fs.thethirdbookofswords-第21部分

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hance。　Don't　try　to　fight　with　Woundhealer；　though。　Not　if　your　idea　is　to　carve　up　someone　instead　of　making　him　feel　good。〃
　But　so　far　there　had　not　been　the　remotest　danger　of　a　fight。　So　far　the　journey's　only　physical　excitement　had　been　provided　by　occasional　thunderstorms；　threatening　the　traveler　with　lightning　and　drenching　white　robes　that　had　not　been　waterproofed。
　On　Denis's　fifth　day　out　he　passed　through　calm　farm　country；　in　lovely　weather。　That　night　he　again　made　camp　on　a　small　island。
　And　dreamed；　as　he　often　did；　of　women。　Kuan…yin；　the　governess　he　had　embraced　in　real　life；　and　thought　of　marrying；　beckoned　to　him。　And　tonight　he　dreamed　also　of　the　mistress　of　the　House　of　Courtenay；　who　in　real　life　had　never　touched　him　except　to　bind　his　wounded　arm。　Denis　dreamed　that　she　who　he　had　known　as　the　Lady　Sophie　had　e　to　visit　him　in　his　room　beside　the　workshop。　She　sat　on　his　cot　there　and　smiled；　and　held　his　hand；　and　thanked　him　for　something　he　had　done；　or　was　perhaps　about　to　do。　Her　white　robe　was　in　disarray；　hanging　open；　but　incredibly　she　seemed　not　to　notice。
　The　dream　was　just　approaching　its　moment　of　greatest　tension；　when　Denis　awoke。　He　lay　in　warm　moonlight；　with　the　sense　that　the　world　to　which　he　had　awakened　was　only　a　perfected　dream。　There　was　a　scent　in　the　air　…　of　riverside　flowers？　…　incredibly　sweet　and　beautiful；　too　subtle　to　be　called　perfume。
　And　there　was　in　the　air　also　something　else。　A　fearless　excitement。　Denis's　blood　throbbed　with　oneiric　anticipation；　of　he　knew　not　what。　Yet　he　knew　that　he　was　wide　awake。
　He　looked　along　the　river；　his　gaze　caught　by　the　path　of　reflected　moonlight。　He　saw　a　shadow；　as　of　some　drifting　boat；　enter　upon　that　path。　It　was　some　kind　of　craft　…　a　barge；　he　thought　…　speckled　with　its　own　small　lights；　and　moving　in　perfect　silence。　Almost　perfect。　A　moment　more；　and　Denis　could　hear　the　gentle　splash　and　drip　of　oars。
　As　the　barge　drew　closer；　he　could　see　that　it　was　larger　than　he　had　thought　at　first；　so　large　that　he　wondered　how　it　managed　to　navigate　the　narrower　places　in　this　small　river。　The　lights　along　its　low　sides　were　softly　glowing　amber　lamps；　as　steady　as　the　Old　World　light　that　Denis　was　familiar　with；　but　vastly　subtler。
　Denis　was　on　his　feet　now。　He　still　had　no　doubts　that　he　was　awake；　and　he　was　conscious　of　being　more　or　less　his　ordinary　self。　Whatever　was　happening　to　him　now　was　real；　but　he　had　no　sense　of　danger；　only　of　thrilling　promise。　He　moved　a　step　closer　to　the　bank；　the　water　murmuring　like　lovers'　laughter　at　his　feet。　He　stood　there　leaning　on　the　upended　bottom　of　the　canoe　that　he　had　prudently　pulled　out　of　the　river　before　retiring。
　As　the　barge　drew　closer　still；　Denis　could　see　that　it　bore　amidships　a　small　house　or　pavilion；　covered　by　an　awning　of　some　fine　cloth。　Just　forward　of　this　there　was　a　throne…like　chair　or　lounge；　all　centered　between　two　rows　of　strangely　silent　and　briefly　costumed　young　women　rowers。
