tw.togreenangeltower2-第88部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nt　practiced　before　a　looking　glass。　〃I　am　glad　you　took　my　advice。　Prince　Josua。　As　you　see；　there　were　indeed　many　folk　unhappy　with　Benigaris'　rule。　Now　there　is　joy　in　Nabban。　As　I　came　up　from　the　docks；　people　were　dancing　in　the　public　square。〃
　　　　　　　Josua　shrugged。　〃That　is　more　to　do　with　the　fact　that　Baron　Seriddan　and　the　others　have　sent　their　troops　into　the　town　with　money　to　spend。　This　city　did　not　suffer　much　because　of　Benigaris；　difficult　as　times　are。　Patricide　or　no；　he　seems　to　have　ruled　fairly　well。〃
　　　　　　　The　count　eyed　him　for　a　moment；　then　appeared　to　decide　a　different　approach　was　warranted。　Isgrimnur　found　himself　enjoying　the　show。　〃No；〃　Streawe　said　slowly；　〃you　are　correct　there。　But　people　know；　don't　you　think？　There　was　a　sense　that　things　were　not　right；　and　many　rumors　that　Benigaris　had　slain　his　father…your　dear　brother；　Sir　Camaris…to　achieve　the　throne。　There　were　problems　that　were　certainly　not　all　Benigaris'　fault；　but　there　was　also　much　unrest。〃
　　　　　　　〃Unrest　which　you　and　Pryrates　both　helped　to　kindle；　then　fanned　the　flames。〃
　　　　　　　Perdruin's　ruler　looked　genuinely　shocked。　〃You　link　me　with　Pryrates！？〃　For　a　moment　his　courtly　mask　fell　away；　showing　the　angry；　iron…willed　man　beneath。　〃With　that　red…cloaked　scum？　If　I　could　walk；　Josua；　we　would　cross　swords　for　that。〃
　　　　　　　The　prince　stared　at　him　coldly　for　a　moment；　then　his　face　softened。　〃I　do　not　say　you　and　Pryrates　worked　in　concert；　Streawe；　but　that　you　each　exploited　the　situation　for　your　own　ends。　Very　different　ends；　I'm　sure。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　that　is　what　you　meant；　then　I　name　myself　guilty　and　throw　myself　on　the　mercy　of　the　throne。〃　The　count　seemed　mollified。　〃Yes；　I　work　in　the　ways　I　can　to　protect　my　island's　interests。　I　have　no　armies　to　speak　of；　Josua；　and　I　am　always　prey　to　the　whims　of　my　neighbors。　'When　Nabban　rolls　over　in　its　sleep；'　it　is　said　in　Ansis　Pellipe；　'Perdruin　falls　out　of　bed。'〃
　　　　　　　〃Well　argued；　Count；〃　Josua　laughed。　〃And　quite　true；　as　far　as　it　goes。　But　it　is　also'　said　that　you　are　perhaps　the　wealthiest　man　in　Osten　Ard。　Is　it　the　result　of　your　vigilance　on　Perdruin's　behalf？〃
　　　　　　　Streawe　drew　himself　up　straighter。　〃What　I　have　is　none　of　your　business。　I　understood　you　sought　me　as　an　ally；　not　to　insult　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Spare　me　your　false　dignity；　my　good　Count。　I　find　it　hard　to　believe　that　calling　you　wealthy　is　an　insult。　But　you　are　right　about　one　thing：　we　wish　to　speak　with　you　about　certain　matters　of　mutual　interest。〃
　　　　　　　The　count　bobbed　his　head　solemnly。　〃That　is　better　to　hear。　Prince　Josua。　You　know　that　I　support　you…remember　the　note　I　sent　with　my　man　Lenti！…and　I　am　anxious　to　speak　about　ways　that　I　can　help　you。〃
〃That　we　can　help　each　other；　you　mean。〃　Josua　raised　his　hand　to　still　Streawe's　protest。　〃Please；　Count；　let　us　avoid　the　usual　dancing。　I　am　in　a　fierce　hurry。　There；　I　have　given　up　a　bargaining　token　already　by　telling　you　so。　Now　please　do　not　waste　our　time　with　false　protestations　of　this　or　that。〃
　　　　　　　The　old　man's　lips　pursed　and　his　eyes　narrowed。　〃Very　well；　Josua。　I　find　myself　oddly　interested。　What　do　you　want？〃
　　　　　　　〃Ships。　And　sailors　to　man　them。　Enough　to　ferry　our　armies　to　Erkynland。〃
