cacb.thefarkingdoms-第27部分

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　。。。　brave　soldiers　。。。　dangling　limp；　dangling　loose；　and　none　of　you　will　be　able　to　honor　your　women　。。。　dangling　loose　。。。　dangling　limp　。。。〃　The　soldiers　stirred　and　their　protests　were　audible；　in　spite　of　a　barked　mand　from　Maeen。
　Cassini　slid　from　his　horse　and　walked　forward。　He　glanced　up　。at　where　the　sun　shone　through　branches　。。。　then；　smiling　gently　。。。　at　the　witch；　〃Ah　woman；　ah　woman；　you　see　that　tree　。。。　you　see　that　shadow　。。。　the　shadow　of　that　tree　is　that　tree　。。。　that　tree's　roots　reach　deep；　deep　into　the　soil　。。。〃　he　chanted。　〃Like　that　tree　you　shall　stand；　you　will　stand；　stand　you　must。。。　and　you　will　not　be　seen　by　any　traveler　。。。　and　the　next　by　shall　be　an　axe　to　that　tree；　as　an　axe　to　your　tree。〃
　The　woman　was　a　stark　statue。　I　could　see　her　lips　try　to　move。
　Cassini　made　a　cruel　laugh　and　said；　〃You　may　speak；　you　may　speak；　you　have　my　blessing；　oh　tree。〃
　〃Your　pardon；　your　pardon；〃　the　words　came。　〃I　knew　not　that　there　was　one　with　Power　among　you。　I　beg　forgiveness。〃
　〃Not　from　me；　oh　tree；〃　Cassini　said。　〃Beg　pardon　from　these　men　you　called　brave　soldiers。〃
　〃Men　of　iron；　men　of　iron；　you　are　like　iron　when　you　love；　the　rope　is　gone；　the　string　is　gone；　the　yarn　is　gone；　it　was　never　woven　。。。　you　are　iron；　you　are　steel。〃
　〃We　thank　you；　woman；〃　Cassini　said。　He　walked　back　to　his　horse　and　remounted。　〃Amalric；〃　he　asked；　〃is　there　a　reason　we　cannot　leave　her　to　her　fate？〃　A　wail　keened　from　her　lips。
　〃You　are　tree；　oh　tree；〃　the　Evocator　snapped；　and　there　was　silence。　I　looked　at　the　petrified　woman。　No。　There　was　no　reason。　I　took　three　gold　coins　from　my　purse　and　dropped　them　in　the　road。
　〃She　can　go　free；〃　I　said。
　〃You　have　heard；　oh　tree；〃　Cassini　said；　reluctant。　〃You　shall　be　free；　but　you　shall　stand；　you　will　stand；　stand　you　must；　until　the　shadow　of　that　tree　you　became　no　longer　touches　you。〃
　I　nodded　to　the　drivers；　and　they　tapped　reins　against　the　backs　of　the　oxen。　They　guided　the　charabanc　around　the　witch；　and　we　continued　on。　I　turned　as　we　rounded　a　bend　and　looked　for　the　last　time　back　at　the　woman；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　road　as　if　she　were　one　of　the　figures　of　doomed　men　in　a　frieze　along　the　Street　of　the　Gods。
　Janos　rode　up　beside　Cassini。　〃An　interesting　spell。〃
　〃It　is；〃　he　agreed。　〃A　simple　one　。。。　and　it　helps　immensely　if　there　is　a　simple　mind　for　it　to　work　upon。〃
　I　puzzled：　Cassini　did　not　make　sense；　spells　worked　the　same　on　all；　Magistrate　to　peasant；　lord　to　slave　。。。　Did　they　not？　My　thoughts　came　back　to　the　present　as　the　wheels　of　the　charabanc　clattered　and　my　horse's　shoes　rang。
　We　were　no　longer　on　the　dirt　track；　but　on　a　stone…paved　road。　There　was　a　log　barrier　across　the　road；　and；　beside　it；　a　low　building。　Out　of　the　building　ran　five　soldiers。　They　stopped　beside　the　road　and　stood　to　attention。　They　were　smartly　dressed；　clean；　and　handled　their　weapons　as　if　they　were　familiar　with　their　use。　One　of　them；　I　guessed　their　officer　or　sergeant；　shouted　for　us　to　stop。　Customs。
　〃Who　are　your　passengers？〃　the　man　asked。
　〃Lord　Amalric　Antero。　A　merchant　of　Orissa。　And　his　retinue。〃
　A　scowl　flickered　on　the　man's　face。　〃Pass　。。。　wait。〃　He　walked　to　Janos　and　looked　at　him　carefully。　He　started　to　say　something；　then　stopped；　and　stepped　back。　〃Pass。　Wele　to　Lycanth；〃　he　said；　his　tone　as　weling　as　the　one　used　to　the　tax　collector。
　The　charabanc　moved　on；　and　I　kicked　my　horse　forward　until　I　rode　close　to　Janos。　〃What　was　that　all　about？〃
　〃The　fellow　recognized　me；〃　he　said。　〃He　was　about　to　question　me　as　to　what　a　Lycanthian　officer　was　doing　in　the　retinue　of　an　Orissan　slimeworm。　Then　he　thought　better…perhaps　I'm　a　spy；　returning　from　an　assignment。〃
　〃So　he　would　not　have　heard　that　you　left　the　Lycanthian　Army。〃
　〃Sometimes　Lycanthian　soldiers　are　discharged　or　even　drummed　out　dishonorably　to　begin　a　secret　assignment。〃
　Now　I　blush　at　my　naivete；　but　on　that　day　I　actually　gaped　and　asked；　〃Lycanth　does　things　like　that？〃　To　Janos　credit　he　merely　nodded　soberly；　instead　of　showing　any　scorn　for　someone　so　innocent。　Buildings　rose　up　around　us。　We　were　in　Lycanth。