　A　woman　was　reclining　upon　the　lounge；　in　the　middle　of　a　mass　of　pillows。　With　only　the　Moon　behind　her；　and　the　dim　lamps　on　her　boat；　Denis　could　see　her　at　first　only　by　hints　and　outlines。　At　first　his　heated　imagination　assured　him　that　she　was　wearing　nothing　at　all。　But　presently　his　eyes　were　forced　to　admit　the　fact　of　a　garment；　more　shimmering　mist　and　starlight；　it　seemed；　than　any　kind　of　cloth。　Most　of　the　woman's　body　was　enclosed　by　this　veil；　though　scarcely　any　of　it　was　concealed。
　Denis's　heart　lurched　within　him；　and　he　understood。　A　name　sprang　into　his　mind；　and　he　might　have　spoken　it　aloud；　but　just　at　that　moment　he　lacked　the　breath　to　say　anything　at　all。　He　had　never　seen　a　god　or　goddess　in　his　life　before；　and　had　never　really　expected　to　see　one　before　he　died。
　In　response　to　some　mand　unseen　and　unheard　by　Denis；　the　inhumanly　silent　rowers　stopped；　in　unison。　He　was　vaguely　aware；　even　without　looking　directly　at　them　for　a　moment；　of　how　ely　they　all　were；　and　how　provocatively　dressed。　With　the　Goddess　of　Love　herself　before　his　eyes；　he　could　not　have　looked　at　any　of　them　if　he　had　tried。
　The　barge；　under　a　control　that　had　to　be　more　than　natural；　came　drifting　very　slowly　and　precisely　toward　Denis　on　the　island。　From　inside　the　cabin　…　he　thought　…　there　came　a　strain　of　music；　lovely　as　the　perfume；　to　waft　across　the　small　width　of　water　that　remained。　Every　note　was　framed　in　perfect　silence　now　that　the　silvery　trickle　from　the　oars　had　stopped。
　With　an　undulating　movement　Aphrodite　rose　from　her　couch；　to　stand　in　a　pose　of　unstrained　grace。
　〃Young　man？〃　she　called　to　Denis　softly。　The　voice　of　the　goddess　was　everything　that　her　appearance　had　suggested　it　might　be。　〃I　must　speak　with　you。〃
　Denis　started　toward　her　and　stumbled。　He　discovered　that　it　was　necessary　to　make　his　way　around　some　large　and　unfamiliar　object　…　oh　yes；　it　was　his　canoe　…　that　somehow　happened　to　be　right　in　his　path。
　〃Lady；〃　he　choked　out；　〃I　am　yours　to　mand。　What　would　you　have　of　me？〃　At　this　point　he　became　aware　that　he　had　just　fallen　on　his　knees　with　a　loud　squelching　sound；　right　in　the　riverside　mud。　This　would　not　have　mattered　in　the　least；　except　that　it　might　tend　to　make　the　goddess　think　that　he　was　clumsy；　and　when　he　got　up；　she　was　sure　to　see　how　muddy　his　white　robes　had　got；　and　he　feared　that　she　might　laugh。
　So　far；　thank　all　the　gods　and　goddesses；　she　was　not　laughing　at　him。
　〃Young　man；〃　said　Aphrodite；　〃I　know　that　you　are　carrying　two　Swords　with　you。　I　understand　that　one　of　them　is　the　one　that　heals。　And　the　other。。。　well；　I　forget　at　the　moment　what　they　told　me　about　the　other。　But　that　doesn't　matter　just　now。　I　want　you　to　hand　both　of　them　over　to　me　at　once。　If　you　are　quick　enough　about　it　I　will　perhaps　allow　you　to　kiss　me。〃　The　goddess　paused　for　just　a　moment；　and　gave　Denis　a　tiny　smile。　〃Who　knows　what　I　might　allow；　on　such　a　romantic　night　as　this？〃
