gc.shadowslinger-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


g；　hastened　into　some　brush。　A　moment　later　he　clambered　over　some　rocks　beyond；　disappeared。　Shed　gave　it　a　minute；　then　followed。　He　slid　round　the　boulder　where　he　had　seen　Asa　last。　Beyond　lay　a　crack　in　the　earth　just　big　enough　to　admit　a　man。
　　〃My　god；〃　Shed　whispered。　〃He's　found　a　way　into　the　Catabs。　He's　looting　the　dead。〃
　　〃I　came　straight　back；〃　Shed　gasped。　Raven　was　amused　by　his　distress。　〃I　knew　Asa　was　foul；　but　I　never　dreamed　he'd　mit　sacrilege。〃　Raven　smiled。　
　　〃Aren't　you　disgusted？〃　
　　〃No。　Why　are　you？　He　didn't　steal　any　bodies。〃
　　Shed　came　within　a　hair's　breadth　of　assaulting　him。　He　was　worse　than　Asa。
　　〃He　making　out　at　it？〃
　　〃Not　as　well　as　you。　The　Custodians　take　all　the　burial　gifts　except　passage　urns。〃　Every　corpse　in　the　Catabs　was　acpanied　by　a　small；　sealed　urn；　usually　fixed　on　a　chain　around　the　body's　neck。　The　Custodians　did　not　touch　the　few　coins　in　those。　When　the　Day　of　Passage　came；　the　Boatmen　would　demand　payment　for　passage　to　Paradise。
　　〃All　those　souls　stranded；〃　Shed　murmured。　He　explained。
　　Raven　looked　baffled。　〃How　can　anybody　with　an　ounce　of　brains　believe　that　crap？　Dead　is　dead。　Be　quiet；　Shed。　Just　answer　questions。　How　many　bodies　in　the　Catabs？〃
　　〃Who　knows？　They've　been　putting　them　away　since。　。　。　。　Hell；　for　a　thousand　years。　Maybe　there's　millions。〃
　　〃Must　have　them　stacked　like　cordwood。〃
　　Shed　wondered　about　that。　The　Catabs　were　vast；　but　a　thousand　years'　worth　of　cadavers　from　a　city　Juniper's　size　would　make　a　hell　of　a　pile。　He　looked　at　Raven。　Damn　the　man。　〃It's　Asa's　racket。　Let's　not　try。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Too　dangerous。〃
　　〃Your　friend　hasn't　suffered。〃
　　〃He's　smalltime。　If　he　gets　greedy；　he'll　get　killed。　There　are　Guardians　down　there。　Monsters。〃
　　〃Describe　them。〃
　　〃I　can't。〃
　　〃Can't　or　won't？〃
　　〃Can't。　All　they　tell　you　is　that　they're　there。〃
　　〃I　see。〃　Raven　rose。　〃This　needs　investigating。　Don't　discuss　it。　Especially　not　with　Asa。〃
　　〃Oh；　no。〃　Panicked；　Asa　would　do　something　stupid。
　　Word　drifted　in　off　the　street。　Krage　had　sent　his　two　best　men　after　Raven。　They　had　disappeared。　Three　more　had　vanished　since。　Krage　himself　had　been　injured　by　an　unknown　assailant。　He　had　survived　only　because　of　Count's　immense　strength。　Count　wasn't　expected　to　live。
　　Shed　was　terrified。　Krage　was　neither　reasonable　nor　rational。　He　asked　Raven　to　move　out。　Raven　stared　at　him　in　contempt。　
　　〃Look；　I　don't　want　him　killing　you　here；〃　Shed　said。
　　〃Bad　for　business？〃
　　〃For　my　health；　maybe。　He's　got　to　kill　you　now。　People　will　stop　being　scared　of　him　if　he　doesn't。〃
　　〃He　won't　learn；　eh？　A　damned　city　of　fools。〃
