cacb.thefarkingdoms-第29部分

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my　rapier　and　went　out　onto　the　balcony。　Two　guttering　torches　at　the　gates　showed　me　the　creature　crouched　in　the　courtyard's　center。　It　had　e　from　no　womb　of　this　earth；　but　only　from　an　Evocator's　incantations。　Imagine　a　hyena；　a　hairless　hyena　starved　nearly　to　death；　and　with　the　face　of　a　man。
　The　creature　spoke…in　the　voice　of　a　man　who　might　have　e　straight　from　the　Archons'　dungeons。　〃You　are　summoned；〃　the　being　screeched。　〃You　are　summoned　to　the　castle。　All　men；　all　women；　who　are　not　Lycanthian。　You　are　summoned。　In　one　hour；　The　oracle　has　named　this　for　the　time。　You　are　ordered　to　appear。　All　of　you。　It　is　the　order　of　the　Archons。　You　must　obey。　You　are　summoned。　Let　those　who　disobey　find　the　death；　the　death　of　burning；　the　death　of　water；　the　death　of　crushing；　the　death　of　falling。　This　is　the　voice　of　the　Archons。　One　hour。〃
　The　being　loped　out　of　the　courtyard；　down　the　cobbled　street　toward　another　inn。　I　turned　and　saw　Janos；　his　face　stone。　〃This　means　a　death；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　afraid　they　would　sniff　us　out。〃　He　nodded　to　me。　〃You　must　order　everyone　dressed。　No　one　is　to　carry　a　weapon；　not　even　an　eating　knife。　We　must　be　in　the　square　before　the　sands　run　out　of　a　glass　。。。　Or　else　we　shall　all　die。〃
　The　streets　of　Lycanth　were　eerie：　here　and　there　were　torches　carried　by　bewildered　foreigners；　silent　patrols　of　Lycanthian　soldiery　stalked　through　the　streets；　refusing　to　answer　all　questions　except　to　repeat　that　the　Archons　must　be　obeyed。　The　high　buildings　were　dark；　as　if　no　one　was　behind　the　windows；　but　now　and　then　I　caught　the　flash　of　a　white　face　as　it　chanced　a　look　out；　then　ducked　back　behind　curtains。
　Janos　had　returned　hastily　to　his　chamber　while　I　gave　the　orders。　I　heard　the　crashing　of　something　being　smashed；　then　nothing。　I　had　to　shout　three　times　before　he　came　out。　Now；　as　we　walked　through　the　streets；　I　heard　him　stop　by　Maeen。　Then　he　moved　up　to　Eanes；　and　I　heard　him　ask；　in　a　whisper；　if　he　could　read。　Eanes　may　have　been　frightened；　but　had　enough　self　to　snap　that　of　course　he　could；　not　being　a　barbarian　from　Lycanth。
　Then　he　moved　up　to　me。　〃Here；〃　he　whispered；　handing　me　a　bit　of　metal。　〃Learn　this。　Recite　it　at　the　proper　time。　You　will　know　when。　I　have　given　one　to　Maeen　and　to　Eanes　as　well。〃
　〃What　about　Cassini？〃　I　whispered　back。　Our　Evocator　was　walking　a　few　yards　in　front　of　us。
　〃He　has　nothing　to　worry　about；〃　Janos　said。　〃The　cloak　of　equals　will　extend　over　him。〃　He　handed　me　a　cap；　used　by　the　servitors　to　keep　dust　from　their　hair。　〃Pull　it　on。　We　need　to　light　no　watch　fire　for　them。〃
　Ahead　of　us　was　the　castle。　Over　its　main　entrance…the　gate　lowered　and　the　portcullis　raised…was　a　great　flare；　roaring　flame；　without　fuel　or　support。　I　heard　part　of　a　whisper　from　one　of　the　soldiers。　〃Stink　。。。　sorcery　。。。〃
　〃Upon　your　life；〃　Janos　hissed。　〃Say　nothing；　and　think　nothing　bad　about　what　is　happening。〃
　It　was　now　light　enough　for　me　to　look　at　what　I　held。　It　was　a　shard　of　highly　polished　brass。　Now　I　understood　the　crash　I'd　heard…the　brass　was　part　of　the　reflector　for　one　of　the　room　lamps　in　our　quarters。　Scratched　on　it　by　a　knife　point　were　words：
　I　am　a　mirror
　I　am　not　seen
　I　think　as　you
　My　mind　is　a　wall
　Feel　nothing
　Think　nothing
　What　you　see　is　what　you　are
　What　you　see　is　what　we　are
　I　am　a　mirror
　As　frightened　as　I　was；　I　still　wondered：　first　the　bundle　of　thaumaturgical　objects；　and　now　this　incantation。　Did　Janos　Greycloak　fancy　himself　an　Evocator？　But　there　was　no　time　for　further　thought；　soldiers　closed　around　us　as　we　went　through　the　gate　and　into　the　huge　open　courtyard。
　At　the　far　end　was　a　stand；　a　stand　like　a　great　podium。　On　it　stood　two　men；　their　bodies　shimmered；　and　they　appeared　to　be　taller　than　men　should　be。　Each　of　them　wore　the　diadem　of　Archon。　I　shuddered　。。。　This　was　an　evil。　mon　men；　let　alone　outsiders；　were　never　supposed　to　lay　eyes　on　Lycanth's　Archons；　their　Master　Evocators。　I　heard　a　soldier　whisper　a　prayer　and　the　thud　of　the　blow　as　Maeen　struck　him。　We　were　formed　into　lines　by　Lycanthian　soldiers。　There　were　perhaps　three　or　four　hundred　of　us　in　the　square。　Dressed　or　half…dressed；　none　of　us　wore　the　garb　of　Lycanth。　Men　and　women；　nobles　and　slaves；　children　and　ancients。　Some　of　us　were　crying；　some　of　us　were　drunk　and　trying　to　appear　brave。
