tg.wizardfirstrule-第95部分

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and　went　to　the　back　corner　where　the　blanket　was　pushed　up　in　a　pile。　Carefully；　she　pulled　the　blanket　back。
　
　Sara　looked　back　at　her。　The　doll　was　right　where　she　had　left　her。
　
　〃I　have　to　go　quick；〃　she　whispered。　〃I'll　be　back　later。〃
　
　Rachel　kissed　the　doll's　head　and　covered　her　back　up　with　the　blanket；　hiding　her　in　the　corner　so　no　one　would　find　her。　She　knew　it　was　trouble　to　bring　Sara　to　the　castle；　but　she　couldn't　bear　to　leave　her　in　the　wayward　pine；　all　alone。　She　knew　how　lonely　and　scary　it　got　in　the　wayward　pine。
　
　Finished；　she　ran　to　the　door；　pulled　it　open　a　crack；　and　looked　up　at　Giller's　face。　He　nodded　to　her　and　motioned　with　his　hand　that　it　was　all　right　to　e　out。
　
　〃The　key？〃
　
　She　pulled　it　out　of　the　pocket　where　she　kept　her　magic　fire　stick；　to　show　him。　He　smiled　and　called　her　a　good　girl。　No　one　had　ever　called　her　a　good　girl　before；　at　least　not　for　a　long　time。　He　picked　her　up　again　and　walked　fast　down　the　hall　and　then　down　the　dark；　narrow　servants'　stairs。　She　could　hardly　ever　hear　his　footsteps　on　the　stone。　His　whiskers　tickled　her　face。　At　the　bottom　he　set　her　down　again。
　
　〃Rachel；〃　he　said；　squatting　down　close　to　her；　〃listen　carefully；　this　is　very　important；　this　is　no　game。　We　must　get　out　of　the　castle；　or　we　will　both　get　our　heads　chopped　off；　just　like　Sara　told　you。　But　we　must　be　smart　about　it；　or　we　will　get　caught。　If　we　run　away　too　quickly；　without　doing　the　right　things　first；　we　will　be　found　out。　And　if　we　are　too　slow；　well；　we　just　better　not　be　too　slow。〃
　
　She　started　to　get　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃Giller；　I'm　afraid　to　get　my　head　chopped　off；　people　say　it　hurts　terrible　bad。〃
　
　Giller　hugged　her　tight。　〃I　know；　child。　I'm　afraid　too。〃　He　put　his　hands　on　her　shoulders；　holding　her　up　straight　while　he　looked　in　her　eyes。　〃But　if　you　trust　me；　and　do　exactly　as　I　say；　and　are　brave　enough；　we　will　get　away　from　here；　and　go　to　where　no　one　ever　chops　off　people's　heads；　or　locks　them　in　boxes；　and　where　you　can　have　your　doll　and　people　will　let　you；　and　they　will　never　take　Sara　away　from　you　or　throw　her　in　the　fire。　All　right？〃
　
　Her　tears　started　to　go　away。　〃That　would　be　wonderful；　Giller。〃
　
　〃But　you　must　be　brave；　and　do　just　as　I　tell　you。　Some　of　it　will　be　hard。〃
　
　〃I　will；　I　promise。〃
　
　〃And　I　promise；　Rachel；　that　I　will　do　whatever　I　must　to　protect　you。　We　are　in　this　together；　you　and　me；　but　a　lot　of　other　people　are　depending　on　us　too。　If　we　do　a　good　job；　we　will　be　able　to　fix　it　so　a　lot　of　other　people；　innocent　people；　won't　get　their　heads　chopped　off　anymore。〃
　
　Her　eyes　got　wide。　〃Oh；　I　would　like　that；　Giller。　I　hate　it　when　people　get　their　heads　chopped　off。　It　scares　me　fierce。〃
　
　〃All　right　then；　the　first　thing　I　need　you　to　do　is　to　go　scold　the　cooks；　just　like　you　are　supposed　to；　and　while　you　are　down　in　the　kitchen；　get　a　big　loaf　of　bread；　the　biggest　you　can　find。　I　don't　care　how　you　get　it；　steal　it　if　you　have　to。　Just　get　it。　Then　bring　it　up　to　the　jewel　room。　Use　the　key　and　wait　inside　for　me。　I　must　tend　to　some　other　things。　I'll　tell　you　more　then。　Can　you　do　that？〃　〃Sure；〃　she　nodded。　〃Easy。〃
　
　〃Off　with　you　then。〃
　
