gc.shadowslinger-第52部分

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tly　what　we'll　do。〃
　　
　　　Chapter　Forty…One：　MEADENVIL：　THE　SHIP
　　
　　Ours；　apparently；　was　the　last　ship　out　of　Juniper。　We　kept　waiting　for　a　later　vessel　to　bring　news。　None　came。　The　crew　of　our　vessel　did　us　no　favor；　either。　They　yammered　all　over　town。　We　were　buried　by　nosy　locals；　people　concerned　about　relatives　in　Juniper；　and　the　city　government；　concerned　that　a　group　of　tough　refugees　might　cause　trouble。　Candy　and　the　Lieutenant　dealt　with　all　that。　The　struggle　for　survival　devolved　on　the　rest　of　us。
　　The　three　wizards；　Otto；　Kingpin　and　Pawnbroker；　and　I　stole　through　the　shadowed　Meadenvil　waterfront　district　after　midnight。　There　were　strong　police　patrols　to　dodge。　We　evaded　them　with　help　from　One…Eye；　Goblin　and　Silent。　Goblin　was　especially　useful。　He　possessed　a　spell　capable　of　putting　men　to　sleep。
　　〃There　she　is；〃　Kingpin　whispered；　indicating　Raven's　ship。　Earlier　I'd　tried　to　find　out　how　her　docking　fees　were　being　paid。　I'd　had　no　luck。
　　She　was　a　fine；　big　ship　with　a　look　of　newness　the　darkness　could　not　conceal。　Only　the　normal　lights　burned　aboard　her：　bow；　stern　masthead；　port　and　starboard；　and　one　at　the　head　of　the　gangway；　where　a　single　bored　sailor　stood　watch。
　　〃One…Eye？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃Can't　tell。〃
　　I　polled　the　others。　Neither　Silent　nor　Goblin　detected　anything　remarkable；　either。
　　〃Okay；　Goblin。　Do　your　stuff。　That'll　be　the　acid　test；　won't　it？〃
　　He　nodded。　If　Darling　was　aboard；　his　spell　would　not　affect　the　watch。
　　Now　that　everyone　had　accepted　my　suspicions　about　Raven　being　alive；　I'd　begun　to　question　them。　I　could　see　no　sense　in　his　not　having　slipped　away　by　now；　taking　his　very　expensive　ship　somewhere　far　away。　Perhaps　out　to　the　islands。
　　Those　islands　intrigued　me。　I　thought　we　might　grab　a　ship　and　head　out　there。　Had　to　take　someone　who　knew　the　way；　though。　The　islands　were　a　long　way　out　and　there　was　no　regular　merce。　No　way　to　get　there　by　guess　work。
　　〃Okay；〃　Goblin　said。　〃He's　out。〃
　　The　sailor　on　the　quarterdeck　had　slumped　onto　a　handy　stool。　He　had　his　arms　folded　on　the　rail　and　his　forehead　on　his　arms。
　　〃No　Darling；〃　I　said。
　　〃No　Darling。〃
　　〃Anybody　else　around？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Let's　go；　then。　Keep　low；　move　fast；　all　that。〃
　　We　crossed　the　pier　and　scampered　up　the　gangway。　The　sailor　stirred。　Goblin　touched　him　and　he　went　out　like　the　dead。　Goblin　hustled　forward；　then　aft；　to　the　men　on　the　rat　guards。　He　returned　nodding。　〃Another　eight　men　below；　all　asleep。　I'll　put　them　under。　You　go　ahead。〃
　　We　started　with　the　biggest　cabin；　assuming　it　would　be　the　owner's。　It　was。　It　sat　in　the　stern；　where　the　master's　cabin　usually　is；　and　was　split　into　sections。　I　found　things　in　one　indicating　that　it　had　been　occupied　by　Darling。　On　Raven's　side　we　found　soiled　clothing　discarded　some　time　ago。　There　was　enough　dust　to　indicate　that　no　one　had　visited　the　cabin　for　weeks。
　　We　did　not　find　the　papers　I　sought。
　　We　did　find　money。　Quite　a　substantial　amount。　It　was　cunningly　hidden；　but　One…Eye's　sense　for　those　things　is　infallible。　
　　Out　came　a　chest　brimming　with　silver。
　　〃I　don't　reckon　Raven　is　going　to　need　that　if　he's　dead；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃And　if　he　ain't　…　well；　tough。　His　old　buddies　are　in　need。〃
　　The　coins　were　odd。　After　studying　them；　I　recognized　what　that　oddness　was。　They　were　the　same　as　the　coins　Shed　had　received　at　the　black　castle。　〃Sniff　these　things；〃　I　told　One…Eye。　〃They're　black　castle。　See　if　there's　anything　wrong　with　them。〃
　　〃Nope。　Good　as　gold。〃　He　chuckled。
　　〃Uhm。〃　I　hadn't　any　scruples　about　lifting　the　money。　Raven　had　obtained　it　by　foul　means。　That　put　it　up　for　grabs。　It　had　no　provenance；　as　they　say　in　Juniper。　〃Gather　round　here。　I　got　an　idea。〃　I　backed　up　to　the　stern　lights；　where　I　could　watch　the　dock　through　the　glass　window。
　　They　crowded　in　on　me　and　the　chest。　〃What？〃　Goblin　demanded。
