ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　Human　corpses；　crawling　with　flies；　had　hung　from　the　walls　above　this　gate　and　the　other　five　for　weeks　after　the　taking　of　the　city；　the　smell　hovering　over　fruit　and　vegetable　stalls　like　a　pestilence。
　　Fezana　became　part　of　the　rapidly　growing　kingdom　of　Cartada。　So；　already；　had　Lonza；　and　Aljais；　even　Silvenes　itself；　with　the　sad；　plundered　ruins　of　the　Al…Fontina。　So；　later；　did　Seria　and　Ardeno。　Now　even　proud　Ragosa　on　the　shores　of　Lake　Serrana　was　under　threat；　as　were　Elvira　and　Tudesca　to　the　south　and　southwest。　In　the　fragmented　Al…Rassan　of　the　petty…kings；　Almalik　of　Cartada　was　named　the　Lion　by　the　poets　of　his　court。
　　Of　all　the　conquered　cities；　it　was　Fezana　that　rebelled　most　violently：　three　times　in　seven　years。　Each　time　Almalik's　mercenaries　had　e　back；　the　blond　ones　and　the　veiled　ones；　and　each　time　flies　and　carrion　birds　had　feasted　on　corpses　spread…eagled　on　the　city　walls。
　　But　there　were　other　ironies；　keener　ones；　of　late。　The　fierce　Lion　of　Cartada　was　being　forced　to　acknowledge　the　presence　of　beasts　equally　dangerous。　The　Jaddites　of　the　north　might　be　fewer　in　number　and　torn　amongst　themselves；　but　they　were　not　blind　to　opportunity。　For　two　years　now　Fezana　had　been　paying　tribute　money　to　King　Ramiro　of　Valledo。　Almalik　had　been　unable　to　refuse；　not　if　he　wanted　to　avoid　the　risk　of　war　with　the　strongest　of　the　Jaddite　kings　while　policing　the　cities　of　his　fractious　realm；　dealing　with　the　outlaw　bands　that　roamed　the　southern　hills；　and　with　King　Badir　of　Ragosa　wealthy　enough　to　hire　his　own　mercenaries。
　　Ramiro　of　Valledo　might　rule　a　rough　society　of　herdsmen　and　primitive　villagers；　but　it　was　also　a　society　organized　for　war；　and　the　Horsemen　of　Jad　were　not　to　be　trifled　with。　Only　the　might　of　the　khalifs　of　Al…Rassan；　supreme　in　Silvenes　for　three　hundred　years；　had　sufficed　to　conquer　most　of　the　peninsula　and　confine　the　Jaddites　to　the　north…and　that　confining　had　demanded　raid　after　raid　through　the　high　plateaus　of　the　no…man's…land；　and　not　every　raid　had　been　successful。
　　If　the　three　Jaddite　kings　ever　stopped　warring　amongst　each　other；　brother　against　uncle　against　brother；　Jehane　thought；　Cartada's　conquering　Lion…along　with　all　the　lesser　kings　of　Al…Rassan…might　be　muzzled　and　gelded　soon　enough。
　　Which　would　not　necessarily　be　a　good　thing　at　all。
　　One　more　irony；　bitterness　in　the　taste　of　it。　It　seemed　she　had　to　hope　for　the　survival　of　the　man　she　hated　as　no　other。　All　winds　might　bring　rain　for　the　Kindath；　but　here　among　the　Asharites　of　Al…Rassan　they　had　acceptance　and　a　place。　After　centuries　of　wandering　the　earth　like　their　moons　through　heaven；　that　meant　a　great　deal。　Taxed　heavily；　bound　by　restrictive　laws；　they　could　nonetheless　live　freely；　seek　their　fortunes；　worship　as　they　wished；　both　the　god　and　his　sisters。　And　some　among　the　Kindath　had　risen　high　indeed　among　the　courts　of　the　petty…kings。
　　No　Kindath　were　high　in　the　counsels　of　the　Children　of　Jad　in　this　peninsula。　Hardly　any　of　them　were　left　in　the　north。　History…and　they　had　a　long　history…had　taught　the　Kindath　that　they　might　be　tolerated　and　even　weled　among　the　Jaddites　when　times　were　prosperous　and　peaceful；　but　when　the　skies　darkened；　when　the　rain　winds　came；　the　Kindath　became　Wanderers　again。　They　were　exiled；　or　forcibly　converted；　or　they　died　in　the　lands　where　the　sun…god　held　sway。
