tp.wyrd sisters-第7部分

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tal　relationship　were　known　to　Granny　only　from　a　distance；　in　the　same　way　that　an　astronomer　can　view　the　surface　of　a　remote　and　alien　world；　but　it　had　already　occurred　to　her　that　a　wife　to　Vitoller　would　have　to　be　a　very　special　woman　with　bottomless　reserves　of　patience　and　organisational　ability　and　nimble　fingers。
　'Mrs　Vitoller；'　she　said　eventually；　'may　I　make　so　bold　as　to　ask　if　your　union　has　been　blessed　with　fruit？'
　The　couple　looked　blank。
　'She　means…'　Nanny　Ogg　began。
　'No；　I　see；'　said　Mrs　Vitoller；　quietly。　'No。　We　had　a　little　girl　once。'
　A　small　cloud　hung　over　the　table。　For　a　second　or　two　Vitoller　looked　merely　human…sized；　and　much　older。　He　stared　at　the　small　pile　of　cash　in　front　of　him。
　'Only；　you　see；　there　is　this　child；'　said　Granny；　indicating　the　baby　in　Nanny　Ogg's　arms。　'And　he　needs　a　home。'
　The　Vitollers　stared。　Then　the　man　sighed。
　'It　is　no　life　for　a　child；'　he　said。　'Always　moving。　Always　a　new　town。　And　no　room　for　schooling。　They　say　that's　very　important　these　days。'　But　his　eyes　didn't　look　away。
　Mrs　Vitoller　said；　'Why　does　he　need　a　home？'
　'He　hasn't　got　one；'　said　Granny。　'At　least；　not　one　where　he　would　be　wele。'
　The　silence　continued。　Then　Mrs　Vitoller　said；　'And　you；　who　ask　this；　you　are　by　way　of　being　his…？'
　'Godmothers；'　said　Nanny　Ogg　promptly。　Granny　was　slightly　taken　aback。　It　never　would　have　occurred　to　her。
　Vitoller　played　abstractly　with　the　coins　in　front　of　him。　His　wife　reached　out　across　the　table　and　touched　his　hand；　and　there　was　a　moment　of　unspoken　munion。　Granny　looked　away。　She　had　grown　expert　at　reading　faces；　but　there　were　times　when　she　preferred　not　to。
　'Money　is；　alas；　tight…'　Vitoller　began。
　'But　it　will　stretch；'　said　his　wife　firmly。
　'Yes。　I　think　it　will。　We　should　be　happy　to　take　care　of　him。'
　Granny　nodded；　and　fished　in　the　deepest　recesses　of　her　cloak。　At　last　she　produced　a　small　leather　bag；　which　she　tipped　out　on　to　the　table。　There　was　a　lot　of　silver；　and　even　a　few　tiny　gold　coins。
　'This　should　take　care　of…'　she　groped　…　'nappies　and　suchlike。　Clothes　and　things。　Whatever。'
　'A　hundred　times　over；　I　should　think；'　said　Vitoller　weakly。　'Why　didn't　you　mention　this　before？'
　'If　I'd　had　to　buy　you；　you　wouldn't　be　worth　the　price。'
　'But　you　doh't　know　anything　about　us！'　said　Mrs　Vitoller。
　'We　don't；　do　we？'　said　Granny；　calmly。　'Naturally　we'd　like　to　hear　how　he　gets　along。　You　could　send　us　letters　and　suchlike。　But　it　would　not　be　a　good　idea　to　talk　about　all　this　after　you've　left；　do　you　see？　For　the　sake　of　the　child。'
　Mrs　Vitoller　looked　at　the　two　old　women。
　'There's　something　else　here；　isn't　there？'　she　said。　'Something　big　behind　all　this？'
　Granny　hesitated；　and　then　nodded。
　'But　it　would　do　us　no　good　at　all　to　know　it？'
　Another　nod。
　Granny　stood　up　as　several　actors　came　in；　breaking　the　spell。　Actors　had　a　habit　of　filling　all　the　space　around　them。
　'I　have　other　things　to　see　to；'　she　said。　'Please　excuse　me。'
　'What's　his　name？'　said　Vitoller。
　'Tom；'　said　Granny；　hardly　hesitating。
　'John；'　said　Nanny。　The　two　witches　exchanged　glances。　Granny　won。
　'Tom　John；'　she　said　firmly；　and　swept　out。
　She　met　a　breathless　Magrat　outside　the　door。
　'I　found　a　box；'　she　said。　'It　had　all　the　crowns　and　things　in。　So　I　put　it　in；　like　you　said；　right　underneath　everything。'
