gc.shadowslinger-第35部分

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　　〃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　with　the　mistress　of　us　all。　She　returned。　〃A　good　idea。　But　Feather　and　I　will　do　the　cutting。　Where　is　the　corpse？　I'll　take　it　to　Duretile　now。〃
　　I　indicated　the　body。　It　was　in　plain　sight。　She　had　two　men　carry　it　to　her　carpet。　I　muttered；　〃Don't　damn　trust　us　to　do　anything　anymore。〃　Whisper　heard　me。　She　did　not　ment。
　　Once　the　body　was　loaded；　she　told　the　Lieutenant；　〃Begin　your　preliminary　siegework　immediately。　A　cir…cumvallation。　Limper　will　support　you。　It's　likely　the　Dominator's　creatures　will　try　to　break　out　or　take　prisoners；　or　both。　Don't　permit　it。　A　dozen　captives　would　allow　them　to　open　the　pathway。　You　would　find　yourself　facing　the　Dominator。　He　would　not　be　kind。〃
　　〃No　shit。〃　The　Lieutenant　is　a　tough　guy's　tough　guy　when　it　suits　him。　In　those　moments　not　even　the　Lady　could　intimidate　him。　〃Why　don't　you　clear　out？　Tend　to　your　job　and　let　me　tend　to　mine。〃
　　His　remarks　didn't　fit　the　moment；　but　he　was　fed　up　with　Taken　in　general。　He　had　been　on　the　march　with　the　Limper　for　months；　and　the　Limper　fancied　himself　a　mander。　He　gave　the　Lieutenant　and　Captain　both　a　bellyful。　And　maybe　that　was　the　source　of　the　friction　between　the　pany　and　Taken。　The　Captain　had　his　limits；　too；　though　he　was　more　diplomatic　than　the　Lieutenant。　He　would　ignore　orders　that　did　not　suit　him。
　　I　went　out　to　watch　the　circumvallation　of　the　black　castle。　Drafts　of　laborers　arrived　from　the　Buskin；　shovels　over　their　shoulders　and　terror　in　their　eyes。　Our　men　put　down　their　tools　and　assumed　guardianship　and　supervisory　roles。　Occasionally　the　black　castle　sputtered；　making　a　feeble　attempt　to　interfere；　like　a　volcano　muttering　to　itself　after　its　energy　has　been　spent。　The　locals　sometimes　scattered　and　had　to　be　rounded　up。　We　lost　a　lot　of　good　will　won　earlier。
　　A　sheepish　yet　angry　Pawnbroker　came　looking　for　me；　gravity　accentuated　by　the　afternoon　sunlight。　I　eased　away　and　went　to　meet　him。　〃What's　the　bad　news？〃
　　〃That　damned　Shed。　Made　a　run　for　it　in　the　confusion。〃
　　〃Confusion？〃
　　〃The　city　went　crazy　when　the　Taken　started　sniping　at　the　castle。　We　lost　track　of　Shed。　By　the　time　Goblin　found　him；　he　was　on　a　ship　headed　for　Meadenvil。　I　tried　to　keep　it　from　pulling　out；　but　they　wouldn't　stop。　I　shot　them　up；　then　grabbed　a　boat　and　went　after　them；　but　I　couldn't　catch　up。〃
　　After　cursing　Pawnbroker；　and　stifling　an　urge　to　strangle　him；　I　sat　down　to　think。　〃What's　the　matter　with　him；　Pawn？　What's　he　afraid　of？〃
　　〃Everything；　Croaker。　His　own　shadow。　I　reckon　he　figured　we　were　going　to　kill　him。　Goblin　says　it　was　more　than　that；　but　you　know　how　he　loves　to　plicate　stuff。〃
　　〃Like　what？〃
　　〃Goblin　says　he　wants　to　make　a　clean　break　with　the　old　Shed。　Fear　of　us　was　the　motivation　he　needed　to　get　moving。〃
　　〃Clean　break？〃
　　〃You　know。　Like　from　guilt　about　everything　he　did。　And　from　reprisals　by　the　Inquisitors。　Bullock　knows　he　was　in　on　the　Catabs　raid。　Bullock　would　jump　on　him　as　soon　as　he　got　back。〃
　　I　stared　down　at　the　shadowed　harbor。　Ships　were　getting　under　way　still。　The　waterfront　looked　naked。　If　outsiders　kept　running；　we　would　bee　very　unpopular。　Juniper　depended　heavily　on　trade。
