cacb.thefarkingdoms-第50部分

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ers　play　in　currents　that　strong　men　might　fear　in　other　parts。　I　was　no　different；　and　I　had　always　particularly　enjoyed　swimming　underwater；　holding　my　breath　as　long　as　I　could；　to　seek　out　the　many　wonders　that　dwell　there；　so　I　had　gone　some　distance　down　that　avenue　before　I　felt　the　need　to　emerge　for　breath。
　I　kicked　lazily；　rising　slowly　to　the　surface。　But　as　I　rose；　I　saw　slender　limbs　near　the　bank。　Instead　of　surfacing；　I　swam　closer　and　saw　those　legs　were　the　shapely　limbs　of　a　woman。　They　were　light　nut　brown；　rising　to　a　delicate　smear　of　black　where　they　joined。　Above　them　was　the　flare　of　hips　and　a　narrow　waist。　I　had　not　a　thought　or　care　in　my　mind　as　I　let　myself　rise；　immensely　enjoying　the　view。　I　broached　the　surface；　opening　my　mouth　to　drag　in　a　breath；　and　I　heard　a　giggle；　then　a　splash；　and　I　drew　in　water　instead　of　air。　Gasping　and　choking；　I　stumbled　toward　shore；　trying　to　clear　my　lungs　and　my　eyes　at　the　same　time。　I　heard　more　splashing　as　someone　waded　for　the　bank。　By　the　time　I　could　breathe　and　see　again；　the　owner　of　those　limbs　was　not　in　sight。　Not　that　I　had　any　doubt　to　whom　they　belonged。
　Deoce's　face　peered　out　through　dangling　willow　branches。　〃I　see　Amalric；〃　she　cried。　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　shapely　breast　tilting　up　through　the　willows。　She　saw　me　looking　and　pulled　the　branches　closer。　She　made　a　face。　〃Amalric　see　Deoce；　too。〃　She　laughed。　〃Make　Amalric　happy；　yes？〃
　〃Very　happy；〃　I　answered；　for　the　first　time　really　appreciating　Janos'　ideas　on　language。　She　pointed；　and　I　looked　down　to　see　that　I　was　standing　naked　in　water　that　came　only　to　midthigh。　〃Deoce　very　happy。　Amalric　nice。〃
　As　I　gawked；　her　face　disappeared。　A　moment　later　a　much…patched；　long…tailed　shirt　came　sailing　out　of　the　willow。　I　pulled　it　on；　the　shirt　came　to　my　knees。　〃Amalric　e　talk　Deoce；　now；〃　she　called　out。　I　climbed　out　and　found　her　sprawled　on　the　embankment。　She'd　washed　and　mended　her　costume　so　well；　it　was　hard　to　imagine　that　not　long　ago　it　had　been　nearly　reduced　to　rags。　She　patted　the　ground　beside　her。　〃Talk　to　Deoce；〃　she　said。　My　lady　ordered。　I　could　only　obey。
　My　hopes　were　dashed；　however；　when　as　soon　as　I　sat；　she　displayed　the　writing　box。　〃Deoce　learn　very　more　。。。〃　She　frowned；　searching。　She　muttered　an　impatient　mutter　and　grabbed　a　dictionary　from　the　box。　She　stuck　a　pretty　little　pink　tongue　out　at　the　pad；　then　searched　its　pages。　〃Aha；〃　she　cried；　stabbing　her　finger　at　a　squiggle。　〃Deoce　learn　very　more　。。　。　words。〃　She　smiled　at　me；　eyes　twinkling。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Absolutely；〃　I　said。　Remembering　Janos'　advice　on　anatomical　lessons；　I　took　a　small　toe　in　my　fingers。　〃Toe；〃　I　said。　〃Toe。〃　Deoce　dutifully　repeated；　〃Toe。〃　She　scratched　in　the　dictionary　and　handed　it　to　me　to　put　the　Orissan　word　beside　her　own。　I　let　my　hand　trail　up　further。　〃Leg；〃　I　said。　〃Leg。〃　Her　eyes　widened　as　she　caught　my　intent。　Then　they　crinkled　at　the　edges。　She　gave　a　low　laugh。　〃Leg；〃　she　repeated。　My　hand　rose　again。　〃Knee；〃　I　said。　〃Knee；〃　she　returned；　but　I　felt　muscles　flex　as　she　prepared　to　snatch　the　object　of　my　exploration　away。　Instead　of　going　further　in　that　direction；　I　touched　her　arm。　〃Arm；〃　I　said。　She　gave　me　an　odd　look　as　I　changed　my　tactics。　〃Arm；〃　she　replied；　cautiously。　I　leaned　close　to　her；　and　she　did　not　draw　away。　〃Kiss？〃　I　asked；　and　I　moved　my　face　closer　still。　Her　reply　was　a　whisper。　〃Kiss？〃　Our　lips　brushed；　and　I　trembled　at　the　softness　I　found　there。　I　put　my　hand　on　the　back　of　her　neck　to　draw　her　nearer　to　drink　more　deeply　of　those　lovely　lips。　I　felt　a　small　hand　on　my　chest；　pushing　gently　away。　I　obliged；　gasping　a　little。　〃No　more　kiss；〃　she　said；　but　I　noted　her　voice　was　husky；　and　I　saw　a　flush　of　passion　rising　from　her　neck。　〃Amalric　teach　Deoce　words。　Not　kiss；〃　she　said。
　I　nodded　and　picked　up　the　dictionary；　my　mind　stumbling　for　balance。　Deoce　noted　my　confusion　and　patted　my　hand。　〃Kiss　nice；〃　she　said。　〃Make　Deoce　happy。〃　She　straightened　her　costume　and　sat　up；　prim。　'Teach　kiss　later；〃　she　said。　And　as　my　hopes　leaped　upon　my　features　again；　she　laughed。　〃Very　later；〃　she　said。　Then；　〃Maybe　。。。〃
