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tg.stone of tears-第186部分

小说: tg.stone of tears 字数: 每页4000字

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 ‘No;’ Richard said as he looked about the fortably cluttered room。 ‘They stepped out。’
 
 ‘But they would have left a shield。 。。。’
 
 ‘Ma’am; I must speak to the Prelate。’ Across the room; Richard saw doors to a courtyard standing open。 ‘Is she about?’
 
 ‘Do you have an appointment?’ she asked in a quiet; gentle voice。
 
 ‘No;’ he admitted。 ‘I’ve been trying to get one for days。 Those two wouldn’t cooperate; so I made my own appointment。’
 
 She put a finger to her lower lip。 ‘I see。 But you must have an appointment。 Those are the rules。 I’m sorry。’
 
 Richard started for the open doors。 He was getting impatient; but kept his voice calm; as he didn’t want to frighten the old maidservant。 ‘Look; ma’am; I must see the Prelate; or we are all going to have an appointment with the Keeper himself。’
 
 Her eyebrows lifted in wonder。 ‘Reeeeally。’ She clicked her tongue。 ‘The Keeper; is it。 My; my; my。’
 
 Richard stopped suddenly。 He winced and let out a groan。 He turned on his heel。
 
 ‘You’re the Prelate; aren’t you?’
 
 An impish grin came to her face; her eyes twinkling with it。 ‘Yes; Richard; I guess I am。’
 
 ‘You know who I am?’
 
 She chuckled。 ‘Oh; yes; I know。’
 
 Richard sighed。 ‘So you’re the one who runs this place?’
 
 She laughed louder。 As I hear it told; you seem to be running it now。 Been here hardly a month; and you have half the palace wound around your will。 I’ve been thinking about asking for an appointment to see you。’
 
 Richard gave her a friendly scowl。 ‘I would have granted it。’
 
 ‘I’ve been looking forward to meeting you。’ She patted his arm。 ‘From now on; you may e to see me whenever you wish。’
 
 ‘Then why wouldn’t you let me in before?’
 
 She folded her hands together beneath her ample; rounded breasts。 ‘A test; my boy。 A test。’ She smiled up at him。 ‘I am impressed。 I expected it to take you another six or eight months yet。’
 
 The door burst open。 Richard was jerked from his feet; yanked back by his collar; and smacked up against the wall。 He was stuck tight; the wind knocked from his lungs。 Two irate Sisters stood just inside the doorway with their fists on their hips。
 
 ‘Now; now;’ the Prelate said; ‘stop that; you two。 Let the boy down。’
 
 Richard thumped to the ground; glaring at the two Sisters。 ‘I am the one who talked those two boys into doing as they did。 What they did is my fault。 If there is any revenge; it had better be against me; and not them。 If you harm them; you will answer to me。’
 
 One of the Sisters took a step toward him。 Their punishment has already been ordered。 This time; for once; they will learn a lesson。’ She angrily pointed a stout rod at him。 ‘You are going to have your own punishment to worry about。’
 
 ‘Yes; Sister Ulicia;’ the Prelate said; ‘I think punishment is in order。’ The Sister gave Richard a self…satisfied smile。 ‘Yours;’ the Prelate said。
 
 Sister Ulicia gaped。 ‘Prelate Annalina?’
 
 ‘Did I not give you specific instructions that Richard was not to be allowed in here?’
 
 The two Sisters straightened。 ‘Yes; Prelate Annalina。’
 
 And here he is。 Standing in my office。’
 
 Sister Ulicia pointed at the door。 ‘But。。。 we left a shield! He could not 。。。’
 
 ‘Oh? Could not?’ The Sister’s hand dropped at seeing the Prelate’s wrinkled brow。 ‘Seems I see him standing here。 Do I not; Sisters?’
 
 ‘Yes; Prelate Annalina;’ the two said as one。
 
 ‘And so now your idea is to reward your own failure by going back to your posts; as if nothing had happened; and punish their success?’ The Prelate clicked her tongue。 ‘You two will take the punishment you have ordered for the two boys。’
 
 The Sisters blanched。 ‘But Prelate 。。。’ the second whispered。 ‘You can’t have that done to a Sister。’
 
 ‘Really; Sister Finella? What did you order for the boys?’
 
 To have their bottoms strapped 。。。 publicly 。。。 tomorrow morning; after breakfast。’
 
 ‘That sounds fair。 You two will take their place。’
 
 ‘But Prelate;’ Sister Ulicia whispered in astonishment。 ‘We are Sisters of the Light。 That would be humiliating。’
 
 ‘Learning humility never harmed anyone。 We are all humble before the Creator。 For your failure; you will be strapped in their place。’
 
 Sister Ulicia stiffened。 ‘And if we fail to submit; Prelate Annalina?’
 
