fs.thefirstbookofswords-第6部分
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ight； who was actually the master； always spoke to the old man with respect； and listened to him carefully whenever village affairs were under discussion。 Today's visitors were listening carefully too … Mark could see that though he couldn't hear what was being said； but gave no evidence that they regarded the Elder with respect。
The Elder's eye now happened to fall upon the two boys who were gaping their slow way past his house。 He frowned abruptly； and called to Kenn by name； at the same time beckoning him with a brisk little wave； it was a more agitated motion than Mark could remember ever seeing the Elder make before。
When Kenn stood dose before him； gaping in wonder； Kyril ordered： 〃Go； and take down that sword that hangs always on your father's wall； and bring it directly here。〃 When Kenn； still goggling； hesitated momentarily； the old man snapped： 〃Go！ Our visitors are waiting：〃
To such a mand； there could be only one possible response from any village youth。 Kenn at once went pelting away down the long village street toward the millhouse at its far end。 His legs； long and fast if lacking grace； were a blur of awkward angularity。 Mark； poised to run after him； held back； knowing from experience that he wouldn't be able to keep up。 And Mark also wanted to stay here； watching； to see what was going to happen next； and； now that he thought about it； he didn't want to have any part in simply taking down the sword； without his father's permission； from where it had always hung。。。
The three men of importance waited； gazing after Kenn； ignoring Mark who still stood twenty meters off and watched them。 The blue…robed wizard … if wizard he truly was … figeted； glanced once toward Mark with a slight frown； and then away。
Kyril said； in a voice a little louder than before： 〃It will be quicker this way； Your Honor； than if we were all to go to the mill…house：〃 And he made a humble； nervous little bow to the one Kenn had whispered was the Duke's cousin。 It was a stiff motion； one to which the Elder's joints could hardly have been accustomed。
Now Mark began to notice that a few other villagers； Falkener among them； had started ing out of their houses here and there。 There was a converging movement； very slight as yet； toward the Elder's house。 They all wanted to know what was going on； but still were not quite willing to establish their presence in the street。
The man addressed by Kyril； whoever he might really be； ignored them as he might have sparrows。 He stood posing in a way that suggested he was willing to wait a little； willing to be shown that the Elder's way was really the quickest and most satisfactory。 He asked Kyril： 〃You say that this man who has the sword now came here thirteen years ago。 Where did he e from？〃
〃Oh yes； that's right； Your Honor。 Thirteen years。 It was then that he bought the mill。 I'm sure he had permission； all in order； for the move。 He brought children with him； and a new bride； and he came from a village up toward the mountains。〃 Kyril pointed to the east。 〃Yes sir； from up there。〃
The seneschal； who was about to ask another question； paused。 For Kenn was ing back already。 He was carrying the sword in its usual corded wrapping； in which it usually hung on the wall of the main living room inside the house。 Kenn was walking now； not running。 And he was not ing back alone。 Jord； his solid frame taller still than that of his slim…bodied elder son； strode with him。 Jord's legs kept up in a firm pace with the youth's nervous half…trot。
Jord's work clothes were dusty； as they so often were from his usual routine of maintenance on the huge wooden gears and shafts that formed the central machinery of the mill。 He glanced once at Mark … Mark could read no particular message in the look … and then concentrated his attention on the important visitors。 Jord seemed reluctant to approach them； but still he came on with determination。 At the last moment he put his big hand on Kenn's shoulder and thrust the youth gently into the background； stepping forward to face the important men himself。
Jord bowed to the visitors； as courtesy required。 But still it was to Kyril the Elder that he first spoke。 〃Where's Sir Sharfa？ It's to him that we in the village must answer； for whatever we do when other highborn folk e here and…〃
He who had been called the seneschal interrupted； effectively though with perfect calm。 〃Sir Sharfa's not available just now； fellow。 Your loyalty to your manorlord is mendable； but in this case misplaced。 Sir Sharfa is vassal； as you ought to know； to my cousin the Duke。 And it's Duke Fraktin who wants to see the sword that you've kept hanging on the wall。〃
