cacb.thefarkingdoms-第66部分

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　freed　them；　you　fool。　When　I　order　them　to　work；　they　laugh　in　my　face　if　they　do　not　like　my　manner。　Only　this　moment　I　took　a　whip　to　a　stable　hand；　and　the　bastard　had　the　audacity　to　rip　it　from　my　hand。　And　then　he　。。。　he　quit。　He　left。　There　is　no　way　I　can　order　him　back；　because　he　no　longer　is　required　to　obey。〃
　〃You'll　just　have　to　adopt　an　easier　manner；〃　I　answered。　〃If　you　are　unhappy　with　your　pay；　why；　I　can　raise　it。　But　not　eight　times。　That；　Tegry；　is　more　theft　than　is　your　right。　But　I'll　double　it；　and　we'll　let　bygones　be…〃
　〃No；　you　won't；〃　Tegry　shouted。　〃If　I　am　free；　then　I　will　not　work　for　such　a　man　as　yourself。　I　warned　your　father。　But　he　wouldn't　listen。　Very　well；　then；　if　a　stable　hand　can　do　it　。。。　so　can　I。　Lord　Antero；　I　resign　my　position。　I　will　be　gone　within　the　hour；　and　you　will　be　a　sorry　man　that　you　so　abused　me。〃　He　turned　on　his　heel　and　stalked　out。
　Although　we　did　not　announce　my　actions　loudly；　word　spread　quickly　enough；　and　there　was　much　hot　talk　about　that　〃crazy　Antero〃　who　freed　his　slaves。　But　soon　others　took　my　side；　especially　young　businessmen；　who　could　see　my　point　about　higher　profits。　Some　of　them　freed　their　slaves；　and　then　the　profit　point　took　on　a　tone　of　morality　and　civic　pride。
　〃They　are　saying　if　barbarians　like　the　Lycanthians　can　allow　their　slaves　to　purchase　their　freedom；〃　Janos　reported　with　much　laughter；　〃then　Orissa　can　certainly　go　them　one　better。〃
　〃I　only　hope　it　hasn't　injured　your　cause；〃　I　said。
　〃Actually；　it　has　improved　it；〃　Janos　said。　〃The　same　people　who　support　me　are　the　ones　most　likely　to　free　their　slaves。　So　it　turns　out　we　are　walking　hand　in　hand　again；　as　if　we　were　back　to　our　trek。〃　Not　that　all　went　perfectly。　Hot　words　turned　to　brawls　now　and　then。　Many　owners　became　angry　when　they　were　accosted　on　the　street　by　former　slaves　who　berated　them　for　not　freeing　the　people　in　their　keep。
　Then　a　public　meeting　was　called　at　the　Great　Amphitheater。　It　was　announced　that　a　second　expedition　to　the　Far　Kingdoms　had　been　approved；　and　there　would　be　public　discussion　on　who　would　lead　it。　Once　again；　Cassini's　name　was　raised。　I　rode　with　Janos　to　the　meeting。　He　dressed　himself　as　a　soldier；　still　favoring　the　plain；　light　armor　and　mon　sword　on　his　back。　But　astride　his　horse；　his　black　beard　brushed　until　it　glistened　and　his　big　white　teeth　smiling；　he　looked　like　a　young　king。　Outside　the　amphitheater；　we　were　cheered　by　a　large　group　of　angry　young　men；　among　them　was　Malaren。
　'Thank　you　for　the　greeting；〃　Janos　said。　〃But　what　is　happening？〃
　〃I　will　tell　you；　my　dear　man；〃　Malaren　seethed。　'They　plan　to　steal　the　leadership　of　the　expedition。〃
　〃Who　is　they？〃　I　broke　in；　for　Janos　was　too　jolted　to　ask。
　A　burly　man　with　thick；　calloused　hands　answered。　〃Those　dog…bitten　Magistrates；　that's　who；〃　he　shouted。　I　saw　the　mark　on　his　arm…he　was　a　recent　slave。　〃And　the　damned　Evocators're　in　on　it；　too。〃
　〃Not　all　of　them；〃　Malaren　said。　〃But　there　are　enough　old　men　and　cowards　in　both　groups　to　give　it　to　Cassini。〃
　I　looked　at　Janos；　his　eyes　steel　and　his　hand　reaching　for　his　sword。　He　looked　ready　to　kick　his　horse　into　a　gallop　and　charge　the　amphitheater。　Someone　shouted；　〃We're　with　you；　Greycloak！〃　Others　took　up　the　shout。　〃We'll　not　let　them　try　and　cheat　you　again。〃　Other　voices　were　raised；　and　I　saw　many　more　had　joined　us。　Among　them　were　lords　like　Malaren　and　mon　folk；　blacksmiths；　and　sailors；　and　yes；　former　slaves　as　well。　I　felt　a　great　stirring　of　battle　ing　on。
　Abruptly　Janos　was　all　calmness。　He　raised　a　hand；　and　there　was　silence。　〃We　will　not　behave　as　rabble；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　are　with　me；　then　e　quietly。　I　want　you　all　to　sit　together；　and　I　swear　that　I　shall　speak　for　all　of　you　as　well　as　myself。〃
　There　were　mutters；　but　Janos'　manding　presence　prevailed；　we　readied　ourselves　to　enter。　I　felt　a　tug　at　my　breeches；　and　I　looked　down　and　recognized　a　young　servant　from　my　household。　Her　eyes　were　wide　and　frightened。
　〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。
