cacb.thefarkingdoms-第51部分

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y　what　will　happen　if　he　is　correct。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　Cassini　said；　teeth　gritting。　〃We'll　do　it　your　way。〃
　〃We'll　all　keep　the　hours？〃　Janos　pressed。
　〃Yes；〃　Cassini　said。　He　rose　before　Janos　engaged　in　more　verbal　trickery；　and　stalked　away　from　the　fire。
　〃Is　it　not　amazing；　my　friend；〃　Janos　said；　〃to　learn　something　so　basic　as　sorcery　has　no　laws　whatsoever…except　the　rules　the　sorcerers　make　to　keep　all　knowledge　to　themselves？〃
　〃I　suppose　that　is　just　the　nature　of　things；〃　I　said。
　〃Do　you　really　think　that？〃　Janos　asked。
　I　started　to　answer；　then　shook　my　head。　〃Who　can　say？　I　drove　my　own　teachers　to　near　madness　with　such　questioning　when　I　was　a　boy。〃
　〃And　now　that　you　are　a　grown　man？〃
　〃I　am　not　Cassini；〃　I　said。　〃There　is　no　need　for　games。　Say　what　is　on　your　mind。　For　I　can　see　from　your　agitation　that　you　are　bound　to。〃
　Janos　laughed　at　my　foresight。　〃Oh；　don't　we　all　love　to　hear　ourselves　talk？〃　he　said。　〃There　must　be　a　small　demon　of　self…admiration　that　dotes　on　the　sound　of　our　own　voices。〃　He　sipped　sweet　water　from　a　gourd　and　passed　it　to　me　to　drink。　〃I　do　have　my　own　theories；　as　you　have　guessed；　and　they　go　much　beyond　Cassini's　prattling　that　a　thing　works；　because　it　has　always　worked。〃
　I　nodded　for　him　to　continue。　
　〃I　believe　there　are　certain　principles　underlying　the　whole　thing；〃　Janos　said。　〃One；　is　that　like　produces　like；　and　it　follows　that　an　effect　resembles　its　cause。　Another　is　that　things　formerly　in　contact　will　continue　to　act　on　each　other；　no　matter　how　great　the　distance。　One　example　that　illustrates　both：　if　an　Evocator　chooses　to　destroy　someone；　he　tries　to　get　something　personal；　a　lock　of　their　hair；　for　instance。　Such　as　was　tried　on　you　in　Lycanth。　He　then　makes　a　likeness　of　the　enemy；　with　the　hair　as　part　of　the　makings；　and　then　attacks　the　likeness　…　by　burning；　for　instance。　If　this　is　done　correctly；　the　enemy　will　suffer　greatly；　and　sometimes　even　die。〃
　〃Black　magic；〃　I　muttered。
　〃That　is　an　example　of　the　Evocators'　laws；〃　Janos　said。　〃They　divide　sorcery　into　black　and　white。　Good　and　evil。〃
　〃You　don't　think　there　is　a　difference？〃
　〃Not　at　all。　For　the　one　trying　to　destroy　his　enemy；　the　sorcery　is　a　good　thing。　White；　in　other　words。　For　the　target；　why；　it　is　most　certainly　black。　I　think　the　only　difference　is　where　you　stand。〃
　〃Why　do　you　trouble　yourself　with　such　things？〃　I　asked。　〃Why　not　leave　well　enough　alone？〃
　〃It　is　a　means　to　an　end；　I　suppose；〃　Janos　said。　〃I　became　interested　when　I　was　a　slave；　so　I　guess　that　further　means　I　was　anxious　to　seize　some　control　over　a　life　that　another　could　snuff　out　on　a　whim。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Is　this　healthy？　Better　yet　。。。　is　it　wise？〃
　〃Neither；　I　suspect；〃　Janos　said。　〃For　another　theory　of　mine　is　that　every　spell　cast　must　have　some　effect　on　its　caster。　So　eventually；　after　many　spells；　the　sorcerer　should　be　aware　his　own　substance　is　being　harmed。　The　trouble　is；　sorcery　is　such　a　seductive　science　…　for　science　I　believe　it　will　be　some　far…off　day。　When　one　is　faced　with　a　goal　that　cannot　be　denied；　then　anything　may　be　risked。〃
　I　thought　of　the　love　potion　and　Melina　and　could　not　help　but　agree。　〃What　do　you　hope　to　achieve　by　this　study？〃　I　asked。
　〃To　reach　my　goal；〃　Janos　said；　his　voice　soft。　〃And　nothing　more。〃　He　looked　deep　into　the　fire。　〃There　will　be　wiser　men　in　the　future；　Amalric；〃　he　said。　〃Men　who　will　ferret　out　all　the　laws　。。。　be　they　sorcerous　or　what　we　call　natural。　Why　does　a　river　flow　down　from　a　mountain　instead　of　up？　Why　does　a　stick　placed　on　a　rock　lift　an　object　you　could　not　budge　with　brute　muscle？　How　does　a　divining　rod　find　water？　How　is　it　possible　to　catch　the　wind　spirits　in　a　leather　bag；　and　then　let　them　loose　later　to　fill　the　sails？　Perhaps　I　am　a　fool；　but　I　reckon　there　are　laws　that　govern　these　things。　And　wouldn't　it　be　elegant；　my　friend；　if　they　were　all　the　one　and　the　same？　That　there　is　no　difference　between　the　natural　and　spiritual？〃
　〃Do　you　really　think　so？〃　I　asked；　amazed。
