gc.shadowslinger-第61部分

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　　He　grunted。
　　〃I　don't　want　anybody　to　know　we're　here。　That　means　no　customers　leave。　People　who　e　through　have　to　see　things　looking　normal。　You　get　my　drift？〃
　　He　was　smarter　than　he　looked。　〃You're　waiting　for　somebody。〃　None　of　the　men　had　figured　that　out；　I　don't　think。
　　〃Yes。　Somebody　who　will　do　unto　you　as　you　expect　me　to；　just　for　being　here。　Unless　my　ambush　works。〃　I　had　a　crazy　idea。　It　would　die　if　Asa　turned　up。
　　I　think　he　believed　me　when　I　claimed　no　wicked　plans　for　his　family。　Now。　He　asked；　〃That　the　same　somebody　who　kicked　up　the　ruckus　in　the　city　yesterday？〃
　　〃News　travels　fast。〃
　　〃Bad　news　does。〃
　　〃Yes。　The　same　somebody。　They　killed　about　twenty　of　my　people。　Busted　the　city　up　pretty　good；　too。〃
　　〃I　heard。　Like　I　said；　bad　news　travels　fast。　My　brother　was　one　of　the　people　they　killed。　He　was　in　the　Prince's　guard。　A　sergeant。　Only　one　of　us　ever　amounted　to　anything。　He　was　killed　by　something　that　ate　him；　I　heared。　Sorcerer　sicced　it　on　him。〃
　　〃Yeah。　He's　a　bad　one。　Nastier　than　my　friend　who　can't　talk。〃　I　did　not　know　who　would　e　after　us。　I　was　counting　on　someone　doing　so；　with　Asa　to　point　the　way。　I　also　figured　the　pursuit　would　develop　quickly。　Asa　would　tell　them　the　Lady　was　on　her　way　to　Meadenvil。
　　The　fat　man　eyed　me　cautiously。　Hatred　smouldered　behind　his　eyes。　I　tried　to　direct　it。　〃I'm　going　to　kill　him。〃
　　〃All　right。　Slow？　Like　my　brother？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so。　If　it　isn't　fast　and　sneaky；　he　wins。　Or　she。　There's　two　of　them；　actually。　I　don't　know　which　one　will　e。〃　I　figured　we　could　buy　a　lot　of　time　if　we　could　take　out　one　of　the　Taken。　The　Lady　would　be　damned　busy　with　black　castles　for　a　while　with　only　two　pairs　of　hands　to　help　her。　Also；　I　had　an　emotional　debt　to　pay；　and　a　message　to　make　clear。
　　〃Let　me　send　the　wife　and　kids　away；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　stand　in　with　you。〃
　　I　let　my　gaze　flick　to　Silent。　He　nodded　slightly。　〃All　right。　What　about　your　guests？〃
　　〃I　know　them。　They'll　sit　tight。〃
　　〃Good。　Go　take　care　of　your　part。〃　He　left。　Then　I　had　it　out　with　Silent　and　the　others。　I　had　not　been　elected　to　mand。　I　was　running　on　momentum　as　senior　officer　present。　It　got　angry　for　a　while。　But　I　won　my　point。　Fear　is　a　wonderful　motivator。　It　moved　Goblin　and　One…Eye　like　nothing　I've　ever　seen。　Moved　the　men；　too。　They　set　up　every　gimmick　they　could　imagine。　Booby　traps。　Hiding　places　prepared　from　which　an　attack　could　be　carried　out；　each　glossed　with　a　concealing　spell。　Weapons　prepared　with　fanatical　attention。
　　The　Taken　are　not　invulnerable。　They're　just　hard　to　reach；　and　more　so　when　they're　ready　for　trouble。　Whoever　came　would　be。
　　Silent　went　into　the　woods　with　the　fat　man's　family。　He　returned　with　a　hawk　that　he　tamed　in　record　time；　and　cast　it　aloft　to　patrol　the　road　between　Meadenvil　and　the　inn。　We　would　be　forewarned。
　　The　landlord　prepared　dishes　tainted　with　poison；　though　I　advised　him　that　the　Taken　seldom　eat。　He　petitioned　Silent　for　advice　concerning　his　dogs。　He　had　a　whole　pack　of　savage　mastiffs　and　wanted　them　in　on　the　action。　Silent　found　them　a　spot　in　the　plan。　We　did　everything　we　could；　and　then　settled　in　to　wait。　When　my　shift　came；　I　took　my　turn　getting　some　rest。
　　She　came。　Almost　the　moment　my　eyes　closed；　it　seemed。　I　was　in　a　panic　for　a　moment；　trying　to　banish　my　location　and　plan　from　my　mind。　But　what　was　the　point？　She　had　found　me　already。　The　thing　to　conceal　was　the　ambush。
　　〃Have　you　reconsidered？〃　she　asked。　〃You　cannot　outrun　me。　I　want　you；　physician。〃
　　〃That　why　you　sent　Whisper　and　the　Limper？　To　return　us　to　the　fold？　They　killed　half　our　men；　lost　most　of　theirs；　wrecked　the　city；　and　didn't　make　a　single　friend。　Is　that　how　you　win　us　back？〃
　　She　had　not　been　party　to　that；　of　course。　Pawnbroker　had　said　the　Taken　were　acting　on　their　own。　I　wanted　her　angry　and　distracted。　I　wanted　to　know　her　reaction。
　　She　said；　〃They're　supposed　to　be　headed　back　to　the　Barrowland。〃
　　〃Sure　they　are。　They　just　go　off　on　their　own　any　time　they　feel　like　it；　to　settle　grudges　ten　years　old。〃
