cacb.thefarkingdoms-第42部分

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showed　that　the　country　had　once　been　fully　as　prosperous　as　Cassini's　vision　had　told　us。
　Janos　had　Maeen　send　out　scouts；　and　they　returned　quickly　with　more　signs　of　civilization。　Further　up　the　river；　one　man　found　a　winding　path。　It　would　have　been　a　tow　path；　I　guessed；　so　boats　heading　upriver　were　not　dependent　on　muscle；　wind；　or　the　energy…draining　spells　necessary　to　move　heavy…laden　craft。　A　few　feet　away；　hidden　by　a　screen　of　vines；　was　a　building　with　thick　stone　walls　and　narrow…slitted　windows。　The　great　beams　that　held　the　roof　were　still　in　place；　though　black　with　age。　In　front　of　the　building　was　a　smaller；　circular　structure。
　Now　it　was　Janos'　turn　to　be　the　expert。　〃A　barracks；〃　he　said。　〃The　small　building　would　have　been　for　customs　and　the　on…watch　guards。　We　can　take　shelter　here；〃　he　said。　〃The　canvas　from　the　packs　will　stretch　over　the　old　beams　for　our　ceiling。〃　He　ordered　a　halt　for　the　night；　even　though　it　was　two　hours　before　dusk；　and　detailed　two　of　the　Shore　People　who'd　claimed　great　experience　with　nets；　poisons；　and　piscatorial　spells　to　catch　something　fresh　for　dinner。
　I　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　bustle；　lost　in　thought。　I　was　not　then；　and　certainly　am　not　now；　one　of　those　fools　who　believe　man　has　a　right　to　throw　up　his　houses　and　businesses　wherever　he　pleases；　but　I　recognized　then；　and　have　felt　the　same　since；　that　there　is　something　sad　and　frightening　about　ruins。　Here　man　was　once；　and　then　he　vanished：　by　choice　or　by　threat；　who　could　know？
　Then　another；　even　stranger　thought　struck。　I　mentioned　this　quietly　to　Janos。　〃In　which　direction　do　you　think　the　soldiers　were　guarding？　Were　their　enemies　ahead　of　us；　to　the　east？　Or　was　this　to　prevent　some　threat　from　behind？〃　Janos　shrugged　and　did　not　bother　to　guess。
　We　heard　a　cry　of　pain；　then　angry　voices；　and　the　sudden　clang　of　a　sword　against　a　shield。　We　ran　into　the　center　of　the　ruins。　A　scattered　fire　。。。　an　overturned　cookpot。。。　two　soldiers　with　swords　ready。　Janos　shouted；　but　the　two　men　circling　each　other；　eyes　probing　for　an　opening；　paid　no　heed。　His　hand　blurred　in　that　violently　quick　motion　I　remembered　from　outside　the　tavern　in　Orissa；　and　his　broadsword　flashed；　knocking　away　both　blades　of　the　soldiers。　They　came　back　to　their　senses；　and　there　was　a　babble　of　〃。。。　bastard　knocked　over　。。。〃　〃。。。　laughed　。。。〃　〃。。。　clumsy　ape　。。。〃　and　a　bellow　for　silence。
　〃Enough！〃　Janos　roared。　〃Drop　the　swords；　both　of　you！〃　Steel　clattered　to　stone。　〃Lifting　arms　against　a　brother！　How　dare　you？　You　know　the　penalty。　Banishment　if　there　is　no　harm；　death　if　there　is　an　injury！　This　is…〃
　A　calm　voice　interrupted。　〃This　is　sorcery；　Captain。〃　We　turned。　It　was　Cassini。
　〃We　are　cursed；〃　he　said；　in　his　customarily　abrupt　way；　and　he　did　not　pay　attention　to　the　reaction　to　his　statement。　〃Small　curses；〃　he　went　on；　〃have　been　dogging　us　for　some　days。　The　sneezing　。。。　those　mites　that　appear　at　the　least　convenient　times　。。。　how　all　of　us　have　been　too　quick　to　anger　without　provocation。〃
　〃Who　cursed　us？〃　a　soldier　growled　in　spite　of　Maeen's　glower。　〃Th'　damned　Shore　People？〃　And　scowls　were　turned　against　our　small　panions。
　〃I　think　not；〃　Cassini　said。　〃But　there　must　be　a　casting；　and　a　counterspell。　Now；　this　night。　Each　of　these　curses　are　small；　such　as　an　Evocator　can　cast　from　a　distance；　and　easily　maintain　without　a　drain　on　his　strengths。〃
　〃But　they　can　kill；〃　Janos　said　quietly。　〃Lione；　if　that　first　sword　slash　had　landed；　we　might　well　be　saying　the　words　for　Cherfas　as　well。〃
　Now　it　was　my　turn。　I　felt　a　slight　flicker　of　pride　as　the　orders　came　easily。　〃Well　spoken；　Evocator。　Again；　we　have　realized　how　lucky　we　are　that　you　chose　to　acpany　us　and　be　our　shield　against　evil。〃　My　pliment　was　not　truly　felt；　of　course。　But　I　knew　the　men　would　need　maximum　trust　in　Cassini　for　a　ceremony　to　work　smoothly。　〃Captain　Greycloak；〃　I　went　on；　formally。　〃Send　a　man　。。。　two　men　。。。　to　the　river　and　fetch　back　our　fisherman。　We　shall　not　chance　anyone　outside　the　camp　this　night。　Also；　post　sentries　in　the　correct　manner。　Evocator　Cassini；　all　of　our　resources　are　yours　to　cast　this　counterspell。〃
