ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第14部分

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　　As　they　came　out　and　stood　up　on　the　grassy　space　before　the　river　a　woman's　voice…a　familiar　voice；　in　fact…said　cheerfully　in　the　darkness；　〃Be　wele；　pilgrims。　May　I　lead　you　to　a　Garden　of　Delights　such　as　Ashar　only　offers　to　the　Dead？〃
　　〃He　doesn't　offer　it　at　all　to　the　Kindath；〃　Jehane　replied。　〃Tonight　you　could　almost　tempt　me；　Jacinto。〃
　　〃Jehane？　Doctor？〃　The　woman；　scented　and　gaudily　bejewelled；　stepped　closer。　〃Forgive　me！　I　didn't　recognize　you。　Who　called　for　you　tonight？〃
　　〃No　one；　actually。　Tonight　I　need　your　help。　The　wadjis　may　be　after　me；　and　the　Muwardis。〃
　　〃Plague　rot　them　all！〃　the　woman　named　Jacinto　said。　〃Haven't　they　had　enough　blood　for　one　day？〃　Jehane's　eyes　were　accustomed　to　the　night　by　now；　and　she　could　make　out　the　slender　figure　in　front　of　her；　clad　only　in　the　thinnest；　most　revealing　wisps　of　cloth。　〃What　do　you　need？〃　Jacinto　asked。　She　was　fourteen　years　old；　Jehane　knew。
　　〃Three　mules；　and　your　silence。〃
　　〃You'll　have　them。　e；　I'll　bring　you　to　Nunaya。〃
　　She　had　expected　that。　If　anyone　exerted　any　sort　of　control　over　this　munity　of　women　and　boys　outside　the　walls　it　was　Nunaya。
　　Nunaya　was　not　someone　who　wasted　time；　or　words。　Men　in　a　hurry　knew　this；　too；　or　they　learned　it　soon　enough。　A　client　who　came　to　visit　her　was　likely　to　be　back　inside　Fezana's　walls　within　a　very　short　span　of　time；　relieved　of　certain　urges　and　a　sum　of　money。
　　The　purchase　of　the　mules　was　not　a　difficult　transaction。　For　several　years　now　Jehane…the　only　woman　doctor　in　Fezana…had　been　the　trusted　physician　of　the　whores　of　the　city。　First　in　their　district　inside　the　eastern　wall　and　then　out　here　to　the　north；　after　they　had　been　pushed　by　the　wadjis　beyond　the　city　gates　and　into　one　of　the　straggling　suburbs　by　the　river。
　　That　episode　had　been　but　one　in　a　series　of　irregular；　recurring　outbursts　of　pious　outrage　that　punctuated　the　dealings　between　the　city　and　those　who　traded　in　physical　love。　The　women　fully　expected　to　be　back　inside　the　walls　within　a　year…and　probably　back　outside　them　again　a　year　or　two　after　that。
　　Given；　however；　that　the　women　one　could　buy；　and　a　fair　number　of　boys　as　well；　were　now　mostly　to　be　found　outside　the　walls；　it　was　not　surprising　that　hidden　routes　of　exit　and　entry　were　in　existence。　No　city　that　had　citizens…legitimate　or　otherwise…dwelling　beyond　its　fortifications　could　ever　be　pletely　sealed。
　　Jehane　knew　a　good　many　of　the　whores　by　now；　and　had；　on　more　than　one　occasion；　slipped　out　to　join　them　for　an　evening　of　food　and　drink　and　laughter。　Out　of　courtesy　to　the　doctor　who　delivered　their　children　or　healed　their　bodies　of　afflictions　or　wounds；　clients　were　not　wele　at　such　times。　Jehane　found　these　women…and　the　wise；　bitter　boys…better　pany　than　almost　anyone　she　knew　in　the　city；　within　the　Kindath　Quarter　or　outside　it。　She　wondered；　at　times；　what　that　suggested　about　herself。
　　It　was　far　from　a　serene　world　out　here　among　the　dilapidated　houses　that　straggled　beside　the　moat　and　river；　and　as　often　as　not　Jehane　had　been　urgently　summoned　to　deal　with　a　knife　wound　inflicted　by　one　woman　on　another。　But　although　the　three　religions　were　all　present　here；　it　was　obvious　to　her　that　when　quarrels　arose　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　whether　sun　or　moons　or　stars　were　worshipped。　And　the　wadjis　who　had　forced　them　out　here　were　the　mon　enemy。　Jehane　knew　she　would　not　be　betrayed　by　these　people。
