cspector.worldwithoutend-第5部分

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　Demons　like　me　with　my　black　skin　and　my　white　hair。　My　hair　I　could　dye。　Luckily；　my　eyes　had　changed　to　a　brownish…gray　color；　otherwise　I'd　probably　already　be　dead。　What　would　they　make　of　Vistrosh　and　his　ceathral　skin　and　pink　eyes？　I　wondered。
　
　But　here　I　was　locked　up　tighter　than　a　miser's　hoard。
　And　how　had　I　e　to　be　here？　My　own　weaknesses；　as　usual。
　
　〃Help　us；〃　I'd　heard。
　
　I　looked　down　and　saw　a　young　child；　a　girl；　maybe　eight。　She　wore　a　ragged　tunic　and　her　feet　were　bare　and　dirty。　What　desperation　drove　her　to　ask　for　help　from　any　passing　stranger？　Much　less　one　who　looked　like　me。
　
　〃They're　sick；〃　she　said。
　〃Who　is　sick？〃　I　asked。
　〃Everyone；〃　she　replied。　〃Everyone　except　me。〃
　But　she　didn't　look　well　herself。　Her　eyes　were　bright　and　glassy　and　as　I　drew　closer；　I　could　feel　the　heat　of　fever　radiating　off　her。
　〃Please；〃　she　said。　Her　hands　reached　out　and　I　thought　she　might　actually　touch　me；　but　she　pulled　away。
　〃What　makes　you　think　I　could　do　any　good？〃　I　asked。
　〃Someone　has　to；〃　she　replied。　〃Or　I'll　be　all　alone。　They'll。。。　die。〃
　
　I　didn't　want　to　help　them。　For　as　far　back　as　I　could　remember　I'd　been　trying　to　keep　out　of　these　things。　To　let　Fate　take　her　own　course。　It　wasn't　for　me　to　decide。　There　were　other　matters　that　needed　my　attention。　But　as　I　looked　into　that　pale　feverish　face　another　child　came　to　my　mind；　and　I　found　myself　being　led　into　the　rude　thatched　hut。
　
　The　air　was　thick　with　the　odor　of　a　low…burning　peat　fire。　There　was　a　hole　cut　in　the　roof　to　let　the　smoke　escape；　but　that　only　helped　a　little。　Pallets　lined　the　edge　of　the　room。　On　them　lay　several　people；　all　of　whom　were　in　various　stages　of　the　same　sickness。
　
　The　grippe。
　
　Why　these　people　were　so　ill　from　it　I　didn't　know。　It　was　a　mon　enough　problem…not　as　　frightening　as　the　plague　or　cholera；　which　could　pass　through　a　town　and　leave　it　devastated　hi　a　matter　of　days　or　weeks。
　
　At　my　feet　lay　an　elderly　woman。　I　knelt　down　beside　her　and　took　her　wrist　in　my　hand。　Under　my　fingers　her　pulse　felt　erratic。　I　was　closer　to　the　power　here；　the　pull　of　it　too　tempting　to　resist。　As　my　eyes　closed　I　began　to　see　the　pattern　of　her　life。　Thin　and　threadbare。　Bleak　colors　woven　together　with　an　odd　shock　of　bright　blue。
　
　It　was　so　difficult　to　hold　on　to　what　I　was　seeing。　The　images　were　blurred　and　hazy；　slipping　away　from　me　if　I　hesitated　for　a　moment。　But；　healing　her　would　be　simple　enough；　I　saw　suddenly。　It　had　been　so　long　since　I'd　taken　the　risk。　Since　I'd　wanted　to。
　
　There　was　a　faint　sound。　It　broke　my　concentration　and　I　turned　toward　it。　There；　shadowed　in　the　doorway；　stood　the　girl。　For　a　moment　her　image　blurred　with　one　from　my　memory。　I　knew　then　I　would　help　them；　regardless　of　the　risk。
　
　Again；　I　took　the　woman's　wrist。　Tapping　into　what　little　reserves　I'd　tucked　away；　I　focused　all　my　concentration　into　bringing　back　the　weave　of　her　life。　The　heat　flew　through　me　then；　sliding　into　her　body；　burning　out　her　fever　and　pain。　Hot　ribbons　of　health　wove　themselves　into　her　body。
　
　I　released　her　wrist　then；　exhausted　by　this　minor　act。　I　smiled　a　bit　at　this；　I　who　had　brought　armies　to　their　knees　with　a　flick　of　my　wrist；　swooning　at　this　child's　play。
　
　And　what　did　my　generosity　get　me？　　A　private　room　in　the　bloody　Tower。
　
