tw.togreenangeltower2-第77部分
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r。 〃Then we will talk over what are the things we should do。〃
〃We have looked； Miriamele；〃 said Binabik。 The horses made anxious noises as the thunder caromed across the sky once more。 Qantaqa stared up at the clouds as though the great sound were something she would like to chase and catch。 〃But if you wish it； I will wait and look again when the rain is gone…perhaps the searching would be safer by night。〃
Miriamele shuddered at the thought of exploring the graves after dark。 Besides； the diggers had proved that there was far more to fear in these crypts than just the restless spirits of the dead。 〃I don't want you to do that。〃
He shrugged。 〃Then what is your wishing？〃
She looked at the map。 The wandering lines of ink were nearly invisible in the dark； storm…curtained afternoon。 'There are other lines that must be other tunnels going in。 Here's one。〃
Binabik screwed up his eyes as he studied the map。 〃That one is seeming to me to e out in the rock wall over the Kynslagh。 Very difficult it would be to find； I think； and it would be even more beneath the nose of your father and his soldiers。〃
Miriamele nodded sadly。 〃I think you're right。 What about this one？〃
The troll considered。 〃It is seeming to be in the place the town now stands。〃
〃Erchester？〃 Miriamele looked back； but could not see over the tall lich…yard wall。 〃Somewhere in Erchester？〃
〃Yes； are you seeing？〃 He traced the line with his short finger。 〃If this is the little forest called Kynswood； and this is where we are now standing 。。。〃
〃Yes。 It must be almost in the middle of the town。〃 She paused to consider。 〃If I could disguise my face； somehow 。。。〃
〃And I would be disguising my height and my trollness？〃 Binabik asked wryly。
She shook her head； feeling me idea solidify。 〃No。 You wouldn't need to。 If we took one horse； and you rode with me； people would think you were a child。〃
〃I am honored。〃
Miriamele laughed a little wildly。 〃No； it would work！ No one would look at you twice if you kept your hood pulled low。〃
〃And what would we do with Simon's horse； and with Qantaqa？〃
〃Perhaps we could bring them with us。〃 She didn't want to give up。 〃Maybe they would think Qantaqa was a dog。〃
Now Binabik laughed； too； a sudden huff of mirth。 〃It is one thing to make people be thinking a small man like me is a child； but unless you could find a cloak for her as well； no one will ever have belief that my panion is anything but a deadly wolf from the White Waste。〃
Minamele looked at Qantaqa's shaggy gray bulk and nodded sadly。 〃I know。 It was just a thought。〃
The troll smiled。 〃But the rest of your idea is good。 There are just a few things we must do； I am thinking。。。〃
They finished their work in a grove of linden trees on the edge of a fallow field just west of the main road； a few furlongs from Erchester's northernmost city gate。
〃What did you put in this beeswax； Binabik？〃 Miriamele scowled； probing with her tongue。 〃It tastes terrible！〃
〃That is not for touching or tasting；〃 he said。 〃It will e loose。 And the answer is being； just a little dark mud for color。〃
〃Does it really look like teeth are missing？〃
Binabik cocked his head； eyeing the effect。 〃Yes。 You are appearing very scruffy and not…princess…like。〃
Miriamele ran her hand through her dirt…matted hair and carefully stroked her muddy face。 I must be a sight。 She could not help being pleased for some reason。 It is like a game； like a Usires Play。 I can be anyone I want to。
But it was not a game； of course。 Simon's face loomed before her； she abruptly and painfully remembered what she was doing； what dangers it would bring…and what had already been lost so that she could get to this place。
It is to end the pain； the killing； she dutifully reminded herself。 And to bring my father back to his senses。 She looked up。 〃I'm ready； I suppose。〃
The troll nodded。 He turned and patted Qantaqa's broad head； then led the wolf a short distance away and crouched beside her； burying his face in her neck fur to whisper in her ear。 It was a long message； of which Miriamele could hear only the throaty clicking of trollish consonants。 Qantaqa twisted her head to the side and whined softly but did not move。 When Binabik had finished； he patted her again and touched his forehead to hers。
〃She will not let Simon's horse stray far away；〃 he said。 〃Now it is time for us to be going forward。〃
Miriamele swung up into the saddle； then leaned down to extend a hand to the little man； he scrambled up and seated himself before her。 She tapped her heels against the horse's side。
When she looked back； Simon's horse Homefinder was cropping grass at the base of a rain…dripping tree。 Qantaqa sat erect； ears high； yellow eyes intent on her master's small back。
The Erchester Road was a sea of mud。 The horse seemed to spend almost as much time unsticking itself as it did walking。
The city gate proved to be unbolted。 The delicately weighted portal swung open with only a light push from Miriamele； creaking gently。 She waded back across the muddy wagon ruts and remounted； then they rode in between the tall gate towers； rain drizzling down on them from the clotted gray skies。
〃There are no guards；〃 she whispered。
〃There is no one at all that I am seeing。〃
Just inside the gate lay Battle Square； a vast expanse of cobblestones with a green in the center； the site of countless parades and festivals。 Now the square was empty but for a few stark…ribbed dogs rooting in debris at the mouth of one of the alleys。 The square looked as though it had been unused for some time； forgotten by all except the scavengers。 Wide puddles rippled beneath the rain。 The green had bee a desolate patch of pockmarked mud。
The echo of the horse's hooves caught the dogs' attention。 They stared； tongues lolling； dark eyes wary； a moment later the pack turned and fled splashing down the alleyway。
〃What has happened here？〃 Miriamele wondered。
〃I think we can be guessing；〃 said Binabik。 〃You saw other nearby towns and villages； and I saw such emptiness all through the snowy lands of the north。 And this place； do you see； is closest of all to what has happened at the Hayholt。〃
〃But where have all the people gone？ From Stanshire； from Hasu Vale； from 。。。 from here？ They didn't just disappear。〃
〃No。 Some may have been dying when the harvests were not ing in； but others have just gone to the south； I am thinking。 This year has been a fearful enough thing for those of us who are having some knowledge of what is happening。 For those who were living here； it must have seemed that they were suddenly finding themselves under a curse。〃
〃Oh； Merciful Elysia。〃 Her unhappiness was strangely mixed with anger and pity。 〃What has my father done？〃
Binabik shook his head。
As they entered broad Main Row； there at last appeared some signs of human life： from the cracks of a few shuttered windows firelight flickered； and somewhere farther up the thoroughfare a door banged shut。 Miriamele even thought she could hear a faint voice raised in prayer； but somehow she could not imagine a person from whom such a ragged sound would e； rather； it seemed that some wandering spirit had left behind its mournful cry。
As they turned the bend in Main Row； a figure in a ragged cloak appeared from one of the narrow cross streets in front of them and went shambling slowly away up the road。 Miriamele was so surprised to see an actual person that she reined up and sat staring for long moments。 As if sensing the presence of strangers； the figure turned； for an instant a look of fear showed on the wrinkled face beneath the hood…it was difficult to tell if it was a man or a woman…then the cloaked shape scuttled rapidly forward and vanished down an alleyway。 When Miriamele and Binabik drew even with the place； there was no sign of anyone。 All the doors that faced the narrow byway looked as though they had been boarded up for some time。
〃Whoever that was； they were scared of
