fs.thethirdbookofswords-第5部分

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　Quietly　the　mistress　said　to　her　husband：　〃We　don't　want　to。。。〃　She　let　the　statement　trail　off　there；　but　Denis　listening　had　the　strong　impression　that　her　next　words　would　have　been：　arouse　suspicion。
　Whatever　meaning　the　master　read　into　her　halfvoiced　thought；　he　nodded　his　agreement　with　it。　Looking　at　Denis；　he　ordered：　〃Say　nothing　to　them　about　our　visitor。　We've　seen　no　one　tonight。〃
　〃If　they　want　to　search？〃
　〃Leave　that　to　me。　But　pick　up　your　hatchet　again；　just　in　case。〃
　When　all　three　of　the　people　inside　were　ready；　Courtenay　undid　the　bars　and　opened　the　door　again。　In　the　very　next　instant　he　had　to　demonstrate　extraordinary　agility　for　a　man　of　his　weight；　by　jumping　back　out　of　the　way　of　a　blow　from　a　short　sword。
　The　three　men　who　had　e　bursting　in；　dressed　though　they　were　in　the　Lord　Mayor's　livery　of　gray　and　green；　were　plainly　not　the　Watch。　Denis　with　his　hatchet　was　able　to　stand　off　the　first　rush　of　one　of　them；　armed　with　a　long　knife　in　each　hand。　Another　of　the　intruders　started　toward　Lady　Sophie。　But　her　right　arm　rose　from　her　side；　drawing　into　a　whirling　blur　the　sling's　long　leather　strands。　Whatever　missile　had　been　cradled　in　the　leather　cup　now　blasted　stone　fragments　out　of　the　wall　beside　the　man's　head；　giving　him　pause；　giving　her　the　necessary　moment　to　reload　her　weapon。
　〃Ben　of　Purkinje！〃　cried　out　the　third　invader；　hacking　again　at　Master　Courtenay　with　his　sword。　〃Greetings　from　the　Blue　Temple！〃　This　attacker　was　tall；　and　looked　impressively　strong。
　Master　Courtenay；　after　advising　Denis　to　be　armed；　had　himself　been　caught　embarrassingly　unarmed　on　the　side　of　the　room　away　from　the　rack　of　weapons。　He　had　to　improvise；　and　out　of　the　miscellany　of　tools　around　the　forge　grabbed　up　a　long；　iron…handled　casting　ladle。　It　was　a　clumsy　thing　to　try　to　swing　against　a　sword；　but　the　master　of　the　house　had　awesome　strength；　and　now　demonstrated　good　nerves　as　well。　For　the　time　being　he　was　holding　his　own；　managing　to　protect　himself。
　The　man　who　had　started　after　the　Lady　Sophie　now　turned　back；　indecisively；　as　if　to　give　the　swordsman　aid。　It　was　an　error。　In　the　next　instant　the　second　stone　from　the　sling　hit　him　in　the　back　of　the　head　and　knocked　him　down。　The　sound　of　the　impact　and　the　way　he　fell　showed　that　for　him　the　fight　was　over。
　Denis　was　distracted　by　the　lady's　achievement　unwisely；　for　a　moment　later　he　felt　the　point　of　one　of　his　opponent's　long　knives　catch　in　the　flesh　of　his　forearm。　The　hatchet　fell　from　Denis's　grip　to　the　stone　floor。　Scrambling　away　from　the　knives；　clearing　a　low　bench　in　a　somersaulting　dive；　Denis　the　Quick　lived　up　to　his　nickname　well　enough　to　keep　himself　alive。
　He　heard　one　of　the　bigger　workbenches　go　over　with　a　crash；　and　now　he　saw　that　Master　Courtenay　had　somehow　managed　to　catch　his　own　attacker　by　the　swordarm　…　maybe　the　fellow　had　also　been　distracted；　dodging　feints　of　a　slung　stone。　Anyway　it　was　now　going　to　be　a　wrestling　match　…　but　no；　it　really　wasn't。　In　another　instant　the　swordsman；　bellowing　his　surprise；　had　been　lifted　clean　off　his　feet；　and　in　the　instant　after　that　Denis　saw　him　slaughtered　like　a　rabbit；　his　back　broken　against　the　angle　of　the　heavy；　tilted　table。
