fs.thethirdbookofswords-第50部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　The　people　who　were　grappling　the　Smith　down　tried　to　explain。　〃pletely　mad；　he　thinks　he's　Vulcan。〃　And　a　kind　of　exhausted　laugh　went　round　among　them。
　An　aged　priestess　of　Ardneh；　looking　wise　and　kind；　came　to　take　the　useless　Sword　out　of　the　madman's　grasp。　It　came　to　her　easily　out　of　his　cramped　grip。
　〃To　keep　you　from　hurting　yourself；　poor　fellow；　or　anyone　else。。。　my；　what　a　weapon。〃　The　priestess　blinked　at　the　Sword。　〃This　must　be　put　away；　in　safety　somewhere。〃
　〃I'll　take　it；〃　said　Ben。
　The　old　woman　looked　into　the　huge　man's　eyes；　and　sighed。　〃Yes；　you　take　it。　There　is　no　one　better　here；　I　think。　Now　we　must　bind　this　poor　fellow　for　a　while；　so　he　does　no　more　harm。　How　strong　he　is！　…　ah；　such　a　waste。　But　these　cords　will　hold　him；　carefully；　for　we　must　do　it　out　of　love。〃
　Chapter　19
　In　all　of　his　fifty　thousand　and　more　years　of　life；　the　creature　named　Draffut；　the　Lord　of　Beasts；　had　never　been　closer　to　death　than　he　was　now。　Yet　life；　his　almost　inextinguishable　life；　remained　in　him。　He　clung　to　it；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　because　there　was　an　injured　human　being　nearby；　who　cried　out　from　time　to　time　in　his　own　pain。　Draffut；　still　true　to　his　own　nature；　felt　pelled　to　find　a　way　to　help　that　man。
　But　he　was　unable　to　do　anything　to　help　the　man；　unable　even　to　move　enough　to　help　himself。　The　very　stream　that　laved　his　wounds　seemed　to　be　slowly　drawing　his　life　away　instead　of　assisting　him　to　heal。
　It　was　daylight　…　whether　of　the　last　day　of　the　fight；　or　some　day　after　that；　he　was　not　sure　…　when　he　became　aware　that　another　presence；　intelligent　but　not　human；　was　approaching　him。
　The　Beastlord　opened　his　eyes　slowly。　A　goddess；　recognizable　to　him　as　Aphrodite；　was　standing　above　him　at　a　little　distance；　looking　down　at　him　where　he　still　lay　in　the　mud　at　the　water's　edge。
　Aphrodite　was　standing　just　where　Vulcan　had　stood；　and　there　was　a　Sword　in　her　hands　too。　But　Draffut　knew　at　once　that　this　was　different　than　Vulcan's　approach；　and　he　felt　no　fear　as　she　drew　near　him；　and　raised　the　Sword。
　It　struck　at　him；　and　he　cried　out　with　a　pang　of　new　life；　as　sharp　as　pain。　〃Woundhealer；〃　he　said；　suddenly　strong　enough　to　talk　again。　〃And　you　are　Aphrodite。〃
　〃And　you　are　the　Healer；〃　she　said。　〃Therefore　I　think　it　right　that　you　should　have　this　Sword。　Humans　quarrel　and　fight　over　this　one；　even　as　they　do　with　all　the　others。　So　I　took　it　back　from　them。　And　I　am　weary　of　trying　to　decide　what　to　do　with　it　next　…　so　much　love　allows　but　little　time　for　pleasure。〃
　With　a　motion　marked　by　a　slight　endearing　awkwardness；　she　dropped　the　Sword　of　Mercy　on　the　surface　of　the　mud　beside　him。
　Draffut；　able　to　move　again；　put　out　his　huge　hand；　weakly　and　slowly；　and　touched　the　blade。　〃I　thank　you；　goddess；　for　your　gift　of　life。〃
　〃There　are　many　who　have　life　because　of　me。。。　ah；　already　I　feel　better　too；　to　be　rid　of　it。　But　that　Sword　suits　you；　I　think。　You　are　not　much　like　me。〃
