tw.togreenangeltower2-第133部分

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Cadrach　wiped　at　his　eyes　and　nose　with　his　dirty　sleeve。　〃I　told　you　of　my　capture　by　Pryrates；〃　he　said　to　Miriamele。
　　　　　　　〃You　did。〃　And　she　in　turn　had　told　Binabik　and　others　on　Sesuad'ra；　so　she　felt　no　need　to　retell　the　tale　now。
　　　　　　　〃I　told　you　that　after　I　had　betrayed　the　booksellers；　Pryrates　threw　me　out；　thinking　I　was　dead。〃
　　　　　　　She　nodded。
　　　　　　　'That　was　not　true…or　at　least　it　did　not　happen　then。〃　He　took　a　breath。　〃He　set　me　to　spy　on　Morgenes　and　others　I　had　known　from　my　days　as　a　Scrollbearer。〃　
　　　　　　　〃And　you　did　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　think　I　hesitated；　my　lady；　you　do　not　know　how　fiercely　a　drunkard　and　coward　can　cling　to　his　life…or　how　terrified　of　Pryrates'　anger　I　was。　You　see；　I　knew　him。　I　knew　that　the　injuries　he　had　done　to　my　flesh　in　his　tower　were　nothing　set　against　what　he　could　do　if　he　truly　wished　to　make　me　suffer。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　you　spied　for　him？！　Spied　on　Morgenes？〃
　　　　　　　Cadrach　shook　his　head。　〃I　tried…by　the　Tree；　how　I　tried！　But　Morgenes　was　no　fool。　He　knew　that　I　had　fallen　into　dreadful　straits；　and　that　the　red　priest　knew　both　of　us　from　elder　days。　He　gave　me　food　and　a　night's　lodging；　but　he　was　suspicious。　He　made　sure　there　was　nothing　for　me　to　find　in　either　his　chambers　or　his　discourse　that　would　be　useful　to　someone　like　Pryrates。〃　Cadrach　shook　his　head。　〃If　anything；　my　efforts　only　taught　Morgenes　that　he　had　less　time　than　he　had　hoped。〃
〃So　you　failed？〃　Miriamele　could　not　see　where　this　was　leading；　but　a　deep　dread　was　spreading　through　her。　
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　And　I　was　terrified。　When　I　went　back　to　Hjeldin's　Tower；　Pryrates　was　angry。　But　he　did　not　kill　me；　or　do　something　worse；　as　I　feared。　Instead　he　asked　me　more　questions　about　Du　Svardenvyrd。　I　think　by　then　he　had　already　been　touched　by　the　Storm　King　and　was　beginning　to　bargain　with　him。〃　Cadrach's　look　turned　contemptuous。　〃As　if　any　mortal　could　successfully　bargain　with　one　such　as　that！　I　doubt　Pryrates　has　even　yet　realized　what　has　e　through　the　door　he　opened。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　will　talk　of　what　thing　Pryrates　has　done　later；〃　said　Binabik。　〃You　are　telling　us　now　of　things　you　have　been　doing。〃
　　　　　　　The　monk　stared　at　him。　〃They　are　less　separate　than　you　think；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Pryrates　asked　me　many　questions；　but　for　one　who　had　read　Du　Svardenvyrd…indeed；　for　one　who　knew　Nisses'　book　so　well　that　the　memory　of　its　words　still　haunts　my　thoughts　daily…it　was　easy　enough　to　see　the　direction　behind　his　questions。　Somehow　he　had　been　reached　by　the　Storm　King；　and　now　Pryrates　was　eager　to　know　about　the　three　Great　Swords。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　Pryrates　does　know　about　the　swords。〃　Miriamele　took　a　shaky　breath。　〃I　suppose　he　was　the　one　who　took　Bright…Nail　from　the　mound；　then。〃
　　　　　　　Cadrach　held　up　his　hand。　〃Pryrates　dealt　with　me　harshly　for　failing　with　Morgenes。　Then　he　had　me　send　a　message　to　old　Jarnauga　in　the　north；　asking　for　information　about　the　Storm　King。　I　suspect　that　the　alchemist　was　looking　for　ways　to　defend　himself　against　his　new　and　very　dangerous　friend。　He　made　me　write　it　as　he　watched；　then　sent　it　himself　with　a　sparrow　he　had　filched　from　Morgenes。　He　let　me　go　free　again。　He　was　sure　I　would　not　run　away　when　he　could　so　easily　locate　me。
　　　　　　　〃But　you　did　run　away；〃　Miriamele　said。　〃You　told　me　so。
　　　　　　　Cadrach　nodded。　〃Eventually。　But　not　then。　My　fear　was　too　great。　But　at　the　same　time　I　knew　that　Jarnauga　would　not　respond。　The　Rimmersman　and　Morgenes　were　closer　than　Pryrates　realized；　and　I　had　no　doubt　the　doctor　would　have　already　written　to　tell　Jarnauga　about　my　unexpected　visit。　In　any　case；　Jarnauga　had　been　living　in　Stormspike's　shadow　for　years　and　would　not　have　opened　his　mind　to　anyone　he　did　not　know　for　certain　to　be　untouched　by　Ineluki's　long　hand。　So　I　knew　that　the　imposture　Pryrates　had　forced　me　to　mit　was　useless；　and　that　when　the　red　priest　discovered　it；　he　would　have　no　use　left　for　me。　My　only　worth　was　as　one　who　had　read　Nisses'　book　and　as　a　former　Scrotlbearer。　But　I　had　answered　all　of　his　questions　about　the　book；　and　now　he　would　discover　that　the　other　Scrollbearers　had　stopped　trusting　me　years　before。。。。〃　He　broke　off；　struggling　again　with　powerful　emotions。
〃Go　on。〃　Miriamele　spoke　a　little　more　gently　than　before。　Whatever　he　had　done；　he　seemed　to　be　genuinely　suffering。

