tw.thestoneoffarewell-第143部分
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When Isgrimnur had paid him； the little dark man reached up with his gaff hook and pulled down the rope ladder from the dock。 The duke was scarcely halfway up the swinging ladder before the boatman had turned around and was coasting out of sight down a side…canal。
Huffing and cursing his fat belly； Isgrimnur at last made his way up onto the more trustworthy footing of the dock。 He rapped at the weather…worn door； then waited a long time in the freezing rain without answer； growing increasingly cross。 At last the door swung open； revealing a frowning woman of middle age。
〃I don't know where the half…wit is；〃 she told Isgrimnur as though he had asked。 〃It's not enough that I have to do every other lick of work here； but now I have to answer the door as well。〃
For a moment the duke was so taken aback that he almost apologized。 He struggled with his impulse toward chivalry。 〃I want a room；〃 he said at last。
〃Well； e in； then；〃 the woman said doubtfully； opening the door wider。 Beyond lay a makeshift boathouse that stank of tar and old fish。 A couple of hulls were laid out like casualties of battle。 In the corner； a brown arm protruded from a huddle of blankets。 For a moment Isgrimnur thought it was a corpse that had been carelessly thrown into the doorway； when the arm moved； pulling the blankets closer； he realized that it was only someone sleeping。 He had a sudden premonition that he might not find the acmodations here up to the best standards； but he forced the thought down。
You're getting fussy； old man； he chided himself。 On the battlefield； you've slept in mud and blood and the nests of biting flies。
He had a mission； he reminded himself。 His own fort was secondary。
〃By the way；〃 he called after the innkeeper； whose brisk steps had taken her almost the entire length of the dooryard； 〃I'm looking for someone。〃 Suddenly he could not recall the name Dinivan had told him。 He stopped； running his fingers through his damp beard； then remem… bered。 〃Tiamak。 I'm looking for Tiamak。〃
When the woman turned； her sour expression had been supplanted by a look of greedy pleasure。 〃You？〃 she said。 〃You're the one with the gold？〃 She opened her arms wide as though to embrace him。 Despite the dozen cubits that separated them； the duke took a step backward； repelled。 The bundle of blankets m the corner began to wiggle like a nest of piglets； then felt away。 A small and very thin Wrannaman sat up； eyes still half…closed from sleep。
〃I am Tiamak；〃 he said； trying to stifle a yawn。 As he surveyed Isgrimnur； the marsh…man's face seemed to show disappointment； as though he had expected something better。 The duke felt his annoyance returning。 Were all these people mad？ Who did they think he was； or expect him to be？
〃I bring you tidings；〃 Isgrimnur said stiffly； uncertain of how to proceed。 〃But we should talk in private。〃
〃I will show you to your room；〃 the woman said hastily； 〃the finest in the house； and the little brown gentleman…another honored guest…can join you there。〃
Isgrimnur had just turned back to Tiamak； who seemed to be dressing awkwardly beneath the blankets； when the inside door of the inn thumped open and a horde of children barged through； whooping like Thrithings…men at war。 They were pursued by a tall； white…haired old man； who grinned from ear to ear as he pretended to stalk them。 They fled him with shrieks of delight； and crashed through the door leading out to the dock。 Before he could pursue them any further the landlady stepped before him； fists on hips。
〃Damn you for a simple ass； Ceallio； you are here to answer the door！〃 The old man； though considerably taller； cowered before her as though expecting a blow。 〃I know you are addled…pated； but you are not deaf。 Did you not hear someone knocking at the door？〃
The old man moaned wordlessly。 The landlady turned from him in disgust。 〃He's as stupid as a stone；〃 she began； then broke off； staring； as Isgrimnur dropped to his knees。
The duke felt the world tilt； as though giant hands had lifted it。 It took long moments before he could speak； moments in which the landlady； the little Wrannaman and the old doorkeeper looked at him with varying degrees of uneasy fascination。 When Isgrimnur spoke； it was to the old man。
〃My lord Camaris；〃 he said； and felt his voice catch in his throat。 The world had gone mad： now the dead lived again。 〃Merciful Elysia； Camaris； do you not remember me？ I am Isgrimnur！ We fought for Prester John together…we were friends！ Ah； God； you live！ How can that be？〃
He reached his hand out to the old man； who took it as a child might take something shiny or colorful offered by a stranger。 The old man's grip was callused； with a great strength that could be felt even as his hand lay flaccidly in Isgrimnur's own。 His handsome face showed only smiling inprehension。
〃What are you saying？〃 the landlady said crossly。 〃That's old Ceallio； the doorkeeper。 Been here for years。 He's a simpleton。〃
