fs.thethirdbookofswords-第14部分

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ly；　and　stood　there　rubbing　his　forearm　through　its　long　sleeve　as　if　it　might　be　sore。
　Jord　rubbed　his　arm…stump　again。　Already　it　seemed　that　the　swelling；　where　the　Sword　had　touched　him；　was　a　little　greater。
　Ben　asked　the　new　arrival；　〃What　news　from　the　streets？〃
　〃None　of　the　local　people　on　our　payroll　noticed　anything　out　of　the　way　around　midnight。　It　was　a　good　night　to　be　staying　in。〃
　〃Denis；〃　said　Ben；　〃sit　down。〃　And　he　indicated　an　unoccpuied　chair　nearby。　Then　he　turned　his　head　and　called：　〃Kuan…yin？　Take　the　baby　downstairs；　would　you？〃
　Presently　a　door　closed　again。　Four　people　looked　solemnly　at　one　another。　Ben　said　to　his　young　employee；　〃There's　one　thing　we've　not　told　you　about　Jord　yet。　His　reason　for　ing　here。〃　And　at　that　point　Ben　paused；　seemingly　not　knowing　quite　what　to　say　next。
　His　wife　put　in；　〃You　must　know　by　now；　Denis；　where　our　political　sympathies　lie。〃
　〃The　same　as　mine；　Mistress；〃　the　young　man　murmured。　〃Or；　indeed；　I　wouldn't　be　here　now。〃　But　he　knew　that　was　not　true；　he　would　have　stayed　anyway；　to　be　near　her。　Might　he　have　stayed　to　be　near　Kuan…yin？　That　was　more　problematical。
　Ben　said　to　him；　〃You　also　know　that　our　guest　here　is　a　secret　courier；　if　not　the　details。　And；　as　you　can　see；　someone　else　is　now　going　to　have　to　do　the　job。　It　can't　wait；　and　Jord　can't　walk。〃
　Jord　was　listening　silently；　frowning　but　not　interfering。
　〃I　can't　leave　town　right　now；　nor　can　Barbara。　It'll　be　a　well…paid　job；　Denis；　if　you'll　do　it。〃
　〃Please　do　it；〃　the　lady　of　the　house　urged　softly。
　Denis　could　feel　his　cheeks　changing　color　a　little。　He　indicated　agreement；　almost　violently。　〃I'll　need　no　special　pay；　sir；　mistress。〃
　Jord　was　still　frowning　at　Denis　intently。
　Barbara；　correctly　interpreting　this　look；　hasted　to　reassure　the　older　man。　〃Denis　came　to　us　a　year　and　a　half　ago；　on　the　remendation　of　the　White　Temple。　We　had　gone　to　them　and　told　them　we　were　looking　for　a　likely；　honest　prospect　to　be　trained　to　help　us　in　our　business。　A　lot　of　people　recruit　workers　there；　you　know。〃
　Jord　asked　Denis：　〃How　long　were　you　there；　at　the　White　Temple？〃
　〃Three　years；　a　little　more。〃
　〃And　why　were　you　ready　to　leave？〃
　Denis　shrugged。　〃They　were　good　people；　they　saved　my　life。　And　it　was　good　to　serve　Ardneh　for　a　time。　But　then。。。〃　He　made　a　gesture；　of　something　fading；　falling　away。
　〃You　must　have　been　only　half　grown　when　you　went　to　them。〃
　〃And　half　dead　also。　They　picked　me　up　out　of　the　street　after　a　gang　fight；　and　brought　me　back　to　life。　I　owed　them　much；　but　I　think　I　repaid　their　help　in　the　time　that　I　was　there。　We　parted　on　good　terms。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Jord。　He　appeared　to　have　relaxed　a　little。　He　looked　at　Ben；　and　said；　〃Well　sir；　the　matter's　in　your　hands；　not　mine。　Maybe　sending　this　lad　is　the　best　choice　now。〃
　Ben　cast　a　cautious　look　around；　though　he　must　have　been　already　certain　that　they　were　secure　against　being　overheard。　Then　he　said　quietly　to　Denis；　〃You'll　be　carrying　two　Swords。〃　〃Two；〃　said　Denis；　almost　inaudibly；　and　he　swallowed。
　〃Yes。　They're　both　here　in　the　house　now；　and　I　think　we　must　get　them　away　as　quickly　as　we　can；　since　we　must　assume　now　that　the　enemy　are　watching　the　house。　The　city　authorities　are　disposed　to　be　friendly　to　me；　but　of　course　the　Lord　Mayor　is　ultimately　responsible　to　the　Silver　Queen　as　his　overlord。　And　she；　as　we　all　know；　is　at　least　sometimes　an　ally　of　Vilkata；　and　of　the　Blue　Temple　too。　So　we　cannot　depend　with　any　certainty　on　the　Lord　Mayor's　friendship；　or　even　on　his　looking　the　other　way　as　we　do　certain　things。〃
　〃I'll　do　my　best。　I'll　get　them　there　safely；〃　said　Denis　suddenly。　He　looked　at　Barbara　as　he　said　it。　And　she；　smiling　her　approval；　could　see　a　pulse　beating　suddenly　in　his　lean　throat。
　〃Good；〃　said　Ben。　〃You're　not　going　to　take　them　to　the　Princess；　though。　You'll　take　them　in　the　other　direction；　to　Sir　Andrew。　I　fear　someone's　already　waiting　to　waylay　you　on　the　road　to　Princess　Rimac。　After　what　happened　here　last　night　I　can　almost　feel　it。〃
