tw.togreenangeltower2-第75部分

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lhouetted　against　one　of　the　watchfires；　twin　hooded　shapes　that　seemed　oblivious　to　the　humans　around　them。　They　slipped　from　the　light　of　the　fire　and　vanished　once　more。
　　　　　　　This　was　something　unexpected。　Norns！　The　White　Foxes；　here　in　the　Hayholt　itself！　Things　were　worse　even　than　he　had　imagined。　But　hadn't　Geloe　and　the　others　said　that　the　immortals　couldn't　e　back　here？　Perhaps　they　had　meant　that　Ineluki　and　his　undead　servitors　couldn't　return。　But　even　if　that　last　was　true；　it　seemed　little　solace　just　now。
　　　　　　　So　the　Middle　Bailey　was　full　of　soldiers；　and　there　were　Norns　moving　freely　around　the　keep；　silent　as　hunting　owls。　Simon's　skin　prickled。　He　had　no　doubt　that　the　Outer　Bailey　was　also　full　of　Black　Rimmersmen；　or　Thrithings　mercenaries；　or　whatever　cutthroats　Elias　had　bought　with　Erkynland's　gold　and　the　Storm　King's　magic。　It　was　hard　to　believe　that　many　of　the　king's　own　Erkynguard；　even　the　most　ruthless；　would　remain　in　this　haunted　place　with　the　corpse…faced　Norns：　the　immortals　were　too　frighteningly　different。　It　had　been　easy　to　see　in　just　a　brief　instant　that　the　soldiers　in　the　Middle　Bailey　were　frightened　of　them。
　　　　　　　Now　I　have　a　reason　to　escape　besides　just　my　own　skin。　Josua　and　the　others　need　to　know　what　is　going　on　in　here。　He　felt　a　momentary　surge　of　hope。　Maybe　knowing　the　Norns　are　here　with　Elias　will　bring　Jiriki　and　the　rest　of　the　Sithi。　Jiriki's　kin　would　have　to　help　the　mortals　then；　wouldn't　they？　Simon　tried　to　think　carefully。　In　fact；　I　should　try　to　escape　now…if　I　can。　What　good　will　I　do　Josua　or　anyone　else　if　I　don't　get　out？
　　　　　　　But　he　had　barely　learned　anything。　He　was　exactly　what　any　war　leader　most　valued…an　experienced　eye　in　the　middle　of　the　enemy　camp。　Simon　knew　the　Hayholt　like　a　farmer　knew　his　fields；　like　a　blacksmith　knew　his　tools。　He　owed　it　to　his　good　fortune　in　surviving　this　far…good　fortune；　yes；　he　reminded　himself；　but　his　wits　and　resourcefulness　had　helped　him；　too…to　take　all　he　could　from　the　situation。
　　　　　　　So。　Back　to　the　Inner　Bailey。　He　could　last　a　day　or　two　without　food　if　necessary；　since　water　seemed　to　be　abundantly　available。　Plenty　of　time　to　spy　out　what　useful　things　he　could；　then　find　a　way　out　past　the　soldiers　to　freedom。　If　he　had　to；　he　could　even　make　his　way　back　under　the　castle　and　through　the　dark　tunnels　again。　That　would　be　the　surest　way　to　escape　undetected。
　　　　　　　No。　Not　the　tunnels。
　　　　　　　It　was　no　use　pretending。　Even　for　Josua　and　the　others；　that　was　something　he　could　not　do。
　　　　　　　He　was　approaching　the　bridge　to　the　Inner　Bailey　when　a　loud　clatter　made　Simon　pull　back　into　the　shadows　once　more。　When　he　saw　the　group　of　mounted　shapes　riding　out　onto　the　span；　he　silently　thanked　Usires　for　not　bringing　him　to　the　bridge　a　few　moments　earlier。
　　　　　　　The　pany　seemed　made　up　of　armored　Erkynguardsmen；　strangely　dispirited…looking　for　all　their　martial　finery。　Simon　had　only　a　moment　to　wonder　what　their　errand　might　be　when　he　saw　a　chillingly　familiar　bald　head　in　their　midst。
