cacb.thefarkingdoms-第13部分
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ind in you。 That is very good。 Sergeant； ran them to the top of Mount Aephens。 You remain at the base。 Run them up and down until you weary of the sight of them。〃 Mount Aephens was three leagues distant and nearly a league high； rough brush； deep ravines； and rugged stone。 〃Since they are to be glutted tonight； fasting through the noontide will be good for them。 That is all。〃 A few moments later the elements of the cohort trotted away； Maeen bellowing some arcane chant as they disappeared。
〃You must never；〃 Janos said； rejoining us； 〃let soldiers think you are trying to buy into their graces。〃 Then he stopped and smiled apology。 〃My pardon。 I have been playing magister all morning and have trouble shedding the cloak。〃
He sheathed his sword。 I'd noted with some interest that his blade was long and narrower than the conventional army weapon； and sharpened on both edges。 Even more curious was that the blade was rippled； obviously made of the finest watered steel； yet the guard was simple and plain。 Surely a captain； even one fresh in Orissan service； could afford a bit of gold； silver； or fancy work to boast his rank。 He carried his scabbard slung across his back； so that his sword's handle protruded at an angle over his right shoulder。 Very unusual； but I had seen such an arrangement before； on a barbarian from the frontiers beyond Lycanth。 When I'd asked about it； the fellow had told me the design not only made it easy to draw on foot or horseback； but also did not get mixed up between his legs and trip him when he was drunk。 Like that barbarian； Janos also wore a dagger mounted for a left…hand crossdraw on his belt： a practical weapon with a blade that appeared no more than a forearm in length； unlike the great tapering poignards street bravos carried。 Like his sword； its pommel； grip； and guard were bare of decoration。 I made note that if my plan was carried to pletion； I would see that Greycloak was armed in a manner befitting a retainer of the Antero family…thus proving I knew even less about real weaponry than I thought。
〃Let me sluice the dust from my face and change into walking…out dress；〃 Janos said。 〃There's a wineshop I know of that has decent pressings for a soldier's pay。 If you would care to join me？〃
I would； indeed。
THE INN WAS not unknown to me： it was a favored trader's shop； located not only close to the central market； but at the riverbank； a suspicious merchant could watch his stock being loaded or offloaded and still negotiate yet another contract。 I tossed Eanes a quarter…coin； and he joined the other slaves in a nearby arbor waiting their masters' bidding。 We found a table； and a waiter brought wine； water； and a plate of pickled octopus tentacles； oil…cured olives； and cheeses。 Both of us watered our wine liberally…I did not want Greycloak believing I was a plete sot。
'This morning； at mess；〃 Janos began casually； 〃I mentioned I'd met you last night； although without describing the interesting details。 One of the officers said you were planning a journey。 What he called…Finding your Tradewind？ He said it as if this were a custom I should be aware of； which I am not。〃
I kept my face calm； but promised a sacrifice to our hearthgod and also whichever god ruled over chance encounters。 This was as if I were one of the city's mummers； and the fellow across from me was reciting the words as they'd been rehearsed…giving me my cue。 I explained： Finding a Tradewind was not a law or a ritual of Orissa； but a custom； just as Janos had described it。 When a merchant's son closed on his majority； it was customary for him to lead a trading expedition。 The expedition would consist of the young man； any associates or friends he thought necessary； an Evocator； of course； and a small military escort for safety's sake。 He was supposed to seek out new lands； new riches； and new customers； just as his merchant father and father's father had done。 This custom was meant to guarantee that Orissa would remain the trading queen of the known world for another generation…until the young man raised a son himself and sent him out to Find his own Tradewind。
Janos listened intently as if I were all that existed in the world。 I must have sounded hesitant： explaining something you have always taken as a monplace is very difficult； but I wanted to be clear and concise； for the other purpose for my seeking out Captain Greycloak was to test him； to see if I wanted him as the mander of my own guard。 I knew few soldiers； and those I did were more suited for the wineshop and ceremonials than a sudden ambush by raiders。 It was traditional for the army of Orissa to be used as a recruiting station for Findings； and for full…scale merchant expeditions。 Not only was the burden of the soldiers' wages alleviated while they served a merchant； but an officer and the men he chose would also be given bonuses dependent on the expedition's success。
After I'd finished my carefully chosen exposition Janos thought a moment； then asked； 〃This has been going on for how long？〃 I didn't know； precisely； but my father had told me of his father's father's father's Finding； so as far as I knew； forever。
〃A puzzlement；〃 Janos said。 〃Each year someone…or several someones…go seeking new worlds。 Yet the charts I've seen in Orissa still have great areas that are marked as unknown outlands。 Are these Findings kept secret； familiar only to you merchants and your rulers？〃
All merchants have trading secrets； and any new discoveries would be held close as long as they were profitable； but I told him that wasn't the plete story： the journey； in truth； would not be into pletely unknown lands； but almost certainly to the west； to cities and regions familiar to Orissans。 Perhaps a daring young man might chance traveling a distance to the south； if not as far as into the realm of the Ice Barbarians。 That was what my father had done on his Finding。 But he had been regarded as a wild man； or so I'd heard the merchants of his generation say when drink loosened their memories。 For many young men the journey was expected to be as much an exploration of tine wines and the willing maidens of other cities as anything else。 It was also a test； of sorts： a man who returned from his Finding having shown an ability to get along with his father's customers； or having found a few new markets or goods； or who survived without being so ludicrously cursed with ill luck that he was ambushed by bandits… this man would be feasted and praised。 There was some danger： I would not have sought out Janos if the Finding was nothing more than a celebration of beautiful scenes； women； food； and drink。 But I dwelt on the romance； not jeopardy； being the true son of Orissa's most silken…tongued merchant。
〃I understand； now。〃 Janos turned his goblet in his fingers。 〃So then； your Finding will be in which direction？〃
I stared。 Either I hadn't explained clearly； or else a Finding was something pletely alien in the world he came from。 〃Why； west； of course。〃
There was a pause。 Janos looked at me； then smiled； and the sun came out once more。 〃Yes。 As you say： of course。〃 He drained his goblet。 〃Perhaps we should find something more substantial than these morsels before we drink any more。 A good way for an outlander such as myself to suddenly not have to worry about promotion beyond captain is to be found stumbling through the streets before the sun lowers。 My treat。〃
He clapped me on the back； dropped coins on the table； and we went out。 He had said nothing 。。。 and his face had shown less。 But I felt I had somehow failed a test。
I REMEMBER ORISSA as beautiful in that bright spring day as we wandered the winding lanes； Eanes； for once； not trying to parade his wisdom and walking some five paces behind us。 Orissa was much then as it is now： a farm could still be found beside a smith's forge； and a free peasant's shack just behind a sprawling villa such as my father's。 There were fewer people then； so the land was more open。 The great city and its suburbs and outer district censused no greater than three tens of thousands free； and the same number slave。 No fool had yet proposed a Grand Plan for the city； as has been mentioned recently； to turn Orissa into a nightmare of o
