gc.shadowslinger-第51部分

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　　I　stared　at　the　necklace　Shed　had　worn。　I　had　to　leave　it　for　the　Lady；　yet　the　silver　in　it　might　bee　a　lifesaver　down　the　long　road　we　had　to　travel。　I　screwed　up　my　courage　and　began　digging　out　the　eyes。
　　〃What　the　hell　you　doing？〃
　　〃Going　to　leave　these　with　the　Limper。　Going　to　feed　them　to　him。　I　figure　they'll　hatch。〃
　　〃Ha！〃　Goblin　said。　〃Ironic。　Fitting。〃
　　〃I　thought　it　an　interesting　turn　of　justice。　Give　him　back　to　the　Dominator。〃
　　〃And　the　Lady　will　have　to　destroy　him。　I　like　it。〃
　　Grudgingly；　One…Eye　agreed。
　　〃Thought　you　guys　would。　Go　see　if　they've　got　everybody　buried。〃
　　〃Only　been　ten　minutes　since　they　got　back　with　the　bodies。〃
　　〃All　right。　Go　help。〃　I　levered　myself　up　and　went　to　check　on　the　men　I　had　patched　up。　I　don't　know　if　everyone　Hagop　and　Otto　brought　back　from　the　ambush　site　was　dead　when　they　got　there。　They　certainly　were　now。　Kingpin　had　been　dead　for　a　long　time；　though　they　had　brought　him　to　me　to　examine。
　　My　patients　were　doing　fine。　One　was　aware　enough　to　be　frightened。　I　patted　his　arm　and　limped　outside。
　　They　had　King　in　the　ground　now；　beside　Shed　and　Bullock　and　the　Limper's　boy　they　had　buried　earlier。　Only　two　corpses　remained　unburied。　Asa　was　making　the　dirt　fly。　Everyone　else　stood　and　watched。　Till　they　saw　me　glowering。
　　〃What's　the　take？〃　I　asked　the　fat　man。　I'd　had　him　strip　the　dead　of　valuables。
　　〃Not　a　lot。〃　He　showed　me　a　hat　filled　with　odds　and　ends。
　　〃Take　what　you　need　to　cover　the　damages。〃
　　〃You　guys　will　need　it　more　than　me。〃
　　〃You're　out　a　wagon　and　a　team；　not　to　mention　the　dogs。　Take　what　you　need。　I　can　always　rob　somebody　I　don't　like。〃　No　one　knew　that　I　had　filched　Shed's　purse。　Its　weight　had　surprised　me。　It　would　be　my　secret　reserve。　〃Take　a　couple　horses；　too。〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　not　getting　caught　with　somebody　else's　animals　after　the　dust　settles　and　the　Prince　starts　looking　for　scapegoats。〃　He　selected　a　few　silver　coins。　〃I　got　what　I　wanted。〃
　　〃Okay。　You'd　better　hide　in　the　woods　for　a　while。　The　Lady　will　e　here。　She's　nastier　than　the　Limper。〃
　　〃Will　do。〃
　　〃Hagop。　If　you're　not　going　to　dig；　go　get　the　horses　ready。　Move！〃　I　beckoned　Silent。　He　and　I　dragged　the　Limper　to　a　shade　tree　out　front。　Silent　tossed　a　rope　over　a　limb。　I　forced　the　eyes　of　the　serpents　down　the　Taken's　throat。　We　hoisted　him　up。　He　turned　slowly　in　the　chill　moonlight。　I　rubbed　my　hands　together　and　considered　him。　〃Took　a　while；　guy；　but　somebody　finally　got　you。〃　For　ten　years　I　had　wanted　to　see　him　go　down。　He　had　been　the　most　inhuman　of　the　Taken。
　　Asa　came　to　me。　〃All　buried；　Croaker。〃
　　〃Good。　Thanks　for　the　help。〃　I　started　toward　the　barn。
　　〃Can　I　go　with　you　guys？〃
　　I　laughed。
　　〃Please；　Croaker？　Don't　leave　me　here　where。　。　。　。〃
　　〃I　don't　give　a　damn；　Asa。　But　don't　expect　me　to　look　out　for　you。　And　don't　try　any　slick　tricks。　I'd　as　soon　kill　you　as　look　at　you。〃
　　〃Thanks；　Croaker。〃　He　raced　ahead；　hastily　saddled　another　horse。　One…Eye　looked　at　me　and　shook　his　head。
