gc.shadowslinger-第34部分

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　　A　scream　filled　the　valley　of　the　Port。　A　pair　of　dots　came　hurtling　over　from　the　southern　slope；　almost　too　fast　for　the　eye　to　follow。　They　passed　over　with　a　hollow；　deep　roar；　and　boomed　like　a　god's　drum　behind　us。　I　was　not　sure；　but　it　seemed　the　dots　were　connected。
　　Another　pair　appeared；　revolving　about　a　mon　center。　I　got　a　better　look。　Yes；　they　were　connected。　They　roared。　They　boomed。　I　glanced　back。　The　face　of　the　black　castle　had　vanished　behind　a　wall　of　color　like　paint　thrown　against；　then　running　down；　a　pane　of　glass　to　which　it　would　not　adhere。
　　〃Taken　are　on　the　job；〃　the　Lieutenant　panted。　His　eyes　were　wild；　but　he　clung　to　his　side　of　our　burden。
　　The　damned　creature　got　hung　up。　Panicky；　we　hacked　its　clothing　free　from　a　thorn　bush。　I　kept　looking　up；　expecting　something　to　e　down　and　smash　us　all　over　the　slope。
　　Another　pair　of　balls　arrived；　spraying　color。　They　did　no　obvious　harm；　but　kept　the　castle　occupied。　We　freed　our　booty；　hurried　on。
　　A　different　sort　of　dot　pair　came；　dropping　from　high　above。　I　pointed。　〃Feather　and　Whisper。〃　The　Taken　plunged　toward　the　black　castle；　preceded　by　a　high…pitched　shriek。　Fire　enveloped　the　castle　wall。　Obsidian　seemed　to　melt　and　run　like　candle　wax；　shifting　the　already　grotesque　decorations　into　forms　even　more　bizarre。　The　Taken　pulled　out；　gained　altitude；　came　around　for　another　pass。　In　the　interim　another　pair　of　dots　screamed　across　the　Port　valley　and　painted　the　planes　of　the　air。　It　would　have　been　a　great　show　if　I　had　not　been　so　damned　busy　getting　away。
　　The　slope　resounded　to　the　stamp　of　an　invisible　giant。　A　circle　fifteen　feet　across　and　five　deep　appeared　above　us。　Sticks　and　stones　flew。　It　missed　by　only　a　dozen　feet。　The　impact　knocked　us　down。　A　line　of　like　imprints　marched　back　up　the　slope。
　　Mighty　though　that　blow　was；　it　was　less　forceful　than　its　predecessors。
　　Feather　and　Whisper　swooped　again；　and　again　the　face　of　the　black　castle　melted；　ran；　shifted　form。　Then　thunder　racked　the　air。　Barn…bam！　Both　Taken　vanished　in　clouds　of　smoke。　They　wobbled　out；　fighting　for　control　of　their　carpets。　Both　smouldered　the　way　Feather　had　the　night　we　captured　Shed。　They　fought　for　altitude。
　　The　castle　turned　its　entire　attention　to　them。　The　Lieutenant　and　I　made　our　escape。
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Four：　JUNIPER：　FLIGHT
　　
　　The　Lily　shuddered　several　times。
　　Shed　was　doing　mugs　and　wondering　which　of　his　customers　were　Black　pany。　The　shaking　made　him　nervous。　Then　a　shriek　flashed　overhead；　rising；　then　falling　as　it　whipped　away　north。　A　moment　later　the　earth　shivered　again；　strong　enough　to　rattle　crockery。　He　rushed　into　the　street。　One　small；　cunning　part　of　him　kept　watching　his　customers；　trying　to　determine　who　was　watching　him。　His　chance　of　escape　had　lessened　drastically　with　the　advent　of　the　pany。　He　no　longer　knew　who　was　who。　They　all　knew　him。
　　He　hit　the　street　as　a　second　shriek　came　from　the　direction　of　the　Enclosure。　He　followed　pointing　hands。　A　pair　of　balls　joined　by　a　cord　whipped　away　to　the　north。　Seconds　later　all　Juniper　was　illuminated　by　a　particolored　glare。
　　〃The　black　castle！〃　people　said。　〃They　hit　the　black　castle。〃
　　Shed　could　see　it　from　his　street。　It　had　vanished　behind　a　curtain　of　color。　Terror　gripped　his　heart。　He　could　not　understand　it。　He　was　safe　down　here。　Wasn't　he？
