tp.wyrd sisters-第8部分
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Look at the two of them； she told herself； primping away like a couple of ninnies。 Granny stopped her hand in the process of patting her own iron…hard bun； and cleared her throat meaningfully。
'We'd like to talk to you； Mr Vitoller。' She indicated the actors； who were dismantling the set and staying well out of her way； and added in a conspiratorial whisper； 'Somewhere private。'
'Dear lady； but of a certain；' he said。 'Currently I have lodgings in yonder esteemed watering hole。'
The witches looked around。 Eventually Magrat risked； 'You mean in the pub？'
It was cold and draughty in the Great Hall of Lancre Castle； and the new chamberlain's bladder wasn't getting any younger。 He stood and squirmed under the gaze of Lady Felmet。
'Oh； yes；' he said。 'We've got them all right。 Lots。'
'And people don't do anything about them？' said the duchess。
The chamberlain blinked。 'I'm sorry？' he said。
'People tolerate them？'
'Oh； indeed；' said the chamberlain happily。 'It's considered good luck to have a witch living in your village。 My word； yes。'
'Why？'
The chamberlain hesitated。 The last time he had resorted to a witch it had been because certain rectal problems had turned the privy into a daily torture chamber； and the jar of ointment she had prepared had turned the world into a nicer place。
'They smooth out life's little humps and bumps；' he said。
'Where I e from； we don't allow witches；' said the duchess sternly。 'And we don't propose to allow them here。 You will furnish us with their addresses。'
'Addresses； ladyship？'
'Where they live。 I trust your tax gatherers know where to find them？'
'Ah；' said the chamberlain； miserably。
The duke leaned forward on his throne。
'I trust；' he said； 'that they do pay taxes？'
'Not； exactly pay taxes； my lord；' said the chamberlain。
There was silence。 Finally the duke prompted； 'Go on； man。'
'Well； it's more that they don't pay； you see。 We never felt； that is； the old king didn't think 。 。 。 Well； they just don't。'
The duke laid a hand on his wife's arm。
'I see；' he said coldly。 'Very well。 You may go。'
The chamberlain gave him a brief nod of relief and scuttled crabwise from the hall。
'Well！' said the duchess。
'Indeed。'
'That was how your family used to run a kingdom； was it？ You had a positive duty to kill your cousin。 It was clearly in the interests of the species；' said the duchess。 'The weak don't deserve to survive。'
The duke shivered。 She would keep on reminding him。 He didn't； on the whole； object to killing people； or at least ordering them to be killed and then watching it happen。 But killing a kinsman rather stuck in the throat or … he recalled … the liver。
'Quite so；' he managed。 'Of course； there would appear to be many witches； and it might be difficult to find the three that were on the moor。'
'That doesn't matter。'
'Of course not。'
'Put matters in hand。'
'Yes； my love。'
Matters in hand。 He'd put matters in hand all right。 If he closed his eyes he could see the body tumbling down the steps。 Had there been a hiss of shocked breath； down in the darkness of the hall？ He'd been certain they were alone。 Matters in hand！ He'd tried to wash the blood off his hand。 If he could wash the blood off； he told himself； it wouldn't have happened。 He'd scrubbed and scrubbed。 Scrubbed till he screamed。
Granny wasn't at home in public houses。 She sat stiffly to attention behind her port…and…lemon； as if it were a shield against the lures of the world。
Nanny Ogg； on the other hand； was enthusiastically downing her third drink and； Granny thought sourly； was well along that path which would probably end up with her usual dancing on the table； showing her petticoats and singing 'The Hedgehog Can Never be Buggered at All'。
The table was covered with copper coins。 Vitoller and his wife sat at either end； counting。 It was something of a race。
Granny considered Mrs Vitoller as she snatched farthings from under her husband's fingers。 She was an intelligent…looking woman； who appeared to treat her husband much as a sheepdog treats a favourite lamb。 The plexities of the marital relationship were known to Granny only from a distance； in the same way that an astronomer can view the surface of a remote and alien world； but it had already occurred to her that a wife to Vitoller would have to be a very special woman with bottomless reserves of patience and organisational ability and nimble fingers。
'Mrs Vitoller；' she said eventually； 'may I make so bold as to ask if your union has been blessed with fruit？'
The couple looked blank。
'She means…' Nanny Ogg began。
'No； I see；' said Mrs Vitoller； quietly。 'No。 We had a little girl once。'
A small cloud hung over the table。 For a second or two Vitoller looked merely human…sized； and much older。 He stared at the small pile of cash in front of him。
'Only； you see； there is this child；' said Granny； indicating the baby in Nanny Ogg's arms。 'And he needs a home。'
The Vitollers stared。 Then the man sighed。
'It is no life for a child；' he said。 'Always moving。 Always a new town。 And no room for schooling。 They say that's very important these days。' But his eyes didn't look away。
Mrs Vitoller said； 'Why does he need a home？'
'He hasn't got one；' said Granny。 'At least； not one where he would be wele。'
The silence continued。 Then Mrs Vitoller said； 'And you； who ask this； you are by way of being his…？'
'Godmothers；' said Nanny Ogg promptly。 Granny was slightly taken aback。 It never would have occurred to her。
Vitoller played abstractly with the coins in front of him。 His wife reached out across the table and touched his hand； and there was a moment of unspoken munion。 Granny looked away。 She had grown expert at reading faces； but there were times when she preferred not to。
'Money is； alas； tight…' Vitoller began。
'But it will stretch；' said his wife firmly。
'Yes。 I think it will。 We should be happy to take care of him。'
Granny nodded； and fished in the deepest recesses of her cloak。 At last she produced a small leather bag； which she tipped out on to the table。 There was a lot of silver； and even a few tiny gold coins。
'This should take care of…' she groped … 'nappies and suchlike。 Clothes and things。 Whatever。'
'A hundred times over； I should think；' said Vitoller weakly。 'Why didn't you mention this before？'
'If I'd had to buy you； you wouldn't be worth the price。'
'But you doh't know anything about us！' said Mrs Vitoller。
'We don't； do we？' said Granny； calmly。 'Naturally we'd like to hear how he gets along。 You could send us letters and suchlike。 But it would not be a good idea to talk about all this after you've left； do you see？ For the sake of the child。'
Mrs Vitoller looked at the two old women。
'There's something else here； isn't there？' she said。 'Something big behind all this？'
Granny hesitated； and then nodded。
'But it would do us no good at all to know it？'
Another nod。
Granny stood up as several actors came in； breaking the spell。 Actors had a habit of filling all the space around them。
'I have other things to see to；' she said。 'Please excuse me。'
'What's his name？' said Vitoller。
'Tom；' said Granny； hardly hesitating。
'John；' said Nanny。 The two witches exchanged glances。 Granny won。
'Tom John；' she said firmly； and swept out。
She met a breathless Magrat outside the door。
'I found a box；' she said。 'It had all the crowns and things in。 So I put it in； like you said； right underneath everything。'
'Good；' said Granny。
'Our crown looked really tatty pared to the others！'
'It just goes to show； doesn't it；' said Granny。 'Did anyone see you？'
'No； everyone was too busy； but…' Magrat hesitated； and blushed。
'Out with it； girl。'
'Just after that a man came up and pinched my bottom。' Magrat went a deep crimson and slapped her hand over her mouth。
'Did he？' said Granny。 'And then what？'
'And then； and then…'
'Yes？'
'He said； he said…'
'What did he say？'
'He said； 〃Hallo； my lovely； what are you doing tonight？〃 '
Granny ruminated on this for a while and then she said； 'Old Goodie Whemper； she didn't get out and about much； did
