cacb.thefarkingdoms-第38部分

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　After　a　time　my　own　thoughts　drove　me　out。　I　found　Janos　hunched　on　a　rock；　listening　to　the　lonely　surf　pound　the　shore。　I　made　no　greeting；　but　sat　beside　him；　haunted　by　my　own　thoughts。　〃Thank　you　。。。　for　the　delayed　decision；〃　Janos　finally　said；　with　effort。　I　made　no　answer；　because　the　reprieve　was　false。　When　the　time　came　there　would　be　few　choices　for　the　picking。　Then　he　asked；　〃I　wonder　what　your　father　would　say；　if　he　were　here？〃
　〃Go　back；　I　expect。　My　father　usually　takes　the　long　view。〃
　〃Not　always；〃　Janos　said。　〃He　still　regrets　listening　to　his　own　father；　and　not　seeking　the　Far　Kingdoms　himself；　long　ago。〃
　〃He　had　no　choice　but　to　obey；〃　I　answered。
　Janos　sighed。　〃Your　father　is　a　much　better　man　than　I　will　ever　be。　He　said　it　would　make　him　happy　if　he　went　to　his　grave　knowing　his　own　son　achieved　what　had　been　denied　him。　For　me；　that　would　be　no　satisfaction　at　all。〃　He　gave　me　a　grim　smile。　〃I　would　curse　him　because　I　was　not　first。〃
　〃What　will　you　do；〃　I　asked；　〃if　。。。　our　worse　fears　e　true？〃
　Janos　hesitated；　then；　〃I'd　rather　not　think　on　it　just　now；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　must　warn　you。　I　will　not　give　up　easily。　Give　me　half　a　chance　and　I'll　carry　this　expedition　on　my　own　back　if　I　have　to。〃
　〃Be　careful　with　Cassini；〃　I　warned。　〃He　can　do　us　much　harm。〃
　Janos　patted　his　knife。　〃Not　as　much　as　I　can　do　him；〃　he　said。　His　words　chilled　me。　This　was　not　meaningless　angry　talk；　to　be　forgotten　on　the　morrow。
　〃You　won't　hear　an　Antero　defend　an　Evocator；〃　I　said。　〃But　you　should　know　that　Cassini　is　only　trying　to　put　a　happy　mask　on　our　failure。　He　needs　a　victory。　He's　practicing　what　he'll　say　in　Orissa。　Remember；　his　own　career　is　at　stake　here。〃
　〃Careers　be　damned；〃　Janos　snarled。　But　he　seemed　to　instantly　regret　the　outburst　and　fell　silent　for　a　moment。　Then　he　asked；　〃What　about　you；　Amalric？　What　of　your　own　career？〃
　〃I　feel　much　as　you　do；〃　I　said。　〃Yes；　there　are　riches　here。　And　yes；　I　could　put　a　happy　mask　on　as　well　and　boast　of　this　success　before　all　Orissa。　But　。。。〃　My　voice　trailed　off。
　A　bark　of　harsh　laughter　from　Janos。　〃You've　been　bitten　as　well；　haven't　you；　my　friend？　Afflicted　with　the　Far　Kingdoms　disease。　Before　long；　you'll　be　sorry　we　ever　met。〃　The　moon　broke　from　behind　a　cloud；　bathing　Janos　in　an　unholy　glow。　〃There　is　no　cure　for　this　malady；〃　he　said。　His　finger　stabbed　out。　〃Except　one。〃　I　didn't　need　to　look。　He　was　pointing　east　to　the　Far　Kingdoms。
　Black　Shark　came　to　us　the　next　day。　He　wore　no　armor；　but　instead　was　dressed　as　a　mon　man　in　a　plain；　brown　tunic　of　bark　cloth。　The　only　mark　of　office　was　a　shaman's　eye　daubed　on　his　forehead。　He　was　nervous；　humble；　almost；　if　such　a　fierce　man　could　ever　be　humble。
　There　was　no　preamble。　〃I　have　e　to　ask　a　great　boon　for　my　people；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　no　right　to　ask　it。　For　our　trouble　is　of　our　own　doing。　An　unpardonable　sin　mitted　by　us　long　ago。〃
　I　could　not　imagine　what　sin　might　trouble　cannibal　folk；　but　I　made　appropriate　noises　about　the　great　service　they　had　performed　for　us；　and　promised　we　would　do　what　we　could。　Black　Shark　turned　to　Janos。　〃You　have　shown　much　skill　with　ghosts；〃　he　said。　Cassini　coughed　at　this；　but　Black　Shark　didn't　appear　to　notice。　〃We　thought　that　skill　might　help　us。〃
　〃Please　go　on；〃　Janos　said。　〃Although　I　must　beg　your　understanding　that　it　was　his〃…he　motioned　at　Cassini…〃enchanted　net　I　threw。　However；　as　outsiders　we　might　have　a　clearer　view　of　the　causes　of　your　misfortune。〃
　Black　Shark　was　pleased　by　Janos'　modesty。　He　called　for　pillows　of　sea　grass　and　shells　brimming　with　some　heady　liquid　for　our　refreshment。　We　settled　down　to　hear　his　tale。　〃It　was　in　my　grandmother's　time；〃　Black　Shark　began。　〃She　was　a　young　woman　and　had　not　yet　delivered　her　first　child。　We　were　a　happy　people　then；　and　the　sea　blessed　us　with　its　bounty；　and　the　forests　〃　delivered　much　fruit　as　well；　so　there　was　always　plenty　for　the　Shore　Folk　to　eat　and　drink　their　fill。　The　world　was　a　kindlier　place　in　that　time；　and　our　enemies　were　few。　Then　one　day　the　Shaman；　who　was　her　father；　called　the　people　together　in　this　very　place〃…Black　Shark's　hand　indicated　the　spot　where　we　sat…〃and　warned　them　there　were　ill　omens　bubbling　in　the　village　cooking　pot。　The　odor　was　not　right；　he　said；　and　when　he　poked　into　the　pot　with　a　stick；　a　two…headed　seal　pup　came　to　the　top。
