fs.thethirdbookofswords-第15部分

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　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　narrow　channel　by　pushing　and　tugging　on　the　stonework　of　the　sides。　There　was　not　far　to　go；　obviously；　to　reach　the　river。
　There　were　no　markings　on　the　white　canoe；　Denis　observed　as　he　lowered　himself　carefully　aboard。　There　was　nothing　in　it；　or　on　Denis；　to　connect　the　canoe　or　him　to　the　House　of　Courtenay。　Once　Denis　was　on　his　way；　the　plan　called　for　him　to　play　the　role　of　a　simple　Ardneh…pilgrim；　his　White　Temple　experience　would　fit　him　well　for　that。　As　a　pilgrim；　it　was　relatively　unlikely　that　he'd　be　bothered　by　robbers。　Everyone　had　some　interest　in　the　availability　of　medical　care；　and　therefore　in　the　wellbeing　of　those　who　could　provide　it。　A　second　point　was　that　Ardneh's　people　were　less　likely　than　most　to　be　carrying　much　of　value。　In　the　third　place；　Ardneh　was　still　a　respected　god；　even　if　the　better…educated　insisted　that　he　was　dead；　and　a　good　many　people　still　feared　what　might　happen　to　them　if　they　offended　him。
　Last　farewells　were　brief。　Only　the　mistress　of　the　house；　to　Denis's　surprise；　appeared　at　the　last　moment；　to　press　his　hand　at　parting。　The　warmth　of　her　fingers　stayed　with　his；　like　something　sealed　by　magic。　He　could　not　savor　it　now；　nor　get　much　of　a　last　look　at　her；　because　it　was　time　to　crouch　down　in　his　canoe；　to　give　his　head　the　necessary　clearance。　Somebody　released　the　chain　for　him；　and　he　began　to　pull　the　light　craft　forward；　working　hand　over　hand　against　the　rough　wall　of　the　narrow　subterranean　passage。　He　was　propelling　himself　against　the　current；　and　away　from　the　light。　Darkness　deepened　to　totality　as　the　floor…stone　was　lowered　crunching　back　into　place。
　Denis　pulled　on。　Presently　a　ghost　of　watery　light　reached　his　eyes　from　somewhere　ahead。　He　managed　to　see　a　low　stone　lintel　athwart　his　course；　and　to　bend　his　head　and　body　almost　pletely　down　under　the　gunwales　to　get　himself　beneath　the　barrier。
　His　craft　had　now　emerged　into　a　larger　chamber；　and　one　not　quite　as　pletely　dark。　There　was　room　enough　for　Denis　to　sit　up　straight。　In　a　moment　he　realized　that　there　were　timbers　about　him；　rising　out　of　the　water　in　a　broad　framework；　and　supporting　a　flat　wooden　surface　a　meter　of　so　above　his　head。　Denis　realized　that　he　was　now　directly　underneath　a　riverside　dock。
　There　were　gaps　between　pilings　large　enough　for　the　canoe　to　pass；　and　leading　to　the　lesser　darkness　of　the　open；　foggy　night。　Emerging　cautiously　from　underneath　the　dock；　using　his　paddle　freely　now；　Denis　found　himself　afloat　upon　a　familiar　channel　of　the　river。　Right　there　was　the　house　he　had　just　left；　all　windows　darkened　as　if　everyone　inside　were　fast　asleep。　If　there　was　other　traffic　on　the　river　tonight；　he　could　not　see　or　hear　it　in　the　fog。　At　this　hour；　he　doubted　that　there　was。
　Denis　turned　the　prow　of　his　canoe　upstream；　and　paddled　steadily。　The　first　gleams　of　daylight　were　already　being　visible　in　the　eastern　sky；　and　he　wanted　to　reach　the　gate　in　the　city　walls　at　dawn；　when　it　routinely　opened　for　the　day。　There　would　probably　be　a　little　ining　traffic；　produce　barges　and　such；　waiting　outside；　the　watch　ought　to　pass　him　out　promptly；　and　most　likely　without　paying　much　attention　to　him。
　This　channel　of　the　river　took　him　past　familiar　sights　of　the　great　city。　Most　people　Denis　had　met　said　that　it　was　the　greatest　in　the　world；　but　who　knew　the　truth　of　that？　Here　on　the　right　bank　were　the　cloth…dyers；　as　usual　starting　their　work　early；　already　staining　the　water　as　they　rinsed　out　the　long　banners　of　their　product。　And　on　the　other　bank；　one　of　the　fish…markets　was　opening。
