fs.thefirstbookofswords-第15部分

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in　fact。　And　I　stood　by　and　helped。　Smithery　was　my　trade　in　those　days。　Not　that　any　of　the　skill　that　made　those　swords　was　mine　…　no　human　being　has　skill　to　pare　with　that。　And　five　other　men　from　my　village　were　called　to　help　also　…　to　work　the　bellows；　and　tend　the　fire；　and　so　on。　We　had　no　choice　but　to　help。〃
　　　Here　the　woman　surprised　the　Duke　again；　this　time　by　interrupting；　with　a　faint　clearing　of　her　throat。　〃Does　Your　Grace　remember　ever　visiting　that　village？　It's　called　Treefall；　and　it's　almost　in　the　mountains。〃
　　　Duke　Fraktin　looked　at　the　woman　…　yes；　definitely；　he　was　going　to　have　to　see　her　alone；　later；　without　her　husband。　Something　was　up。　〃Why；　I　suppose　I　may　have　been　there；〃　the　Duke　said。　The　name　meant　nothing　to　him。
　　　He　faced　the　man　again。　〃No；　Jord；　I　don't　suppose　you　had　much　choice　when　Vulcan　ordered　you　to　help　him。　I　understand　that　unfortunately　none　of　the　five　other　men　survived。〃
　　　〃Vulcan　used　'em　up；　sir。　He　used　their　bodies　and　their　blood；　like　so　many　tubs　of　water；　to　quench　the　blades。〃
　　　〃Yet　you　he　spared。。。　except　of　course　that　he　took　your　arm。　Why　do　you　suppose　he　did　that？〃
　　　〃I　don't　remember　that　part　at　all　well；　Your　Grace。。。　might　I　sit　down？　My　head。。。　〃
　　　〃Yes；　yes。　Pull　up　one　of　those　chairs　for　him；　Mala。　Now　Jord。　Go　on。　About　when　you　made　the　swords。〃
　　　〃Well；　sir；　I　fainted。　And　when　I　woke　again；　my　right　arm　was　gone。　A　neat　wound；　with　most　of　the　bleeding　stopped　already。　And　my　left　hand　was　already　holding　Townsaver's　hilt。　And　Vulcan　bent　over　me；　as　I　was　lying　there；　and　he　said。。。〃
　　　〃Yes；　yes？〃
　　　〃That　now　the　sword　was　mine　to　keep。　Townsaver。　The　Sword　of　Fury；　he　called　it　too。　To　keep　and　to　pass　on　as　inheritance。　I　couldn't　understand。。。　I　hurt　like　hell。。。　and　then　he　laughed；　as　if　it　were　all　nothing　but　a　great　joke。　A　god　laughing　makes　a　sound　like　…　like　nothing　else。　But　it　has　never　been　a　joke　to　me。〃
　　　〃No；　I　suppose　not。〃　The　Duke　turned　and　stepped　back　up　onto　his　dais；　and　poured　himself　another　small　cup　of　wine。　When　he　looked　down　at　the　jeweled　hilt　of　the　fine　dagger　at　his　belt；　his　hand　itched　to　toy　with　it；　but　he　forebode。　At　this　moment　he　wanted　to　do　nothing；　say　nothing；　in　the　least　threatening。　He　asked　mildly：　〃How　many　swords　did　you　say　that　Vulcan　forged　that　day？〃
　　　〃I　don't　think　I　said；　Your　Grace；　but　there　were　twelve。〃　The　miller　looked　a　little　better；　more　in　control　of　himself；　since　he'd　been　allowed　to　sit　down。　〃Would　you　believe　it？〃　he　almost　smiled。
　　　〃I　would　believe　it；　since　you　say　so；　and　you　are　an　honest　man。　I　would　know　if　you　were　lying。　Now；　about　these　other　eleven　swords。　It　is　very；　very　important　that　their　existence　should　be　kept　very　quiet。　No　one　outside　this　room　is　to　hear　of　them　from　you。　My　good　people；　what　do　you　suppose　I　should　do　to　make　sure　of　that？〃
　　　The　man　looked　to　be　at　a　loss。　But　the　woman　stepped　forward　smoothly。　〃You　should　trust　us；　Your　Grace。　We　won't　say　a　word。　Jord's　never　mentioned　those　other　swords　until　now；　and　he　won't。　And　I　won't。〃
