fs.thethirdbookofswords-第47部分

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d　and　the　paper　inside　unfolded。
　Okada　read　through　the　single　sheet　alone；　in　anxious　silence；　then　he　raised　his　head。
　〃It　is　indeed　from　her　most　puissant　Majesty；　the　Silver　Queen　herself；　and；　as　the　marking　on　the　capsule　indicated；　addressed　personally　to　me。　I　will　not　read　the　entire　message　aloud　just　now；　it　contains　certain　matters　I　do　not　need　to　proclaim　in　council。〃　There　followed　a　look　at　Hyrcanus；　to　say　wordlessly　that　important　military　secrets　were　not　going　to　be　announced　in　front　of　him；　not　in　view　of　the　attitude　he　had　just　taken。　The　Mayor　continued：　〃But；　there　are　other　parts　that　I　think　we　all　should　hear　at　once。〃
　The　Silver　Queen's　words　that　the　Mayor　read　were　very　firm；　and　could　be　called　inspiring　in　terms　of　fear　if　not　otherwise：　there　was　to　be　no　talk　of　surrendering　the　city；　under　penalty　of　incurring　her　severe　displeasure。
　Her　message　also　confirmed　that　she　was　already　on　the　march　with　her　army；　ing　to　the　relief　of　this　her　greatest　city　…　as　she　put　it；　indeed　the　greatest　and　proudest　city　in　the　world。　And　that　she　intended　to　achieve　victory　by　whatever　means　were　necessary。
　Hyrcanus　walked　out。　He　did　it　unhurriedly；　almost　courteously；　with　considerable　dignity；　Mark　had　to　admit。　The　High　Priest　did　not　waste　time　on　threats；　now　that　it　would　have　been　obviously　useless　and　even　dangerous　to　do　so；　a　behavior　somehow；　at　this　stage；　thought　Mark；　more　ominous　than　any　threats　would　be。
　The　Lord　Mayor；　looking　thoughtfully　after　the　High　Priest；　was　evidently　of　the　same　opinion。　Okada　immediately　called　in　an　officer　of　the　Watch　from　just　outside　the　conference　room；　and　calmly　gave　the　order　to　arrest　the　High　Priest　before　he　could　get　out　of　the　Palace；　once　out；　he　would　easily　be　able　to　give　some　signal　to　his　troops。　The　Blue　Temple　Guards　in　the　city；　Ben　had　said；　were　one　of　the　largest　trained　fighting　forces　within　the　walls。
　Now　it　became　at　least　possible　for　the　council　to　discuss　the　city's　means　of　defense　in　more　detail；　without　the　virtual　certainty　that　a　potential　enemy　was　listening　and　taking　part　in　the　debate。
　Amintor　immediately　put　forward　a　plan　to　neutralize　the　Blue　Temple　troops　by　meeting　any　attempt　on　their　part　to　rescue　Hyrcanus　with　a　countermove　against　the　local　Temple　and　its　vaults；　whipping　up　a　street　mob　for　the　purpose　if　no　regular　forces　could　be　spared。　Barbara　whispered　to　Mark　that　Denis　would　probably　be　a　good　man　to　see　to　the　organization　of　such　an　effort。
　In　succeeding　discussion；　it　quickly　became　plain　that　the　key　to　the　regular　defense　of　the　city's　walls　against　attack　from　outside　would　be　the　Watch；　a　small　but　well…trained　body　of　regular　troops　loyal　to　the　Lord　Mayor。　They　were　only　a　few　hundred　strong　against　Vilkata's　thousands；　but　their　numbers　could　be　augmented　by　calling　up　the　city's　militia。　Ben　whispered　to　Mark　that　the　quality　of　the　militia　was；　regrettably；　not　so　high　as　it　might　be。　But　certainly　the　city's　long　tradition　of　defending　itself　ought　to　help。
　Then　there　were　the　fragments　of　Sir　Andrew's　army　to　be　considered；　the　survivors　who　had　followed　Denis　and　Mark　to　Tashigang；　along　with　the　ten　or　a　dozen　at　most　of　Mark's　surviving　Tasavaltan　escort。　Mark　could　assure　the　Lord　Mayor　that　Sir　Andrew's　people　were　all　good；　experienced　fighters；　though　at　present　somewhat　demoralized　by　the　sad　death　of　their　noble　leader。　Given　the　chance；　they　would　be　eager　to　exact　revenge。
　Mark　revealed　now　that　the　Sword　he　wore　at　his　side　was　Coinspinner；　and　he　proposed　that　they　consult　the　Sword　of　Chance　at　once　to　try　to　determine　the　best　means　of　obtaining　a　successful　defense　of　the　city。　All　were　agreeable；　and　all；　particularly　those　who　had　never　seen　a　Sword　before；　were　impressed　by　the　sight　when　Mark　drew　his。
　〃It　points。。。　that　way。　What's　there？〃
　They　soon　determined　that　something　outside　the　room　was　being　indicated。　They　had　to　leave　the　council　room；　and　then　go　up　on　the　roof　of　the　Palace　to　make　sure。
