gc.shadowslinger-第38部分

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　some　guys　talking　about　getting　up　an　expedition　to　e　clean　them　out。〃
　　〃How　did　anybody　find　out　about　the　Catabs；　Asa？　Only　you　and　Raven　knew。〃　Asa　looked　abashed。
　　〃Yeah。　Thought　so。　Had　to　brag；　didn't　you？〃　He　was　confused　and　frightened　and　starting　to　take　it　out　on　Asa。　He　did　not　know　what　to　do。　He　had　to　get　out　of　Juniper；　like　Asa　said。　But　how　to　give　his　watchdogs　the　slip？　Especially　when　they　knew　he　had　to　try？
　　〃There's　a　ship　at　the　Tulwar　dock　that　leaves　for　Meadenval　in　the　morning；　Shed。　I　had　the　Captain　hold　passage　for　two。　Should　I　tell　him　you'll　be　there；　too？〃
　　Pawnbroker　stepped　into　position　to　block　the　doorway。　〃Neither　one　of　you　will　be　there。　Some　friends　of　mine　want　to　talk　to　you。〃
　　〃Shed；　what　is　this？〃　Panic　edged　Asa's　voice。　Shed　looked　at　Pawnbroker。　The　mercenary　nodded。　Shed　poured　out　most　everything。　Asa　did　not　understand。　Shed　did　not　himself；　because　his　chaperones　had　not　told　　　him　everything；　so　there　was　some　sense　missing　from　the　picture　he　had。
　　Pawnbroker　was　alone　at　the　Lily。　　Shed　suggested；　〃How　about　I　go　get　Goblin？〃　Pawnbroker　smiled。　〃How　about　we　just　wait？〃
　　〃But。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Somebody　will　turn　up。　We'll　wait。　Let's　go　downstairs。
　　You。〃　He　indicated　Asa　with　his　blade。　〃Don't　get　any　funny　ideas。〃
　　Shed　said；　〃Be　careful；　Asa。　These　are　the　guys　Raven　was　scared　of。〃
　　〃I　will。　I　heard　enough　from　Raven。〃
　　〃That's　a　pity；　too；〃　Pawnbroker　said。　〃Croaker　and　Elmo　aren't　going　to　like　that。　Down；　gents。　Shed；　just　go　on　about　your　business。〃
　　〃Somebody's　liable　to　recognize　Asa；〃　Shed　warned。
　　〃We'll　take　a　chance。　Git。〃　Pawnbroker　stood　aside　and　allowed　both　men　to　pass。　Downstairs；　he　seated　Asa　at　the　shadowiest　table　and　joined　him；　cleaning　his　nails　with　his　knife。　Asa　watched　in　fascination。　Seeing　ghosts；　Shed　figured。
　　He　could　get　away　now　if　he　wanted　to　sacrifice　Asa。　They　wanted　Asa　more　than　they　wanted　him。　If　he　just　headed　out　through　the　kitchen；　Pawnbroker　would　not　e　after　him。
　　His　sister…in…law　came　from　the　kitchen；　a　platter　balanced　on　each　hand。　〃When　you　get　a　minute；　Sal。〃　And　when　she　got　the　minute：　〃You　think　you　and　the　kids　could　run　the　place　for　me　for　a　few　weeks？〃
　　〃Sure。　Why？〃　She　looked　puzzled。　But　she　glanced　quickly　into　the　shadows。
　　〃I　might　have　to　go　somewhere　for　a　while。　I'd　feel　better　if　I　knew　somebody　in　the　family　was　running　the　place。　I　don't　really　trust　Lisa。〃
　　〃You　haven't　heard　from　her　yet？〃
　　〃No。　You'd　have　thought　she'd　turn　up　when　her　father　died；　wouldn't　you？〃
　　〃Maybe　she's　shacked　up　somewhere　and　hasn't　heard　yet。〃　Sal　did　not　sound　convinced。　In　fact；　Shed　suspected；　she　thought　he　had　something　to　do　with　the　disappearance。　Way　too　many　people　had　disappeared　around　him。　He　was　afraid　she　would　do　her　sums　and　decide　he　had　had　something　to　do　with　Wally　disappearing；　too。
　　〃There's　one　rumor　I　heard　said　she　got　arrested。　Keep　an　eye　out　for　Mom。　She's　got　good　people　taking　care　of　her；　but　they　need　supervising。〃
　　〃Where　are　you　going；　Marron？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　yet。〃　He　was　afraid　it　might　be　just　a　way　up　the　hill；　to　the　Enclosure。　If　not　that；　then　certainly　somewhere；　away　from　everything　that　had　happened　here。　Away　from　these　merciless　men　and　their　even　less　merciful　employers。　Have　to　talk　to　Asa　about　the　Taken；　Maybe　Raven　had　told　him　something。
　　He　wished　he　could　get　a　moment　with　Asa　to　plan　something。　The　two　of　them　making　a　break。　But　not　on　the　Tulwar　ship。　Asa　had　mentioned　that；　damn　him。　Some　other　ship；　headed　south。
　　What　had　bee　of　Raven's　big　new　vessel？　And　Darling？
　　He　went　over　to　the　table。　〃Asa。　What　happened　to　Darling？〃
　　Asa　reddened。　He　stared　at　his　folded　hands。　〃I　don't　know；　Shed。　Honest。　I　panicked。　I　just　ran　for　the　first　ship　headed　north。〃
　　Shed　walked　away；　shaking　his　head　in　disgust。　Leaving　the　girl　alone　like　that。　Asa　hadn't　changed　much　after
all。
