gc.shadowslinger-第23部分

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d　he　wasn't　doing　his　job。　He　never　did　anything　right。　Anyway；　he　never　did　anything　very　well。　But　that　doesn't　invalidate　your　theory。　Asa　could　have　been　lying。　Probably　was。　He　lied　a　lot。〃
　　〃What　was　the　relationship　between　Asa　and　Raven？〃
　　〃There　wasn't　any。〃
　　〃Where　is　Raven　now？〃
　　〃He　left　Juniper　right　after　the　ice　broke　up　in　the　harbor。''
　　The　Inquisitor　seemed　both　startled　and　pleased。　〃What　became　of　Krage？〃
　　〃Nobody　knows；　Reverend　Sir。　It's　one　of　the　great　mysteries　of　the　Buskin。　One　day　he　was　there；　the　next　he　wasn't。　There　were　all　kinds　of　rumors。〃
　　〃Could　he　have　left　Juniper；　too？〃
　　〃Maybe。　Some　people　think　so。　Whatever；　he　didn't　tell　anybody。　The　people　who　worked　for　him　don't　know　anything；　either。〃
　　〃Or　so　they　say。　Could　he　have　looted　enough　from　the　Catabs　to　make　it　worthwhile　to　leave　Juniper？〃
　　Shed　puzzled　that　question。　It　sounded　treacherous。　〃I　don't。　。。。　I　don't　understand　what　you're　asking；　sir。〃
　　〃Uhm。　Shed；　thousands　of　the　dead　were　violated。　Most　were　put　away　at　a　time　when　the　wealthy　were　very　generous。　We　suspect　a　sum　of　gold　may　have　been　involved。〃
　　Shed　gaped。　He　hadn't　seen　any　gold。　The　man　was　lying。　Why？　Laying　traps？
　　〃It　was　a　major　plundering　operation。　We'd　very　much　like　to　ask　Asa　some　questions。〃
　　〃I　can　imagine。〃　Shed　bit　his　lip。　He　thought　hard。　〃Sir；　I　can't　tell　you　what　became　of　Krage。　But　I　think　Asa　took　ship　for　the　south。〃　He　went　into　a　long　song…and…dance　about　how　Asa　had　e　to　him　after　falling　out　with　Krage；　begging　to　be　hidden。　One　day　he　had　gone　out；　returned　later　badly　wounded；　had　hidden　upstairs　for　a　while；　then　had　vanished。　Shed　claimed　to　have　seen　him　from　a　distance　only；　on　the　docks；　the　day　the　first　ships　sailed　for　the　South。　〃I　never　got　close　enough　to　talk；　but　he　looked　like　he　was　going　somewhere。　He　had　a　couple　bundles　with　him。〃
　　〃Do　you　recall　what　ship？〃
　　〃Sir？〃
　　〃What　ship　did　he　take？〃
　　〃I　didn't　actually　see　him　board　a　ship；　sir。　I　just　assumed　he　did。　He　might　still　be　around。　Only　I　figure　he　would　have　gotten　in　touch　if　he　was。　He　always　came　to　me　when　he　was　in　trouble。　I　guess　he's　in　trouble　now；eh？〃
　　〃Maybe。　The　evidence　isn't　conclusive。　But　I'm　morally　convinced　he　was　in　on　the　looting。　You　didn't　see　Krage　on　the　dock；　did　you？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　It　was　crowded。　Everybody　always　goes　down　to　see　the　first　ships　off。　It's　like　a　holiday。〃　Was　the　Inquisitor　buying　it？　Damn。　He　had　to。　An　Inquisitor　wasn't　somebody　you　got　off　your　back　by　selling　him　into　the　black　castle。
　　The　Inquisitor　shook　his　head　wearily。　〃I　was　afraid　you'd　tell　me　a　story　like　that。　Damn　it。　You　leave　me　no　choice。〃
　　Shed's　heart　leapt　into　his　throat。　Crazy　ideas　swarmed　through　his　head。　Hit　the　Inquisitor；　grab　the　coin　box；　make　a　run　for　it。
　　〃I　hate　to　travel；　Shed。　But　it　looks　like　either　Bullock　or　I　will　have　to　go　after　those　people。　Guess　who'll　get　stuck？〃
　　Relief　swamped　Shed。　〃Go　after　them；　Reverend　Sir？　But　the　law　down　there　doesn't　recognize　the　Brotherhood's　right。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Won't　be　easy；　will　it？　The　barbarians　just　don't　understand　us。〃　He　poured　some　wine；　stared　into　it　for　a　long　while。　Finally；　he　said；　〃Thank　you；　Marron　Shed。　You've　been　very　helpful。〃
　　Shed　hoped　that　was　a　dismissal。　He　rose。　〃Anything　else；　Reverend　Sir？〃
