ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第72部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Fezana　on　the　Day　of　the　Moat。〃
　　
　　On　their　way　of　a　midwinter　morning　to　their　booth　in　the　market；　Jehane　and　Velaz　were　abducted　so　smoothly　that　no　one　in　the　street　around　them　was　even　aware　of　what　was　happening。
　　It　was　a　grey　day；　sliding　clouds；　lighter　and　darker。　Wind　and　some　rain。　Two　men　came　up　to　them；　one　begged　a　moment　of　her　attention。　Even　as　he　spoke　a　knife　was　against　her　ribs；　screened　by　his　body　and　fur…lined　cloak。
　　〃Your　servant　dies　if　you　open　your　mouth；〃　he　said　pleasantly。　〃You　die　if　he　does。〃　She　looked　quickly　over：　Velaz　was　engaged　in　identical　circumstances　by　the　second　man。　They　appeared；　to　anyone　casually　glancing　at　them；　to　be　doing　no　more　than　converse。
　　〃Thank　you；　doctor；〃　the　man　beside　her　said　loudly。　〃The　rooms　are　just　this　way。　We　are　most　grateful。〃
　　She　went　where　he　guided　her。　The　knife　pricked　her　skin　as　they　moved。　Velaz　had　gone　white；　she　saw。　She　knew　it　was　rage；　not　fear。　There　was　something　about　these　men；　a　quality　of　assurance；　that　made　her　believe　they　would　kill；　even　in　a　public　place。
　　They　came　to　a　door；　opened　it　with　a　heavy　key；　entered。　The　second　man　locked　it　behind　them　with　one　hand。　The　other　hand　held　the　knife　against　Velaz。　She　saw　him　drop　the　key　into　a　purse　at　his　belt。
　　They　were　in　a　courtyard。　It　was　empty。　The　windows　of　the　house　beyond　were　shuttered。　There　was　a　fountain　basin　full　of　dead　leaves；　empty　of　water。　The　statue　in　the　center　had　lost　its　head　and　one　arm。　The　courtyard　looked　as　if　it　had　not　been　used　for　a　long　time。　She　had　passed　this　doorway　a　score　of　mornings。　How　did　a　place　such　as　this　bee　the　setting　for　what　might　be　the　end　of　one's　life？
　　She　said；　keeping　her　voice　as　firm　as　she　could　manage；　〃You　invite　death　and　you　must　know　it。　I　am　a　court　physician　to　King　Badir。〃
　　〃Now　that　is　a　relief；〃　said　the　first　man。　〃If　you　were　not；　we　might　have　had　a　problem。〃
　　He　had　a　dry；　precise　voice。　No　accent　she　could　identify。　He　was　Asharite；　a　merchant；　or　dressed　like　one。　They　both　were。　Their　clothing　was　expensive。　One　of　them　wore　a　fragrant　perfume。　Their　hands　and　nails　were　clean。　These　were　no　tavern　louts；　or　if　they　were；　someone　had　been　at　pains　to　conceal　the　fact。　Jehane　drew　a　deep　breath；　her　mouth　was　dry。　She　could　feel　her　legs　beginning　to　tremble。　She　hoped　they　could　not　see　that。　She　said　nothing；　waiting。　Then　she　noticed　blood　on　Velaz's　tunic；　where　his　own　cloak　fell　away；　and　her　trembling　abruptly　stopped。
　　The　second　man；　taller　and　broader　than　the　first；　said　calmly；　〃We　are　going　to　bind　and　gag　your　servant　and　leave　him　in　this　place。　His　clothing　will　be　removed。　No　one　ever　es　here。　Look　around　if　you　wish　to　satisfy　yourself　of　that。　No　one　knows　where　he　is。　He　will　die　of　exposure　if　we　do　not　return　to　release　him。　Do　you　understand　what　I　am　saying　to　you？〃
　　Jehane　stared　at　him；　contempt　in　her　eyes　disguising　fear。　She　made　no　reply。　The　man　looked　briefly　amused；　she　saw　the　muscles　in　his　forearm　flex；　just　before　the　knife　moved。　Velaz　made　a　small；　involuntary　sound。　There　was　a　real　wound　now；　not　a　cut。
　　〃If　he　asks　a　question　you　had　best　answer　it；〃　the　first　man　said　mildly。　〃He　has　an　easily　affronted　nature。〃
　　〃I　understand　you；〃　Jehane　said；　through　her　teeth。
　　〃Excellent；〃　the　bigger　man　murmured。　With　a　sudden　motion　he　ripped　off　Velaz's　blue　cloak　and　dropped　it　on　the　ground。　〃Remove　your　clothes；〃　he　said。　〃All　of　them。〃　Velaz　hesitated；　looking　at　Jehane。
　　〃We　have　other　ways　of　doing　what　we　are　here　to　do；〃　the　first　man　said　briskly　to　Velaz；　〃even　if　we　have　to　kill　you　both。　It　will　cause　us　no　distress　to　do　so。　Believe　me　in　this。　Take　your　clothes　off；　you　disgusting　Kindath　offal。　Do　it　now。〃　The　savage　insult　was　the　more　chilling　for　the　utterly　calm　tone　in　which　it　was　spoken。
　　Jehane　thought　then　of　Sorenica。　Of　those　who　had　died　there　at　autumn's　end：　burned；　decapitated；　babies　cut　in　half　by　the　sword。　There　had　been　more　stories　after　that　first　messenger；　each　one　worse　than　the　one　before。　Did　two　more　deaths　matter？　Could　the　god　and　his　sisters　possibly　care？
