sheritepper.necromancer nine-第4部分

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uite　what　to　say。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　seen　him　in　this　place　since　I　had　learned　we　were　thalan。　I　have　heard　that　in　distant　places　there　are　some　people　who　care　greatly　about　their　fathers。　It　is　true　here　among　some　of　the　pawns。　My　friend　Yarrel；　for　example。　Well；　among　Gamesmen；　that　emotion　is　between　thalan；　between　male　children　and　mother's　full　brother；　between　female　children　and　mother's　full　sister。　Here　is　it　such　a　bond　that　women　who　have　no　siblings　may　choose　from　among　their　intimate　friends　those　who　will　stand　in　such　stead。　But　our　relationship；　Mertyn's　and　mine；　had　never　been　acknowledged　within　this　house。
　He　solved　it　all　for　me。　〃Thalan；〃　he　said；　embracing　me　and　taking　the　cloak　from　my　shoulders。　〃Here；　give　me　your　hood；　your　mask。　Pfah！　What　an　ugly　get…up。　Still；　very　wise　to　wear　it。　Chance's　choice；　no　doubt？　He　was　always　a　wary　one。　I　did　better　than　I　knew　when　I　set　him　to　watch　over　you。〃
　I　was　suddenly　happy；　contented；　able　to　smile　full　in　his　face　without　worrying　what　he　would　say　or　think　when　I　told　him　why　I　came。　〃Why　did　you　pick　Chance？〃　I　asked。
　〃Oh；　he　was　a　rascal　of　a　sailor；　left　here　by　a　boat　which　plied　up　and　down　the　lakes　and　rivers　to　the　Southern　Seas。　I　liked　him。　No　nonsense　about　him　and　much　about　survival。　So；　I　said；　you　stay　here　in　this　House　as　cook　or　groom　or　what　you　will；　but　your　job　is　to　watch　over　this　little　one　and　see　he　grows　well。〃
　〃He　did　that；〃　I　said。
　〃He　did　that。　Fed　you　cookies　until　your　eyes　bulged。　Stood　you　up　against　the　bullies　and　let　you　fight　it　out。　Speaking　of　which；　I　recall　you　often　had　a　bit　of　trouble　with　Karl？　Had　a　habit　of　finding　whatever　would　hurt　the　most；　didn't　he？〃
　〃Oh；〃　I　said　and　laughed　bitterly；　〃he　did；　indeed。　Probably　still　does。〃
　〃Does；　yes。　Early　Talent　showing　there。　Something　to　do　with　digging　out　secrets；　finding　hidden　things。　Unpleasant　boy。　Will　be　no　less　unpleasant　in　the　True　Game　I　should　think。　Well；　Chance　stood　you　up　to　him。〃
　〃I'm　grateful　to　you　for　Chance；〃　I　said。　〃I　。　。　。　I　understand　why　you　did　not　call　me　thalan　before。〃
　〃I　didn't　want　to　endanger　you；　Peter。　If　it　had　been　known　you　were　my　full　sister's　son；　some　oaf　would　have　tried　to　use　you　against　me。　Some　oaf　did　it　anyhow；　though　unwittingly。〃　He　sat　silent　for　a　moment。　〃Well；　lad；　what　brings　you　back　to　Mertyn's　House？　I　had　word　you　were　ing；　but　no　word　of　the　reason。〃
　〃I　want　to　find　Mavin。〃
　〃Ah。　Are　you　quite　sure　that　is　what　you　want　to　do？〃
　〃Quite　sure。〃
　〃I'll　help　you　then；　if　I　can。　You　understand　that　I　do　not　know　where　she　is？〃
　I　nodded；　though　until　that　moment　I　had　hoped　he　would　tell　me　where　to　find　her。　Still。
　He　went　on；　〃If　I　knew　where　she　was；　any　Demon　who　wanted　to　find　her　could　simply　Read　her　whereabouts　in　my　head　and　pass　the　word　along　to　whatever　Gamesman　might　be　wanting　to　challenge　her。　No。　She's　too　secret　an　animal　for　that。　She　gives　me　sets　of　directions　from　time　to　time。　That's　all。　If　I　need　to　find　her；　I　have　to　try　to　decipher　them。〃
　〃But　you'll　tell　me　what　they　are？〃
　〃Oh；　I've　written　down　a　copy　for　you。　She　gave　them　to　me　outside　Bannerwell；　where　we　were　camped　on　Havajor　Dike。　You　remember　the　place？　Well；　she　came　to　my　tent　that　night；　after　the　battle；　and　gave　them　to　me。　Then　she　pointed　away　north…which　is　important　to　remember；　Peter；　north…and　then　she　vanished。〃
　〃Vanished？〃
　〃Went。　Away。　Slipped　out　of　the　tent　and　was　gone。　Took　the　shape　of　an　owl　and　flew　away；　for　all　I　know。　Vanished。〃
　〃Doesn't　she　ever　stay？　You　must　have　grown　up　together　as　children？〃
　〃Oh；　well；　by　the　time　I　was　of　an　age　to　understand　anything；　she　was　almost　grown；　already　Talented。　Still；　I　remember　her　as　she　was　then。　She　was　very　lovely　in　her　own　person；　very　strange；　liking　children；　liking　me；　others　my　age。　She　did　tricks　and　changes　for　us；　things　to　make　us　laugh　　　　　
　〃And　she　brought　me　to　you？〃