Jord did not appear tremendously surprised to hear of the Duke's interest。 〃I have been told； Your Honor； to keep that sword with me。 Until the time es for it to be passed on to my eldest son。〃
〃Oh？ Told？ And who told you that？〃
〃Vulcan； Your Honor。〃 The words were plainly and boldly spoken。 Jord's calm assurance matched that of the man who was interrogating him。
The seneschal paused； whatever words he'd been intending to fire off next were never said。 Still he was not going to let himself appear to be impressed by any answer that a mere miller could return to him。 Now Ibn Gauthier extended one arm； hand open； rich sleeve hanging deeply； toward Kenn。 The youth was still standing in the background where his father had steered him； and was still holding the wrapped blade。
The seneschal said to him： 〃Well see it now。〃
Kenn glanced nervously toward his father。 Jord must have signalled him to obey； for the lad tugged at the wrapping of the sword … a neatly woven but undistinguished blanket … as if he intended to display the treasure to the visitors from a safe distance。
The covering of the sword fell free。
The seneschal stared for a moment； then snapped his fingers。 〃Give it here！〃
What happened in the next moment would recur in Mark's dreams throughout the remainder of his life。 And each time the dream came he would experience again this last moment of his childhood； a moment in which he thought： Strange； whatever can be making a sound in the air like flying arrows？
The Elder Kyril went down at once； with the feathered end of a long shaft protruding from his chest。 At the same time one of the armed guards fell； arrows in his back and ribs； his sword only a glint of steel half…drawn from its scabbard。 The second guard was hit in the thigh； he got his spear raised but could do no more。 The wizard went down an instant later； with his blue robes collapsing around him like an unstrung tent。 The seneschal。 uninjured； whirled around； drawing his own short sword and getting his back against a wall。 His face had gone a pasty white。
The volley of arrows had e from Mark's right； the direction where trees and bush grew close and thick along the near bank of the Aldan。 The ambushers； whoever they were； had been able to get within easy bowshot without being detected。 But they were charging out of cover now； running between and around the houses closest to the riverbank。 A half…dozen howling； weapon…waving men were rushing hard toward the Elder's front yard； where the victims of their volley had just fallen。 Two large warbeasts sprang out of concealment just after the attacking men； but bounded easily ahead of them。 One beast was orange…furred and one brindled； and both of their bodies； like those of fighting men； were partially clothed in mail。 They were nearly as graceful as the cats from which half their ancestry derived。
Mark had never seen real warbeasts before； but he recognized them at once； from the descriptions in a hundred stories。 He saw his father knocked down by the orange beast in its terrible passage； before Jord had had time to do more than turn toward his elder son as if to cry an order or a warning。
The seneschal was the beasts' real target。 and they leaped at him； though not to kill； they must have been well trained for this action。 They forced the Duke's cousin back against the front of fallen Kyril's house； not touching but confronting him； snarling and sparring just outside the tentative arc of his swordarm。 When he would have run to reach his tethered ridingbeast； they forced him back again。 Now all four of the tethered animals at the rack were kicking and bucking； screaming their fear and excitement in their nearhuman voices。
Kenn； in the first instant of the attack； had turned to run。 Then he had seen his father fall； and had turned back。 White…faced； he stood over his father now； clumsily holding the unwrapped sword； with the blade above the fallen man as if it could be made into a shield。
Mark； who had run two steps toward home； looked back at his father and his brother and stopped。 Now with shaking fingers Mark was pulling the next…to…last small hunting arrow from the quiver on his back。 His rabbit…hunting bow was in his left hand。 His mind felt totally blank。 He prehended without emotion that a man； the soldier who'd fallen with an arrow in his leg； was being stabbed to death before his eyes。 Now the charging men； bandits or whatever they were； had joined their war