　Cassini　preened　just　long　enough　to　put　my　teeth　on　edge；　then　began　ordering　people　here　and　there　as　he　made　his　preparations。　An　hour　later；　as　night　fell；　the　surprisingly　simple　ceremony　was　performed。　Cassini　had　two　soldiers　bring　a　cloakful　of　clay　from　the　riverbank。　We　were　formed　in　line；　and　each　of　us　was　manded　to　take　a　handful　of　the　clay　and；　while　Cassini　prayed　in　an　unknown　tongue；　to　shape　the　clay　into　a　figurine。　After　that　he　told　us　to　cut　a　bit　from　a　garment　or　trapping　and　work　it　into　the　figurine。　He　cautioned　us　to　not　use　spittle；　fingernails；　or　anything　that　was　a　true　part　of　our　bodies。　He　led　us　out　of　the　barracks　into　the　brush；　where　a　low　fire　of　greenwood　had　been　prepared。　He　drew　a　circle　around　the　fire　and　told　us　to　put　our　dolls　inside　that　circle。　We　then　formed　a　second　ring；　with　the　orders　to　focus　all　of　our　attention　on　our　doll　and　to　try　not　to　think　of　anything　but　the　figurine　and　how　it　looked　exactly　like　us。　Perhaps　one　or　another　of　the　soldiers　might　have　jested　about　the　less　than　artistic　sculptures　we　laid　down；　but　all　of　us　were　frightened…both　of　these　spells　and　magic　itself。　I　fancied　I　could　feel　forces　of　the　night　curl　around　us　as　Cassini　lighted　the　fire　and　began　chanting　as　the　smoke　rose。
　
　〃Smoke　shall　build
　〃Smoke　shall　climb
　〃Choke　the　eyes
　〃Choke　the　mind　。。。〃
　He　softly　cautioned　us　not　to　break　our　concentration　until　。。。　until　he　clapped　his　hands　three　times；　and　as　ordered；　we　spun；　turning　our　backs　on　the　dolls　and　the　fire。　Without　looking　back；　we　then　walked　back　toward　our　campsite。　I　heard　Cassini　continuing　his　chant　from　behind　us。
　
　〃Now　we　sleep
　〃Now　we　stay
　〃Now　you　seek
　〃Now　you　find。
　
　〃Circle　shall　hold
　〃Circle　shall　reach
　〃Circle　shall　gather
　〃Circle　shall　hold　。。。〃
　
　An　hour　later　he　rejoined　us　and　told　us　that　we　should　eat　and　then　sleep。　It　would　do　no　harm　to　go　out　in　the　bushes　for　natural　calls；　but　none　of　us　should　go　down　to　where　the　remnants　of　the　fire　smoked。　We　should　make　as　little　noise　as　possible；　but　we　should　relax　and　not　worry。　The　counterspell　was　cast；　and　all　of　those　annoying　spells　should　be　drawn　toward　those　figurines。
　The　soldiers　and　the　Shore　People　seemed　relieved；　and　they；　having　put　their　trust　in　Cassini　and　his　sorcery；　felt　these　problems　were　over。　I　took　Cassini　aside；　and　Janos　joined　us。　I　promised　the　Evocator　a　bonus　for　this　night's　actions　when　we　returned　to　Orissa。　I　asked　bun　if　these　curses　were　indeed　tied　to　those　dolls　out　in　the　night。　He　said　he　was　sure…since　none　of　them　were　particularly　cast　to　be　lethal；　none　required　much　of　a　counterspell　to　fool。　It　was　better；　he　felt；　to　divert　the　spells　and　allow　them　to　run　on　rather　than　to　break　them　pletely。　〃This　will；　I　hope；　keep　our　enemies　happy　believing　that　we　are　still　plagued　by　their　spells　and　do　not　require　more　stringent　attention。〃
　〃Our　enemies；〃　Janos　asked。　〃From　where？〃
　Cassini　looked　unsure　of　himself。　〃At　first；　I　thought　these　incantations　came　from　Lycanth；　where　we　know　we　have　enemies；　from　the　Symeon　clan　to　。。。　to　others。
　〃Indeed；　I　did　feel　emanations　from　this　direction。　But　I　also　felt　something　else。　Something　。。。　neither　of　you　are　Evocators；　so　I　cannot　use　the　terms　of　my　craft　。。。　something　like　a　great　rolling　wave；　a　flood　perhaps。　ing　from　the　east。〃
　Janos　and　I　were　jolted。　〃But　。。。　none　of　us　have　been　beyond　this　point；　that　I　am　aware　of；〃　I　said。　〃Except　perhaps　one　or　another　of　the　Shore　People。〃
　〃It　makes　little　sense；〃　Cassini　agreed。　〃And　what　I　found　more　puzzling　was　。。。　this　flood；　this　presence；　perhaps；　I　did　not　feel　to　be　evil。　At　least；　I　felt　no　especial　threat　to　any　of　us。　It　was　。。。〃　and　he　fumbled　for　words；　〃。。。　as　if　there　were　some　great；　invisible　force　above　us；　a　force　that　。。。　that　。。。　ah；　I　do　not　have　the　words；〃　he　said。　〃Think　of　a　great　fish　in　a　lake；　knowing　of　the　tiny　perch　around　him。　He　is　not　hungry　at　present；　but　sees　those　little　fish