gc.shadowslinger-第42部分

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　　〃Okay；〃　Goblin　said。　〃He's　out。〃
　　The　sailor　on　the　quarterdeck　had　slumped　onto　a　handy　stool。　He　had　his　arms　folded　on　the　rail　and　his　forehead　on　his　arms。
　　〃No　Darling；〃　I　said。
　　〃No　Darling。〃
　　〃Anybody　else　around？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Let's　go；　then。　Keep　low；　move　fast；　all　that。〃
　　We　crossed　the　pier　and　scampered　up　the　gangway。　The　sailor　stirred。　Goblin　touched　him　and　he　went　out　like　the　dead。　Goblin　hustled　forward；　then　aft；　to　the　men　on　the　rat　guards。　He　returned　nodding。　〃Another　eight　men　below；　all　asleep。　I'll　put　them　under。　You　go　ahead。〃
　　We　started　with　the　biggest　cabin；　assuming　it　would　be　the　owner's。　It　was。　It　sat　in　the　stern；　where　the　master's　cabin　usually　is；　and　was　split　into　sections。　I　found　things　in　one　indicating　that　it　had　been　occupied　by　Darling。　On　Raven's　side　we　found　soiled　clothing　discarded　some　time　ago。　There　was　enough　dust　to　indicate　that　no　one　had　visited　the　cabin　for　weeks。
　　We　did　not　find　the　papers　I　sought。
　　We　did　find　money。　Quite　a　substantial　amount。　It　was　cunningly　hidden；　but　One…Eye's　sense　for　those　things　is　infallible。　
　　Out　came　a　chest　brimming　with　silver。
　　〃I　don't　reckon　Raven　is　going　to　need　that　if　he's　dead；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃And　if　he　ain't　…　well；　tough。　His　old　buddies　are　in　need。〃
　　The　coins　were　odd。　After　studying　them；　I　recognized　what　that　oddness　was。　They　were　the　same　as　the　coins　Shed　had　received　at　the　black　castle。　〃Sniff　these　things；〃　I　told　One…Eye。　〃They're　black　castle。　See　if　there's　anything　wrong　with　them。〃
　　〃Nope。　Good　as　gold。〃　He　chuckled。
　　〃Uhm。〃　I　hadn't　any　scruples　about　lifting　the　money。　Raven　had　obtained　it　by　foul　means。　That　put　it　up　for　grabs。　It　had　no　provenance；　as　they　say　in　Juniper。　〃Gather　round　here。　I　got　an　idea。〃　I　backed　up　to　the　stern　lights；　where　I　could　watch　the　dock　through　the　glass　window。
　　They　crowded　in　on　me　and　the　chest。　〃What？〃　Goblin　demanded。
　　〃Why　settle　for　the　money？　Why　not　take　the　whole　damned　ship？　If　Raven's　dead；　or　even　faking　he's　dead；　what's　he　going　to　say　about　it？　We　could　make　it　our　headquarters。〃
　　Goblin　liked　the　idea。　So　One…Eye　didn't。　The　more　so　because　ships　had　to　do　with　water。　〃What　about　the　crew？〃　he　asked。　〃What　about　the　harbormaster　and　his　people？　They'd　get　the　law　down　on　us。〃
　　〃Maybe。　But　I　think　we　can　handle　it。　We　move　in　and　lock　the　crew　up；　there's　nobody　to　plain。　Nobody　plains；　why　should　the　harbormaster　be　interested？〃
　　〃The　whole　crew　ain't　aboard。　Some's　out　on　the　town。〃
　　〃We　grab　them　when　they　e　back。　Hell；　man；　what　better　way　to　be　ready　to　move　out　in　a　hurry？　And　what　better　place　to　wait　for　Raven　to　turn　up？〃
　　One…Eye　gave　up　objecting。　He　is　essentially　lazy。　Too；　there　was　a　gleam　in　his　eye　which　said　he　was　thinking　ahead　of　me。　〃Better　talk　to　the　Lieutenant；〃　he　said。　〃He　knows　ships。〃
　　Goblin　knew　One…Eye　well。　〃Don't　look　at　me　if　you're　thinking　about　going　pirate。　I've　had　all　the　adventure　I　want。　I　want　to　go　home。〃
　　They　got　into　it；　and　got　loud　about　it；　and　had　to　be　shut　up。
　　〃Let's　worry　about　getting　through　the　next　few　days；〃　I　growled。　〃What　we　do　later　we　can　worry　about　later。　Look。　We　got　clothes　that　belonged　to　Darling　and　Raven。　Can　you　guys　find　them　now？〃
