tp.guards!guards!-第4部分

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　〃Stands　to　reason。　Because　of　destiny　and　the　gnomic　workings　of　fate。〃
　There　was　a　moment's　hesitation；　and　then　a　general　nodding　of　cowls。　Only　Brother　Plasterer　looked　vaguely　unhappy。
　〃We…ell；〃　he　said。　〃It　won't　get　out　of　hand；　will　it？〃
　〃I　assure　you；　Brother　Plasterer；　that　you　can　give　it　up　any　time　you　like；〃　said　the　Supreme　Grand　Master　smoothly。
　〃Well　。。。　all　right；〃　said　the　reluctant　Brother。　〃Just　for　a　bit；　then。　Could　we　get　it　to　stay　here　long　enough　to　burn　down；　for　example；　any　oppressive　vegetable　shops？〃　Ah。　。　。
　He'd　won。　There'd　be　dragons　again。　And　a　king　again。　Not　like　the　old　kings。　A　king　who　would　do　what　he　was　told。
　〃That；〃　said　the　Supreme　Grand　Master；　〃depends　on　how　much　help　you　can　be。　We　shall　need；　initially；　any　items　of　magic　you　can　bring　。。。〃
　It　might　not　be　a　good　idea　to　let　them　see　that　the　last　half　of　de　Malachite's　book　was　a　charred　lump。　The　man　was　clearly　not　up　to　it。
　He　could　do　a　lot　better。　And　absolutely　no　one　would　be　able　to　stop　him。
　Thunder　rolled　。　。　。
　　
　。。。
　　
　It　is　said　that　the　gods　play　games　with　the　lives　of　men。　But　what　games；　and　why；　and　the　identities　of　the　actual　pawns；　and　what　the　game　is；　and　what　the　rules　are　…　who　knows？
　Best　not　to　speculate。
　Thunder　rolled。　。　。　。
　It　rolled　a　six。
　　
　。。。
　　
　Now　pull　back　briefly　from　the　dripping　streets　of　Ankh…Morpork；　pan　across　the　morning　mists　of　the　Disc；　and　focus　in　again　on　a　young　man　heading　for　the　city　with　all　the　openness；　sincerity　and　innocence　of　purpose　of　an　iceberg　drifting　into　a　major　shipping　lane。
　The　young　man　is　called　Carrot。　This　is　not　because　of　his　hair；　which　his　father　has　always　clipped　short　for　reasons　of　Hygiene。　It　is　because　of　his　shape。
　It　is　the　kind　of　tapering　shape　a　boy　gets　through　clean　living；　healthy　eating；　and　good　mountain　air　in　huge　lungfuls。　When　he　flexes　his　shoulder　muscles；　other　muscles　have　to　move　out　of　the　way　first。
　He　is　also　bearing　a　sword　presented　to　him　in　mysterious　circumstances。　Very　mysterious　circumstances。　Surprisingly；　therefore；　there　is　something　very　unexpected　about　this　sword。　It　isn't　magical。　It　hasn't　got　a　name。　When　you　wield　it　you　don't　get　a　feeling　of　power；　you　just　get　blisters；　you　could　believe　it　was　a　sword　that　had　been　used　so　much　that　it　had　ceased　to　be　anything　other　than　a　quintessential　sword；　a　long　piece　of　metal　with　very　sharp　edges。　And　it　hasn't　got　destiny　written　all　over　it。　It's　practically　unique；　in　fact。
　　
　。。。
　　
　Thunder　rolled。
　The　gutters　of　the　city　gurgled　softly　as　the　detritus　of　the　night　was　carried　along；　in　some　cases　protesting　feebly。
　When　it　came　to　the　recumbent　figure　of　Captain　Vimes；　the　water　diverted　and　flowed　around　him　in　two　streams。　Vimes　opened　his　eyes。　There　was　a　moment　of　empty　peace　before　memory　hit　him　like　a　shovel。
　It　had　been　a　bad　day　for　the　Watch。　There　had　been　the　funeral　of　Herbert　Gaskin；　for　one　thing。　Poor　old　Gaskin。　He　had　broken　one　of　the　fundamental　rules　of　being　a　guard。　It　wasn't　the　sort　of　rule　that　someone　like　Gaskin　could　break　twice。　And　so　he'd　been　lowered　into　the　sodden　ground　with　the　rain　drumming　on　his　coffin　and　no　one　present　to　mourn　him　but　the　three　surviving　members　of　the　Night　Watch；　the　most　despised　group　of　men　in　the　entire　city。　Sergeant　Colon　had　been　in　tears。　Poor　old　Gaskin。
