sheritepper.necromancer nine-第6部分

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iddle；　Tossa's　father；　that　lean　Immutable　who　had　e　to　Bannerwell　with　Chance　and　Yarrel　at　the　very　end　of　the　battle；　making　battle　unnecessary。
　It　struck　me　when　he　turned　to　face　me　that　he　showed　no　fear　at　all。　No　stranger　had　confronted　me　since　I　had　left　the　Bright　Demesne　without　showing　some　shrinking　from　me。　perhaps　a　curious；　awed　stare　followed；　more　times　than　not；　by　the　〃ward…of…evil；〃　by　an　over…the…shoulder　stare　as　he　hurried　away。　Riddle　had　no　fear；　but　it　was　a　few　moments　before　I　realized　that　he　did　not　know　who　I　was　and　that　it　did　not　matter。　He　was　an　Immutable。　They　did　not　fear　the　Talents　of　Gamesmen；　not　even　of　Necromancers。
　〃Do　I　know　you？〃　he　asked；　leaning　on　the　wall；　gaze　burrowing　at　my　gauze…wrapped　face。　〃Have　we　met？〃
　〃It's　Peter；　Riddle；〃　I　said；　pulling　the　hood　from　my　head　and　running　dirty　fingers　through　my　dirtier　hair。　〃I　should　have　spoken。〃
　〃Peter。〃　He　gave　me　his　oddly　kind　smile；　reached　out　to　touch　my　face　as　though　I　had　been　his　child　or　close　friend。　〃To　see　you　dressed　so。　I　had　forgotten　you　had　this　Talent。　I　thought　it　was　something　to　do　with　。　。　。　changing　shape。〃
　I　started　to　say　something　about　the　Gamesmen　of　Barish；　caught　myself　and　said　nothing。　No　one　knew　of　the　Gamesmen　but　Windlow　and　Himaggery；　Silkhands；　Chance…one　or　two　others　who　would　say　nothing　about　them。　Instead　of　explaining；　I　shrugged　the　question　away。　〃Small　reason　for　you　to　remember。　I　did　not　stay　long　here　at　Havajor　Dike　once　Bannerwell　was　overthrown。　Have　you　played　jailor　here　alone　since　then？〃　I　knew　the　Immutables　had　intended　to　stay　at　Bannerwell　long　enough　to　assure　there　would　be　no　more　of　Mandor's　particular　kind　of　threat；　but　I　had　not　expected　Riddle　himself　to　stay　among　them。　He　was　said　to　be　their　leader；　though　I　had　never　heard　him　claim　any　such　title。
　〃No；〃　he　replied。　〃They　sent　for　me　after　Mandor　died。〃
　〃Dead？　Mandor？〃　I　could　not　imagine　it；　even　though　I　had　foretold　it　myself。　I　had　known　he　could　not　long　withstand　the　pain　of　a　disfigurement　visible　to　everyone；　of　loss　of　power；　of　the　absence　of　adoration；　not　he　who　had　lived　for　power　and　adoration　and　had　adored　himself　not　least　among　them。　And　yet　。。。　it　was　strange　to　think　of　him　dead。　〃How　did　he　die？〃
　〃From　the　tower。〃　Riddle　indicated　the　finger　of　stone　which　gestured　rudely　from　the　western　edge　of　the　keep。　〃He　stood　there　often。　We　saw　him　in　the　dusk；　or　at　dawn；　a　black　blot　against　the　sky。　Then　one　morning　he　was　not　there；　and　his　body　was　found　among　the　stones　at　the　river's　side。　They　sent　for　me　then；　and　I　arrived　in　time　to　learn　that　Huld　had　gone　as　well。〃
　〃Dead？〃
　〃I　fear　not。〃　He　looked　angry；　biting　off　the　words　as　though　they　tasted　bad。　〃Himaggery　had　left　Demons　here；　around　the　edges　of　the　place；　to　Read　if　any　tried　to　escape。　They　did　not　Read　Huld。　I　theorize　that　he　drugged　himself　into　unconsciousness　after　hiding　in　a　wood　wagon　or　some　such。　Certainly　he　went　past　us　all　without　betraying　his　presence。
　I　said　nothing。　I　did　not　like　the　idea　of　Huld　loose　in　the　world。　I　shivered；　and　Riddle　reached　out　to　me　again。
　〃So；　my　boy。　What　brings　you　to　the　Dike？　Was　it　to　meet　with　Mandor　again？〃
　I　shivered　once　more。　〃Never。　I　have　an　errand　away　north　of　here；　and　the　Dike　is　a　convenient　place　to　begin　the　northern　journey。　。
　〃Ah。　Well；　you　will　not　begin　that　road　tonight；　will　you？　There　is　time　for　hot　food；　and　for　a　bath？　Some　talk；　perhaps。　I　have　not　had　news　of　the　south　for　some　time。　。
　So　I　went　with　him　to　his　camp；　a　sturdy　stone　house　near　the　mill；　once　almost　in　ruins　but　reroofed　and　made　solid　by　the　Immutables　and　those　pawns　released　from　Bannerwell。　We　were　waited　on　by　quiet　people　with　faces　I　thought　I　recognized　from　the　time　of　my　captivity。　At　my　unspoken　question；　Riddle　explained。
　〃These　were　Mandor's　people；　yes。　Once　his　powers　were　nullified　by　our　being　here；　he　could　not　beguile　them　any　longer。　None　would　stay。　They　saw　him；　feared　him；　gradually　learned　what　he　had　done　to　them　and　so　began　to　hate　him；　I　think。　He　could　not　bear　it。〃
