tw.togreenangeltower2-第31部分
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de the hearth。 A single bowl lay shattered on the stone beside it； every piece still in the spot where it had tumbled to a halt； as if the bowl had fallen only moments before。 The hard clay of the floor was covered with rushes which had gone damp and brown。 The only signs of recent life in the room were the innumerable cobwebs hanging in the thatches or stretching in the corners； but even these looked threadbare and forlorn； as if it had not been a good season even for spiders。
〃There。〃 Simon stood up。 〃That's got it。 I'm going to fetch down the horses。〃
While he was gone； Miriamele sat before the fire and hunted through the saddlebags for food。 For the first time in two days； she was hungry。 She wished the house's owners had left their stew pot…the hook hung naked over the growing fire…but since it was gone she would make do with what she had。 She pushed a couple of stones into the fire to heat； then rooted out the few remaining carrots and an onion。 When the stones were hot enough； she would make some soup。
Miriamele scanned the ceiling critically； then unrolled her bedroll in a spot that looked like it was far enough from the nearest hole to stay dry in case the rains returned。 After a moment's thought she unrolled Simon's nearby。 She left what she considered to be a safe distance between them； but his bedroll was still closer than she would have preferred had there not been a leaky roof to deal with。 When all was arranged； she found her knife in the saddlebag and got to work on the vegetables。
〃It's blowing hard now；〃 Simon said as he came back in。 His hair was disarranged； standing out in strange tufts； but his cheeks were red and his smile was wide。 〃It will be a good night to be near a fire。〃
〃I'm glad we moved down here；〃 she said。 〃I feel much better tonight。 I think I'll be able to ride tomorrow。〃
〃If you're ready。〃 As he walked past her to the fireplace； he put his hand on her shoulder for a moment； then trailed it gently across her hair。 Miriamele said nothing； but went on chopping the carrots into a clay bowl。
The meal had not been anything either of them would remember fondly； but Miriamele felt better for having something hot in her stomach。 When she had rinsed the bowls and scoured them with a dry twig； she put them away； then crawled onto her bedroll。 Simon fussed with the fire for a bit； then laid himself down as well。 They spent a silent interval staring at the flames。
〃There was a fireplace m my bedroom at Meremund；〃 Miriamele said quietly。 〃I used to watch the flames dancing at night when I couldn't sleep。 I saw pictures in them。 When I was very little； I thought I saw the face of Usires smiling at me once。〃
〃Mmmm；〃 Simon said。 Then； 〃You had your own room to sleep in？〃
〃I was the only child of the prince and heir；〃 she said a little crisply。 〃It is not unheard of。〃
Simon snorted。 〃It's unheard of by me。 I slept with a dozen other scullions。 One of them； Fat Zebediah； used to snore like a cooper cutting slats with a handsaw。〃
Miriamele giggled。 〃Later on； in the last twelvemonth when I lived in the Hayholt； Leieth used to sleep in my room。 That was nice。 But when I was in Meremund； I slept by myself； with a maid just on the other side of the door。〃
〃That sounds 。。。 lonely。〃
〃I don't know。 I suppose it was。〃 She sighed and laughed at the same time； a funny noise that made Simon lift his head beside her。 〃Once I was having trouble sleeping； so I went in to my father's room。 I told him that there was a cockindrill under my bed； so that he would let me sleep with him。 But that was after my mother died； so he only gave me one of his dogs to take back with me。 'He's a cockindrill…hound； Miri；' he said to me。 'By my faith； he is。 He'll keep you safe。' He was always a bad liar。 The dog just lay by the door and whimpered until I finally let him out again。〃
Simon waited for a while before speaking。 The flames made jigging shadows in the thatching overhead。 〃How did your mother die？〃 he asked at last。 〃No one ever told me。〃
〃She was shot by an arrow。〃 Miriamele still hurt when she thought of it； but not as badly as she once had。 〃Uncle Josua was taking her to my father； who was fighting for Grandfather John along the edge of the Meadow Thrithing during the uprising there。 Josua's troop was surprised in broad daylight by a much larger force of Thrithings…men。 He lost his hand defending her； and did succeed in winning free； but she was struck down by a stray arrow。 She was dead before sunset。〃
