fs.thefirstbookofswords-第20部分

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　Nestor　carrying　the　net　beside　him；　Mark　trudged　into　the　trees；　an　arrow　nocked　on　his　bow。　They　followed　the　general　slope　of　the　land　back　down　to　the　creek　bed。
　　　As　they　walked；　Nestor　asked：　〃Einar；　what's　your　uncles　name？　The　one　who's　armorer　for　Sir　Andrew。　I　might　know　him。〃
　　　〃His　name's　Mark。〃　At　least　he　said　it　quickly；　this　was　one　answer　he　hadn't　thought　out　in　advance。
　　　〃No。　I　don't　know　him。〃　A　cloudy　twilight　was　oozing　up　out　of　the　low　ground。　They　had　reached　the　creek　bank　without　spotting　any　rabbits　or　other　game；　and　Mark　put　away　his　bow　and　arrow。
　　　〃Anyway；〃　said　Nestor；　〃that　sword　of　yours　didn't　look　like　it　needed　a　lot　of　work。〃　He　was　studying　the　stream　as　he　spoke；　and　it　was　impossible　to　tell　from　his　voice　what　he　was　thinking。　Stepping　carefully　now　from　one　stone　to　another；　he　worked　his　way　out　near　the　middle　of　the　stream；　where　he　positioned　his　net　in　a　strong　flow　of　water；　catching　the　wooden　frame　on　rocks　so　it　would　be　held　in　place。　He　straightened　up；　stretching　his　back；　still　seeming　to　study　the　water's　flow。　〃Didn't　you　say　that　your　uncle　was　going　to　work　on　it？〃
　　　Mark　hesitated；　finally　got　out　a　few　lame　words。
　　　Nestor　did　not　seem　to　be　paying　very　close　attention　to　what　he　said　this　time。　〃Or；　maybe　you've　given　some　thought　to　selling　your　sword　at　the　fair。　That　would　be　a　good　time　and　place；　if　you　mean　to　sell　it。　Honest　business　dealings　are　more　likely　under　Sir　Andrew's　eye　than　elsewhere。　There　might　even　be　one　or　two　people　there　who　could　buy　such　a　thing。〃
　　　〃I　wouldn't　know　how　to　sell　it。　And　anyway；　I　wouldn't　want　to。　It　was　my　father's。〃　All　of　that　was　the　truth；　which　made　it　a　relief　to　say。
　　　〃A　sword　like　that；　I　suppose　it　must　have　some　special　powers；　as　well　as　being　beautiful　to　look　at。〃　Nestor　was　still　gazing　at　the　stream。
　　　Mark　was　silent。
　　　Nestor　at　last　looked　at　him　directly。　〃Would　you　get　it　now？　Bring　it　here；　and　let　me　have　a　look　at　it？〃
　　　Mark　could　think　of　no　decent　way　to　refuse。　He　turned　away　wordlessly　and　trudged　back　to　the　wagon。　He　could　grab　his　sword　when　he　got　there　and　run　away　again；　but　sooner　or　later　he　was　going　to　have　to　trust　someone。
　　　He　found　Ben　and　Barbara　engaged　in　what　looked　like　a　tricky　business。　They　had　removed　the　dragon's　cage　from　the　wagon　and　were　cleaning　the　cage　while　its　occupant　shrilled　at　them　and　tried　to　claw　and　bite　them。　They　looked　at　Mark　curiously　when　he　climbed　into　the　wagon；　and　again　when　he　emerged　with　his　wrapped　sword　in　hand。　But　they　said　nothing　to　him。
　　　Darkness　was　thickening　in　the　grove　when　Mark　brought　the　sword　back　to　Nestor；　who　was　sitting　on　a　rock　beside　the　stream　and　appeared　to　be　lost　in　meditation。　But　the　wiry　man　roused　quickly　enough；　took　the　sword　on　his　lap　and　undid　its　wrappings　carefully。　There　was　still　enough　light　for　a　fairly　close　inspection。　Nestor　sighted　along　the　edge　of　the　blade；　and　then　tried　it　with　a　leaf。　Brushed　lightly　along　the　upright　edge；　the　leaf　fell　away　in　two　neat　halves。