　Now　through　thinning　fog　there　came　into　Denis's　sight　the　city　walls　themselves；　taller　than　all　but　a　very　few　of　the　buildings　they　protected；　and　thick　as　houses　for　most　of　their　height。　They　were　build　of　almost　indestructible　stone；　hardened；　the　stories　had　it；　by　the　Old　World　magic　called　technology。　They　were　supported　at　close　intervals　by　formidable　towers　of　the　same　material。　Tested　over　five　hundred　years　by　scores　of　sieges　（so　it　was　said）；　threatened　again　and　again　by　ingenious　engines　of　attack；　and　various　attempts　at　undermining；　they　still　stood　guard　over　a　city　that　since　they　were　built　had　never　fallen　to　military　attack。　Kings　and　Queens　and　mighty　generals　had　raged　impotently　outside　those　walls；　and　would…be　conquerors　had　died　there　at　the　hands　of　their　own　rebellious　troops。　Siege；　starvation；　massacre；　all　had　been　threatened　against　Tashigang；　but　all　in　vain。　The　Corgo　flowed　year…round；　and　was　always　bountiful　with　fish。　The　prudent　burghers　and　Lords　Mayor　of　the　city　had　a　tradition　of　keeping　good　supplies　of　other　food　on　hand；　and　…　perhaps　most　important　of　all　…　of　choosing　their　outside　enemies　and　allies　with　the　greatest　care。
　Now　the　gate　that　closed　the　waterway　was　going　up；　opening　this　channel　of　the　river　for　passage。　The　river…gate　was　a　portcullis　built　on　a　titanic　scale；　wrought　by　the　same　engineering　genius　as　the　city　walls。　Its　movement　was　assisted　by　great　counterweights　that　rode　on　iron　chains；　supported　by　pulleys　built　into　the　guard…towers　of　the　wall。　The　raising　made　a　familiar　city…morning　noise；　and　took　some　little　time。
　There　was　another　huge　iron　chain　spanning　the　channel　underwater；　as　extra　proof　against　the　passage　of　any　sizeable　hostile　vessel。　But　Denis　did　not　have　to　wait　for　that　to　be　lowered　into　the　bottom　mud。　With　a　wave　of　his　hand　that　was　casually　answered　by　the　watch；　he　headed　out；　plying　his　paddle　energetically。
　He　went　on　up　the　river；　now　and　again　looking　back。　With　the　morning　mist　still　mounting；　the　very　towers　of　Tashigang　seemed　to　be　melting　into　it；　like　some　fabric　of　enchantment。
　Chapter　5
　In　Mark's　ears　was　the　endless　sound　of　hard；　hooflike　footpads　beating　the　earth；　of　moving　animals　and　men。　Day　after　day　in　the　sun　and　dust；　night　after　night　by　firelight；　there　was　not　much　in　the　way　of　human　speech。　He　and　the　patrol　of　the　Dark　King's　troops　escorting　him　entered　and　traversed　lands　heavily　scarred　by　war　and　occupation；　a　region　of　burned…out　villages　and　wasted　fields。　With　each　succeeding　day　the　devastation　appeared　more　recent；　and　Mark　decided　that　the　army　that　had　caused　it　could　no　longer　be　far　away。　The　only　human　inhabitants　of　this　region　clearly　visible　were　the　dead；　those　who　had　been　impaled　or　hanged　for　acts　of　resistance　perhaps；　or　perhaps　only　on　a　whim；　for　a　conqueror's　sport。
　At　first　Mark　had　known　faint　doubts　about　where　he　was　being　taken。　These　now　disappeared。　It　was　his　experience　that　all　armies　on　the　march　caused　destruction；　but　only　the　Dark　King's　forces　moved　with　this　kind　of　relentless　savagery。　A　few　of　the　human　victims　on　display　wore　clothing　that　had　once　been　white；　evidently　not　even　Ardneh's　people　were　being　spared　by　Vilkata　now。
　Even　animal　life　was　scarce；　except　for　the　omni…present　scavenger　birds　and　reptiles。　As　the　patrol　passed；　these　sometimes　rose；　hooting　or　cawing；　from　some　hideous　feast　near　roadside。　Once　a　live　and　healthy…looking　goat　inspected　the　men　through　a　gap　in　a　hedge　as　they　went　cantering　by。
　Mark's　escort　had　never　questioned　his　right　to　give　them　orders；　and　they　got　on　briskly　with　the　business　of　obeying　the　one　real　order　he　had　so　far　issued。　Familiar　as　he　was　with　armies　and　with　war；　he　considered　these　to　be　well…disciplined　and　incredibly　tough…looking　troops。　They　spoke　the　mon　language　with　an　accent　that　Mark　found　unfamiliar；　and　they　wore　Vilkata's　black　and　gold　only　in　the　form　of　small　tokens　pinned　to　their　hats　or　vests　of　curly　fur。
　One　more　thing　about　these　men　was　soon　just　as　apparent　as　their　discipline　and　toughness：　they　were　for　some　reason　mightily　afraid　of　Mark。　In　what　form　they　perceived　him　he　could　only　guess；　but　whatever　it　was　induced　in　them　quiet　terror　and　scrupulous　obedience。
　In　Mark's　immediate　presence　the　men　rarely　spoke　at　all；　even　to　each　other；　but　when　they　were　at　some　distance　he　saw　them　talkin