fs.thethirdbookofswords-第12部分

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st　night。　But。。。〃　He　gestured　in　perplexity　toward　his　wounds。
　〃One　of　the　blades　that　you　were　going　to　take　to　Princess　Rimac　is　the　Sword　of　Mercy。〃
　〃Ah。〃　Jord；　who　had　been　supporting　himself　on　his　elbow；　lay　back　flat　again。　〃That　explains　it。〃
　The　lady　had　turned　her　head　away。　The　little　child　was　babbling　somewhere　on　the　other　side　of　the　roof。　But　someone　else；　a　huge　man　of　about　the　lady's　own　age；　was　approaching　around　a　corner　of　trellis。　Birds　flew　out　of　his　way。　〃My　husband；〃　she　explained。
　Again　Jord　raised　himself　on　his　elbow。　〃Master　Courtenay。　Again　my　thanks。〃
　The　big　man　smiled；　an　expression　that　made　his　face　much　more　pleasant　in　appearance。　〃And　you　are　wele　here；　as　I　expect　my　wife　has　already　told　you。〃
　Jord's　hosts　seated　themselves　together　on　a　bench　nearby；　and　asked　to　hear　from　him　about　last　night's　attack　that　had　left　him　wounded。　Both　appeared　relieved　when　he　told　them　he　had　dispatched　his　lone　assailant　before　he　had　collapsed　himself。
　The　master　of　the　house　informed　him；　〃A　few　more　of　those　who　were　following　you　arrived　a　little　later。　But　we　managed　to　dispose　of　them。〃
　〃Following　me？　More　of　them？〃　Jord　swore　earthily；　calling　upon　various　anatomical　features　of　several　gods　and　demons。　〃I　feared　as　much；　but　I　saw　nothing　of　'em。〃　He　groaned　his　worry。
　Master　Courtenay's　thick　hand　made　a　gesture　of　dismissal；　there　was　nothing　to　be　done　about　that　now。　Then　Coutenay　glanced　at　his　wife；　a　look　transmitting　some　kind　of　signal；　and　she　faced　their　guest　with　the　air　of　someone　opening　a　new　subject。
　〃Jord；〃　she　asked　him；　〃what　village　do　you　e　from？〃
　It　had　been　years　since　that　question　had　surprised　him。　〃Why；　you're　quite　right；　Ma'am；　I'm　a　village　man；　not　of　the　cities。　And　I've　lived　in　a　good　many　villages。〃
　〃But　twenty　years　ago　you　were　living　in　Arin…on…Aldan；　weren't　you？　And　still　there；　up　to　about…ten　years　ago？〃
　Jord　nodded；　and　sighed　faintly。　〃Like　a　lot　of　other　villages；　Lady；　it's　not　there　any　longer。　Or　so　I've　heard。　Your　pardon；　gentlefolk；　but　most　who　start　asking　me　about　my　village　have　an　earlier　one　than　that　in　mind。　Treefall；　the　place　that　Vulcan　took　me　from　to　help　him　forge　the　Swords。　Yes；　I'm　that　Jord。　Not　too　many　Jords　in　the　world　with　the　right　arm　missing。　Often　I　use　another　name；　and　I　put　most　people　off　when　they　start　asking　where　I'm　from。　But　you　of　course　I'll　answer　gladly。　Whatever　you'd　like　to　know。〃
　〃We；〃　said　the　huge；　broad　man；　〃are　no　more　gentlefolk　than　you。　The　name　I　was　born　with　is　nothing　like　Courtenay；　but　simply　Ben。　That　was　in　a　poor　village　too；　where　one　name　was　enough。　Ben　of　Purkinje；　some　call　me　now。　You've　heard　that　somewhere；　most　。likely；　within　the　past　four　years。　I'm　the　Ben　who　robbed　the　Blue　Temple；　and　they're　out　to　hunt　me　down。　I'm　pretty　sure　it　was　their　people　who　followed　you　here　last　night。〃
　〃And　my　name　is　really　Barbara；〃　the　lady　said　simply。　She　moved　one　small　pale　hand　in　a　gesture　that　took　in　the　luxury　of　the　terrace；　her　whole　house。　〃This　is　all　Blue　Temple　wealth；　or　was。　A　single　handful　of　their　chests　and　baskets　full　of　jewels。〃
