df.therunelords-第10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！


；　talking　softly　with　Iome's　mother；　a　rather　somber　Chancellor　Rodderman；　and　a　terrified　Guildmaster　Hollicks。
　Fresh　rushes　had　been　strewn　over　the　floorboards；　mixed　with　balm　and　pennyroyal。　Three　hounds　sat　before　the　empty　hearth。　A　cleaning　girl　was　polishing　the　unused　tongs　and　pokers；　Iome's　Days　immediately　crossed　the　room；　went　to　stand　out　of　the　way　with　the　King's　Days；　and　the　Queen's。
　As　Iome　entered　the　hall；　her　father　glanced　up　expectantly。　Sylvarresta　was　not　a　vain　man。　He　wore　no　crown；　and　his　only　ring　was　a　signet；　which　he　kept　chained　to　his　neck。　He　preferred　to　be　called　〃Lord〃　rather　than　King。　But　one　could　see　he　was　a　king　when　one　looked　into　his　gray　eyes。
　Guildmaster　Hollicks；　though；　was　another　matter。　He　wore　gaudy　clothesa　shirt　with　false　sleeves；　parti…colored　pants；　a　vest　and　half　cape　with　cowl；　in　a　rainbow　of　plementary　colors。　He　was　Master　of　the　Dyers'　Guild；　his　clothes　advertised　his　wares。　Beyond　this　penchant　for　gaudy　attire；　Hollicks　was　not　a　bad　man。　He　showed　unmonly　good　sense；　and　would　have　been　likable；　if　not　for　the　way　his　unsightly　black　nose　hairs　formed　half　his　mustache。
　〃Ah；〃　King　Sylvarresta　said　on　seeing　Iome；　〃I'd　thought　you　might　be　someone　else。　Have　you　seen　any　of　the　foresters　this　morning？　Were　they　in　the　bailey？〃
　〃No；　milord；〃　Iome　answered。
　The　King　nodded　thoughtfully　at　this　news；　then　said　softly　to　Chemoise；　〃My　condolences。　It　is　a　sad　day　for　us　all。　Your　betrothed　was　admireda　promising　soldier。〃
　Chemoise　nodded；　her　face　suddenly　pale　again。　She　curtsied。　〃Thank　you；　milord。〃
　〃You　won't　let　this　assassin　get　away　with　murder；　will　you？〃　Iome　asked。　〃You　should　have　killed　him　by　now！〃
　〃You　see；〃　Hollicks　blurted　in　his　high　voice；　〃you're　all　leaping　to　conclusions。　You　have　no　proof　that　this　was　anything　other　than　an　unfortunate；　drunken　brawl！〃
　King　Sylvarresta　strode　to　the　door　to　the　hall；　looked　into　the　courtyard　a　moment；　then　closed　the　door；　shutting　them　all　in。
　The　room　suddenly　became　dark；　shadowed；　for　only　two　small　windows　with　wooden　shutters　stood　open。
　King　Sylvarresta　strode　across　the　room；　head　bent　in　thought。　〃Despite　Your　pleas　for　leniency；　Master　Hollicks；　I　know　this　man　is　a　spy。〃
　Hollicks　feigned　an　expression　of　incredulity。　〃You　have　proof？〃　he　asked；　as　if　he　held　serious　doubts。
　〃While　you　were　off　entertaining　your　whining　cronies；〃　King　Sylvarresta　said；　〃I　had　Captain　Derrow　track　the　man's　scent。　One　of　my　far…seers　spotted　this　same　man　yesterday　just　after　dawn。　He'd　been　on　a　roof　in　town；　and　we　feared　he'd　been　counting　guards　to　the　Dedicates'　Keep。　We　tried　to　catch　him　then；　but　lost　him　in　the　market。
　〃Now　he　shows　up　again　today。　It　is　no　coincidence。　Derrow　said　the　man　had　not　been　within　a　hostel　all　night。　Instead；　he　followed　Dreys　from　outside　the　gates　by　climbing　the　Outer　Wall。　He　killed　Dreys　because　he　was　searching　for　this。。。〃　Sylvarresta　pulled　out　a　slim　tome　bound　in　tan…colored　lambskin。　〃It's　a　book；　a　very　strange　book。〃
　Hollicks　frowned　at　that　news。　It　was　bad　enough　to　have　the　trader　accused　of　spying。　He　didn't　wish　to　see　any　damning　evidence　mount　against　the　man。
　〃So；〃　Hollicks　said；　〃is　that　your　proof？　A　drunken　man　is　wont　to　do　strange　things；　you　know。　Why；　my　stablemaster；　Wallis；　climbs　our　apple　trees　every　time　the　liquor　has　him。　The　fact　that　Dreys　had　a　book　means　nothing。〃
　Lord　Sylvarresta　shook　his　head　woefully。　〃No；　the　book　has　a　note　in　it；　addressed　to　me；　from　the　Emir　of　Tuulistan。　He　is　blind；　you　know。　His　castle　was　taken　by　Raj　Ahten；　and　the　Wolf　Lord　forced　the　Emir　to　give　an　endowment　of　sight。　Yet　the　Emir　wrote　the　story　of　his　life；　and　sent　it　to　me。〃
　〃He　wrote　his　own　chronicles？〃　Iome　asked；　wondering　why　anyone；　much　less　a　blind　man；　would　bother　when　the　Days　watched　their　every　move；　and　wrote　the　chronicles　after　their　deaths。
　〃Is　there　news　of　battles　in　it？〃　Hollicks　asked。　〃Does　it　describe　anything　of　import？〃