　　　The　Duke　nodded　to　her　slowly；　then　switched　his　attention　back　to　the　man。　〃Now；　smith；　miller；　whatever　…　what　happened　to　those　other　eleven　swords？〃
　　　A　helpless；　one…armed　shrug。　〃Of　that；　sire；　I　have　no　iaea。〃
　　　〃Did　Vulcan　name　them；　as　he　named　your　sword？　What　were　they　like？　Where　did　they　go？〃
　　　Again　Jord　made　a　helpless　motion。　〃I　know　none　of　those　things；　Your　Grace。　I　never　got　a　good　look　at　any　of　those　other　swords；　at　least　not　after　the　early　stages　of　the　forging。　I　saw　twelve　white…hot　bars　of　steel；　waiting　for　Vulcan's　hammer　…　that　was　when　I　counted　'em。　Later　I　was　too　busy　to　think；　or　care　and　later　still；　I　had　my　bleeding　stump　to　think　about。　I　couldn't。。。　〃
　　　〃e；　e；　Jord。　You　must　have　seen　more　than　that。　You　were　right　there；　the　whole　time；　weren't　you？〃
　　　〃I　was；　sir；　but。。。　Your　Grace；　I'd　tell　you　more　if　I　could。〃　Jord　sounded　desperate。
　　　〃Very　well；　very　well。　Perhaps　you　will　remember　more　about　those　swords。　What　else　did　Vulcan　say　to　you？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know　what　all　he　might　have　said；　Your　Grace。　He　gave　me　orders；　told　me　what　to　do；　I'm　sure。　I　must　have　understood　what　he　was　saying　then；　but　I　never　could　remember　afterwards。〃
　　　〃You　do　remember　seeing　those　twelve　white…hot　steel　bars；　though。　Were　they　all　alike？〃
　　　〃All　meant　to　be　straight　blades；　I　think。　Probably　much　like　the　one　that　I　was　given。　Weapons　never　were　my　specialty。〃
　　　〃Ah。〃　The　Duke　sipped　at　his　wine　again；　and　paced　the　room。　He　took　thought；　trying　to　find　the　cleverest　way　to　go。　〃The　sword　that　you　were　given。　How　was　it　decorated？〃
　　　〃The　blade；　not　at　all；　sir。　Oh；　there　was　a　very　fine　pattern　right　in　the　steel；　such　as　I've　never　seen　elsewhere。　But　that　was；　as　I　say；　in　the　very　metal　itself。　Then　there　was　a　rough　steel　crossguard；　no　real　decoration　there　either。　And　then　the　handle　above　was　straight　and　black；　of　some　material　I　didn't　recognize：　sometimes　I　wondered　if　it　was　from　the　Old　World。　And　on　it　was　a　fine　white　pattern　of　decoration：'
　　　〃What　did　this　pattern　represent？〃
　　　〃I　puzzled　often　about　that；　sir。　It　might　have　been　a　crenelated　wall；　like　on　a　castle　or　a　town。〃　And　the　woman　nodded　agreement　to　what　her　husband　said。
　　　The　Duke　asked：　〃Do　you　suppose　that　you　could　sketch　it　for　me？〃
　　　〃I'll　have　a　try；　sir。〃　The　man　sounded　reasonably　confident。
　　　〃Later。　Now；　you　were　a　smith　yourself。　Regardless　of　whether　weapons　were　ever　your　specialty；　I　take　it　that　this　sword　was　of　such　beauty　that　you　must　have　realized　it　would　be　worth　a　lot　of　money　even　leaving　aside　any　magical　properties　it　may　have　had。　Did　it　never　enter　your　head　to　sell　it？〃
　　　The　man's　face　hardened　at　that。　〃Beg　pardon；　Your　Grace。　I　didn't　think　it　had　been　given　me　to　sell。〃
　　　〃No？　Didn't　Vulcan　say　that　it　was　yours；　to　do　with　as　you　liked？〃
　　　〃He　said　it　was　mine；　sir。　But　until　it　came　time　for　me　to　pass　it　to　my　sons。　That　was　said　very　definitely；　too。〃
