fs.thethirdbookofswords-第52部分

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pproaching；　fear　gnawed　at　him　maddeningly；　and　sometimes　came　near　to　disabling　him。　But　when　the　crisis　arrived；　then　he　was　at　his　best。
　As　was　the　case　now。　Rejoining　the　main　body　of　his　army；　he　called　his　staff　together　and　issued　orders　firmly。　In　a　new；　bold　voice；　the　Dark　King　manded　them　to　abandon　the　siege　that　they　had　scarcely　yet　begun。　Once　more　he　set　his　whole　vast　host　in　motion；　turning　it　to　meet　the　Silver　Queen　and　Soulcutter。
　Vulcan's　turn　would　e；　and　soon。　There　were　still　certain　weapons　to　which　even　a　god　armed　with　the　Sword　of　Force　would　not　be　immune；　the　tools　of　boldness　and　intelligence。　Meanwhile；　for　the　time　being；　Vilkata　would　abandon　the　city　of　Tashigang　to　the　gods。
　Chapter　17
　In　the　hour　before　dawn；　at　a　time　when　two　hundred　of　the　loyal　defenders　of　Tashigang　were　fighting　outside　the　walls；　there　was　treachery　in　the　Lord　Mayor's　palace。　Money　changed　hands；　and　weapons　flashed；　in　a　corridor　on　an　upper　floor；　where　one　room　had　been　made　into　a　cell　for　holding　an　important　prisoner。　Chairman　and　High　Priest　Hyrcanus　of　the　Blue　Temple　was　freed；　in　steps　of　bribery　and　violence。
　The　move　to　rescue　Hyrcanus　was　planned　and　executed　by　his　immediate　subordinates　in　the　Blue　Temple；　as　part　of　a　general　insurrection；　in　accordance　with　the　High　Priest's　own　previous　orders。　The　intention　was　to　seize　control　of　the　city；　and　wele　in　the　Dark　King　and　his　army。
　Attempts　by　the　Blue　Temple　Guard　to　seize　the　walls　and　gates　from　inside　were　unsuccessful。　The　concurrent　try　to　assassinate　the　Lord　Mayor　failed　also；　nor　were　the　Blue　Temple　raiders　able　to　capture　the　palace　…　not　all　of　the　Watch　there　were　easily　subverted　or　taken　by　surprise。　And　Hyrcanus　was　wounded　in　his　escape；　so　that　he　had　to　be　half　carried；　gasping　and　ashen…faced；　back　to　the　Blue　Temple's　local　headquarters　on　a　street　not　far　away。
　Once　there；　propped　up　on　a　couch　while　a　surgeon　worked　on　him；　the　Chairman　demanded　to　be　brought　up　to　date　on　how　the　situation　stood；　inside　the　city　and　out。　When　his　aides　had　informed　him　as　best　they　could；　one　of　his　first　orders　was　to　dispatch　a　pany　of　thirty　Blue　Temple　Guardsmen　against　the　House　of　Courtenay。　Their　orders　were　to　take　or　destroy　the　building；　and　seize　whatever　Swords　and　other　useful　items　they　could　discover　…　along　with　any　available　gold　and　other　valuables；　of　course。　They　were　also　to　take　the　important　inhabitants　of　the　house　prisoner　if　possible；　or　kill　them　as　second　choice；　and　in　general　to　crush　that　place　as　a　possible　center　of　resistance。
　Then　Hyrcanus　began　to　lay　his　plans　to　attack　the　walls　and　gates　once　more。
　When　the　first　Blue　Temple　raid　struck　the　palace；　in　the　hour　before　dawn；　Baron　Amintor　was　waiting　in　a　ground　floor　room　for　a　good　chance　to　see　the　Mayor　privately。　When　the　Baron　saw　the　Guard　in　its　capes　of　blue　and　gold　e　swirling　in　to　the　attack；　he　immediately　decided　that　he　could　best　serve　his　Queen's　interests　and　his　own　by　remaining　alive　and　active　in　the　city；　whatever　the　oute　of　this　particular　skirmish　might　prove　to　be。　The　fate　of　the　palace　and　the　Mayor　still　hung　in　the　balance　when　Amintor　prudently　retired；　and　set　out　through　the　streets　to　carry　warning　to　the　House　of　Courtenay。　He　of　course　remembered　that　that　was　where　the　young　man　named　Denis　lived；　who　was　supposed　to　be　able　to　set　a　counterattack　of　looters　in　motion　against　the　Blue　Temple。
　When　the　Baron　reached　his　destination　…　not　without　a　minor　adventure　or　two　along　the　way　…　he　found　the　House　already　on　the　alert；　its　doors　and　windows　sealed。　It　took　him　some　time　and　effort；　arguing　and　cajoling；　to　get　himself　admitted　to　speak　with　someone　in　authority。
　Once　inside；　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　tiny　woman　who　had　been　introduced　to　him　at　the　palace　as　the　Lady　Sophie。　Now；　surrounded　by　her　own　determined…looking　retainers；　she　received　his　warning　with　evident　suspicion；　which　he　in　turn　accepted　philosophically。