　　〃Wish　me　luck。〃
　　〃Of　course；　sir。　A　prayer　for　your　mission　this　very　evening。〃
　　The　Inquisitor　nodded。　〃Thank　you。〃　He　resumed　staring　into　his　mug。
　　He　left　a　fine　tip。　But　Shed　was　uneasy　when　he　pocketed　it。　The　Inquisitors　had　a　reputation　for　doggedness。　Suppose　they　caught　up　with　Asa？
　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Four：　JUNIPER：　SHADOW　DANCING
　　
　　〃I　think　I　was　pretty　slick；〃　I　told　Goblin。
　　〃You　should　have　seen　that　Shed；〃　Pawnbroker　cackled。　〃A　chicken　sweating　like　a　pig　and　lying　like　a　dog。　A
one…man　barnyard。〃
　　〃Was　he　really　lying？〃　I　mused。　〃He　didn't　say　anything　that　conflicted　with　what　we　know。〃
　　〃What　did　you　learn？〃　Goblin　asked。
　　〃I　think　he　was　lying；〃　Pawnbroker　insisted。　〃Maybe　by　not　telling　everything　he　knew；　but　he　was　lying。　He　was　into　it　somehow。〃
　　〃You　keep　hanging　around　the　Lily；　then。　Keep　an　eye　on　him。〃
　　〃What　did　you　learn？〃　Goblin　demanded。
　　Elmo　came　in。　〃How'd　it　go？〃
　　〃Great；〃　I　said。　〃I　found　out　what　happened　to　Raven。〃
　　〃What？〃　he　and　Goblin　both　demanded。
　　〃He　left　town。　By　ship。　The　first　day　the　harbor　was　open。〃
　　〃Darling；　too？〃　Goblin　asked。　〃You　see　her　around？　What　do　you　think？〃　Pawnbroker　mused；　〃Bet　that　Asa　went　with　him。　Old　Shed　said　they　both　left　the　first　day。〃
　　〃Could　be。〃　I　was　proud　of　myself；　catching　him　with　that。　Looks　to　me；　now；　like　this　Shed　is　our　only　outside　loose　end。　He's　the　only　one　who　knows　what　happened　to　them。　　No　Shed；　nobody　to　maybe　tell　Bullock　or　the　Taken　anything。〃
　　Elmo　frowned。　The　suggestion　was　more　in　keeping　with　his　style　than　mine。　He　thought　I'd　put　it　forward　seriously。　〃I　don't　know。　Sounds　too　simple。　Anyway；　we're　starting　to　get　noticed　down　there；　aren't　we？〃
　　Goblin　nodded。　〃We're　supposed　to　be　sailors　who　missed　our　ship；　but　people　are　paring　notes；　trying　to　figure　us　out。　If　Shed　got　killed；　there　might　be　enough　fuss　to　get　Bullock　wondering。　If　he　gets　wondering；　sooner　or　later　the　news　would　get　back　to　the　Taken。　I　figure　we　ought　to　save　heroic　measures　for　heroic　circumstances。〃
　　Pawnbroker　agreed。　〃That　Shed's　got　something　to　hide。　I　know　that　in　my　guts。　Croaker　told　him　about　the　raid　on　the　Catabs。　He　hardly　blinked。　Anybody　else　would　have　whooped　off　and　spread　the　news　like　the　plague。〃
　　〃Kingpin　still　watching　him？〃　I　asked。　〃Him　and　Sharkey　and　Tickle　are　taking　turns。　He　ain't　going　to　be　able　to　pool　without　we　know　about　it。〃
　　〃Good。　Keep　it　that　way。　But　don't　mess　with　him。　We　just　want　to　keep　him　away　from　Bullock　and　the　Taken。〃　I　faded　away　into　my　thoughts。　〃What？〃　Elmo　finally　asked。
　　〃I　had　an　idea　while　I　was　talking　to　Shed。　Bullock　is　our　main　risk；　right？　And　we　know　he'll　stick　like　a　bulldog　once　he　gets　on　a　trail。　And　he's　on　the　trail　of　this　Asa　character。　So　why　don't　we　con　him　into　going　south　after　this　Asa？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Elmo　muttered。　〃He　might　find　him。〃
　　〃What's　he　want　him　for？　Questioning　about　a　raid　on　the　Catabs。　What　kind　of　cooperation　is　he　going　to　get　someplace　else？　Not　much。　Way　I　hear　it；　the　cities　down　the　coast　think　Juniper　is　a　bad　joke。　Anyway；　we　just　want　to　buy　a　little　time。　And　if　he　does　catch　up　with　Asa；　I　figure　he　catches　up　with　Raven；　too。　Ain't　nobody　going　to　bring　Raven　back。　Not　if　he　thinks　the　Taken　are　after　Darling。　They　tangle；　I'll　put　my　money　on　Raven。　Cut　out　the　only　source　of　info。　Temporarily　or　permanently。　See　what　I　mean？　And　if　he　does　kill　Raven；then　Raven　can't　talk。〃