　〃Many　battles；〃　the　King　said。　〃The　Emir　tells　how　Raj　Ahten　broke　his　defenses　and　took　neighboring　castles。　I've　only　had　time　to　glance　at　the　book；　but　it　may　prove　important。　Important　enough　that　Raj　Ahten's　spy　felt　he　needed　to　kill　Dreys　to　retrieve　the　book。〃
　〃Butthe　Southerner's　papers　are　in　order！〃　Hollicks　objected。　〃He　has　a　dozen　letters　of　mends　from　various　merchants　in　his　pouch。　He　has　loans　to　repay！　He　is　a　merchant；　I　tell　you！　You　still　have　no　proof　against　him！〃
　And　he　has　more　endowments　than　any　merchant　you've　ever　seen；〃
　Sylvarresta　said；　〃and　they　are　a　warrior's　mix　in　proportion。〃　；Hollicks　seemed　deflated　by　this。　
　Iome　s　father　mused；　〃You　know；　twenty　years　ago；　when　I　went　south　to　court　Lady　Sylvarresta　in　Jomateel；　I　once　played　chess　with　Raj　Ahten　himself。〃　Sylvarresta　glanced　at　his　wife；　put　a　forting　hand　on　Hollicks'　shoulder。
　Iome's　mother　stirred　unfortably。　She　did　not　like　being　reminded　that　she　was　the　Wolf　Lord's　cousin。
　〃Do　you　know　how　he　opened？〃　King　Sylvarresta　asked。
　〃King's　pawn　to　king　four？〃　Hollicks　guessed；　choosing　the　most　mon　opening。
　〃No。　King's　knight　to　king's　wizard　three。　An　unusual　opening。〃
　〃Is　this　significant？〃　Hollicks　asked。
　〃It　is　how　he　played　the　game。　He　left　his　pawns　at　home；　and　attacked　with　his　knights；　wizards；　castles；　queeneven　brought　out　his　king。　Rather　than　seeking　to　control　the　center　of　the　board；　he　attacked　with　pieces　he　felt　could　seize　control　even　at　the　far　corners。〃
　King　Sylvarresta　waited　for　the　merchant　to　grasp　the　import　of　what　he　was　saying；　but　Hollicks　seemed　oblivious。　The　King　put　it　more　simply：　〃That　spice　merchant　in　the　dungeonhe　is　one　of　Raj　Ahten's　knights。　The　calluses　inside　his　thumb　e　from　years　of　sword　practice。〃
　Hollicks　considered　this。　〃Surely　you　don't　believe　Raj　Ahten　will　e　here？〃
　〃Oh；　he's　ing；〃　Sylvarresta　said。　〃That's　why　we've　sent　a　thousand　knights；　plus　squires　and　archers；　to　fortify　Castle　Dreis。〃　Iome's　father　failed　to　mention　that　seventeen　kings　of　Rofehavan　planned　to　meet　in　two　months；　to　discuss　strategies　should　Raj　Ahten　invade。　Apparently　her　father　felt　it　was　not　the　merchant's　business。
　Iome's　mother；　Queen　Venetta　Sylvarresta；　could　have　told　some　tales　to　frighten　Master　Hollicks。
　Iome's　mother　once　told　Iome　how　her　cousin　〃Young　Ahten；〃　at　the　age　of　eight；　had　visited　her　father's　keep。　Venetta's　father　had　thrown　the　boy　a　feast；　inviting　all　the　captains　of　the　King's　Guard；　various　counselors；　and　important　merchants　to　the　extravaganza。　When　the　tables　were　laid　out；　piled　with　roast　peacocks　and　puddings　and　wine；　Venetta's　father　invited　young　Raj　Ahten　to　speak。　The　boy　then　stood；　turned　and　addressed　Venetta's　father；　asking；　〃Is　this　feast　not　in　my　honor；　a　gift　to　me？〃
　Venetta's　father　had　answered；　〃Indeed；　it　is　all　in　your　honor。〃
　The　boy　then　indicated　the　hundred　guests　with　a　sweep　of　his　hand；　and　said；　〃If　this　is　my　feast；　then　send　these　people　away。　I　will　not　have　them　eating　my　dinner。〃
　Appalled；　the　guests　departed　in　outrage；　leaving　the　boy　with　more　food　than　he　could　consume　in　a　year。
　Iome's　mother　used　to　say　that　if　her　father　had　been　wiser；　he'd　have　slit　the　rapacious　child's　throat　then。
　For　years；　Venetta　had　tried　to　convince　King　Sylvarresta　of　the　necessity　of　striking　the　first　blow；　of　crushing　Raj　Ahten　when　he　was　young。　Somehow；　Iome's　father　never　believed　the　boy　would　conquer　all　twenty…two　kingdoms　in　Indhopal。
　Iome　urged　her　father　now；　〃So　you　will　put　this　spy　to　death？　You　must　insist　on　justice。〃
　Lord　Sylvarresta　answered；　〃I　will　have　justice。　Raj　Ahten　will　pay　dearly。　But　I　won't　kill　the　knight。〃
　At　this　news；　Hollicks　sighed　in　relief。
　Iome　must　have　appeared　crestfallen；　for　her　father　quickly　added。　〃Your　idealistic　solution　to　this　matter　is　laudable；　but　hardly　practical。　We　can't　execute　the　spy。〃
　〃So；　I'll　hold　him　ransom。〃
　〃Ransom？〃　Hollicks　asked。　〃Raj　Ahten　will　never　admit　that　this　spy　is　his　man！〃
　Iome　smiled　to　hear　Hollicks　finally　admit　that　the　man　was　a　spy。
　〃Of　course　not；〃　King　Sylvarresta　said。　〃But　the　Indhopal　merchants　claim　hi