gc.shadowslinger-第39部分

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　　If　it　wasn't　the　thing　that　had　pursued　the　Lieutenant；　Elmo；　One…Eye　and　me　that　day；　it　was　a　close　cousin。　There　wasn't　much　flash　or　smoke　when　they　used　it　on　the　slope；　but　huge　holes　appeared；　often　with　bloody　pulp　smashed　into　their　bottoms。
　　All　this　happened　so　swiftly；　so　dramatically；　that　nobody　really　had　time　to　think。　I　don't　doubt　that　even　the　pany　would　have　run　had　events　been　stretched　out　enough　to　allow　thinking　time。　As　it　was；　in　their　confusion；　the　men　had　a　chance　only　to　pursue　roles　for　which　they　had　been　preparing　since　reaching　Juniper。　They　stood　their　ground　and；　too　often；　died。
　　The　Limper　scampered　around　the　slope　like　an　insane　chicken；　cackling　and　hunting　creatures　who　hadn't　died　on　the　steps。　There　were　a　score　of　those；　most　surrounded　by　angry　soldiers。　Some　of　the　creatures　were　slain　by　their　own　side；　for　those　knots　made　tempting　targets　for　the　booming　spell。
　　Teams　of　creatures　appeared　on　the　ramparts；　assembling　devices　like　the　one　we'd　seen　them　try　to　use　before。　This　time　there　was　no　Taken　above　to　drop　and　give　them　hell。
　　Not　till　fool　Journey　came　rushing　past　the　hospital；　looking　cruelly　battered；　and　stole　the　Limper's　carpet。
　　It　had　been　my　notion　that　one　Taken　could　not　use　another's　vehicle。　Not　so；　apparently；　for　Journey　got　the　thing　aloft　and　dove　upon　the　castle　again；　dumping　dust　and　another　fire　egg。　The　castle　knocked　him　down　again；　and　despite　the　tumult；　I　heard　the　Limper　howling　and　cursing　him　for　it。
　　Ever　see　how　a　child　draws　a　straight　line？　None　too　straight。　Something　as　shaky　as　a　child's　hand　scribbled　a　wobbly　line　from　Duretile　to　the　black　castle。　It　hung　against　the　night　like　an　improbable　clothesline；　wriggling；　of　indeterminate　color；　irridescent。　Its　tip　threw　sparks　off　the　obsidian　material；　like　the　meeting　of　flint　and　steel　magnified　ten　thousand　times；　generating　an　actinic　glare　too　intense　to　view　directly。　The　entire　slope　was　bathed　in　wild　bluish　light。
　　I　put　aside　my　instruments　and　stepped　out　to　better　observe；　for　down　in　my　gut　I　knew　the　Lady　anchored　the　nether　end　of　that　scrawl；　having　entered　the　lists　for　the　first　time。　She　was　the　big　one；　the　most　powerful；　and　if　the　castle　could　be　reduced　at　all；　hers　was　the　might　that　would　do　it。
　　The　Lieutenant　must　have　been　distracted。　For　a　few　seconds　his　fires　dwindled。　A　half…dozen　castle　creatures　went　up　the　steps；　dragging　two　and　three　corpses　apiece。　A　rush　of　their　patriots　came　out　to　meet　the　Limper；　who　was　in　hot　pursuit。　My　guess　is　they　got　twelve　bodies　inside。　Some　might　not　have　lost　the　spark　of　life　entirely。
　　Chunks　flew　from　the　castle　where　the　Lady's　line　touched；　each　blazing　with　that　brilliant　light。　Thin　cracks；　in　crimson；　appeared　against　the　black；　spreading　slowly。　The　creatures　assembling　the　devices　retreated；　were　replaced　by　others　trying　to　lessen　the　effects　of　the　Lady's　attack。　They　had　no　luck。　Several　were　knocked　down　by　missiles　from　the　Lieutenant's　batteries。
　　The　Limper　reached　the　head　of　the　stairs　and　stood　limned　against　the　glow　of　a　section　of　castle　still　afire；　sword　raised　high。　A　giant　runt；　if　you　will　pardon　the　contradiction。　He　is　a　tiny　thing；　yet　stood　huge　at　that　moment。　He　bellowed；　〃Follow　me！〃　and　charged　down　the　ramp。