　〃I　can　only　suggest；　Madam；　that　you　wait　and　see　if　I　am　right。　Wait　not　in　idleness；　of　course；　order　your　affairs　as　if　the　Blue　Temple　were　indeed　leading　a　revolt。　I　will　await　the　result　with　confidence。〃
　〃You　will　await　the　result　in　a　room　by　yourself。　Jord；　Tamir；　disarm　him　and　lock　him　in　that　closet。〃
　The　Baron's　capacity　for　philosophical　acceptance　became　somewhat　strained；　but　at　the　moment　he　had　no　real　choice。
　The　attack　by　the　Blue　Temple　against　the　house　began　presently；　just　as　the　Baron　had　predicted；　with　fire　and　sword　and　axe　against　the　walls　and　doors　and　windows。　But　the　attackers　met　fierce　resistance　from　the　start。　Brickbats　and　scalding　water　were　dumped　on　them　from　the　flat　roof；　and　the　first　window　that　they　managed　to　break　open　immediately　sprouted　weapons；　like　teeth　in　a　warbeast's　mouth。
　Denis　was　not　there　to　aid　in　the　defense。　Barbara　had　taken　the　Baron's　warning　seriously；　enough　to　dispatch　the　young　man　with　orders　to　put　into　operation　whatever　looting　counterattack　he　could。　The　street　connections　made　in　his　early　life　ought　to　serve　him　well　in　the　attempt。
　And　even　a　feint；　or　the　suggestion　of　an　attack；　might　serve　as　well　as　the　real　thing。　In　a　city　this　big；　the　Blue　Temple　vaults　must　hold　vast　treasure；　and　Denis　had　already　begun　to　spread　among　the　city's　street　people　the　rumor　that　the　Blue　Temple's　main　hoard；　an　agglomeration　of　wealth　well　beyond　the　capacity　of　most　people　to　prehend；　had　already　been　moved　into　Tashigang　for　safekeeping。　It　was　unlikely　that　even　a　large　mob　could　succeed　in　looting　the　Temple　here；　but　even　the　threat　ought　to　make　the　misers　squirm　and　roar；　and　pull　in　their　claws　to　defend　that　which　they　valued　more　than　their　own　lives　and　limbs。
　As　the　direct　attack　on　her　own　house　began；　Barbara's　first　act　was　to　see　to　it　that　her　daughter；　with　Kuan…yin　as　caretaker　and　Jord　as　personal　bodyguard；　was　put　into　the　safest　and　strongest　room　available。
　Then　Barbara　ran　upstairs　to　get　Townsaver。　If　this　warning　and　attack　were　only　part　of　an　elaborate　hoax　to　discover　where　it　was　hidden；　the　Baron　was　safely　locked　up　now；　and　would　never　see。　A　few　days　ago　the　Lord　Mayor；　perhaps　trusting　the　security　of　this　house　as　much　or　more　than　that　of　his　own　palace；　had　asked　Master　and　Lady　Courtenay　to　keep　it　here。
　She　was　still　climbing　stairs　when　a　great　crash　from　below　told　her　that　a　door　had　somehow　already　been　broken　in。　Smoke　and　the　cries　and　clash　of　battle　rose　from　below；　as　Barbara　knelt　to　bring　the　great　Sword　out　of　its　hiding　place　under　her　bedroom　floor。
　Fighting　nearby；　threatening　innocent　nonbatants　in　their　home；　had　wakened　the　Sword　of　Fury　already。　The　weighty　steel　arose　with　magical　ease　and　lightness　in　her　grip；　the　Sword　already　making　its　preliminary　faint　millsaw　whine。　For　a　moment　as　she　held　it；　there　crossed　Barbara's　mind　the　thought　of　Mark's　hands；　a　small　boy's　hands　then；　the　first　time　he　had　held　this　Sword；　his　grip　no　stronger　then　perhaps　than　hers　was　now　upon　this　very　hilt。。。　she　was　already　hurrying　back　toward　the　stairs。
　From　below　there　sounded　a　new　crash；　a　shout　of　triumph　in　the　invaders'　voices。
　Their　joy　would　be　short　lived。　In　Barbara's　hands；　Townsaver　screamed　exultantly；　and　pulled　her　running　down　the　stairs。。。
　Chapter　18
　Ben；　caught　in　Vilkata's　camp　when　the　retreat　turned　into　a　desperate　scramble　for　survival；　bulled　his　way　into　the　fighting　at　the　mouth　of　the　no…longer…secret　tunnel。　But　it　was　quickly　obvious　that　the　tunnel　was　now　hopelessly　blocked　as　a　means　of　escape。　Having　no　other　real　choice；　he　promptly　mitted　himself　to　the　river　instead。　Many　other　bodies；　alive　and　dead；　were　afloat　in　the　Corgo　already。　All　of　them；　swimming　or　bobbing；　would　eventually　reach　one　or　another　of　the　great　water…gates　that　pierced　the　city's　walls　only　a　few　hundred　meters　downstream。
　Ben　splashed　and　waded　and　swam　his　way　well　out　into　the　current；　trying　to　avoid　the　hail　of　missiles；　slung　stones　and　arrows；　now　being　launched　by　enemy　troops　along　the　bank。　The　steadily　growing　lightness　of　the　eastern　sky　brightened　the　water　as　well。　The　enemy