　〃Ah。〃　Jord　nodded。　〃I've　heard　of　the　man　called　Ben　who　robbed　those　robbers。　That　story　has　gone　far　and　wide。。。〃
　The　lady　interrupted　him；　eagerly。　〃Since　you've　heard　the　stories；　you　must　have　heard　that　a　man　named　Mark　was　in　on　the　raid　with　Ben；　here。〃　Here　Barbara　really　smiled　at　Jord　for　the　first　time。　〃And　you　have　a　grown　son　named　Mark；　don't　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　the　man　on　the　couch。　〃It's　a　mon　enough　name。　Why？〃
　〃Because　it　is　the　same　Mark；〃　the　lady　said。　〃And　we　are　his　good　friends；　though　we　have　not　seen　him　for　a　long　time。　He　took　no　wealth　for　himself　from　the　Blue　Temple。　He's　still　out　there　soldiering；　in　Sir　Andrew's　army。　And　I'm　afraid　he　thinks　that　you　are　dead。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　their　visitor　again。　He　lay　back　flat；　and　closed　his　eyes；　and　clenched　his　fist。　His　lips　moved；　as　if　he　might　be　praying。　Then　he　opened　his　eyes　and　once　more　raised　himself　a　little　on　his　elbow。
　He　spoke　to　his　hosts　now　almost　as　if　he　were　their　prisoner　and　they　his　judges。　〃Mark　had　to　run　away　from　the　village；　that　day。。。　is　it　ten　years　now？　Almost。　He　had　to　take　Townsaver　and　get　away　with　it。　Yes；　he　saw　me　struck　down。　He　must　have　been　thinking　ever　since　that　I'd　been　killed。　He　wasn't　able　to　e　back；　nor　we　to　find　out　where　he　was。　So　much　happened；　we　had　to　leave　the　village。　We　never　had　any　news。。。〃
　Jord's　voice　changed　again；　happily　this　time。　〃Tell　me　about　him。　Still　soldiering；　you　say？　What。。？〃　He　obviously　had　so　many　questions　that　he　didn't　know　where　to　start。
　Again　someone　was　arriving　on　the　rooftop。　Jord　heard　a　door　close；　and　footsteps　came　crunching　lightly　along　the　graveled　path。　A　pause；　and　a　few　words　in　what　sounded　like　the　nursemaid's　voice。　Then　the　footsteps　resumed。　This　time　there　appeared　a　slender；　dark…haired　youth　who　was　introduced　to　Jord　as　Denis；　nicknamed　the　Quick。　He　greeted　the　older　man　courteously；　and　stood　there　rubbing　his　forearm　through　its　long　sleeve　as　if　it　might　be　sore。
　Jord　rubbed　his　arm…stump　again。　Already　it　seemed　that　the　swelling；　where　the　Sword　had　touched　him；　was　a　little　greater。
　Ben　asked　the　new　arrival；　〃What　news　from　the　streets？〃
　〃None　of　the　local　people　on　our　payroll　noticed　anything　out　of　the　way　around　midnight。　It　was　a　good　night　to　be　staying　in。〃
　〃Denis；〃　said　Ben；　〃sit　down。〃　And　he　indicated　an　unoccpuied　chair　nearby。　Then　he　turned　his　head　and　called：　〃Kuan…yin？　Take　the　baby　downstairs；　would　you？〃
　Presently　a　door　closed　again。　Four　people　looked　solemnly　at　one　another。　Ben　said　to　his　young　employee；　〃There's　one　thing　we've　not　told　you　about　Jord　yet。　His　reason　for　ing　here。〃　And　at　that　point　Ben　paused；　seemingly　not　knowing　quite　what　to　say　next。
　His　wife　put　in；　〃You　must　know　by　now；　Denis；　where　our　political　sympathies　lie。〃
　〃The　same　as　mine；　Mistress；〃　the　young　man　murmured。　〃Or；　indeed；　I　wouldn't　be　here　now。〃　But　he　knew　that　was　not　true；　he　would　have　stayed　anyway；　to　be　near　her。　Might　he　have　stayed　to　be　near　Kuan…yin？　That　was　more　problematical。
