gc.shadowslinger-第58部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃What？〃
　　〃I　thought　I　was　pretty　clear。　We've　got　to　go　back　out　there。　Now。　We've　used　one　of　our　days。〃
　　〃Hey；　man；　I'm　ripped。　I'll　die　if　you　make　me。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Sleep　in　the　saddle。　That's　always　been　one　of　your　big　talents。　Sleep　anywhere；　any　time。〃
　　〃Oh；　my　aching　butt。〃
　　An　hour　later　I　was　headed　down　the　Shaker　Road　again；　with　Silent　and　Otto　added　to　the　crew。　Shed　insisted　on　ing　along；　though　I　was　willing　to　excuse　him。　Asa　decided　he　wanted　in；　too。　Maybe　because　he　thought　Shed　would　extend　an　umbrella　of　protection。　He　had　started　talking　mission　like　Shed；　but　a　deaf　man　could　hear　its　false　ring。
　　We　moved　faster　this　time；　pressed　harder；　and　had　Shed　on　a　real　horse。　We　got　down　to　the　clearing　by　noon。　While　Silent　sniffed　around；　I　worked　myself　up　and　took　a　closer　look　at　the　lump。
　　No　change。　Except　the　two　dead　creatures　were　gone。　I　did　not　need　Hagop's　eye　to　see　that　they　had　been　dragged　through　the　entry　hole。
　　Silent　worked　his　way　around　the　clearing　to　a　point　almost　identical　with　that　where　the　creature　trail　entered　the　forest。　Then　he　threw　up　an　arm；　beckoned。　I　hurried　over；　and　did　not　have　to　read　the　dance　of　his　fingers　to　know　what　he　had　found。　His　face　revealed　the　answer。
　　〃Found　it；　eh？〃　I　asked　more　brightly　than　I　felt。　I　had　started　to　count　on　Raven　being　dead。　I　did　not　like　what　the　skeleton　implied。　Silent　nodded。
　　〃Yo！〃　I　called。　〃We　found　it。　Let's　go。　Bring　the　horses。〃
　　The　others　gathered。　Asa　looked　a　little　peaked。　He　asked；　〃How　did　he　do　it？〃
　　Nobody　had　an　answer。　Several　of　us　wondered　whose　skeleton　lay　in　the　clearing　and　how　it　had　e　to　wear　Raven's　necklace。　I　wondered　how　Raven's　plot　for　vanishing　had　dovetailed　so　neatly　with　the　Dominator's　for　seeding　a　new　black　castle。
　　Only　One…Eye　seemed　in　a　mood　to　talk；　and　that　all　plaint。　〃We　follow　this　and　we're　not　going　to　get　back　to　town　before　dark；〃　he　said。　He　said　a　lot　more；　mostly　about　how　tired　he　was。　Nobody　paid　attention。　Even　those　of　us　who　had　rested　were　tired。
　　〃Lead　off；　Silent；〃　I　said。　〃Otto；　you　want　to　take　care　of　his　horse？　One…Eye；　bring　up　the　rear。　So　we　don't　get　any　surprises　from　behind。〃
　　The　track　was　no　track　at　ail　for　a　while；　just　a　straight　shot　through　the　brush。　We　were　winded　by　the　time　it　intercepted　a　game　trail。　Raven；　too；　must　have　been　exhausted；　for　he　had　turned　onto　that　trail　and　followed　it　over　a　hill；　along　a　creek；　up　another　hill。　Then　he　had　turned　onto　a　less　traveled　path　which　ran　along　a　ridge；　toward　the　Shaker　Road。　Over　the　next　two　hours　we　encountered　several　such　forkings。　Each　time　Raven　had　taken　the　one　which　tended　more　directly　westward。
　　〃Bastard　was　headed　back　to　the　high　road；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃Could　have　figured　that；　gone　the　other　way；　and　saved　all　this　tramping　through　the　brush。〃
　　Men　growled　at　him。　His　plaints　were　grating。　Even　Asa　tossed　a　nasty　look　over　one　shoulder。
　　Raven　had　taken　the　long　way；　no　doubt　about　it。　I　would　guess　we　walked　at　least　ten　miles　before　ing　across　edgeline　and　viewing　cleared　land　which　descended　to　the　high　road。　A　number　of　farms　lay　on　our　right。　In　the　distance　ahead　lay　the　blue　haze　of　the　sea。　The　countryside　was　mostly　brown；　for　autumn　had　e　to　Meadenvil。　The　leaves　were　turning。　Asa　indicated　a　stand　of　maples　and　said　they　would　look　real　pretty　in　another　week。　Odd。　You　don't　think　of　guys　like　him　as　having　a　sense　of　beauty。
　　〃Down　there。〃　Otto　indicated　a　cluster　of　buildings　three…quarters　of　a　mile　south。　It　did　not　look　like　a　farm。　〃Bet　that's　a　roadside　inn；〃　he　said。　〃What　do　you　want　to　bet　that　was　where　he　was　headed？〃
　　〃Silent？〃
　　He　nodded；　but　hedged。　He　wanted　to　stick　to　the　track　to　make　sure。　We　mounted　up；　let　him　do　what　walking　remained　to　be　done。　I；　for　one；　had　had　enough　tramping　around。
　　〃How　about　we　stay　over？〃　One…Eye　asked。
　　I　checked　the　sun。　〃I'm　considering　it。　How　safe　you　figure　we'd　be？〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃There's　smoke　ing　up　down　there。　Don't　look　like　they　had　any　trouble　yet。〃