　　　　　　　Surprised；　Streawe　waited　a　moment　before　replying。　〃You　intend　to　set　sail　for　Erkynland　now？　After　fighting　fiercely　for　weeks　to　take　Nabban；　and　with　the　worst　storm　in　years　sweeping　down　on　us　out　of　the　north　even　as　we　speak？〃　He　gestured　toward　the　shuttered　windows；　outside；　the　wind　wailed　across　the　Sancelline　Hill。　〃It　was　so　cold　last　night　that　the　water　froze　in　the　Hall　of　Fountains。　The　Clavean　Bell　barely　rang　over　God's　house；　it　was　so　icy。　And　you　wish　to　go　to　sea？〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　felt　a　clutch　of　shock　at　the　count's　mention　of　the　bell。　Josua　turned　for　a　moment　and　caught　the　Rimmersman's　eye；　warning　him　not　to　speak。　Obviously　he；　too；　remembered　Nisses'　prophetic　poem。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Streawe；〃　said　the　prince。　〃There　are　storms　and　storms。　We　must　brave　some　to　survive　others。　I　will　take　ship　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　　　　　　　The　count　lifted　his　hands；　showing　open；　empty　palms。　〃Very　well；　you　know　your　own　business。　But　what　would　you　have　me　do？　Perdruin's　ships　are　not　warships；　and　they　are　all　at　sea。　Surely　Nabban's　great　fleet　is　what　you　need；　not　my　trading　vessels。〃　He　gestured　to　the　throne。　〃Camaris　is　master　of　the　Kingfisher　House　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　you　are　master　of　the　docks；〃　Josua　replied。　〃As　Benigaris　said；　he　thought　you　were　his　prisoner；　but　all　the　time　you　were　gnawing　him　away　from　within。　Did　you　use　some　of　that　gold　they　say　fills　the　catabs　below　your　house　on　Sta　Mirore？　Or　something　more　subtle…rumors；　stories。。。　？〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃It　matters　not。　The　thing　is；　Streawe；　you　can　help　us　or　hinder　us。　I　wish　to　discuss　with　you　your　price；　whether　in　power　or　gold。　There　is　provisioning　to　do　as　well。　I　want　those　ships　loaded　and　on　their　way　in　seven　days　or　less。〃
　　　　　　　〃Seven　days？〃　The　count　showed　surprise　for　the　second　time。　〃That　will　not　be　easy。　And　you　have　heard　about　the　kilpa；　have　you　not？　They　are　running　like　quinis…fish…but　quinis…fish　do　not　pull　sailors　over　the　rails　and　eat　them。　Men　are　reluctant　to　go　to　sea　in　these　dark　days。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　we　have　started　the　bargaining？〃　Josua　asked。　〃Granted　and　granted。　Times　are　difficult。　What　do　you　want；　power　or　gold？〃
　　　　　　　Abruptly；　Streawe　laughed。　〃Yes；　we　have　started　bargaining。　But　you　underestimate　me；　Josua；　or　you　undervalue　your　own　coffers。　You　have　something　that　might　be　more　use　to　me　than　either　gold　or　power…something　that　in　fact　brings　both　in　its　train。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　what　is　that？〃
　　　　　　　The　count　leaned　forward。　〃Knowledge。〃　He　sat　up；　a　slow　smile　spreading　across　his　face。　〃So　now　I　have　given　you　a　bargaining　token　in　return　for　your　earlier　gift。〃　The　count　rubbed　his　hands　in　barely　restrained　enjoyment。　〃Let　us　speak　in　earnest；　then。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　groaned　softly　as　Josua　sat　down　beside　Perdruin's　master。　Despite　the　prince's　stated　hurry；　it　was　indeed　going　to　be　a　plicated　dance。　This　was　clearly　something　Streawe　enjoyed　too　much　to　do　quickly；　and　something　Josua　took　too　seriously　to　be　rushed　through。　Isgrimnur　turned　to　look　at　Camaris；　who　had　been　silent　during　the　whole　discussion。　The　old　knight　was　staring　at　the　shuttered　windows　as　if　they　were　an　intricately　absorbing　picture；　his　chin　resting　on　his　hand。　Isgrimnur　made　another　noise　of　pain　and　reached　for　his　beer。　He　sensed　a　long　evening　ahead。

　　　　　　　Miriamele's　fear　of　the　dwarrows　was　dwindling。　She　was　beginning　to　remember　what　Simon　and　others　had　told　her　of　Count　Eolair's　journey　to　Sesuad'ra。　The　count　had　met　dwarrows…he　called　them　domhaini…in　the　mines　below　Hernystir's　mountains。　He　had　called　them　friendly　and　peaceful；　and　that　seemed　to　be　true：　except　for　snatching　her　from　the　stairs；　they　had　not　harmed　her。　But　they　still　would　not　let　her　go。