　　Tribute…the　parias…was　collected　by　a　party　of　northern　horsemen　twice　a　year。　Fezana　was　expensively　engaged　in　paying　the　price　of　being　too　near　to　the　tagra　lands。
　　The　poets　were　calling　the　three　hundred　years　of　the　Khalifate　a　Golden　Age　now。　Jehane　had　heard　the　songs　and　the　spoken　verses。　In　those　vanished　days；　however　people　might　have　chafed　at　the　absolute　power　or　the　extravagant　splendor　of　the　court　at　Silvenes；　with　the　wadjis　in　their　temples　bemoaning　decadence　and　sacrilege；　in　the　raiding　season　the　ancient　roads　to　the　north　had　witnessed　the　passage　of　the　massed　armies　of　Al…Rassan；　and　then　their　return　with　plunder　and　slaves。
　　No　unified　army　went　north　into　the　no…man's…land　now；　and　if　the　steppes　of　those　empty　places　saw　soldiers　in　numbers　any　time　soon　it　was　more　likely　to　be　the　Horsemen　of　Jad　the　sun…god。　Jehane　could　almost　convince　herself　that　even　those　last；　impotent　khalifs　of　her　childhood　had　been　symbols　of　a　golden　time。
　　She　shook　her　head　and　turned　from　watching　the　mercenaries。　A　quarry　laborer　was　next　in　line；　she　read　his　occupation　in　the　chalk…white　dust　coating　his　clothing　and　hands。　She　also　read；　unexpectedly；　gout　in　his　pinched　features　and　the　awkward　tilt　of　his　stance；　even　before　she　glanced　at　the　thick；　milky　sample　of　urine　he　held　out　to　her。　It　was　odd　for　a　laborer　to　have　gout；　in　the　quarries　the　usual　problems　were　with　throat　and　lungs。　With　real　curiosity　she　looked　from　the　flask　back　up　at　the　man。
　　As　it　happened；　the　quarryman　was　a　patient　Jehane　never　did　treat。　So；　too；　in　fact；　was　the　leather　worker's　child。
　　A　sizable　purse　dropped　onto　the　counter　before　her。
　　〃Do　forgive　this　intrusion；　doctor；〃　a　voice　said。　〃May　I　be　permitted　to　impose　upon　your　time？〃　The　light　tones　and　court　diction　were　incongruous　in　the　marketplace。　Jehane　looked　up。　This　was；　she　realized；　the　man　who　had　laughed　before。
　　The　rising　sun　was　behind　him；　so　her　first　image　was　haloed　against　the　light　and　imprecise：　a　smooth…shaven　face　in　the　current　court　fashion；　brown　hair。　She　couldn't　see　his　eyes　clearly。　He　smelled　of　perfume　and　he　wore　a　sword。　Which　meant　he　was　from　Cartada。　Swords　were　forbidden　the　citizens　of　Fezana；　even　within　their　own　walls。
　　On　the　other　hand；　she　was　a　free　woman　going　about　her　lawful　affairs　in　her　own　place　of　business；　and　because　of　Almalik's　gifts　to　her　father　she　had　no　need　to　snatch　at　a　purse；　even　a　large　purse…as　this　one　manifestly　was。
　　Irritated；　she　breached　protocol　sufficiently　to　pick　it　up　and　flip　it　back　to　him。　〃If　your　need　is　for　a　physician's　assistance　you　are　not　intruding。　That　is　why　I　am　here。　But　there　are；　as　you　will　have　noted；　people　ahead　of　you。　When　you　have；　in　due　course；　arrived　at　the　front　of　this　line　I　shall　be　pleased　to　assist；　if　I　can。〃　Had　she　been　less　vexed　she　might　have　been　amused　at　how　formal　her　own　language　had　bee。　She　still　couldn't　see　him　clearly。　The　quarryman　had　sidled　nervously　to　one　side。
　　〃I　greatly　fear　I　have　not　the　time　for　either　alternative；〃　the　Cartadan　murmured。　〃I　will　have　to　take　you　from　your　patients　here；　which　is　why　I　offer　a　purse　for　pensation。〃
　　〃Take　me？〃　Jehane　snapped。　She　rose　to　her　feet。　Irritation　had　given　way　to　anger。　Several　of　the　Muwardis；　she　realized；　were　now　strolling　over　towards　her　stall。　She　was　aware　of　Velaz　directly　behind　her。　She　would　have　to　be　careful；　he　would　challenge　anyone　for　her。