　〃Kiss　me；〃　Denis　echoed　vacantly。　Then；　giving　a　mad　bound；　he　was　up　out　of　the　mud　and　on　his　feet；　stumbling　and　splashing　about。　He　had　to　find　the　two　Swords　she　was　talking　about　…　where　were　they；　anyway？　…　and　give　them　to　her。　What　else　was　he　going　to　do　with　them；　anyway？　They　were　in　the　canoe。。。　where　was　the　canoe？
　He　tripped　over　it　and　almost　tumbled　himself　back　into　the　mud　before　he　really　saw　it。　Then　he　broke　a　fingernail　getting　the　craft　turned　rightside　up。
　Aphrodite　encouraged　him　in　a　friendly　way。　〃That's　it。　They're　hidden　right　in　the　bottom　of　your　little　boat　or　whatever　it　is　there　…　but　then　I　suppose　you　know　that。〃　The　goddess　sounded　mildly　impatient　with　his　clumsiness　…　how　could　she　not　be？　But　she　did　not　yet　sound　angry；　Denis　silently　offered　thanks。
　He　thought　he　was　going　to　lose　another　finger…nail　getting　the　trick　board　pried　up。　Then　he　realized　that　he　would　do　a　lot　better　prying　with　a　knife　instead。
　Aphrodite　slowly　approached　the　near　side　rail　of　her　luxurious　barge。　Gracefully　she　knelt　there　upon　a　small　mound　of　silken　cushions；　between　two　of　her　inhumanly　beautiful　rowers。　They　paid　her　no　attention。
　〃Be　quick；　young　man！　I　need　what　you　are　going　to　give　me。〃　The　goddess　beckoned　with　one　hand；　and　her　voice；　melded　with　her　laughter；　stretched　out　in　silken　double　meaning。　Her　laughter；　Denis　desperately　assured　himself；　was　not　really　meant　to　be　unkind。　Yet　still　it　somehow　wounded　him。
　He　pried　with　his　knife；　and　the　small　nails　holding　the　board　came　squeaking　out。　The　hidden　partment　lay　open；　its　contents　exposed　to　moonlight。
　Aphrodite；　to　get　a　better　look；　gave　a　pert　little　kneeling　jump；　a　movement　of　impossible　grace　that　made　the　softer　portions　of　her　body　bounce。　What　color　was　her　hair？　Denis　asked　himself　desperately。　And　what　about　her　skin？　In　the　moonlight　he　could　not　tell；　and　anyway　it　did　not　matter　in　the　least。　And　was　she　really　tall　or　short；　voluptuous　or　thin？　From　moment　to　moment　all　those　things　seemed　to　change；　with　only　the　essence　of　her　sex　remaining　constant。
　Now　she　was　standing　at　the　rail　of　her　craft。　The　barge　continued　to　drift　minutely　in　toward　shore；　ignoring　the　current　even　though　the　oars　were　raised　and　idle。
　〃Be　quick；　young　man；　be　quick。〃　There　was　a　hint　of　impatience　in　her　voice。
　Denis；　groping　almost　sightlessly　for　his　treasure　to　hand　it　over；　felt　his　hand　fall　first　upon　Woundhealer。　Somehow　he　could　identify　the　Sword　from　its　first　touch。　Humbly　he　brought　it　out；　sheathed　as　it　was；　and　with　a　kind　of　genuflection　handed　it　over；　hilt…first；　to　the　goddess。　She　accepted　it；　with　a　sprightly　one…handed　gesture　that　showed　how　strong　her　smooth　young…looking　arm　could　be。
　She　held　the　Sword　of　Mercy　sheathed；　and　said：　〃The　other　one　now。　And　then　I　believe　that　perhaps　you　will　have　earned　a　kiss。〃
　He　fumbled　in　the　bottom　of　the　canoe　again；　and　brought　out　Doomgiver。
　This　Sword　he　held　with　one　hand　supporting　its　sheathed　blade；　and　the　other　holding　the　hilt；　and　through　the　hilt　he　felt　a　flow　of　strange　and　unfamiliar　power。　It　gave　him　a　sense　of　steady　certitude。　The　sheath　seemed　to　fall　free　of　itself；　the　Sword　was　drawn。
　Denis　straigh