　　　With　one　finger　Nestor　traced　the　subtle　pattern　on　the　hilt。　Then；　acting　as　if　he　had　reached　a　decision；　he　let　Mark　hold　the　sword　for　a　moment　and　got　to　his　feet。　Lifting　his　net　from　the　water；　he　peered　into　the　mass　of　small；　struggling　creatures　it　had　captured。　The　net　held；　thought　Mark；　a　surprising　weight　of　swimming　and　crawling　things；　perhaps　the　magical　symbols　round　the　rim　really　were　effective。
　　　Nestor　plunged　his　hand　into　the　mass；　pulled　out　one　wriggling　thing；　and　let　the　rest　sag　back　into　the　water。　〃Baby　dragon；〃　he　said；　holding　up　a　fistful　of　feebly　squirming　gray　for　Mark's　inspection。　There　were　no　wings；　and　the　creature　was　vastly　smaller　than　the　one　back　in　the　cage。　〃You　find　'em　in　a　lot　of　the　streams　hereabouts。　There's　a　million；　ten　million；　hatched　for　every　one　that　ever　grows　big　enough　to　need　hunting。〃
　　　Then　he　surprised　Mark　by　taking　Townsaver　back　again。　Nestor　held　the　blade　extended　horizontally；　flat　side　up；　and　on　that　small　plain　of　metal　he　set　the　hatchling　dragon。　Freed　of　his　grip；　it　hissed　an　infinitesimal　challenge；　and　lashed　a　tiny　tail。　Nestor　rotated　the　blade；　slowly　turning　it　edge…side　up；　somehow　the　creature　continued　to　cling　on。　Its　scales；　though　no　bigger　than　a　baby's　fingernails　and　paper…thin；　could　protect　it　from　that　cutting　edge。　It　hissed　again　as　the　sword　pleted　a　half…rotation；　once　more　giving　the　dragon　a　flat　space　to　rest　upon。
　　　Nestor　contemplated　this　result　for　a　moment；　as　if　it　were　not　at　all　what　he　had　been　expecting。　Then　with　a　small　flick　of　his　wrist　he　dashed　the　tiny　creature　to　the　ground；　and　in　the　next　moment　he　killed　it　precisely　with　the　sword；　letting　the　weight　of　the　weapon　fall　behind　the　point。　Nestor　handled　the　sword；　thought　Mark；　as　if　it　had　been　in　his　hand　for　years。
　　　〃One　less　to　grow　up；〃　said　Nestor；　turning　his　thoughtful　gaze　toward　Mark。　With　the　sword　point　still　down　in　the　soil　at　his　feet；　he　leaned　the　hilt　back　to　Mark；　giving　the　sword　back。　〃First　dragon　this　sword　has　ever　killed；　do　you　suppose？〃
　　　〃I　suppose；〃　said　Mark；　not　knowing　what　the　question　was　supposed　to　mean。　He　began　wrapping　the　weapon　up　again。
　　　〃Your　father　didn't　hunt　them；　then。　What　did　he　do　with　this　sword？　Use　it　in　battle？〃
　　　〃I。。。　〃　Suddenly　Mark　couldn't　keep　from　talking；　saying　something　to　someone　about　it。　〃My　brother　did；　once。　He　was　killed：〃
　　　〃Ah。　Sorry。　Not　long　ago；　I　guess？　Then　the　sword；　when　he　used　it；　didn't。。。　didn't　work　very　well　for　him？〃
　　　〃Oh；　it　worked。〃　Mark　had　to　struggle　against　an　unexpected　new　pressure　of　tears。　〃It　worked；　like　no　other　sword　has　ever　worked。　It　chopped　up　men　and　even　warbeasts　…　but　it　couldn't　save　my　brother　from　being　chopped　up　too。〃
　　　Nestor　waited　a　little。　Then　he　said：　〃You　were　trying　to　use　it　today　yourself。　But　…　after　I　got　there　at　least　…　nothing　much　seemed　to　be　happening。〃
