tw.togreenangeltower2-第107部分

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rers　had　stopped　trusting　me　years　before。。。。〃　He　broke　off；　struggling　again　with　powerful　emotions。
〃Go　on。〃　Miriamele　spoke　a　little　more　gently　than　before。　Whatever　he　had　done；　he　seemed　to　be　genuinely　suffering。

　　　　　　　〃I　was　in　terror…stark　terror。　I　knew　that　I　had　only　a　short　time　before　Jarnauga's　inevitably　unhelpful　reply。　I　wanted　desperately　to　flee；　but　Pryrates　would　know　the　moment　I　left　Erchester；　and　by　his　use　of　the　Art　would　also　know　where　I　had　gone。　He　had　marked　me　in　that　high　chamber　of　his　tower。　He　would　find　me　anywhere。〃　Cadrach　paused；　struggling　for　self…control。　〃So　I　thought；　and　thought；　and　thought…but　not；　to　my　shame；　of　a　way　to　escape　Pryrates　or　thwart　his　plans。　No；　in　my　besottedness　and　my　fear；　I　thought　only　of　ways　that　I　could　please　this　horrid　master；　that　I　could　convince　him　to　grant　me　my　pathetic　life。〃　He　quivered；　unable　for　a　moment　to　continue。
　　　　　　　〃I　had　thought　much　about　his　questions；〃　the　monk　finally　resumed。　〃Especially　about　the　three　Great　Swords。　It　was　clear　that　they　had　some　marvelous　power；　and　equally　clear　that　they　meant　something　to　the　Storm　King。　What　was　not　clear　to　anyone　but　me；　I　thought；　was　that　the　sword　Minneyar；　one　of　the　three；　was　in　fact　Bright…Nail；　the　sword　that　had　been　buried　with　King　John。〃
Miriamele　gaped。　〃You　knew？〃
　　　　　　　〃Anyone　who　read　the　books　of　history　that　I　had　would　have　suspected　it；〃　Cadrach　replied；　〃I　am　convinced　Morgenes　knew；　but　hid　it　in　his　own　book　about　your　grandfather　so　that　only　those　who　knew　what　to　look　for　would　find　it；　thus　keeping　it　from　mon　knowledge。〃　He　had　regained　a　little　posure。　〃In　any　case；　I　read　the　same　sources　Doctor　Morgenes　did；　and　had　long　held　that　opinion；　although　I　had　never　shared　it　with　anyone。　And　the　more　I　thought　about　the　marketplace　gossip　that　claimed　Elias　would　not　handle　his　father's　sword；　that　he　had；　against　custom；　buried　it　with　his　father；　the　more　I　felt　sure　that　my　guess　was　not　just　likely；　but　true。
　　　　　　　〃So　I　decided　that　if　what　Du　Svardenvyrd　seemed　to　suggest　was　also　true…that　the　only　weapons　the　Storm　King　feared　were　the　Three　Great　Swords…what　more　pleasing　gift　could　1　bring　to　Pryrates　than　one　of　the　swords？　All　three　were　thought　to　be　lost。　Surely　if　I　produced　one；　I　reasoned；　Pryrates　would　find　me　useful。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　gaped　at　the　monk　in　disgust　and　astonishment。　〃You　。　。　。　you　traitor！　Was　it　you　who　took　the　sword　from　my　grandfather's　barrow？　And　gave　it　to　Pryrates！？　God　curse　you　if　it　was；　Cadrach！〃
〃You　may　call　curses　on　me　all　you　like…and　you　will；　with　ample　reason。　But　wait　until　you　hear　the　whole　tale。〃
　　　　　　　I　was　right　to　try　and　drown　him　in　Emettin　Bay。　I　wish　he　had　never　been　fished　out。　She　waved　angrily　for　him　to　continue。
　　　　　　　〃I　went　to　Swertclif；　of　course；〃　he　said。　〃But　the　burial　ground　was　closely　guarded　by　the　king's　soldiers。　It　seemed　that　Elias　meant　to　keep　his　father's　grave　safe。　I　waited　two　nights　for　a　moment　when　I　might　get　at　the　barrow；　but　ho　such　moment　came。　And　then　Pryrates　sent　for　me。〃　He　winced；　remembering。　〃He　had　learned　well　from　his　studies。　His　voice　was　in　my　head…you　cannot　imagine　how　that　feels！　He　forced　me　to　e　to　him；　e　slinking　like　a　disobedient　child。。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Cadrach；　there　are　Norns　who　are　waiting　outside　this　cavern；〃　Binabik　interrupted。　〃So　far　your　story　is　telling　us　little　that　will　help　us。〃