　Then　another　creature　appeared　between　the　two　Archons。　I　heard　a　voice；　from　nowhere；　from　everywhere。
　〃There　is　evil；　there　is　evil；　there　is　evil　abroad　this　night
　Evil　for　me；　evil　for　Lycanth；　evil　that　must　be　ended
　The　vision　is　clear；　the　vision　is　clear
　This　is　the　hour
　This　is　the　hour
　Seek；　our　messenger；　our　inquisitor；　our　lover。〃
　The　third　creature…I　now　saw　it　was　the　ghastly　messenger　that　had　summoned　us　here；　a　being　created　by　the　blackest　of　spells…leaped　down　from　the　sand。　It　bounded　toward　us；　and　somehow　I　knew　what　its　new　role　would　be：　finder。　I　could　hear　sniffing　　as　it　came。　I　knew　this　was　the　time。
　I　am　mirror
　I　am　unseen　。。。
　The　creature　moved　down　our　ranks；　slowly。　As　it　approached　me；　one　of　our　soldiers　fainted。　I　heard　his　body　thud　against　the　flagstones。
　。。。　Feel　nothing
　Think　nothing　。。。
　The　demon　was　in　front　of　me。　I　dared　not　look　down。　I　felt　its　loathsome　muzzle　touch　my　bare　leg　and　barely　kept　from　writhing。
　What　you　see　is　what　you　are　。。。
　I　did　not　fall。　The　hound　was　gone。　I　heard　a　puzzled　whine　from　down　the　row；　but　did　not　chance　a　look。　The　beast　sounded　exactly　like　one　of　my　own　dogs；　knowing　that　what　he　sought　was　close；　but　still　somehow　hidden。　There　came　the　scratch　of　claws　。。。　ing　back　toward　me。
　What　you　see　is　what　we　are　。。。
　Again；　the　beast　passed　on。　This　time　it　broke　from　our　ranks　and　trotted　to　an　open　space　between　us　and　the　Archons。　It　sat　on　its　haunches　and　then　howled　at　the　setting　moon。　Once。　Twice。　A　third　time。　Someone　came　out　from　the　crowd　toward　the　seeker；　summoned　by　the　baying。
　It　was　a　young　woman。　Even　now　I　can　remember　how　ely　she　was。　She　was　very　young…perhaps　she　was　even　a　virgin。　She　wore　only　nightclothes。　At　another　time；　someone　might　have　felt　the　stirrings　of　lust。　But　not　now。　Not　here。　Lycanth　had　chosen　its　victim。　She　walked　to　the　beast。　It　was　as　if　her　feet　wanted　to　run；　to　flee。　But　the　spell　would　not　let　her。　Her　lovely　face　was　contorted　in　horror。　There　came　a　shimmer　in　the　air　in　front　of　her；　a　shimmer　like　that　hanging　around　the　Archons。　The　shimmer　became　a　dagger…not　large　and　with　a　slightly　curving　blade。　The　maiden　herself　might　have　used　one　like　it　in　her　kitchen　if　she　were　a　moner；　or　one　of　her　slaves　would　have　sliced　her　morning　fruit　with　it　if　she　were　noble。
　Very　slowly　the　woman　took　the　blade。　She　turned　the　blade　toward　her。　Then　she　made　the　first　cut。　The　spell　she　was　under　allowed　her　to　scream。　None　of　us　could　run；　could　even　turn　our　eyes。　She　cut　again。　And　again。　To　this　day；　her　screams　still　hang　hi　my　mind。　It　was　near　dawn　before　she　could　not　scream　anymore；　and　they　let　her　die。　The　demon　vanished；　and　there　was　no　one　standing　on　the　Archons'　podium。
　We　turned　and　stumbled　out。　There　was　nothing　in　the　square；　lit　by　the　dying　torches；　except　the　sprawled　body　of　something　that　had　once　been　very　beautiful。
　〃THAT　is　THE　custom　in　Lycanth；〃　Janos　told　me　later；　when　I　was　able　to　talk　about　it。　〃When　the　Archons　or　their　diviners　descry　a　doom　or　an　evil　descending　on　the　city；　sacrifice　is　made。〃
　〃No　doubt　it　is　always　an　outsider。〃
　〃Not　always；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　seen　natives　of　the　city；　even　a　young　Evocator　once；　choose　themselves。　Those　who　offer　themselves　to　save　Lycanth　are　mostly　young。　Mostly　handsome。　Sometimes　those　who　make　the　choice　have　spoken　out　against　Lycanth。　Or　are　hereditary　enemies　of　the　city。　Or　merely　stand　out。　That　was　why　I　asked　you　to　wear　the　cap。　Perhaps　those　reasons　are　why　the　。。。　the　creature　who　must　not　be　named　。。。　stopped　by　our　party。　But　perhaps　not。　Perhaps　the　woman　barbored　greater　secrets　and　greater　feelings　than　any　of　us。　And　that　。。。　that　was　not　the　worst　death　I　have　seen　the　Chosen　One　find。〃
　I　hesitated；　about　to