df.therunelords-第9部分

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　Iome　smiled　to　hear　Hollicks　finally　admit　that　the　man　was　a　spy。
　〃Of　course　not；〃　King　Sylvarresta　said。　〃But　the　Indhopal　merchants　claim　him　as　their　own。　They'll　pay　the　ransom　to　save　the　fair。　It's　a　mon　practice　in　Indhopal。　They　say　a　farmer　can　hardly　go　to　market　without　ing　home　to　find　the　neighbors　holding　his　pigs　hostage。〃
　〃And　how　can　you　be　sure　they'll　pay？〃　Iome　asked。
　〃Because　the　merchants　want　to　save　the　fair。　And　because；　I　believe；　Raj　Ahten　has　soldiers　hiding　in　the　Dunnwood；　waiting　for　the　information　this　man　will　give。　At　least　some　of　these　merchants　must　know　thiswhich　is　why　they　are　so　hasty　to　demand　the　fellow's　release。　So　they　will　be　eager　to　ransom　the　spy　lest　we　manage　to　torture　a　confession　from　him。〃
　〃And　why　do　you　suspect　that　warriors　are　hiding　in　the　Dunnwood？〃　Hollicks　asked。
　〃Because　days　ago　I　sent　five　foresters　into　the　woods　to　find　out　where　the　largest　boars　are　laying　up　before　next　week's　hunt。　They　were　to　report　to　me　yesterday　morning。　None　have　returned。　Five　men。　Had　it　been　one；　I'd　suspect　an　accident。　But　these　were　trustworthy　men。　Nothing　would　keep　them　from　obeying　my　mand。　They've　either　been　captured；　or　killed。　I've　sent　scouts　to　confirm　my　fears；　but　I　think　we　already　know　what　they'll　find。〃
　Hollicks'　face　paled　at　this　news。
　〃So；　Raj　Ahten's　soldiers　hide　in　the　Dunnwood；　and　they　need　to　attack　within　the　next　three　daysbefore　the　hunts　begin；　lest　they　be　discovered。〃　King　Sylvarresta　folded　his　hands　behind　his　back；　paced　over　to　the　hearth。
　〃Will　it　be　a　large　battle；　milord？〃　Hollicks　asked。
　Sylvarresta　shook　his　head。　〃I　doubt　it。　Only　some　prewar　maneuvering　is　likely；　so　late　of　the　year。　I　think　we　have　a　band　of　assassins　out　there。　They'll　either　strike　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　seeking　to　weaken　me；　or　they'll　strike　at　the　royal　family　itself。〃
　〃But；　what　of　us　merchants？〃　Hollicks　said。　〃Couldn't　they　as　easily　strike　our　manors？　Why；　why；　no　one　is　safe！〃
　The　idea　that　Raj　Ahten　would　strike　at　the　bourgeois　seemed　ludicrous。
　Sylvarresta　laughed。　〃e；　old　friend；　bolt　your　doors　tonight；　and　you'll　have　nothing　to　fear。　But　now；　I　need　your　counsel。　We　must　set　a　price　for　this　'merchant's'　ransom。　How　much　damage　shall　we　say　he　caused　the　King？〃
　〃I　would　say　a　thousand　silver　hawks；〃　Hollicks　answered　cautiously。
　Iome　had　listened　to　her　father；　followed　his　reasoning　and　found　it　both　flawless　and　infuriating。　〃I　don't　like　the　idea　of　ransoming　this　spy。　It's。。。a　form　of　surrender。　Certainly；　you　aren't　considering　Chemoise's　feelings！　Her　betrothed　was　murdered！〃
　King　Sylvarresta　looked　up　at　Chemoise；　a　certain　sadness；　a　certain　pleading　in　the　troubled　creases　around　his　eyes。　Chemoise's　tears　had　dried；　yet　Iome's　father　looked　as　if　he　could　see　the　sadness　still　burning　there。　〃I　am　sorry；　Chemoise。　You　trust　me；　don't　you？　You　trust　I　am　doing　the　right　thing？　If　I　am　right；　you'll　have　that　murderer's　head　on　a　stick　by　the　end　of　the　weekplus　a　thousand　silver　hawks　of　the　ransom　money。〃
　〃Of　course；　as　you　please；　milord；〃　Chemoise　said。　She　could　hardly　debate　the　matter。
　〃Good；〃　Sylvarresta　said；　taking　Chemoise's　words　at　face　value。　〃Now；　Master　Hollicks；　let's　consider　that　ransom。　A　thousand　pieces　of　silver；　you　say？　Then　it's　good　you're　not　king。　We'll　start　by　demanding　twenty　times　thatalong　with　fifty　pounds　of　mace；　fifty　of　pepper；　and　two　thousand　of　salt。　And　I'll　want　blood　metal。　How　much　have　the　traders　weighed　in　this　year？〃