　　　　　　　The　monk　stared　at　him　coldly。　〃Nothing　will　help　us。　That　is　what　I　am　trying　to　explain…but　I　will　not　force　you　to　listen。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　will　tell　us　everything；〃　Miriamele　declared；　her　rage　lighting　free。　〃We　are　fighting　for　our　lives。　Speak！〃
〃Pryrates　called　me　to　him　again。　As　I　knew　he　would；　he　told　me　that　Jarnauga　had　sent　only　information　of　no　worth；　that　it　was　clear　the　old　Rimmersman　did　not　trust　me。　'You　are　useless　to　me；　Padreic　ec…Crannhyr；'　the　alchemist　said。

　　　　　　　〃　'What　if　I　can　tell　you　something　that　is　very　useful？'　I　asked。　No；　that　is　not　the　right　word。　I　begged。　'If　you　will　leave　me　my　life；　I　will　serve　you　faithfully。　There　are　still　things　I　know　that　might　help　you！'　He　laughed　when　I　said　that…laughed！…and　told　me　that　if　I　could　give　him　even　a　single　piece　of　information　that　was　truly　valuable；　he　would　indeed　spare　me。　So　I　told　him　that　I　knew　the　Great　Swords　were　important　to　him；　that　all　were　lost；　but　that　I　knew　where　one　of　them　was。
　　　　　　　〃　'Do　you　think　to　tell　me　Sorrow　is　with　the　Norns　of　Stormspike？'　he　said　scornfully。　'I　know　that　already；'　I　shook　my　head…in　fact；　I　had　not　known　that　myself；　but　I　could　guess　how　he　had　discovered　it。　'That　Thorn　did　not　sink　into　the　ocean　with　Camaris？'　he　continued。
〃I　hurriedly　told　him　what　I　had　discovered…that　Minneyar　and　Bright…Nail　were　one　and　the　same；　that　one　of　the　Great　Swords　was　even　now　buried　less　than　a　league　from　where　we　sat。　In　my　eagerness　to　gain　his　favor；　I　even　told　him　that　I　had　tried　to　get　it　myself　to　bring　it　to　him。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　scowled。　〃To　think　that　I　saw　you　as　a　friend；　Cadrach…if　you　had　even　an　idea　of　what　this　could　mean　to　us　all。。。　！〃
　　　　　　　The　monk　ignored　her；　grimly　following　her　order　to　finish　the　tale。　〃And　when　I　was　done　。。。　he　laughed　again。　'Oh；　this　is　very　sad；　Padreic；'　he　hooted。　'Is　this　your　great　work　of　spycraft？　Is　this　what　you　think　will　save　you？　I　have　known　what　Bright…Nail　truly　is　since　before　you　first　entered　this　tower。　And　if　you　had　moved　it　from　its　resting　place；　I　would　have　plucked　out　your　eyes　and　tongue　with　my　own　fingers。　It　will　lie　there　on　old　John's　rotting　breast　until　the　proper　time。　When　the　hour　is　right；　the　sword　will　e。　All　the　swords　will　e。'　〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele's　thoughts　suddenly　went　staggering。　〃The　sword　will　e？　He　。。。　he　has　known　all　along？　Pryrates　。。。　wanted　it　left　there？〃　She　turned　helplessly　to　Binabik；　but　the　little　man　seemed　just　as　amazed　as　she。　〃I　don't　understand。　Elysia；　Mother　of　Mercy；　what　are　you　telling　us；　Cadrach？〃
〃Pryrates　knows　all。〃　A　certain　black　satisfaction　crept　into　the　monk's　voice。　〃He　knew　what　Bright…Nail　was；　where　it　lay…and　he　saw　no　need　to　disturb　it。　I　feel　sure　that　everything　your　uncle　and　these　。。。〃　he　gestured　toward　Binabik；　〃latter…day　Scrollbearers　plan　is　already　known　to　him。　He　is　content　to　see　it　happen。〃　
　　　　　　　〃But　how　can　that　be？　How　can　Pryrates　not　fear　the　one　power　that　can　undo　his　master？〃　Miriamele　was　still　astonished。　〃Binabik；　what　does　this　mean？〃　
　　　　　　　The　troll　had　lost　his　posure。　He　held　up　his　trembling　fingers；　begging　a　moment　to　think。　〃It　is　much　for　considering。　Perhaps　Pryrates　has　a　plan　of　some　treachery　against　the　Storm　King。　Perhaps　he　thinks　to　keep　Ineluki's　power　restrained　with　the　threatening　of　the　swords'　power。〃　He　turned　to　Cadrach。　〃He　was　saying　'the　swords　will　e'？　Those　words？〃
