sheritepper.necromancer nine-第24部分

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　though　startled；　and　I　remembered　that　I　was　a　water　ox　which　would　have　been　startled　at　such　a　sight　and　whiffled　with　him；　hearing　Izia's　voice；　〃Shaaa；　shaaa；　shaa；　still　now；　nothing　to　bother　about；　my　strong　ones。　Shaaa；　shaaa。〃　The　sound　of　her　voice　made　me　shiver　involuntarily；　perhaps　any　water　ox　would　have　shivered　at　it。
　We　saw　the　first　inhabitant　of　the　place　as　it　came　mincing　across　the　pavement；　and　for　a　moment　I　thought　I　had　not　managed　the　Shift　of　my　eyes　properly。　Something　was　monstrously　wrong　with　the　shape　which　confronted　us；　and　it　stood　before　us　for　some　time　before　my　mind　believed　what　my　eyes　saw。　This　was　no　Shifter。　It　was　a　true…person；　or　perhaps　two　persons。　From　the　waist　up　it　was　two；　two　heads；　two　sets　of　shoulders；　four　arms；　two　chests　tapering　into　one　waist；　one　set　of　hips　and　legs。　It　chortled；　〃Dupey　one；〃　out　of　one　mouth　as　the　other　mouth　said　in　a　deeper　voice；　〃Dupey　two。〃　I　looked　up　to　see　Izia　trembling　upon　her　seat　and　Laggy　Nap　striding　forward　with　every　expression　of　confidence。
　〃Oyah；　Dupies。　Will　you　stable　the　beasts　in　the　yard；　or　would　you　rather　we　stake　them　outside　the　walls？〃　His　voice　was　ingratiating；　a　tone　I　had　not　heard　him　use　except　when　he　had　sought　to　seduce　me　into　his　train　outside　Betand。
　The　tenor　head　answered；　'Oh；　here；　here；　Laggy　Nap；　here。　Where　Dupies　can　watch　them；　feed　them；　brush　their　pretty　hides。　You　let　Dupies　have　them。　We'll　love　them　all　to　bits　nice　things；　great；　wonderful　beasties。〃
　Beside　me　Dolwys　trembled。　I；　too；　at　the　lustful　endearments　which　sounded　to　me　much　like　hunger。　The　deeper　voice　said；　'Oh；　see　how　it　shivers；　pretty　beasty　is　cold；　all　cold　from　the　shadow。　Bring　it　in　the　sun；　Dupey；　where　it　is　warm　　　　　
　〃Fine；〃　said　Nap　heartily。　〃You　take　them　along　into　the　sun　and　bring　them　food　and　water；　Dupies。　They'll　love　you　for　that。〃
　〃Ooooh；　love　us　all　to　bits；　the　big　things　will。〃
　〃Love　us；　yes　they　will。〃　The　two　led　us　off；　the　one　led　us　off；　caroling　their…its　pleasure。　Beside　me　Dolwys　trembled　again　and　again。　I　wondered　what　he　was　thinking。　We　were　too　much　in　evidence　to　talk。　It　would　have　to　wait。　We　were　taken　to　a　sunny　spot　near　a　trough　of　water；　and　a　cart　of　hay　was　pushed　near　to　us。　We　swished　our　tails　and　swung　our　muzzles　under　the　pattering　hands　and　constant　voices　of　the　Dupies；　trying　to　see　through　them　or　around　them　to　what　Nap　and　the　others　were　doing。
　〃Where　is　Fatman？　Dupies；　where　is　Fatman？〃　Nap　was　persistent　in　the　question；　as　he　needed　to　be　to　draw　the　monster's　attention　away　from　us。
　〃Fatman？　Oh；　Fatman　is　here。　Maybe　in　a　little　while；　Laggy　Nap。　He　was　here　a　while　ago。　Patience；　patience。　He　will　be　here。〃
　〃Tallman？　Is　Tallman　here　as　well？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　Tallman　is　always　here。　Always　sometimes。　He　goes　and　es；　Laggy　Nap。　Patience；　patience。〃　The　two　heads　turned　to　one　another；　kissed　passionately；　hugged　one　another　fiercely　and　went　back　to　their　patting　and　brushing　of　the　horses。　They　had　not　groomed　us　yet。　I　found　myself　begging　that　they　would　not。　This　was　not　to　be；　however；　and　I　was　thoroughly　fondled　as　was　Dolwys　at　my　side；　with　such　hungry　tenderness　that　we　were　both　shaking　by　the　time　the　Dupies　had　made　off　and　left　us。　At　last　we　could　watch　the　people　of　the　train；　but　they　might　have　been　made　of　stone；　slumped　as　they　were　on　the　shadowy　pavement　of　the　place　near　one　of　the　great；　mouthy　doors。　None　moved　except　Nap；　striding　among　them；　slapping　his　hands　along　his　thighs；　clicking　his　heels　upon　the　stone；　toe；　toe；　toe；　an　erratic　rhythm。　From　some　hidey　hole　we　could　hear　the　Dupey　voices　calling；　〃Patience；　patience；　Laggy　Nap。〃
