tw.thestoneoffarewell-第16部分
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As he pushed open the door of the chamber and walked out into the lamplit hallway； Guthwulf felt a heavy stone of fear settle in his gut。 Slowly； he began to consider the unthinkable。
Miriamele pulled away； freeing her hand from Count Streawe's grasp。 She took a sudden step backward and fell into a chair that the man in the skull mask had slid up behind her。 For a moment she only sat； crapped。
〃How did you know it was me？〃 she asked at last。 〃That I was ing here？〃
The count chuckled； extending a crabbed finger to tap the fox mask he had discarded。 〃The strong rely on strength；〃 he said。 〃The not…so…strong must be clever and quick。〃
〃You haven't answered my question。〃
Streiwe raised an eyebrow。 〃Oh？〃 He turned to his skull…faced helper。
〃You may go； Lenti。 Wait with your men outside。〃
〃It's raining；〃 Lenti said mournfully； bone…white face bobbing； eyes peering from the black sockets。
〃Then wait upstairs； fool！〃 the count said testily。 〃I will ring the bell when I need you。〃
Lend sketched a bow； then darted a glance at Miriamele and went out。
〃Ah； that one；〃 Streawe sighed； 〃he is like a child sometimes。 But still； he does what he is told。 That is more than I can say for many of those who serve me。〃 The count pushed the decanter of wine toward Brother Cadrach； who sniffed at it suspiciously； obviously torn。 〃Oh； drink it；〃 the count snapped。 〃Do you think I would go to all this trouble to drag you across Ansis Pelippe and then poison you in one of my own residences？ If I had wished you dead； you would have been facedown in the harbor before you reached the end of the gangplank。〃
〃That doesn't make me any easier；〃 Miriamele said； beginning to feel like herself again…and more than a little angry。 〃If your intentions are honorable。 Count； then why were we brought here by the threat of knives？〃
〃Did Lenti tell you he had a knife？〃 Streawe asked。
〃He certainly did；〃 Miriamele responded tartly。 〃Do you mean that he doesn't？〃
The old man chortled。 〃Blessed Elysia； of course he does。 Dozens of the things； all shapes； all lengths； some sharpened on both sides； some forked into a double blade…Lenti has more knives than you have teeth。〃 Streawe chuckled again。 〃No； it's just that I keep telling him not to announce it constantly。 All around the town they call him Lenti 'Avi Stetto。' 〃
Streawe stopped laughing for a moment； wheezing slightly。
Miriamele turned to Cadrach for explanation； but the monk was absorbed in a goblet of the count's wine； which he had apparently decided was safe。
〃What does 。 。 。 'Avi Stetto' 。 。 。 mean？〃 she finally asked。
〃It's Perdruinese for 'I have a knife。' 〃 Streawe shook his head fondly。 〃He does know how to use his toys； though； that one does。 。。。〃
〃How did you know about us； sir？〃 Cadrach asked； wiping his lips with the back of his hand。
〃And what are you going to do to us？〃 Miriamele demanded。
〃As to the first；〃 Streawe said； 〃as I told you； the weak must have their ways。 My Perdruin is not a country whose might makes others tremble； so we must instead have very good spies。 Every port in Osten Ard is an open market of knowledge； and all of the best brokers belong to me。 I knew you had left Naglimund before you reached the River Greenwade； I have had people taking note of your progress ever since。〃 He picked a reddish fruit out of a bowl on the table top and began peeling it with trembling fingers。 〃As to the second；〃 he said； 〃well； that is a pretty question。〃
He was struggling with the fruit's tough rind。 Miriamele； feeling a sudden and unexpected sympathy for the old count； reached out and gently took it from him。
〃Let me do it；〃 she said。
Streawe raised an eyebrow； surprised。 〃Thank you； my dear。 Very kind。 So； then； the question of what I should do with you。 Well； now； I must admit that when I first got word of your 。 。 。 temporarily detached state 。 。 。 it occurred to me that there might be more than a few who would pay for word of your whereabouts。 Then； later； when it became clear you would be changing ship here in Ansis Pelippe； I realized that those who would find value in mere tidings might be willing to pay even more for an actual princess。 Your father or uncle； for instance。〃
Furious； Miriamele dropped the fruit into the bowl； half…peeled。 〃You would sell me to my enemies！？〃
〃Now； now； my dear；〃 the count said soothingly； 〃whoever said anything about that？ And who are you calling an enemy； in any case？ Your father the king？ Your fond uncle Josua？ We are not talking of handing you over to Nascadu slave…merchants for a few coppers。 Besides；〃 he hastily added； 〃that alternative is now closed in any case。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean I am not going to sell you to anyone；〃 Streawe said。 〃Please； do not worry about that。〃
Miriamele picked up the fruit again。 Now her hand was tremblmg。
〃What is going to happen to us？〃
〃Perhaps the count will be forced to go locking us up in his deep； dark wine cellars； for our own protection；〃 Cadrach said； gazing with fondness at the near…empty decanter。 He seemed utterly and splendid drunk。 〃Ah； now wouldn't that be a terrible fate！〃
