cacb.thefarkingdoms-第61部分

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ero；　Janos　Greycloak。　You；　and　my　brother。〃
　〃The　question；〃　Janos　said；　〃is　how　to　reply。　To　tell　the　truth；　I　don't　much　care　for　the　hero's　mantle。　It　is　too　heavy；　gives　more　disfort　than　ease；　and　is　too　easily　ripped　away。〃
　〃But　they　are　preparing　for　the　next　expedition　as　we　speak；〃　I　said。　〃And　it　is　a　hero　they　want　to　lead　it。　Right　now；　that　hero　is　Cassini。〃
　〃He's　a　liar；〃　Deoce　said。　〃Challenge　him　for　the　harm　his　lies　have　done。　Then　kill　him。　This　is　how　we　women　of　Salcae　would　deal　with　such　a　man。〃
　Rah'　laughed；　and　it　was　a　joy　to　hear　again　after　all　the　time　that　had　passed。　〃I　like　her；　Amalric。　She's　much　too　good　for　you。〃　Then；　to　Deoce；　〃We　are　not　so　different　in　Orissa；　my　dear　Deoce。　However；　Cassini　is　an　Evocator。　You　cannot　challenge　an　Evocator　to　a　duel。　An　unpleasant　death　would　be　the　smallest　penalty　you'd　face。〃
　Deoce　made　a　face。　〃Now　I　know　for　certain　men　rule　here；〃　she　said。　〃No　woman　of　character　would　allow　such　a　law　to　stand。〃
　Janos　slammed　down　a　heavy　fist；　rocking　the　table。　〃As　should　no　man；〃　he　said。　〃But　it　would　be　too　easy　to　kill　him；　and　then　be　cheated　out　of　what　I　desire　the　most。　The　Far　Kingdoms　will　be　mine；　dammit。　And　no　other's。〃
　〃Then　let　us　confront　him；〃　I　said。　〃The　people　will　gather　soon　to　do　him　honor。　Let　us　go　there　and　show　them　we　not　only　live；　but　that　it　was　no　thanks　to　that　lying　coward　who　abandoned　us　and　urged　others　to　abandon　us　as　well。〃
　And　that　is　what　we　did。　I　convinced　Rali　and　Deoce　to　guard　the　villa　in　case　all　did　not　go　well。　I　ordered　horses　saddled；　and；　still　dressed　in　the　rough　clothing　of　our　journey；　we　rode　for　the　Great　Amphitheater。　Now　the　streets　were　more　crowded；　and　I　realized　that　although　the　old　fisherman　hadn't　believed　me；　he　must　have　told　others　about　the　young　fool　claiming　to　be　Amalric　Antero。　People　looked　up　to　see　the　men　riding　past；　and　some　of　them　recognized　us。　〃Isn't　that　Greycloak？〃　I　heard　people　ask。　〃And　isn't　that　Lord　Antero；　himself；　beside　him？　It's　true；　then。　They　are　alive！〃
　Someone　called　out；　〃Where　are　you　bound；　Captain　Greycloak？〃
　Janos　shouted　back；　〃We're　off　to　confound　a　great　liar。〃　His　words　and　the　news　that　our　presence　was　no　rumor　spread；　and　a　large　crowd　gathered　in　our　wake；　shouting　encouragement　and　cursing　Cassini　for　a　liar。　Soon　we　came　to　the　Great　Amphitheater。　A　strong　guard　rushed　to　bar　our　way；　alerted　by　the　noise　of　the　crowd。　The　captain　of　the　guard　raised　his　spear　and　shouted　for　us　to　stop。
　〃How　dare　you　say　such　a　thing　to　a　citizen　of　Orissa；〃　I　shouted　back。　But　my　protest　wasn't　necessary。　As　soon　as　the　man　saw　Janos；　he　lowered　his　spear　in　amazement　〃By　Te…Date；　it　is　Janos　Greycloak；〃　he　called。　〃Alive　as　the　day　his　mother　birthed　him。〃　He　strode　up　to　Janos。　〃I　knew　no　Evocator　could　have　acplished　such　deeds。〃　To　his　men；　〃Didn't　I　say　that；　lads？　Didn't　I　say　only　a　soldier　could　have　done　what　he　said　he'd　done？〃　The　other　soldiers　cheered。　The　guard　captain　clapped　Janos　on　the　leg。　〃Get　in　there；　man；〃　he　roared。　〃The　Far　Kingdoms　are　for　all　of　us。　Soldier　and　citizen；　and　not　for　the　damned　Evocators。〃　We　dismounted；　tossed　the　reins　to　the　guardsman；　and　went　through　the　gates；　the　crowd　poured　after　us。
　It　was　not　pleasant　to　be　Cassini　that　day。　I　imagine　him；　now；　moments　before　our　entry。　Every　space　in　the　Great　Amphitheater　was　taken。　The　heat　would　have　been　intense　from　all　those　thousands　gathered　to　cheer　his　triumph。　But　it　was　unlikely　Cassini　would　have　felt　the　heat。　He　would　have　been　well　rehearsed　for　the　honors　ceremony　and　would　have　labored　many　nights　over　the　humble　hero's　speech　he　planned　to　deliver。　As　he　waited　patiently　through　the　many　introductory　speeches；　he　would'　have　basked　in　all　the　admiration。　This　was　the　culmination；　the　highest　point　in　his　life…a　life　that；　he　recently　feared；　would　be　unappreciated。　He　would　already　have　begun　to　dream　of　the　triumphs　that　would　soon　follow。　He　would　lead　the　next　expedition　to　the　very　portals　of　the　Far　Kingdoms　and　would　return　with　even　greater　glory。　Yes；　for　a　short　while；　Cassini　knew　what　it　was　like　to　be　the　man　of　the　hour。　Then　we　appeared；　and　the　last　of　the　sand　ran　out。