　　The　courtier　smiled　placatingly　and　quickly　held　up　a　gloved　hand。　〃Escort　you；　I　ought　rather　to　have　said。　I　entreat　forgiveness。　I　had　almost　forgotten　I　was　in　Fezana；　where　such　niceties　matter　greatly。〃　He　seemed　amused　more　than　anything　else；　which　angered　her　further。
　　She　could　see　him　clearly　now　that　she　was　standing。　His　eyes　were　blue；　like　her　own…as　unusual　in　the　Asharites　as　it　was　among　the　Kindath。　The　hair　was　thick；　curling　in　the　heat。　He　was　very　expensively　dressed；　rings　on　several　of　his　gloved　fingers　and　a　single　pearl　earring　which　was　certainly　worth　more　than　the　collective　worldly　goods　of　everyone　in　the　line　in　front　of　her。　More　gems　studded　his　belt　and　sword　hilt；　some　were　even　sewn　into　the　leather　of　the　slippers　on　his　feet。　A　dandy；　Jehane　thought；　a　mincing　court　dandy　from　Cartada。
　　The　sword　was　a　real　one　though；　not　a　symbol；　and　his　eyes；　now　that　she　was　looking　into　them；　were　unsettlingly　direct。
　　Jehane　had　been　raised；　by　her　mother　and　father　both；　to　show　deference　where　it　was　due　and　earned；　and　not　otherwise。
　　〃Such　'niceties；'　as　you　prefer　to　call　simple　courtesy；　ought　to　matter　in　Cartada　as　much　as　they　do　here；〃　she　said　levelly。　She　pushed　a　strand　of　hair　back　from　her　eyes　with　the　back　of　her　hand。　〃I　am　here　in　the　market　until　the　midday　bells　have　rung。　If　you　have　genuine　need　of　a　private　consultation　I　will　refer　to　my　afternoon　appointments　and　see　when　I　am　available。〃
　　He　shook　his　head　politely。　Two　of　the　veiled　soldiers　had　e　up　to　them。　〃As　I　believe　I　did　mention；　we　have　not　time　for　that。〃　There　still　seemed　to　be　something　amusing　him。　〃I　should　perhaps　say　that　I　am　not　here　for　an　affliction　of　my　own；　much　as　it　might　gratify　any　man　to　be　subject　to　your　care。〃　There　was　a　ripple　of　laughter。
　　Jehane　was　not　amused。　This　sort　of　thing　she　knew　how　to　deal　with；　and　was　about　to；　but　the　Cartadan　went　on　without　pausing：　〃I　have　just　e　from　the　house　of　a　patient　of　yours。　Husari　ibn　Musa　is　ill。　He　begs　you　to　e　to　him　this　morning；　before　the　consecration　ceremony　begins　at　the　castle；　that　he　might　not　be　forced　to　miss　being　presented　to　the　prince。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　Jehane　said。
　　Ibn　Musa　had　kidney　stones；　recurring　ones。　He　had　been　her　father's　patient　and　one　of　the　very　first　to　accept　her　as　Ishak's　successor。　He　was　wealthy；　soft　as　the　silk　in　which　he　traded；　and　he　enjoyed　rich　foods　far　too　much　for　his　own　good。　He　was　also　kind；　surprisingly　unpretentious；　intelligent；　and　his　early　patronage　had　meant　a　great　deal　to　her　practice。　Jehane　liked　him；　and　worried　about　him。
　　It　was　certain；　given　his　wealth；　that　the　silk　merchant　would　have　been　on　the　list　of　citizens　honored　with　an　invitation　to　meet　the　prince　of　Cartada。　Some　things　were　being　clear。　Not　all。
　　〃Why　did　he　send　you？　I　know　most　of　his　people。〃
　　〃But　he　didn't　send　me；〃　the　man　demurred；　with　easy　grace。　〃I　offered　to　e。　He　warned　me　of　your　weekly　market　routine。　Would　you　have　left　this　booth　at　the　behest　of　a　servant？　Even　one　you　knew？〃
　　Jehane　had　to　shake　her　head。　〃Only　for　a　birth　or　an　accident。〃
　　The　Cartadan　smiled；　showing　white　teeth　against　the　tanned；　smooth　features。　〃Ibn　Musa　is；　Ashar　and　the　holy　stars　be　thanked；　not　presently　with　child。　Nor　has　any　untoward　accident　be