　The　Sword　of　Chance　was　pointing　at　someone　or　something　outside　the　city　walls；　in　fact　at　the　very　center　of　Vilkata's　advancing　army。　The　Dark　King's　force　had　just　now　e　barely　into　sight；　through　distant　summer　haze。　It　was　still；　Mark　thought；　well　out　of　Mindsword　range。
　And　Coinspinner　pointed　as　if　to　Vilkata　himself。　Mark　looked　at　Ben；　and　got　back　a　look　of　awe　and　calculation　mingled。
　Chapter　15
　The　delegation　from　the　palace；　two　women　and　one　man；　arrived　at　Mala's　door　very　quietly　and　unexpectedly。　It　was　the　afternoon　after　she　heard　of　Mark's　departure　from　Tasavalta　on　a　mission　for　the　Princess。　Her　first　thought　on　seeing　the　strangers　at　her　door　was　that　something　terrible　had　happened　to　her　son　or　her　husband；　or　to　both；　but　before　she　could　even　form　the　question；　one　of　the　women　was　assuring　her　that　as　far　as　was　known；　both　were　well。　The　three　of　them　had　e　to　conduct　Mala　to　the　palace；　because　the　Princess　herself　wanted　to　see　her。
　The　Palace　was　not　far　above　the　town；　and　less　than　an　hour　later　Mala　was　there；　walking　in　an　elaborate　flower　garden；　open　within　high　walls。　The　garden　had　tall　flowering　trees　in　it；　and　strange　animals　to　gape　at；　hybrid　creatures　such　as　the　highborn　liked　to　amuse　themselves　with；　climbing　and　flying　amid　high　branches。
　Mala　was　left　alone　in　the　garden；　but　only　for　a　few　moments。　Then　a　certain　fat　man　appeared；　well　dressed　and　with　an　aura　of　magic　about　him。　He　introduced　himself　as　Karel；　which　name　meant　nothing　to　Mala；　and　he；　though　obviously　a　person　of　some　importance；　appeared　quite　content　that　it　should　be　so。　He　walked　along　the　garden　path　with　Mala；　and　asked　her　about　her　family；　and　tried　to　put　her　at　her　ease。　That　he　succeeded　as　well　as　he　did　was　a　tribute　to　his　skill。
　And　then　he　asked　her；　in　his　rich；　soft　voice：　〃Do　you　know　the　Sword　of　Mercy？　Or　Sword　of　Love；　as　it　is　sometimes　called？〃
　〃I　know　of　it；　sir；　of　course；　you　must　know　who　my　husband　is。　But　if　you　mean　have　I　ever　seen　it；　no。〃
　〃Then　have　you　any　idea　where　it　is；　at　this　moment？　Hey？〃　Karel's　gaze　at　her　was　suddenly　much　more　intense；　though　he　was　still　trying　to　appear　kind。
　〃When　my　son　was　here；　there　was　a　story　going　about　that　he　…　and　the　Princess　…　had　brought　it　with　them　to　Tasavalta。　But　he　himself　said　nothing　to　me　of　that；　and　I　did　not　ask　him。　I　knew　better　than　to　be　curious　about　state　secrets。　Nor　could　I　guess　where　it　is　now。〃
　Karel　continued　to　gaze　at　her　with　a　steady　intensity。　〃He　did　bring　it；　and　it　was　here　yesterday　after　he　left。　That's　no　state　secret。〃　The　magician　suddenly　ceased　to　stare　at　her。　Shaking　his　head；　he　looked　away。　〃And　now　it's　gone；　and　I　don't　know　where　it　is　either。　And　whether　that　ought　to　be　a　secret　or　not。。。〃　He　sighed；　letting　the　words　trail　off。
　Mala　felt　vaguely　frightened。　〃I　don't　know　either；　sir。〃
　〃No；　of　course　you　don't。　I　believe　you；　dear　lady；　now　that　I　have　looked　at　you　closely。。。　and　there　is　one　other　matter　that　I　want　to　ask　you　about。〃
　Her　frightened　look　said　that　she　could　hardly　stop　him。
　He　sighed　again。　〃Here；　sit　down。〃　And　he　led　her　to　a　nearby　marble　bench；　and　sat　on　it　beside　her；　puffing　with　relief　when　his　weight　came　off　his　feet。　〃No　harm　will　e　to　you　or　Mark　for　a　truthful　answer；　whatever　it　may　be。　I　think　I　know　already；　but　I　must　be　sure。。。　who　is　Mark's　real　father？〃
　Under　the　circumstances　the　story　of　more　than　twenty　years　ago　came　out。　Mala　had　thought　at　the　time　that　the　man　might　be　Duke　Fraktin。　Later　she　had　been　convinced　that　it　was　not。　And　later　still；　slowly　and　gradually；　the　truth　had　dawned。
　〃But　sir；　I　beg　you；　my　husband。。。　Jord。。。　he　mustn't　know。　He's　never　guessed。　Mark　is　his　only　living　son。　He。。。〃
　〃Hmmm；〃　said　Karel。　And　then　he　said：　〃Jord　has　served　us　well。　We　will　do　all　we　can　for　him。　The　Princess　is　waiting　to　see　you。　I　told　her　that　I　wished　to　speak　to　you　first。〃
　The　magician　heaved　himself　up　ponderously　from　the　bench；　and　guided　Mala　through　an　ornamental　gate；　and　into　another；　smaller　garden；　where　there　were　benches　that　looked　like　crystal　instead　of　marble；　and　paths