　That　night；　Janos　called　a　meeting　of　the　expedition　leaders。　〃I　think　it　would　be　wise；〃　he　said；　〃for　us　to　agree　to　certain　things。　How　long　we　are　going　to　stay　here；　for　instance。　And　how　we　are　going　to　behave　during　this　stay。〃
　〃I　know　how　anxious　you　are　to　move　on；　Janos；〃　I　said；　〃but　we　need　a　rest　before　we　strike　out　again。　I　doubt　the　journey　will　get　any　easier；　and　the　better　shape　we　can　get　ourselves　and　the　equipment　into；　the　better　chance　we'll　have　against　what　is　to　e。〃
　〃I　will　not　quarrel　with　that；〃　Cassini　said。　〃However；　your　mention　of　behavior　is　puzzling。〃
　〃I　am　speaking　of　the　pact　the　creatures　who　live　in　this　crater　seem　to　have　made；〃　Janos　said。　〃I　think　we　should　follow　their　rules；　if　that　word　applies；　and　limit　our　hunting　as　they　do。〃
　Cassini　glared。　〃What　makes　you　think　dumb　beasts　can　make　such　an　agreement？〃　he　scoffed。　〃The　peacefulness　you　see　is　for　our　benefit；　and　our　benefit　alone。〃
　〃Do　you　still　think　this　is　your　doing？〃　Janos　asked；　not　troubling　to　hide　disgust　in　his　tone。
　〃What　other　logical　explanation　can　there　be？〃　Cassini　said。　〃Since　the　moment　we　left　Orissa；　I　have　been　casting　spells　to　assure　our　safety　and　well　being。　Plus　we　have　the　powerful　blessing　of　the　Council　of　Evocators。　Thus　far；　both　these　things　have　kept　arrows　from　piercing　our　flesh；　and　found　us　water　in　the　middle　of　a　wasteland。　Now；　they　have　given　us　respite。〃
　Instead　of　a　heated　retort；　Janos　considered　Cassini's　words。　〃Help　me；　my　learned　Evocator；〃　he　said；　and　both　Cassini　and　I　were　surprised　that　there　was　no　mockery　in　his　tone；　〃see　the　wisdom　of　your　logic。　Without　revealing　any　deep　secrets　of　your　craft；　how　is　it　you　choose　a　spell？　And　how　is　it　you　know　what　that　spell's　ultimate　effect　may　be？〃
　〃It　is　very　simple；〃　Cassini　said；　〃for　those　who　are　blessed　with　an　Evocator's　powers。　We　study　all　the　spells　that　have　been　written；　under　the　wise　tutelage　of　a　Master　Evocator；　and　mit　those　spells　to　memory。〃
　〃But　there　must　be　countless　spells；〃　Janos　said。　〃Even　for　an　Evocator；　wouldn't　it　be　difficult　to　memorize　them　all？〃
　〃Certainly；〃　Cassini　answered。　〃And　just　as　there　are　Evocators　with　greater　or　lesser　degrees　of　power；　so　it　is　that　some　are　better　at　memorizing。　I；　for　one；　have　an　excellent　memory。　This　is　not　a　boast；　but　an　attribute　pointed　out　by　my　first　teacher　when　I　was　accepted　by　my　brother　Evocators。　However；　for　those　not　blessed；　and　even　I　find　it　hard　to　recall　absolutely　everything；　we　merely　have　to　go　to　the　archives　where　all　spells　are　kept。〃
　〃When　you　travel；〃　Janos　pointed　out；　〃you　can't　carry　a　library。〃
　Cassini　tapped　his　forehead。　〃I　keep　it　here；〃　he　said。　〃Which　is　one　reason　you　are　fortunate；　Captain；　that　I　asked　to　be　included　in　this　expedition。〃
　〃Yes；　I　can　see　that　we　are；〃　Janos　answered。　〃However；　I　just　want　to　get　one　thing　straight。　The　spells　you　use；　then；　are　recited　from　rote。　Wisdom；　as　they　say；　passed　down　over　the　ages　in　ancient　texts？〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Cassini　said。　〃We　know　they　work；　because　they　have　always　worked。　It　does　not　matter　why。　For　it　is　not　possible　for　men　to　ever　understand　such　a　thing。　Only　the　gods　can　know　why。〃
　Janos　stared　at　him。　Cassini　flushed；　realizing　where　the　conversation　had　taken　him。　But　just　to　make　sure；　〃Then　we　can't　say　the　whys　of　this　small　paradise　we　have　found；〃　Janos　said。　〃Or　am　I　missing　something？〃　Cassini　sputtered；　but　found　no　answer。　〃So　we　do　not　know；〃　Janos　pressed　on；　〃if　the　peace　we　find　here　is　the　doing　of　men；　or　the　doing　of　。。。　beasts。　True？〃
　'True；〃　Cassini　answered；　hating　it。
　〃Then　I　suggest　we　do　not　second…guess　the　gods；〃　Janos　said。　〃I　suggest　we　abide　by　the　rules　we　found　here；　just　as　if　they　were　handed　down　by　the　gods　themselves。〃
　〃I　think　it's　the　safest　thing　to　do；〃　I　said；　jumping　strongly　in　on　Janos'　side。　〃Besides；　if　Janos　is　in　error；　there　can　be　no　harm。　And　we　can't　possibly　say　what　will　happen　if　he　is　correct。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　Cassini　said；　teeth　gritting。　〃We'll　do　it　you