　　　　　　　The　monk　nodded。　〃He　knows。　He　wants　Bright…Nail　and　the　others　brought　here。〃
〃But　no　sense　in　this　am　I　seeing；〃　said　Binabik　anxiously。　〃Why　not　then　bring　Prester　John's　blade　in　and　hide　it　away　until　the　time　he　waits　is　arrived？〃
Cadrach　shrugged。　〃Who　can　know？　Pryrates　has　walked　strange　paths　and　learned　hidden　things。〃
As　her　shock　lessened　a　little；　Miriamele　felt　her　rage　at　the　monk　return；　battening　on　her　fear。　〃How　can　you　sit　there　so　smugly？　If　you　did　not　betray　me　and　all　I　care　about；　it　was　not　for　lack　of　trying。　I　suppose　he　set　you　free　then　to　spy　some　more？　Is　that　why　you　arranged　to　acpany　me　from　Naglimund？　I　thought　you　were　just　using　me　to　further　your　own　greed　。。　。〃　as　she　thought　about　it；　despair　seized　her；　〃but　。。。　but　you　were　working　for　Pryrates！〃　She　turned　away；　unable　to　look　at　Cadrach　any　longer。
　　　　　　　〃No；　my　lady！〃　Amazingly；　he　sounded　hurt　and　upset。　〃No；　he　did　not　release　me…and　I　did　not　serve　him　again。〃
〃If　you　expect　me　to　believe　that；〃　she　said　with　cold　hatred；　〃you　are　truly　mad。〃
〃Is　there　more　to　your　tale？〃　The　tentative　respect　Binabik　had　earlier　shown　the　monk　had　curdled　into　sour　practicality。　〃Because　we　are　still　trapped　here；　still　in　danger　that　is　most　dreadful…although　there　is　little　else　we　can　do；　I　am　thinking；　until　the　Norns　prove　they　can　force　the　dwarrows'　door。〃
〃There　is　a　little　more。　No；　Miriamele；　Pryrates　did　not　release　me。　As　I　told　you；　he　had　proved　that　I　was　worthless　to　him。　I　told　you　this　much　of　the　truth　when　we　were　in　the　landing　boat…I　was　not　even　worth　more　tortures。　Someone　clubbed　me；　then　I　was　tossed　away　like　offal　dumped　behind　a　rich　man's　house。　Except　I　was　not　left　for　dead　out　in　the　Kynswood　as　I　told　you　before。　Rather；　I　was　dumped　into　a　pit　in　the　catabs　that　run　beneath　Hjeldin's　Tower　。。。　and　that　is　where　I　awoke。　In　darkness。〃
He　paused；　as　though　this　memory　was　even　more　painful　than　the　ghastly　things　he　had　already　told。　Miriamele　said　nothing。　She　was　furious　and　yet　empty。　If　Cadrach's　tale　was　true；　then　perhaps　there　really　was　no　hope。　If　Pryrates　was　as　powerful　as　this…if　he　had　a　strategem　to　constrain　even　the　Storm　King　to　his　will…　then　should　Miriamele　somehow　find　her　father　and　convince　him　to　end　the　war；　the　red　priest　would　still　find　some　method　to　have　things　his　own　way。
　　　　　　　No　hope。　It　was　strange　to　think　about。　As　unlikely　as　their　chances　had　seemed；　Josua　and　his　allies　had　always　had　the　slim　hope　of　the　swords　to　cling　to。　If　that　was　gone　。　。　。　Miriamele　felt　dizzy。　It　seemed　she　had　walked　through　a　familiar　door　only　to　find　a　chasm　yawning　just　beyond　the　threshold。
〃I　was　alive；　but　wounded　and　dazed。　I　was　in　a　terrible　place…no　living　man　should　have　to　visit　the　black；　black　places　beneath　Pryrates'　tower。　And　to　go　upward　would　mean　escaping　through　the　tower；　past　Pryrates　himself。　I　could　not　imagine　succeeding　at　that。　The　only　tiny　scrap　of　luck　I　had　was　that　he　likely　thought　me　dead。　So　I　went　。。。　another　way。　Down。〃
　　　　　　　Cadrach　had　to　pause　for　a　long　moment　and　wipe　the　sweat　from　his　pale　face。　It　was　not　particularly　warm　in　the　cavern。
　　　　　　　〃When　we　were　in　the　Wran；〃　he　suddenly　said　to　Miriamele；　〃I　could　not　force　myself　to　go　down　into　the　ghants'　nest。　That　was　because　it　was　too　much　like。。。　like　going　into　the　tunnels　bel