tw.thestoneoffarewell-第96部分
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not seem apt to be sleeping lightly； but there was no sense taking unnecessary risks。
A sudden thumping from overhead set her cowering both from possible discovery and the painful noise itself。 When nothing followed but softer repetitions； Miriamele decided it was only the normal business of the ship going on above。 She continued to stalk her snoring prey through the rows of close…stacked barrels。
By the time she was a few cubits away from the snorer； she no longer felt even the slightest doubt…she had heard that sodden； drunken rumble too many nights to mistake it。
At last she crouched over him。 Feeling with her hand； she located the empty jug curled in the crook of his arm with which he'd besotted himself。 Above that； she felt Cadrach's unmistakable round face； the wine…sour breath piping wetly in and out of his open mouth as he snored and muttered。 The feel of him filled her with fury。 It would be so easy just to crack his sodden skull with the plundered jar； or topple one of the leaning barrel towers to crush him like a bug。 Hadn't he plagued her since she had met him？ He had stolen from her and sold her to her enemies like a slave； and now he had struck her and dragged her by force out of God's house。 Whatever else she was； whatever her father had bee； she was still a princess of the blood of King Prester John and Queen Ebekah。 No drunkard of a monk had a right to lay hands on her！ No man！ No one。
Her anger； which had been curling and spiraling higher within her like the flames of a wind…tortured fire； blazed up and then abruptly vanished。 Tears choked her； sobs thudded painfully in her chest。
Cadrach stopped snoring。 His slurred； querulous voice rose from the darkness before her。 〃My lady？〃
For a moment she did not move； then； sucking m a fierce gasp of breath； she struck out at the invisible monk。 She made only the most incidental contact； but it was enough to locate him in the darkness。 Her next blow landed stingingly on something。 〃You whoreson rogue！〃 she hissed； then struck again。
Cadrach let out a muffled cry of pain； scrambling away from her so that her fingers struck nothing but the hold's damp floorboards。 〃Why。。。 why do you。。。？〃 he muttered。 〃Lady； I saved your life！〃
〃Liar！〃 she spat； and burst into tears once more。
〃No； Princess； it is surely the truth。 I'm sorry I hit you； but I had no choice。〃
〃Damnable liar！〃
〃No！〃 His voice was surprisingly firm。 〃And keep quiet。 We dare not be discovered。 We must stay down here until we can sneak off at nightfall。〃
She sniffled angrily and wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve。 〃Dullard！〃 she said。 〃Fool！ Sneak where？ We're at sea！〃
There was a moment of silence。 〃We can't be 。。。〃 the monk said weakly。 〃We can't be。 。。。〃
〃Can't you feel that up…and…down dipping？ You never did know anything about boats； you treacherous little man。 That's no rocking at anchor in the harbor。 That's sea…swell。〃 Her anger was ebbing； leaving her empty and stupefied。 She fought its going。 〃Now； if you don't tell me how we wound up on this boat and how we're going to get off； I'm going to make you wish you had never left Crannhyr…or wherever you truly came from。〃
〃Oh； gods of my people；〃 Cadrach groaned； 〃I have been a fool。 They must have cast off while we were asleep。。。〃
〃While you were asleep； drunkenly asleep。 I had been beaten senseless！〃
〃Ah； you speak the truth； my lady。 I wish you didn't。 I did drink myself into forgetfulness； princess； but there was much to forget。〃
〃If you mean hitting me； I won't let you forget。〃
There was another silence in the darkness of the hold。 The monk's voice； when it came at last； was strangely wistful。 〃Please； Miriamele。 Princess。 I have done wrong many times； but in this I did only what I thought best。〃
She was indignant。 〃What you thought best！ Of all the arrogance！〃
〃Father Dinivan is dead； Lady。〃 His words spilled out swiftly。 〃So is Ranessin； Lector of Mother Church。 Pryrates killed them both in the very heart of the Sancellan Aedonitis。〃
She tried to speak； but something seemed stuck in her throat。 〃They're？〃
〃Dead； Princess。 By tomorrow morning the news will be traveling like wildfire all across the face of Osten Ard。〃
It was hard to think about； hard to understand。 Sweet； homely Father Dinivan； who had blushed like a boy！ And the lector； who was going to make everything right； somehow。 Now； nothing would be right。 Nothing ever again。
〃Are you telling the truth？〃 she asked at last。
〃I wish I were not； Lady。 I wish this were only another of my long index of falsehoods； but it is not。 Pryrates rules Mother Church； or as good as。 Your only true friends in Nabban are dead； and that is why we are hiding in the hold of a ship that was floating at anchor in the docks below the Sancellan。。。〃
The monk found it hard to finish； but the odd catch in his voice finally convinced her beyond any doubting。 The darkness in the ship's belly seemed to grow。 In the immeasurable time that followed； when it seemed that all the tears she had held back since leaving home came welling up at once； Miriamele felt as though that black shroud of despair had grown to enfold all the world。