　　To　my　everlasting　amazement；　men　followed　him。　Hundreds　of　men。　I　saw　Elmo　and　the　remnants　of　his　pany　go　roaring　up；　across；　and　disappear。　Even　scores　of　gutsy　citizens　decided　to　take　part。
　　Part　of　the　story　of　Marron　Shed　had　e　out　recently；　without　names　or　such；　but　with　heavy　emphasis　on　how　much　wealth　he　and　Raven　had　garnered。　Obviously；　the　story　had　been　planted　against　this　moment；　when　a　storm　of　manpower　would　be　needed　to　subdue　the　castle。　In　ensuing　minutes　the　call　of　wealth　led　many　a　man　from　the　Buskin　up　those　steps。
　　Down　on　the　far　side　of　the　castle　Whisper　reached　One…Eye's　camp。　One…Eye　and　his　men；　of　course；　had　stood　to　arms；　but　had　taken　part　in　nothing　yet。　His　mine　operation　had　stalled　once　he　was　certain　there　was　no　way　to　get　around　or　to　breech　the　substance　of　the　castle。
　　Whisper　brought　one　of　those　eggs　of　fire；　planted　it　against　the　obsidian　exposed　by　One…Eye's　mine。　She　set　it　off　and　let　it　gnaw　at　the　fortress's　underbelly。
　　That；　I　learned　later；　had　been　in　the　plan　for　some　time。　She　had　done　some　fancy　flying　to　bring　her　crippled　carpet　down　near　One…Eye　so　she　could　carry　it　out。
　　Seeing　the　men　pour　into　the　castle；　seeing　the　walls　abandoned　and　being　broken　up　by　the　Lady；　seeing　fires　burning　unchecked；　I　decided　the　battle　was　ours　and　was　all　over　but　the　crying。　I　went　back　into　the　hospital　and　resumed　cutting　and　stitching；　setting　and　just　plain　shaking　my　head　over　men　for　whom　there　was　nothing　I　could　do。　I　wished　One…Eye　weren't　on　the　far　side　of　the　ridge。　He'd　always　been　my　principal　assistant；　and　I　missed　him。　While　I　could　not　denigrate　Pockets'　skill；　he　did　not　have　One…Eye's　talent。　Often　there　was　a　man　beyond　my　help　who　could　be　saved　with　a　little　magic。
　　A　whoop　and　howl　told　me　Journey　was　back；　home　from　his　latest　crash　and　rushing　his　enemies　once　more。　And　not　far　behind　him　came　those　elements　of　the　pany　which　had　been　stationed　in　the　Buskin。　The　Lieutenant　met　Candy　and　prevented　him　from　rushing　over　the　ramp。　Instead；　he　manned　the　perimeter　and　began　rounding　up　those　laborers　who　could　be　found　still　close　to　the　action。　He　started　putting　things　back　together。
　　The　bam！　weapon　had　continued　pounding　away　all　along。　Now　it　began　to　falter。　The　Lieutenant　loudly　cursed　the　fact　that　there　were　no　carpets　to　drop　fire　eggs。
　　There　was　one。　The　Lady's。　And　I　was　sure　she　knew　the　situation。　But　she　did　not　abandon　her　rope　of　irridescent　light。　She　must　have　felt　it　to　be　more　important。
　　Down　in　the　mine　the　fire　gnawed　through　the　bottom　of　the　fortress。　A　hole　slowly　expanded。　One…Eye　says　there　is　very　little　heat　associated　with　those　flames。　The　moment　Whisper　considered　it　opportune；　she　led　his　force　into　the　fortress。
　　One…Eye　says　he　really　considered　going；　but　had　a　bad　feeling　about　it。　He　watched　the　mob　charge　in；　workers　and　all；　then　hiked　around　to　our　side。　He　joined　me　in　the　hospital　and　updated　me　as　he　worked。
　　Moments　after　he　arrived；　the　backside　of　the　castle　collapsed。　The　whole　earth　rumbled。　A　long　roar　rolled　down　the　thousand　feet　of　the　back　slope。　Very　dramatic；　but　to　little　effect。　The　castle　creatures　were　not　inconvenienced　at　all。
　　Parts　of　the　forewall　were　falling　too；　broken　by　the　Lady's　incessant　attack。
　　pany　members　continued　to　arrive；　acpanied　by　frightened　formations　of　the　Duke's　men　and　even　some　Custodians　rigged　out　as　soldiers。　The　Lieutenant　fed　them　into　his　lines。　He　allowed　no　one　else　to　enter　the　castle。
