df.therunelords-第6部分

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　Yet　beyond　the　castle　walls；　beyond　the　farms　and　haycrofts；　in　the　ruddy　hills　of　the　Dunnwood　to　the　south　and　west；　dust　rose　in　small　clouds　along　the　roads　for　miles。　People　were　traveling　to　the　fair　from　distant　kingdoms。　Already；　dozens　of　colorful　silk　pavilions　had　been　set　out　before　the　castle　gates。　In　the　next　few　days；　the　population　of　the　city　would　soar　from　ten　thousand　to　four　or　five　times　that　number。
　Iome　looked　back　at　the　corporal。　Clewes　seemed　like　a　cold　man　to　have　been　sent　to　carry　such　ill　news。　Blood　had　been　everywhere　after　the　fight。　That　much　Iome　could　see。　Crimson　smeared　the　corporal's　boots；　stained　the　silver　boar　embroidered　into　the　black　of　his　livery。　The　corporal　himself　must　have　carried　Sergeant　Dreys　up　to　the　mon。
　〃So　the　fellow　killed　two　men　and　wounded　a　third；〃　Iome　said。　〃A　heavy　loss；　for　a　mere　brawl。　Did　you　dispatch　the　spice　merchant　yourself？〃　If　he　had；　she　decided；　the　corporal　would　get　a　reward。　Perhaps　a　jeweled　pin。
　〃No；　milady。　Uh；　we　busted　him　up　a　bit；　but　he's　still　alive。　He's　from　Muyyatin。　A　fellow　named　Hariz　al　Jwabala。　We　didn't　dare　kill　him。　We　wanted　to　question　him。〃　The　corporal　scratched　the　side　of　his　nose；　displeased　at　having　left　the　trader　alive。
　Iome　began　to　stroll　toward　the　Bailey　Gate；　wanting　to　be　with　Chemoise。　With　a　nod；　she　indicated　that　the　corporal　should　follow；　as　did　her　Days。
　〃I　see。。。〃　Iome　mused；　unsettled。　A　rich　merchant　then；　from　a　suspect　nation。　e　to　the　city　for　next　week's　fair。　〃And　what　was　a　spice　trader　from　Muyyatin　doing　in　Cat's　Alley　before　dawn？〃
　Corporal　Clewes　bit　his　lip；　as　if　unwilling　to　answer；　then　said　coldly；　〃Spying；　if　you　ask　me。〃　His　voice　choked　with　rage；　and　now　he　took　his　eyes　from　the　stone　gargoyle　up　on　the　keep's　wall；　where　he'd　been　staring；　and　briefly　glanced　at　Iome；　to　see　her　reaction。
　〃I　do　ask　you；〃　Iome　said。　Clewes　fumbled　to　unlatch　the　gate；　let　Iome　and　her　Days　through。
　〃We've　checked　the　inns；〃　Corporal　Clewes　said。　〃The　merchant　didn't　drink　at　any　of　them　last　night；　or　else　he'd　have　been　escorted　from　the　merchants'　quarter　at　ten　bells。　So　he　couldn't　have　gotten　drunk　in　the　city　walls；　and　I　doubt　he　was　drunk　at　all。　He's　got　rum　on　his　breath；　but　precious　little　of　it。　Besides；　there　was　no　reason　for　him　to　be　creeping　through　the　streets　at　night；　unless　he's　spying　out　the　castle　walls；　trying　to　count　the　guard！　So　when　he　gets　caught；　what　does　he　do？　He　feigns　drunk；　and　waits　for　the　guards　to　closethen；　out　with　the　knife！〃　Clewes　slammed　the　gate　shut。
　Just　around　the　rock　wall；　Iome　could　see　into　the　bailey。　A　dozen　of　the　King's　Guard　stood　there　in　a　knot。　A　physic　knelt　over　Sergeant　Dreys；　and　Chemoise　stood　over　them；　shoulders　hunched；　arms　crossed　tightly　across　her　chest。　An　early…morning　mist　was　rising　from　the　green。
　〃I　see；〃　Iome　whispered；　heart　pounding。　〃Then　you　are　interrogating　the　man？〃　Now　that　they　were　in　the　public　eye；　Iome　stopped　by　the　wall。　
　〃I　wish　we　could！〃　Corporal　Clewes　said。　〃I'd　put　a　coal　to　his　tongue　myself！　But　right　now；　all　the　traders　from　Muyyatin　and　Indhopal　are　in　an　uproar。　They're　calling　for　Jwabala's　release。　Already　they're　threatening　to　post　a　ban　on　the　fair。　And　now　it's　got　the　Master　of　the　Fair　in　a　fright：　Guildmaster　Hollicks　has　gone　to　the　King　himself；　demanding　the　merchant's　release！　Can　you　believe　it？　A　spy！　He　wants　us　to　release　a　murdering　spy！〃
