gc.shadowslinger-第43部分

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　　Only　twice　did　he　encounter　patrols。　Neither　boasted　a　man　who　knew　him。　The　first　ignored　him。　The　corporal　manding　the　second　told　him　to　get　his　ass　off　the　street　and　went　on。
　　From　Wharf　Street　he　could　see　the　black　castle　once　more；　through　the　masts　and　stays　of　countless　ships。　It　seemed　to　have　gotten　the　worst　of　the　exchange；　which　had　died　away。　Thick；　black　smoke　boiled　out　of　the　fortress；　an　oily　column　leaning　a　few　degrees　and　rising　thousands　of　feet；　then　spreading　in　a　dark　haze。　On　the　slopes　below　the　castle　there　was　a　twinkling　and　seething；　an　anthill…like　suggestion　of　movement。　He　supposed　the　pany　was　hurrying　into　action。
　　The　waterfront　was　in　a　frenzy。　The　channel　boasted　a　dozen　vessels　heading　out。　Every　other　foreign　ship　was　preparing　to　sail。　The　river　itself　seemed　strangely　disturbed　and　choppy。
　　Shed　tried　three　ships　before　he　found　one　where　money　talked　loudly　enough　to　be　heard。　He　paid　ten　leva　to　a　piratical　purser　and　found　himself　a　spot　where　he　would　not　be　seen　from　shore。
　　Nevertheless；　as　the　crew　were　casting　off；　the　man　called　Pawnbroker　came　racing　along　the　pier　with　a　squad　of　soldiers；　shouting　at　the　ship's　master　to　hold　fast。
　　The　ship's　master　made　an　obscene　gesture；　told　them　where　they　could　go；　and　began　drifting　with　the　current。　There　were　too　few　tugs　for　the　number　of　ships　moving　out。
　　For　his　defiance　the　skipper　got　an　arrow　through　the　throat。　Astonished　sailors　and　officers　stood　frozen；　aghast。　Arrows　stormed　aboard；　killed　more　than　a　dozen　men；　including　the　mate　and　boatswain。　Shed　cowered　in　his　hiding　place；　gripped　by　a　terror　deeper　than　any　he　had　known　before。
　　He　had　known　they　were　hard　men；　men　who　did　not　play　games。　He　had　not　realized　just　how　hard　they　were；　how　savage　they　could　be。　The　Duke's　men　would　have　thrown　up　their　hands　in　despair　and　wandered　away　cursing。　They　would　not　have　massacred　anyone。
　　The　arrows　kept　ing；　in　a　light　patter；　till　the　vessel　was　out　of　range。
　　Only　then　did　Shed　peep　out　and　watch　the　city　dwindle　slowly。　Oh；　slowly；　did　it　drift　away。
　　To　his　surprise　none　of　the　sailors　were　angry　with　him。　They　were　angry；　true；　but　had　not　made　a　connection　between　the　attack　and　their　last…minute　passenger。
　　Safe；　he　thought；　elated。　That　lasted　till　he　began　to　wonder　where　he　was　bound　and　what　he　would　do　once　he　got　there。
　　A　sailor　called；　〃Sir；　they're　ing　after　us　in　a　launch。〃　Shed's　heart　dropped　to　his　ankles。　He　looked　and　saw　a　small　ship　pulling　out；　trying　to　put　on　sail。　Men　in　Black　pany　uniform　abused　the　crew；　hurrying　them。
　　He　got　back　into　hiding。　After　the　mauling　these　men　had　taken；　there　was　no　doubt　they　would　surrender　him　rather　than　suffer　more。　If　they　realized　he　was　what　Pawnbroker　wanted。
　　How　had　the　man　picked　up　his　trail？
　　Sorcery。　Of　course。　Had　to　be。
　　Did　that　mean　they　could　find　him　anywhere？
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Five：　JUNIPER：　BAD　NEWS
　　
　　The　fuss　was　over。　It　had　been　a　dramatic　display　while　it　lasted；　though　not　as　impressive　as　some　I've　seen。　The　battle　on　the　Stair　of　Tear。　The　fighting　around　Charm。　This　was　all　flash　and　show；　more　rattling　to　Juniper's　people　than　to　us　or　the　denizens　of　the　black　castle。　They　did　us　no　harm。　The　worst　they　suffered　was　the　direct　deaths　outside　their　gate。　The　fire　inside　did　no　real　harm。　Or　so　the　Taken　reported。
　　Grimy；　Whisper　grounded　her　carpet　outside　my　headquarters；　trundled　inside　looking　the　worse　for　wear　but　unharmed。　〃What　started　it？〃　she　asked。
　　The　Lieutenant　explained。
　　〃They're　getting　frightened；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　desperate。　Were　they　trying　to　scare　you　off　or　take　you　prisoner？〃
　　〃Definitely　prisoner；〃　I　said。　〃They　hit　us　with　some　kind　of　sleepy　spell　before　they　came　after　us。〃　One…Eye　supported　me　with　a　nod。
　　〃Why　were　they　unsuccessful？〃
　　〃One…Eye　broke　the　spell。　Turned　it　around　on　them。　We　killed　three。〃
　　〃Ah！　No　wonder　they　were　upset。　You　brought　one　down　with　you？〃