　She　went　through　the　door　into　the　big　hall　on　the　first　floor　while　Giller　disappeared　up　the　steps　without　making　a　sound。　The　stairs　to　the　kitchen　were　at　the　other　end；　on　the　other　side　of　the　grand　stairs　in　the　middle　that　the　Queen　used。　Rachel　liked　going　up　the　grand　stairs　with　the　Princess　because　they　had　carpets；　and　weren't　cold　like　the　stone　steps　she　was　supposed　to　use　when　she　was　on　errands。　The　hall　was　open　in　the　middle；　where　the　grand　stairs　came　down　to　a　big　room　with　black　and　white　marble　squares　on　the　floor。　They　were　very　cold　under　her　feet。
　
　She　was　trying　to　think　of　a　way　she　could　get　a　big　loaf　of　bread　without　stealing　it；　when　she　saw　Princess　Violet　ing　across　the　room　to　the　grand　stairs。　The　royal　seamstress　and　two　of　her　helpers　were　following　behind；　carrying　bolts　of　pretty；　pink　cloth。　Rachel　looked　quick　for　a　place　to　hide；　but　the　Princess　had　already　seen　her。
　
　〃Oh　good；　Rachel；〃　the　Princess　said。　〃e　here。〃
　
　Rachel　went　and　curtsied。　〃Yes；　Princess　Violet？〃
　
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　
　〃I　was　doing　my　errands。　I　was　just　going　to　the　kitchen　now。〃
　
　〃Well　。　。　。　don't　bother。〃
　
　〃But　Princess　Violet；　I　have　to！〃
　
　The　Princess　frowned。　〃Why？　I　just　said　you　didn't。〃
　
　Rachel　bit　her　lip；　the　Princess's　frown　scared　her。　She　tried　to　think　of　how　Giller　would　answer。　〃Well；　if　you　don't　want　me　to；　I　won't；〃　she　said。　〃But　your　lunch　was　simply　dreadful；　and　I　would　hate　to　see　you　eating　another　dreadful　meal。　You　must　be　starving　for　something　good。　But　if　you　don't　want　me　to　go　tell　them；　I　won't。〃
　
　The　Princess　thought　this　over　a　minute。　〃On　second　thought；　go　ahead；　it　was　dreadful。　Just　be　sure　to　tell　them　how　angry　I　am；　too！〃
　
　〃Yes；　Princess　Violet。〃　She　curtsied。　She　turned　and　started　to　leave。
　
　〃I'm　going　for　a　fitting。〃　Rachel　turned　back　to　her。　〃Then　I　want　to　go　to　the　jewel　room；　and　try　on　some　things；　to　go　with　my　new　dress。　When　you're　finished　with　the　cooks；　go　get　the　key　and　wait　for　me　in　the　jewel　room。〃
　
　Rachel's　mouth　felt　as　if　it　were　stuck　together。　〃But　Princess；　wouldn't　you　rather　wait　until　tomorrow；　when　the　dress　is　finished；　to　see　how　pretty　the　jewelry　will　look　with　the　dress？〃
　
　Princess　Violet　looked　surprised。　〃Well；　yes；　that　would　be　good；　to　see　the　jewels　with　the　dress。〃　She　thought　another　minute；　then　started　up　the　steps。　〃I'm　glad　I　thought　of　that。〃
　
　Rachel　let　out　a　breath；　then　headed　off　to　the　servants'　stairs。　The　Princess　called　down　to　her。
　
　〃On　second　thought；　Rachel；　I　need　to　pick　out　something　for　tonight's　dinner；　so　I　need　to　go　to　the　jewel　room　anyway。　Meet　me　there　in　a　little　while。〃
　
　〃But；　Princess　。。　。
　
　〃But　nothing。　After　you　deliver　my　message　to　the　cooks；　go　get　the　key　and　wait　for　me　in　the　jewel　room。　I'll　be　there　as　soon　as　I'm　done　with　the　fitting。〃
　
　The　Princess　went　up　the　grand　stairs　and　disappeared。
　
　What　was　she　going　to　do　now？　Giller　was　going　to　meet　her　in　the　jewel　room；　too。　She　was　breathing　hard；　as　if　she　was　going　to　cry。　What　was　she　going　to　do？
　
　She　was　going　to　do　as　Giller　said；　that's　what。　She　was　going　to　be　brave。　So　those　people　didn't　get　their　heads　chopped　off。　She　stopped　herself　from　crying　and　went　down　the　steps　to　the　kitchen。　She　wondered　what　Giller　wanted　a　big　loaf　of　bread　for。
　
　…＋
　
　〃Well；　what　do　you　think？〃　he　whispered。　〃Any　ideas？〃
　
　Kahlan　was　lying　close；　next　to　him　on　the　ground；　frowning　while　she　looked　over　the　edge　to　the　scene　below。