　〃How　it　got　there；　no　one　could　say。　But　they　all　agreed　it　could　not　have　been　placed　in　the　pot　by　one　of　us；　because　who　would　wish　such　a　thing　on　their　own　folk？　People　were　afraid　and　cried　out　for　the　Shaman　to　tell　them　what　they　must　guard　against。　He　could　not　say；　for　the　bad　magic　in　that　foul　pot　had　confounded　his　powers　of　vision。　People　fell　to　guessing　what　manner　of　ill　to　expect。　Some　said　it　would　be　a　fierce　storm　that　would　leap　upon　us。　Others　said　we　should　see　to　our　weapons；　for　it　could　only　mean　an　attack　from　our　enemies…the　Dalree…　who　dwell　not　many　leagues　from　here。〃
　Black　Shark　gave　us　a　look　of　deep　sincerity。　〃You　should　know　you　are　most　fortunate　to　have　e　to　our　shores；〃　he　said。　〃The　Dalree　are　evil　folk　who　care　nothing　for　a　stranger's　life。　They　are　fierce　men　and　will　not　even　honor　those　they　have　killed　by　eating　their　flesh。〃
　Cassini　coughed　again。　It　might　have　been　a　laugh。　I　refilled　Black　Shark's　shell；　so　he　wouldn't　notice　any　rudeness。
　〃But　it　wasn't　the　Dalree　we　had　to　fear；　although　my　grandmother　said　precautions　were　taken　and　offerings　made。　The　tide　returned　and　departed　many　times　over　until　even　the　Shaman　had　nearly　forgotten　the　omen。　One　morning；　just　before　the　sun　drove　the　fog　spirits　from　the　beach；　the　village　heard　a　loud　thundering。　It　was　the　storm；　they　thought；　e　at　last。　Not　the　Dalree。　Everyone　rushed　out　to　shriek；　wail；　and　whirl　about　as　the　Shaman　had　instructed。　This　way；　he　said；　the　storm　would　believe　its　brother　was　attacking　us；　and　would　seek　out　others　to　make　miserable。　Such　as　the　Dalree。〃
　Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　Cassini　nod　in　appreciation。　Rare　approval　from　an　Evocator　of　Orissa。　〃But　there　was　not　a　cloud　in　sight；　and　my　people　soon　realized　the　thunder　was　not　the　drumming　of　a　storm。　And　the　sound　didn't　e　from　the　sea；　but　from　the　land　at　our　backs。〃
　Black　Shark　gestured；　and　we　all　turned　to　look　at　the　high　bluffs　beyond　a　stand　of　trees。　〃To　the　east；〃　he　said；　〃just　past　those　bluffs；　there　is　a　canyon。　An　abyss　with　no　known　bottom。　And　behind　that　canyon；　there　is　a　cliff　so　steep；　that　not　even　a　devil　could　climb　it。　From　thence；　my　lords；　came　the　sound。
　〃The　Shaman　ordered　the　warriors　to　gird　for　a　fight；　and　he　sent　a　party　of　our　bravest　men　to　learn　the　nature　of　the　threat。　When　they　came　to　the　abyss；　they　saw　no　one　about；　and　the　thunder　had　ceased。　Everyone　marveled　at　the　mystery　and　made　ready　to　return。　Before　they　could；　alas；　the　drumming　started　up　again。　They　saw　nothing　at　first；　then　one　of　them　gave　a　shout　and　pointed　to　the　cliff。　They　saw　metal　flashing　from　atop　that　cliff。　The　cliff；　as　I　said；　no　man　could　climb。　But　there　were　men　there　just　the　same…as　that　flash　of　metal　will　witness。　Men；　and　horses　as　well。〃
　Janos　leaned　forward；　brow　furrowed　in　concentration；　and　I　suddenly　remembered　the　tale　he　had　told　of　his　own　childhood　encounter　with　ghostly　horsemen。　Black　Shark　noticed。　〃You　know　of　men　like　this？〃
　〃I　am　not　certain；〃　Janos　said。　〃Were　they　armored？'
　〃Yes；　they　were　armored。　Both　the　men　and　the　horses　they　sat　astride。　The　helms　were　oddly　shaped；　the　witnesses　said。　Like　this　。。。〃　With　a　finger；　Black　Shark　traced　a　high…roached　helm　in　the　air。　Exactly　like　the　helms　Janos　had　described。
　〃What　happened？〃　I　asked。
　〃Nothing　at　first；〃　Black　Shark　said。　〃They　seemed　to　be　just　watching；　or　at　least　that　is　the　way　it　was　reported　later。　Most　of　the　men　had　sense　to　know　sorcerers　when　they　saw　them；　so　they　flung　themselves　on　the　ground　and　made　abasement。　Then　they　fled　before　their　presence　could　anger　those　mighty　horsemen。　But；　alas；　one　man　was　not　so　wise。　My　grandmother　said　he　was　one　of　the　older　warriors；　who　was　jealous　of　the　success　of　the　younger　men。　Instead　of　ab