　Jeneander；　that　old　fraud；　was　poised　to　introduce　his　protege　when　we　entered。　He　stood　on　the　broad　center　stage　of　the　amphitheater；　his　voice　and　image　magnified　many　times　by　the　special　spell　that　was　cast　by　112　Evocators　when　the　first　stone　was　set　in　place。　Clustered　about　him　were　dignitaries　from　all　walks　of　Orissan　life。　In　the　two　most　favored　seats　were　Gamelan；　oldest　of　the　Evocator　Elders；　and　Sisshon；　his　counterpart　with　the　Magistrates。　In　the　center；　on　the　hero's　throne　and　with　a　hero's　garland　on　his　brow；　was　Cassini。
　Jeneander　was　in　mid…delivery　when　the　crowd　that　had　followed　us　in　roared　our　names；　and　all　heads　in　the　Great　Amphitheater　turned。　Then　the　whole　place　became　madness。　There　were　shouts　and　screams　and　sudden；　wild　brawls。　I　heard　my　name　being　chanted；　but；　mostly　I　heard　them　cry　out　for　Janos。　Janos。　Janos。　I　saw　Cassini；　standing　dumbfounded　next　to　Jeneander；　fear　a　raw　wound　on　his　face。　He　was　frozen　in　his　humiliation；　but　the　men　about　him　were　ing　to　life。　Some　escaped　association　by　fleeing　the　stage。　Others　began　to　berate　him；　although　I　could　not　hear　what　they　said　over　the　noise　of　the　crowd。　Gamelan　was　the　first　Evocator　to　find　his　senses。　He　hurried　to　Jeneander　and　Cassini；　threw　his　arms　about　them；　lifted　his　head　to　the　heavens；　and　cast　a　spell。　Smoke　and　fire　billowed；　and　they　were　gone。
　Then　a　thousand　arms　lifted　us；　and　a　thousand　more　passed　us　across　the　arena　floor　to　the　center　stage。　I　was　the　first　to　be　set　on　his　feet。　I　had　just　time　to　catch　my　bearings；　and　then　Janos　was　beside　me。　He　looked　around；　a　little　bewildered；　a　soldier　uneasy　in　the　presence　of　so　many　civilians　focusing　on　him。　I　pushed　him　forward；　guessing　the　point　on　the　stage　where　our　images　would　be　cast　up　like　giants。　From　the　sudden　silence　of　the　crowd；　I　knew　I　had　guessed　right。
　〃People　of　Orissa；〃　I　said。　I　heard　the　words　explode　out　and　wash　back；　rocking　me　by　the　sheer　force　of　their　sound。　〃You　all　know　me；　for　I　am　one　of　your　own。〃
　The　crowd　chanted　my　name。　〃Amalric。　Amalric。　Amalric。〃
　They　grew　quiet　when　I　raised　my　hand。　〃If　you　do　not　know；　I　am　sure　you　have　all　heard　of　my　friend；　here。〃
　There　was　wild　cheering　as　I　presented　Janos。　I　pushed　him　forward；　sensing　the　people　felt　a　close　kinship　to　Janos。　I　whispered　to　him；　〃Speak　to　them。　They　want　to　hear　you。〃
　Janos'　eyes　were　glazed。　〃What　should　I　say？〃
　I　prodded　him　again。　〃Just　tell　them　the　truth。〃
　It　was　the　last　time　Janos　ever　suffered　the　malady　of　actors。　His　form　suddenly　straightened；　and　all　fear　and　confusion　dropped　away。　He　stepped　forward；　confident；　as　if　born　to　the　role。
　〃People　of　Orissa；〃　he　boomed。　〃I　bring　you　news　of　the　Far　Kingdoms　。。。〃
　The　speech　he　gave　that　day　was　praised　for　many　weeks。　It　wouldn't　have　mattered　if　it　had　been　fashioned　of　nonsense　words；　for　Orissa　had　never　known　such　a　hero　as　Janos　Greycloak。　Here　was　a　man　of　noble　family；　but　exotic　birth。　He　was　also　a　fighting　man；　a　soldier　who　knew　what　it　was　like　to　suffer。　Not　only　that；　but　it　was　rumored　he　was　a　former　slave；　so　they　were　certain　he　was　no　stranger　to　the　burdens　and　toil　of　mon　men　and　women。　He'd　also　made　a　fool　and　a　liar　out　of　an　Evocator；　and　isn't　it　true　to　this　day　that　the　most　amiable　of　sorcerers　may　be　respected；　but　will　never　be　liked？　Most　of　all；　he　brought　them　the　gift　of　pride。　An　ordinary　man　had　achieved　what　had　been　considered　impossible　a　few　months　before。　Now　he　promised　to　better　that　achievement；　to　set　foot　in　a　magical　land　that　offered　promise　aplenty　for　every　heart。
　As　for　myself；　there　were　honors　and　banquets　and　many　people　clamoring　for　my　time。　Lest　false　modesty　brand　me　a　liar；　I　will　say　that　I　was　a　hero　as　well。　After　all；　it　had　been　my　Finding　that　sparked　the　whole　thing；　and　I　walked　every　step　Janos　had　walked　and　suffered　what　he　had　suffered。　But　as　intent　as　I　had　been　on　instantly　gathering　up　an　expedition　and　retr