sheritepper.necromancer nine-第26部分

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　The　lofty　head　nodded；　once；　twice。
　〃But　Dupey　still　gets　the　legs；　don't　we；　Tallman？　Dupey　gets　the　pretty　legs　to　have。　Oh；　we'll　put　them　in　the　coldwagon；　Tallman。　They'll　last　a　long　time　in　the　coldwagon。〃
　The　lofty　head　turned　toward　Izia；　spoke　softly。　〃I　said　you　would　be　rewarded；　Dupey。　So　you　shall。〃　Then；　voice　raised；　〃Do　you　know　your　fate；　woman？　Dupey　does　not　care　whether　you　know　or　not；　but　I　enjoy　it　more　when　the　fate　is　known　and　the　one　shaped　like　them　can　suffer　in　knowing　what　will　happen。〃　The　pole…like　form　shifted　from　side　to　side；　as　though　blown　by　an　unfelt　wind。　〃Dupey　has　two　heads；　as　you　have　observed。　Two　sets　of　arms；　two　upper　bodies。　However；　he　has　only　one　set　of　hips　and　legs。　He　needs　another　set；　obviously。　He　prefers　a　female　set；　for　reasons　of　his　own；　eh。　Dupey？〃　The　monster　capered；　patted　his　cheeks；　kissed　himself；　busied　himself　about　his　lower　body　with　both　sets　of　hands。　Peter；　water　ox；　could　not　watch。　Dolwys's　foot　pressed　upon　me。
　〃Give　me；〃　cried　Dupey　in　two　voices。　〃Give　me。〃
　〃He　has　various　ways　of　removing　the　top　half；〃　mused　the　Tallman。　〃Dupey　is　original；　innovative。　I　have　been　much　amused　by　watching　Dupey。〃
　〃Dupey　was　saved；〃　the　monster　cried。　〃Saved　from　the　horrid　midwifes。　Saved　to　serve　Tallman　and　them。　Weren't　we；　Tallman？　Oh；　give　me　。
　〃Patience；　patience；　Dupies。　First　you　must　unload　the　cold…wagon。　Otherwise　you　will　have　nowhere　to　keep　the　pretty　legs　　　　　Some　other　sound　came　from　Tallman；　some　sound　of　humor。　pared　to　that　sound；　laughter　is　the　song　of　angels。　Such　a　sound　devils　might　make。
　But　with　that　sound　the　cover　was　thrown　back　from　the　chill　wagon；　and　long　bundles　were　brought　from　it　and　laid　in　a　single；　close　layer　upon　the　car。　Something　about　the　size　and　shape　of　those　bundles　picked　at　a　mind　horrified　by　Tallman；　petrified　by　monsters；　picked　at　a　mind　without　result。　But　then　Dupey　turned　too　quickly　from　his　work；　and　the　covering　of　one　of　the　bundles　caught　upon　his　belt。　He　turned　to　cover　the　contents　of　the　bundle　again；　quickly；　but　the　water　ox　which　was　Peter　had　seen；　seen；　seen。　It　was　Windlow。　old　Windlow　lying　there；　ash　gray　with　cold；　unmoving。　It　all　happened　too　fast；　too　fast　for　Peter　or　Dolwys　to　react；　for　Tallman　was　once　more　on　the　car；　the　pawns　were　summoned　to　sit　upon　its　edges；　and　it　was　moving　away　through　the　tower　mouth　which　had　rumbled　open。　Fatman　was　watching　Dupey。　Dupey　was　approaching　Izia。　Peter　fought　to　be　in　two　places　at　once；　but　it　was　too　late。　The　tower　door　mumbled　shut。
　Water　oxen　have　horns；　usually　blunted。　They　have　huge；　slow　feet。　They　are　ponderous；　quiet；　seldom　moved　to　anger。　Therefore；　what　Dolwys　and　I　became　might　not　have　been　called　water　oxen　but　something　else；　not　totally　unlike。　Our　horns　were　needle　sharp；　our　feet　hard　and　hooved；　our　anger　real。　Dupey　never　reached　the　place　where　Izia　lay。　Fatman　was　spilled　from　his　wagon　long　before　he　reached　the　tower　door　he　wheeled　for。　Beneath　the　trampling　hooves　they　became　mere　broken　clots　of　shadow　upon　the　hard　pavement　within　the　darkness　of　the　spidery　arches。　When　we　had　done　my　heart　was　pounding　as　though　we　had　fought　a　great　battle；　and　it　was　almost　with　surprise　that　I　turned　to　see　Izia　still　upon　the　ground；　mouth　open　in　bleak　astonishment。
　It　was　furred…Peter　and　long…legged　Dolwys　who　brought　her　up　the　steep　slopes　to　the　pinnacle　where　Mavin　waited。　Perhaps　she　had　been　watching　us　from　her　bird　form；　for　it　needed　little　explanation　to　tell　her　what　had　happened。　Izia　fell　away　from　our　supporting　arms　to　curl　upon　the　stone；　turned　into　herself　as　a　snail　turns；　tight　against　the　world。　The　seared；　horrid　skin　of　her　legs　lay　bare；　an　obscene　statement　of　her　life　with　Laggy　Nap。　Dolwys　and　I　sat　panting　until　I　could　speak。
　〃Windlow's　body。　Mavin。　Brought　by　Nap；　in　the　wagon。　The　Tallman　took　it。　Through　those　doors。　We　didn't　have　time　to　。。。　I'll　have　to　go　back。〃
　〃But　we　need　a　Healer　for　her；〃　said　Dolwys。　〃We　must　do　something　for　the　girl！〃