　　　　　　　〃Here。〃　She　gestured　to　the　saddlebags。　〃If　you　are　so　certain　that　something　I　am　carrying　is　harmful；　or　dangerous；　or　。。。　or　whatever；　search　for　yourselves。〃
　　　　　　　As　the　dwarrows　conferred　in　anxious；　chiming　voices；　Miriamele　considered　escape。　She　wondered　if　dwarrows　ever　slept。　But　where　had　they　brought　her？　How　could　she　find　her　way　out；　and　where　would　she　go　then？　At　least　she　still　had　the　maps；　although　she　doubted　she　could　read　them　as　efficiently　as　Binabik　had。
　　　　　　　Where　was　Binabik？　Was　he　alive？　She　felt　almost　ill　as　she　remembered　the　grinning　thing　that　had　attacked　the　troll。　Another　friend　was　lost　somewhere　in　the　shadows。　The　little　man　had　been　right…this　had　been　a　foolish　journey。　Her　own　stubbornness　had　perhaps　brought　death　to　her　two　closest　friends。　How　could　she　live　with　that　knowledge？
　　　　　　　By　the　time　the　dwarrows　had　finished　their　discussion；　Miriamele　did　not　much　care　what　they　had　decided。　Gloom　had　settled　on　her；　sapping　her　strength。
〃We　will　search　among　your　possessions；　by　your　leave；〃　Yis…fidri　said。　〃In　respect　of　your　customs；　my　wife　Yis…hadra　only　will　touch　them。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　was　bemused　by　the　dwarrow's　circumspection。　What　did　they　think　she　had　brought　down　into　the　earth；　the　dainty　small…clothes　of　a　castle…dwelling　princess？　Tiny；　fragile　keepsakes？　Scented　notes　from　admirers？
　　　　　　　Yls…hadra　approached　timidly　and　began　to　examine　the　contents　of　the　saddlebags。　Her　husband　came　and　kneeled　beside　Miriamele。　〃We　are　sorely　grieved　that　things　should　be　thus。　It　is　truly　not　our　way…never　have　we　pressed　our　will　by　force　on　another。　Never。〃　He　seemed　desperate　to　convince　her。
　　　　　　　〃I　still　do　not　understand　the　danger　you　fear。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　was　the　place　you　and　your　two　panions　walked。　It　is　。。。　it　is…there　are　no　words　that　I　know　in　mortal　tongues　to　explain。〃　He　flexed　his　long　fingers。　〃There　are　。。。　powers；　things　which　have　been　sleeping。　Now　they　awaken。　The　tower　stairwell　in　which　you　climbed　is　a　place　where　these　forces　are　strong。　Every　day　they　bee　stronger。　We　do　not　yet　understand　what　is　happening；　but　until　we　do；　nothing　must　happen　which　might　upset　the　balance。。。。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　waved　for　him　to　stop。　〃Slowly；　Yis…fidri。　I　am　trying　to　understand。　First　of　all；　that。。。　thing　that　attacked　us　on　the　stairs　was　not　a　panion　of　ours。　Binabik　seemed　to　recognize　him；　but　I　have　never　seen　him　before。〃
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　shook　his　head；　agitated。　〃No；　no；　Miriamele。　Be　not　insulted。　We　know　that　what　your　friend　fought　was　no　panion…it　was　a　walking　hollowness　full　of　Unbeing。　Perhaps　it　was　a　mortal　man　once。　No；　I　meant　that　panion　who　followed　a　little　behind　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃Behind　us？　There　were　only　two　of　us。　Unless　。。。〃　Her　heart　skipped。　Could　it　have　been　Simon；　searching　for　his　friends？　Had　he　only　been　a　short　distance　away　when　she　had　been　taken？　No；　that　would　be　too　cruel！
　　　　　　　〃Then　you　were　followed；〃　Yis…fidri　said　firmly。　〃For　good　or　ill；　we　cannot　say。　We　just　know　that　three　mortals　were　upon　the　stairs。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　shook　her　head；　unable　to　think　about　it。　Too　much　confusion　was　piled　atop　too　much　sorrow。
　　　　　　　Yis…hadra　made　a　birdlike　sound。　Her　husband　turned。　The　she…d