　guarding　it　at　around　eight　o'clock　tomorrow？'
　'Well；　I　might　be　there。'
　'Good。'
　The　Fool　pushed　away　the　wet　nose　of　an　inquisitive　cow。
　'The　duke　will　be　expecting　you；'　he　added。
　'You　said　he　said　we　weren't　to　know。'
　'He　said　I　mustn't　tell　you。　But　he　also　said；　〃They'll　e　anyway；　I　hope　they　do。〃　Strange；　really。　He　seemed　in　a　very　good　mood　when　he　said　it。　Um。　Can　I　see　you　after　the　show？'
　'Is　that　all　he　said？'
　'Oh；　there　was　something　about　showing　witches　their　future。　I　didn't　understand　it。　I　really　would　like　to　see　you　after　the　show；　you　know。　I　brought…'
　'I　think　I　might　be　washing　my　hair；'　said　Magrat　vaguely。　'Excuse　me；　I　really　ought　to　be　going。'
　'Yes；　but　I　brought　you　this　pres…'　said　the　Fool　vaguely；　watching　her　departing　figure。
　He　sagged　as　she　disappeared　between　the　trees；　and　looked　down　at　the　necklace　wound　tightly　between　his　nervous　fingers。　It　was；　he　had　to　admit；　terribly　tasteless；　but　it　was　the　sort　of　thing　she　liked；　all　silver　and　skulls。　It　had　cost　him　too　much。
　A　cow；　misled　by　his　horns；　stuck　its　tongue　in　his　ear。
　It　was　true；　the　Fool　thought。　Witches　did　do　unpleasant　things　to　people；　sometimes。
　Tomorrow　night　came；　and　the　witches　went　by　a　roundabout　route　to　the　castle；　with　considerable　reluctance。
　'If　he　wants　us　to　be　here；　I　don't　want　to　go；'　said　Granny。　'He's　got　some　plan。　He's　using　headology　on　us。'
　'There's　something　up；'　said　Magrat。　'He　had　his　men　set　fire　to　three　cottages　in　our　village　last　night。　He　always　does　that　when　he's　in　a　good　mood。　That　new　sergeant　is　a　quick　man　with　the　matches；　too。'
　'Our　Daff　said　she　saw　them　actors　practisin'　this　morning；'　said　Nanny　Ogg；　who　was　carrying　a　bag'of　walnuts　and　a　leather　bottle　from　which　rose　a　rich；　sharp　smell。　'She　said　it　was　all　shouting　and　stabbing　and　then　wondering　who　done　it　and　long　bits　with　people　muttering　to　themselves　in　loud　voices。'
　'Actors；'　said　Granny；　witheringly。　'As　if　the　world　weren't　full　of　enough　history　without　inventing　more。'
　'They　shout　so　loud；　too；'　said　Nanny。　'You　can　hardly　hear　yourself　talk。'　She　was　also　carrying；　deep　in　her　apron　pocket；　a　lump　of　haunted　castle　rock。　The　king　was　getting　in　free。
　Granny　nodded。　But；　she　thought；　it　was　going　to　be　worth　it。　She　hadn't　got　the　faintest　idea　what　Tomjon　had　in　mind；　but　her　inbuilt　sense　of　drama　assured　her　that　the　boy　would　be　bound　to　do　something　important。　She　wondered　if　he　would　leap　off　the　stage　and　stab　the　duke　to　death；　and　realised　that　she　was　hoping　like　hell　that　he　would。
　'All　hail　wossname；'　she　said　under　her　breath；　'who　shall　be　king　here；　after。'
　'Let's　get　a　move　on；'　said　Nanny。　'All　the　sherry'll　be　gone。'
　The　Fool　was　waiting　despondently　inside　the　little　wicket　gate。　His　face　brightened　when　he　saw　Magrat；　and　then　froze　in　an　expression　of　polite　surprise　when　he　saw　the　other　two。
　'There's　not　going　to　be　any　trouble；　is　there？'　he　said。　'I　don't　want　there　to　be　any　trouble。　Please。'
　'I'm　sure　I　don't　know　what　you　mean；'　said　Granny　regally；　sweeping　past。
　'Wotcha；　jinglebells；'　said　Nanny；　elbowing　the　man　in　the　ribs。　'I　hope　you　haven't　been　keeping　our　girl　here　up　late　o'nights！'
　'Nanny！'　said　Magrat；　shocked。　The　Fool　gave　the　terrified；　ingratiating　rictus　of　young　men　everywhere　when　confronted　by　importunate　elderly　women　menting　on　their　intimately　personal　lives。
　The　older　witches　brushed　past。　The　Fool　grabbed　Magrat's　hand。
　'I　know　where　we　can　get　a　good　view；'　he　said。
　She　hesitated。
　'It's　all　right；'　said　the　Fool　urgently。　'You'll　be　perfectly　safe　with　me。'
　'Yes；　I　will；　won't　I；'　said　Magrat；　trying　to　look　around　him　to　see　where　the　others　had　gone。
　'They're　staging　the　play　outside；　in　the　big　courtyard。　We'll　get　a　lovely　view　from　one　of　the　gate　towers；　and　no…one　else　will　be　there。　I　put　some　wine　up　there　for　us；　and　everything。'