　'Good；'　said　Granny。
　'Our　crown　looked　really　tatty　pared　to　the　others！'
　'It　just　goes　to　show；　doesn't　it；'　said　Granny。　'Did　anyone　see　you？'
　'No；　everyone　was　too　busy；　but…'　Magrat　hesitated；　and　blushed。
　'Out　with　it；　girl。'
　'Just　after　that　a　man　came　up　and　pinched　my　bottom。'　Magrat　went　a　deep　crimson　and　slapped　her　hand　over　her　mouth。
　'Did　he？'　said　Granny。　'And　then　what？'
　'And　then；　and　then…'
　'Yes？'
　'He　said；　he　said…'
　'What　did　he　say？'
　'He　said；　〃Hallo；　my　lovely；　what　are　you　doing　tonight？〃　'
　Granny　ruminated　on　this　for　a　while　and　then　she　said；　'Old　Goodie　Whemper；　she　didn't　get　out　and　about　much；　did　she？'
　'It　was　her　leg；　you　know；'　said　Magrat。
　'But　she　taught　you　all　the　midwifery　and　everything？'
　'Oh；　yes；　that；'　said　Magrat。　'I　done　lots。'
　'But…'　Granny　hesitated；　groping　her　way　across　unfamiliar　territory　…　'she　never　talked　about　what　you　might　call　the　previous。'
　'Sorry？'
　'You　know；'　said　Granny；　with　an　edge　of　desperation　in　her　voice。　'Men　and　such。'
　Magrat　looked　as　if　she　was　about　to　panic。　'What　about　them？'
　Granny　Weatherwax　had　done　many　unusual　things　in　her　time；　and　it　took　a　lot　to　make　her　refuse　a　challenge。　But　this　time　she　gave　in。
　'I　think；'　she　said　helplessly；　'that　it　might　be　a　good　idea　if　you　have　a　quiet　word　with　Nanny　Ogg　one　of　these　days。　Fairly　soon。'
　There　was　a　cackle　of　laughter　from　the　window　behind　them；　a　chink　of　glasses；　and　a　thin　voice　raised　in　song：　…with　a　giraffe；　If　you　stand　on　a　stool。　But　the　hedgehog…'　Granny　stopped　listening。　'Only　not　just　now；'　she　added。
　
　The　troupe　got　under　way　a　few　hours　before　sunset；　their　four　carts　lurching　off　down　the　road　that　led　towards　the　Sto　plains　and　the　big　cities。　Lancre　had　a　town　rule　that　all　mummers；　mountebanks　and　other　potential　criminals　were　outside　the　gates　by　sundown；　it　didn't　offend　anyone　really　because　the　town　had　no　walls　to　speak　of；　and　no…one　much　minded　if　people　nipped　back　in　again　after　dark。　It　was　the　look　of　the　thing　that　counted。
　The　witches　watched　from　Magrat's　cottage；　using　Nanny　Ogg's　ancient　green　crystal　ball。
　'It's　about　time　you　learned　how　to　get　sound　on　this　thing；'　Granny　muttered。　She　gave　it　a　nudge；　filling　the　image　with　ripples。
　'It　was　very　strange；'　said　Magrat。　'In　those　carts。　The　things　they　had！　Paper　trees；　and　all　kinds　of　costumes；　and…'　she　waved　her　hands　…　'there　was　this　great　big　picture　of　forn　parts；　with　all　temples　and　things　all　rolled　up。　It　was　beautiful。'
　Granny　grunted。
　'I　thought　it　was　amazing　the　way　all　those　people　became　kings　and　things；　didn't　you？　It　was　like　magic。'
　'Magrat　Garlick；　what　are　you　saying？　It　was　just　paint　and　paper。　Anyone　could　see　that。'
　Magrat　opened　her　mouth　to　speak；　ran　the　ensuing　argument　through　her　head；　and　shut　it　again。
　'Where's　Nanny？'　she　said。
　'She's　lying　out　on　the　lawn；'　said　Granny。　'She　felt　a　bit　poorly。'　And　from　outside　came　the　sound　of　Nanny　Ogg　being　poorly　at　the　top　of　her　voice。
　Magrat　sighed。
　'You　know；'　she　said；　'if　we　are　his　godmothers；　we　ought　to　have　given　him　three　gifts。　It's　traditional。'
　'What　are　you　talking　about；　girl？'
　'Three　good　witches　are　supposed　to　give　the　baby　three　gifts。　You　know；　like　good　looks；　wisdom　and　happiness。'　Magrat　pressed　on　defiantly。　'That's　how　it　used　to　be　done　in　the　old　days。'