　　Asa　boiled　through　the　doorway。　〃Shed；　I　got　to　talk　to　you。〃　He　was　scared。　〃Krage　thinks　I　turned　him　over　to　Raven。　He's　after　me。　You　got　to　hide　me；　Shed。〃
　　〃Like　hell。〃　The　trap　was　closing。　Two　of　them　here。　Krage　would　kill　him　for　sure；　would　dump　his　mother　into　the　street。
　　〃Shed；　I　kept　you　in　wood　all　winter。　I　kept　Krage　off　your　back。〃
　　〃Oh；　sure。　So　I　should　get　killed；　too？〃
　　〃You　owe　me；　Shed。　I　never　told　nobody　how　you　go　out　at　night　with　Raven。　Maybe　Krage　would　want　to　know　that；　huh？〃
　　Shed　grabbed　Asa's　hands　and　yanked　him　forward；　against　the　counter。　As　if　cued；　Raven　stepped　up　behind　the　little　man。　Shed　glimpsed　a　knife。　Raven　pricked　Asa's　back；　whispered；　〃Let's　go　to　my　room。〃
　　Asa　went　pallid。　Shed　forced　a　smile。　〃Yeah。〃　He　released　Asa；　took　a　stoneware　bottle　from　beneath　the　counter。　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；　Asa。〃　He　collected　three　mugs。　　Shed　went　up　last；　intensely　aware　of　his　mother's　blind　stare。　How　much　had　she　heard？　How　much　had　she　guessed？　She　had　been　cool　lately。　His　shame　had　e　between　them。　He　no　longer　felt　deserving　of　her　respect。　　He　clouted　his　conscience。　I　did　it　for　her！
　　Raven's　room　had　the　only　door　left　on　the　upper　floors。　Raven　held　it　for　Asa　and　Shed。　〃Sit；〃　he　told　Asa；　indicating　his　cot。　Asa　sat。　He　looked　scared　enough　to　wet　himself。　　Raven's　room　was　as　Spartan　as　his　dress。　It　betrayed　no　hint　of　wealth。　　〃I　invest　it；　Shed；〃　Raven　said；　wearing　a　mocking　smile。　〃In　shipping。　Pour　the　wine。〃　He　began　cleaning　his　nails　with　a　knife。　　Asa　downed　his　wine　before　Shed　finished　pouring　the　rest。　〃Fill　him　up；〃　Raven　said。　He　sipped　his　own　wine。　〃Shed；　why　have　you　been　giving　me　that　sour　cat's　piss　when　you　had　this？〃
　　〃Nobody　gets　it　without　asking。　It　costs　more。〃
　　〃I'll　take　this　from　now　on。〃　Raven　locked　gazes　with　Asa；　tapped　his　own　cheek　with　his　knife　blade。
　　No；　Raven　wouldn't　have　to　live　frugally。　The　body　business　would　be　lucrative。　He　invested？　In　shipping？　Odd　the　way　he　said　that。　Where　the　money　went　might　be　as　interesting　as　whence　it　came。　〃You　threatened　my　friend；〃　Raven　said。　〃Oh。　Excuse　me；　Shed。　A　misstatement。　It's　partner；　not　friend。　Partners　don't　have　to　like　each　other。　Little　man；　you　have　something　to　say　for　yourself？''　Shed　shuddered。　Damn　Raven。　He'd　said　that　so　Asa　would　spread　it　around。　Bastard　was　taking　control　of　his　life。　Nibbling　away　at　it　like　a　mouse　slowly　destroying　a　head　of　cheese。　　
　　〃Honest；　Mr。　Raven。　I　didn't　mean　nothing。　I　was　scared。　Krage　thinks　I　tipped　you。　I　got　to　hide；　and　Shed's　scared　to　put　me　up。　
　　〃I　was　just　trying　to　get　him　to。　。。。〃
　　〃Shut　up。　Shed；　I　thought　he　was　your　friend。〃　