　　　　　　　Pryrates！　Simon　pushed　back　against　the　wall；　staring。　A　choking　hatred　rose　up　inside　of　him。　There　the　monster　was；　not　three　score　paces　away；　his　hairless　features　limned　by　faint　moonlight。
　　　　　　　I　could　be　on　him　in　a　moment；　he　thought　wildly。　If　I　walked　up　slowly；　the　soldiers　wouldn't　worry…they'd　just　think　I　was　one　of　the　mercenaries　who　'd　drunk　too　much　wine。　I　could　crush　his　skull　with　a　rock。。。。
　　　　　　　But　what　if　he　failed？　Then　he　would　easily　be　captured；　any　use　he　might　be　to　Josua　finished　before　it　had　begun。　And　worse；　he　would　be　the　red　priest's　prisoner。　It　was　just　as　Binabik　had　said：　how　long　would　it　be　until　he　told　Pryrates　every　secret　about　Josua；　about　the　Sithi　and　the　swords…until　he　begged　to　tell　the　alchemist　anything　he　wanted　to　hear？
　　　　　　　Simon　could　not　help　shuddering　like　a　taunted　dog　at　the　end　of　a　rope。　The　monster　was　so　close。。。　
　　　　　　　The　pany　of　horsemen　stopped。　The　priest　was　berating　one　of　the　Erkynguards；　his　raspy　voice　faint　but　unmistakable。　Simon　leaned　as　far　forward　as　he　could　without　losing　the　shadow　of　the　wall；　cupping　his　hand　behind　his　ear　so　that　he　could　hear　better。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　or　I　will　ride　you！〃　the　priest　spat。
　　　　　　　The　soldier　said　something　in　a　muffled　voice。　Despite　his　height　and　the　sword　he　wore　sheathed　on　his　hip；　the　man　cowered　like　a　terrified　child。　No　one　dared　speak　sharply　to　Pryrates。　That　had　been　true　even　before　Simon　had　fled　the　castle。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　mad　or　just　stupid？〃　Pryrates'　voice　rose。　〃I　cannot　ride　a　lame　horse　for　days；　all　the　way　to　Wentmouth。　Give　me　yours。〃
　　　　　　　The　soldier　got　down；　then　handed　the　reins　of　his　mount　to　the　alchemist。　He　said　something　else。　Pryrates　laughed。
　　　　　　　〃Then　you　will　lead　mine。　It　will　not　hurt　you　to　walk；　I　think；　since　it　was　your　idiocy　that　。。。〃　The　rest　of　his　mocking　remark　was　too　soft　to　hear；　but　Simon　thought　he　heard　another　reference　to　Wentmouth；　the　rocky　height　in　the　south　where　the　Gleniwent　River　met　the　sea。　Pryrates　pulled　himself　up　into　the　guardsman's　saddle；　his　scarlet　robe　appearing　for　a　moment　from　beneath　his　dark　cloak　like　a　bloody　wound。　The　priest　spurred　down　off　the　bridge　and　onto　the　mud　of　the　Middle　Bailey。　The　rest　of　the　pany　followed　after　him；　trailed　on　foot　by　the　soldier　leading　Pryrates'　horse。
　　　　　　　As　they　passed　by　his　hiding　spot；　Simon　found　that　he　was　clutching　a　stone　in　his　hand；　he　could　not　remember　picking　it　up。　He　stared　at　the　alchemist's　head；　round　and　bare　as　an　eggshell；　and　thought　about　what　pleasure　he　would　feel　to　see　it　cracked　open。　That　evil　creature　had　killed　Morgenes；　and　God　Himself　alone　knew　how　many　others。　His　fear　mysteriously　fled；　Simon　struggled　against　the　almost　overwhelming　urge　to　shout　his　fury　and　attack。　How　could　the　good　ones　like　the　doctor　and　Geloe　and　Deornoth　die　when　such　a　beast　was　allowed　to　live？　Killing　Pryrates　would　be　worth　the　loss　of　his　own　life。　An　unimaginable　vileness　would　be　gone　from　the　world。　Doing　the　necessary；　Rachel　would　have　called　it。　A　dirty　job；　but　one　as　needs　doing。　But　it　seemed　his　life　was　not　his　to　give。