　〃Why；　I　don't　know　for　certain！〃　Hollicks　said；　all　a　bluster　at　the　King's　outrageous　demands。
　King　Sylvarresta　raised　a　brow　in　question。　Hollicks　knew　how　much　blood　metal　was　available　to　the　ounce。　Ten　years　before；　in　recognition　of　Hollicks'　service　to　the　King；　Sylvarresta　had　granted　the　merchant　a　Petition　to　take　out　an　endowment　of　wit。　Though　an　endowment　of　wit　did　not　make　the　merchant　any　wiser　or　more　creative　or　let　him　think　more　clearly；　that　endowment　did　let　Hollicks　remember　trivial　details　almost　faultlessly。
　Taking　an　endowment　of　wit　was　like　opening　a　door　into　another　man's　mind。　A　man　who　got　an　endowment　of　wit　suddenly　had　the　capacity　to　enter　a　mind　and　store　whatever　he　liked；　while　the　man　who　gave　the　wit　had　the　doors　of　memory　barred　and　was　forbidden　to　even　peek　at　the　contents　hidden　within　his　own　skull。　Now　Hollicks　stored　his　tallies　in　the　mind　of　his　Dedicate。
　Indeed；　it　was　said　that　the　guildmaster　could　quote　every　contract　he'd　ever　written；　word　for　word；　Hollicks　always　knew　to　the　moment　when　his　loans　came　due。
　Certainly；　he　knew　how　much　blood　metal　the　Southern　traders　had　weighed　out　in　the　past　week。　As　Master　of　the　Fair；　he　was　in　charge　of　assuring　that　all　goods　were　properly　weighed；　that　products　sold　were　of　highest　quality。
　〃I。。。uh；　so　far；　the　Southern　merchants　have　weighed　in　only　thirteen　pounds　of　blood　metal。　They。。。say　the　mines　in　Kartish　have　not　produced　well　this　year。。。〃
　Enough　to　make　less　than　a　hundred　forcibles。　Hollicks　cringed；　as　if　Sylvarresta　might　fly　into　rage　at　the　news。
　Iome's　father　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃I　doubt　Raj　Ahten　knows　that　so　much　made　it　across　his　borders。　We　won't　see　any　more；　next　year。　Then　to　our　tally　of　damages；　add　a　ransom　of　thirty　pounds　of　blood　metal。〃
　〃They　don't　have　that　much！〃　Master　Hollicks　plained。
　〃They'll　find　it；〃　Sylvarresta　said。　〃If　they're　smuggling　it　in；　they'll　have　some　secreted　away。
　〃Now；　go；　send　word　to　our　foreign　friends。　Tell　them　that　the　King　is　beside　himself　with　rage。　Urge　them　to　act　quickly；　for　Sylvarresta　can　hardly　be　restrained　from　taking　vengeance。　Tell　them　that　even　now；　I'm　in　my　buttery；　getting　blind　drunk　on　brandy；　vacillating　about　whether　I　should　torture　secrets　from　the　man　first；　or　if　I　should　just　slit　his　belly　and　strangle　him　with　his　own　guts。〃
　〃Aye；　milord；〃　Hollicks　said；　flustered。　The　parti…colored　merchant　bowed　and　took　his　leave；　sweating　profusely　at　the　thought　of　the　negotiations　about　to　begin。
　During　this　whole　discussion；　the　somber　Chancellor　Rodderman　had　kept　silent；　sitting　on　a　bench　by　the　Queen；　narrowly　studying　the　exchange　between　the　King　and　the　Master　of　the　Fair。　Sometimes　he　stroked　his　long　white　sideburns。　When　Hollicks　left；　the　chancellor　said；　〃Your　Grace；　do　you　think　you'll　get　that　much　ransom？〃
　Lord　Sylvarresta　said　simply；　〃Let　us　hope。〃
　Iome　knew　her　father　needed　money。　The　costs　of　armor　and　endowments　and　supplies　associated　with　waging　the　uping　war　would　be　onerous。
　Sylvarresta　glanced　about。　〃Now；　Chancellor；　fetch　me　Captain　Derrow。　If　I　am　not　mistaken；　we　shall　be　visited　by　assassins　tonight。　We　must　arrange　a　proper　greeting。〃