　　〃You　find　Elmo。　Tell　him。　Say　I　think　you　ought　to　go　after　Shed。　Find　Kingpin　and　those　guys　and　bring　them　back。　Check　on　Darling　and　Bullock　while　you're　at　it。〃　He　looked　like　a　man　condemned；　but　did　not　protest。　He　had　several　screw…ups　to　his　credit。　Being　separated　from　his　rades　was　a　cheap　penalty　to　pay。　〃Right；〃　he　said；　and　hustled　off。
　　I　returned　to　the　task　at　hand。
　　Disorganization　resolved　itself　as　the　troops　formed　the　locals　into　work　crews。　The　earth　was　flying。　First　a　good　deep　trench　so　the　creatures　from　the　castle　would　have　trouble　getting　out；　then　a　palisade　behind　that。
　　One　of　the　Taken　remained　airborne；　circling　high　above；　watching　the　castle。
　　Wagons　began　ing　up　from　the　city；　carrying　timber　and　rubble。　Down　there　other　work　crews　were　demolishing　buildings　for　materials。　Though　they　were　structures　unfit　for　occupation　and　long　overdue　for　replacement；　they　housed　people　who　were　not　going　to　love　us　for　destroying　their　homes。
　　One…Eye　and　a　sergeant　named　Shaky　took　a　large　labor　draft　around　the　castle；　down　to　the　roughest　slope；　and　began　a　mine　designed　to　drop　part　of　the　castle　wall　down　the　steep　slope。　They　did　nothing　to　conceal　their　purpose。　Wasn't　much　point　trying。　The　things　we　faced　had　the　power　to　knife　through　any　subterfuge。
　　Actually　managing　to　breech　the　wall　would　be　a　tough　job。　It　might　take　weeks；　even　with　One…Eye　helping。　The　miners　would　have　to　cut　through　many　yards　of　solid　rock。
　　The　project　was　one　of　several　feints　the　Lieutenant　would　employ；　though　the　way　he　plans　a　siege；　one　day's　feint　can　bee　another's　main　thrust。　Drawing　on　a　manpower　pool　like　Juniper；　he　could　exercise　every　option。
　　I　felt　a　certain　pride；　watching　the　siege　take　shape。　I　have　been　with　the　pany　a　long　time。　Never　had　we　undertaken　so　ambitious　a　project。　Never　had　we　been　given　the　wherewithal。　I　wandered　around　till　I　found　the　Lieutenant。　〃What's　the　plan　here；　anyway？〃　Nobody　ever　tells　me　anything。
　　〃Just　nail　them　down　so　they　can't　get　out。　Then　the　Taken　will　jump　all　over　them。〃
　　I　grunted。　Basic　and　simple。　I　expected　it　would　get　more　plicated。　The　creatures　inside　would　fight。　I
suspect　the　　Dominator　was　　lying　restless；　　shaping　　a　counterstroke。　Must　be　hell　to　be　buried　alive；　able　to　do　nothing　but　wish　and　hope　at　minions　far　beyond　direct　control。　Such　impotence　would　destroy　me　in　a　matter　of　hours。　I　told　the　Lieutenant　about　Shed's　escape。　He　did　not　get　excited。　Shed　meant　little　to　him。　He　did　not　know　about　Raven　and　Darling。　To　him；　Raven　was　a　deserter　and　Darling　his　camp　follower。　Nothing　special。　I　wanted　him　to　know　about　Shed　so　he　would　mention　it　to　the　Captain。　The　Captain　might　want　to　take　action　more　vigorous　than　my　remendation　to　Elmo。
　　I　stayed　with　the　Lieutenant　a　while；　he　watching　the　work　crews；　I　watching　a　wagon　train　e　uphill。　This　one　should　be　bringing　supper。　
　　〃Getting　damned　tired　of　cold　meals；〃　I　muttered。
　　〃Tell　you　what　you　ought　to　do；　Croaker。　You　ought　to　get　married　and　settle　down。〃
　　〃Sure；〃　I　replied；　more　sarcastically　than　I　felt。　〃Right　after　you。〃
　　〃No；　really。　This　might　be　the　place　to　do　it。　Set　yourself　up　in　practice；　catering　to　the　rich。　That　Duke's　family；　say。　Then；　when　your　girlfriend　gets　here；　you　pop　the　question　and　you're　all　set。〃
　　Daggers　of　ice　drove　into　my　soul；　twisting。　I　croaked；　〃Girlfriend？〃