　　　　　　　〃I　was　in　terror…stark　terror。　I　knew　that　I　had　only　a　short　time　before　Jarnauga's　inevitably　unhelpful　reply。　I　wanted　desperately　to　flee；　but　Pryrates　would　know　the　moment　I　left　Erchester；　and　by　his　use　of　the　Art　would　also　know　where　I　had　gone。　He　had　marked　me　in　that　high　chamber　of　his　tower。　He　would　find　me　anywhere。〃　Cadrach　paused；　struggling　for　self…control。　〃So　I　thought；　and　thought；　and　thought…but　not；　to　my　shame；　of　a　way　to　escape　Pryrates　or　thwart　his　plans。　No；　in　my　besottedness　and　my　fear；　I　thought　only　of　ways　that　I　could　please　this　horrid　master；　that　I　could　convince　him　to　grant　me　my　pathetic　life。〃　He　quivered；　unable　for　a　moment　to　continue。
　　　　　　　〃I　had　thought　much　about　his　questions；〃　the　monk　finally　resumed。　〃Especially　about　the　three　Great　Swords。　It　was　clear　that　they　had　some　marvelous　power；　and　equally　clear　that　they　meant　something　to　the　Storm　King。　What　was　not　clear　to　anyone　but　me；　I　thought；　was　that　the　sword　Minneyar；　one　of　the　three；　was　in　fact　Bright…Nail；　the　sword　that　had　been　buried　with　King　John。〃
Miriamele　gaped。　〃You　knew？〃
　　　　　　　〃Anyone　who　read　the　books　of　history　that　I　had　would　have　suspected　it；〃　Cadrach　replied；　〃I　am　convinced　Morgenes　knew；　but　hid　it　in　his　own　book　about　your　grandfather　so　that　only　those　who　knew　what　to　look　for　would　find　it；　thus　keeping　it　from　mon　knowledge。〃　He　had　regained　a　little　posure。　〃In　any　case；　I　read　the　same　sources　Doctor　Morgenes　did；　and　had　long　held　that　opinion；　although　I　had　never　shared　it　with　anyone。　And　the　more　I　thought　about　the　marketplace　gossip　that　claimed　Elias　would　not　handle　his　father's　sword；　that　he　had；　against　custom；　buried　it　with　his　father；　the　more　I　felt　sure　that　my　guess　was　not　just　likely；　but　true。
　　　　　　　〃So　I　decided　that　if　what　Du　Svardenvyrd　seemed　to　suggest　was　also　true…that　the　only　weapons　the　Storm　King　feared　were　the　Three　Great　Swords…what　more　pleasing　gift　could　1　bring　to　Pryrates　than　one　of　the　swords？　All　three　were　thought　to　be　lost。　Surely　if　I　produced　one；　I　reasoned；　Pryrates　would　find　me　useful。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　gaped　at　the　monk　in　disgust　and　astonishment。　〃You　。　。　。　you　traitor！　Was　it　you　who　took　the　sword　from　my　grandfather's　barrow？　And　gave　it　to　Pryrates！？　God　curse　you　if　it　was；　Cadrach！〃
〃You　may　call　curses　on　me　all　you　like…and　you　will；　with　ample　reason。　But　wait　until　you　hear　the　whole　tale。〃
　　　　　　　I　was　right　to　try　and　drown　him　in　Emettin　Bay。　I　wish　he　had　never　been　fished　out。　She　waved　angrily　for　him　to　continue。
　　　　　　　〃I　went　to　Swertclif；　of　course；〃　he　said。　〃But　the　burial　ground　was　closely　guarded　by　the　king's　soldiers。　It　seemed　that　Elias　meant　to　keep　his　father's　grave　safe。　I　waited　two　nights　for　a　moment　when　I　might　get　at　the　barrow；　but　ho　such　moment　came。　And　then　Pryrates　sent　for　me。〃　He　winced；　remembering。　〃He　had　learned　well　from　his　studies。　His　voice　was　in　my　head…you　cannot　imagine　how　that　feels！　He　forced　me　to　e　to　him；　e　slinking　like　a　disobedient　child。。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Cadrach；　there　are　Norns　who　are　waiting　outside　this　cavern；〃　Binabik　interrupted。　〃So　far　your　story　is　telling　us　little　that　will　help　us。〃
　　　　　　　The　monk　stared　at　him　coldly。　〃Nothing　will　help　us。　That　is　what　I　am　trying　to　explain…but　I　will　not　force　you　to　listen。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　will　tell　us　everything；〃　Miriamele　declared；　her　rage　lighting　free。　〃We　are　fighting　for　our　lives。　Speak！〃
〃Pryrates　called　me　to　him　again。　As　I　knew　he　would；　he　told　me　that　Jarnauga　had　sent　only　information　of　no　worth；　that　it　was　clear　the　old　Rimmersman　did　not　trust　me。　'You　are　useless　to　me；　Padreic　ec…Crannhyr；'　the　alchemist　said。

　　　　　　　〃　'What　if　I　can　tell　you　something　that　is　very　useful？'　I　asked。　No；　that　is　not　the　right　word。　I　begged。　'If　you　will　leave　me　my　life；　I　wil