　〃Except　in　one　way。　We　are　both　of　us　creations　of　humanity。　But　I　only　in　part。　And　out　of　their　science；　not　their　dreams。　I　will　still　exist；　if　…　when　…　humanity　changes　its　collective　mind　about　me。〃
　The　goddess　tossed　her　perfect　hair　…　and　was　it　pure　gold；　or　raven　black？　〃You　say　that　about　us；　but　I　don't　believe　it。　If　humanity　created　us；　the　gods　and　goddesses；　then　who　could　possibly　have　created　them？　But　never　mind；　I　am　tired　of　all　this　philosophy　and　argument。　There　seems　to　be　no　end　to　it　of　late。　I　think　the　world　is　changing。〃
　〃Again。　It　always　does。〃　And　now　Draffut　was　dragging　himself　to　his　feet。　The　mud　that　had　caked　upon　his　fur　when　he　was　dying　was　falling　off　now；　crumbling　and　twisting　even　as　it　fell；　moving　in　the　glow　of　the　renewed　life　within　him。
　Painfully；　a　stopped；　slow　giant　carrying　the　Sword　of　Mercy；　he　began　to　make　his　way　across　the　muddy　ground　toward　the　injured　man。
　Rostov　listened　long　and　intently　to　what　his　latest　and　best　source　of　information　had　to　tell　him　about　what　was　going　on　inside　the　walls　of　Tashigang；　and　what　had　happened　last　night　during　the　outrageous；　heroic　sally　against　the　Dark　King's　camp。
　One　of　Rostov's　patrols　had　luckily　picked　up　the　young　man；　who　was　carrying　Coinspinner　in　his　right　hand；　in　the　garden　of　one　of　the　abandoned　suburban　villas　along　the　Corgo。
　〃Trust　a　bad　copper　to　turn　up；〃　the　General　had　growled　at　first　sight　of　him；　then　he　had　allowed　his　steel…bearded　face　to　split　in　a　tight　grin。　〃The　Princess　will　be　anxious　to　see　you；　Mark。　No；　I　shouldn't　call　you　that；　should　I？　What's　the　proper　term　of　address　for　an　Emperor's　son？〃
　〃For。。。　who？　The　Princess；　you　say？〃　the　wounded　youth　had　answered　weakly。　〃Where　is　she？〃
　〃Not　far　away。　Not　far。。。〃　Rostov　still　grinned。　He　could　begin　to　see　now　what　the　Princess　had　seen　all　along　in　this　tough　young　man。　Who；　as　it　now　turned　out；　not　only　had　good　stuff　in　him；　but　Imperial　blood。　That　was　evidently；　in　the　rarefied　realm　of　magic　and　politics　where　these　things　were　decided；　something　of　acceptable　importance。　Rostov　was　glad　…　it　was　time　that　Tasavalta　had　some　sturdy　warrior　monarchs　on　the　throne　again。
　On　a　field　not　many　kilometers　from　Tashigang；　the　armies　of　Yambu　and　Vilkata　confronted　each　other；　in　a　dawn　dimmed　almost　to　midnight　by　an　impending　thunderstorm。　The　Silver　Queen　was　preparing　herself　to　draw　Soulcutter。　She　knew　that　she　would　have　to　do　so　before　the　Dark　King　brought　the　Mindsword　into　range；　if　not；　her　army　would　be　lost　to　her；　and　she　herself　perhaps　maddened　into　being　Vilkata's　slave。
　She　had　recently　received　a　strange　report：　first　the　god　Vulcan　had　been　seen　inside　the　city；　bound　helplessly　by　the　gentle　hands　of　white…robed　priestesses　and　priests；　and　then　he　was　gone　again。　Some　said　that　an　angry　unarmed　mob　had　seized　the　Smith；　and　the　wooden　frame　he　had　been　bound　to；　and　had　thrown　him　in　the　river；　and　he　had　floated　out　of　the　city　through　the　lower　gates。