　Iome　took　the　news　in；　surprised。　It　was　extraordinary　that　Hollicks　would　seek　audience　with　the　King　just　after　dawn；　extraordinary　that　the　Southern　merchants　would　threaten　a　ban。　All　of　this　spoke　of　large　matters　spinning　wildly　out　of　control。
　She　glanced　over　her　shoulder。　Her　Days；　a　tiny　woman　with　dark　hair　and　a　perpetually　clenched　jaw；　was　listening。　Standing　quietly　just　outside　the　gate；　petting　a　lanky　yellow　kitten　that　she　held。　Iome　could　read　no　reaction　on　the　Days'　face。　Perhaps　the　Days　already　knew　who　this　spy　was；　knew　who　sent　him。　Yet　the　Days　always　claimed　to　remain　pletely　neutral　of　political　affairs。　They　would　answer　no　questions。
　Iome　considered。　Corporal　Clewes　was　probably　right。　The　merchant　was　a　spy。　Her　father　had　his　own　spies　in　the　Indhopalese　Kingdoms。
　But　if　the　killer　was　a　spy；　it　might　be　impossible　to　prove。　Still；　he'd　killed　two　of　the　City　Guard；　and　wounded　Dreys；　a　sergeant　of　the　King's　Guardand　for　that；　by　all　rights；　the　merchant　should　die。
　But　in　Muyyatin　a　man　who　mitted　a　crime　in　a　drunken　stupor；　even　the　crime　of　murder；　could　not　be　executed。
　Which　meant　that　if　her　father　gave　the　death　sentence；　the　Muyyatinand　all　their　Indhopalese　kinsmen　would　bridle　at　the　injustice　of　the　execution。
　So　they　threatened　a　ban。
　Iome　considered　the　implications　of　such　a　ban。　The　Southern　traders　primarily　sold　spicespepper；　mace；　and　salt　for　curing　meats；　curry；　saffron；　cinnamon；　and　others　for　use　in　foods；　medicinal　herbs。　But　the　traders　brought　much　more：　alum　for　use　in　dyeing　and　tanning　hides；　along　with　indigo　and　various　other　dyes　needed　for　Heredon's　wool。　And　they　carried　other　precious　goodsivory；　silks；　sugar；　platinum；　blood　metal。
　If　these　traders　called　a　ban　on　the　fair；　they'd　deal　a　fearsome　blow　to　at　least　a　dozen　industries。　Even　worse；　without　the　spices　to　preserve　food；　Heredon's　poor　would　not　fare　well　through　the　winter。
　This　year's　Master　of　the　Fair；　Guildmaster　Hollickswho；　as　Master　the　Dyers'　Guild；　stood　to　lose　a　fortune　if　a　ban　succeededwas　suing　for　a　reconciliation。　Iome　didn't　like　Hollicks。　Too　often　he'd　asked　the　King　to　raise　the　import　taxes　on　foreign　cloth；　hoping　thus　to　holster　his　own　sales。　But　even　Hollicks　needed　the　merchandise　the　Indhopalese　brought　to　trade。
　Just　as　desperately；　the　merchants　here　in　Heredon　needed　to　sell　their　own　wool　and　linen　and　fine　steel　to　the　foreigners。　Most　of　the　bourgeois　traders　had　large　amounts　of　money　that　they　both　borrowed　and　loaned。　If　a　ban　were　enforced；　hundreds　of　wealthy　families　would　go　bankrupt。　And　it　was　the　wealthy　families　of　Heredon　who　paid　taxes　to　support　King　Sylvarresta's　knights。
　Indeed；　Sylvarresta　had　his　hand　in　dozens　of　trading　deals　himself。　Even　he　could　not　afford　a　ban。
　Iome's　blood　felt　as　if　it　would　boil。　She　tried　to　resign　herself　to　the　inevitable。　Her　father　would　be　forced　to　release　the　spy；　make　a　reconciliation。　But　she　would　not　like　it。
　For　in　the　long　run；　Iome　knew　full　well；　her　family　could　not　afford　such　reconciliation's：　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　Raj　Ahten；　the　Wolf　Lord　of　Indhopal；　made　war　against　the　bined　kingdoms　of　Rofehavan。　Though　traders　from　Indhopal　crossed　the　deserts　and　mountains　now；　next　yearor　the　year　afterthe　trading　would　have　to　stop。