　　　〃I'm　curious；　Jord。　What　did　you　think　your　son　would　do　with　it；　when　it　came　to　him？　Just　keep　it　on　the　wall；　as　you　did？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know；　sir。〃
　　　The　Duke　waited　a　little；　but　nothing　more　came。　He　sighed。　〃A　pity。　I'd　have　given　you　a　very　handsome　price；　if　you'd　brought　the　thing　to　me。　I　still　will；　of　course；　should　the　blade　ever　happen　to　e　into　your　control　again。　If；　for　example；　your　son　should　bring　it　back。　Or　if；　perhaps；　you　should　look　through　the　woods　and　find　it　where　he　dropped　it。　I'll　give　you　a　good　price　and　ask　no　questions。〃
　　　The　man　and　woman　looked　at　each　other；　as　if　they　wished　they　could　take　advantage　of　the　Duke's　generosity。
　　　The　Duke　sat　in　his　chair；　leaning　forward。　〃Just　realize　that；　sooner　or　later；　in　one　way　or　another；　I'll　have　that　sword。〃　He　leaned　back；　brightening。　〃And　I　do　want　to　give　your　son　a　substantial　reward；　for　trying　his　best　to　defend　my　cousin　…　as　did　your　older　son；　indeed。　So　before　I　forget。。。〃　And　from　a　pocket　the　Duke　produced　a　golden　coin；　it　spun　brightly　toward　Jord　in　a　practiced　toss。
　　　Dazed　or　not；　Jord　caught　the　reward　deftly　in　his　huge　workman's　hand。　He　stood　up；　and　he　and　his　wife　both　bowed　in　gratitude。
　　　As　if　it　had　never　occurred　to　him　to　ask　the　question　before；　the　Duke　inquired：　〃Where　do　you　suppose　young　Mark　is　now？　Have　you　perhaps　some　relatives　in　another　village；　where　he　might　have　gone？〃
　　　〃We　have　kin　in　Treefall；　Your　Grace。〃　It　was　the　woman　who　answered。　Again　she　was　mentioning　that　village；　again　with　an　odd　but　subtle　emphasis　in　her　voice。　Yes；　he'd　have　to　see　her　alone　soon。
　　　Jord　said：　〃We've　told　your　men　already　about　all　our　relatives；　sire。。。　Your　Grace；　when　can　we　go　home？　I'm　worried　about　our　daughter；　left　alone。〃
　　　〃She'll　be　all　right。　I　have　people　in　the　village　now；　keeping　an　eye　on　things。。。　you　have　no　other　children　living；　besides　that　daughter　and　Mark？〃
　　　〃None；　sir；〃　said　the　woman。　High　child　mortality　was　mon　enough。　She　added：　〃Your　Grace　has　been　very　good　to　us。　To　provide　healing　for　my　husband；　and　now　money。〃
　　　〃Why；　so　I　have。　But　why　not？　You　are　good　people；　faithful　subjects。　And　when　your　young　boy　is　found；　I　mean　to　be　good　to　him　as　well。　There's　a　story　being　told　by　a　neighbor　of　yours；　as　doubtless　you're　aware；　that　it　was　Mark's　arrow　that　felled　my　cousin。　Even　if　that　should　be　so；　Mark　would　not　be　punished　for　it　…　you　understand　me？　If　it　were　so；　the　evil　hit　would　have　happened　by　accident　…　or　possibly　as　the　result　of　an　evil　spell；　worked　by　some　enemy。　My　wizards　will　find　out　who　did　it。〃　And　His　Grace　glanced　at　the　empty…looking　chair　beside　his　on　the　dais。　〃But　I　do　hope；　I　hope　most　earnestly；　that　your　young　one　is　doing　nothing　foolish　with　that　sword。　It　has　power　far　beyond　anything　that　he　might　hope　to　control　or　even　to　understand。　I　would　protect　him　from　disaster　if　I　could。　But　of　course　I　cannot　protect　him　if　I　don't　know　where　he　is。〃
　　　The　faces　of　both　parents；　the　Duke　decided；　were　still　thos