　Ben　said　to　him；　〃You　also　know　that　our　guest　here　is　a　secret　courier；　if　not　the　details。　And；　as　you　can　see；　someone　else　is　now　going　to　have　to　do　the　job。　It　can't　wait；　and　Jord　can't　walk。〃
　Jord　was　listening　silently；　frowning　but　not　interfering。
　〃I　can't　leave　town　right　now；　nor　can　Barbara。　It'll　be　a　well…paid　job；　Denis；　if　you'll　do　it。〃
　〃Please　do　it；〃　the　lady　of　the　house　urged　softly。
　Denis　could　feel　his　cheeks　changing　color　a　little。　He　indicated　agreement；　almost　violently。　〃I'll　need　no　special　pay；　sir；　mistress。〃
　Jord　was　still　frowning　at　Denis　intently。
　Barbara；　correctly　interpreting　this　look；　hasted　to　reassure　the　older　man。　〃Denis　came　to　us　a　year　and　a　half　ago；　on　the　remendation　of　the　White　Temple。　We　had　gone　to　them　and　told　them　we　were　looking　for　a　likely；　honest　prospect　to　be　trained　to　help　us　in　our　business。　A　lot　of　people　recruit　workers　there；　you　know。〃
　Jord　asked　Denis：　〃How　long　were　you　there；　at　the　White　Temple？〃
　〃Three　years；　a　little　more。〃
　〃And　why　were　you　ready　to　leave？〃
　Denis　shrugged。　〃They　were　good　people；　they　saved　my　life。　And　it　was　good　to　serve　Ardneh　for　a　time。　But　then。。。〃　He　made　a　gesture；　of　something　fading；　falling　away。
　〃You　must　have　been　only　half　grown　when　you　went　to　them。〃
　〃And　half　dead　also。　They　picked　me　up　out　of　the　street　after　a　gang　fight；　and　brought　me　back　to　life。　I　owed　them　much；　but　I　think　I　repaid　their　help　in　the　time　that　I　was　there。　We　parted　on　good　terms。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Jord。　He　appeared　to　have　relaxed　a　little。　He　looked　at　Ben；　and　said；　〃Well　sir；　the　matter's　in　your　hands；　not　mine。　Maybe　sending　this　lad　is　the　best　choice　now。〃
　Ben　cast　a　cautious　look　around；　though　he　must　have　been　already　certain　that　they　were　secure　against　being　overheard。　Then　he　said　quietly　to　Denis；　〃You'll　be　carrying　two　Swords。〃　〃Two；〃　said　Denis；　almost　inaudibly；　and　he　swallowed。
　〃Yes。　They're　both　here　in　the　house　now；　and　I　think　we　must　get　them　away　as　quickly　as　we　can；　since　we　must　assume　now　that　the　enemy　are　watching　the　house。　The　city　authorities　are　disposed　to　be　friendly　to　me；　but　of　course　the　Lord　Mayor　is　ultimately　responsible　to　the　Silver　Queen　as　his　overlord。　And　she；　as　we　all　know；　is　at　least　sometimes　an　ally　of　Vilkata；　and　of　the　Blue　Temple　too。　So　we　cannot　depend　with　any　certainty　on　the　Lord　Mayor's　friendship；　or　even　on　his　looking　the　other　way　as　we　do　certain　things。〃
　〃I'll　do　my　best。　I'll　get　them　there　safely；〃　said　Denis　suddenly。　He　looked　at　Barbara　as　he　said　it。　And　she；　smiling　her　approval；　could　see　a　pulse　beating　suddenly　in　his　lean　throat。
　〃Good；〃　said　Ben。　〃You're　not　going　to　take　them　to　the　Princess；　though。　You'll　take　them　in　the　other　direction；　to　Sir　Andrew。　I　fear　someone's　already　waiting　to　waylay　you　on　the　road　to　Princess　Rimac。　After　what　happened　here　last　night　I　can　almost　feel　it。〃
　Jord　nodded　agreement；　slowly　and　reluctantly。　〃We　must　get　t