〃Camaris。。。〃 Isgrimnur breathed as he pressed the old man's hand to his cheek； wetting it with tears。 He could scarcely speak； 〃Oh； my good lord； you live！〃
28
Sparks
IN SPITE OF the unceasing loveliness of Jao e…Tunukai'i； or perhaps because of it； Simon was bored。 He was also unutterably lonely。
His imprisonment was a strange thing： the Sithi did not hinder him； but other than Jiriki and Aditu； they continued to show no interest in him； either。 Like a queen's lapdog； he was well fed and well cared for； allowed to roam wherever he could go； but only because the outside world was beyond his reach。 Like a prize pet； he amused his masters； but was not taken seriously。 When he spoke to them； they responded politely in Simon's own Westerhng speech； but among themselves they spoke the liquid Sithi tongue。 Only a few recognizable words ever reached his ear； but whole rivers of inprehensible talk flowed around him。 The suspi… cion that they might be discussing him in their private conversations infuriated him。 The possibility that they might not； that they might never think of him except when in his presence； was somehow even worse。 It made him feel insubstantial as a ghost。
Since his interview with Amerasu； the days had begun to flit past even more rapidly。 As he lay in his blankets one night； he realized he could no longer say for certain how long he had been among the Sithi。 Aditu； when asked； claimed not to remember。 Simon took the same question to Jiriki； who fixed him with a look of great pity and asked whether he truly wished to count the days。 Chilled by the implication； Simon demanded the truth。 Jiriki told him that a little over a month had passed。
That had been some days ago。
The nights were the most difficult。 In his nest of blankets in Jiriki's house； or roaming the soft； damp grass beneath strange stars； Simon tormented himself with impossible plans for escape； plans that even he knew were as impractical as they were desperate。 He became more and more morose。 He knew Jiriki was worried for him； and even Aditu's quicksilver laugh seemed forced。 Simon knew that he was speaking con… stantly of his misery； but could not hide it…moreover； he did not want to hide it。 Whose fault was it that he was trapped here？
They had saved his life； of course。 Would it truly have been better to die by freezing or slow starvation； he chided himself； rather than living as a pampered； if restricted； guest in the most wonderful city in Osten Ard？ But even though such ingratitude might be shameful； he still could not reconcile himself to his blissful prison。
Every day was much the same。 He wandered through the forest alone； or threw stones into the countless streams and rivers； and thought of his friends。 In the sheltering summer of Jao e…Tinukai'i； it was hard to imagine how they must all be suffering in the dreadful winter outside。 Where was Binabik？ Miriamele？ Prince Josua？ Did they even live？ Had they fallen beneath the black storm； or did they still struggle？
Growing ever more frantic； he begged Jiriki to let him speak to Amerasu again； to plead for her help in setting him free； but Jiriki declined。
〃It is not my place to instruct First Grandmother。 She will act in her own time； when she has thought carefully。 I am sorry； Seoman； but these matters are too important to hurry。〃
〃Hurry！〃 Simon raged。 〃By the time anyone does anything m this place； I will be dead！〃
But Jiriki； although visibly saddened； remained adamant。
Balked at every turn； Simon's anxiousness began to turn to anger。 The reserved Sithi came to seem smug and self…righteous beyond enduring。 While Simon's friends were fighting and dying； engaged in a dreadful losing battle with the Storm King as well as with Elias； these foolish creatures wandered through their sunlit forest singing and contemplating the trees。 And who was the Storm King； anyway； but a Sithi！？ No wonder that his fellows were keeping Simon prisoned while the world outside withered before Ineluki's cold wrath。
So the days spun by； each more and more like its predecessor； each increasing Simon's disaffection。 He ceased taking his evening meal with Jiriki； preferring a more solitary appreciation of the songs of crickets and nightingales。 Resentful of Aditu's playfulness； he began to avoid her。 He was sick of being teased and fondled。 He meant no more to her； he knew； than the lapdog did to the queen。 He would have no more。 If he must be a prisoner； he would act like one。
Jiriki found him sitting in a copse of larch trees； sullen and prickly as a hedgehog。 The bees were mumbling in the clover and the sun streamed down through the needles； crosshatchmg the ground with slivers of light。 Simon was chewing on a piece of bark。
〃Seoman；〃 the prince said； 〃may I speak to you？〃
Simon frowned。 He had learned that Sithi； unlike mortals； would actually go away if permission was not given。 Jiriki's folk had a deep respect for privacy。
〃I suppose so；〃 Simon said at last。
〃I would like you to e with me；〃 Jiriki said。 〃We will go to the Yasira。〃
Simon felt a quickening of hope； but it was a painful thing。 〃Why？〃
〃I do not know。 I only know that we are all asked to e； all who liv