　Queen　Yambu　thought：　and　is　the　world　now　to　belong　to　us　humans；　after　all？　If　we　can　overthrow　the　gods；　and　kill　them　possibly。　Not　that　they　had　ever　bothered　to　rule　the　world　when　it　was　theirs。　Perhaps　it　has　been　ours　all　along。
　Without　really　being　startled；　she　became　aware　that　a　man　was　standing　in　the　doorway　of　her　tent；　and　gazing　in　at　her　impertinently。　She　assumed　he　was　one　of　her　officers；　and　was　about　to　speak　sharply　to　him　for　staring　at　her　thus；　when　she　realized　that　he　was　not　one　of　her　own　men　at　all。　The　words　died　on　her　lips。
　His　face　was　in　shadow；　and　not　until　she　shifted　her　own　position　did　she　see　the　mask。　〃You；〃　she　said。
　He　came　in　uninvited；　pulled　the　mask　off　and　helped　himself　to　a　seat；　grinning　at　her　lightly。　He　had　not　changed　at　all。　Outside　she　could　still　hear　the　sentries　walking　their　rounds；　unaware　that　anyone　had　passed　them。
　The　Emperor　said　to　her：　〃I　still　have　not　had　my　answer。〃
　It　took　the　Queen　a　moment　to　understand　what　he　was　talking　about。　〃You　once　asked　me　to　marry　you。　Can　that　be　what　you　mean？〃
　〃It　can。　Didn't　you　realize　that　I　was　going　to　insist　on　an　answer；　sooner　or　later？〃
　〃No；　I　really　didn't。　Not　after。。。　what　happened　to　our　daughter。　Have　you　forgotten　about　her？　Or　is　this　visit　just　another　of　your　insane　jokes？〃
　〃I　have　not　forgotten　her。　She　has　been　living　with　me。〃　When　Queen　Yambu　stared　at　him；　he　went　on　calmly：　〃Ariane　was　badly　hurt；　about　four　years　ago；　as　you　know。　But　she's　much　better　now。　She　and　I　have　not　talked　about　you　much；　but　I　think　that　she　might　want　to　meet　you　again　some　day。〃
　The　Silver　Queen　continued　to　stare　at　her　former　lover。　At　last　she　said；　〃My　reports；　and　I　have　reason　to　trust　them；　said　that　Ariane　was　killed；　in　the　treasure…dungeon　of　the　Blue　Temple。〃
　The　Emperor　scowled　his　distaste　for　that　organization。　〃Many　have　died；　in　that。。。　place。　But　Ariane　did　not　die　there。　Even　though　the　young　men　with　her　at　the　time　were　also　sure　that　she　was　dead。　One　of　those　young　men　is　my　son；　did　you　know　that？　I　like　to　take　care　of　my　children；　whenever　I　can。　She　is　not　dead。〃
　And　still　Queen　Yambu　stared　at　him。　She　could　not　shake　off　her　suspicion　that　this　was　all　one　of　his　jokes；　perhaps　the　prelude　to　a　hideous　revenge　…　she　had　never　been　sure；　even　when　they　had　been　lovers；　whether　he　was　a　vengeful　man　or　not。
　At　last　her　royal　poise　abandoned　her　for　the　moment；　and　she　stammered　out：　〃I　…　I　sold　her　to　the　Red　Temple。〃
　The　frown　was　turned　at　her　now；　and　briefly　she　understood　what　ancient　Imperial　power　must　have　been；　that　Kings　and　Queens　had　quaked　before　it。
　〃I　might　have　killed　you　for　that；　if　I　had　known　about　it　when　it　happened。　But　years　have　passed；　and　you　are　sorry　for　that　selling　now。　She　has　survived；　and　so　have　I。　And　so　have　you。〃
　In　anger　she　regained　her　strength。　〃I　have　survived　without　you；　you　impossible。。。　and　you　say　you　want　to　marry　me；　still？　How　do　I　know　you　mean　what　you　are　saying　now？〃
　〃How　do　you　know　when　to　trust　anyone；　my　dear？　You'll　have　to　make　a　choice。〃
　She　wanted　to　cry　out　that　she　did　not　know　when　to　trust　anyone；　that　was　her　whole　problem。