　　　〃I　couldn't　feel　any　power　in　it。　I　don't　know　why。〃　At　some　point　the　thought　had　occurred　to　Mark　that　the　limitation　on　the　sword's　magic　might　be　connected　with　its　name。　But　he　didn't　want　to　go　into　that　just　now。　He　didn't　want　to　go　into　anything。
　　　〃Never　mind；〃　said　Nestor。　〃We　can　talk　about　it　later。　But　this　design　on　the　handle。　Did　your　father；　brother；　anyone；　ever　tell　you　what　it　was　supposed　to　mean？〃
　　　None　of　your　business；　thought　Mark。　He　said：　〃No　sir。〃
　　　〃Just　call　me　Nestor。　Einar；　when　we　reach　Sir　Andrew's。。。　well；　I　don't　suppose　I　have　to　caution　you　to　keep　this　sword　a　secret；　until　you　know　just　what　you　want　to　do　with　it。〃
　　　〃No　sir。〃
　　　〃Good。　You　carry　it；　I'll　bring　the　net。〃
　　　Back　at　the　wagon；　they　sorted　out　not　only　a　catch　of　frogs　for　dragon…food；　but　a　few　fish　to　augment　the　dinner　of　beans；　bread；　and　dried　fruit　that　Barbara　was　preparing。　It　turned　out　that　Ben　was　roasting　some　large　potatoes　under　the　fire　as　well；　and　for　the　first　time　in　days　Mark　could　eat　his　fill。
　　　After　dinner；　when　the　immediate　housekeeping　chores　had　been　taken　care　of；　Ben　got　out　his　lute　and　sang　again。　Both　Nestor　and　Barbara；　for　some　reason；　chose　this　time　to　make　their　personal　trips　into　the　woods。
　　　〃Hard　day　tomorrow；〃　Nestor　announced　when　he　returned。　And；　indeed；　everyone　was　yawning。　The　captive　dragon　had　already　been　put　back　inside　the　wagon；　and　the　dragon…hunter　retired　there　now。　Barbara　shortly　followed；　after　looking　at　Mark's　boots　and　vowing　that　she　would　soon　mend　or　replace　them　for　him。　After　throwing　out　a　quantity　of　bedding；　and　emerging　once　more　to　make　sure　that　Mark　had　got　his　share　of　it；　she　went　in　again　and　closed　the　flap。
　　　The　rainclouds　that　had　threatened　earlier　had　largely　blown　away；　and　now　some　stars　were　visible。　Ben　and　Mark　bedded　down　in　the　open；　on　long　grass　at　a　small　distance　from　the　dying　fire。　Wrapped　in　the　extra　blanket　Barbara　had　given　him；　Mark　was　more　fortable　than　he'd　been　since　leaving　home。　He　was　better　fed；　also；　and　very　drowsy。　His　sword　was　safe　in　the　wagon；　and　in　a　way　he　enjoyed　being　free　of　its　constant　presence　at　his　side。　Yet　sleep　would　not　e　at　once。
　　　He　heard　Ben　stirring　wakefully。
　　　〃Ben？〃　〃Yah。　〃
　　　〃Your　master　really　hunts　dragons？　For　a　living？〃
　　　〃Oh　yes；　he's　very　good　at　it。　That's　what　our　sign　painted　on　the　wagon　means。　Everyone　in　the　parts　of　the　country　where　there　are　dragons　knows　what　a　sign　like　this　means。　This　isn't　really　dragon　country　here。　Just　a　few　little　ones　in　the　streams。〃
　　　〃I　thought　that　the　only　people　who　hunted　dragons　were。。。〃
　　　〃Castle　folk？　I　think　Nestor　was　a　knight　once；　but　he　don't　talk　about　it。　Just　the　way　he　acts　sometimes。　Some　highborn　people　hunt　'em；　and　others　just　pretend　to。　And　both　kinds　hire　professionals　like　Nestor　when　they　have　to；　to　hunt　or　to　help　out。　There's　a　lot　of　tricks　to　hunting　dragons。〃　Ben　sounded　fairly　confident　that　he　knew　what　the　tricks　were。　〃And　you　help　him；〃　Mark　prodded。
　　　〃Yeah。　In　two　hunts　now。　Last　hunt；　we　were　able　to　catch　that　little　one　alive；　as　well　as　killing　t