gc.shadowslinger-第39部分

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　　The　odor　grew　stronger。　It　wasn't　really　obnoxious；　just　mildly　irritating。　We　took　turns　examining　the　firewood。　Nothing。
　　I　was　in　the　middle　of　a　third　search　for　the　source　when　the　fire　caught　my　eye。　For　a　second　I　saw　a　face　in　the　flames。
　　My　heart　nearly　stopped。　For　half　a　minute　I　was　in　a　panic；　nothing　but　the　face's　presence　having　registered。　I　considered　every　evil　that　could　happen：　Taken　watching；　the　Lady　watching；　the　things　from　the　black　castle；　maybe　the　Dominator　himself　peeking　through　our　fire。　。　。　。　Then　something　calm；　back　in　the　far　marches　of　mind；　reiterated　something　I　hadn't　noticed　because　I　had　no　reason　to　expect　it。　The　face　in　the　flames　had　had　only　one　eye。
　　〃One…Eye；〃　I　said　without　thinking。　〃That　little　bastard　is　in　Juniper。''
　　Goblin　spun　toward　me；　eyes　wide。　He　sniffed　the　air。　His　famous　grin　split　his　face。　〃You're　right；　Croaker。　Absolutely　right。　That　stink　is　the　little　skunk　himself。　Should　have　recognized　it　straight　off。〃
　　I　glanced　at　the　fire。　The　face　did　not　reappear。
　　Goblin　mused；　〃What　would　be　a　suitable　wele？〃
　　〃Figure　the　Captain　sent　him？〃
　　〃Probably。　Be　logical　to　send　him　or　Silent　ahead。〃
　　〃Do　me　a　favor；　Goblin。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Don't　give　him　no　special　wele。〃
　　Goblin　looked　deflated。　It　had　been　a　long　time。　He　did　not　want　to　miss　an　opportunity　to　refresh　his　acquaintance　with　One…Eye　with　a　flash　and　a　bang。
　　〃Look；〃　I　said。　〃He's　here　on　the　sneak。　We　don't　want　the　Taken　to　know。　Why　give　them　anything　to　sniff　out？〃
　　Bad　choice　of　words。　The　smell　was　about　to　drive　us　outside。
　　〃Yeah；〃　Goblin　grumbled。　〃Wish　the　Captain　had　sent
　　Silent。　I　was　all　worked　up　for　this。　Had　him　the　biggest　surprise　of　his　life。〃
　　〃So　get　him　later。　Meantime；　why　not　clear　this　smell　out？　Why　not　get　his　goat　by　just　ignoring　him？''
　　He　thought　about　it。　His　eyes　gleamed。　〃Yeah；〃　he　said；　and　I　knew　he　had　shaped　my　suggestion　to　his　own　warped　sense　of　humor。
　　A　fist　hammered　on　the　door。　It　startled　me　even　though　I　was　expecting　it。　One　of　the　men　let　Elmo　in。
　　One…Eye　came　in　behind　Elmo；　grinning　like　a　little　black　mongoose　about　to　eat　snake。　We　paid　him　no　heed。　Because　the　Captain　came　in　behind　him。
　　The　Captain！　The　last　man　I　expected　to　reach　Juniper　before　the　pany　itself。
　　〃Sir？〃　I　blurted。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？〃　He　lumbered　to　the　fire；　extended　his　hands。　Summer　had　begun　to　fade；　but　it　was　not　that　cold。　He　was　as　bear…like　as　ever；　though　he　had　lost　weight　and　aged。　It　had　been　a　hard　march　indeed。　〃Stork；〃　he　replied。
　　I　frowned；　looked　at　Elmo。　Elmo　shrugged；　said；　〃I　sent　Stork　with　the　message。〃
　　The　Captain　expanded；　〃Stork　didn't　make　any　sense。　What's　this　about　Raven？〃
　　Raven；　of　course；　had　been　his　closest　friend　before　deserting。　I　began　to　get　a　glimmer。
　　I　indicated　Asa。　〃This　guy　was　in　the　thick　of　it　from　the　beginning。　Been　Raven's　sidekick。　He　says　Raven　is　dead；　down。　。　。　
　　。　What's　the　name　of　that　place；　Asa？〃
　　Asa　stared　at　the　Captain　and　One…Eye　and　swallowed　about　six　times　without　being　able　to　say　anything。　I　told　the　Captain；　〃Raven　told　stories　about　us　that　turned　his　hair　grey。〃
　　〃Let's　hear　the　story；〃　the　Captain　said。　He　was　looking　at　Asa。
　　So　Asa　told　his　tale　for　the　third　time；　while　Goblin　hovered；　listening　for　the　clunk　of　untruth。　He　ignored　One…Eye　in　the　most　masterful　show　of　ignoring　I've　ever　seen。　And　all　for　nought。
　　The　Captain　dropped　Asa　pletely　the　moment　he　finished　his　tale。　A　matter　of　style；　I　think。　He　wanted　the　information　to　percolate　before　he　trotted　it　out　for　reexamination。　He　had　me　review　everything　I　had　experienced　since　arriving　in　Juniper。　I　presumed　he　had　gotten　Elmo's　story　already。
　　I　finished。　He　observed；　〃You're　too　suspicious　of　the　Taken。　The　Limper　has　been　with　us　all　along。　He　doesn't　act　like　there's　anything　up。〃　If　anyone　had　a　cause　for　malice　toward　us；　the　Limper　did。
