gc.shadowslinger-第37部分

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he　life　still　throbbing　in　Marron　Shed。　〃So　young。〃　
　　She　lifted　the　girl's　chin。　〃Oh。　What　eyes。　Fire　and　steel。　The　Lady　will　love　this　one。〃
　　〃We　keep　the　watch？〃　I　asked；　assuming　she　would　confiscate　the　prisoner。
　　〃Of　course。　There　may　be　others。〃　She　faced　me。　〃No　more　will　get　through。　The　margin　is　too　narrow。　Whisper　will　forgive　the　latest。　But　the　next　is　your　doom。〃
　　〃Yes；　ma'am。　Only　it's　hard　to　do　and　not　attract　the　attention　of　the　locals。　We　can't　just　go　set　up　a　roadblock。''
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　I　explained。　She　had　scouted　the　black　castle　and　knew　the　lay　of　the　land。　〃You're　right。　For　the　moment。　But　your　pany　will　be　here　soon。　There'll　be　no　need　for　secrecy　then。〃
　　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　　Feather　took　the　girl's　hand。　〃e；〃　she　said。
　　I　was　amazed　at　how　docilely　our　hellcat　followed　Feather。　I　went　outside　and　watched　Feather's　battered　carpet　rise　and　hurry　toward　Duretile。　One　despairing　cry　floated　in　its　wake。
　　I　found　Shed　in　the　doorway　when　I　turned　to　go　inside。　I　wanted　to　smack　him　for　that；　but　controlled　myself。
　　〃Who　was　that？〃　he　asked。　'〃What　was　that？〃
　　〃Feather。　One　of　the　Taken。　One　of　my　bosses。〃
　　〃Sorceress？〃
　　〃One　of　the　greatest。　Go　sit。　Let's　talk。　I　need　to　know　exactly　what　that　girl　knows　about　Raven　and　Darling。〃
　　Intense　questioning　convinced　me　that　Lisa　did　not　know　enough　to　arouse　Whisper's　suspicions。　Unless　she　connected　the　name　Raven　with　the　man　who　had　helped　capture　her　years　ago。
　　I　continued　grilling　Shed　till　first　light。　He　practically　begged　to　tell　every　filthy　detail　of　his　story。　He　had　a　big　need　to　confess。　Over　ing　days；　when　I　sneaked　down　to　the　Buskin；　he　revealed　everything　recorded　where　he　appears　as　the　focal　character。　I　do　not　think　I　have　met　many　men　who　disgusted　me　more。　Nastier　men；　yes。　I　have　encountered　scores。　Greater　villains　e　by　the　battalion。　Shed's　leavening　of　self…pity　and　cowardice　reduced　him　from　those　categories　to　an　essentially　pathetic　level。
　　Poor　dolt。　He　was　born　to　be　used。
　　And　yet。　。　。　。　There　was　one　guttering　spark　in　Matron　Shed；　reflected　in　his　relationships　with　his　mother；　Raveo；　Asa；　Lisa；　Sal；　and　Darling；　that　he　noted　but　did　not　recognize　himself。　He　had　a　hidden　streak　of　charity　and　decency。　It　was　the　gradual　growth　of　that　spark；　with　its　eventual　impact　upon　the　Black　pany；　which　makes　me　feel　obligated　to　record　all　the　earlier　noxious　details　about　that　frightened　little　man。
　　The　morning　following　his　capture；　I　rode　into　the　city　in　Shed's　wagon　and　allowed　him　to　open　the　Iron　Lily　as　usual。　
　　During　the　morning　I　got　Elmo　and　Goblin　in　for　a　conference。　Shed　was　unsettled　when　he　discovered　that　we　all　knew　one　another。　Only　through　sheer　luck　had　he　not　been　taken　earlier。
　　Poor　fellow。　The　grilling　never　ceased。　Poor　us。　He　could　not　tell　us　everything　we　wanted　to　know。
　　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　about　the　girl's　father？〃　Elmo　asked。
　　〃If　there　is　a　letter；　we've　got　to　grab　it。〃　I　replied。　〃We　can't　have　anybody　stirring　up　more　problems。　Goblin；　you　take　care　of　the　papa。　He's　even　a　little　suspicious；　see　he　has　a　heart　attack。〃
　　Sourly；　Goblin　nodded。　He　asked　Shed　for　the　father's　whereabouts；　departed。　And　returned　within　half　an　hour。　〃A　great　tragedy。　He　didn't　have　a　letter。　She　was　bluffing。　But　he　did　know　too　much　that　would　e　out　under　questioning。　This　business　is　beginning　to　get　to　me。　Hunting　Rebels　was　cleaner。　You　knew　who　was　who　and　where　you　stood。〃
　　〃I'd　better　get　back　up　the　hill。　The　Taken　might　not　be　understanding　about　me　being　down　here。　Elmo；　better　keep　somebody　in　Shed's　pocket。〃
　　〃Right。　Pawnbroker　lives　there　from　now　on。　That　clown　takes　a　crap；　he's　holding　his　hand。〃
　　Goblin　looked　remote　and　thoughtful。　〃Raven　buying　a　ship。　Imagine　that。　What　do　you　figure　he　was　going　to
do？〃
　　〃I　think　he　wanted　to　head　straight　out　to　sea；〃　I　said。　〃I　hear　there're　islands　out　there；　way　out。　Maybe　another　continent。　A　guy　could　hide　pretty　good　out　there。〃