　Jord　nodded　agreement；　slowly　and　reluctantly。　〃We　must　get　the　Swords　into　action　somewhere。　And　Sir　Andrew's　a　good　man；　by　all　I've　heard　about　him。〃
　〃And　your　son　serves　him；〃　Barbara　reminded　her　guest。
　〃Aye；　Lady。　Still。。。　I　know　that　Rostov　was　counting　on　the　Swords。　Well；　the　responsibility's　yours　now。　I　failed　early　on。〃
　A　little　later；　Denis　and　Jord　were　both　watching　while　Ben　dug　out　from　its　hiding　place　the　second　of　the　two　Blades　that　Denis　was　to　carry。　The　three　men　were　down　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　house　now；　in　a　little…traveled　area　behind　the　main　shop；　inside　a　storeroom　that　was　usually　kept　closed　with　a　cheap　lock。　None　of　the　miscellaneous　junk　readily　visible　inside　the　shed　appeared　to　be　worth　anyone's　effort　to　steal。
　Ben　was　bent　over；　rummaging　in　a　pile　of　what　looked　like　scrap　metal；　consisting　mainly　of　swordblades　and　knifeblades；　bent　or　broken　or　rusted；　in　all　cases　long　disused。　Denis　could　not　remember　when　he　had　seen　any　of　the　metalworkers　actually　using　this　stuff。
　From　near　the　bottom　of　this　pile　of　the　treacherously　sharp　edges；　Ben　carefully　brought　out；　one　at　a　time；　two　weapons　…　the　blades　of　both　were　long；　blackened；　but　unbent。　And　these　two　also　had　hilts；　which　a　majority　of　the　others　did　not。
　Before　wiping　the　two　blades　clean；　Ben　held　them　out　to　Jord。　The　older　man　put　out　his　hand；　hesitated；　and　then　touched　a　hilt；　all　of　its　details　invisible　under　carefully　applied　oil　and　grime。
　〃Doomgiver；〃　said　the　only　human　who　had　ever　handled　all　the　Twelve。　〃There's　not　one　of　them　I'd　fail　to　recognize。〃
　The　remainder　of　the　day　and　much　of　the　night　had　passed　before　Denis　was　ready　to　depart。　He　was　not　allowed　one　thing　he　asked　for：　a　private　good…bye　with　young　Kuan…yin；　the　nursemaid。　Ben　said　they　would　tell　her　that　Denis　had　had　to　leave　suddenly　on　a　business　trip　of　an　indefinite　duration。　That　had　happened　before；　and　Kuan…yin　should　not　be　too　surprised。
　Denis　got　in　some　sleep　also。　There　were　instructions　to　be　memorized；　which　took　a　little　time：　He　dressed　in　white；　in　imitation　of　a　lone　Ardneh…pilgrim；　for　his　departure。　Ben　gave　him　some　money　and　some　equipment。　And　Denis　also　had　a　private　conference　with　Jord。
　When　it　was　time　to　go；　in　the　hour　before　dawn；　Denis　was　surprised　not　to　be　conducted　to　the　back　door；　where　Jord　had　e　in。　Instead　the　master；　Old　World　light　in　hand；　led　Denis　down　a　flight　of　stairs　into　a　place　that　Denis　knew　as　nothing　more　than　a　cramped　basement　storeroom。　The　place　smelled　thickly　of　damp。　There　were　the　scurrying　sounds　of　rats；　evidence　that　the　creatures　somehow　defied　the　anti…rodent　spells　and　poisons　that　were　both　periodically　renewed。
　The　master　used　his　strength　to　shift　a　heavy　bale　out　of　position。　Then　it　turned　out　that　one　of　the　massive　stones　that　made　up　this　chamber's　floor　could　be　tilted　up。　Looking　down　into　the　cavity　thus　created；　Denis　was　surprised　when　the　light　showed　him　a　steady　current　of　water　of　unknown　depth；　scarcely　a　meter　below　his　feet。　Even　though　he　knew　how　close　the　house　was　to　the　river；　he　had　never　suspected。
　The　man　who　Denis　was　now　beginning　to　know　as　Ben　bent　down　and　caught　hold　of　a　thin　chain　within　the　opening。　Then　he　tugged　until　the　white　prow　of　a　well…kept　canoe　appeared；　bobbing　with　the　water's　motion。
　〃I　loaded　her　up　this　afternoon；〃　Ben　grunted；　〃while　you　were　sleeping。　Your　cargo's　under　this　floorboard　here。　The　two　Swords；　wrapped　in　a　blanket　so　they　won't　rattle。　And　sheathed；　of　course。　They　may　get　wet　but　they　won't　rust。〃　Ben　spoke　with　the　calm　authority　of　experience。　〃There's　a　paddle；　and　I　think　everything　else　that　you're　going　to　need。〃
　Denis　had　used　canoes　a　time　or　two　before；　on　trading　missions　for　the　House　of　Courtenay。　He　could　manage　the　craft　well　enough。　But　it　wasn't　obvious　yet　how　he　was　going　to　get　this　one　back　to　the　river。
　Ben　gave　him　directions。　You　had　to　crouch　down　low　in　the　boat　at　first；　to　keep　from　banging　your　head　on　the　low　ceiling　of　the　secret　waterway。　Then　you　moved　the　craft　forward　through　the