　Poor　old　Vimes；　Vimes　thought。
　Poor　old　Vimes；　here　in　gutter。　But　that's　where　he　started。　Poor　old　Vimes；　with　the　water　swirling　in　under　breastplate。　Poor　old　Vimes；　watching　rest　of　gutter's　contents　ooze　by。　Prob'ly　even　poor　old　Gaskin　has　got　better　view　now；　he　thought。
　Lessee　。　。　。　he'd　gone　off　after　the　funeral　and　got　drunk。　No；　not　drunk；　another　word；　ended　with　'er'。　Drunker；　that　was　it。　Because　world　all　twisted　up　and　wrong；　like　distorted　glass；　only　came　back　into　focus　if　you　looked　at　it　through　bottom　of　bottle。
　Something　else　now；　what　was　it？。。。
　Oh；　yes。　Night…time。　Time　for　duty。　Not　for　Gaskin；　though。　Have　to　get　new　fellow。　New　fellow　ing　anyway；　wasn't　that　it？　Some　stick　from　the　hicks。　Written　letter。　Some　tick　from　the　snicks　。　。　。
　Vimes　gave　up；　and　slumped　back。　The　gutter　continued　to　swirl。
　Overhead；　the　lighted　letters　fizzed　and　flickered　in　the　rain。
　　
　。。。
　　
　It　wasn't　only　the　fresh　mountain　air　that　had　given　Carrot　his　huge　physique。　Being　brought　up　in　a　gold　mine　run　by　dwarfs　and　working　a　twelve…hour　day　hauling　wagons　to　the　surface　must　have　helped。
　He　walked　with　a　stoop。　What　will　do　that　is　being　brought　up　in　a　gold　mine　run　by　dwarfs　who　thought　that　five　feet　was　a　good　height　for　a　ceiling。
　He'd　always　known　he　was　different。　More　bruised　for　one　thing。　And　then　one　day　his　father　had　e　up　to　him　or；　rather；　e　up　to　his　waist；　and　told　him　that　he　was　not；　in　fact；　as　he　had　always　believed；　a　dwarf。
　It's　a　terrible　thing　to　be　nearly　sixteen　and　the　wrong　species。
　〃We　didn't　like　to　say　so　before；　son；〃　said　his　father。　〃We　thought　you'd　grow　out　of　it；　see。〃
　〃Grow　out　of　what？〃　said　Carrot。
　〃Growing。　But　now　your　mother　thinks；　that　is；　we　both　think；　it's　time　you　went　out　among　your　own　kind。　I　mean；　it's　not　fair；　keeping　you　cooped　up　here　without　pany　of　your　own　height。〃　His　father　twiddled　a　loose　rivet　on　his　helmet；　a　sure　sign　that　he　was　worried。　〃Er；〃　he　added。
　〃But　you're　my　kind！〃　said　Carrot　desperately。
　〃In　a　manner　of　speaking；　yes；〃　said　his　father。　〃In　another　manner　of　speaking；　which　is　a　rather　more　precise　and　accurate　manner　of　speaking；　no。　It's　all　this　genetics　business；　you　see。　So　it　might　be　a　very　good　idea　if　you　were　to　go　out　and　see　something　of　the　world。''
　〃What；　for　good？〃
　〃Oh；　no！　No。　Of　course　not。　e　back　and　visit　whenever　you　like。　But；　well；　a　lad　your　age；　stuck　down　here　。　。　。　It's　not　right。　You　know。　I　mean。　Not　a　child　any　more。　Having　to　shuffle　around　on　your　knees　most　of　the　time；　and　everything。　It's　not　right。〃
　'　'What　is　my　own　kind；　then？''　said　Carrot；　bewildered。
　The　old　dwarf　took　a　deep　breath。　〃You're　human；〃　he　said。
　'　'What；　like　Mr　Varneshi？''　Mr　Varneshi　drove　an　ox…cart　up　the　mountain　trails　once　a　week；　to　trade　things　for　gold。　〃One　of　the　Big　People？〃
　〃You're　six　foot　six；　lad。　He's　only　five　foot。〃　The　dwarf　twiddled　the　loose　rivet　again。　〃You　see　how　it　is。〃
　〃Yes；　but　…　but　maybe　I'm　just　tall　for　my　height；〃　said　Carrot　desperately。　〃After　all；　if　you　can　have　short　humans；　can't　you　have　tall　dwarfs？〃
　His　father　patted　him　panionably　on　the　back　of　the　knees。
　〃You've　got　to　face　facts；　boy。　You'd　be　much　more　at　home　up　on　the　surface。　It's　in　your　blood。　The　roof　isn't　so　low；　either。〃　You　can't　keep　knocking　yourself　out　on　the　sky；　he　told　himself。