　　〃I　thought　we　could　understand　them　better　if　I　cut　one　up　to　see　how　he　was　made。〃
　　Whisper　did　one　of　her　mental　fades；　muning　with　the　mistress　of　us　all。　She　returned。　〃A　good　idea。　But　Feather　and　I　will　do　the　cutting。　Where　is　the　corpse？　I'll　take　it　to　Duretile　now。〃
　　I　indicated　the　body。　It　was　in　plain　sight。　She　had　two　men　carry　it　to　her　carpet。　I　muttered；　〃Don't　damn　trust　us　to　do　anything　anymore。〃　Whisper　heard　me。　She　did　not　ment。
　　Once　the　body　was　loaded；　she　told　the　Lieutenant；　〃Begin　your　preliminary　siegework　immediately。　A　cir…cumvallation。　Limper　will　support　you。　It's　likely　the　Dominator's　creatures　will　try　to　break　out　or　take　prisoners；　or　both。　Don't　permit　it。　A　dozen　captives　would　allow　them　to　open　the　pathway。　You　would　find　yourself　facing　the　Dominator。　He　would　not　be　kind。〃
　　〃No　shit。〃　The　Lieutenant　is　a　tough　guy's　tough　guy　when　it　suits　him。　In　those　moments　not　even　the　Lady　could　intimidate　him。　〃Why　don't　you　clear　out？　Tend　to　your　job　and　let　me　tend　to　mine。〃
　　His　remarks　didn't　fit　the　moment；　but　he　was　fed　up　with　Taken　in　general。　He　had　been　on　the　march　with　the　Limper　for　months；　and　the　Limper　fancied　himself　a　mander。　He　gave　the　Lieutenant　and　Captain　both　a　bellyful。　And　maybe　that　was　the　source　of　the　friction　between　the　pany　and　Taken。　The　Captain　had　his　limits；　too；　though　he　was　more　diplomatic　than　the　Lieutenant。　He　would　ignore　orders　that　did　not　suit　him。
　　I　went　out　to　watch　the　circumvallation　of　the　black　castle。　Drafts　of　laborers　arrived　from　the　Buskin；　shovels　over　their　shoulders　and　terror　in　their　eyes。　Our　men　put　down　their　tools　and　assumed　guardianship　and　supervisory　roles。　Occasionally　the　black　castle　sputtered；　making　a　feeble　attempt　to　interfere；　like　a　volcano　muttering　to　itself　after　its　energy　has　been　spent。　The　locals　sometimes　scattered　and　had　to　be　rounded　up。　We　lost　a　lot　of　good　will　won　earlier。
　　A　sheepish　yet　angry　Pawnbroker　came　looking　for　me；　gravity　accentuated　by　the　afternoon　sunlight。　I　eased　away　and　went　to　meet　him。　〃What's　the　bad　news？〃
　　〃That　damned　Shed。　Made　a　run　for　it　in　the　confusion。〃
　　〃Confusion？〃
　　〃The　city　went　crazy　when　the　Taken　started　sniping　at　the　castle。　We　lost　track　of　Shed。　By　the　time　Goblin　found　him；　he　was　on　a　ship　headed　for　Meadenvil。　I　tried　to　keep　it　from　pulling　out；　but　they　wouldn't　stop。　I　shot　them　up；　then　grabbed　a　boat　and　went　after　them；　but　I　couldn't　catch　up。〃
　　After　cursing　Pawnbroker；　and　stifling　an　urge　to　strangle　him；　I　sat　down　to　think。　〃What's　the　matter　with　him；　Pawn？　What's　he　afraid　of？〃
　　〃Everything；　Croaker。　His　own　shadow。　I　reckon　he　figured　we　were　going　to　kill　him。　Goblin　says　it　was　more　than　that；　but　you　know　how　he　loves　to　plicate　stuff。〃
　　〃Like　what？〃
　　〃Goblin　says　he　wants　to　make　a　clean　break　with　the　old　Shed。　Fear　of　us　was　the　motivation　he　needed　to　get　moving。〃
　　〃Clean　break？〃
　　〃You　know。　Like　from　guilt　about　everything　he　did。　And　from　reprisals　by　the　Inquisitors。　Bullock　knows　he　was　in　on　the　Catabs　raid。　Bullock　would　jump　on　him　as　soon　as　he　got　back。〃
　　I　stared　down　at　the　shadowed　harbor。　Ships　were　getting　under　way　still。　The　waterfront　looked　naked。　If　outsiders　kept　running；　we　would　bee　very　unpopular。　Juniper　depended　heavily　on　trade。
　　〃You　find　Elmo。　Tell　him。　Say　I　think　you　ought　to　go　after　Shed。　Find　Kingpin　and　those　guys　and　bring　them　back。　Check　on　Darling　and　Bullock　while　you're　at　it。〃　He　looked　like　a　man　condemned；　but　did　not　protest。　He　had　several　screw…ups　to　his　credit。　Being　separated　from　his　rades　was　a　cheap　penalty　to　pay。　〃Right；〃　he　said；　and　hustled　off。
　　I　returned　to　the　task　at　hand。
　　Disorganization　resolved　itself　as　the　troops　formed　the　locals　into　work　crews。　The　earth　was　flying。　First　a　good　deep　trench　so　the　creatures　from　the　castle　would　have　trouble　getting　out；　then　a　palisade　behind　that。
　　One　of　the　Taken　remained　airborne；　circling　high　above；　watching　the　castle。
　　Wagons　began　ing　up　from　the　city；　carrying　timber　and　rubble。　Down　there　other　work　crews　were　demolishing　buildi