　　〃I　just　did　him　some　favors。　I　felt　sorry　for　him。〃
　　〃You'd　shelter　him　from　weather；　but　not　from　enemies。　You're　a　real　gutless　wonder；　Shed。　Maybe　I　made　a　mistake。　I　was　going　to　make　you　a　full　partner。　Going　to　give　you　the　whole　business　eventually。　Thought　I'd　do　you　a　favor。　But　you're　a　yellow…dog　creep。　Without　the　guts　to　deny　it。〃　He　whirled。　〃Talk；　little　man。　Tell　me　about　Krage。　Tell　me　about　the　Enclosure。〃　Asa　went　white。　He　didn't　open　up　till　Raven　threatened　to　call　the　Custodians。
　　
　　Shed's　knees　racketed　off　one　another。　The　hilt　of　his　butcher　knife　was　sweat…moist　and　slippery。　He　could　not　have　used　the　blade；　but　Asa　was　too　scared　to　see　that。　He　just　squeaked　at　his　team　and　started　rolling。　Raven　followed　them　in　his　own　wagon。　Shed　glanced　across　the　valley。　The　black　castle　brooded　on　the　northern　skyline；　casting　its　dread　shadow　across　Juniper。　　Why　was　it　there？　Where　had　it　e　from？　He　rejected　the　questions。　Best　to　ignore　it。
　　How　had　he　gotten　into　this？　He　feared　the　worst。　Raven　had　no　sensibilities。
　　They　left　the　wagons　in　the　grove；　entered　the　Enclosure。　Raven　examined　Asa's　wood　stash。　〃Move　these　bundles　to　the　wagons。　Stack　them　alongside　for　now。〃
　　〃You　can't　take　my　wood；〃　Asa　protested。　〃Shut　up。〃　Raven　pushed　a　bundle　through　the　wall。　
　　〃You　first；　Shed。　Little　man；　I'll　hunt　you　down　if　you　run　off。〃
　　They　had　moved　a　dozen　bundles　when　Asa　whispered；　〃Shed；　one　of　Krage's　goons　is　watching　us。〃　He　was　about　to　panic。
　　Raven　was　not　displeased　with　the　news。　〃You　two　go　get　bundles　from　the　woods。〃
　　Asa　protested。　Raven　glared。　Asa　headed　uphill。　〃How　does　he　know？〃　he　whined　at　Shed。　〃He　never　followed　me。　I'm　sure　of　that。〃
　　Shed　shrugged。　　〃Maybe　he's　a　sorcerer。　　He　always　knows　what　I'm　thinking。〃
　　Raven　was　gone　when　they　returned。　Shed　looked　around；　nervously　decided；　〃Let's　get　another　load。〃
　　Raven　was　waiting　next　trip。　〃Take　those　bundles　to　Asa's　wagon。〃
　　〃An　object　lesson；〃　Shed　said；　pointing　into　the　wagon。　Blood　ran　across　the　floorboards；　seeping　from　under　a　pile　of　wood。　
　　〃See　what　kind　of　man　he　is？〃
　　〃Up　the　hill　now；〃　Raven　ordered　when　they　returned。　〃Lead　off；　Asa。　Collect　your　tools　and　torches　to　start。〃
　　Suspicion　nagged　Shed　as　he　watched　Raven　build　a　litter。　But　no。　Even　Raven　wouldn't　stoop　that　low。　Would　he？
　　They　stood　looking　down　into　the　dark　mouth　of　the　underworld。　〃You　first；　Asa；〃　Raven　said。　Reluctantly；　Asa　descended。　
　　〃You're　next；　Shed。〃
　　〃Have　a　heart；　Raven。〃
　　〃Get　moving。〃
　　Shed　moved。　Raven　came　down　behind　him。
　　The　Catabs　had　a　carnal　smell；　but　weaker　than　Shed　had　anticipated。　A　draft　stirred　Asa's　torch。
　　〃Stop；〃　Raven　said。　He　took　the　brand；　examined　the　gap　throu