　　He　grinned。　〃Sure。　Nobody　told　you？　She's　ing　out　for　the　big　show。　Going　to　run　it　personally。　Be　your　big　chance。〃
　　My　big　chance。　But　for　what？
　　He　was　talking　about　the　Lady；　of　course。　It　had　been　years；　but　still　they　rode　me　about　some　romantic　stories　I　wrote　before　I　actually　met　the　Lady。　They　always　ride　anybody　about　anything　they　know　will　get　their　goat。　All　part　of　the　game。　All　part　of　the　brotherhood。
　　I　bet　the　son…of…a…bitch　had　been　boiling　with　the　news　since　first　he　heard　it；　waiting　to　spring　in　on　me。
　　The　Lady。　ing　to　Juniper。
　　I　considered　deserting　for　real。　While　there　was　a　ship　or　two　left　to　get　away。
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Six：　JUNIPER：　FIREWORKS
　　
　　The　castle　lulled　us。　Let　us　think　we　could　slam　the　door　without　a　squawk。　For　two　days　the　labor　crews　ripped　at　the　north　ridge；　gouging　out　a　good　deep　trench；　getting　up　much　of　the　needed　stockade；　hammering　out　a　nice　beginning　of　a　mine。　Then　they　let　us　in　on　their　displeasure。
　　It　was　a　little　bit　chaotic　and　a　whole　lot　hairy；　and　in　retrospect；　it　seems　it　may　not　have　started　as　what　it
became。
　　It　was　a　moonless　night；　but　labor　crews　were　working　by　firelight；　torchlight；　lanternlight。　The　Lieutenant　had　wooden　towers　going　up　each　hundred　feet　where　the　trench　and　palisade　were　plete；　and　nearby　them　small　ballistae　for　mounting　atop　them。　A　waste　of　time；　I　thought。　What　value　mundane　siege　equipment　against　minions　of　the　Dominator？　But　the　Lieutenant　was　our　siege　specialist。　He　was　determined　to　do　things　properly；　by　the　numbers；　even　if　the　ballistae　never　were　used。　They　had　to　be　available。
　　Sharp…eyed　pany　members　were　in　the　towers　near…ing　pletion；　trying　to　see　into　the　castle。　One　detected　movement　at　the　gate。　Instead　of　raising　a　fuss；　he　sent　a　message　down。　The　Lieutenant　went　up。　He　decided　that　someone　had　left　the　castle　and　slipped　around　to　One…Eye's　side。　He　had　drums　sounded；　trumpets　blown；　and　fire　arrows　shot　into　the　air。
　　The　alarm　wakened　me。　I　rushed　up　to　see　what　was　happening。　For　a　while　there　was　nothing　to　see。
　　On　the　far　slope　One…Eye　and　Shaky　stood　to　arms。　Their　workers　panicked。　Many　were　killed　or　crippled　trying　to　flee　across　the　brushy；　rocky；　steep　slope。　A　minority　had　sense　enough　to　stand　fast。
　　The　castle　folks　wanted　to　make　a　quick　strike　and　catch　some　of　One…Eye's　workers；　drag　them　inside；　and　plete　whatever　rites　were　necessary　to　bring　the　Dominator　through。　Once　they　were　discovered；　their　strategy　shifted。　The　men　in　the　towers　yelled　that　more　were　ing　out。　The　Lieutenant　ordered　harassing　fire。　He　had　a　couple　of　small　trebuchets　chuck　balls　of　burning　brush　into　the　area　near　the　gate。　And　he　sent　men　to　find　Goblin　and　Silent；　figuring　they　could　do　more　than　he　to　provide　needed　illumination。
　　Goblin　was　down　in　the　Buskin。　It　would　take　him　an　hour　to　respond。　I　had　no　idea　where　Silent　might　be。　I　had　not　seen　him；　though　he　had　been　in　Juniper　a　week。　The　Lieutenant　had　signal　fires　lighted　to　warn　watchers　on　Ouretile's　walls　that　we　had　a　situation。
　　The　Taken　above　finally　came　down　to　investigate。　It　proved　to　be　the　Limper。　His　first　act　was　to　take　a　handful　of　javelins；　do　something　to　them；　then　cast　them　to　earth　from　above。　They　became　pillars　of　chartreuse　light　between　trench　and　castle。
　　On　the　far　slope　One…Eye　provided　his　own　illumination　by　spinning　spiderwebs　of　violet　and