　　　　　　　He　watched　the　pany　troop　past。　They　circled　around　the　tents　and　vanished；　moving　toward　the　Lesser　Gate　that　led　to　the　outermost　bailey。　Simon　dropped　the　rock　he　had　been　clutching　into　the　mud　and　stood；　trembling。
　　　　　　　A　thought　came　to　him　suddenly；　an　idea　so　wild　and　mad　that　he　frightened　himself。　He　looked　up　at　the　sky；　trying　to　guess　how　much　time　remained　until　dawn。　By　the　chill；　empty　feel　of　the　air；　he　felt　sure　the　sun　was　at　least　a　few　hours　away。
　　　　　　　Who　was　most　likely　to　have　taken　Bright…Nail　from　the　mound？　Pryrates；　of　course。　He　might　not　even　have　told　King　Elias；　if　that　suited　his　purposes。　And　where　would　it　be　if　that　was　true？　Hidden　in　the　priest's　stronghold…in　Hjeldin's　Tower。
　　　　　　　Simon　turned。　The　alchemist's　tower；　unpleasantly　squat　beside　the　pure　sweep　of　Green　Angel；　loomed　over　the　Inner　Bailey　wall。　If　there　were　lights　inside；　they　were　hidden：　the　scarlet　windows　were　dark。　It　looked　deserted…but　so　did　everything　else　at　the　center　of　the　great　keep。　The　whole　of　the　Hayholt's　interior　might　have　been　a　mausoleum；　a　city　of　the　dead。
　　　　　　　Did　he　dare　to　go　inside…or　at　least　try？　He　would　have　to　have　light。　Perhaps　there　were　extra　torches　or　a　hooded　lantern　he　could　use　somewhere　in　Green　Angel　Tower。　It　would　be　a　fearful；　terrible　risk。。。。
　　　　　　　If　he　had　not　seen　Pryrates　leaving　with　his　own　eyes；　if　he　had　not　heard　the　red　priest　talk　of　riding　to　Wentmouth；　Simon　would　not　even　have　thought　of　it：　just　the　idea　of　making　his　way　into　the…ill…omened　tower　when　hairless；　black…eyed　Pryrates　might　be　sitting　inside；　waiting　like　a　spider　at　the　center　of　his　web；　made　his　stomach　heave。　But　the　priest　was　gone；　that　was　undeniable；　and　Simon　knew　he　might　never　have　such　a　chance　again。　What　if　he　found　Bright…Nail？！　He　could　take　it　and　be　gone　from　the　Hayholt　before　Pryrates　even　returned。　That　would　be　a　satisfying　trick　to　play　on　the　red…robed　murderer。　And　wouldn't　it　be　fine　to　ride　into　Prince　Josua's　camp　and　show　them　Bright…Nail　flashing　in　the　sun？　Then　he　would　truly　be　Simon；　Master　of　the　Great　Swords；　wouldn't　he？
　　　　　　　As　he　moved　quickly　and　quietly　across　the　bridge；　he　found　himself　staring　at　the　bailey　wall　before　him。　Something　about　it　had　changed。　It　had　grown　。。。　lighter。
　　　　　　　The　sun　was　ing　up；　or　at　least　as　much　of　the　sun　as　would　appear　on　this　gray　day。　Simon　hurried　a　little。　He　had　been　wrong。
　　　　　　　A　few　more　hours；　eh？　You've　been　lucky。　What　if　you'd　been　rattling　around　outside　the　door　of　Hjeldin's　Tower；　when　the　sun　came　up？　Mooncalf；　still　a　mooncalf。
　　　　　　　Still；　he　was　not　entirely　unrepentant。　Knights　and　heroes　had　to　be　bold；　and　what　he　was　considering　now　was　a　bold　plan　indeed。　He　would　simply　have　to　wait　until　tomorrow　night's　darkness　to　acplish　it。　It　would　be　a　marvelous；　brave　thing　to　do。
　　　　　　　But　even　as　he　hurried　back　toward　his　hiding　hole　in　Green　Angel　Tower；　he　wished　his　friends　were　around　to　talk　him　out　of　it。
　　　　　　　The　sun　had　set　a