　〃We　have　a　Healer；〃　said　Mavin；　fixing　me　with　her　raptor's　eyes。　〃That　is；　we　have　one　if　Peter　chooses　to　use　it　　　　　
　I　was　so　breathless；　so　senseless；　that　it　took　me　a　time　to　realize　what　she　meant。　Dealpas。　First　among　Healers。　Among　tile　Gamesman　of　Barish　in　my　pocket。
　〃Of　course；〃　I　stuttered。　〃At　once；　I'll　。。。〃
　〃Shhh；〃　she　said。　〃Take　a　moment　to　get　your　breath。　She　will　not　perish　in　the　next　moment　what　she　has　survived　for　the　past　years。〃　She　went　to　the　woman　and　knelt　beside　her　urging　Izia　to　her　feet；　into　the　cave　and　onto　the　bed　there；　pressing　a　hot　brew　into　her　hands；　all　despite　Izia's　inprehension　and　blank…eyed　apathy。　The　sight　of　her　legs　had　done　what　all　the　years　of　Laggy　Nap　had　not；　driven　her　into　a　kind　of　madness。
　〃What　if　Dealpas　cannot　heal　her？〃　I　murmured；　to　no　one　in　particular。　It　was　Swolwys　who　answered　me　as　he　brought　me　some　of　that　same　brew　which　Mavin　was　spooning　into　Izia。
　〃Well；　and　what　if　the　Healer　cannot？　Or　you　cannot？　Then　she　must　live　or　die　with　what　is；　as　we　all　must。　It　will　not　lie　upon　your　shoulders；　Peter。　If　blame　be　found；　let　it　be　found　on　Nap's　hands。〃
　〃You　could　go　further　back　than　that；〃　I　said　bitterly。　〃To　the　Shifter　who　sold　Izia　when　she　was　only　a　child。　She　could　not　have　been　more　than　seven　or　eight　then。　Taken　from　Game　knows　where；　sold　for　Game　knows　what　reason。
　〃Do　not　say　'Shifter'　in　that　tone；〃　Swolwys　demanded。　〃It　could　have　been　a　Seer；　or　a　Tragamor；　or　a　pawn；　for　all　that。　Each　plays　his　Game；　and　Games　eat　men。　They　eat　children；　also；　but　it　is　the　Game　does　it；　not　the　Gamesman。〃
　〃Some　Gamesmen　do；〃　I　said；　thinking　of　Mandor；　and　Nap；　and　the　fat　Duke　of　Betand。　Swolwys　was　right；　though。　I　did　tend　to　think　ill　of　Shifters；　both　because　of　Schlaizy　Noithn　and　because　of　。。。　Yarrel。　What　brought　Yarrel　to　mind？　I　had　not　seen　him　since　he　walked　away　from　me　outside　Bannerwell；　giving　up　our　friendship；　turning　his　back　on　me。　His　face　swam　into　my　mind；　dark　hair；　level　brows；　large…nosed　and　generous…lipped。　I　pressed　my　hands　to　my　face　and　shook　myself。　Now　was　not　the　time　to　indulge　in　this　bitter…sweet　nostalgia。　I　went　into　the　cave。
　〃Let　me　try　Dealpas；〃　I　said　to　Mavin。　〃Though　it　may　not　work。　Silkhands　the　Healer　told　me　that　tissue；　once　dead；　cannot　be　healed。〃
　Mavin　had　uncovered　Izia's　legs　and　was　studying　them　as　I　spoke。　The　boots　had　e　high　upon　her　thighs；　almost　to　the　crotch；　and　there　was　a　line　around　her　thighs　there；　healthy　pink　glow　of　flesh　above；　gray　scabrous　hide　below；　like　a　dis…eased　lizard。　〃I　do　not　think　the　tissue　is　dead；〃　she　said。　〃I　think　the　boots　did　not　really　burn　at　all；　but　acted　directly　upon　the　nerves。　This　flesh　is　abnormal；　but　it　lives。　。
　〃Well；　let　us　hope　Dealpas　will　know。〃　I　reached　into　the　pocket　to　find　the　little　Gamesman。　I　had　to　search　among　them。　Dealpas　did　not　e　into　my　hand　readily。　My　fingers　chased　her　among　the　other　pieces；　catching　her　finally　against　my　flesh。　She　came　reluctantly；　slowly；　with　infinite　regret。　　〃I　thought　I　had　left　all　this；〃　I　felt　her　say。　〃Pain。　Suffering。　I　thought　I　was　done　with　it　　　　　
　〃There　is　never　an　end；〃　said　Didir。
　〃Never；〃　echoed　Dorn。　　And　from　the　others　within　I　heard　agreement；　according　to　their　natures。　There　was　Wafnor's　sturdy　cheer；　Shattnir's　cold　challenge；　Trandilar's　passion。　And　among　them　Dealpas　stood　as　one　weeping。
　I　was　firm。　〃e；　there　is　work　here。〃
　〃There　is　always　work。〃　But　she　came；　regretfully；　until　I　laid　my　hands　on　Izia's　flesh；　and　then　she　was　as　a　rushing　stream。　　I　could　not　follow　what　it　was　she　did。　It　was　like　Shifting　in　a　way；　for　filaments　seemed　to　flow　from　my　own　hands　into　the　flesh　of　Izia。　It　was　like　Moving；　in　a　way；　for　once　there　the　filaments　stretched　and　tasted　and　smelled　at　things；　chased　down　long　white　bundles　of　fiber；　paddled　through　blood；　marched　unerringly　along　great　columns　of　bone。　It　was　easy　to　find　the　wrongness；　less　easy　to　set　it　right。　Expeditions　went　out　into　far…flung　territories　of　gut　and　fluid；　into　intimate　halls　of　gland；　bubbling　hotly　in　wrinkled　caverns；　to　return　wit