cacb.thefarkingdoms-第108部分

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ate　as　those　I　had　sent　the　king。　His　servant；　Gatra；　always　answered　with　regret　that　his　master　was　busy　with　the　prince　and　could　not　be　disturbed。　Perhaps　another　date？　But　each　date　we　set　became　inconvenient　when　the　time　drew　close。
　Finally　I　went　to　the　tavern　our　men　favored。　It　made　an　unruly　sprawl　along　the　freight　docks。　After　so　much　time　amid　the　perfection　of　Irayas'　wealthy　neighborhoods；　the　ramshackle　buildings　along　the　docks　and　the　noisy　chatter　of　mon　folk　was　refreshing。　I　suppose　I　was　homesick　for　the　docks　of　Orissa；　with　their　tantalizing　sights　and　smells；　and　the　feeling　that　here；　every　person；　be　he　fisherman　or　monger　or　My　Lady　fingering　the　quality；　was　equal。
　Sergeant　Maeen　and　the　others　were　delighted　to　see　me。　Lione　begged　me　to　put　my　money　away　and　bought　a　round　for　the　whole　tavern　in　honor　of　my　visit。　As　we　drank　and　exchanged　gossip；　I　looked　around　and　saw　the　men　were　doing　well　for　themselves。　There　were　plenty　of　eager　young　women　in　their　pany；　and　they　were　good　women；　daughters　and　young　widows　of　workers　and　stall　keepers。　I　expected　many　marriages　to　e　out　of　this；　and　idly　wondered　who　would　stay　and　who　would　go　when　the　time　came　for　us　to　depart。　The　other　men　in　the　tavern；　many　of　whom　had　bee　friends　of　Maeen　and　the　others；　were　also　a　sturdy；　hard…working　lot；　and　among　the　clientele　I　saw　only　a　few　who　wore　the　twisted　smile　of　small　larcenies。　The　sergeant　asked　how　Sir　Greycloak　was　getting　on。
　〃I　was　hoping　you　could　tell　me〃　I　said。　〃I　have　not　seen　him　about　for　some　time。〃
　Maeen　frowned；　then　forced　cheer。　〃You　know　how　Sir　Greycloak　is　at　times；　my　lord；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh。　〃He　gets　that　mind　of　his　after　a　badger　in　his　den；　then　dives　right　in　after　it。　Don't　worry。　He'll　show　up　for　some　fun　with　his　old　mates；　by　and　by。〃
　〃Have　you　heard　any　news　of　him？〃　I　asked。
　Lione　leered。　〃Oh；　he's　not　all　learnin'　and　business；　my　lord。　Sir　Greycloak's　as　randy　as　most。〃　He　gave　me　a　nudge。　〃Some　say；　even　more　so。〃
　Maeen　cut　him　silent　with　a　glare。　To　me；　he　said；　〃Pay　him　no　mind；　lord。　Sir　Greycloak　might　have　been　to　a　few　parties；　or　so。　Just　to　get　the　kinks　out　But　it's　all　in　good　fun。〃
　〃Did　。these　。。。　uh　。。。　parties　。。。　have　anything　to　do　with　Prince　Raveline？〃　I　asked；　knowing　the　answer；　but　hoping　I　erred。
　Maeen's　long　hesitation　told　me　I　had　not。　Then　he　said；　〃Well　。。。　I　suppose；　they　did；　my　lord。〃　The　frown　returned　to　channel　his　brow。　He　sighed。　〃They　were　pretty　wicked　too；　I　hear。〃　He　gave　a　nervous　laugh。　〃But　there's　no　call　to　worry；　my　lord。　It's　only　a　man's　passing　fancy。　And　when　all　is　said　and　done；　Sir　Greycloak　is　easily　the　match　of　Prince　Raveline。〃
　A　drunken　shout　broke　in。　〃What's　that　dog's　name　I　hear？　Prince　Raveline；　is　it？〃　A　big；　red…faced　fellow　followed　the　shout　by　lumbering　into　our　group。　〃This　is　my　tavern；　sirs。　I'll　not　have　that　name　blacken　its　premises。〃
　I　eyed　the　landlord；　curious　at　such　hate。　Maeen　and　the　others　had　pulled　away；　some　were　muttering　nervously。　Duty　drew　Maeen　back　to　give　the　landlord　a　warning。　〃We're　only　here　for　a　friendly　drink；　man。　If　it's　politics　you　want；　we'll　take　our　merce　elsewhere。〃
　The　tavern　keeper　bleared；　angry　drunk　and　near　violence。　〃If　I　want　to　call　that　prince　a　dog；　I'll　call　him　a　dog；　damn　you！　And　it's　shaming　a　dog　to　do　it　for　all　the　harm　that　man　has　caused！〃　Before　he　could　continue；　friendly　patrons　grabbed　him。　He　struck　out　and　wrestled　a　bit；　but　was　finally　hauled　away：　two　women；　daughter　and　wife；　I　guessed；　dragged　him　through　a　door　and　slammed　it　The　whole　time　the　landlord　blistered　the　air　with　curses　on　Raveline　and　his　doings。
　We　were　left　uneasy　by　his　outburst；　but　Maeen　seemed　most　troubled　of　all。　He　looked　nervously　about；　checking　the　villains　I　had　picked　out　before。　But　where　I　had　seen　twisted　smiles；　there　were　only　bad　masks　of　bland　disinterest　〃We'd　better　find　another　tavern　soon；〃　the　sergeant　muttered　to　Lione。　〃That　landlord　is　set　on　bringing　trouble。〃　Lione　vigorously　nodded　agreement。