　　Nunaya　sold　them　three　mules　without　so　much　as　a　question　in　her　heavy…lidded；　heavily　accentuated　eyes。　This　was　not　a　place　where　personal　questions　were　asked。　Everyone　had　their　secrets；　and　their　wounds。
　　Jehane　mounted　up　on　one　of　the　mules；　Velaz　and　Husari　took　the　others。　A　lady　was　supposed　to　ride　sidesaddle；　but　Jehane　had　always　found　that　silly　and　awkward。　Doctors　were　allowed　to　be　eccentric。　She　rode　as　the　men　did。
　　It　was　summer；　the　flow　of　the　river　was　lazy　and　slow。　Moving　across；　holding　her　mule　on　a　tight　rein；　Jehane　felt　a　heavy　drifting　object　bump　them。　She　shivered；　knowing　what　it　was。　The　mule　pulled　away　hard　and　she　almost　fell；　controlling　it。
　　They　came　up　out　of　the　water　and　started　north　towards　the　trees。　Jehane　looked　back　just　once。　Lanterns　burned　behind　them　in　watchtowers　along　the　walls　and　in　the　castle　and　the　tall　houses　of　Fezana。　Candles　lit　by　men　and　women　sheltered　behind　those　walls　from　the　dangers　of　the　dark。
　　There　were　headless　bodies　in　the　castle　moat　and　the　river。　One　hundred　and　thirty…nine　of　them。
　　The　one　hundred　and　fortieth　man　was　beside　her　now；　riding　in　what　had　to　be　acute　disfort　but　uttering　no　sound　of　plaint。
　　〃Look　ahead；〃　Velaz　said　quietly。　It　was　very　dark　now　all　around　them　under　the　stars。
　　Jehane　looked　where　he　was　pointing　and　saw　the　red　glow　of　a　fire　in　the　distance。　Her　heart　thumped　hard。　An　unshielded　campfire　on　the　grasslands　could　mean　many　different　things；　obviously；　but　Jehane　had　no　way　of　deciding　what。　She　was　in　an　alien　world　now；　on　this　exposed　plain　at　night；　with　an　aging　servant　and　a　plump　merchant。　Everything　she　knew　and　understood　lay　behind　her。　Even　the　ragged　suburb　of　whores　next　to　the　city　walls　seemed　a　secure；　safe　place　suddenly。
　　〃I　think　I　know　what　that　light　must　be；〃　said　Husari　after　a　moment。　His　voice　was　calm；　the　steady　sureness　of　his　manner　a　continuing　surprise。　〃In　fact；　I'm　certain　of　it；〃　he　said。　〃Let　us　go　there。〃
　　Jehane；　weary　for　the　moment　of　thinking；　having　got　them　out　safely　and　mounted；　was　content　to　follow　his　lead。　It　did　cross　her　mind　that　this　adventure；　this　shared　pursuit　of　vengeance；　might　end　rather　sooner　than　any　of　them　had　anticipated。　She　let　her　mule　follow　Husari's　towards　the　fire　burning　on　the　plain。
　　And　so　it　was　that　the　three　of　them　rode…not　long　after；　just　as　the　white　moon　was　rising…straight　into　the　encampment　of　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　the　Captain　of　Valledo；　and　the　fifty　men　he　had　brought　with　him　to　collect　the　summer　parias；　and　Jehane　came　to　realize　that　a　very　long　day　and　night　were　not　yet　done。
　　
Four
　　The　small…farmers　of　Orvilla；　twelve　of　them；　had　e　to　the　city　together　with　their　laden　mules　and　they　left　Fezana　together　when　the　market　closed　at　midday。　One　or　two　might　have　been　inclined　to　stay　and　gawk　at　the　soldiers　strolling　arrogantly　about　the　town；　but　that　would　have　meant　travelling　back　to　the　village　without　the　protection　of　the　larger　group。　In　unsettled　country　so　near　to　the　no…man's…land；　and　in　unsettled　times；　the　pleasures　of　loitering　in　the　city…or；　in　the　case　of　some　of　the　men；　visiting　an　interesting　suburb　just　outside　the　northern　walls…could　not　outweigh　the　real　need　for　the　security　of　numbers。