　〃Yes。　When　you　were　only　a　toddler。　She　said　she　had　carried　you　unchanging；　and　nursed　you；　unchanging；　all　those　long　months　never　changing；　so　that　you　would　have　something　real　to　know　and　love。　But　the　time　had　e　for　you　to　be　schooled；　and　she　preferred　for　some　reason　not　to　do　that　among　Shifters。　I　never　knew　exactly　why；　except　that　she　felt　you　would　learn　more　and　be　safer　here。　So；　she　brought　you　here　to　me；　in　Mertyn's　House；　and　I　lied　to　everyone。　I　said　you　were　Festival…get　I'd　found　wrapped　in　a　blanket　on　the　doorstep。　Then　I　tried　never　to　think　about　you　when　there　were　Demons　about。〃
　〃And　I　never　knew。　No　one　ever　knew。〃
　〃No。　I　was　a　good　liar。　But　not　a　good　Gamesman。　I　couldn't　keep　you　away　from　Mandor。〃
　〃He　beguiled　me；〃　I　mused。　〃Why　me？　There　were　smarter　boys；　better…looking　boys。〃
　〃He　was　clever。　Perhaps　he　noticed　something；　some　little　indication　of　our　relationship。　Well。　It　doesn't　matter　now。　You're　past　all　that。　Mandor　is　shut　up　in　Bannerwell；　and　you　want　to　find　Mavin　Manyshaped。　It　will　be　difficult。　You'll　have　to　go　alone。〃
　I　had　not　considered　that。　I　had　assumed　Chance　would　go　with　me　wherever　I　went。
　〃No；　you　can't　take　Chance。　　Mavin　may　make　it　somewhat　easier　for　you　to　find　her；　but　she　will　not　trust　anyone　else。　Here；〃　he　said　and　handed　me　a　fold　of　parchment。　〃I've　written　out　the　directions。〃
　
　Periplus　of　a　city　which　fears　the　unborn。
　Hear　of　a　stupration　incorporeal。
　In　that　place　a　garment　defiled
　and　an　eyeless　Seer。
　Ask　him　the　name　of　the　place　from　which　he　came
　and　the　way　from　it。
　Go　not　that　way。
　Befriend　the　shadows　and　beware　of　friends。
　Walk　on　fire　but　do　not　swim　in　water。
　Seek　Out　sent…far's　monument；　but　do　not　look　upon　it。
　In　looking　away；　find　me。
　
　〃It　makes　no　sense；〃　I　cried；　outraged。　〃No　sense　at　all！〃
　〃Go　to　Havajor　Dike；〃　he　said　soothingly。　〃Then　north　from　there。　She　would　not　have　made　the　directions　too　difficult　for　either　of　us；　Peter。　She　does　not　want　to　be　lost　forever；　only　very　difficult　to　find。　You'll　be　able　to　ravel　it　out；　line　by　line。　There　is　only　one　caution　I　must　give　you。〃
　He　waited　until　he　saw　that　he　had　my　full　attention；　then　made　his　warning；　several　times。　〃Do　not　go　near　Pfarb　Durim。　If　you　go　to　the　north　or　northwest；　do　not　go　near　that　place；　nor　near　the　place　they　call　Poffle　which　is；　in　truth；　known　as　Hell's　Maw。〃　He　patted　me　on　the　shoulder；　and　when　I　asked　curious　questions；　as　he　must　have　known　I　would；　said；　〃It　is　an　evil　place。　It　has　been　evil　for　centuries。　We　thought　it　might　change　when　old　Blourbast　was　gone；　but　it　remains　evil　today。　Mavin　would　not　send　you　near　it…simply　avoid　it！〃　And　that　was　all　he　would　say　about　that。
　We　went　down　into　the　kitchens；　sat　there　in　the　warmth　of　that　familiar　place；　eating　grole　sausage　and　cheese　with　bread　warm　from　the　baking。　It　was　a　forting　time；　a　sweet　time；　and　it　lasted　only　a　little　while。　For　Gervaise　came　bustling　in；　his　iron…tipped　staff　making　a　clatter　upon　the　stones。
　〃An　Elator　has　e；　Mertyn；〃　he　cried。　〃He　demands　to　see　you　at　once。　He　es　from　the　Bright　Demesne。。。〃
　So　we　went　up　as　quickly　as　possible　to　find　an　Elator　there；　one　I　knew　well；　Himaggery's　trusted　messenger。
　〃Gamesmaster；〃　he　said；　〃the　Wizard　Himaggery　and　the　old　Seer；　Windlow；　have　vanished。〃
　〃Vanished？〃　It　was　an　echo　of　my　own　voice　saying　that　word；　but　this　time　we　were　not　talking　of　Shifters。　Mertyn　asked　again；　〃What　do　you　mean；　vanished？〃
　〃They　went　to　Windlow's　rooms　after　the　evening　meal；　sir；　asking　that　wine　be　sent　to　them　there。　When　the　steward　arrived；　the　room　was　disturbed　but　empty。　We　searched　the　Demesne；　but　they　are　both　gone　　　　　
　〃Why　have　you　e　first　to　me？〃
　〃Gamesmaster；　I　was　told　by　the　Wizard　some　time　since　that　if　anything　untoward　should　happen；　I　was　to　e　to　you。〃
　〃Windlow　told　me；〃　I　cried。　〃Just　before　I　left。　That's　what　he　meant　when　he　said　they　would　need　your　help　soon。　That　word　would　reach　you。〃
　〃I　warned　them；〃　Mertyn　grated。　〃I　warned　them　they　might　be　next　if　they　went　on　with　it。〃
　〃Next？〃　The　word　faltered　in　my　throat。
　〃Next　to　disappear。　Next　to　vanish。　Next　to　be　gone；　as　too　many　of　our　colleag