　　I　went　back　up　the　hill　and　loafed　for　two　days；　except　to　slip　off　and　get　everything　I　could　out　of　Shed。　Not　a　damned　thing　happened。　　Nobody　else　tried　to　make　a　delivery。　　I　guess　Shed　was　the　only　fool　in　the　body　business。
　　Sometimes　I　looked　at　those　grim　black　battlements　and　wondered。　They　had　taken　a　crack　at　Feather。　Somebody　in　there　knew　the　Taken　meant　trouble。　How　long　before　they　realized　they　had　been　cut　off　and　did　something　to　get　the　meat　supply　moving　again？
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…One：　JUNIPER：　THE　RETURN
　　
　　Shed　was　still　rattled　two　days　after　his　capture。　Each　time　he　looked　across　the　mon　room　and　saw　one　of　those　Black　pany　bastards；　he　started　falling　apart　again。　He　was　living　on　borrowed　time。　He　was　not　sure　what　use　they　had　for　him；　but　he　was　sure　that　when　he　was　used　up；　they　would　dump　him　with　the　garbage。　Some　of　his　babysitters　clearly　thought　him　trash。　He　could　not　refute　their　viewpoint　in　his　own　mind。
　　He　was　behind　his　counter；　washing　mugs；　when　Asa　walked　through　the　door。　He　dropped　a　mug。
　　Asa　met　his　eye　for　only　an　instant；　sidled　around　the　L　and　headed　upstairs。　Shed　took　a　deep　breath　and　followed。　The　man　called　Pawnbroker　was　a　step　behind　when　he　reached　the　head　of　the　stair；　moving　as　silent　as　death。　He　had　a　knife　ready　for　business。
　　Shed　stepped　into　what　had　been　Raven's　room。　Pawnbroker　remained　outside。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here；　Asa？　The　Inquisitors　are　after　you。　About　that　Catabs　business。　Bullock　himself　went　south　looking　for　you。〃
　　〃Easy；　Shed。　I　know。　He　caught　up　with　us。　It　got　hairy。　We　left　him　cut　up；　but　he'll　mend。　And　he'll　e　back　looking　for　you。　I　came　to　warn　you。　You've　got　to　get　out　of　Juniper。〃
　　〃Oh；　no；〃　Shed　said　softly。　Another　tooth　in　the　jaws　of　fate。　〃Been　considering　that　anyway。〃　That　would　not
tell　Pawnbroker　anything　he　could　not　guess　for　himself。　〃Things　have　gotten　rotten　here。　I've　started　looking　for　a　buyer。〃　Not　true；　but　he　would　before　day's　end。
　　For　some　reason　Asa's　return　restored　his　heart。　Maybe　just　because　he　felt　he　had　an　ally；　somebody　who　shared　his　troubles。
　　Most　of　the　story　poured　out。　Pawnbroker　did　not　take　exception。　He　did　not　make　an　appearance。
　　Asa　had　changed。　He　did　not　seem　shocked。　Shed　asked　why　not。
　　〃Because　I　spent　so　much　time　with　Raven。　He　told　me　stories　that　would　curl　your　hair。　About　the　days　before　he　came　to　Juniper。〃
　　〃How　is　he？〃
　　〃Dead。〃
　　〃Dead？〃　Shed　gasped。
　　〃What？〃　Pawnbroker　bulled　through　the　doorway。　〃Did　you　say　Raven　was　dead？〃
　　Asa　looked　at　Pawnbroker；　at　Shed；　at　Pawnbroker　again。　〃Shed；　you　bastard。　。　。　。〃
　　〃You　shut　up；　Asa；〃　Shed　snapped。　〃You　haven't　got　the　faintest　what's　happened　while　you　were　gone。　Pawnbroker　is　a　friend。　Sort　of。〃
　　〃Pawnbroker；　eh？　Like　from　the　Black　pany？〃　Pawnbroker's　eyebrows　rose。　〃Raven　been　talking？〃
　　〃He　had　some　tales　about　the　old　days。〃
　　〃Uh…huh。　Right；　buddy。　That's　me。　Let's　get　back　to　Raven　being　dead。〃
　　Asa　looked　at　Shed。　Shed　nodded。　〃Tell　us。〃
　　〃Okay。　I　don't　really　know　what　happened。　We　were　clearing　out　after　our　mix…up　with　Bullock。　Running。　His　hired　thugs　caught　us　by　surprise。　We're　hiding　in　some　woods　outside　of　town　when　all　of　a　sudden　he　starts　screaming　and　jumping　around。　It　don't　make　no　sense　to　me。〃　Asa　shook　his　head。　His　face　was　pale　and　sweaty。　〃Go　on；〃　Shed　urged　gently。　
　　〃Shed；　I　don't　know。〃
　　〃What？〃　Pawnbroker　demanded。　
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　didn't　hang　around。〃
　　Shed　grimaced。　That　was　the　Asa　he　knew。　
　　〃You're　a　real　buddy；　fellow；〃　Pawnbroker　said。　
　　〃Look。　。　。　。〃　
　　Shed　motioned　for　silence。
　　Asa　said；　〃Shed；　you've　got　to　get　out　of　Juniper。　Fast。　Any　day　a　ship　could　bring　a　letter　from　Bullock。〃
　　〃But。　。　。　。〃
　　〃It's　better　down　there　than　we　thought；　Shed。　You　got　money；　you're　all　right。　They　don't　care　about　the　Catabs。　Think　it　was　a　big　joke　on　the　Custodians。　That's　how　Bullock　found　us。　Everybody　was　laughing　about　the　raid。　There　was　even　some　guys　talking　about　getting　up　an　expedition　to　e　clean　them　out。〃
　　〃How　did　anybody　find　o