　　〃How　you　going　to　talk　Bullock　into　it？〃　Elmo　asked。　〃It's　dumb；　Croaker。　He's　not　going　to　go　haring　off　after　some　minor　suspect。〃
　　〃Yes；　he　will。　You　remember；　when　we　came　here；　he　had　to　translate？　How　do　you　figure　he　learned　the　lan…guage　of　the　Jewel　Cities？　I　asked　him。　He　spent　three　years　there　looking　for　a　guy　who　wasn't　any　more　important　than　Asa。''
　　Goblin　said；　〃This　mess　gets　crazier　every　day。　We　got　so　many　cons　and　lies　going　I　can't　keep　track　of　them　anymore。　I　don't　think　we　better　do　anything　except　cover　our　asses　till　the　Captain　gets　here。〃
　　I　often　had　a　feeling　we　were　making　things　worse。　But　I　could　see　no　exit；　other　than　to　keep　coping　and　hoping。
　　〃Best　way　out；〃　Elmo　observed　laconically；　〃would　be　to　kill　everybody　who　knows　anything；　then　all　of　us　fall　on　our　swords。〃
　　〃Sounds　a　little　extreme；〃　Goblin　opined。　〃But　if　you　want　to　go　first；　I'm　right　behind　you。〃
　　〃I've　got　to　report　in　to　Whisper；〃　I　said。　〃Anybody　got　any　brilliant　ideas　what　I　should　tell　her？〃
　　Nobody　did。　I　went；　dreading　the　encounter。　I　was　sure　guilt　smouldered　in　my　eyes　whenever　I　faced　her。　I　resented　Elmo　because　he　did　not　have　to　endure　her　daily　fits　of　ire。
　　Bullock　was　almost　too　easy。　He　was　packing　almost　before　I　finished　handing　him　my　line　of　bull。　He　wanted　that　Asa　bad。
　　I　wondered　if　he　knew　something　we　did　not。　Or　if　he'd　just　worked　up　an　obsession　with　the　mystery　of　the　invaded　Catabs。
　　Whisper　was　more　of　a　problem。
　　She　told　me：　〃I　want　you　to　send　somebody　with　him。〃　I　had　had　to　tell　her　something；　so　had　told　her　most　of　the　truth。　I　figured　the　chances　of　anybody　tracking　Asa　and　Raven　were　nil。　But。　。　。　。　She　seemed　a　little　too　interested；　too。　Perhaps　she　knew　more　than　she　pretended。　She　was；　after　all；　one　of　the　Taken。
　　Elmo　picked　three　men；　put　Kingpin　in　charge；　and　told　him　to　stick　a　knife　in　Bullock　if　he　looked　like　needing　it。
　　The　Captain　and　pany　were；　I　was　told；　in　the　Wolander　Mountains　a　hundred　miles　from　Juniper。　They　faced　a　slow　passage　through　tough　passes；　but　I　began　to　anticipate　their　arrival。　Once　the　Old　Man　showed；　the　weight　would　be　off　Elmo　and　me。　〃Hurry；〃　I　muttered；　and　returned　to　tangling　our　skein　of　deceits。
　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Five：　JUNIPER：　LOVERS
　　
　　Matron　Shed　fell　in　love。　In　love　in　the　worst　possible　way…with　a　woman　far　younger；　who　had　tastes　far　beyond　his　means。　He　charged　into　the　affair　with　all　the　reserve　of　a　bull　in　rut；　disdaining　consequences；　squandering　his　cash　reserve　as　though　it　came　from　a　bottomless　box。　His　boxes　dried　up。　Two　weeks　after　he　met　Sue；　he　made　a　loan　with　Gilbert；　the　moneylender。　Another　loan　followed　that；　then　another。　Within　a　month　he　had　gone　into　debt　farther　than　he　had　been　during　the　winter。
　　And　he　did　not　care。　The　woman　made　him　happy；　and　that　was　that。　pounding　his　negative　attributes　was　a　tendency　toward　willful　stupidity　and　an　unconscious　confidence　that　money　could　be　no　problem　ever　again。
　　Wally's　wife　Sal　visited　the　Lily　one　morning；　grim　and　slightly　ashamed。　〃Marron；〃　she　said；　〃can　we　talk？〃
　　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　〃You　were　going　to　help　with　rent　and　stuff。〃
　　〃Sure。　So　what's　the　problem？〃
　　〃Well；　I　don't　want　to　sound　ungrateful　or　like　I　have　any　right　to　expect　you　to　supp