　　Well　before　the　sundown　prayers　they　had　all　been　safely　back　in　Orvilla　with　the　goods　they　had　obtained　at　the　market　in　exchange　for　their　weekly　produce。　As　a　consequence；　none　of　them　had　any　knowledge　of　what　happened　in　Fezana　that　day。　They　would　learn　of　it　later；　by　then　it　would　matter　rather　less。　They　would　have　a　catastrophe　of　their　own　to　deal　with。
　　The　raiders　from　the　north…even　ignorant　villagers　could　recognize　Jaddite　horsemen…swept　down　upon　Orvilla　at　precisely　the　moment　the　blue　moon　rose　to　join　the　white　one　in　the　summer　sky。　It　was　too　precisely　calculated　not　to　be　a　deliberate　timing；　though　to　what　purpose　no　one　could　imagine；　after。　Perhaps　a　whim。　There　was　nothing　whimsical　about　what　happened　when　the　horsemen…at　least　fifty　of　them…broke　through　or　leaped　over　the　wooden　fence　that　encircled　the　houses　and　outbuildings　of　the　village。　Some　twenty　families　lived　in　Orvilla。　There　were　a　handful　of　old　swords；　a　few　rusting　spears。　A　number　of　mules。　One　ox。　Three　horses。　Aram　ibn　Dunash；　whose　house　was　by　the　water　mill　on　the　stream；　had　a　bow　that　had　been　his　father's。
　　He　was　the　first　man　to　die；　trying　to　nock　an　arrow　with　shaking　hands　as　a　screaming　rider　bore　down　upon　him。　The　horseman's　pike　took　Aram　in　the　chest　and　carried　him　into　the　wall　of　his　own　home。　His　wife；　unwisely；　screamed　from　inside。　The　horseman；　hearing　that；　leaped　from　his　mount　and　strode　into　the　tiny　house。　He　was　already　unbuckling　his　belt　as　he　ducked　through　the　low　door。
　　A　number　of　houses　were　quickly　fired；　and　the　munal　barn。　There　was　straw　in　the　barn　and　in　midsummer　it　was　dry。　The　structure　went　up　in　flames　with　a　roar。　The　fire　must　have　been　visible　as　far　away　as　Fezana。
　　Ziri　ibn　Aram；　who　liked　to　sleep　on　the　roof　of　the　barn　in　summer；　leaped　down　just　in　time。　The　barn　was　on　the　far　side　of　the　village　from　the　mill　and　the　stream。　He　was　spared　seeing　his　father　die。　Nor　had　he　observed　the　horseman　striding　into　the　home　where　his　pregnant　mother　and　sisters　were。　Ziri　was　fourteen　years　old。　He　would　have　tried　to　kill　the　man　with　his　hands。　He　would　have　died；　of　course。　As　it　was；　he　landed　awkwardly　at　the　feet　of　a　laughing　Jaddite　who　was　using　the　flat　of　his　sword　to　round　up　all　those　not　killed　in　the　first　moments　of　the　attack。　There　weren't　very　many　of　them；　Ziri　realized；　looking　desperately　around　for　his　family　amid　the　smoke。　Perhaps　twenty　people；　in　all；　seemed　to　be　still　alive；　from　a　village　of　more　than　twice　that　number。　It　was　difficult　to　tell　amid　the　flames。　Orvilla　was　being　consumed　in　an　inferno　of　fire。
　　For　the　raiders；　it　was　a　disappointing　exercise　in　some　ways。　There　was；　predictably；　no　one　worth　ransoming；　not　even　a　country　wadji；　who　might　have　fetched　a　price。　Even　the　brief　flurry　of　bat　had　been　laughable。　The　pathetically　armed　farmers　had　offered　nothing　in　the　way　of　opposition　or　training　for　battle。　There　were　women　of　course；　but　one　didn't　have　to　ride　this　far　in　the　heat　of　summer　to　find　peasant　women　for　sport。　Only　when　one　man　suggested　spread…eagling　the　surviving　men…the　women　were　being　taken　back　north；　of　course…did　the　prospect　of　a　diversion　belatedly　emerge。　This　was；　after　all；　Al…Rassan。　The　half…naked　wretches　herded　together　like　cattle　or　sheep　were　infidels。　This　raid　could　almost　be　seen　as　an　act　of　piety。
　　〃He's　right！〃　another　man　shouted。　〃Spread　the　bastards　on　their　own　beams；　then　sp