She turned away from him in disgust。 〃So？〃 she asked Streawe。 The old man took the slippery fruit from her hand and bit it carefully。
〃Tell me one thing；〃 he said。 〃Do you go to Nabban？〃
Miriamele hesitated； wrestling with her thoughts。 〃Yes；〃 she answered at last。 〃Yes； I do。〃
〃Why？〃
〃And why should I tell you？ You have not harmed us； but you have not yet proved yourself a friend； either。〃
Streawe stared at her。 A smile slowly spread across the lower part of his face。 His eyes； red…rimmed； retained their hard edge。 〃Ah； I like a young woman who knows what she knows；〃 he said。 〃Osten Ard is full to brim with sentiment and imprecise understanding…it is not sin； you know； but foolish sentiment that sets the angels to moaning in despair。 But you； Miriamele； even when you were a small child you had the look of someone who would do something in this world。〃 He pulled the decanter away from Cadrach and refilled his own goblet。 The monk looked after it ically； like a dog whose bone had been stolen。
〃I said no one would sell you；〃 Count Streawe said at last。 〃Well； that is not quite true…no； do not glare so； mistress！ Wait until you have heard all I have to say。 I have a 。。。 friend； I suppose you would say； although we are not personally close。 He is a religious man； but he moves in other circles as well…the best kind of friend I could ask for； since his knowledge is wide and his influence great。 The only problem is； he is a man of rather irritating moral rectitude。 Still； he has given help to Perdruin and to me many times； and…to put it simply…I owe him more than a few favors。
〃Now； I am not the only one who knew of your departure from Naglimund。 This man； also； the religious fellow； had it through his own private sources 。 。 。〃
〃He； too？〃 Miriamele demanded。 She turned to Cadrach in anger。 〃What； did you send out a crier to trumpet the news？！〃
〃Not a word passed my lips； m'lady；〃 the monk said slurringly。 Did she fancy that he was not as drunk as he pretended to be？
〃Please； Princess。〃 Streawe raised a shaking hand。 〃As I said； this friend is an influential man。 Even those around him do not guess the breadth of his influence。 His network of information； although smaller than mine； is of a depth and scope that often makes me shake my head in amazement。
〃What I have been saying； though； is this。 When my friend sent word to me…we each have a little flock of trained birds who carry our letters back and forth…he told me about you。 This was a thing 1 already knew。 He； however； did not know of my plans for you…those plans I spoke of earlier。〃
〃Selling me； you mean。〃
Streawe coughed apologetically。 For a moment it became a real cough。 When he had regained his breath； he continued。 〃And； as I have said； I owe this man several favors。 So when he asked me to prevent you going on to Nabban； I really had no choice 。。。〃
〃He asked you what？〃 Miriamele could not believe her ears。 Would she never escape the meddling and interference of others？
〃He does not want you to go to Nabban。 It is not the right time。〃
〃Not the right time？ Who is this 'he；' and what right。 。 。 ？〃
〃He？ He is a good man…one of the few of whom the term can be used。 I do not have much respect for the type； myself。 The 'right；' he says； is the saving of your life。 Or at least your freedom。〃
The princess felt her hair sticking to her forehead。 The room was warm and humid； and the baffling； irritating old man across the table was smiling again； happy as a child who has learned a new trick。
〃You are going to keep me here？〃 she said slowly。 〃You are going to imprison me and so protect my freedom？〃
Count Streawe reached a hand to his side and tugged at a dark rope that hung nearly invisible before a rumpled wall hanging。 Somewhere in the building above a bell tolled faintly。 〃I am afraid that is true； my dear；〃 he said。 〃I must hold you until my friend sends to say otherwise。 A debt is a debt and a favor must be repaid。〃 There was a sound of booted feet on the doorstep outside。 〃It truly is to your advantage。 Princess； although you may not know it yet。〃
〃I'll be the judge of that；〃 Miriamele snarled。 〃How could you？ Don't you know that there is a war brewing？ That I am carrying important news to Duke Leobardis？〃 She had to reach the duke； to convince him to join with Josua。 Otherwise； her father would destroy Naglimund and his madness would never cease。
The count cackled。 〃Ah； but my child； horses travel so much more slowly than do birds…even birds who carry the weight of heavy tidings。 You see； Leobardis and his army left for the north nearly a month ago。 If you had not passed so swiftly； skulkingly； and secretively through the towns of Hernystir； had you but spoken with a few people； you would have known。〃
As Miriamele slumped in her chair； dumbstruck； the count rapped his knuckles loudly on the table。 The door swung open and Lenti and his two henchmen； still wearing their costumes； came into the room。 Lenti had taken off his