　　The　one　called　Goblin　came　through　the　door。　He　began　to　beam　at　Asa　before　Pawnbroker　said　anything。　〃My；　my；　my；　my；　my；〃　he　said。　〃Is　this　who　I　think　it　is；　Pawn？〃
　　〃You　got　it。　The　infamous　Asa　himself；　home　from　the　wars。　And　does　he　have　stories　to　tell。〃
　　Goblin　seated　himself　opposite　Asa。　He　wore　a　big　frog　grin。　〃Such　as？〃
　　〃Mainly；　he　claims　Raven　is　dead。〃
　　Goblin's　smile　vanished。　In　an　eye's　blink　he　became　deadly　serious。　He　made　Asa　tell　his　story　again　while　staring　into　a　mug　of　wine。　When　he　finally　looked　up；　he　was　subdued。　〃Better　talk　this　over　with　Elmo　and　Croaker。　Good　job；　Pawnbroker。　
　　〃I'll　take　him。　Keep　your　eye　on　friend　Shed。〃
　　Shed　winced。　In　the　back　of　his　head　had　lain　the　small　hope　that　both　would　leave　with　Asa。
　　His　mind　was　made　up。　He　would　flee　at　the　first　opportunity。　Get　south；　change　his　name；　use　his　gold　pieces　to　buy　into　an　inn；　behave　himself　so　thoroughly　nobody　would　notice　him　ever　again。
　　Asa　showed　a　spark　of　rebellion。　〃Who　the　hell　do　you　guys　think　you　are？　Suppose　I　don't　want　to　go　anywhere？〃
　　Goblin　smiled　nastily；　muttered　something　under　his　breath。　Dark　brown　smoke　drifted　out　of　his　mug；　illuminated　by　a　bloody　inner　glow。　Goblin　stared　at　Asa。　Asa　stared　at　the　mug；　unnerved。
　　The　smoke　coalesced；　formed　a　small；　headlike　shape。　Points　began　glowing　where　eyes　might　be。　Goblin　said；　〃My　little　friend　wants　you　to　argue。　He　feeds　on　pain。　And　he　hasn't　eaten　for　a　long　time。　I've　had　to　keep　a　low　profile　in　Juniper。''
　　Asa's　eyes　kept　getting　bigger。　So　did　Shed's。　Sorcery！　He　had　sensed　it　in　the　thing　called　the　Taken；　but　that　had　not　upset　him　much。　It　had　been　removed；　not　experienced。　Something　that　had　happened　to　Lisa；　out　of　sight。　But　this。　。　。　。
　　It　was　a　minor　sorcery；　to　be　sure。　Some　slight　trick。　But　it　was　sorcery　in　a　city　which　saw　none　other　than　that　involved　in　the　slow　growth　of　the　black　castle。　The　dark　arts　hadn't　gained　any　following　in　Juniper。
　　〃All　right；〃　Asa　said。　〃All　right。〃　His　voice　was　high　and　thin　and　squeaky；　and　he　was　trying　to　push　his　chair　back。　Pawnbroker　prevented　him。
　　Goblin　grinned。　〃I　see　Raven　mentioned　Goblin。　Good。　You'll　behave。　e　along。〃
　　Pawnbroker　released　Asa's　chair。　The　little　man　followed　Goblin　docilely。
　　Shed　sidled　over　and　looked　into　Goblin's　mug。　Nothing。　He　frowned。　Pawnbroker　grinned。　〃Cute　trick；　eh？〃
　　〃Yeah。''　Shed　took　the　mug　to　his　sink。　When　Pawnbroker　was　not　looking；　he　dropped　it　into　the　trash。　He　was　more　scared　than　ever。　How　did　he　get　away　from　a　sorcerer？
　　His　head　filled　with　tales　he　had　heard　from　southern　sailors。　Bad　business；　wizards　were。
　　He　wanted　to　weep。
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Two：　JUNIPER：　VISITORS
　　
　　Goblin　brought　me　the　man　Asa；　and　insisted　we　wait　for　Elmo　before　questioning　him。　He　had　sent　someone　to　dig　Elmo　out　of　Duretile；　where　he　was　trying　to　placate　Whisper。　Whisper　was　getting　goosed　by　the　Lady　regular　and　taking　it　out　on　anyone　handy。
　　Goblin　was　unsettled　by　what　he　had　learned。　He　did　not　play　the　usual　game　and　try　to　make　me　guess　what　was　going　on。　He　blurted；　〃Asa　says　him　and　Raven　had　a　run…in　with　Bullock。　Raven　is　dead。　He　lit　out。　Darling　is　on　her　own　down　there。〃
　　Excitement？　Better　believe　it。　I　was　ready　to　put　the　little　man　to　the　question；　then　and　there。　But　I　controlled
myself。
　　Elmo　was　a　while　showing　up。　Goblin　and　I　got　damned　antsy　before　he　did；　while　Asa　worked　himself　up　for　a　stroke。
　　The　wait　proved　worthwhile。　Elmo　did　not　e　alone。
　　The　first　hint　was　a　faint　but　sour　odor　that　seemed　to　e　from　the　fireplace；　where　I'd　had　a　small　fire　lighted。　Just　in　case；　you　know。　With　a　few　iron　rods　set　by；　ready　to　be　heated；　so　Asa　could　look　them　over　and　think；　and　maybe　convince　himself　he　ought　not　to　leave　anything　out。
　　〃What's　that　smell？〃　somebody　asked。　〃Croaker；　you　let　that　cat　in　again？〃
　　〃I　kicked　him　out　after　he　sprayed　my　boots；〃　I　said。
　　〃Like　halfway　down　the　hill。　Maybe　he　got　the　firewood　before　he　left。〃
　　The　odor　grew　stronger。　It　wasn't　really　obnoxious；　just　mildly　irritating。　We　took　turns　examining　the　firewood。　Nothing。
　　I　was　in　the