　　Velaz　began　to　disrobe。　His　face　was　expressionless　now。　The　second　man　moved　a　few　steps　away　to　the　far　side　of　the　fountain　basin　and　retrieved　a　coil　of　rope　and　a　square　of　heavy　cloth。　It　started　to　rain　again。　It　was　very　cold。　Jehane　began　trying　to　calculate　how　long　a　man　could　survive；　lying　naked　and　bound　here。
　　〃What　is　it　you　want　of　me？〃　she　asked；　against　her　will。　She　was　afraid　now。
　　〃Patience；　doctor。〃　Her　captor's　voice　was　bland；　the　knife　never　left　her　ribs。　〃Let　us　deal　with　your　surety　first。〃
　　They　did　so。　Velaz　was　not　even　allowed　his　undergarments。　Utterly　naked；　looking　small　and　old　in　the　damp　grey　chill；　he　was　trussed　hand　and　foot。　A　cloth　was　tied　tightly　about　his　mouth。　Then　the　bigger　man　lifted　him　and　dropped　him　into　the　fountain　basin。　Jehane　winced。　The　wet　stone　would　be　as　ice　on　his　exposed　flesh。　Velaz　had　not　said　a　word；　of　protest　or　appeal。　He　was　unable　to　do　so　now。　He　lay　on　his　back；　helpless；　his　eyes　were　on　hers；　though；　and　what　she　saw　still　was　a　burning　anger；　not　fear。
　　He　was　indomitable；　he　always　had　been。　His　courage　gave　her　back　her　own。
　　〃Once　more；〃　she　said；　moving　a　deliberate　step　away　from　the　knife。　〃What　is　it　you　want？〃　The　man　did　not　follow　her。　He　seemed　indifferent　to　her　defiance。
　　He　said　calmly；　〃It　is　our　understanding　that　as　physician　to　the　court　you　know　where　the　two　sons　of　the　Lady　Zabira　are　lodged。　This　has　proven　to　be　difficult　information　to　obtain。　You　will　take　us　to　that　place　and　gain　us　admission。　You　will　remain　with　us　for　a　time　there；　and　then　you　are　free　to　return　here　and　release　your　servant。〃
　　〃You　expect　me　to　simply　walk　you　into　that　place？〃
　　The　second　man　had　turned　away　again。　From　another　large　satchel　he　began　removing　items　of　clothing。　Two　white　tunics；　two　blue　robes　fringed　in　white；　two　small　soft　blue　caps。
　　Jehane　began　to　understand。
　　〃We　are　your　kindred；　dear　lady。　Physicians　of　your　own　faith　from　Fezana；　e　to　study　with　you。　We　have　too　little　knowledge　in　the　diseases　of　children；　alas；　and　you　are　widely　known　for　such　expertise。　The　two　boys　are　past　due　for　a　routine　examination。　You　will　take　us　there；　introduce　us　as　doctors　you　know；　and　bring　us　into　their　presence。　That　is　all。〃
　　〃And　what　will　happen？〃
　　The　second　man　smiled　from　by　the　fountain；　he　was　donning　the　white　and　blue　Kindath　garments。　〃Is　that　a　question　you　really　want　answered？〃
　　Which　was；　of　course；　an　answer。
　　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　will　not　do　it。〃
　　〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　that；〃　the　first　man　said；　undisturbed。　〃Personally　I　do　not　like　gelding　men；　even　when　provoked。　Nonetheless；　you　will　note　that　your　servant　is　securely　gagged。　When　we　cut　off　his　organs　of　sex　he　will　naturally　try　to　scream。　No　one　will　hear　him。〃
　　Jehane　tried　to　breathe　normally。　Sorenica。　They　would　have　done　this　in　Sorenica。　〃And　if　I　scream　now？〃　she　asked；　more　to　gain　time　than　anything　else。
　　Nothing　seemed　to　perturb　them。　The　one　by　the　fountain　was　fully　garbed　as　a　Kindath　now；　the　first　one　removed　his　fur…trimmed　robe；　preparing　to　do　the　same。
　　He　said；　〃There　is　a　locked　door　here　and　a　high　wall。　You　will　have　noted　these　things。　You　would　both　be　dead　and　we　would　be　out　through　the　house　and　a　back　passageway　and　lost　in　the　city　long　before　anyone　broke　through　that　door　to　find　a　castrated　man　and　a　dead　woman　with　her　intestines　spilling　out。　Really；　doctor；　I　had　hoped　you　would　not　be　foolish　about　this。〃
　　Inwardly　then；　and　quite　unfairly；　Jehane　began　to　curse　all　the　men　she　knew　here　in　Ragosa。　Mazur。　Ammar。　Rodrigo。　Alvar　and　Husari。　With　so　much　prowess　surrounding　her；　how　had　this　e　to　be？
　　The　answer；　of　course；　was　her　own　insisted…upon　independence；　and　their　willingness　to　grant　her　that…which　is　what　made　the　cursing　unfair。　Under　the　circumstances；　she　decided；　fairness　didn't　matter　in　the　least：　one　of　them；　somehow；　ought　to　have　been　here　to　prevent　this。
　　〃Why　do　you　want　the　children？〃　she　a