　　They　put　their　heads　together。　After　some　discussion　Goblin　announced；　〃Silent　thinks　he　can。　Trouble　is；　he　has　to　do　it　like　a　dog。　Lock　on　the　trail　and　follow　around　everywhere　Raven　went。　Right　up　till　he　died。　Or　didn't。　If　he　didn't；　right　on　to　where　he　is　now。〃
　　〃But　that。　。　。　。　Hell。　You're　spotting　him　a　couple　months　lead。〃
　　〃People　spend　a　lot　of　time　not　moving　around；　Croaker。　Silent　would　skip　over　that。〃
　　〃Still　sounds　slow。〃
　　〃Best　you　can　get。　Unless　he　es　to　us。　Which　maybe　he　can't。〃
　　〃All　right。　All　right。　What　about　the　ship？〃
　　〃Ask　the　Lieutenant。　Let's　see　if　we　can　find　your　damned　papers。〃
　　There　were　no　papers。　One…Eye　was　able　to　detect　nothing　hidden　anywhere。　If　I　wanted　to　trace　the　papers；　I'd　have　to　start　with　the　crew。　Someone　had　to　help　Raven　take　them　off。
　　We　left　the　ship。　Goblin　and　Pawnbroker　found　a　good　spot　from　which　they　could　watch　it。　Silent　and　Otto　took　off　on　Raven's　trail。　The　rest　of　us　went　back　and　wakened　the　Lieutenant。　He　thought　taking　the　ship　was　a　good　idea。
　　He'd　never　liked　Raven　much。　I　think　he　was　motivated　by　more　than　practical　considerations。
　　
　　　Chapter　Forty…Two：　MEADENVIL：　THE　REFUGEE
　　
　　The　rumors　and　incredible　stories　swept　through　Meadenvil　rapidly。　Shed　heard　about　the　ship　from　Juniper　within　hours　of　her　arrival。　He　was　stunned。　The　Black　pany　run　out？　Crushed　by　their　masters？　That　made　no　sense。　What　the　hell　was　going　on　up　there？
　　His　mother。　Sal。　His　friends。　What　had　bee　of　them？　If　half　the　stories　were　true；　Juniper　was　a　desolation。　The　battle　with　the　black　castle　had　consumed　the　city。
　　He　wanted　desperately　to　go　find　somebody；　ask　about　his　people。　He　fought　the　urge。　He　had　to　forget　his　homeland。　Knowing　that　Croaker　and　his　bunch；　the　whole　thing　could　be　a　trick　to　smoke　him　out。
　　For　a　day　he　remained　in　hiding；　in　his　rented　room；　debating；　till　he　convinced　himself　that　he　should　do　nothing。　If　the　pany　was　on　the　run；　it　would　be　leaving　again。　Soon。　Us　former　masters　would　be　looking　for　it。
　　Would　the　Taken　e　after　him；　too？　No。　They　had　no　quarrel　with　him。　They　did　not　care　about　his　crimes。　Only　the　Custodians　wanted　him。　。。。　He　wondered　about　Bullock；　rotting　in　prison；　accused　of　Raven's　murder。　He　did　not　understand　that　at　all；　but　was　too　nervous　to　investigate。　The　answer　was　not　significant　in　the　equation　of　Marron　Shed's　survival。
　　After　his　day　in　isolation　he　decided　to　resume　his　quest　for　a　place　of　business。　He　was　looking　for　a　partnership　in　a　tavern；　having　decided　to　stick　with　what　he　knew。
　　It　had　to　be　a　better　place。　One　that　would　not　lead　him　into　financial　difficulties　the　way　the　Lily　had。　Each　time　he　recalled　the　Lily；　he　suffered　moments　of　homesickness　and　nostalgia；　of　bottomless　loneliness。　He　had　been　a　loner　all　his　life；　but　never　alone。　This　exile　was　filled　with　pain。
　　He　was　walking　a　narrow；　shadowed　street；　slogging　uphill　through　mud　left　by　a　nighttime　rain；　when　something　in　the　corner　of　his　eye　sent　chills　to　the　deeps　of　his　soul。　He　stopped　and　whirled　so　swiftly　he　knocked　another　pedestrian　down。　As　he　helped　the　man　rise；　apologizing　profusely；　he　glared　into　the　shadows　of　an　alley。
　　〃Conscience　playing　tricks　on　me；　I　guess；〃　he　murmured；　after　parting　with　his　victim。　But　he　knew　better。　He　had　seen　it。　Had　heard　his　name　called　softly。　He　went　to　the　mouth　of　the　gap　between　buildings。　But　it　had　not　waited　for　him。