　　Wasn't　he？　The　pany　had　great　wizards　supporting　it。　They　would　not　let　the　castle　do　anything。　。。。　A　mighty　hammer　blow　threw　stuff　around　the　north　slope。　He　could　not　see　what　was　happening；　but　instantly　sensed　that　the　castle　had　struck　at　someone。　Possibly　that　Croaker；　who　was　up　there　keeping　the　place　isolated。　Maybe　the　castle　was　trying　to　open　the　road。
　　Crowd　yammer　directed　his　attention　to　two　dots　dropping　from　the　blue。　Fire　enveloped　the　castle。　Obsidian　shifted　form；　writhing；　then　found　its　normal　shape　again。　The　flying　attackers　soared；　turned。　Another　pair　of　balls　hurtled　in；　apparently　thrown　from　Duretile。　And　down　came　the　carpet　riders。
　　Shed　knew　who　they　were　and　what　was　happening；　and　he　was　terrified。　Around　him；　the　Buskin；　taken　unawares；　went　berserk。
　　He　retained　the　presence　of　mind　to　consider　his　own　position。　Here；　there；　members　of　the　Black　pany　were　running　for　battle　stations。　Squads　formed　up。　hurried　off。　Pairs　of　soldiers　took　stations　apparently　assigned　against　times　when　rioting　and　looting　looked　possible。　Nowhere　did　Shed　see　anyone　identifiable　as　his　babysitter。
　　He　slipped　back　inside　the　Lily；　upstairs；　into　his　room；　dug　into　his　secret　place。　He　stuffed　gold　and　silver　into　his　pockets；　dithered　over　his　amulet；　then　hung　it　around　his　neck；　under　his　clothing。　He　scanned　the　room　once；　saw　nothing　else　he　wanted　to　take；　hurried　back　downstairs。　There　was　no　one　in　the　mon　room　but　Sal；　who　stood　at　the　door　watching　the　display　on　the　north　slope。　He'd　never　seen　her　more　homebody　and　calm。
　　〃Sal。〃
　　〃Marron？　Is　it　time？〃
　　〃Yes。　I'm　leaving　twenty　leva　in　the　box。　You'll　do　fine　as　long　as　the　soldiers　keep　ing　in。〃
　　〃Is　that　up　there　what's　been　going　on？〃
　　〃That's　where　it's　been　headed。　It'll　probably　get　worse。　They're　here　to　destroy　the　castle。　If　they　can。〃
　　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　He　honestly　did　not。　〃Wouldn't　tell　you　if　I　did。　They　would　find　out　from　you。〃
　　〃When　will　you　be　back？〃
　　〃Maybe　never。　Certainly　not　before　they　pull　out。〃　He　doubted　the　pany　ever　would。　Or；　if　it　did；　it　would　be　replaced。　Its　Lady　seemed　the　type　not　to　turn　loose　of　anything。
　　He　gave　Sal　a　peck　on　the　cheek。　〃Take　care。　And　don't　short　yourself　or　the　kids。　If　Lisa　turns　up；　tell　her　she's　fired。　If　Wally　does；　tell　him　I　forgive　him。〃
　　He　headed　for　the　back　door。　The　flash　and　roar　on　the　slope　continued。　At　one　point　there　was　a　howling　which　fluttered　toward　Duretile；　but　it　broke　up　somewhere　over　the　Enclosure。　He　put　his　head　down　and　his　collar　up　and　followed　alleyways　toward　the　waterfront。
　　Only　twice　did　he　encounter　patrols。　Neither　boasted　a　man　who　knew　him。　The　first　ignored　him。　The　corporal　manding　the　second　told　him　to　get　his　ass　off　the　street　and　went　on。
　　From　Wharf　Street　he　could　see　the　black　castle　once　more；　through　the　masts　and　stays　of　countless　ships。　It　seemed　to　have　gotten　the　worst　of　the　exchange；　which　had　died　away。　Thick；　black　smoke　boiled　out　of　the　fortress；　an　oily　column　leaning　a　few　degrees　and　rising　thousands　of　feet；　then　spreading　in　a　dark　haze。　On　the　slopes　below　the　castle　there　was　a　twinkling　and　seething；　an　anthill…like　suggestion　of　movement。　He　supposed　the　pany　was　hurrying　into　action。