　'Oh；　you　mean　gingerbread　cottages　and　all　that；'　said　Granny　dismissively。　'Spinning　wheels　and　pumpkins　and　pricking　your　finger　on　rose　thorns　and　similar。　I　could　never　be　having　with　all　that。'
　She　polished　the　ball　reflectively。
　'Yes；　but…'　Magrat　said。　Granny　glanced　up　at　her。　That　was　Magrat　for　you。　Head　full　of　pumpkins。　Everyone's　fairy　godmother；　for　two　pins。　But　a　good　soul；　underneath　it　all。　Kind　to　small　furry　animals。　The　sort　of　person　who　worried　about　baby　birds　falling　out　of　nests。
　'Look；　if　it　makes　you　any　happier；'　she　muttered；　surprised　at　herself。　She　waved　her　hands　vaguely　over　the　image　of　the　departing　carts。　'What's　it　to　be　…　wealth；　beauty？'
　'Well；　money　isn't　everything；　and　if　he　takes　after　his　father　he'll　be　handsome　enough；'　Magrat　said；　suddenly　serious。　'Wisdom；　do　you　think？'
　'That's　something　he'll　have　to　learn　for　himself；'　said　Granny。
　'Perfect　eyesight？　A　good　singing　voice？'　From　the　lawn　outside　came　Nanny　Ogg's　cracked　but　enthusiastic　voice　telling　the　night　sky　that　A　Wizard's　Staff　Has　A　Knob　On　The　End。
　'Not　important；'　said　Granny　loudly。　'You've　got　to　think　headology；　see？　Not　muck　about　with　all　this　beauty　and。　wealth　business。　That's　not　important。'
　She　turned　back　to　the　ball　and　gestured　half…heartedly。　'You'd　better　go　and　get　Nanny；　then；　seeing　as　there　should　be　three　of　us。'
　Nanny　was　helped　in；　eventually；　and　had　to　have　things　explained　to　her。
　'Three　gifts；　eh？'　she　said。　'Haven't　done　one　of　them　things　since　I　was　a　gel；　it　takes　me　back　…　what're　you　doing？'
　Magrat　was　bustling　around　the　room；　lighting　candles。
　'Oh；　we've　got　to　create　the　right　magical　ambience；'　she　explained。　Granny　shrugged；　but　said　nothing；　even　in　the　face　of　the　extreme　provocation。　All　witches　did　their　magic　in　their　own　way；　and　this　was　Magrat's　house。
　'What're　we　going　to　give　him；　then？'　said　Nanny。
　'We　was　just　discussing　it；'　said　Granny。
　'I　know　what　he'll　want；'　said　Nanny。　She　made　a　suggestion；　which　was　received　in　frozen　silence。
　'I　don't　see　what　use　that　would　be；'　said　Magrat；　eventually。　'Wouldn't　it　be　rather　unfortable？'
　'He'll　thank　us　when　he　grows　up；　you　mark　my　words；'　said　Nanny。　'My　first　husband；　he　always　said…'
　'Something　a　bit　less　physical　is　generally　the　style　of　things；'　interrupted　Granny；　glaring　at　Nanny　Ogg。　'There's　no　need　to　go　and　spoil　everything；　Gytha。　Why　do　you　always　have　to…'
　'Well；　at　least　I　can　say　that　I…'　Nanny　began。
　Both　voices　faded　to　a　mutter。　There　was　a　long　edgy　silence。
　'I　think；'　said　Magrat；　with　brittle　brightness；　'that　perhaps　it　would　be　a　good　idea　if　we　all　go　back　to　our　little　cottages　and　do　it　in　our　own　way。　You　know。　Separately。　It's　been　a　long　day　and　we're　all　rather　tired。'
　'Good　idea；'　said　Granny　firmly；　and　stood　up。　'e；　Nanny　Ogg；'　she　snapped。　'It's　been　a　long　day　and　we're　all　rather　tired。'
　Magrat　heard　them　bickering　as　they　wandered　down　the　path。
　She　sat　rather　sadly　amidst　the　coloured　candles；　holding　a　small　bottle　of　extremely　thaumaturgical　incense　that　she　had　ordered　from　a　magical　supplies　emporium　in　faraway　Ankh…Morpork。　She　had　been　rather　looking　forward　to　trying　it。　Sometimes；　she　thought；　it　would　be　nice　if　people　could　be　a　bit　kinder　。　。　。
　She　stared　at　the　ball。
　Well；　she　could　make　a　start。
　'He　will　make　friends　easily；'　she　whispered。　It　wasn't