　　〃Mount　up；　men。　Let's　go　find　Raven。〃
　　Though　we　pushed　hard；　we　were　not　twenty　miles　south　of　the　inn　when　something　hit　my　mind　like　a　fighter's　fist。　A　golden　cloud　materialized；　radiating　anger。　〃You　have　exhausted　my　patience；　physician。〃
　　〃You　exhausted　mine　a　long　time　ago。〃
　　〃You'll　rue　this　murder。〃
　　〃I'll　exult　in　it。　It's　the　first　decent　thing　I've　done　this　side　of　the　Sea　of　Torments。　Go　find　your　castle　eggs。　Leave　me　alone。　We're　even。〃
　　〃Oh；　no。　You　will　hear　from　me　again。　As　soon　as　I　close　the　last　door　on　my　husband。〃
　　〃Don't　press　your　luck；　old　witch。　I'm　ready　to　get　out　of　the　game。　Push　and　I'll　learn　TelleKurre。〃
　　That　caught　her　from　the　blind　side。　〃Ask　Whisper　what　she　lost　in　the　Forest　of　Cloud　and　hoped　to　recover　in　Meadenvil。　Then　reflect　upon　what　an　angry　Croaker　could　do　with　it　if　he　knew　where　to　find　it。〃
　　There　was　a　vertiginous　moment　as　she　withdrew。　
　　I　found　my　panions　looking　at　me　weirdly。　〃Just　saying　good…bye　to　my　girl；〃　I　told　them。　　We　lost　Asa　in　Shaker。　We　took　a　day　off　there；　to　prepare　for　the　next　leg；　and　when　it　came　time　to　leave；　Asa　was　not　to　be　seen。　Nobody　bothered　looking　for　him。　On　Shed's　behalf　I　left　him　with　a　wish　for　luck。　Judging　from　his　past；　he　probably　had　it；　and　all　bad。　My　farewell　to　the　Lady　did　not　take。　Three　months　to　the　day　after　the　Limper's　fall；　as　we　were　resting　prior　to　hazarding　the　last　range　of　hills　between　us　and　Chimney；　the　golden　cloud　visited　me　again。　This　time　the　Lady　was　less　belligerent。　In　fact；　she　seemed　mildly　amused。
　　〃Greetings；　physician。　I　thought　you　might　want　to　know；　for　the　sake　of　your　Annals；　that　the　threat　of　the　black　castle　no　longer　exists。　Every　seed　has　been　located　and　destroyed。〃　More　amusement。　〃There　is　no　way　my　husband　can　rise　short　of　exhumation。　He　is　cut　off；　totally　incapable　of　municating　with　his　sympathizers。　A　permanent　army　occupies　the　Barrowland。〃
　　I　could　think　of　nothing　to　say。　It　was　no　less　than　I　had　expected；　and　had　hoped　she　would　acplish；　for　she　was　the　lesser　evil；　and；　I　suspect；　remained　possessed　of　a　spark　that　had　not　mitted　itself　to　the　darkness。　She　had　shown　restraint　on　several　occasions　when　she　could　have　indulged　her　cruelty。　Maybe　if　she　felt　unchallenged；　she　would　drift　toward　the　light　rather　than　farther　toward　the　shadow。
　　〃I　interviewed　Whisper。　With　the　Eye。　Stand　clear；　Croaker。''
　　Never　before　had　she　called　me　by　name。　I　sat　up　and　took　notice。　There　was　no　amusement　in　her　now。
　　〃Stand　clear？〃
　　〃Of　those　papers。　Of　the　girl。〃
　　〃Girl？　What　girl？〃
　　〃Don't　e　the　innocent。　I　know。　You　left　a　wider　trail　than　you　thought。　And　even　dead　men　answer　questions　for　one　who　knows　how　they　must　be　asked。　Such　of　your　pany　as　remained　when　I　returned　to　Juniper　told　most　of　the　story。　If　you　wish　to　live　out　your　days　in　peace；　kill　her。　If　you　don't；　I　will。　Along　with　anyone　near　her。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃　　Amusement　again；　but　a　hard　sort。　A　malignant　sort。　〃Keep　your　Annals；　physician。　I　will　be　in　touch。　I　will　keep　you　apprised　of　the　advance　of　the　empire。〃　Puzzled；　I　asked；　〃Why？〃
