gc.shadowslinger-第41部分

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　Elmo's　men。　Candy　brought　a　reinforced　pany　into　the　Buskin。　The　worst　slums　are　always　the　first　site　of　rebellion；　we've　found。　There　were　few　violent　confrontations。　Juniper's　citizens　were　taken　by　surprise　and　had　no　idea　what　to　fight　about　anyway。　Most　just　turned　out　to　watch。
　　I　got　myself　back　up　to　my　squad。　This　was　the　time　the　Taken　would　do　their　deed。　If　they　planned　anything。
　　Nothing　happened。　As　I　might　have　guessed；　knowing　that　men　from　our　forerunner　party　were　guiding　the　new　arrivals。　Indeed；　nobody　got　in　touch　with　me；　up　there；　for　another　two　days。　By　then　the　city　was　pacified。　Every　key　point　was　in　our　hands。　Every　state　building；　every　arsenal；　every　strong　point；　even　the　Custodians'　headquarters　in　the　Enclosure。　And　life　went　on　as　usual。　What　little　trouble　there　was　came　when　Rebel　refugees　tried　to　start　an　uprising；　accurately　accusing　the　Duke　of　having　brought　the　Lady　to　Juniper。
　　The　people　of　Juniper　didn't　much　care。
　　There　were　problems　in　the　Buskin；　though。　Elmo　wanted　to　straighten　the　slum　out。　Some　of　the　slum　dwellers　didn't　want　to　be　straightened。　He　used　Candy's　pany　forcefully；　cracking　the　organizations　of　the　crime　bosses。　I　did　not　see　the　necessity；　but　wiser　heads　feared　the　gangs　could　bee　the　focus　of　future　resistance。　Anything　with　that　potential　had　to　be　squashed　immediately。　I　think　there　was　a　hope　the　move　would　win　popular　favor；　too。
　　Elmo　brought　the　Lieutenant　to　my　hillside　shack　the　third　day　after　the　pany's　arrival。　〃How　goes　it？〃　I　asked。　The　Lieutenant　had　aged　terribly　since　I　had　seen　him　last。　The　passage　westward　had　been　grim。
　　〃City's　secure；〃　he　said。　〃Stinking　dump；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃Better　believe。　It's　all　snake's　belly。　What's　up？〃
　　Elmo　said；　〃He　needs　a　look　at　the　target。〃
　　I　lifted　an　eyebrow。
　　The　Lieutenant　said；　〃The　Limper　says　we're　going　to　take　this　place。　I　don't　know　how　soon。　Captain　wants　me　to　look　it　over。〃
　　〃Fun　times　tomorrow；〃　I　muttered。　〃Ain't　going　to　grab　it　on　the　sneak。〃　I　donned　my　coat。　It　was　chilly　up　on　the　slopes。　Elmo　and　One…Eye　tagged　along　when　I　took　the　Lieutenant　up。　He　eyeballed　the　castle；　deep　in　thought。　Finally；　he　said；　〃I　don't　like　it。　Not　even　a　little　bit。〃　He　felt　the　cold　dread　of　the　place。
　　〃I　got　a　man　who's　been　inside；〃　I　said。　〃But　don't　let　the　Taken　know。　He's　supposed　to　be　dead。〃
　　〃What　can　he　tell　me？〃
　　〃Not　much。　He's　only　been　there　at　night；　in　a　court　behind　the　gate。〃
　　〃Uhm。　The　Taken　have　a　girl　up　at　Duretile；　too。　I　talked　to　her。　She　couldn't　tell　me　nothing。　Only　in　there　once；　and　was　too　scared　to　look　around。〃
　　〃She's　still　alive？〃
　　〃Yeah。　That's　the　one　you　caught？　Yeah。　She's　alive。　Lady's　orders；　apparently。　Nasty　little　hick。　Let's　hike　around　it。〃
　　We　got　onto　the　far　slope；　where　the　going　was　rough；　to　the　acpaniment　of　constant　crabbing　by　One…Eye。　The　Lieutenant　stated　the　obvious。　〃No　getting　at　it　from　here。　Not　without　help　from　the　Taken。〃
　　〃Going　to　take　a　big　lot　of　help　to　get　at　it　from　any　direction。〃
　　He　looked　me　a　question。
　　I　told　him　about　Feather's　troubles　the　night　we　took　Shed　and　his　barmaid。
　　〃Anything　since？〃
　　〃Nope。　Not　before；　either。　My　man　who's　been　inside　never　saw　anything　extraordinary；　either。　But；　dammit；　the　thing　connects　with　the　Barrowland。　It's　got　the　Dominator　behind　it。　You　know　it's　not　going　to　be　a　pushover。　They　know　there's　trouble　out　here。〃
　　One…Eye　made　a　squeaking　sound。　〃What？〃　the　Lieutenant　snapped。
　　One…Eye　pointed。　We　all　looked　up　the　wall；　which　loomed　a　good　sixty　feet　above　us。　I　did　not　see　anything。　Neither　did　the　Lieutenant。　〃What？〃　he　asked　again。
　　〃Something　was　watching　us。　Nasty…looking　critter。〃
　　〃I　saw　it　too；〃　Elmo　volunteered。　〃Long；　skinny；　yellowish　guy　with　eyes　like　a　snake。〃
　　I　considered　the　wall。　〃How　could　you　tell　from　here？〃
　　Elmo　shivered　and　shrugged。　〃I　could。　And　I　didn't　like　it。　Looked　like　he　wanted　to　bite　me。〃　We　dragged　on　through　brush　and　over　boulders；　keeping　one　eye　on　the　castle；　the　other　on　the　down　slope。　Elmo　muttered；　〃Hungry　eyes。　That's　what　they　were。〃
