tp.wyrd sisters-第59部分
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'Gytha！'
'Sorry。'
The wine was going to her head； but the wheels in Magrat's mind still managed to turn。
'Just a minute；' she said。
'I remember the Fool's father；' said Nanny Ogg； speaking slowly and deliberately。 'Very personable young man； he was。 He didn't get on with his dad； you know； but he used to visit sometimes。 To see old friends。'
'He made friends easily；' said Granny。
'Among the ladies；' agreed Nanny。 'Very athletic； wasn't he？ Could climb walls like nobody's business； I remember hearing。'
'He was very popular at court；' said Granny。 'I know that much。'
'Oh； yes。 With the queen； at any rate。'
'The king used to go out hunting such a lot；' said Granny。
'It was that droit of his；' said Nanny。 'Always out and about with it； he was。 Hardly ever home o'nights。'
'Just a minute；' Magrat repeated。
They looked at her。
'Yes？' said Granny。
'You told everyone they were brothers and that Verence was the older！'
'That's right。'
'And you let everyone believe that…'
Granny Weatherwax pulled her shawl around her。
'We're bound to be truthful；' she said。 'But there's no call to be honest。'
'No； no； what you're saying is that the King of Lancre isn't really…'
'What I'm saying is；' said Granny firmly； 'that we've got a king who is no worse than most and better than many and who's got his head screwed on right…'
'Even if it is against the thread；' said Nanny。
'…and the old king's ghost has been laid to rest happy； there's been an enjoyable coronation and some of us got mugs we weren't entitled to； them being only for the kiddies and； all in all； things are a lot more satisfactory than they might be。 That's what I'm saying。 Never mind what should be or what might be or what ought to be。 It's what things are that's important。'
'But he's not really a king！'
'He might be；' said Nanny。
'But you just said…'
'Who knows？ The late queen wasn't very good at counting。 Anyway； he doesn't know he isn't royalty。'
'And you're not going to tell him； are you？' said Granny Weatherwax。
Magrat stared at the moon； which had a few clouds across it。
'No；' she said。
'Right； then；' said Granny。 'Anyway； look at it like this。 Royalty has to start somewhere。 It might as well start with him。 It looks as though he means to take it seriously； which is a lot further than most of them take it。 He'll do。'
Magrat knew she had lost。 You always lost against Granny Weatherwax； the only interest was in seeing exactly how。 'But I'm surprised at the two of you； I really am；' she said。 'You're witches。 That means you have to care about things like truth and tradition and destiny； don't you？'
'That's where you've been getting it all wrong；' said Granny； 'Destiny is important； see； but people go wrong when they think it controls them。 It's the other way around。'
'Bugger destiny；' agreed Nanny。
Granny glared at her。
'After all； you never thought being a witch was going to be easy； did you？'
'I'm learning；' said Magrat。 She looked across the moor； where a thin rind of dawn glowed on the horizon。
'I think I'd better be off；' she said。 'It's getting early。'
'Me too；' said Nanny Ogg。 'Our Shirl frets if I'm not home when she es to get my breakfast。'
Granny carefully scuffed over the remains of the fire。
'When shall we three meet again？' she said。 'Hmm？'
The witches looked at one another sheepishly。
'I'm a bit busy next month；' said Nanny。 'Birthdays and such。 Er。 And the work has really been piling up with all this hurly…burly。 You know。 And there's all the ghosts to think about。'
'I thought you sent them back to the castle；' said Granny。
'Well； they didn't want to go；' said Nanny vaguely。 'To be honest； I've got used to them around the place。 They're pany of an evening。 They hardly scream at all； now。'
'That's nice；' said Granny。 'What about you； Magrat？'
'There always seems to be such a lot to do at this time of year； don't you find？' said Magrat。
'Quite；' said Granny Weatherwax； pleasantly。 'It's no good getting yourself tied down to appointments all the time； is it？ Let's just leave the whole question open； shall we？'
They nodded。 And； as the new day wound across the landscape； each one busy with her own thoughts； each one a witch alone； they went home。＇23＇
The End
＇1＇ Quaffing is like drinking； but you spill more。
＇2＇ Whatever that was。 He'd never found anyone prepared to explain it to him。 But it was definitely something a feudal lord ought to have and； he was pretty sure； it needed regular exercise。 He imagined it was some kind of large hairy dog。 He was definitely going to get one； and damn well exercise it。
＇3＇ Written by wizards； who are celibate and get some pretty funny ideas around four o'clock in the morning。
＇4＇ She did nothing； although sometimes when she saw him in the village she'd smile in a faint； puzzled way。 After three weeks of this the suspense was too much for him and he took his own life； in fact he took it all the way across the continent； where he became a reformed character and never went home again。
＇5＇ All of them； unfortunately； unprintable。
＇6＇ The vermine is a small black and white furry creature； much famed for its pelt。 It is a more careful relative of the lemming； it only throws itself over small pebbles。
＇7＇ They worked。 Witches' remedies generally did； regardless of the actual form of delivery。
＇8＇ A killing insult in Dwarfish； but here used as a term of endearment。 It means 'lawn ornament'。
＇9＇ In a manner of speaking。
＇10＇ Someone has to do it。 It's all very well calling for eye of newt； but do you mean mon； Spotted or Great Crested？ Which eye； anyway？ Will tapioca do just as well？ If we substitute egg white will the spell a） work b） fail or c） melt the bottom out of the cauldron？ Goodie Whemper's curiosity about such things was huge and insatiable*。
* Nearly insatiable。 It was probably satiated in her last flight to test whether a broomstick could survive having its bristles pulled out one by one in mid…air。 According to the small black raven she had trained as a flight recorder； the answer was almost certainly no。
＇11＇ Witches never curtsey。
＇12＇ No…one knows why men say things like this。 Any minute now he is probably going to say he likes a girl with spirit。
＇13＇ They always do； everywhere。 No…one sees them arrive。 The logical explanation is that the franchise includes the stall； the paper hat and a small gas…powered time machine。
＇14＇ Involving a red hot poker； a privy； ten pounds of live eels； a three mile stretch of frozen river； a butt of wine； a couple of tulip bulbs； a number of poisoned eardrops； an oyster and a large man with a mallet。 King Murune didn't make friends easily。
＇15＇ Possibly the first attempt at the in…flight refuelling of a broomstick。
＇16＇ An explanation may be needed at this point。 The Librarian of the magic library at Unseen University； the Disc's premier college of wizardry； had been turned into an orang…utan some years previously by a magical accident in that accident…prone academy； and since then had strenuously resisted all well…meaning efforts to turn him back。 For one thing； longer arms and prehensile toes made getting around the higher shelves a whole lot easier； and being an ape meant you didn't have to bother with all this angst business。 He had also been rather pleased to find that his new body； although looking deceptively like a rubber sack full of water； gave him three times the strength and twice the reach of his old one。
＇17＇ The Shades is an ancient part of Ankh…Morpork considered considerably more unpleasant and disreputable than the rest of the city。 This always amazes visitors。
＇18＇ Ankh…Morpork's enviable system of licensed criminals owes much to the current Patrician； Lord Vetinari。 He reasoned that the only way to police a city of a million inhabitants was to recognise the various gangs and robber guilds； give them professional status； invite the leaders to large dinners； allow an acceptable level of street crime and then make the guild leaders responsible for enforcing it； on pain of being