　〃What　had　he　done　to　them？〃　I　asked　cynically。　〃More　than　any　Gamesman　does？〃
　〃More；〃　he　said。　〃Though　perhaps　it　was　not　he　who　conceived　it。　。　。　。　No。　I　will　say　no　more　about　it。〃
　I　wanted　to　hear　no　more　about　it；　though　later　I　was　to　wish　I　had　insisted。　I　told　him　of　the　disappearance　of　Windlow　and　of　Himaggery。　He　withdrew　into　startled　silence；　but　then　told　me　of　other　vanishments　he　knew　of。　He　speculated；　almost　in　a　whisper。　I　drank　wine　and　tried　not　to　fall　asleep。　Others　of　the　Immutables　came　in　and　greeted　me　kindly　enough。　They　murmured　among　themselves　while　I　yawned。　Then　we　were　alone　and　Riddle　was　leaning　across　the　table　to　put　his　face　close　to　mine。
　〃I　have　no　right　to　ask　it；　Peter；　but　I　beg　a　service　of　you。　One　you　may　be　loath　to　give。〃
　〃I　will　do　what　I　can；〃　I　murmured；　half　asleep。
　〃We　need　to　speak　with　Mandor's　spirit。〃
　The　sickness　rose　in　me　so　that　I　choked　on　it；　retching；　tears　pouring　from　my　eyes　as　I　tried　not　to　vomit　upon　the　table。　In　a　moment　he　was　putting　cool　water　on　my　face；　giving　me　a　cup　to　drink。　〃How　can　you　ask　it；〃　I　gargled　at　him。　〃And　why？　What　would　you　know　that　his　ghost　can　tell　you？〃
　〃We　have　found　certain　。。。　things　in　Bannerwell。　After　Huld　had　gone；　our　people　found　them　and　summoned　me。　They　are　。。。　things　which　some　of　these　pawns　have　reason　to　remember　with　great　pain。　We　have　studied　them　as　best　we　may。　We　need　to　know　what　they　are；　how　used；　but　more　important；　from　whence　they　came。　Mandor　would　have　known。　We　believe　they　belonged　to　him。〃
　〃Certain　things。　He　showed　them　to　me。　They　were　stored　in　a　back　room　of　the　stone　house；　strange　things；　crystal　linkages；　wires；　boards　on　which　wires　and　crystals　together　made　patterns　full　of　winking　lights　which　told　me　nothing。　They　reminded　me　of　something　。　。　。　something。　Suddenly　I　had　it。　〃Riddle。　Long　ago…ah；　not　long　ago。　About　a　year。　Mertyn　sought　to　protect　me　from　being　eaten　up　in　a　Game。　His　servant；　Nitch；　sewed　a　thing　into　my　tunic；　a　thing　of　wires　and　beads；　a　thing　like　these　things。　If　you　would　know　of　them；　ask　Mertyn。〃
　〃We　have　done。　It　was　Nitch　who　knew　the　doing　of　it；　not　Mertyn。　Nitch　has　gone；　gone　in　the　night　without　a　word。〃
　〃Vanished？　Like　the　others？〃
　〃No。　Simply　gone。　Have　you　heard　of　'magicians'？〃
　Where　had　I　heard　of。　。　。　yes。　〃Gamesmaster　Gervirnse。　He　said　the　little　blue　Gamesmen　were　made　by　magicians；　west　somewhere。　I　had　not　heard　of　magicians　before；　save　as　we　all　have。　At　Festivals；　doing　tricks　with　birds　and　making　flowers　appear　out　of　nothing。〃
　〃I　do　not　think　a　Festival　magician　made　these。〃　He　shut　the　door　upon　them　and　led　me　back　to　the　table　before　the　fire。　I　knew　he　would　ask　me　again。　I　wanted　to　refuse。　How　could　I　refuse？　Oh；　Gamelords；　in　what　guise　might　the　spirit　of　Mandor　rise　to　greet　the　eidolon　of　Dorn？
　〃By　Towering　Tamor；　Riddle；　you　ask　a　hard　thing。〃
　〃I　know。　But　it　is　said　your　Talent　is　great。　I　would　not　ask　it；　save　you　e　so　fortuitously　to　our　need。　I　thought　of　it　when　I　saw　your　mask；　at　first；　and　I　would　not　ask　not　if　I　thought　it　endangered　you。
　How　could　I　tell　him　that　it　did　endanger　me？　It　sickened　me；　yes。　Brought　nightmares　and　horrors；　but　endangerment？　Well；　I　would　lose　no　blood　nor　flesh　over　it。　Perhaps　that　was　the　only　endangerment　which　counted。　Riddle's　daughter；　Tossa；　had　lost　her　life　in　aiding　me。　I　could　not　refuse　him。
　〃In　the　morning；〃　I　begged。　〃Not　at　night。〃
　〃Certainly；　in　the　morning；〃　he　agreed。　I　might　just　as　well　have　done　it　in　the　dark　for　all　the　sleep　I　had。
　We　went　to　the　pit　in　the　gray　dawn。　They　had　not　laid　Mandor　with　his　ancestors　and　predecessors　in　the　catabs　beneath　the　fortress；　and　I　was　thankful　of　that。　There　the　ghosts　were　as　thick　as　fleas　on　a　lazy　dog；　and　I　had　no　wish　to　raise　a　host　on　this　day。　No；　Mandor　lay　beneath　the　sod　in　a　kind　of　declivity　a　little　to　the　north　of　the　walls；　a　place　fragrant　and　grassy；　silent　except　for　the　sigh　of　wind　in　the　dark　firs　which　bounded　it。　Riddle　let　me　go　into　the　place　alone；　staying　well