fs.thefirstbookofswords-第41部分

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if　this　was　the　place　where　Draffut　rested。　Everyone　agreed　that　gods　could　eat；　but　did　they　have　to　rest？
　　　Pondering；　or　trying　to　ponder；　the　mysteries　of　Draffut；　and　of　the　multiple　swords　of　magic；　and　of　what　the　god…game　might　be；　Nestor　made　his　way　outside　again。　This　time　he　exited　through　the　place　where　a　wall　had　tumbled；　to　emerge　on　a　slope　leading　to　an　upper　level　of　the　temple。　He　climbed　across　a　high　ruined　section　that　was　littered　with　tilted　slabs　of　fallen　roof。　From　here　it　was　possible　to　see　above　the　island's　treetops；　or　most　of　them；　but　there　was　apparently　nothing　but　more　swamp　and　trees　beyond。
　　　The　morning　sun　had　climbed；　but　it　was　not　yet　too　hot　to　make　it　unfortable　to　stretch　out　on　a　fallen　slab　of　roof　and　bask。　Relaxation　sometimes　helped　a　man　to　think。
　　　But　soon；　instead　of　concentrating　on　the　intriguing　questions　that　had　arisen；　Nestor　was　almost　dozing。　In　his　thoughts　images　came　and　went；　pictures　of　Draffut　and　the　swords。　Then　Barbara　and　the　imagined　gods。　Somehow；　thought　Nestor；　the　world　ought　to　fit　together；　and　basically　make　sense。　People　always　hoped　it　would。　But；　as　far　as　he　knew；　the　human　race　had　never　been　given　any　such　guarantee。。。
　　　He　was　almost　asleep　when　a　faint　sound　caught　at　his　attention。　A　light　tap　first；　like　a　cautious　footfall；　and　then　a　small　scraping　or　sliding　sound。　It　was　repeated；　tap　and　slide；　tap　and　slide。　Nestor　listened；　heard　the　sound　no　more；　and　went　briefly　back　to　his　dozing　thoughts。
　　　Then　it　came　again：　tap…slide。　Tap…slide。　Almost　like　footsteps。　But　limping　footsteps。　Almost　like。。。
He　leaped　up；　just　as　a　shadow　fell　across　him。　And　he　snatched　up　the　sword　barely　in　time　to　parry　the　first　blow　of　the　crude　barbed　hook。
Chapter　12
　　　First　Mark　was　moving　through　a　world　of　dreams；　then　he　was　not。　The　vision　of　many　swords　was　gone；　but　now　he　was　not　at　all　sure　at　just　what　point　the　transition　from　sleep　to　waking　life　had　taken　place。
　　　His　eyes　opened　to　a　view　of　a　ceiling　of　vaulted　stone。　Quickly　raising　himself　on　one　elbow；　he　could　see　that　he　was　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　inside　a　real　castle。　This　large　and　richly　furnished　room　could　be　part　of　nothing　else。　And　he　was　lying　in　a　real　bed；　with　sunlight　that　had　a　morning　feeling　to　it　ing　in　through　the　room's　single　narrow　window。
　　　On　a　table　in　the　center　of　the　room；　the　Sword　of　Heroes　rested　…　Mark　could　make　out　the　small　white　dragon　in　the　decoration　on　the　black　hilt。　Lying　on　the　bare　wood　beside　the　weapon　were　the　belt　and　the　scabbard　that　had　been　given　to　Mark　…　last　night？　…　along　with　a　different　sword。
　　　Sharp　as　a　dagger's　stroke；　the　memory　returned　now　of　his　father's　face；　bearded　as　Mark　had　never　seen　it　before；　but　unmistakable。　The　smiling　kindness；　the　look　of　recognition　in　the　eyes。　That　face　in　the　Maze　of　Mirth　had　been　so　real。。。
　　　On　a　small　lounge　beside　the　single　bed；　Barbara　was　sleeping。　She　appeared　to　be　wearing　her　ordinary　clothes；　but　a　rich　shawl　had　been　thrown　over　her。　It　was　as　if　she　had　been　watching　over　Mark　and　had　fallen　asleep；　and　then　perhaps　some　other　watcher　had　covered　her　for　warmth。　And　now　Mark　saw　where　his　own　clothes　were　draped　over　another　chair；　with　a　set　of　much　handsomer　garments　beside　them。　Was　the　finery　meant　for　him？　He'd　never　worn　such　things。
　　　A　familiar　snore　disturbed　the　air；　making　Mark　turn　his　head。　In　a　far　corner　of　the　room；　almost　lost　behind　more　furniture；　Ben　lay　snoring　on　a　heap　of　fancy　pillows。　He　too　was　covered　with　a　rich；　unfamiliar　robe。
　　　As　soon　as　Mark　sat　up　straight　in　bed；　Barbara　stirred　too。　She　opened　dark　eyes　and　looked　at　him　for　a　moment　without　prehension。　Then；　wide　awake　in　another　instant；　she　smiled　at　him。　Then　she　had　thrown　the　shawl　aside　and　was　standing　beside　the　bed　to　feel　Mark's　head　for　fever。　She　asked：　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　　　〃I　think　so。　What　happened？　Who　brought　us　into　the　castle？　I　remember　there　was　a　fight。。。　〃
