fs.thesecondbookofswords-第6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！
tly。 It seemed impossible。 He tried without success to visualize this boy as one of the smaller children in the village then。
〃That's as may be；〃 the boy said。 〃We came here later。 After the mountains burst and the gods fought。〃 〃The mountains burst； all right；〃 Mark agreed。 〃And I don't doubt that the gods fought too。。。 what's your name？〃 〃Virgil。。。〃
〃A good name。 You know； when I was your size； I played here along this stream。 It was a lot different then。〃 Mark felt a sudden need to make someone understand just how totally different it had been。 〃I swam here； I caught fish。。。 〃
He broke off。。。 Someone else was ing down through the thicket。
A woman emerged； as ragged and dirty as the boy。 Her walk was the walk of age； and much gray showed in her disordered hair。 A dirty bandage covered both her eyes。 Mark could see the ends of scars showing past the edges of the cloth。
Just at the edge of the thicket the blind woman halted； one hand touching a bush … as if by that means she could assure herself of her position。 〃Virgil？〃 she called out。 It was a surprisingly young voice； and it carried fear。 〃Who's there？〃
〃One lone traveler； ma'm；〃 Mark called in answer。 At the same time the boy replied with something reassuring； and came out of the water with his filled pail。
The woman turned her face in Mark's direction。 There were indications in that face that she was still young； even evidence that a few years ago she might have been called pretty。 She called toward Mark harshly： 〃We don't have much。〃
〃I don't want anything you have。 I was just telling the young man that I used to live nearby。〃 Virgil put in： 〃He says he was here five years ago。 Before the mountains burst。〃
Mark was on his feet now； and approached a little closer to the woman。 〃I'll be going right along； ma'm。 But could you tell me one thing first； maybe？ Did you ever hear any word of the family of Jord the Miller？ He was a big man with only one arm。 Had a wife named Mala and a daughter； Marian； real blue…eyed and fair。 Daughter'd be in her twenties now。 They lived right here on this spot； five years ago； when Duke Fraktin was alive and claimed this land。〃
〃Never heard of any of 'em；〃 the woman said at once in her hard young voice。 〃Five years ago we weren't here。〃
〃None of the old villagers were here when you arrived？〃
〃No one。 There was no village。〃
And the boy Virgil said； as if repeating a lesson learned： 〃The Silver Queen now holds dominion over this land。〃
〃Aye；〃 said Mark。 〃I know she claims that。 But I suppose you don't see her soldiers way out here very often？〃
〃I don't see them at all。〃 The woman's harsh voice was no harsher than before。 〃The last time I saw them was when they blinded me。 We ceased our wandering； then。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Mark said。 In his heart he cursed all soldiers； at the moment he did not feel like one himself。
〃Are you one of her army too？ Or a deserter？〃
〃Neither； ma'm。 〃
Virgil asked Mark unexpectedly： 〃Were you here when the gods were fighting among themselves？ Did you see them？〃
Mark didn't answer。 He was trying to discern in the bandaged face of the blind woman the countenance of any of the village girls he could remember。 But it was useless。
Young Virgil； evidently feeling braver now； persisted。 〃Did you ever see the gods？〃
Mark looked at him。 〃My father did。 But I have only seen them in…visions； and that only once or twice。〃 He made himself smile。 〃In dreams； no more than that。〃 Then； seeing that the woman had turned her back on him and was about to retreat into the thicket again； he called to her： 〃Let me walk with you； back up the hill； if that's the way you're going。 I won't be any bother to you。 A manor house stood up there once； and I want to see if anything is left of it。〃
The woman made no reply； but moved on； groping her way from bush to bush along what must be a familiar path。 The boy came after her； carrying the pail of water in silence。 Then Mark。 The three of them climbed more or less together along the path worn through the hillside thicket。
When they reached the top of the little hill Mark could see how little was left of Sir Sharfa's manor house。 The great stone hearth and chimney remained； and almost nothing else。 Against the chimney a crude lean…to shelter had been built from scraps of wood。 From inside the shelter came a snoring sound； and a man's bony hand and wrist were visible in the muddy doorway； their owner evidently lying on the floor inside。 The snore sounded unhealthy； as if the man emitting it were drunk or dying。 Maybe he was both； thought Mark。
The boy； who had put his pail down now； was not ready to abandon the subject of the gods。 〃Mars and Draffut had their fight right over on those mountains；〃 he resumed suddenly； pointing to the east。 〃And the twelve magic Swords were forged right up there。 Vulcan kidnapped a smith and six men from a village； to help him make 'em。 Afterwards he killed the six men； and he took off the smith's arm。。。 〃 Virgil stopped rather suddenly。 He was looking at Mark； with the expression of a boy who has suddenly remembered something。
〃How do you know how many Swords there were？〃 Mark asked him。 It amazed Mark how knowledge spread … or how； sometimes； it seemed determined on remaining secret。 It was almost twenty years now； he knew； since the twelve Swords had been forged； and half a dozen years ago still only a few people in the whole world had known about them。 And now it seemed that the whole world knew。
The boy looked at him； as if Mark had asked how it was known that a woolbeast had four legs。 〃Twelve Swords； that's how many there were。 Everyone knows that。〃
〃Oh。〃
Virgil's eyes were intense； his voice hurried。 〃But Hermes played a joke on all the other gods。 He gave the Swords only to mortals； and he scattered them all across the world。 Each Sword went to a different man or woman to start with； and none of the gods got any themselves。 And each Sword gave whoever got it a different kind of power。〃
〃Oh。〃 It was true； for the most part anyway。 He didn't want to appear to possess superior knowledge； and he didn't know quite what to say。 〃Why would Hermes have done a thing like that？〃
〃Part of the game that the gods play with each other。 Aye； he scattered them and gave them all to people。 I wish I could have got one。〃
Mark was looking at the woman； who stood leaning with one hand on the shelter； blindly listening。 The man inside snored on。 Suddenly Mark felt a great necessity to do something for these people； maybe he could at least shoot them a rabbit or two before he left。 And then … yes； he had decided now。 There was something much more important that he was going to do for them； and thousands like them。
Virgil asked him： 〃Did you say that the miller only had one arm？ Was he your father？〃
Mark studied him a moment； then put another question in return。 〃If you had one of those Swords； what would you do with it？ Hide it away somewhere？〃
The boy's expression showed he thought that question was insane。 〃Whoever gets all those Swords into his hands will rule the world。〃
〃Aye；〃 said Mark。 〃But if you had one？ Coinspinner； maybe。 What then？ What would you do with it？ Try to rule a twelfth of the world； or what？〃
Neither of his listeners answered him。 Maybe he had scared them now。 But now that he'd started he couldn't stop。 〃What would you say about a man who knew where one of those Swords was hidden？ Maybe Dragonslicer。。。 a man who could go and get it； but he just let it stay hidden。 When there's so many wrong things in the world； like。。。 when there's so much that needs to be set right。〃
The woman's scarred and blinded face turned slowly back and forth。 She was shaking her head。 〃You'll straighten out the wrongs of the world； young man？ You might as well set out to serve the Emperor。〃
Chapter 3
In darkness Ben continued his methodical struggle to work his way down the face of the cliff。 Whenever he could he made a little headway south along its face as well。 The plan he had in mind required that he go south。 It was a simple p