　　Strange　lights　and　fires；　fell　howls　and　noises；　and　terrible；　terrible　odors　came　out　of　that　place。　I　don't　know　what　happened　in　there。　Maybe　I　never　will。　I　gather　that　hardly　anyone　came　back。
　　A　strange；　deep…throated；　almost　inaudible　moaning　began。　It　had　me　shuddering　before　I　noted　it　consciously。　It　climbed　in　pitch　with　extreme　deliberation；　in　volume　much　more　rapidly。　Soon　it　shook　the　whole　ridge。　It　came　from　everywhere　at　once。　After　a　while　it　seemed　to　have　meaning；　like　speech　incredibly　slowed。　I　could　detect　a　rhythm；　like　words　stretched　over　minutes。
　　One　thought。　One　thought　alone。　The　Dominator。　He　was　ing　through。
　　For　an　instant　I　thought　I　could　interpret　the　words。　〃Ardath；　you　bitch。〃　But　that　went　away；　chased　by　fear。　Goblin　appeared　at　the　hospital；　looked　us　over；　and　seemed　relieved　to　find　One…Eye　there。　He　said　nothing；　and　I　got　no　chance　to　ask　what　he　had　been　up　to　recently。　He　returned　to　the　night；　parting　with　a　wave。
　　Silent　appeared　a　few　minutes　later；　looking　grim。　Silent；　my　partner　in　guilty　knowledge；　whom　I　had　not　seen　in　more　than　a　year；　whom　I　had　missed　during　my　visit　to　Duretile。　He　looked　taller；　leaner　and　bleaker　than　ever。　He　nodded；　began　talking　rapidly　in　deaf　speech。　〃There　is　a　ship　on　the　waterfront　flying　a　red　banner。　Go　there　immediately。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Go　to　the　ship　with　the　red　banner　immediately。　Stop　only　to　inform　others　of　the　old　pany。　These　are　orders　from　the　Captain。　They　are　not　to　be　disobeyed。〃
　　〃One…Eye。　。。。〃
　　〃I　caught　it；　Croaker；〃　he　said。　〃What　the　hell；　hey；
　　〃Silent？〃
　　Silent　signed；　〃There　will　be　trouble　with　the　Taken。　This　ship　will　sail　to　Meadenvil；　where　loose　ends　must　be　tied　off。　Those　who　know　too　much　must　disappear。　e。　We　just　gather　the　old　brothers　and　go。〃
　　There　weren't　many　old　brothers　around。　One…Eye　and　I　hurried　around　telling　everyone　we　could　find；　and　in　fifteen　minutes　a　crowd　of　us　were　headed　toward　the　Port　River　bridge；　one　as　baffled　as　another。　I　kept　looking　back。　Elmo　was　inside　the　castle。　Elmo；　who　was　my　best　friend。　Elmo；　who　might　be　taken　by　the　Taken。　。　。　。
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Nine：　ON　THE　RUN
　　
　　Ninety…six　men　reported　aboard；　as　ordered。　A　dozen　were　men　for　whom　the　order　had　not　been　meant；　but　who　could　not　be　sent　away。　Missing　were　a　hundred　brothers　from　the　old　days；　before　we　crossed　the　Sea　of　Torments。　Some　had　died　on　the　slopes。　Some　were　inside　the　castle。　Some　we　hadn't　been　able　to　find。　But　none　of　the　missing　were　men　who　had　dangerous　knowledge；　except　Elmo　and　the　Captain。
　　I　was　there。　Silent；　One…Eye　and　Goblin　were　there。　The　Lieutenant　was　there；　more　baffled　than　anyone　else。　Candy；　Otto；　Hagop。　。　。　。　The　list　goes　on　and　on。　They　were　all　there。
　　But　Elmo　wasn't；　and　the　old　man　wasn't；　and　there　was　a　threat　of　mutiny　when　Silent　passed　the　word　to　put　out　without　them。　〃Orders；〃　was　all　he　would　say；　and　that　in　the　finger　speech　many　of　the　men　could　not　follow；　though　we　had　been　using　it　for　years。　It　was　a　legacy　Darling　had　left　the　pany；　a　mode　of　munication　useful　on　the　hunt　or　battlefield。
　　The　moment　the　ship　was　under　way；　Silent　produced　a　sealed　letter　marked　with　the　Captain's　sign。　Silent　took　the　officers　present　into　the　cabin　of　the　ship's　master。　He　instructed　me　to　read　the　letter　aloud。