　　　〃And　you　fell　over。　Then　Sir　Andrew　had　us　all　brought　in。　Ben　and　I　have　told　him　just　about　everything。　We　were　all　worried　about　you；　but　the　enchantress　said　she　thought　you'd　just　sleep　it　off。　Dame　Yoldi's　her　name；　and　I'm　supposed　to　call　her　as　soon　as　you　wake　up。　Just　stay　there　and　I'll　go　get　her。〃
　　　Barbara　went　out　of　the　room　quickly。　Mark；　disregarding　her　orders；　got　up　and　began　to　dress；　choosing　his　own　old　clothes　though　the　elegant　new　ones　beside　them　appeared　to　be　of　a　suitable　size。　Meanwhile　Ben　snored　on　peacefully　in　the　corner。
　　　When　Mark　was　dressed　he　looked　out　the　window　briefly　at　distant　fields　and　forests　beneath　the　rising　sun。　Then　he　stood　over　the　table　that　held　the　sword；　looking　at　the　weapon　but　not　touching　it。　He　was　trying　to　remember；　to　reconstruct　the　experience　that　must　have　made　him　lose　consciousness　the　night　before；　evidently　many　hours　ago。　He　could　not　remember　suffering　any　blow　to　the　head　or　other　injury。　Only　touching；　for　a　moment；　two　swords　at　the　same　time；　and　then　feeling　strange。　He　didn't　seem　to　be　wounded　now；　or　hurt　in　any　way；　except　for　the　old；　half…healed　mark　of　dragon's　fire　on　his　left　cheek。
　　　The　voice　came　from　the　doorway　behind　him：　〃You　are　Mark。　Son　of　Jord；　who　is　a　miller　in　Arin…on…Aldan。〃
　　　Mark　whirled　at　the　first　word。　He　found　himself　confronted　by　the　man　who　last　night　had　led　the　charge　of　men　armed　with　swords　from　the　drawbridge；　and　who　could　only　be　Sir　Andrew　himself。　Beside　the　knight　was　an　elegantly　dressed　woman　who　must　be　his　enchantress。　Mark　stuttered　something　and　started　to　go　down　on　one　knee。
　　　〃No；　stand　up。〃　Sir　Andrew's　voice　was　powerful；　but　so　far　not　threatening。　He　was　frowning　as　he　stood　with　hands　clasped　behind　him。　〃Duke　Fraktin　sends　me　word　that　he　considers　you　a　thief　and　a　murderer。〃
　　　〃I　am　not；　sir。〃　The　tone　in　which　the　accusation　had　been　passed　along　had　seemed　to　encourage　a　bold　denial。　In　the　far　corner　of　the　room；　Ben　was　now　waking　up；　trying　to　remain　inconspicuous　even　as　he　lumbered　to　his　feet。
　　　〃I　hardly　thought　that　you　were；〃　Sir。　Andrew　agreed。　〃I　know　Duke　Fraktin　is　guilty　of　both　charges　himself；　and　perhaps　worse。。。　and　last　night　the　agents　he　sent　here　showed　they　were　no　better。　They've　mitted　what　amount　to　acts　of　war　against　me。　They。。。〃
　　　The　beautiful　woman　who　was　standing　beside　Sir　Andrew　put　a　hand　on　the　knight's　arm；　gently　interrupting　him。　When　he　had　let　himself　be　silenced；　she　spoke　urgently　to　Mark：　〃What　do　you　remember　of　last　night？〃
　　　Haltingly　at　first；　then　gaining　confidence　as　he　was　granted　a　patient　hearing　by　both　the　highborn　folk；　Mark　recounted　his　experiences　at　the　fair　as　he　remembered　them。　He　began　with　his　arrival　in　the　wagon　with　Ben　and　Barbara；　and　went　on　to　the　moment　when　the　dragon…courier　of　Duke　Fraktin　had　soared　away；　the　sword　Mark　had　stabbed　it　with　still　wedged　into　its　scales。
　　　〃As　the　dragon　went　up；　it　looked　…　changed。　It　looked　unreal　to　me。　Like　it　was　one　different　creature　after　another。　And　then　1　lost　sight　of　it；　and　people　were　fighting　all　around　me。　As　you　must　know；　sir；　ma'm。　And　then　1　think　that　something　must　have　struck　me　down。　But　just　before　that　…　I　was　feeling　strange。〃
　　　The　enchantress　came　toward　Mark；　and　stood　in　front　of　him　looking　at　him　very　closely。　At　first　he　was　frightened；　but　something　soon　drained　away　the　fear。　She　said　to　him：　〃You　were　not　wounded；　were　you？〃
　　　〃No　ma'm；　I　wasn't　wounded。　But。。。　I　just　had　the　feeling　that　something　was。。。　happening　to　me。〃
　　　〃I　don't　doubt　you　did。〃　Dame　Yoldi　finished　her　long　look　at　Mark；　and　sighed。　She　looked　around　at　each　of　the　other　people　in　the　room。　〃I　was　watching　from　a　castle　window；　while　most　of　the　rest　of　you　were　out　in　the　fairgrounds。　There　was　a　magic　in　that　stolen　sword；　that　made　the　creature　carrying　it　seem　to　change。　We　each　of　us　saw　it　as　something　different　when　it　rose　up　through　the　air　…　but　each　of　us　saw　it　as　something　harmless；　or　as　a　being　that　ought　to　be　defended。　Just　as　everyone　saw　you；　Mark；　as　someone　to　be　obeyed；　protected；　ser