　　〃Do　they　know　where　you　are？〃
　　〃Not　yet。〃　I　now　had　the　feeling　she　could　not　locate　me　precisely。　〃I'm　outside　the　city；　lying　low。〃
　　〃Where？〃
　　I　let　an　image　seep　through。　〃Near　the　place　where　the　new　castle　is　growing。　It　was　the　nearest　place　we　could　put　up。〃　I　figured　a　strong　thread　of　truth　was　in　order。　Anyway；　I　wanted　her　to　find　the　gift　I　meant　to　leave。
　　〃Stay　where　you　are。　Do　not　attract　attention。　I　will　be　there　soon。〃
　　〃Thought　so。〃
　　〃Do　not　test　my　patience；　physician。　You　amuse　me；　but　you　are　not　invulnerable。　I　am　short　of　temper　these　days。　Whisper　and　Limper　have　pressed　their　luck　one　time　too　many。〃
　　The　door　of　the　room　opened。　One…Eye　said；　〃Who　you　talking　to；　Croaker？〃
　　I　shuddered。　He　stood　on　the　far　side　of　the　glow　without　seeing　it。　I　was　awake。　I　replied；　〃My　girlfriend；〃　and　giggled。
　　An　instant　later　I　endured　a　moment　of　intense　vertigo。　Something　parted　from　me；　leaving　a　flavor　both　of　amusement　and　irritation。　I　recovered；　found　One…Eye　kneeling；　frowning。　〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　demanded。
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃Head　feels　like　it's　on　backwards。　Shouldn't　have　had　that　beer。　What's　up？〃
　　He　scowled　suspiciously。　〃Silent's　hawk　came　in。　They're　ing。　e　on　downstairs。　We　need　to　redo　the　plan。〃
　　〃They？〃
　　〃The　Limper　and　nine　men。　That's　what　I　mean；　we　need　to　redo。　Right　now　the　odds　look　too　good　for　the　other　side。〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　Those　would　be　pany　men。　The　inn　wouldn't　fool　them。　Inns　are　the　axes　of　life　in　the　hinterlands。　The　Captain　used　them　frequently　to　draw　the　Rebel。
　　Silent　did　not　have　much　to　add；　except　that　we　had　only　as　long　as　it　would　take　our　pursuers　to　cover　six　miles。
　　〃Hey！〃　The　old　es…the…dawn。　Suddenly　I　knew　why　the　Taken　had　e　to　Meadenvil。　〃You　got　a　wagon　and　team？〃　I　asked　the　innkeeper。　I　still　did　not　know　his　name。
　　〃Yeah。　Use　it　to　haul　supplies　down　from　Meadenvil；　from　the　miller's；　from　the　brewer's。　Why？〃
　　〃Because　the　Taken　are　looking　for　those　papers　I've　been　on　about。〃　I　had　to　reveal　their　provenance。
　　〃The　same　ones　we　dug　up　in　the　Forest　of　Cloud？〃　One…Eye　asked。
　　〃Yes。　Look。　Soulcatcher　told　me　they　have　the　Limper's　true　name　in　them。　They　also　include　the　wizard　Bomanz's　secret　papers；　where　the　Lady's　true　name　is　supposedly　encoded。〃
　　〃Wow！〃　Goblin　said。
　　〃Right。〃
　　One…Eye　demanded；　〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　us？〃
　　〃The　Limper　wants　his　name　back。　Suppose　he　sees　a　bunch　of　guys　and　a　wagon　light　out　of　here？　What's　he　going　to　figure？　Asa　gave　him　bum　dope　about　them　being　with　Raven。　Asa　doesn't　know　everything　we've　been　up　to。〃
　　Silent　interjected；　in　sign；　〃Asa　is　with　the　Limper。〃
　　〃Fine。　He　did　what　I　wanted。　Okay。　The　Limper　figures　that's　us　making　a　run　for　it　with　the　papers。　'Specially　if　we　let　a　few　pieces　go　fluttering　around。〃
　　〃I　get　it；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃Only　we　don't　have　enough　men　to　work　it。　Only　Bullock　and　the　landlord　that　Asa　don't　know　about。〃
　　Goblin　said；　〃I　think　you　better　stop　talking　and　start　doing。　They're　getting　closer。〃
　　I　called　the　fat　man。　〃Your　friends　from　the　South　have　to　do　us　a　favor。　Tell　them　it's　their　only　chance　of　getting　out　of　this　alive。〃
　　
　　　Chapter　Forty…Eight：　THE　INN：　AMBUSH
　　
　　The　four　southerners　were　shaking　and　sweating。　They　did　not　know　what　was　going　on；　did　not　like　what　they　saw。　But　they　had　bee　convinced　that　cooperation　was　their　only　hope。　〃Goblin！〃　I　shouted　upstairs。　〃Can　you　see　them　yet？〃
　　〃Almost　time。　Count　to　fifty；　then　turn　it　loose。〃
　　I　counted。　Slowly；　forcing　myself　to　keep　the　pace　down。　I　was　as　scared　as　the　southerners。
　　〃Now！〃
　　Goblin　came　boiling　downstairs。　We　all　roared　out　to　the　barn；　where　the　animals　and　wagon　were　waiting；　whooped　out　of　there；　stormed　into　the　road；　and　went　howling　off　south　like　eight　men　very　nearly　taken　by　surprise。　Behind　us　the　Limper's　party　halted　momentarily；　talked　it　over；　then　came　after　us。　I　noted　that　the　Limper　was　setting　the　pace。　Good。　His　men　were　not　eager　to　tangle