sk.thetalisman-第24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！


　　'Captain；　I'm　supposed　to　talk　to　you…I　have　to　see　the　Lady；　but　I　don't　think　I　can　get　into　the　palace。　Oh；　you're　supposed　to　see　this。'　He　dug　into　the　roomy　pocket　of　the　unfamiliar　pants　and　closed　his　fingers　around　a　triangular　object。
　　When　he　displayed　it　on　his　palm；　he　felt　shock　boom　through　him…what　he　held　in　his　hand　was　not　a　fingerpick　but　a　long　tooth；　a　shark's　tooth　perhaps；　inlaid　with　a　winding；　intricate　pattern　of　gold。
　　When　Jack　looked　up　at　the　Captain's　face；　half…expecting　a　blow；　he　saw　his　shock　echoed　there。　The　impatience　which　had　seemed　so　characteristic　had　utterly　vanished。　Uncertainty　and　even　fear　momentarily　distorted　the　man's　strong　features。　The　Captain　lifted　his　hand　to　Jack's；　and　the　boy　thought　he　meant　to　take　the　ornate　tooth：　he　would　have　given　it　to　him；　but　the　man　simply　folded　the　boy's　fingers　over　the　object　on　his　palm。　'Follow　me；'　he　said。
　　They　went　around　to　the　side　of　the　great　pavillion；　and　the　Captain　led　Jack　behind　the　shelter　of　a　great　sail…shaped　flap　of　stiff　pale　canvas。　In　the　glowing　darkness　behind　the　flap；　the　soldier's　face　looked　as　though　someone　had　drawn　on　it　with　thick　pink　crayon。　'That　sign；'　he　said　calmly　enough。　'Where　did　you　get　it？'
　　'From　Speedy　Parker。　He　said　that　I　should　find　you　and　show　it　to　you。'　The　man　shook　his　head。　'I　don't　know　the　name。　I　want　you　to　give　me　the　sign　now。　Now。'　He　firmly　grasped　Jack's　wrist。　'Give　it　to　me；　and　then　tell　me　where　you　stole　it。'
　　'I'm　telling　the　truth；'　Jack　said。　'I　got　it　from　Lester　Speedy　Parker。　He　works　at　Funworld。　But　it　wasn't　a　tooth　when　he　gave　it　to　me。　It　was　a　guitar…pick。'
　　'I　don't　think　you　understand　what's　going　to　happen　to　you；　boy。'
　　'You　know　him；'　Jack　pleaded。　'He　described　you…he　told　me　you　were　a　Captain　of　the　Outer　Guards。　Speedy　told　me　to　find　you。'　
　　The　Captain　shook　his　head　and　gripped　Jack's　wrist　more　firmly。　'Describe　this　man。　I'm　going　to　find　out　if　you're　lying　right　now；　boy；　so　I'd　make　this　good　if　I　were　you。'
　　'Speedy's　old；'　Jack　said。　'He　used　to　be　a　musician。'　He　thought　he　saw　recognition　of　some　kind　flash　in　the　man's　eyes。　'He's　black…a　black　man。　With　white　hair。　Deep　lines　in　his　face。　And　he's　pretty　thin；　but　he's　a　lot　stronger　than　he　looks。'
　　'A　black　man。　You　mean；　a　brown　man？'
　　'Well；　black　people　aren't　really　black。　Like　white　people　aren't　really　white。'
　　'A　brown　man　named　Parker。'　The　Captain　gently　released　Jack's　wrist。　'He　is　called　Parkus　here。　So　you　are　from　。　。　。　'　He　nodded　toward　some　distant　invisible　point　on　the　horizon。
　　'That's　right；'　Jack　said。
　　'And　Parkus　。　。　。　Parker　。　。　。　sent　you　to　see　our　Queen。'
　　'He　said　he　wanted　me　to　see　the　Lady。　And　that　you　could　take　me　to　her。'
　　'This　will　have　to　be　fast；'　the　Captain　said。　'I　think　I　know　how　to　do　it；　but　we　don't　have　any　time　to　waste。'　He　had　shifted　his　mental　direction　with　a　military　smoothness。　'Now　listen　to　me。　We　have　a　lot　of　bastards　around　here；　so　we're　going　to　pretend　that　you　are　my　son　on　t'other　side　of　the　sheets。　You　have　disobeyed　me　in　connection　with　some　little　job；　and　I　am　angry　with　you。　I　think　no　one　will　stop　us　if　we　make　this　performance　convincing。　At　least　I　can　get　you　inside…but　it　might　be　a　little　trickier　once　we　are　in。　You　think　you　can　do　it？　Convince　people　that　you're　my　son？'
　　'My　mother's　an　actress；'　Jack　said；　and　felt　that　old　pride　in　her。
　　'Well；　then；　let's　see　what　you've　learned；'　the　Captain　said；　and　surprised　Jack　by　winking　at　him。　'I'll　try　not　to　cause　you　any　pain。'　Then　he　startled　Jack　again；　and　clamped　a　very　strong　hand　over　the　boy's　upper　arm。　'Let's　go；'　he　said；　and　marched　out　of　the　shelter　of　the　flap；　half…dragging　Jack　behind　him。
　　'When　I　tell　you　to　wash　the　flagstones　behind　the　kitchen；　wash　flagstones　is　what　you'll　do；'　the　Captain　said　loudly；　not　looking　at　him。　'Understand　that？　You　will　do　your　job。　And　if　you　do　not　do　your　job；　you　must　be　punished。'