　〃Hold　on；〃　said　Carrot；　his　honest　brow　wrinkling　with　the　effort　of　calculation。　〃You're　a　dwarf；　right？　And　mam's　a　dwarf。　So　I　should　be　a　dwarf；　too。　Fact　of　life。〃
　The　dwarf　sighed。　He'd　hoped　to　creep　up　on　this；　over　a　period　of　months　maybe；　sort　of　break　it　to　him　gently；　but　there　wasn't　any　time　any　more。
　〃Sit　down；　lad；〃　he　said。　Carrot　sat。
　〃The　thing　is；〃　he　said　wretchedly；　when　the　boy's　big　honest　face　was　a　little　nearer　his　own；　〃we　found　you　in　the　woods　one　day。　Toddling　about　near　one　of　the　tracks　。　。　。　um。〃　The　loose　rivet　squeaked。　The　king　plunged　on。
　〃Thing　is；　you　see　。。。　there　were　these　carts。　On　fire；　as　you　might　say。　And　dead　people。　Um；　yes。　Extremely　dead　people。　Because　of　bandits。　It　was　a　bad　winter　that　winter；　there　were　all　sorts　ing　into　the　hills　。。。　So　we　took　you　in；　of　course；　and　then；　well；　it　was　a　long　winter；　like　I　said；　and　your　mam　got　used　to　you；　and；　well；　we　never　got　around　to　asking　Varneshi　to　make　inquiries。　That's　the　long　and　the　short　of　it。〃
　Carrot　took　this　fairly　calmly；　mostly　because　he　didn't　understand　nearly　all　of　it。　Besides；　as　far　as　he　was　aware；　being　found　toddling　in　the　woods　was　the　normal　method　of　childbirth。　A　dwarf　is　not　considered　old　enough　to　have　the　technical　processes　explained　to　him＇3＇　until　he　has　reached　puberty。＇4＇
　〃All　right；　dad；〃　he　said；　and　leaned　down　so　as　to　be　level　with　the　dwarf's　ear。　〃But　you　know；　me　and…you　know　Minty　Rocksmacker？　She's　really　beautiful；　dad；　got　a　beard　as　soft　as　a；　a；　a　very　soft　thing…we've　got　an　understanding；　and…〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　the　dwarf；　coldly；　〃I　know。　Her　father's　had　a　word　with　me。〃　So　did　her　mother　with　your　mother；　he　added　silently；　and　then　she　had　a　word　with　me。　Lots　of　words。
　〃It's　not　that　they　don't　like　you；　you're　a　steady　lad　and　a　fine　worker；　you'd　make　a　good　son…in…law。　Four　good　sons…in…law。　That's　the　trouble。　And　she's　only　sixty；　anyway。　It's　not　proper。　It's　not　right。〃
　He'd　heard　about　children　being　reared　by　wolves。
　He　wondered　whether　the　leader　of　the　pack　ever　had　to　sort　out　something　tricky　like　this。　Perhaps　he'd　have　to　take　him　into　a　quiet　clearing　somewhere　and　say；　Look；　son；　you　might　have　wondered　why　you're　not　as　hairy　as　everyone　else　。　。　。
　He'd　discussed　it　with　Varneshi。　A　good　solid　man；　Varneshi。　Of　course；　he'd　known　the　man's　father。　And　his　grandfather；　now　he　came　to　think　about　it。　Humans　didn't　seem　to　last　long；　it　was　probably　all　the　effort　of　pumping　blood　up　that　high。
　〃Got　a　problem　there；　king。＇5＇　Right　enough；〃　the　old　man　had　said；　as　they　shared　a　nip　of　spirits　on　a　bench　outside　Shaft　#2。
　〃He's　a　good　lad；　mind　you；〃　said　the　king。　〃Sound　character。　Honest。　Not　exactly　brilliant；　but　you　tell　him　to　do　something；　he　don't　rest　until　he's　done　it。　Obedient。〃
　〃You　could　chop　his　legs　off；〃　said　Varneshi。
　〃It's　not　his　legs　that's　going　to　be　the　problem；〃　said　the　king　darkly。
　〃Ah。　Yes。　Well；　in　that　case　you　could。。。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃No；〃　agreed　Varneshi；　thoughtfully。　〃Hmm。　Well；　then　what　you　should　do　is；　you　should　send　him　away　for　a　bit。　Let　him　mix　a　bit　with　humans。〃　He　sat　back。　〃What　you've　got　here；　king；　is　a　duck；〃　he　added；　in　knowledgeable　tones。
　〃I　don't　think　I　should　tell　him　that。　He's　refusing　to　believe　he's　a　human　as　it　is。〃
　〃What　I　mean　is；　a　duck　brought　up　among　chickens。　Well…known　farmyard　phenomenon。　Finds　it　can't　bloo