〃I'm sorry； Miriamele。〃
She shrugged； even though he could not see her。 〃It was long ago。 But losing her gave my father even more misery than it gave me。 He loved her so much！ Oh； Simon； you only know what my father has bee； but he was a good man once。 He loved my mother more than he loved anything else in the world。〃
And thinking other father's gray； grief…stricken face； of the pall of anger that had descended on him and never lifted； she began to cry。
〃And that's why I have to see him；〃 she said finally； her voice unsteady。 〃That's why。〃
Simon rustled atop his bedroll。 〃What？ What do you mean？ See who？〃
Miriamele took a deep breath。 〃My father； of course。 That's why we're going to the Hayholt。 Because I have to speak to my father。〃
〃What nonsense are you talking？〃 Simon sat up。 〃We're going to the Hayholt to get your grandfather's sword； Bright…Nail。〃
〃I never said that。 You did。〃 Despite the tears； she felt herself grow angry。
〃I don't understand you； Miriamele。 We are at war with your father。 Are you going to go see him and tell him there's a cockindrill under your bed again？ What are you saying？〃
〃Don't be cruel； Simon。 Don't you dare。〃 She could feel the tears threatening to bee a torrent； but a small ember of fury was burning inside her as well。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said； 〃but I just don't understand。〃
Miriamele pressed her hands together as tightly as she could； and concentrated on that until she felt herself in control again。 〃And I have not explained to you； Simon。 I'm sorry； too。〃
〃Tell me。 I'll listen。〃
Miriamele listened to the flames crackle and hiss for a while。 〃Cadrach showed me the truth； although I don't think he realized it。 It was when we were traveling together； and he told me of Nisses' book。 He had once owned it； or a copy of it。〃
〃The magical book that Morgenes talked about？〃
〃Yes。 And it is a powerful thing。 Powerful enough that Pryrates learned that Cadrach had owned it and so Pryrates。。。 sent for him。〃 She fell silent momentarily； remembering Cadrach's description of the blood…red windows and the iron devices with the skin and hair of the tortured still on them。 〃He threatened him until Cadrach told him all the things he remembered； Cadrach said that Pryrates was particularly interested in talking with the dead…'Speaking through the Veil；' he called it。〃
〃From what I know of Pryrates； that doesn't surprise me。〃 Simon's voice was shaky； too。 Obviously he had his own memories of the red priest。
〃But that was what showed me what I needed to know；〃 Miriamele said； unwilling to lose the thread of her idea now that she was finally talking about it out loud。 〃Oh； Simon； I had wondered so long why my father changed the way he did； why Pryrates was able to turn him to such evil tasks。〃 She swallowed。 There were still tears standing wet on her cheeks； but for the moment she had found a new strength。 〃My father loved my mother。 He was never the same after she died。 He did not marry； did not even consider it； despite all the wishes of my grandfather。 They used to have terrible arguments about it。 'You need a son to be your heir；' Grandfather used to say； but my father always told him he would never marry again； that he had been given a wife and then God had taken her back。〃 She paused； remembering。
〃I still don't understand；〃 said Simon quietly。
〃Don't you see？ Pryrates must have told my father that he could talk to the dead…that he could let my father speak with my mother again； perhaps even see her。 You don't know him； Simon。 He was heartsick with losing her。 He would have done anything； I think； to have her back； even for a little while。〃
Simon drew in a long breath。 〃But that's 。。。 blasphemy。 That's against God。〃
Miriamele laughed； a little shrilly。 〃As if that would have stopped him。 I told you； he would have done anything to have her back。 Pryrates must have lied to him and told him that they could reach her。。。 beyond the Veil； or whatever that horrible book called it。 Maybe the priest even thought that he could。 And he used that promise to make my father first his patron； then his partner。。。 then his slave。〃
Simon pondered this。 〃Perhaps Pryrates did try；〃 he said finally。 〃Perhaps that is how they reached through to。。。 to the other side。 To the Storm King。〃
The sound of this name； even as quietly it had been spoken； was greeted with a skirl of wind in the thatches above； a rush of sound so abrupt that Miriamele flinched。
〃Perhaps。〃 The thought made her cold。 To think of her father waiting eagerly to speak with his beloved wife and finding that thin