　　Mind…reader。　I　had　been　examining　farmsteads　as　we　passed；　seeking　indications　that　the　lump　creatures　were　raiding　the　neighborhood。　The　farms　had　seemed　peaceful　and　active。　
　　I　suppose　the　creatures　confined　their　preda…tions　to　the　city；　where　they　would　cause　less　excitement。　Raven's　track　hit　the　Shaker　Road　a　half…mile　above　the　buildings　Otto　thought　an　inn。　I　checked　landmarks；　could　not　guess　how　far　south　of　the　twelfth　mile　we　were。　Silent　beckoned；　pointed。　Raven　had　indeed　turned　south。　We　followed　and　soon　passed　milestone　sixteen。
　　〃How　far　are　you　going　to　follow　him；　Croaker？〃　One…Eye　asked。　〃Bet　you　he　met　Darling　out　here　and　just　kept　hiking。〃
　　〃I　suspect　he　did。　How　far　to　Shaker？　Anybody　know？〃
　　〃Two　hundred　forty…seven　miles；〃　Kingpin　replied。　〃Rough　country？　Likely　to　have　trouble　along　the　way。　Bandits　and　such？〃
　　King　said；　〃Not　that　I　ever　heard　of。　There's　mountains；　though。　Pretty　rough　ones。　Take　a　while　to　get　through　them。〃
　　I　did　some　calculating。　Say　three　weeks　to　cover　that　distance；　not　pushing。　Raven　wouldn't　push；　what　with　Darling　along；　and　the　papers。　〃A　wagon。　He'd　have　to　have　a　wagon。〃
　　Silent；　too；　was　mounted　now。　We　reached　the　buildings　quickly。　Otto　proved　right。　Definitely　an　inn。　A　girl　came　outside　as　we　dismounted；　looked　at　us　with　wide　eyes；　raced　inside。　I　guess　we　were　a　rough…looking　lot。　Those　who　did　not　show　tough　looked　nasty。
　　A　worried　fat　man　came　out　strangling　an　apron。　His　face　could　not　decide　if　it　wanted　to　remain　ruddy　or　to　go　pallid。　〃Afternoon；〃　I　said。　〃We　get　a　meal　and　some　fodder　for　the　animals？〃
　　〃Wine；〃　One…Eye　called　out　as　he　loosened　his　cinch。　〃I　need　to　dive　into　a　gallon　of　wine。　And　a　feather　bed。〃
　　〃I　reckon；〃　the　man　said。　His　speech　proved　difficult　to　follow。　The　language　of　Meadenvil　is　a　dialect　of　that　spoken　in　Juniper。　In　the　city　it　wasn't　hard　to　get　along；　what　with　the　constant　intercourse　between　Meadenvil　and　Juniper。　But　this　fellow　spoke　a　country　dialect　with　an　altered　rhythm。　〃And　you　can　afford　it。〃
　　I　produced　two　of　Raven's　silver　pieces；　handed　them　over。　〃Let　me　know　when　we're　over　that　limit。〃　I　dropped　my　reins　over　the　hitching　rail；　climbed　the　steps；　patted　his　arm　as　I　passed。　〃Not　to　worry。　We're　not　bandits。　Soldiers。　Following　somebody　who　passed　this　way　a　while　back。〃
　　He　rewarded　me　with　a　frown　of　disbelief。　It　was　obvious　we　did　not　serve　the　Prince　of　Meadenvil。
　　The　inn　was　pleasant；　and　though　the　fat　man　had　several　daughters；　everyone　stayed　in　line。　After　we　had　eaten　and　most　had　gone　off　to　rest；　the　innkeeper　began　to　relax。　〃You　answer　me　some　questions？〃　I　asked。　I　placed　a　silver　piece　upon　my　table。　〃Might　be　worth　something。〃
　　He　settled　opposite　me；　regarded　me　narrowly　over　a　gigantic　beer　mug。　He　had　drained　the　thing　at　least　six　times　since　our　arrival；　which　explained　his　girth。　〃What　do　you　want　to　know？〃
　　〃The　tall　man　who　can't　talk。　He's　looking　for　his　daughter。''
　　〃Eh？〃
　　I　indicated　Silent；　who　had　made　himself　at　home　near　the　fire；　seated　on　the　floor；　folded　forward　in　sleep。　〃A　deaf　and　dumb　girl　who　passed　this　way　a　while　back。　Probably　driving　a　wagon。　Met　a　guy　here；　maybe。〃　I　described　Raven。
　　His　face　went　blank。　He　remembered　Raven。　And　did　not　want　to　talk　about　it。
　　〃Silent！〃
　　He　snapped　out　of　sleep　as　if　stung。　I　sent　a　message　with　finger　signs。　He　smiled　nastily。　I　told　the　innkeeper；　〃He　don't　look　like　much；　but　he's　a　sorcerer。　Here's　how　it　stands。　The　man　who　was　here　maybe　told　you　he'd　e　back　and　cut　your　throat　if　you　said　anything。　That's　a　remote　risk。　On　the　other　hand；　Silent　there　can　cast　a　few　spells　and　make　your　cows　go　dry；　your　fields　barren；　and　all　your　beer　and　wine　go　sour。　That's　a　present　risk。〃
　　Silent　did　one　of　those　nasty　little　tricks　which　amuse　him；　One…Eye　and　Goblin。　A　ball　of　light　drifted　around　the　mon　room　like　a　curious　puppy；　poking　into　things。
　　The　innkeeper　believed　me　enough　not　to　want　to　call　my　bluff。　〃All　right。　They　was　here。　Like　you　said。　I　get　a　lot　of　people　through