　　We　reached　the　ridgeline　west　of　the　castle。　The　Lieutenant　paused。　〃How　close　can　you　get？〃
　　I　shrugged。　〃I　haven't　had　the　balls　to　find　out。〃
　　The　Lieutenant　moved　here；　there；　as　if　sighting　on　something。　〃Let's　bring　up　some　prisoners　and　find　out。〃
　　I　sucked　spittle　between　my　teeth；　then　said；　〃You　won't　get　the　locals　anywhere　near　the　place。〃
　　〃Think　not？　How　about　in　exchange　for　a　pardon？　Candy's　rounded　up　half　the　villains　in　the　Buskin。　Got　a　regular　anti…crime　crusade　going。　He　gets　three　plaints　about　somebody；　he　nabs　them。〃
　　〃Sounds　a　little　simple；〃　I　said。　We　were　moving　around　for　a　look　at　the　castle　gate。　By　simple　I　meant　simplistic；　not　easy。
　　The　Lieutenant　chuckled。　Months　of　hardship　had　not　sapped　his　bizarre　sense　of　humor。　〃Simple　minds　respond　to　simple　answers。　A　few　months　of　Candy's　reforms　and　the　Duke　will　be　a　hero。〃
　　I　understood　the　reasoning。　Juniper　was　a　lawless　city；　ruled　by　regional　strongmen。　There　were　hordes　of　Sheds　who　lived　in　terror；　continuously　victimized。　Anyone　who　lessened　the　terror　would　win　their　affection。　Adequately　developed；　that　affection　would　survive　later　excesses。
　　I　wondered；　though；　if　the　support　of　weaklings　was　worth　much。　Or　if；　should　we　successfully　infect　them　with　courage；　we　might　not　be　creating　trouble　for　ourselves　later。　Take　away　daily　domestic　oppression　and　they　might　imagine　oppression　on　our　part。
　　I　have　seen　it　before。　Little　people　have　to　hate；　have　to　blame　someone　for　their　own　inadequacies。
　　But　that　was　not　the　problem　of　the　moment。　The　moment　demanded　immediate；　vigorous；　violent　attention。　The　castle　gate　popped　open　as　we　came　in　line。　A　half…dozen　wild　beings　in　black　rushed　us。　A　fog　of　lethargy　settled　upon　me；　and　I　found　fear　fading　the　moment　it　sparked　into　existence。　By　the　time　they　were　halfway　to　us；　all　I　wanted　was　to　lie　down。
　　Pain　filled　my　limbs。　My　head　ached。　Cramps　knotted　my　stomach。　The　lethargy　vanished。
　　One…Eye　was　doing　strange　things；　dancing；　yelping　like　a　wolf　pup；　throwing　his　hands　around　like　wounded　birds。　His　big；　weird　hat　flew　off　and　tumbled　with　the　breeze；　downhill；　till　it　became　tangled　in　the　brush。　Between　yelps　he　snapped；　〃Do　something；　you　idiots！　I　can't　hold　them　forever。〃
　　Thang！　Elmo's　sword　cleared　its　scabbard。　The　Lieutenant's　did　the　same。　I　was　carrying　nothing　but　a　long　dagger。　I　whipped　it　out　and　joined　the　rush。　The　castle　creatures　stood　frozen；　surprise　in　their　ophidian　eyes。　The　Lieutenant　reached　them　first；　stopped；　wound　up；　took　a　mighty　two…handed　swing。
　　He　lugs　a　hanger　that　is　damned　near　an　executioner's　sword。　A　blow　like　that　would　have　severed　the　necks　of　three　men。　　It　did　not　remove　the　head　of　his　victim；　though　it　did　bite　deep。　Blood　sprayed　the　three　of　us。
　　Elmo　went　with　a　thrust；　as　did　I。　His　sword　drove　a　foot　into　his　victim。　My　dagger　felt　like　it　had　hit　soft　wood。　It　sank　but　three　inches　into　my　victim。　Probably　not　deeply　enough　to　reach　anything　vital。
　　I　yanked　my　blade　free；　poked　around　in　my　medical　knowledge　for　a　better　killing　point。　Elmo　kicked　his　victim　in　the　chest　to　get　his　weapon　free。
　　The　Lieutenant　had　the　best　weapon　and　approach。　He　hacked　another　neck　while　we　diddled　around。
　　Then　One…Eye　lost　it。　The　eyes　of　the　castle　creatures　came　alive。　Pure　fiery　venom　burned　there。　I　feared　the　two　not　yet　harmed　would　swarm　all　over　us。　But　the　Lieutenant　threw　a　wild　stroke　and　they　retreated。　The　one　I　had　wounded　staggered　after　them。　He　fell　before　he　reached　the　gate。　He　kept　crawling。　The　gate　closed　in　his　face。
　　〃So；〃　the　Lieutenant　said。　〃There's　a　few　lads　we　don't　have　to　face　later。　My　mendation；　One…Eye。〃　He　spoke　calmly　enough；　but　his　voice　was　up　in　the　squeak　range。　His　hands　shook。　It　had　been　close。　We　would　not　have　survived　had　One…Eye　not　e　along。　〃I　think　I've　seen　enough　for　today。　Let's　hike。〃
　　Ninety　percent　of　me　wanted　to　run　as　fast　as　I　could。　Ten　percent　stuck　to　business。　〃Let's　drag