　
　〃I　can't　even　imagine；〃　she　whispered　back。　〃I　have　never　seen　so　many　short…tailed　gars　together　in　one　place。〃
　
　〃What　could　they　be　burning？〃
　
　〃They're　not　burning　anything。　The　smoke　is　ing　from　the　ground。　This　place　is　called　Fire　Spring。　Those　are　vents　where　steam　es　up　from　the　ground；　and　from　other　openings　water　boils　up　from　below；　and　more　over　there　where　other　things　boil；　foul…smelling　yellow　liquid　and　thick　mud。　The　fumes　keep　people　away　from　this　place。　I　have　no　idea　what　gars　would　be　doing　here。〃
　
　〃Well；　look　there；　near　the　back　where　the　hill　rises　up；　where　the　biggest　vent　is。　There's　something　on　top　of　it；　something　egg…shaped；　with　steam　ing　out　around　it。　They　keep　going　up　to　look　at　it；　to　touch　it。〃
　
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Your　eyes　are　better　than　mine。　I　can't　tell　what　it　is；　or　even　that　it's　round。〃
　
　Richard　could　hear　and　feel　rumbles　from　the　ground；　some　followed　by　great　belches　of　steam　roaring　from　the　vents。　The　awful　suffocating　smell　of　sulfur　wafted　up　to　where　they　hid　in　the　stunted　trees　of　the　high　ridge。
　
　〃Maybe　we　should　go　have　a　closer　look；〃　he　whispered；　half　to　himself；　as　he　watched　the　gars　moving　about　below。
　
　〃That　would　be　beyond　foolhardy；〃　she　whispered　harshly。　〃It　would　be　just　plain　stupid。　One　gar　would　be　trouble　enough；　or　have　you　forgotten　so　quickly。　There　must　be　dozens　down　there。〃
　
　〃I　guess；〃　he　plained。　〃What's　that　behind　them；　just　above；　on　the　side　of　the　hill？　A　cave？〃
　
　Her　eyes　went　to　the　dark　maw。　〃Yes。　It's　called　the　Shadrin's　Cave。　Some　say　it　goes　all　the　way　through　the　mountain；　to　the　valley　on　the　other　side。　But　I　don't　know　of　anyone　who　knows　for　sure；　or　who　would　want　to　find　out。〃
　
　He　watched　the　gars　tearing　an　animal　apart；　fighting　over　it。　〃What's　a　Shadrin？〃
　
　〃The　Shadrin　is　a　beast　that　is　supposed　to　live　in　the　caves。　Some　say　it's　just　a　myth；　others　swear　it　is　real；　but　nobody　wants　to　go　find　out　for　sure。〃
　
　He　looked　over　at　her　as　she　watched　the　gars。　〃And　what　do　you　think？〃
　
　Kahlan　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。　There　are　many　places　in　the　Midlands　where　there　are　supposed　to　be　beasts。　I　have　been　to　many；　and　found　no　beasts。　Most　of　these　stories　are　just　that；　stories。　But　not　all。〃
　
　Richard　was　glad　she　was　talking。　It　was　the　most　she　had　said　in　days。　The　odd　behavior　of　the　gars　seemed　to　have　over　whelmed　her　with　curiosity；　and　brought　her；　for　the　moment；　out　of　her　withdrawal。　But　they　couldn't　lie　there　talking；　they　were　wasting　time。　Besides；　if　they　stayed　too　long；　the　gars'　flies　would　find　them。　They　both　crawled　backward；　clear　of　the　edge；　then　crept　farther　away；　keeping　their　heads　down　and　their　movements　quiet。　Kahlan　withdrew　once　again　into　silence。
　
　Once　away　from　the　gars；　they　started　down　the　road　again；　to　Tamarang；　the　border　land　of　the　Wilds；　the　land　ruled　by　Queen　Milena。　Before　they　had　gone　far；　they　came　to　a　divide　in　the　road。　Richard　assumed　they　would　go　to　the　right；　as　Kahlan　had　said　that　Tamarang　lay　to　the　east。　The　gars　and　Fire　Spring　had　been　off　to　their　left。　Kahlan　went　down　the　left　road。
　
　〃What're　you　doing？〃　He　had　had　to　watch　her　like　a　hawk　since　leaving　Agaden　Reach。　He　couldn't　trust　her　anymore。　All　she　wanted　to　do　was　die；　and　he　knew　she　would　manage　it　if　he　didn't　watch　her　every…　move。