　　〃Because　it　amuses　me。　Behave　yourself。〃　She　faded　away。
　　We　went　down　into　Chimney；　tired　men　three…quarters　dead。　We　found　the　Lieutenant　and　the　ship　and…Lo！　…Darling；　who　was　living　aboard　with　the　pany。　The　Lieutenant　had　taken　employment　with　the　private　constabulary　of　a　mercantile　factor。　He　added　our　names　to　the　roll　as　soon　as　we　recuperated。　We　did　not　find　Raven。　Raven　had　evaded　reconciliation　or　confrontation　with　his　old　rades　by　cheating　his　way　out。　Fate　is　a　fickle　bitch　who　dotes　on　irony。　After　all　he　had　been　through；　all　he　had　done；　all　he　had　survived；　the　very　morning　the　Lieutenant　arrived　he　slipped　on　a　wet　marble　diving　platform　in　a　public　bath；　split　his　head　open；　fell　into　the　pool；　and　drowned。
　　I　refused　to　believe　it。　It　could　not　be　true；　after　what　he　had　pulled　up　north。　I　dug　around。　I　poked。　I　pried。　But　there　were　scores　of　people　who　had　seen　the　body。　The　most　reliable　witness　of　all；　Darling；　was　absolutely　convinced。　In　the　end；　I　had　to　give　in。　This　time　no　one　would　hear　my　doubts。　The　Lieutenant　himself　claimed　to　have　seen　and　recognized　the　corpse　as　the　flames　of　a　pyre　had　risen　about　it　the　morning　of　his　arrival。　It　was　there　he　had　encountered　Darling　and　had　brought　her　back　into　the　keeping　of　the　Black　pany。
　　What　could　I　say？　If　Darling　believed；　it　must　be　true。　Raven　could　never　lie　to　her。　Nineteen　days　after　our　arrival　in　Chimney；　there　was　another　arrival；　which　explained　the　Lady's　nebulous　remark　about　interviewing　only　those　she　could　find　when　she　returned　to　Juniper。　Elmo　rode　into　town　with　seventy　men；　many　brethren　from　the　old　days；　whom　he　had　spirited　out　of　Juniper　while　all　the　Taken　were　absent　but　Journey；　and　Journey　was　in　such　a　　state　of　confusion　due　to　conflicting　orders　from　the　Lady　that　he　let　slip　the　true　state　of　affairs　in　Meadenvil。　He　　followed　me　down　the　coast。
　　So；　in　two　years；　the　Black　pany　had　crossed　the　breadth　of　the　world；　from　the　nethermost　east　to　the　farthest　west；　close　to　four　thousand　miles；　and　in　the　process　had　e　near　destruction；　and　had　found　a　new　purpose；　a　new　life。　We　were　now　the　champions　of　the　White　Rose；　a　bedraggled　joke　of　a　nucleus　for　the　force　legend　destined　to　bring　the　Lady　down。
　　I　did　not　believe　a　word　of　that。　But　Raven　had　told　Darling　what　she　was；　and　she；　at　least；　was　ready　to　play　her　part。
　　We　could　but　try。
　　I　hoisted　a　glass　of　wine　in　the　master's　cabin。　Elmo；　Silent；　One…Eye；　Goblin；　the　Lieutenant　and　Darling　raised　theirs。　Above；　men　prepared　to　cast　off。　Elmo　had　brought　the　pany　treasure　chest。　We　had　no　need　to　work。　I　proposed　my　toast。　〃To　the　twenty…nine　years。〃　　Twenty…nine　years。　According　to　legend　it　would　be　that　long　before　the　Great　et　returned　and　fortune　would　smile　upon　the　White　Rose。
　　They　responded；　〃The　twenty…nine　years。〃
　　I　thought　I　detected　the　faintest　hint　of　gold　in　the　corner　of　my　eye；　felt　the　faintest　hint　of　amusement。







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