　The　knife…wielder　who　had　wounded　Denis　had　now　changed　his　strategy　and　was　scrambling　after　the　lady。　Suddenly　bereft　of　friends；　he　needed　a　hostage。　Denis；　reckless　of　his　own　safety；　and　wounded　as　he　was；　threw　himself　in　the　attacker's　way　before　the　man　could　e　within　a　knifethrust　of　the　mistress。　Denis　had　one　quick　glimpse　of　the　lady；　her　white　robe　half　undone；　scooting　successfully　on　hands　and　knees　to　get　away。
　And　now　Denis　was　on　his　back；　and　the　knife　was　ing　down　at　him　instead　…　but　before　it　reached　him；　the　arm　that　held　it　was　knocked　aside　by　a　giant's　blow　from　the　long　ladle。　The　iron　weight　brushed　aside　the　barrier　of　an　arm　to　mash　into　the　knifer's　cheekbone；　delivering　most　of　its　energy　there　with　an　effect　of　devastation。　Denis　rolled　aside；　paused　to　look　back；　and　allowed　himself　to　slow　to　a　panting　halt。　The　fight　was　definitely　over。
　In　the　workshop；　only　three　sets　of　lungs　were　breathing　still。
　The　lady；　pulling　her　robe　around　her　properly　once　more　（even　amid　surrounding　blood；　terror；　and　danger；　that　momentary　vision　of　her　body　was　still　with　Denis；　he　thought　that　it　would　always　be。）　Now　she　let　herself　slide　down　slowly　until　she　was　sitting　on　the　floor　with　her　back　against　one　of　the　upset　benches。　Evidently　more　angered　then　terrified　by　the　experience；　she　said　to　her　husband　acidly；　〃You　are　quite；　quite　sure；　are　you；　that　they　represent　the　Watch？〃
　Coutenay；　still　on　his　feet；　looking　stupid；　breathing　heavily；　could　only　mumble　something。
　Once　more　there　came　the　sound　of　pounding　on　a　door；　acpanied　by　urgent　voices。　But　this　time　the　noise　was　originating　within　the　house。　The　door　that　closed　off　the　ascending　stair　was　being　rattled　and　shaken；　while　from　behind　it　a　man's　voice　shouted：　〃Mistress！　Master！　Denis；　are　you　all　right？　What's　going　on？〃
　The　master　of　the　house　cast　down　his　long　iron　ladle。　He　stood　for　a　moment　contemplating　his　own　bloodied　hands　as　if　he　wondered　how　they　might　have　got　that　way。　Denis　saw　an　unprecedented　tremor　in　those　hands。　Then　Courtenay　drew　a　deep　breath；　raised　his　head；　and　called　back；　almost　calmly；　〃It's　all　right；　Tarim。　A　little　problem；　but　we've　solved　it。　Be　patient　for　a　moment　and　I'll　explain。〃
　In　an　aside　he　added：　〃Denis；　help　me　get　these。。。　no；　you're　hurt　yourself。　Sit　down　first　and　bind　that　up。　Barb；　you　help　me　with　these　visitors。　Drag　'em　around　behind　that　bench　and　we'll　throw　a　tarp　over　'em。〃
　Denis；　in　mild　shock　now　with　his　wound；　took　a　moment　to　register　the　unfamiliar　name。　Barb？　Never　before　had　he　heard　the　master；　or　anyone　else；　call　the　lady　that。。。　it　wasn't　going　to　be　easy；　he　realized；　to　bind　up　his　own　arm　unaided。　Anyway；　the　wound　didn't　look　like　it　was　going　to　kill　him。