 The Prelate smiled。 Then you would be telling me that you no longer deserve to be trusted; and further; that you no longer wish to be Sisters of the Light。’
 
 They both bowed。 When the door closed behind them; Richard lifted an eyebrow to the Prelate。
 
 ‘I hope never to get on your wrong side; Prelate Annalina。’
 
 She chuckled。 ‘Please; call me Ann。 That is what my old acquaintances call me。’
 
 ‘I’d be honored to call you Ann; Prelate; but I’m not an old acquaintance。’
 
 ‘You think not?’ She smiled。 ‘My; what a knowledgeable boy。 Well; no matter。 Call me Ann; anyway。 Do you know why I punished them? Because you took responsibility for your actions。 They did not recognize the importance of that。 You are learning to be a wizard。’
 
 ‘What do you mean?’
 
 ‘You knew it was dangerous to cross those two; did you not?’ Richard nodded。 ‘Yet you used those boys; knowing that it was a possibility they could be hurt。’
 
 ‘Yes; but I had to do it。 It’s that important; and it was the only thing I could think of。’
 
 The burden of a wizard。 That’s what it is called。 Using people。 A wise wizard understands that he cannot do everything himself; and that if the matter is important enough; he must use other people to acplish what must be done。 Even if it is to cost those other people their lives。 It’s a rare ability; and vital to being a good wizard。 Perhaps; to being a Prelate; too。’
 
 ‘Ann; it’s urgent。 I must speak with you。’
 
 ‘Urgent; is it? Well; then; why don’t we go for a walk in my garden; and we can talk about this urgent business。’
 
 She placed her arm in his; and walked him through the open doorway。 Outside; in the moonlight; was a grand; expansive courtyard; with trees; paths; flower beds; wild areas; and a lovely pond。 The beauty of the garden didn’t register in Richard’s mind。 He had hardly been able to eat or sleep since he had had his talk with Warren。 If the Keeper escaped; he would have everyone; including Kahlan。 Richard had to do something。
 
 ‘Ann; there is great trouble in the world。 I need your help。 I need this collar off so I may go help。’
 
 That’s what I am here for; Richard。 To help。 What is the trouble?’
 
 The Keeper 。。。’
 
 The Nameless One;’ she corrected。
 
 ‘What difference does it make?’
 
 ‘Calling him by his name calls his attention。’
 
 ‘Ann; it’s just a word。 It’s the meaning of the word that matters; not an arrangement of letters。 Do you think that when you call the Keeper the Nameless One; instead; that he would be fooled into thinking you weren’t speaking of him? It’s a mistake to assume your enemies are ignorant; and you are clever。’
 
 A hearty laugh rose from in her chest。 ‘I have been waiting for a very long time for someone to figure that out。’
 
 She paused with him at the edge of the pond; and he asked; ‘What is ‘the pebble in the pond’?’
 
 She gazed out over the water。 ‘You are one; Richard。’
 
 ‘You mean there are more than one?’
 
 A small stone floated through the air; up into her hand。
 
 ‘Everyone has an effect on others。 Some people inspire others to do great things。 Some take people into crime with them。 Those with the gift affect those around them even more。 The stronger the Han; the stronger the effect。’
 
 ‘What does that have to do with me? What does that have to do with a pebble in a pond?’
 
 ‘You see all the duck weed floating on the surface? Say that’s the other people; the world of life; and this pebble is you。’ She tossed the stone into the pond。 ‘See what happens? The ripples caused by you affect everyone else。 Without you; all those ripples would not have happened。’
 
 ‘So they float up and down; on the ripples。 But the stone sank。’
 
 She gave him a humorless grin。 ‘Don’t ever forget that。’
 
 The answer gave him pause。 ‘I think you invest too much faith in me。 You don’t know anything about me。’
 
 ‘Perhaps more than you think; child。 And what is it that concerns you about the Keeper?’
 
 ‘Something must be done。 He’s about to escape。 One of the boxes of Orden has been opened; the gateway is open。 The Stone of Tears is in this world。 I need to do something。’
 
 ‘Ahh。’ She smiled as she drifted to a stop。 ‘So you; who was just thrown up against a wall by the Han of a mere Sister; wants to go off and battle the Keeper himself?’
 
 ‘But things have happened。 Something must be done。’
 
 ‘I see you have been talking to Warren。 A very bright young man; Warren。 He is still young; though。 Sometimes he needs direction。 Guidance。’ She tipped a branch closer。 ‘He studies hard; and loves those books。 I think he must know every smudge on them。’
 
 She was inspecting a flower on the branch。 As he watched her in the moonlight; he decided he might have thought himself more clever than he was。 Warren; too。
 
 ‘So; what about the Keeper? What about the Stone of Tears?’
 
 She put her arm back through his and walked him on。 ‘If the gateway is open and the Stone of Tears is in this world; Richard; why does the Keeper not have us? Hmm?’
 
 ‘Maybe he’s about to swallow us all at any moment。’
 
 ‘Ahh。 So you think that maybe he is busy with his dinner; and when he is finished; and wipes his chin clean; he will get around to swallowing the world of the living; so you want to rush off and close the gateway before he picks his napkin from his lap? Is this the way you think the worlds beyond ours work? In the same terms as this world?’
 
 Richard nervously raked his fingers through his hair。 ‘I don’t know。 I don’t know how it all works; but Warren said 。。。’
 
 ‘Warren does not know everything。 He is but a stud

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