gc.shadowslinger-第21部分

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　　I　shrugged。　〃We're　counting　on　one　of　them　being　stupid；　aren't　we？〃
　　He　admitted；　〃You're　right。　It　should　be　checked。　But　it's　hard　when　I'm　the　only　one　who　has　guts　enough　to　do　legwork　in　the　Buskin。　I'm　hoping　we　get　lucky　somewhere　else。　If　I　have　to；　I'll　cover　it。　When　there's　nothing　more　pressing。〃
　　〃I　see　the　place　where　they　got　in？〃　I　asked。
　　He　wanted　to　tell　me　no。　Instead；　he　said；　〃It's　a　fair　hike。　Use　up　an　hour。　I'd　rather　go　sniff　around　this　Krage　thing　while　it's　hot。〃
　　I　shrugged。　〃Some　other　time；　then。〃
　　We　got　down　into　Krage's　territory　and　started　rambling。
　　Bullock　still　had　a　few　contacts　left　from　his　boyhood。　Coaxed　properly；　with　a　few　gersh；　they　would　talk。　I　was　not　allowed　to　sit　in。　I　spent　the　time　sipping　beer　in　a　tavern　where　they　alternately　fawned　over　my　money　and　acted　like　I　had　the　plague。　When　asked；　I　did　not　deny　being　an　Inquisitor。
　　Bullock　joined　me。　〃Maybe　we　don't　have　anything　after　all。　There's　all　kinds　of　rumors。　One　says　his　own　men　did　him　in。　One　says　it　was　his　petition。　He's　a　little　pushy　with　his　neighbors。〃　He　accepted　a　mug　of　wine　on　the　house；　something　I　hadn't　seen　him　do　before。　I　put　it　down　to　preoccupation。
　　〃There's　one　angle　we　can　check。　He　was　obsessed　about　getting　some　foreigner　who　made　a　fool　of　him　in　public。　There's　some　say　the　same　foreigner　was　the　man　who　cut　him　up。〃　He　took　out　a　list　and　began　to　peruse　it。　〃Not　going　to　be　a　lot　there　for　us；　I　expect。　The　night　Krage　disappeared　there　was　a　lot　of　whoop　and　holler。　Not　a　single　eyewitness；　of　course。〃　He　grinned。　〃Ear…witnesses　say　it　was　a　running　battle。　That　makes　me　favor　the　palace　revolution　theory。〃
　　〃What　have　you　got　there？〃
　　〃A　list　of　people　who　were　maybe　getting　wood　out　of　the　Enclosure。　Some　might　have　seen　each　other。　I　was　thinking　I　might　find　something　interesting　if　I　pared　their　stories。〃　He　waved　for　more　wine。　This　time　he　paid；　and　covered　the　first　mug；　too；　though　the　house　would　have　forgiven　him　payment。　I　got　the　impression　Juniper's　people　were　used　to　giving　Custodians　anything　they　wanted。　Bullock　simply　had　a　sense　of　ethics；　at　least　where　the　people　of　the　Buskin　were　concerned。　He　would　not　make　their　lives　harder　than　they　already　were。
　　I　could　not　help　liking　him　on　some　levels。
　　〃You're　not　going　to　pursue　the　Krage　thing；　then？〃
　　〃Oh；　yeah。　Of　course。　The　bodies　are　missing。　But　that's　not　unusual。　Probably　turn　up　across　the　river　in　a　couple　days；　if　they're　dead。　Or　screaming　for　blood　if　they're　not。〃　He　tapped　a　name　on　his　list。　〃This　guy　hangs　around　the　same　place。　Maybe　I'll　talk　to　this　guy　Raven　while　I'm　there。〃
　　I　felt　the　blood　drain　from　my　face。　〃Who？〃
　　He　looked　at　me　strangely。　I　forced　myself　to　relax；　to　look　casual。　His　eyebrows　dropped。　〃Guy　named　Raven。
The　foreigner　who　was　supposed　to　be　feuding　with　Krage。　Hangs　out　the　same　place　as　this　one　guy　on　my　wood…gatherer's　list。　Maybe　I'll　ask　him　a　few　questions。〃
　　〃Raven。　Unusual　name。　What　do　you　know　about　him？〃
　　〃Just　that　he's　a　foreigner　and　supposed　to　be　bad　news。　Been　around　a　couple　years。　Typical　drifter。　Hangs　out　with　the　Crater　crowd。〃
　　The　Crater　crowd　were　the　Rebel　refugees　who　had　established　themselves　in　Juniper。
　　〃Do　me　a　favor？　It's　a　long　shot；　but　this　guy　could　be　the　ghost　I　was　talking　about　the　other　day。　Stand　off　a　ways。　Pretend　you　never　heard　the　name。　But　get　me　a　physical　description。　And　find　out　if　he's　got　anybody　with
him。〃
　　Bullock　frowned。　He　didn't　like　it。　〃Is　it　important？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　It　could　be。〃
　　〃All　right。〃
　　〃Keep　the　whole　thing　under　your　hat　if　you　can。〃
　　〃This　guy　means　something　to　you；　eh？〃
　　〃If　he's　the　guy　I　knew；　that　I　thought　was　dead；　yeah。　Him　and　me　got　business。〃
　　He　smiled。　〃Personal？〃
　　I　nodded。　I　was　feeling　my　way　now。　This　was　touchy。　If　this　was　my　Raven；　I　had　to　go　careful。　I　didn't　dare　let　him　get　caught　in　the　coils　of　our　operation。　He　knew　too　damned　much。　He　could　get　half　the　pany　officers　and　nons　put　to　the　question。　And　made　dead。
