tw.togreenangeltower2-第19部分

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　　　　　　　The　River　Road　itself　was　almost　empty：　as　they　rode　along　they　met　only　one　wagon；　which　bore　an　entire　family　and　its　belongings。　The　driver；　a　careworn　man　who　looked　older　than　he　probably　was；　seemed　almost　overwhelmed　by　the　effort　of　nodding　to　Simon　and　Miriamele　as　they　passed。　She　turned　to　watch　the　wagon　wheeling　slowly　eastward　behind　a　thin…shanked　ox；　and　wondered　if　they　were　going　to　Sesuad'ra　to　cast　their　fortunes　with　Josua。　The　man；　his　scrawny　wife；　and　their　silent　children　had　looked　so　sad；　so　tired；　that　it　was　painful　to　think　that　they　might　be　traveling　toward　a　place　she　knew　to　be　deserted。　Miriamete　was　tempted　to　warn　them　that　the　prince　was　already　marching　south；　but　she　hardened　her　heart　and　turned　around。　Such　a　favor　would　be　dangerous　foolishness：　appearing　in　Erkynland　with　knowledge　of　Josua　would　attract　far　more　attention　than　was　healthy。
　　　　　　　The　few　small　settlements　they　passed　as　morning　wore　into　afternoon　seemed　almost　deserted；　only　a　few　plumes　of　gray　wafting　from　the　smoke　holes　of　houses；　a　gray　just　a　little　darker　than　the　surrounding　mist；　suggested　that　people　still　went　about　their　lives　in　this　depressing　place。　If　these　had　been　fanning　munities；　there　was　little　sign　of　it　now：　the　fields　were　full　of　dark　weeds　and　there　were　no　animals　to　be　seen。　Miriamele　guessed　that　if　the　times　were　as　bad　here　as　she　had　heard　reported　of　other　parts　of　Erkynland；　the　few　cows　and　sheep　and　pigs　not　yet　eaten　were　being　jealously　guarded。

　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　sure　we　should　stay　on　this　road　too　much　longer。〃　Miriamele　squinted　up　from　the　broad；　muddy　causeway　into　the　reddening　western　sky。
　　　　　　　〃We've　barely　seen　a　dozen　people　all　day；〃　Simon　replied。　〃And　if　we're　being　followed；　we're　best　out　in　the　open；　where　we　can　see　anyone　behind　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　we'll　be　ing　to　the　outskirts　of　Stanshire　soon。〃　Miriamele　had　traveled　in　this　area　a　few　times　with　her　father；　and　had　a　fairly　good　idea　of　where　they　were。　〃That's　a　much　bigger　town　than　any　of　these　little　places　we've　passed。　There'll　be　people　on　the　road　there；　that's　certain。　Maybe　guardsmen；　too。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　shrugged。　〃I　suppose。　What　are　we　going　to　do；　ride　through　the　fields？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　think　anyone　will　notice　or　care。　Haven't　you　seen　how　all　the　houses　are　shuttered？　It's　too　cold　for　people　to　be　looking　out　the　windows。〃
　　　　　　　In　answer；　Simon　exhaled　a　puff　of　foggy　breath　and　smiled。　〃As　you　say。　Just　be　careful　we　don't　run　the　horses　into　a　bog　or　something。　It'll　be　dark　soon。〃
　　　　　　　They　turned　their　mounts　off　the　road　and　through　a　hedge　of　loose　brush。　The　sun　was　almost　gone　now；　a　thin　slice　of　crimson　on　the　horizon　all　that　remained。　The　wind　increased；　whipping　through　the　long　grass。
　　　　　　　Evening　had　settled　in　across　the　hilly　landscape　by　the　time　they　saw　the　first　signs　of　Stanshire。　The　village　lay　on　both　sides　of　the　river；　joined　by　a　central　bridge；　and　on　the　northern　bank　the　clutter　of　houses　extended　almost　to　the　eaves　of　the　forest。　Simon　and　Miriamele　stopped　on　a　hilltop　and　looked　down　on　the　twinkling　lights。
　　　　　　　〃It's　smaller；〃　Miriamele　said。　〃It　used　to　fill　this　entire　valley。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　squinted。　〃I　think　it　still　does…see；　there　are　houses　all　the　way　across。　It's　just　that　only　half　of　them　have　fires；　or　lamps　burning；　or　whatever。〃　He　pulled　off　his　gloves　to　blow　on　his　fingers。　〃So。　Where　shall　we　stay　tonight？　Did　you　bring　any　money　for　an　inn？〃
　　　　　　　〃We　are　not　going　to　sleep　indoors。〃
Simon　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃No？　Well；　at　least　we　can　find　a　hot　meal　somewhere。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　turned　to　look　at　him。　〃You　don't　understand；　do　you？　This　is　my　father's　country。　I　have　been　here　before　myself。　And　there　are　so　few　travelers　on　the　road　that　even　if　we　weren't　recognized　by　anyone；　people　would　want　to　ask　us　questions；〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　can't　take　the　chance。　We　can　probably　send　you　in　somewhere　to　buy　some　food…I　did　bring　some　money…but　stay　in　a　hostel？　We　might　as　well　hire　a　trumpeter　to　walk　before　us。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　hard　to　tell　in　the　dim　light；　but　Simon　seemed　to　be　flushing。　There　was　certainly　an　angry　edge　to　his　voice。　〃If　you　say　so。〃