　The　chancellor　got　up　stiffly；　rubbed　the　small　of　his　back　and　then　left。
　Iome's　father　looked　deep　in　thought。　As　she　prepared　to　leave；　a　nagging　question　took　her。　〃Father；　when　you　played　chess　with　Raj　Ahten；　who　came　off　victor？〃
　King　Sylvarresta　smiled　appreciatively。　〃He　did。〃
　Iome　began　to　leave；　but　another　perplexing　question　came　to　mind。　〃Father；　now　that　we've　seen　Raj　Ahten's　knight；　should　we　prepare　for　him　to　bring　out　his　wizards？〃
　Her　father's　frown　was　answer　enough。
　
　Chapter　4
　ADDLEBERRY　WINE
　　
　Borenson　studied　Gaborn's　eyes。　〃Do　I　feel　anything；　milord？　What　do　you　mean？　Like　hunger；　excitement？　I　feel　many　things。〃
　Gaborn　couldn't　quite　express　the　odd　sensation　that　assailed　him　in　the　market　at　Bannisferre。　〃No；　nothing　so　ordinary。　It's　like。。。the　earth。。。trembling　in　anticipation？　Or。。。〃　He　suddenly　caught　an　image　in　his　mind。　〃It's　like　that　moment　when　you　put　your　hand　to　the　plow；　and　you　thrill　to　see　dark　soil　fold　over；　knowing　that　the　seeds　will　soon　be　in　the　ground；　and　fruit　will　e　of　it。　Endless　trees　and　fields　spreading　across　the　horizon。〃
　It　was　odd；　but　the　image　came　to　mind　with　such　force　that　Gaborn　could　not　think　to　say　anything　else。　Words　did　not　suffice　for　what　he　felt；　for　he　could　literally　feel　his　hand　wrapping　around　the　worn　wooden　handles　of　the　plow；　feel　the　strain　of　the　lines　from　the　ox　cutting　into　his　back；　feel　the　keen　edge　of　the　plow　biting　into　the　soil；　turning　over　dark　dirt；　discovering　worms。　He　could　taste　the　metallic　tang　of　soil　in　his　mouth；　see　fields　and　forests　streaming　out　before　him。　His　pockets　were　heavy　with　seeds；　ready　to　plant。
　He　felt　as　if　he　were　experiencing　all　these　things　at　once；　and　he　wondered　if　any　gardener　had　really　ever　felt　such　a　keen　thrill　of　anticipation　as　the　one　that　assailed　him　at　this　moment。　Oddest　of　all；　Gaborn　had　never　done　these　thingshad　never　hitched　himself　to　a　plow　or　stooped　to　plant　the　earth。
　Yet　he　wished　at　this　moment　that　he　had。　He　wished　that　at　this　very　second；　he　stood　in　the　earth。
　Myrrima　looked　at　him　strangely。　Gaborn's　Days　gave　no　reply；　playing　the　invisible　observer。
　But　Borenson's　eyes　shone　with　laughter。　〃Milord；　I　think　you　have　had　too　much　air　today。　Your　face　is　pale　and　sweaty。　Do　you　feel　well？〃
　〃I　feel。。。very。。。healthy；〃　Gaborn　said；　wondering　if　he　was　ill。　Wondering　if　he　was　mad。　Few　weaknesses　ever　impaired　a　Runelord。　An　endowment　of　wit　could　repair　a　lord　with　poor　memory；　an　endowment　of　stamina　could　bolster　a　sickly　king。　But　madness。。。
　〃Well　then；〃　Gaborn　said；　suddenly　wanting　to　be　alone　with　his　thoughts；　to　consider　what　could　cause　these　profound　feelings　of。。。planting；　〃I　think　you　two　should　spend　some　time　getting　acquaintedthe　afternoon。〃
　〃My　lord；　I　am　your　body〃　Borenson　said；　not　willing　to　leave　his　side。　Gaborn　could　count　the　times　on　his　fingers　when　Borenson　had　been　away　for　more　than　a　night。
　〃And　I　will　be　lounging　in　a　hostel；　with　nothing　more　dangerous　than　a　joint　of　pork　before　me。〃　Borenson　could　hardly　refuse。　Custom　dictated　that　he　go　privately　to　the　woman's　house　to　beg　her　hand　in　marriage。　With　a　witless　mother　and　no　father；　custom　might　be　somewhat　circumvented　in　this　case；　but　it　could　not　be　put　aside　entirely。
　〃Are　you　certain？　I　don't　think　this　is　wise；〃　Borenson　said；　his　manner　being　deadly　earnest。　Gaborn　was　in　a　strange　country；　after　all；　and　he　was　heir　apparent　to　the　wealt