　　'But　I　washed　some　of　the　flagstones　。　。　。　'　Jack　wailed。
　　'I　didn't　tell　you　to　wash　some　of　the　flagstones！'　the　Captain　yelled；　hauling　Jack　along　behind　him。　The　people　around　them　parted　to　let　the　Captain　through。　Some　of　them　grinned　sympathetically　at　Jack。
　　'I　was　going　to　do　it　all；　honest；　I　was　going　to　go　back　in　a　minute　。　。　。　'　
　　The　soldier　pulled　him　toward　the　gate　without　even　glancing　at　the　guards；　and　yanked　him　through。　'No；　Dad！'　Jack　squalled。　'You're　hurting　me！'
　　'Not　as　much　as　I'm　going　to　hurt　you；'　the　Captain　said；　and　pulled　him　across　the　wide　courtyard　Jack　had　seen　from　the　cart…track。
　　At　the　other　end　of　the　court　the　soldier　pulled　him　up　wooden　steps　and　into　the　great　palace　itself。　'Now　your　acting　had　better　be　good；'　the　man　whispered；　and　immediately　set　off　down　a　long　corridor；　squeezing　Jack's　arm　hard　enough　to　leave　bruises。
　　'I　promise　I'll　be　good！'　Jack　shouted。
　　The　man　hauled　him　into　another；　narrower　corridor。　The　interior　of　the　palace　did　not　at　all　resemble　the　inside　of　a　tent；　Jack　saw。　It　was　a　mazelike　warren　of　passages　and　little　rooms；　and　it　smelled　of　smoke　and　grease。
　　'Promise！'　the　Captain　bawled　out。
　　'I　promise！　I　do！'
　　Ahead　of　them　as　they　emerged　from　yet　another　corridor；　a　group　of　elaborately　clothed　men　either　leaning　against　a　wall　or　draped　over　couches　turned　their　heads　to　look　at　this　noisy　duo。　One　of　them；　who　had　been　amusing　himself　by　giving　orders　to　a　pair　of　women　carrying　stacks　of　sheets　folded　flat　across　their　arms；　glanced　suspiciously　at　Jack　and　the　Captain。
　　'And　I　promise　to　beat　the　sin　out　of　you；'　the　Captain　said　loudly。
　　A　couple　of　the　men　laughed。　They　wore　soft　wide…brimmed　hats　trimmed　with　fur　and　their　boots　were　of　velvet。　They　had　greedy；　thoughtless　faces。　The　man　talking　to　the　maids；　the　one　who　seemed　to　be　in　charge；　was　skeletally　tall　and　thin。　His　tense；　ambitious　face　tracked　the　boy　and　the　soldier　as　they　hurried　by。
　　'Please　don't！'　Jack　wailed。　'Please！'
　　'Each　please　is　another　strapping；'　the　soldier　growled；　and　the　men　laughed　again。　The　thin　one　permitted　himself　to　display　a　smile　as　cold　as　a　knife…blade　before　he　turned　back　to　the　maids。
　　The　Captain　yanked　the　boy　into　an　empty　room　filled　with　dusty　wooden　furniture。　Then　at　last　he　released　Jack's　aching　arm。　'Those　were　his　men；'　he　whispered。　'What　life　will　be　like　when…'　He　shook　his　head；　and　for　a　moment　seemed　to　forget　his　haste。　'It　says　in　The　Book　of　Good　Farming　that　the　meek　shall　inherit　the　earth；　but　those　fellows　don't　have　a　teaspoonful　of　meekness　among　them。　Taking's　all　they're　good　for。　They　want　wealth；　they　want…'　He　glanced　upward；　unwilling　or　unable　to　say　what　else　the　men　outside　wanted。　Then　he　looked　back　at　the　boy。　'We'll　have　to　be　quick　about　this；　but　there　are　still　a　few　secrets　his　men　haven't　learned　about　the　palace。'　He　nodded　sideways；　indicating　a　faded　wooden　wall。
　　Jack　followed　him；　and　understood　when　the　Captain　pushed　two　of　the　flat　brown　nailheads　left　exposed　at　the　end　of　a　dusty　board。　A　panel　in　the　faded　wall　swung　inward；　exposing　a　narrow　black　passageway　no　taller　than　an　upended　coffin。　'You'll　only　get　a　glimpse　of　her；　but　I　suppose　that's　all　you　need。　It's　all　you　can　have；　anyhow。'
　　The　boy　followed　the　silent　instruction　to　slip　into　the　passageway。　'Just　go　straight　ahead　until　I　tell　you；'　the　Captain　whispered。　When　he　closed　the　panel　behind　them；　Jack　began　to　move　slowly　forward　through　perfect　blackness。
　　The　passage　wound　this　way　and　that；　occasionally　illuminated　by　faint　light　spilling　in　through　a　crack　in　a　concealed　door　or　through　a　window　set　above　the　boy's　head。　Jack　soon　lost　all　sense　of　direction；　and　blindly　followed　the　whispered　directions　of　his　panion。　At　one　point　he　caught　the　delicious　odor　of　roasting　meat；　at　another　the　unmistakable　stink　of　sewage。
　　'Stop；'　the　Captain　finally　said。　'Now　I'll　have　to　lift　you　up。　Raise　your　arms。'
　　'Will　I　be　able　to　see？'
　　'You'll　know　in　a　second；'　the　Captain　said；　and　put　a　hand　just　beneath　each　of　Jack's　armpits　and　lifted　him