　〃I　admit　he's　an　uncouth　fellow；〃　I　said。　〃But　what　trouble　can　he　bring？　His　words　may　be　unpleasant；　but　the　king　does　not　discourage　his　subjects　from　speaking　their　minds。　In　fact；　he　demands　it。　You　heard　him　say　so；　himself。〃
　Maeen　stirred；　unfortable。　He　leaned　close　and　spoke　low。　〃The　king　may　say　one　thing；　my　lord；　but　that　is　not　how　it　works　down　here。〃　He　patted　the　table　for　emphasis。　〃And　from　what　I've　heard；　my　lord；　it　does　not　always　work　that　way　above。〃
　'Tell　me　more；〃　I　murmured。
　Maeen　shook　his　head。　〃It's　not　wise　to　linger　on　it　too　long；　my　lord。　There　are　ears　about〃　He　indicated　one　of　the　blackguards　who　was　slipping　closer　to　us。　〃But　I　will　say　this。　Mayhap　the　king's　good　intentions　are　being　spoiled　by　another。　And　that　other　fellow；　if　you　know　who　I　mean；　seems　to　take　offense　real　easy；　like。　Dark　things　have　been　known　to　happen　when　his　name　is　abused。〃
　I　wanted　to　ask　more；　but　the　slippery　one　was　nearly　at　our　table；　his　back　turned　in　studied　unconcern；　but　you　could　see　his　ears　swivel　to　listen。　So　I　said；　loudly；　〃Here；　now。　Let　me　buy　the　next　round。　And　we'll　all　toast　our　royal　hosts。〃　There　was　much　overloud　pliance　to　my　proposal；　and　after　a　time　of　broadly　innocent　fun；　Maeen　tipped　me　the　wink　that　I　should　depart　now；　so　they　could　casually　follow　after　a　suitable　period。
　I　returned　home　in　great　alarm。　I　wondered　at　those　〃parties；〃　as　Maeen　called　them；　that　were　hosted　by　Raveline。　Orgies；　I　supposed；　sexual　tricks　and　frenzy　stoked　by　magic。　I　remembered　well　the　great　appeal　such　things　had　to　Janos。　And　I　had　just　seen　for　myself　that　all　was　not　wondrous　light　in　Irayas。　But　then　I　thought　of　the　important　negotiations　with　the　king。　I　knew　Domas　was　not　lying　about　his　interest；　nor　was　he　hiding　some　dark　purpose。　Hope　sprang　again　with　the　reminder　that　I　actually　had　seen　nothing；　I　had　only　heard。　I　did　not　distrust　Maeen's　word；　but　he　himself　had　it　by　third　or　fourth　hand。　Not　only　that；　I　self…chided；　but　wasn't　I　letting　my　dislike　of　Raveline　flaw　my　view？　After　all；　what　did　I　have　to　base　that　dislike　on？　The　prince　had　certainly　not　done　anything　to　deserve　it。
　While　I　still　had　that　clumsy　ball　of　yarn　tied　up　with　such　dubious　knots；　Janos　reappeared。　He　burst　into　my　palace；　full　of　energy；　wit；　and　high　spirits。　〃I've　missed　you；　my　friend；〃　he　roared；　slapping　my　back。　〃I've　been　buried　in　dusty　old　scrolls　for　too　long；　and　my　ears　are　so　stuffed　with　spells；　I　fear　I　am　growing　deaf　from　not　hearing　normal　talk。〃　：
　〃Then　your　studies　go　well？〃　I　asked。
　〃Damned　well；〃　Janos　said。　His　manner　had　always　been　blustery；　but　I　suspicioned　a　touch　of　aping　of　our　bluff…mannered　hosts。　Suspicion　faded　as　he　clapped　me　on　the　back　again　and　said　we　ought　to　see　how　the　men　were　doing；　and　swap　a　drink　or　three。　We　found　them　at　another　tavern；　just　as　large　and　soundly　working　class　as　the　first。　With　Janos　we　were　twenty　again；　the　reunion　was　noisy　and　glorious。　Much　drinking　followed；　and　perhaps　a　tipsy　tear　for　fond　memories　of　shared　adventures。　But　just　before　we　were　all　taken　by　drink；　Maeen　came　to　me。　〃Remember　that　talky　landlord？〃　he　asked；　low。
　〃At　the　other　tavern？〃　He　nodded。　I　looked　about　their　new　favorite　place　admiringly。　〃You　were　well　to　be　shed　of　him；　I　suppose。　And　you　chose　the　replacement　well。〃
　〃We　weren't　shed　of　him；〃　Maeen　said。　〃We　hadn't　time。　He　disappeared　that　night；　and　no　one　has　seen　or　heard　from　him　since。　And　the　tavern　was　ordered　closed。〃
　〃By　whom？〃　I　asked。
　〃He　wouldn't　put　his　name　to　it；〃　Maeen　said。　〃But　everyone　says　it　could　be　none　other　than　Prince　Raveline。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…FOUR
　Omerye
　ANY　RENEWED　BROODING　over　Janos　and　Raveline　was　cut　short　the　next　day　when　Beemus　showed　up　at　my　palace。　He　said；　in　his　whispered　shadow…speak；　the　king　was　engaged　in　important　business；　but　assured　me　it　was　only　slightly　more　important；　in　Domas'　view；　than　the　business　he　had　with　me。　Barring　unforeseen　emergency；　our　trade　agreement　was　next　in　line。
　〃Can　you　give　me　some　hint　which　way　the　king　is　leaning？〃　I　asked。　He　replied　with　a　s