　The　people　I　helped　weren't　to　blame。　They　couldn't　have　been　expected　to　keep　quiet　about　their　miraculous　beatings；　I　suppose。　Though　I　suspect　the　tale　was　embellished　by　the　time　it　reached　the　ears　of　the　clergy。
　
　The　Protestants　and　the　Catholics　had　been　going　at　it　ever　since　Mary　came　to　the　throne；　but　the　one　thing　they　agreed　on　was　that　anything　smacking　of　witchcraft　was　to　be　dealt　with　severely。
　
　For　some　reason　the　local　priest；　who　was　the　first　person　to　see　me　after　I　was　captured；　didn't　want　to　kill　me　right　off。　Perhaps　it　was　my　skin；　or　maybe　he　hoped　to　gain　points　with　bishop。　At　any　rate；　I　was　taken　to　London　and　then　sent　to　the　Tower。
　
　Where　I　remained　for　months。
　
　I'd　heard　that　there　were　prisoners　here　who'd　been　forgotten　for　years。　But　I　tried　not　to　dwell　on　that。
　
　Spring　passed；　then　summer。
　
　All　Hallows　Eve。
　
　Dark　came　early。　Through　my　slit　of　a　window；　I　could　see　the　fine　mist　ushering　a　heavy　fog。　The　flickering　torches　looked　unreal　and　ghostly。　A　per…feet　night　for　the　devil's　work。　If　you　believed　in　that　sort　of　thing。
　
　I'd　been'sitting　in　the　dark　for　several　hours。　The　worst　thing　about　imprisonment　was　boredom。　But　this　wasn't　the　first　time　I'd　been　in　such　a　situation。　Then　I　heard　it。　A　faint　sound　from　down　in　the　base　of　the　tower。
　
　Then　footsteps　on　the　stone　steps。　They　were　　ing　to　kill　me；　I　knew　it。　After　all　this　time；　they　had　remembered　and　were　dispatching　me　at　last。　The　least　I　could　do　was　go　to　my　death　on　my　feet。　But　somehow　I　couldn't　force　myself　to　move　from　the　cold　stone　floor　where　I　sat。
　
　The　sound　of　voices。　I　thought　they　might　be　arguing。　Then　more　footsteps。　The　lock　was　opened　and　the　door　swung　in。
　
　I　put　my　hand　up　against　the　sudden　brightness　of　a　lamp。　A　rustle　of　fabric。　Any　moment　now　I　would　feel　the　bum　of　the　blade。
　
　〃You　may　leave　us　now；〃　a　voice　said。
　A　voice　I　knew。
　I　dropped　my　hand　and　blinked。　It　couldn't　be；　yet　it　was。
　Standing　across　from　me；　robed　in　heavy　velvet　and　fur；　was　Alachia。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　I　asked。
　She　frowned。　〃You　never　have　learned　any　madness；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　not　know　that　you　are　to　rise　in　the　presence　of　a　queen？〃
　
　I　snorted。　〃Blood　Wood　is　long　gone；〃　I　said。　〃Its　ashes　have　been　forgotten　more　times　than　either　of　us　can　remember。　You're　no　more　a　queen　than　I。〃
　
　〃You　never　were　ambitious；〃　she　said。
　〃No；　just　not　foolish　and　vain。〃
　
　Her　frown　deepened。　Even　with　such　a　withering　expression　on　her　face；　she　was　still　beautiful。　The　skin　was　as　pale；　the　hair　as　fiery　red；　and　the　eyes　as　blue。　Not　as　stunning　as　she'd　been；　but　part　of　that　was　due　to　the　changes　in　the　magic。　Now　her　beauty　was　more　human。　
　〃You　are　an　annoyance；〃　she　said。　〃But　you　are　my　cross　to　bear。　Isn't　that　an　amusing　expression？　Tell　me；　aren't　you　curious　as　to　why　I　am　visiting　you？〃
　
　I　didn't　answer。　I　knew　it　would　annoy　her。　How　odd　that　even　after　all　this　time　we　fell　back　into　our　old　patterns。
　
　〃Well；　I'll　tell　you；〃　she　said。　Her　voice　was　gleeful　and　fairly　danced　with　excitement。　〃In　a　fortnight；　I　am　again　to　gain　a　throne。　Admittedly；　not　as　impressive　as　those　I've　left　behind　me；　but　it　will　do　in　the　meantime。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　I　asked。