　A　chuckle　from　Janos。　〃No。　It　would　be　too　easy。　But　if　you　should　live　so　long　to　meet　those　distant　thinkers；　do　not　be　surprised　if　at　least　some　of　what　I　say　proves　true。〃
　That　was　the　end　of　our　conversation；　but　I　have　thought　about　his　words　many　times　since　that　short　time　we　dwelt　in　paradise。　One　thing　I　remember　clearly；　however；　is　that　I　felt　a　sudden　surge　of　hope　when　he　told　his　views。　If　there　were　rules；　I　thought；　if　there　were　laws　of　sorcery　any　man　or　woman　could　learn；　this　might　be　a　great　boon　to　all。　If　that　day　ever　came；　I　mused；　would　it　break　the　hold　the　Evocators　have　over　mon　people　such　as　myself？　Such　as　they　had　over　my　brother？　At　that　moment；　a　thought　bubbled　up：　Janos　might　be　onto　something　as　worthy　as　this　Finding　itself。　I　heard　Deoce　laugh　at　a　nearby　camp　fire；　and　the　thought　fled。
　The　days　that　followed　went　swiftly　and　were　among　the　happiest　in　my　life。　We　fell　easily　into　the　graceful　ways　of　the　crater。　We　swam　and　frolicked　with　the　animals；　dined　on　fruits　and　nuts；　and　killed　for　flesh　only　during　the　appointed　period　when　hunter　and　hunted　returned　to　their　customary　roles。　Our　skin　was　soon　scrubbed　of　all　the　embedded　grime　of　the　trek；　and　the　hollow　places　created　by　our　ordeal　filled　with　new；　healthy　muscle。
　Deoce　and　I　grew　closer。　She　was　lovely　before；　but　under　the　peaceful　influence　of　our　new　abode；　she　became　strikingly　beautiful。　Her　limbs　were　more　shapely；　her　skin　and　hair　glowed　with　health；　and　her　eyes　were　flashing　beacons　that　filled　in　the　gaps　when　language　failed。　Our　panions　pretended　to　ignore　us　as　we　strode　hand　in　hand　about　the　lush　crater。　There　was　many　a　quiet　brook　and　soft；　green　glen　that　invited　our　presence；　and　during　that　interlude　we　probably　visited　them　all。　We　continued　our　language　lessons；　but　they　went　more　swiftly　now；　and　in　a　short　time　both　of　us　became　so　adept　at　jumping　from　her　native　tongue　to　my　own；　it　was　as　if　it　were　just　one　language。
　I　learned　Deoce　was　a　princess；　as　I　suspected。　Her　mother　was　the　chieftain　of　a　small　but　wealthy　principality　named　Salcae。　In　her　clan；　Deoce　said；　men；　being　better　with　details　and　smaller　things；　controlled　the　tents　and　the　hearth；　except　in　time　of　war；　when　everyone　fought。　The　women　were　the　scouts；　the　leaders；　the　war　captains。　For　political　reasons　her　mother　had　betrothed　Deoce　to　a　nobleman　from　another　clan。　She　was　on　her　way　to　be　married　when　her　party　was　ambushed　by　the　slavers。
　At　first　I　was　greatly　upset　when　told　of　the　impending　wedding。　But　Deoce　quickly　put　my　mind　at　rest　when　she　explained　that　the　〃nobleman〃　was　a　boy　of　less　than　six　years；　and　since　she　had　been　in　the　pany　of　strange　men　for　so　long　without　proper　chaperoning；　there　was　no　chance　she　would　be　considered　suitable　marriage　material。　However；　myself。。。　…　concern　turned　to　anguish　for　her　when　I　heard　this。
　Deoce　chuckled　when　she　learned　the　reason　for　my　dismay。　〃It　only　means　now　I　won't　have　to　marry　a　little　boy；〃　she　said。　〃In　my　own　clan　it　is　not　so　important　to　be　a　virgin。　It　is　only　important　to　。。。　other　people。　People　like〃…she　shuddered…〃the　slavers。　They　were　going　to　sell　me　as　a　harvest　sacrifice。〃　She　gave　me　a　grim　smile。　〃If　I　were　not　a　virgin；　at　least　I　would　have　had　a　better　chance　of　staying　alive。〃
　She　looked　at　me；　thoughtful。　I　wondered　what　was　going　on　in　her　mind。　Then　she　sighed。　〃In　some　ways；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　easier　when　our　。。。　words　。。。　were　fewer。〃
　〃In　what　way？〃　I　asked。　But　she　just　shook　her　head　and　said；　〃Never　mind。〃　Despite　my　question；　I　knew　her　meaning。　If　anything；　I　had　bee　an　overly　courtly　suitor　since　that　day　on　the　embankment　when　I　tested　her　with　a　kiss。　Our　newfound　ease　in　speech　drew　me　much　closer　to　her　than　mere　lust　would　have。　As　we　sat　chatting；　I　realized　we　had　bee　fast　friends。　We　became　even　faster　friends　a　bit　later；　when　she　quizzed　me　about　my　journey　and　I　felt　enough　trust　to　tell　her　the　nature　of　my　mission。
　〃The　Far　Kingdoms？〃　she　cried　when　I　named　our　goal。　〃Do　you　really　mean　to　find　them？〃　Her　eyes　were　so　full　of　enthusiasm　and　awe；　I　was　gladder　than　eve