　　I　decided　Bullock　would　respond　best　if　I　kept　it　mysterious；　with　Raven　an　old　enemy　by　implication。　Somebody　I　would　do　most　anything　to　jump　in　the　dark；　but　not　somebody　important　in　any　other　way。
　　〃I　got　you；〃　he　said。　He　looked　at　me　somewhat　differently；　as　though　glad　to　discover　I　wasn't　different　after　all。
　　Hell；　I'm　not。　But　I　like　to　pretend　I　am；　most　of　the　time。　I　told　him；　〃I'm　going　back　to　Duretile。　Got　to　talk　to　a　couple　buddies。〃
　　〃Can　you　find　your　way？〃
　　〃I　can。　Let　me　know　what　you　find　out。〃
　　〃Will　do。〃
　　We　separated。　I　went　up　the　hill　as　fast　as　forty…year…old　legs　would　carry　me。
　　I　got　Elmo　and　Goblin　off　where　nobody　could　overhear　us。　〃We　maybe　got　a　problem；　friends。〃
　　〃Like　what？〃　Goblin　wanted　to　know。　He　had　been　aching　for　me　to　talk　from　the　minute　I　rounded　him　up。　I　guess　I　looked　a　little　ragged　around　the　fringes。
　　〃There's　a　guy　named　Raven　operating　down　in　the　Buskin。　The　other　day；　when　I　was　down　there　with　Bullock；　I　thought　I　saw　a　guy　who　looked　like　our　Raven　from　a　distance；　but　I　shrugged　it　off　then。〃
　　They　quick　got　as　nervous　as　me。　〃You　sure　it's　him？〃　Elmo　asked。
　　〃No。　Not　yet。　I　got　the　hell　out　of　there　the　minute　I　heard　the　name　Raven。　Let　Bullock　think　he's　an　old　enemy　I　want　to　stick　a　knife　in。　He's　going　to　ask　around　for　me　while　he's　doing　his　own　business。　Get　me　a　description。　See　if　Darling　is　with　him。　I'm　probably　off　in　the　wild　blue　yonder；　but　I　wanted　you　guys　to　know。　In　case。〃
　　〃What　if　it　is　him？〃　Elmo　said。　〃What　do　we　do　then？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　It　could　be　big　trouble。　If　Whisper　had　some　reason　to　get　interested；　like　because　he　hangs　around　with　the　Rebel　refugees　here。　。　。　。　Well；　you　know。〃
　　Goblin　mused；　〃Seems　Silent　said　Raven　was　going　to　run　so　far　nobody　would　ever　find　him　again。〃
　　〃So　maybe　he　thought　he'd　run　far　enough。　This　is　damned　near　the　end　of　the　world。〃　Which；　in　part；　was　why　I　was　so　nervous。　This　was　the　kind　of　place　I　could　picture　Raven　having　gone　to　ground。　As　far　from　the　Lady　as　you　could　get　without　learning　to　walk　on　water。
　　〃Seems　to　me；〃　Elmo　said；　〃we　ought　to　make　sure　before　we　panic。　Then　decide　what　to　do。　This　might　be　the　time　to　put　our　guys　into　the　Buskin。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　was　thinking。　I　already　got　a　plan　in　front　of　Whisper；　for　something　else。　Let's　tell　her　we're　going　with　that；　and　have　the　guys　watch　for　Raven。〃
　　〃Who？〃　Elmo　asked。　〃Raven　would　recognize　anybody　who　knows　him。〃
　　〃Not　true。　Use　guys　who　joined　up　at　Charm。　Send　Pawnbroker　just　to　make　sure。　He's　not　likely　to　remember　the　new　guys。　There　were　so　many　of　them。　If　you　want　somebody　reliable　to　run　the　thing；　and　back　them　up；　use　Goblin。　Park　him　where　he　can　stay　out　of　sight　but　keep　his　hands　on　the　reins。〃
　　〃What　do　you　think；　Goblin？〃　he　asked。　Goblin　smiled　nervously。　〃Give　me　something　to　do；　anyway。　I'm　going　out　of　my　skull　up　here。　These　people　are　weird。〃
　　Elmo　chuckled。　〃Missing　One…Eye？〃
　　〃Almost。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃You'll　need　a　guide。　That'll　have　to　be　me。　I　don't　want　Bullock　getting　his　nose　any　deeper　into　this。　But　they　think　I'm　one　of　his　men　down　there。　You'll　have　to　follow　me　from　a　distance。　And　try　not　to　look　like　what　you　are。　Don't　make　it　hard　on　yourselves。〃
　　Elmo　stretched。　〃I'll　get　Kingpin　and　Pawnbroker　now。　You　take　them　down　and　show　them　a　place。　One　can　e　back　for　the　others。　Go　ahead　and　scope　it　out　with　Goblin。〃　He　left。
　　And　so　it　went。　Goblin　and　the　six　soldiers　took　rooms　not　far　from　the　moneylender　Krage's　headquarters。　Up　on　the　hill　I　pretended　it　was　all　for　the　cause。　I　waited。
　　
　　　Chapter　Seventeen：　JUNIPER：　TRAVEL　PLANS
　　
　　Shed　caught　Asa　trying　to　sneak　out。　〃What　the　hell　is　this？〃
　　〃I　need　to　get　out；　Shed。　I'm　going　crazy　up　there。〃
　　〃Yeah？　You　want　to　know　something；　Asa？　The　Inquisitors　are　looking　for　you。　Bullock　himself　was　in　here　the　other　day；　and　he　asked　for　you　by　name。〃　Shed　was　stretching　the　facts　slightly。　Bullock's　interest　had　not　been　intense。　But　i