　　〃Why　settle　for　the　money？　Why　not　take　the　whole　damned　ship？　If　Raven's　dead；　or　even　faking　he's　dead；　what's　he　going　to　say　about　it？　We　could　make　it　our　headquarters。〃
　　Goblin　liked　the　idea。　So　One…Eye　didn't。　The　more　so　because　ships　had　to　do　with　water。　〃What　about　the　crew？〃　he　asked。　〃What　about　the　harbormaster　and　his　people？　They'd　get　the　law　down　on　us。〃
　　〃Maybe。　But　I　think　we　can　handle　it。　We　move　in　and　lock　the　crew　up；　there's　nobody　to　plain。　Nobody　plains；　why　should　the　harbormaster　be　interested？〃
　　〃The　whole　crew　ain't　aboard。　Some's　out　on　the　town。〃
　　〃We　grab　them　when　they　e　back。　Hell；　man；　what　better　way　to　be　ready　to　move　out　in　a　hurry？　And　what　better　place　to　wait　for　Raven　to　turn　up？〃
　　One…Eye　gave　up　objecting。　He　is　essentially　lazy。　Too；　there　was　a　gleam　in　his　eye　which　said　he　was　thinking　ahead　of　me。　〃Better　talk　to　the　Lieutenant；〃　he　said。　〃He　knows　ships。〃
　　Goblin　knew　One…Eye　well。　〃Don't　look　at　me　if　you're　thinking　about　going　pirate。　I've　had　all　the　adventure　I　want。　I　want　to　go　home。〃
　　They　got　into　it；　and　got　loud　about　it；　and　had　to　be　shut　up。
　　〃Let's　worry　about　getting　through　the　next　few　days；〃　I　growled。　〃What　we　do　later　we　can　worry　about　later。　Look。　We　got　clothes　that　belonged　to　Darling　and　Raven。　Can　you　guys　find　them　now？〃
　　They　put　their　heads　together。　After　some　discussion　Goblin　announced；　〃Silent　thinks　he　can。　Trouble　is；　he　has　to　do　it　like　a　dog。　Lock　on　the　trail　and　follow　around　everywhere　Raven　went。　Right　up　till　he　died。　Or　didn't。　If　he　didn't；　right　on　to　where　he　is　now。〃
　　〃But　that。　。　。　。　Hell。　You're　spotting　him　a　couple　months　lead。〃
　　〃People　spend　a　lot　of　time　not　moving　around；　Croaker。　Silent　would　skip　over　that。〃
　　〃Still　sounds　slow。〃
　　〃Best　you　can　get。　Unless　he　es　to　us。　Which　maybe　he　can't。〃
　　〃All　right。　All　right。　What　about　the　ship？〃
　　〃Ask　the　Lieutenant。　Let's　see　if　we　can　find　your　damned　papers。〃
　　There　were　no　papers。　One…Eye　was　able　to　detect　nothing　hidden　anywhere。　If　I　wanted　to　trace　the　papers；　I'd　have　to　start　with　the　crew。　Someone　had　to　help　Raven　take　them　off。
　　We　left　the　ship。　Goblin　and　Pawnbroker　found　a　good　spot　from　which　they　could　watch　it。　Silent　and　Otto　took　off　on　Raven's　trail。　The　rest　of　us　went　back　and　wakened　the　Lieutenant。　He　thought　taking　the　ship　was　a　good　idea。
　　He'd　never　liked　Raven　much。　I　think　he　was　motivated　by　more　than　practical　considerations。
　　
　　　Chapter　Forty…Two：　MEADENVIL：　THE　REFUGEE
　　
　　The　rumors　and　incredible　stories　swept　through　Meadenvil　rapidly。　Shed　heard　about　the　ship　from　Juniper　within　hours　of　her　arrival。　He　was　stunned。　The　Black　pany　run　out？　Crushed　by　their　masters？　That　made　no　sense。　What　the　hell　was　going　on　up　there？
　　His　mother。　Sal。　His　friends。　What　had　bee　of　them？　If　half　the　stories　were　true；　Juniper　was　a　desolation。　The　battle　with　the　black　castle　had　consumed　the　city。
　　He　wanted　desperately　to　go　find　somebody；　ask　about　his　people。　He　fought　the　urge。　He　had　to　forget　his　homeland。　Knowing　that　Croaker　and　his　bunch；　the　whole　thing　could　be　a　trick　to　smoke　him　out。
　　For　a　day　he　remained　in　hiding；　in　his　rented　room；　debating；　till　he　convinced　himself　that　he　should　do　nothing。　If　the　pany　was　on　the　run；　it　would　be　leaving　again。　Soon。　Us　former　masters　would　be　looking　for　it。
　　Would　the　Taken　e　after　him；　too？　No。　They　had　no　quarrel　with　him。　They　did　not　care　about　his　crimes。　Only　the　Custodians　wanted　him。　。。。　He　wondered　about　Bullock；　rotting　in　prison；　accused　of　Raven's　murder。　He　did　not　understand　that　at　all；　but　was　too　nervous　to　investigate。　The　answer　was　not　significant　in　the　equation　of　Marron　Shed's　survival。
　　After　his　day　in　isolation　he　decided　to　resume　his　quest　for　a　place　of　business。　He　was　looking　for　a　partnership　in　a　tavern；　having　decided　to　stick　with　what　he　knew。
　　It　had　to　be　a　better　place。　One　that　would　not　lead　him　into　financial　difficulties　the　way　the　Lily　had。　Each　time　he　recalled　the　Lily；　he　suffered　moments　of　homesickness　and　nostalgia；　of　bottomless　loneliness。　He　had　been　a　loner　all　his　life；　but　never　alone。　This　exile　was　filled　wi