　〃Haven't　you　heard？〃　she　asked。　〃Mary　is　dying　and　Elizabeth　is　to　be　crowned　queen。　Don't　you　think　Henry　is　turning　over　in　his　grave？　Killing　off　that　poor　girl's　mother　because　she　couldn't　give　him　sons。　Brutal　bastard。〃
　〃What　has　that　to　do　with　you？〃
　〃Why；　my　dear；　haven't　you　guessed　yet？〃
　
　I　stared　at　her　for　a　moment；　then；　through　the　dullness　of　my　mind；　prehension。
　〃Are　you　mad？〃　I　asked。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　said　coyly。
　
　I　was　staggered。　She'd　been　interfering　for　years　in　things　that　weren't　our　business…but　this…this　was　too…much。
　〃How　do　you　propose　to　achieve　this　miracle？〃　I　asked。　〃Don't　you　think　people　will　see　the　differ…once　between　you？〃
　〃Ah；　I　have　been　planning　this　for　years；〃　she　said。　〃It　has　taken　an　immense　amount　of　time　and　energy。　Do　you　think　that　I　just　popped　up　yesterday？　Oh　no；　I　have　been　Elizabeth　for　quite　some　time。〃
　
　〃But　her　servants；　teachers；　surely　someone。。。〃
　
　〃A　simple　enough　matter　to　arrange。　A　spell　here；　a　spell　there。。。　and　patience。　Such　patience　as　you　have　never　known。　And　now；　at　last；　I'm　in　a　position　where　I　can　do　something。〃
　
　I　could　only　stare　at　her。　It　was　madness…sheer　and　utter　madness。　How　she　could　possibly　think　she　could　maintain　such　a　farce　was　beyond　me。
　
　〃Aina；〃　she　said；　〃you　have　always　been　so　shortsighted。　We　can　control　what　happens　over　the　next　thousand　years。　Make　the　world　over　in　our　image。　Think　of　it…the　power　will　e　back　again。　Not　this　trickle；　but　a　deluge　of　energy　to　rip　loose　the　moorings　of　the　world…unless　we　make　certain　of　the　proper　order　of　things。　Humans　are　sheep。　We　will　always　rule　them。
　
　〃The　legends　and　tales　you　strew　about　aren't　enough。　We　must　have　more。　We　must　control　them。　This　is　our　destiny。〃
　
　Even　had　I　wanted　to　stand；　I　didn't　think　my　legs　would　hold　me。　What　she　was　proposing　was　monstrous。　It　went　against　everything　I　believed　about　our　place。　Our　purpose。　We　had　a　duty　to　perform。　We　were　to　keep　the　world　safe　so　that　the　knowledge　would　survive　from　age　to　age。
　
　She　knew　what　I　did…how　could　she　discard　it　all　for　so　clumsy　a　form　of　power？　But　then；　power　had　always　entranced　her。　And　so　much　of　her　mind　would　never　be　known　to　me。　She　was　far　older　than　I。　
　And　I　have　lived　so　long　that　Sisyphus's　chore　looked　like　a　blessing　to　me。
　
　〃You　pervert　what　we　are；〃　I　said。
　〃This　pious　attitude　is　quite　boring；　Aina；〃　she　said。　〃I　think　I　liked　you　better　before　you　lost　your　faithful　panion。　He　certainly　would　never　have　tolerated　such　an　attitude。　And　he　could　goad　you　into　so　many　things。〃
　
　I　felt　the　blood　draining　from　my　face　and　blessed　my　dark　skin。　Cruelty　was　her　hallmark。　How　could　I　have　let　my　guard　down　for　even　a　second？　The　energy　drained　from　me　then。　I　didn't　have　the　strength　now　to　battle　with　her。
　
　〃What　has　all　this　to　do　with　me？〃　I　asked。
　
　She　walked　closer　to　me。　The　wide　span　of　her　skirts　just　touched　the　ragged　hem　of　my　cloak。
　
　〃I　want　your　assurance　that　you　won't　interfere　with　my　plans；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　you　could　make　things　difficult　for　me　and　I　won't　have　it。　There　has　been　too　much　time　and　energy　devoted　to　this　for　you　to　create　problems。〃
　〃How　did　you　know　I　was　in　England？〃　I　asked。
　〃That　was　a　happy　accident；〃　she　said。　〃For　the　last　few　years　I've　made　it　my　business　to　keep　abreast　of　any　rumors　of　witchcraft。　When　I　heard　about　a　dark…skinned　woman　with　white　hair　who'd　been　arrested　for　sorcery；　we