〃So where are we？〃 she asked at last。 Clasping her knees； she rocked slowly back and forth in countermotion to the swaying of the ship。
Cadrach's mournful voice whispered out of the darkness。 〃I do not know； my lady。 As I told you； I brought us to a boat that was anchored beneath the Sancellan。 It was dark。〃
Miriamele strove to pose herself； grateful that no one could see her tear…reddened face。 〃Yes； but whose ship？ What did it look like？ Whose mark was on the sail？〃
〃I know little of boats； Princess； you know that。 It is a boat； a large one。 The sails were furled。 I think there was a bird of prey painted on the bow； but the lamps burned very low。〃
〃What bird？〃 she asked urgently。
〃A fish hawk； I think； or some such。 Black and gold。〃
〃An osprey。〃 Miriamele sat up straight； drumming her fingers agitatedly against her leg。 〃That is the Prevan House。 I wish I knew how they stood； but it has been so long since I lived here！ Perhaps they are supporters of my late uncle and would take us to safety。〃 She smiled wryly…for her own benefit only； since the darkness hid her from the monk。 〃But where would that be？〃
〃Believe me； Lady；〃 Cadrach said fervently。 〃At this moment； the coldest； darkest； inner chambers of Stormspike would be safer for us than the Sancellan Aedonitis。 I told you； Lector Ranessm has been thrown down and murdered！ Can you imagine how Pryrates' power must have grown that he would slay the lector right m God's own house？〃
Miriamele's fingers suddenly stopped drumming。 〃That was an odd thing to say What do you know of Stormspike and its inner chambers； Cadrach？〃
The uneasy truce that shock and horror had built seemed suddenly very foolish。 Miriamele's quick…flaring anger masked a sudden fear。 Who was this monk； who knew so much and acted so oddly？ And here she was once more； trusting him； trapped in a dark place into which he himself had led her。 〃I asked you a question。〃
〃My lady；〃 Cadrach said； hesitant as he searched for words。 〃There are many things。。。〃
He broke off suddenly。 A wrenching noise echoed through the hold； bright torchlight stabbed down as the hatch door rose。 Blinking； the princess and Cadrach threw themselves among the piled casks； squirming for shelter like earthworms in a shovel…turn of soil。 Miriamele caught a brief glimpse of a cloaked figure climbing backward down the ladder。 She curled herself back against the inner wall of the hold and drew her legs up before her； hiding her face beneath her down…dropping hood。
The one who had entered the hold made very little noise； picking carefully between the stacks of provisions。 Miriamele's speeding heart seemed to jump in her breast as the footsteps came to a sudden halt just a few cubits away。 She held her breath in her straining lungs until it seemed she would burst。 The sound of the surf was as loud in her ears as the bellowing of a bull； but a strange musical humming floated beneath it like the drowsy murmur of bees。 Then the drone abruptly stopped。
〃Why do you hide here？〃 a voice asked； a dry finger touched her face。 Miriamele's pent…up breath flew out explosively and her eyes snapped open。 The voice exclaimed： 〃Ah； but you are only a child！〃
The one who bent over her had pale golden skin and large； wide…set dark eyes that peered from beneath a fringe of white hair。 She seemed aged and frail； her hooded robe could not hide the shghtness of her frame。
〃A Niskie！〃 Miriamele gasped； then lifted her hand to her mouth。
〃Why should that surprise you？〃 the other said； thin brows arching。 Her skin was netted with fine wrinkles； but her movements were precise。 〃Where better to find a Niskie than on a deep…water ship？ No； the question； stranger…girl； is why are you here？〃 She turned toward the shadows where the monk still hid。 〃And that question also goes for you； man。 Why are you skulking in the hold？〃
When there was no immediate answer from either stowaway； she shook her head。 〃Then I suppose I must call for the ship's master。〃
〃No； please；〃 Miriamele said。 〃Cadrach； e out。 Niskies have sharp ears。〃 She smiled in what she hoped was a conciliatory manner。 〃If we had known it was you we would not have bothered。 It is foolish to try to hide from a Niskie。 〃
〃Yes。〃 Their discoverer nodded； pleased。 〃Now tell me who are you？〃
〃Malachias 。 。〃 Miriamele stopped； realizing that her gender had already been identified。 〃Marya； that is。 That's me。 Cadrach is my panion。〃 The monk； crawling out from a bulky fold of sailcloth； grunted。
〃Good。〃 The Niskie smiled in tight…lipped satisfaction。 〃My name is Gan Itai。 Eadne Cloud is my ship。 I sing the kilpa down。〃
Cadrach was staring。 〃Sing the kilpa down？ What does that mean？〃
〃You said you were well…traveled；〃 Miriamele broke in。 〃Everyone knows that you can't take a boat out to deep sea without a Niskie to sing the songs that keep the kilpa away。 You know what kilpa are； don't you？〃
〃I have heard of them； yes；〃 Cadrach said shortly。 He turned his