　　The　waterfront　was　in　a　frenzy。　The　channel　boasted　a　dozen　vessels　heading　out。　Every　other　foreign　ship　was　preparing　to　sail。　The　river　itself　seemed　strangely　disturbed　and　choppy。
　　Shed　tried　three　ships　before　he　found　one　where　money　talked　loudly　enough　to　be　heard。　He　paid　ten　leva　to　a　piratical　purser　and　found　himself　a　spot　where　he　would　not　be　seen　from　shore。
　　Nevertheless；　as　the　crew　were　casting　off；　the　man　called　Pawnbroker　came　racing　along　the　pier　with　a　squad　of　soldiers；　shouting　at　the　ship's　master　to　hold　fast。
　　The　ship's　master　made　an　obscene　gesture；　told　them　where　they　could　go；　and　began　drifting　with　the　current。　There　were　too　few　tugs　for　the　number　of　ships　moving　out。
　　For　his　defiance　the　skipper　got　an　arrow　through　the　throat。　Astonished　sailors　and　officers　stood　frozen；　aghast。　Arrows　stormed　aboard；　killed　more　than　a　dozen　men；　including　the　mate　and　boatswain。　Shed　cowered　in　his　hiding　place；　gripped　by　a　terror　deeper　than　any　he　had　known　before。
　　He　had　known　they　were　hard　men；　men　who　did　not　play　games。　He　had　not　realized　just　how　hard　they　were；　how　savage　they　could　be。　The　Duke's　men　would　have　thrown　up　their　hands　in　despair　and　wandered　away　cursing。　They　would　not　have　massacred　anyone。
　　The　arrows　kept　ing；　in　a　light　patter；　till　the　vessel　was　out　of　range。
　　Only　then　did　Shed　peep　out　and　watch　the　city　dwindle　slowly。　Oh；　slowly；　did　it　drift　away。
　　To　his　surprise　none　of　the　sailors　were　angry　with　him。　They　were　angry；　true；　but　had　not　made　a　connection　between　the　attack　and　their　last…minute　passenger。
　　Safe；　he　thought；　elated。　That　lasted　till　he　began　to　wonder　where　he　was　bound　and　what　he　would　do　once　he　got　there。
　　A　sailor　called；　〃Sir；　they're　ing　after　us　in　a　launch。〃　Shed's　heart　dropped　to　his　ankles。　He　looked　and　saw　a　small　ship　pulling　out；　trying　to　put　on　sail。　Men　in　Black　pany　uniform　abused　the　crew；　hurrying　them。
　　He　got　back　into　hiding。　After　the　mauling　these　men　had　taken；　there　was　no　doubt　they　would　surrender　him　rather　than　suffer　more。　If　they　realized　he　was　what　Pawnbroker　wanted。
　　How　had　the　man　picked　up　his　trail？
　　Sorcery。　Of　course。　Had　to　be。
　　Did　that　mean　they　could　find　him　anywhere？
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Five：　JUNIPER：　BAD　NEWS
　　
　　The　fuss　was　over。　It　had　been　a　dramatic　display　while　it　lasted；　though　not　as　impressive　as　some　I've　seen。　The　battle　on　the　Stair　of　Tear。　The　fighting　around　Charm。　This　was　all　flash　and　show；　more　rattling　to　Juniper's　people　than　to　us　or　the　denizens　of　the　black　castle。　They　did　us　no　harm。　The　worst　they　suffered　was　the　direct　deaths　outside　their　gate。　The　fire　inside　did　no　real　harm。　Or　so　the　Taken　reported。
　　Grimy；　Whisper　grounded　her　carpet　outside　my　headquarters；　trundled　inside　looking　the　worse　for　wear　but　unharmed。　〃What　started　it？〃　she　asked。
　　The　Lieutenant　explained。
　　〃They're　getting　frightened；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　desperate。　Were　they　trying　to　scare　you　off　or　take　you　prisoner？〃
　　〃Definitely　prisoner；〃　I　said。　〃They　hit　us　with　some　kind　of　sleepy　spell　before　they　came　after　us。〃　One…Eye　supported　me　with　a　nod。
　　〃Why　were　they　unsuccessful？〃
　　〃One…Eye　broke　the　spell。　Turned　it　around　on　them。　We　killed　three。〃
　　〃Ah！　No　wonder　they　were　upset。　You　brought　one　down　with　you？〃
　　〃I　thought　we　could　understand　them　better　if　I　cut　one　up　to　see　how　he　was　made。〃
　　Whisper　did　one　of　her　mental　fades；　muning