　　　　　　　She　calmed　her　own　temper。　〃Please；　Simon。　Don't　you　think　that　I　would　love　a　chance　to　wash　my　face　and　sit　down　on　a　bench　and　eat　a　real　supper？　I'm　trying　to　do　what's　best。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　looked　at　her　for　a　moment；　then　nodded。　〃I'm　sorry。　That's　good　sense。　I　was　just　disappointed。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　felt　a　sudden　gust　of　affection　for　him。　〃I　know。　You're　a　good　friend。〃
　　　　　　　He　looked　up　sharply；　but　said　nothing。　They　rode　down　the　hillside　into　the　Stanshire　valley。
　　　　　　　There　was　something　wrong　with　Stanshire。　Miriamele　remembered　it　from　her　visit　some　half…dozen　years　before　as　a　bustling；　thriving　town　populated　mostly　by　miners　and　their　families；　a　place　where　even　at　night　the　narrow　streets　were　full　of　lamplight…but　now　the　few　passersby　seemed　in　a　hurry　to　be　inside　once　more；　and　even　the　town's　inns　were　quiet　as　monasteries　and　nearly　empty。
　　　　　　　Miriamele　waited　in　the　shadows　outside　The　Wedge　and　Beetle　while　Simon　spent　some　of　their　cintis…pieces　on　bread　and　milk　and　onions。
　　　　　　　〃I　asked　the　owner　about　some　mutton　and　he　just　stared　at　me；〃　Simon　said。　〃I　think　it's　been　a　very　bad　year。〃
　　　　　　　〃Did　he　ask　you　any　questions？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　wanted　to　know　where　I　came　from。〃　Simon　was　already　nibbling　on　his　bread。　〃I　told　him　I　was　a　chandler　from　Hasu　Vale；　looking　for　some　work。　He　looked　at　me　funny　again；　then　said；　'Well；　you've　found　there's　no　work　to　be　had　here；　haven't　you？'　It's　just　as　well　he　didn't　need　some　work　because　I've　forgotten　everything　Jeremias　ever　told　me　about　how　to　make　candles。　But　he　asked　me　how　long　since　I'd　left　Hasu　Vale；　and　was　it　true　what　everyone　said；　that　there's　hauntings　in　the　hills　there。〃
　　　　　　　〃Hauntings？〃　Miriamele　felt　a　thin　line　of　ice　along　her　spine。　〃I　don't　like　the　sound　of　that。　What　did　you　tell　him？〃
　　　　　　　〃That　I'd　been　gone　a　long　time；　of　course。　That　I'd　been　traveling　in　the　south　looking　for　work。　Then；　before　he　could　start　asking　me　about　that；　I　told　him　my　wife　was　waiting　in　the　wagon　up　on　the　River　Road　and　that　I　had　to　go。〃
　　　　　　　〃Your　wife？〃
Simon　grinned。　〃Well；　I　had　to　tell　him　something；　didn't　I？　Why　else　would　a　man　take　his　food　and　hurry　back　out　into　the　cold？〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　made　a　disgusted　noise；　then　clambered　up　into　the　saddle。　〃We　should　find　a　place　to　sleep；　at　least　for　a　while。　I'm　exhausted。〃
Simon　looked　around。　〃I　don't　know　where　we　could　go　here…it's　hard　to　tell　which　houses　are　empty；　even　if　there's　no　smoke　and　no　light。　The　people　may　have　left；　or　they　just　might　not　have　any　firewood。〃
　　　　　　　As　he　spoke；　a　light　rain　began　to　fall。
　　　　　　　〃We　should　move　farther　out；〃　she　said。　〃On　the　western　edge　of　town　we　can　probably　find　an　empty　barn　or　a　shed。　Also　there's　a　quarry　out　there；　a　big　one。〃
　　　　　　　〃Sounds　splendid。〃　Simon　took　a　bite　from　one　of　the　rather　shriveled…looking　onions。　〃You　lead。〃
　　　　　　　〃Just　don't　eat　my　supper　by　mistake；〃　she　said　darkly。　〃And　don't　spill　any　of　that　milk。〃
〃No；　my　lady；〃　he　replied。
　　　　　　　As　they　rode　west　on　Soakwood　Road；　one　of　Stanshire's　main　thoroughfares；　Miriamele　found　herself　oddly　disturbed　by　Simon's　words。　It　was　indeed　impossible　to　tell　if　any　of　the　darkened　houses　and　shops　were　occupied；　but　she　had　a　distinct　sense　of　being　watched；　as　though　hidden　eyes　peered…out　through　the　cracks　in　the　window　shutters。
　　　　　　　Soon　enough　they　reached　the　farmland　outside　town。　The　rain　had　eased；　and　was　now　little　more　than　a　drizzle。　Miriamele　pointed　out　the　quarry；　which　from　their　vantage　point　on　Soakwood　Road　was　a　great　black　nothingness。　When　the　road　had　climbed　a　little　higher　up　the　hill；　they　could　see　a　flickering　of　reddish　light　on　the　lower　walls　of　the　quarry。
　　　　　　　〃Someone's　got　a　fire　there；〃　said　Simon。　〃A　big　one。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　they're　digging　stone；〃　Miriamele　replied。　〃Whatever　they're　doing；　though；　we　don't　need　to　know　about　it。　The　fewer　people　who　see　us；　the　better。〃　She　turned　them　off　the　wide