　　A　block　later　he　laughed　nervously；　trying　to　convince　himself　it　had　been　a　trick　of　imagination　after　all。　What　the　hell　would　the　castle　creatures　be　doing　in　Meadenvil？　They'd　been　wiped　out。　。　。　。　But　the　pany　guys　who　had　fled　here　didn't　know　that　for　sure；　did　they？　They　had　run　off　before　the　fight　was　over。　They　just　hoped　their　bosses　had　won；　because　the　other　side　was　even　worse　than　theirs。
　　He　was　being　silly。　How　could　the　creature　have　gotten　here？　No　ship's　master　would　sell　passage　to　a　thing　like　that。
　　〃Shed；　you're　worrying　yourself　silly　about　nothing。〃　He　entered　a　tavern　called　The　Ruby　Glass；　operated　by　a　man　named　Selkirk。　Shed's　landlord　had　remended　both。
　　Their　discussions　were　fruitful。　Shed　agreed　to　return　the　following　afternoon。
　　Shed　was　sharing　a　beer　with　his　prospective　partner。　His　proposition　seemed　beneficial；　for　Selkirk　had　satisfied　himself　as　to　his　character　and　now　was　trying　to　sell　him　on　the　Ruby　Glass。　〃Night　business　will　pick　up　once　the　scare　is　over。〃
　　〃Scare？〃
　　〃Yeah。　Some　people　have　disappeared　around　the　neighborhood。　Five　or　six　in　the　last　week。　After　dark。　Not　the　kind　usually　grabbed　by　the　press　gangs。　So　people　have　been　staying　inside。　We　aren't　getting　the　usual　night
traffic。〃
　　The　temperature　seemed　to　drop　forty　degrees。　Shed　sat　rigid　as　a　board；　eyes　vacant；　the　old　fear　sliding　through　him　like　the　passage　of　snakes。　His　fingers　rose　to　the　shape　of　the　amulet　hidden　beneath　his　shirt。　〃Hey；　Marron；　what's　the　matter？〃
　　〃That's　how　it　started　in　Juniper；〃　he　said；　unaware　that　he　was　speaking。　〃Only　it　was　just　the　dead。　But　they　wanted　them　living。　If　they　could　get　them。　I　have　to　go。〃
　　〃Shed？　What　the　hell　is　wrong？〃　He　came　out　of　it　momentarily。　〃Oh。　Sorry；　Selkirk。　Yeah。　We　have　a　deal。　But　there's　something　I　have　to　do　first。　Something　I　need　to　check　on。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Nothing　to　do　with　you。　With　us。　We're　ready　to　go。　I'll　bring　my　stuff　up　tomorrow　and　we　can　get　together　with　the　people　we　need　to　close　the　deal　legally。　I　just　have　something　else　to　do　right　now。〃
　　He　went　out　of　the　place　practically　running；　not　sure　what　he　could　do　or　where　he　could　start；　not　even　if　he　was　sane　in　his　assumption。　But　he　was　sure　that　what　had　happened　in　Juniper　would　reoccur　in　Meadenvil。　And　a　lot　faster　if　the　creatures　were　doing　their　own　collecting。　He　touched　his　amulet　again；　wondering　how　much　protection　it　afforded。　Was　it　puissant？　Or　just　a　promise？　He　hurried　to　his　rooming　house；　where　people　were　patient　with　his　questions；　knowing　he　was　from　out　of　town。　He　asked　about　Raven。　The　murder　had　been　the　talk　of　the　town；　what　with　a　foreign　policeman　having　been　charged　on　the　accusation　of　his　own　men。　　But　nobody　knew　anything。　There　was　no　eyewitness　to　Raven's　death　except　Asa。　And　Asa　was　in　Juniper。　Probably　dead。
　　The　Black　pany　would　not　have　wanted　him　turning　witness　against　them。
　　He　shed　an　impulse　to　contact　the　survivors。　They　might　want　him　out　of　the　way；　too。
　　He　was　on　his　own　with　this。
　　The　place　where　Raven　had　died　seemed　a　likely　place　to　start。　Who　knew　where　that　was？　Asa。　Asa　was　not　available。　Who　else？　How　about　Bullock？
　　His　guts　knotted。　Bullock　represented　everything　he　feared　back　home。　In　a　cage　here；　but　still　very　much　a　symbol。　Could　he　face　the　man？
　　Would　the　man　tell　him　anything？
　　Finding　Bullock