　〃It　is　Lady　Antero；〃　she　cried。　〃e　quickly。　Your　child　is　being　born。〃
　Her　words　pierced　me。　I　was　torn　by　the　heat　of　the　moment　and　fear　for　Deoce。　Janos　kicked　his　horse　to　my　side。　〃Go；〃　he　said。
　〃But　。。。　the　meeting　。。。　the　。。。〃
　He　pushed　me；　rough。　〃I　can　do　this。　I　will　need　you　more　later。　Now；　go！〃　My　wavering　broke；　and　I　swept　the　servant　girl　up　on　my　saddle　and　raced　through　the　streets　for　the　villa。　Behind　me　I　heard　a　great　roaring　echo　from　the　amphitheater。
　The　birthing　bed　was　a　horror　of　blood　and　pain。　Two　mid…wives　tended　my　poor　Deoce；　and　not　all　their　medicines　and　spells　could　ease　her　agony。　My　daughter　was　ing；　but　she　wasn't　ing　easily。　Deoce　gripped　my　hand　so　hard；　I　thought　my　fingers　would　break。　〃I　knew　you　would　e；〃　she　wept。　'They　said　there　was　。。。　a　meeting。　The　expedition！　But　。。。　I　knew　you　would　e　just　the　same。〃
　I　tried　to　find　words；　but　they　were　all　puny　things　beside　her　pain　and　faith　in　me。　All　I　could　say　was　that　I　loved　her　and　that　I　would　love　her　until　the　sands　all　washed　away　to　sea。　She　gave　a　terrible　scream；　and　I　thought　I　had　lost　my　Deoce　forever。　Silence　。。。　So　thick　and　heavy　after　that　scream；　I　can　feel　it　stifle　me　as　I　scratch　these　words。　Then　I　saw　my　daughter's　head　emerge　between　Deoce's　bloody　thighs。　My　wife　choked　back　another　scream；　and　the　babe　came　the　rest　of　the　way　into　the　practiced　hands　of　the　midwife。　A　moment　later；　Emilie　gave　her　first　cry。　My　daughter　was　born。
　〃Is　she　beautiful？〃　Deoce　asked　in　a　weak　voice。
　I　looked　at　the　bloody　little　thing；　with　her　eyes　squeezed　tight　shut。　She　was　howling　now；　angry　for　being　plucked　from　warm　safety。　〃Yes；　my　love；〃　I　answered。　〃She　is　beautiful。〃　And　as　I　watched　the　midwives　clean　her　and　then　wrap　her　in　soft　linen　to　ready　Emilie　to　meet　her　mother　for　the　first　time；　I　really　did　believe　this　so。
　
　OUTSIDE　OF　A　war；　the　second　expedition　to　the　Far　Kingdoms　was　the　largest　force　mounted　in　Orissan　history。　This　would　be　no　private　Finding；　where　a　young　man　could　gallop　off　wherever　he　chose；　with　however　many　drinking　panions　his　father　could　afford。　Destiny　was　being　gambled　for；　and　every　person　in　the　city　wanted　a　place　at　the　table。　Fully　two　thousand　would　go：　troops；　horses　and　their　tenders；　officers　and　their　servants；　camp　followers　by　the　score　to　pleasure　the　men；　cooks；　bakers；　armorers；　bearers；　and　the　simply　curious　who　had　influence　enough　to　get　their　names　on　the　rolls。　By　unanimous　acclaim；　the　man　who　would　lead　this　great　force　was　Janos　Greycloak。
　〃It　wasn't　much　of　a　fight；〃　Janos　said　that　night。　〃Cassini　never　even　took　the　stage；　although　I　saw　him　waiting　in　the　wings；　all　blown　up　with　his　own　importance。　He　was　pacing　back　and　forth　rehearsing　his　acceptance　speech。　If　that　wasn't　enough　of　a　clue　for　a　poor；　dim…witted　soldier　such　as　myself；　the　fact　all　the　men　on　the　stage　were　our　enemies　was　enough　to　show　that　someone　had　filled　pips　on　the　dice　with　lead。〃　Janos　shook　his　head；　still　in　amazed　shock。　〃As　soon　as　I　took　my　place；　the　whole　crowd　began　shouting　like　before…'Janos。　Janos。'　And　all　that　rot。〃　His　teeth　flashed；　and　I　knew　he　hadn't　found　it　〃rot〃　at　all。　〃But　this　time　it　was　much　louder；　and　the　voices　were　so　furious；　you　had　to　be　a　fool　not　to　know　there　was　blood　in　their　eyes。　Some　fellows　made　so　bold　as　to　rush　the　platform；　but　fell　back　when　I　asked　them　not　to　be　so　rude　and　to　let　these　worthy　gentlemen　speak。〃
　Janos　gulped　down　a　tumbler　of　wine；　then　started　laughing。　〃Oh；　I　wish　you　could　have　been　there；　my　friend；〃　he　said。　〃There's　been　nothing　in　your　experience　quite　like　it。〃　Janos　said　Jeneander　and　his　friends　held　a　hurried　conference；　trying　to　ignore　the　boisterous　remarks　of　the　crowd。　As　Janos　indicated；　nothing　like　this　had　ever　happened　in　Orissa；　and　our　enemies　were　in　a　panic；　flinching　under　the　crowd's　abuse　as　if　they　were　throwing　stones　instead　of　words。　Someone　in　the　crowd　spotted　Cassini；　and　a　group　charged　him；　but　he　managed　to　flee　in　time。　On　the　stage　a　decision　was　made；　but　then　they　began　to　squabble　about　who　would　deliver　it　to　the　angry　citizens　of　Or