　
　WE　FOUND　AN　inn　and　began　our　final　preparations。　The　soldiers　were　told　nothing　about　our　direction　of　travel　and　certainly　not　of　our　dreamed　goal　of　the　Far　Kingdoms。　Their　duties　would　be　to　guard　our　gold　and　give　any　assistance　needed。　Eanes　was　to　be　our　majordomo；　and　Cassini　would　be　charged　with　gathering　charms　and　other　magical　supplies；　such　as　our　wind　spirits。　I　was　to　secure　a　ship　to　carry　us　across　the　Narrow　Sea　to　the　most　distant　Valaroian　port　Janos　was　familiar　with。　Examining　his　chart；　I　was　once　more　shocked　by　how　little　was　known　about　this　region：　our　intended　destination；　the　port　of　Redond；　was　but　two　finger…breadths　east　of　Lycanth　across　the　sea；　just　east　of　the　port　was　the　Pepper　Coast；　of　evil　rumor。　All　else　was　a　mystery：　there　were　no　markings　on　that　portion　of　the　map；　no　cities；　no　demarcations　for　tribes　or　nations；　and　beyond　the　Pepper　Coast　was　a　great　mountain　range　that　Janos　had　sketched　on　the　map。　It　was　a　mountain　range　known　but　to　him；　since　his　homeland　of　Kostroma　lay　somewhere　in　its　fasts。
　〃There　are　stories　I　heard　in　Lycanth；〃　he'd　told　me；　〃that　claim　the　Archons　have　secretly　sent　explorers　east；　beyond　Redond；　beyond　even　the　Pepper　Coast。　But　I　never　found　a　man　who　truthfully　laid　claim　to　having　been　on　such　an　expedition；　so　I　discounted　the　tales。〃
　Sergeant　Maeen　was　in　charge　of　securing　our　weaponry；　guided　by　Janos；　so　that　we　would　not　appear　ostentatiously　Orissan。　The　rest　of　our　supplies…horses　or　mules；　provisions；　tenting；　and　the　like　we　would　buy　or　have　made　in　Redond。
　Janos　told　me　privately　he　had　other　matters　to　arrange　to　assure　the　success　of　our　expedition…matters　that　someone　of　my　station　would　be　unwise　to　involve　himself　in。　He　said　I　was　not　to　take　alarm　at　his　irregular　ings　and　goings；　or　some　of　the　people　he　might　be　doing　business　with。　It　was　well　he　warned　me；　if　he　hadn't；　I　would　have　bellowed　for　Maeen　and　the　Lycanthian　watch　when　I　first　saw　the　man　shamble　into　the　inn's　courtyard。　I　have　learned　over　the　years　that　the　man　or　woman　to　be　wariest　of　may　have　the　features　of　a　god　or　goddess　and　the　benevolent　manners　of　a　holy　one；　whereas　the　real　saint　may　have　the　outward　semblance　of　a　monster。　But　Greif　looked　the　villain　he　was。　Eanes　was　the　first　to　notice　him。　He　whistled　softly　and　asked　me　to　take　note　of　the　man　below　us。　〃Surely；〃　Eanes　said；　〃he　is　rich。　Mothers　must　reserve　his　services　months　in　advance　to　frighten　their　babes　into　good　behavior。〃　Greif　was　but　an　inch　or　so　taller　than　me；　but　twice　the　mass。　He　had　the　solid；　heavily　built　body　of　a　porter　or　brewer。　But　if　he'd　worked　either　trade；　the　reasons　for　his　discharge　were　obvious：　Greif's　ears　had　been　cropped…&　sign　here；　as　in　Orissa；　of　a　thrice…convicted　thief。　His　arms　were　misshapen；　bent。　At　first　I　thought　he'd　been　crippled；　then　I　saw；　below　the　rolled　sleeves　of　his　soiled　silk　finery；　the　seared　scars　that　came　from　the　rack's　bindings。
　I　shouted　down；　asking　him　his　business。　He　said　he　was　seeking　a　Captain　Janos　Greyctoak；　a　man　who　once　served　Lycanth。　His　voice　was　a　mellow　bass　that　might　have　served　a　prayer　caller　well。　Eanes　asked　his　name。
　〃Greif。〃
　〃Well　chosen；〃　my　bodyslave　murmured。　〃And　your　business？〃
　〃Private　。。。　with　the　captain；〃　the　man　said。
　Janos　came　out　of　his　chambers　onto　the　balcony。　〃I　am　Greycloak。　Who　sent　you？〃　The　man　did　not　answer…at　least　not　verbally。　Instead　his　hand　moved　in　front　of　him；　secretively；　in　three　fast　motions。
　〃Up　here；　fellow；〃　Janos　said。　〃Eanes。　We'll　have　wine。〃　The　villain　may　have　seen　the　torture　chamber…but　he　was　hardly　a　cripple。　He　went　up　the　stairs　like　I'd　seen　great　apes　from　the　north　scramble　up　their　cages　in　Orissa's　gardens。　His　tunic　flipped　up　momentarily；　and　I　saw　the　sheath　of　some　hidden　weapon。　Janos　called　him　into　his　chamber；　where　they　stayed　for　two　hours。　Then　Janos　came　out　and　asked　me　for　a　double　measure　of　gold　coins。　I　hesitated；　liking　little　any　business　with　this　Greif；　but　realized