　The　first　evidence　of　other　inhabitants　came　in　a　shrill；　premonitory　shrieking；　like　a　tortured　hinge　crying　stress　into　the　quiet　of　the　place。　It　came　from　within　one　of　the　towers；　behind　the　mumble　lips　of　the　doors。　The　shriek　became　a　rumble；　the　rumble　a　clatter　and　one　of　the　mouths　began　to　open；　reluctantly　wider　and　wider　until　the　eyes　disappeared　in　wrinkles　and　the　teeth　gaped　wide　above　a　metal　tongue　extending　outward；　toward　us。　down　this　ramp　rolled　a　figure　as　strange　in　its　way　as　the　Dupies　were　in　theirs；　round；　so　fat　that　the　shoulders　bulged　upward　and　the　cheeks　outward　to　make　a　single　convex　line　which　blended　into　a　spherical　form；　a　balloon；　a　ball；　an　egg　of　a　man。　He　rode　in　a　kind　of　cup；　like　an　eggcup　on　wheels；　and　it　was　this　vehicle　which　made　the　extraordinary　shrieking　noise。
　〃Oil；　Dupies；〃　it　cried。　〃Oil　for　the　Fatwagon。　Oh；　she　screams；　doesn't　she。　Makes　a　terrible　racket。　Laggy　Nap。　wal…Ia；　wallo；　holla　hello；　listen　to　me　e　screaming　at　you。　Oil！　Oil！　Dupies！〃
　〃Patience；　patience；　Fatman；〃　came　the　answering　call；　evidently　the　standard　reply　to　all　happenings　in　this　place。　The　Fatman　rolled　his　eggcup　backward　and　forward；　sending　all　the　animals　into　frenzies　at　the　high…pitched　sound；　until　the　Dupies　ran　from　whatever　place　they　had　been　hiding。　They　bore　a　can　of　oil；　and　a　kind　of　tag　game　ensued　during　which　the　sounds　gradually　diminished　into　almost　quiet。　It　was　only　then　that　Laggy　Nap　came　forward　once　more。
　〃I　greet　you；　Fatman。〃
　〃Oh；　I　greet　you　as　well；　Laggy　Nap。　Have　you　a　fine　cargo　for　us　this　time？　Something　to　please　them？　Something　to　make　the　great；　tall　things　happy？　I　do　hope　so。　They　bee　difficult；　Laggy　Nap。　Sensitive。　Given　to　fits　and　hurling　things　at　us　for　no　reason。　Oh；　my；　my；　my；　yes。　They　need　distractions；　Laggy　Nap；　indeed　yes。
　〃I　have　most　of　what　I　was　sent　for；　yes。〃
　〃Most？　Do　you　say　'most；'　Laggy　Nap？　Ah；　to　have　only　most　may　not　be　enough。　It　is　far　better　to　have　more；　not　most。　Well；　he　will　be　in　a　temper；　you　may　be　sure。　Tallman　will　be　in　a　temper；　Laggy　Nap。　All　the　Tallmen。　All。　He'll　tell　you　so；　even　if　I　don't。〃　And　the　Fatwagon　rolled　away　among　the　towering　arches　and　the　mumbling　door…faces；　exclaiming　to　itself　as　it　went；　careening　here　and　there；　light　glistening　again　and　again　in　the　gloom　from　the　bald　pate　of　Fatman　where　he　wheeled　his　way　into　the　shadows。
　I　heard　Izia　say　to　Laggy　Nap；　〃Why　will　you　not　let　us　go　outside？　We　are　no　good　to　you　here。　Let　us　take　the　animals　outside　the　walls。　We　will　wait　for　you　there。〃　Her　voice　was　hopeless；　even　as　she　begged。
　〃I　want　you　here！〃　he　hissed；　fingers　jumping　along　the　seam　of　his　trousers；　tap　tap；　full　of　an　energy　and　rhythm　of　their　own。　〃Here。〃
　〃We　sicken；〃　she　murmured。　〃All　of　us；　animals；　all。　In　here。　In　the　gloom　of　this　place；　we　cannot　help　it。　We　sicken。〃
　〃So；　sicken。　I　care　not　whether　you　sicken。　Sicken　silently。　I　swear；　I　will　find　that　Shifter　who　sold　you　to　me　and　sell　you　back　to　him　or　have　vengeance　upon　him　for　cheating　me　as　he　did。〃
　〃You　were　not　cheated；　Laggy　Nap！　I　have　driven　your　animals　across　this　world　a　dozen　times　in　the　ten　years　you　have　had　me。　Who　treats　your　team　beasts　when　they　are　injured　or　ill？　Who　gets　them　across　fords　they　will　not　cross　and　up　trails　they　will　not　climb？　Who　but　me；　Laggy　Nap？　You　were　not　cheated。〃
　〃I　say　I　was　because　you　do　not　give　me　peace。　Now　be　silent　or　burn　a　little。〃　His　fingers　tapped　a　different　rhythm；　and　she　caught　her　breath　in　sudden　pain。
　I　moved；　and　Dolwys　immediately　put　one　of　his　great；　floppy　feet　upon　mine；　half　tripping　me　in　the　process。　I　heard　him　sigh；　〃wait；〃　or　some　such　word；　blown　through　his　water　ox　throat。　I　subsided；　frustrated；　unable　to　do　more　than　ache　at　her　hurt。　In　any　case；　Nap　did　no　more　than　twinge　at　her；　perhaps　because　his　powers　were　much　dwindled　and　perhaps　because　the　careening　Fatwagon　came　barreling　out　of　the　dusk　into　our　midst；　its　occupant　caroling　madly。
　〃Tallman's　ing；　Laggy　Nap。　I　sent　the　call；　just　as　I　knew　you'd　want　me　to；　and　he's　ing　swiftly。　Watch　the　big　mouth；　now；　Laggy　Nap；　he's　on　his　way。　e　Dupies；　e　and　watch。　Tallman's　ing。〃
　The　Dupies　emerged　from　twilight　places；　chattering　at　one　another　like　sparrows；　patting　at　one　another　with　their　swift　little　hands；　eyebrows　cocked　and　mouths　moving；　all　the　time　stroking　at　one　another；　pausing　only　to　hug　and　kiss　with　that　same　greedy　passion　they　had　displayed　toward　the　an