　When　she　still　looked　half…reluctant　he　added；　'And　there's　a　cistern　of　water　and　a　fireplace　that　the　guards　use　sometimes。　In　case　you　want　to　wash　your　hair。'
　The　castle　was　full　of　people　standing　around　in　that　polite；　sheepish　way　affected　by　people　who　see　each　other　all　day　and　are　now　seeing　each　other　again　in　unusual　social　circumstances；　like　an　office　party。　The　witches　passed　quite　unremarked　among　them　and　found　seats　in　the　rows　of　benches　in　the　main　courtyard；　set　up　before　a　hastily　assembled　stage。
　Nanny　Ogg　waved　her　bag　of　walnuts　at　Granny。
　'Want　one？'　she　said。
　An　alderman　of　Lancre　shuffled　past　her　and　pointed　politely　to　the　seat　on　her　left。
　'Is　anyone　sitting　here？'　he　said。
　'Yes；'　said　Nanny。
　The　alderman　looked　distractedly　at　the　rest　of　the　benches；　which　were　filling　up　fast；　and　then　down　at　the　clearly　empty　space　in　front　of　him。　He　hitched　up　his　robes　with　a　determined　expression。
　'I　think　that　since　the　play　is　mencing　to　start；　your　friends　must　find　a　seat　elsewhere；　when　they　arrive；'　he　said；　and　sat　down。
　Within　seconds　his　face　went　white。　His　teeth　began　to　chatter。　He　clutched　at　his　stomach　and　groaned。＇20＇
　'I　told　you；'　said　Nanny；　as　he　lurched　away。　'What's　the　good　of　asking　if　you're　not　going　to　listen？'　She　leaned　towards　the　empty　seat。　'Walnut？'
　'No；　thank　you；'　said　King　Verence；　waving　a　spectral　hand。　'They　go　right　through　me；　you　know。'
　'Pray；　gentles　all；　list　to　our　tale　。　。　。'
　'What's　this？'　hissed　Granny。　'Who's　the　fellow　in　the　tights？'
　'He's　the　Prologue；'　said　Nanny。　'You　have　to　have　him　at　the　beginning　so　everyone　knows　what　the　play's　about。'
　'Can't　understand　a　word　of　it；'　muttered　Granny。　'What's　a　gentle；　anyway？'
　'Type　of　maggot；'　said　Nanny。
　'That's　nice；　isn't　it？　〃Hallo　maggots；　wele　to　the　show。〃　Puts　people　in　a　nice　frame　of　mind；　doesn't　it？'
　There　was　a　chorus　of　'sshs'。
　'These　walnuts　are　damn　tough；'　said　Nanny；　spitting　one　out　into　her　hand。　'I'm　going　to　have　to　take　my　shoe　off　to　this　one。'
　Granny　subsided　into　unaccustomed；　troubled　silence；　and　tried　to　listen　to　the　prologue。　The　theatre　worried　her。　It　had　a　magic　of　its　own；　one　that　didn't　belong　to　her；　one　that　wasn't　in　her　control。　It　changed　the　world；　and　said　things　were　otherwise　than　they　were。　And　it　was　worse　than　that。　It　was　magic　that　didn't　belong　to　magical　people。　It　was　manded　by　ordinary　people；　who　didn't　know　the　rules。　They　altered　the　world　because　it　sounded　better。
　The　duke　and　duchess　were　sitting　on　their　thrones　right　in　front　of　the　stage。　As　Granny　glared　at　them　the　duke　half　turned；　and　she　saw　his　smile。
　I　want　the　world　the　way　it　is；　she　thought。　I　want　the　past　the　way　it　was。　The　past　used　to　be　a　lot　better　than　it　is　now。
　And　the　band　struck　up。
　Hwel　peered　around　a　pillar　and　signalled　to　Wimsloe　and　Brattsley；　who　hobbled　out　into　the　glare　of　the　torches。
　OLD　MAN　（an　Elder）：　'What　hath　befell　the　land？'
　OLD　WOMAN　（a　Crone）：　'　'Tis　a　terror…'
　The　dwarf　watched　them　for　a　few　seconds　from　the　wings；　his　lips　moving　soundlessly。　Then　he　scuttled　back　to　the　guardroom　where　the　rest　of　the　cast　were　still　in　the　last　hasty　stages　of　dressing。　He　uttered　the　stage　manager's　traditional　scream　of　rage。
　'C'mon；'　he　ordered。　'Soldiers　of　the　king；　at　the　double！　And　the　witches　…　where　are　the　blasted　witches？'
　Three　junior　apprentices　presented　themselves。
　'I've　lost　my　wart！'
　'The　cauldron's　all　full　of　yuk！'
　'There's　something　living　in　this　wig！'
　'Calm　down；　calm　down；'　screamed　Hwel。　'It'll　all　be　all　right　on　the　night！'
　'This　is　the　night；　Hwel！'
　Hwel　snatched　a　handful　of　putty　from　the　makeup　table　and　slammed　on　a　wart　like　an　orange。　The　offending　straw　wig　was　rammed　on　its　owner's　head；　livestock　and　all。　and　the　cauldron　was　very　briefly　inspected　and　pronounced　full　of　just　the　right　sort　of　yuk；　nothing　wrong　with　yuk　like　that。
　On　stage　a　guard　dropped　his　shield；　bent　down　to　pick　i