　Why　not　stop　the　trading　now？　Iome　wondered。　Her　father　could　seize　the　merchandise　brought　by　the　foreign　caravansstarting　the　war　he'd　long　hoped　to　avert。
　But　she　knew　he　would　not　do　it。　King　Jas　Laren　Sylvarresta　would　not　start　a　war。　He　was　too　decent　a　man。
　Poor　Chemoise！　Her　betrothed　lay　near　death；　and　would　not　be　avenged。
　The　girl　had　no　one。　Chemoise's　mother　had　died　young；　her　father；　a　Knight　Equitable；　had　been　taken　captive　six　years　ago　while　on　a　quest　to　Aven。
　〃Thank　you　for　the　news；〃　Iome　told　Corporal　Clewes。　〃I　will　discuss　this　matter　with　my　father。〃
　Iome　hurried　up　now　to　the　knot　of　soldiers。　Sergeant　Dreys　lay　on　a　pallet　in　the　green　grass。　An　ivory…colored　sheet　lay　over　Dreys；　pulled　up　almost　to　his　throat。　Blood　looked　as　if　it　had　been　poured　liberally　over　the　sheet；　and　it　frothed　from　the　corner　of　Dreys'　mouth。　His　pale　face　was　covered　in　sweat。　The　slant　of　the　morning　sunlight　left　him　in　shadows。
　Corporal　Clewes　had　been　right。　Iome　should　not　have　seen　this。　All　the　blood；　the　smell　of　punctured　guts；　the　impending　deathall　nauseated　her。
　A　few　children　from　the　castle　were　up　early　and　had　gathered　to　witness　the　sight。　They　looked　up　at　Iome；　shock　and　pain　in　their　eyes；　as　if　hoping　that　she　could　somehow　smile　and　set　this　whole　tragic　thing　aright。
　Iome　rushed　to　one　small　girl　of　nine；　Jenessee；　and　put　an　arm　around　the　girl；　then　whispered；　〃Please；　take　the　children　away　from　here。〃
　Shaking；　Jenessee　hugged　Iome　briefly；　then　did　as　told。
　A　physic　knelt　over　Dreys。　Yet　the　physic　seemed　in　no　hurry。　He　merely　studied　the　soldier。　When　he　saw　Iome；　saw　her　questioning　look；　the　physic　just　shook　his　head。　He　could　do　nothing
　〃Where　is　the　herbalist；　Binnesman？〃　Iome　asked；　for　the　wizard　was　this　physic's　superior　in　every　way。
　〃He's　gone…to　the　meadows；　gathering　costmary。　He　won't　be　back　until　tonight。〃
　Iome　shook　her　head　in　dismay。　It　was　a　terrible　time　for　her　master　physic　to　be　out　hunting　for　herbs　to　drive　spiders　from　the　castle。　Yet　she　should　have　known。　The　nights　were　growing　colder；　and　she　herself　had　plained　to　Binnesman　yesterday　about　spiders　seeking　warmth　in　her　rooms。
　〃I　fear　there　is　nothing　I　can　do；〃　the　physic　said。　〃I　dare　not　move　him　more；　for　he　bleeds　too　badly。　I　cannot　sew　the　wounds；　but　dare　not　leave　them　open。〃
　〃I　could　give　him　an　endowment；〃　Chemoise　whispered。　〃I　could　give　him　my　stamina。〃　It　was　an　offer　made　in　pure　love。　As　such；　Iome　would　have　wanted　to　honor　it。
　〃And　if　you　did；　would　he　thank　you　for　it？〃　the　physic　asked。　〃Should　you　die　next　time　the　fever　season　es　around；　he'd　rue　the　bargain。〃
　It　was　true。　Chemoise　was　a　sweet　girl；　but　she　showed　no　sign　of　having　more　stamina　than　anyone　else。　She　got　fevers　in　winter；　bruised　easily。　If　she　gave　her　stamina　to　Sergeant　Dreys；　she'd　be　weak　thereafter；　more　susceptible　to　plagues　and　ills。　She'd　never　be　able　to　bear　him　a　child；　carry　it　full…term。
　〃It's　only　his　endowments　of　stamina　that　have　kept　him　alive　this　long；〃　Chemoise　mused。　〃A　little　moreand　he　might　live。〃
　The　physic　shook　his　head。　〃Taking　an　endowment；　even　an　endowment　of　stamina；　gives　some　shock　to　the　system。　I　wouldn't　dare　try。　We　can　only　wait　and　see　if　he　strengthens。。。〃
　Chemoise　nodded。　She　knelt；　cleaned　the　blood　bubbling　from　the　corner　of　Drey's　lips　with　the　corner　of　her　gray　skirt。　Dreys　breathed　hard；　fil