　Courtenay；　while　keeping　busy　himself；　was　still　giving　orders。　〃Now　close　the　street　door。〃　He　dropped　a　dead　man　where　he　wanted　him；　and　pulled　out　a　heavy　tarpaulin　from　its　storage。　〃No；　wait；　let　Tarim　see　it　standing　open。　We'll　say　some　brigands　got　in　somehow；　and。。。〃
　Tarim　and　the　other　awakened　staff　were　presently　allowed　to　e　crowding　in。　Whether　they　fully　believed　the　vague　story　about　brigands　or　not；　they　took　their　cue　from　their　master's　manner　and　were　too　wise　to　question　it。　The　outer　door　was　closed　and　barred。　Tarim　himself　had　to　be　dissuaded　from　standing　watch　in　the　workshop　for　the　rest　of　the　night；　and　eventually　he　and　all　the　others　were　on　their　way　back　to　bed。
　Alone　in　the　workshop　again；　the　three　who　had　done　the　fighting　exchanged　looks。　Then　they　got　busy。
　Courtenay　began　a　preliminary　clean…up；　while　the　mistress　applied　a　bandage　to　Denis's　forearm；　following　his　directions。　Her　small　fingers；　soft；　white；　and　pampered；　did　not　shrink　from　bloody　contact。　They　managed　the　bandaging　quite　well；　using　some　of　the　cloth　that　had　been　brought　for　the　first　patient。
　When　the　job　was　done；　her　fingers　held　his　arm　a　moment　more。　Her　dark　eyes；　for　the　first　time　ever　（he　thought）　looked　at　him　with　something　more　than　the　wish　to　be　pleasant　to　a　servant。　She　said；　very　quietly　but　very　seriously；　〃You　saved　my　life；　Denis。　Thank　you。〃
　It　was　almost　as　if　no　woman　had　ever　touched　him　or　spoken　to　him　before。　Denis　muttered　something。　He　could　feel　the　blood　flowing　back　into　his　face。　What　foolishness；　he　told　himself。　He　and　this　lady　could　never。。。
　A　quick　look　at　the　stranger　now　occupying　Denis's　bed　showed　that　the　fight　in　the　next　room　had　not　disturbed　him。　He　was　still　unconscious；　breathing　shallowly。　Denis；　looking　at　him；　came　round　to　the　opinion　that　nothing　was　likely　to　disturb　this　man　again。　With　two　wounded　men　now　on　hand；　the　mistress　announced　that　she　was　going　upstairs　to　search　more　thoroughly　for　medical　materials。
　The　master　said　to　his　lady；　〃I'll　e　up　with　you；　we　have　to　talk。　Denis　can　manage　here　for　a　few　moments。〃
　The　two　of　them　climbed　in　thoughtful　silence；　past　the　level　where　Tarim　and　other　workers　slept；　past　the　next　floor　also。　Reaching　the　topmost　level　of　the　house；　they　passed　through　another　door　and　entered　a　domain　of　elegance。　This　began　with　a　wood…paneled　hall；　lit　now　by　the　flame　of　a　single　candle　in　a　wall　sconce。　Here　the　lady　turned　in　one　direction；　going　to　rummage　in　her　private　stocks　for　medical　materials。　The　master　turned　down　the　hall　the　other　way；　heading　for　a　closet　where　he　expected　to　find　a　fresh；　unbloodied　robe。
　Before　he　reached　the　room　that　held　the　closet；　he　was　intercepted　by　the　toddling　figure　of　a　knee…high　child；　an　apparition　followed　almost　immediately　by　that　of　an　apologetic　nurse。
　〃Oh　sir；　you're　hurt；〃　the　nurse　protested。　She　was　a　buxom　girl；　almost　a　grown　woman　now。　And　at　the　same　time　the　child　demanded：　〃Daddy！　Tell　story　now！〃　At　the　age　of　two　and　a　half；　the　little　girl　fortunately　already　showed　much　more　of　her　mother's　than　her　father's　looks。　Brazenly　wide　awake；　as　if　something　about　this　particular　n