　　〃Nevertheless；〃　I　said；　〃there're　wheels　within　wheels　within　wheels　with　the　Lady　and　the　Taken。　Maybe　they　didn't　tell　him　anything　because　they　figured　he　couldn't　keep　it　secret。〃
　　〃Maybe；〃　the　Captain　admitted。　He　shuffled　around；　occasionally　gave　Asa　a　puzzled　look。　〃Whatever；　let's　not　get　Whisper　wondering　any　more　than　she　is。　Play　it　close。　Pretend　you're　not　suspicious。　Do　your　job。　One…Eye　and　his　boys　will　be　around　to　back　you　up。〃
　　Sure；　I　thought。　Against　the　Taken？　〃If　the　Limper　is　with　the　pany；　how　did　you　get　away？　If　he　knows　you're　gone；　the　word　will　be　out　to　the　Lady；　won't　it？〃
　　〃He　shouldn't　find　out。　We　haven't　spoken　in　months。　He　stays　to　himself。　Bored；　I　think。〃
　　〃What　about　the　Barrowland？〃　I　was　primed　to　find　out　everything　that　had　happened　during　the　pany's　long　trek；　for　I　had　nothing　in　the　Annals　concerning　the　majority　of　my　rades。　But　it　was　not　yet　time　to　exhume　details。　Just　to　feel　for　high　points。
　　〃We　never　saw　it；〃　the　Captain　said。　〃According　to　the　Limper；　Journey　and　the　Lady　are　working　that　end。　We　can　expect　a　major　move　as　soon　as　we　have　Juniper　under　control。〃
　　〃We　haven't　done　squat　to　prepare；〃　I　said。　〃The　Taken　kept　us　busy　fussing　about　the　black　castle。〃
　　〃Ugly　place；　isn't　it？〃　He　looked　us　over。　〃I　think　you　might've　gotten　more　done　had　you　not　been　so　paranoid。〃
　　〃Sir？〃
　　〃Most　of　your　trail…covering　strikes　me　as　needless　and　a　waste　of　time。　The　problem　was　Raven's；　not　yours。　And　he　solved　it　in　typical　fashion。　Without　help。〃　He　glared　at　Asa。　
　　〃In　fact；　the　problem　seems　solved　for　all　time。〃
　　He　had　not　been　here　and　had　not　felt　the　pressures；　but　I　did　not　mention　that。　Instead；　I　asked；　〃Goblin；　you　figure　Asa　is　telling　the　truth？〃
　　Warily；　Goblin　nodded。
　　〃How　about　you；　One…Eye？　You　catch　any　false　notes？〃
　　The　little　black　man　responded　with　a　cautious　negative；　〃Asa。　Raven　should　have　had　a　bunch　of　papers　with　him。　He　ever　mention　them？〃
　　Asa　looked　puzzled。　He　shook　his　head。
　　〃He　have　a　trunk　or　something　that　he　wouldn't　let　anybody　near？〃
　　Asa　seemed　baffled　by　the　direction　my　questions　had　taken。　The　others　did　too。　Only　Silent　knew　about　those　papers。　Silent；　and　maybe　Whisper；　who　had　possessed　them　once　herself。
　　〃Asa？　Anything　he　treated　unusually？〃
　　A　light　dawned　in　the　little　man's　mind。　〃There　was　a　crate。　About　the　size　of　a　coffin。　I　remember　making　a　joke　about　it。　He　said　something　cryptic　about　it　being　somebody's　ticket　to　the　grave。〃
　　I　grinned。　The　papers　still　existed。　〃What　did　he　do　with　that　crate　down　there？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　〃Asa。　。。。〃
　　〃Honest。　I　only　saw　it　a　couple　times　on　the　ship。　I　never　thought　anything　about　it。〃
　　〃What　are　you　getting　at；　Croaker？〃　the　Captain　asked。
　　〃I　have　a　theory。　Just　based　on　what　I　know　about　Raven　and　Asa。〃
　　Everyone　frowned。
　　〃Generally；　what　we　know　about　Asa　suggests　he's　a　character　Raven　wouldn't　take　up　with　on　a　bet。　He's　chicken。　Unreliable。　Too　talkative。　But　Raven　did　take　up　with　him。　Took　him　south　and　made　him　part　of　the　team。　Why？　Maybe　that　don't　bother　you　guys；　but　it　does　me。〃
　　〃I　don't　follow　you；〃　the　Captain　said。　
　　〃Suppose　Raven　wanted　to　disappear　so　people　wouldn't　even　bother　looking　for　him？　He　tried　to　vanish　once；　by　ing　to　Juniper。　But　we　turned　up。　Looking　for　him；　he　thought。　So　what　next？　How　about　he　dies？　In　front　of　a　witness。　People　don't　hunt　for　dead　men。〃
　　Elmo　interrupted。　〃You　saying　he　staged　his　death　and　used　Asa　to　report　it　so　nobody　would　e　looking？〃
　　〃I'm　saying　we　ought　to　consider　the　possibility。〃　
　　The　Captain's　sole　response　was　a　thoughtful；　〃Uhm。〃　Goblin　said；　〃But　Asa　did　see　him　die。〃
　　〃Maybe。　And　maybe　he　only　thinks　he　did。〃　We　all　looked　at　Asa。　He　cowered。　The　Captain　said；　〃Take　him　through　his　story　again；　One…Eye。　Step…by…step。〃　For　two　hours　One…Eye　dragged　the　little　man　through　again　and　again。　And　we　could　not　spot　one　flaw。　Asa　insisted　he　had　seen　Raven　die；　devoured　from　within　by　something　snake…like。　And　the　more　my　theory　sprung　leaks；　the　more　I　was　sure　it　was　valid。
　　〃My　case　depends　on　Raven's　character；