fs.thethirdbookofswords-第6部分
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father's looks。 Brazenly wide awake； as if something about this particular night delighted her； she waited in her silken nightdress； small stuffed toy in hand。
The man spoke to the nursemaid first。 〃I'm all right； Kuan…yin。 The blood is nothing。 I'll put Beth back to bed； you go see if you can help your mistress find what she's looking for。〃
The nurse looked at him for a moment。 Then； like the other employees； wise enough to be incurious tonight； she moved away。
The huge man； who for the past four years had been trying to establish an identity as Master Courtenay； wiped drying gore from his huge hands onto a robe already stained。 With hands now steady； and almost clean； he bent to carefully pick up the living morsel he had discovered he valued more than his own life。
Carrying his daughter back to the nursery； he passed a window。 Through genuine glass and rainy night he had a passing view of the high city walls some hundreds of meters distant。 The real watch were keeping a fire burning atop the wall。 Another light； smaller and steadier； was visible in a slightly different direction； one of the upper windows glowing in the Lord Mayor's palace。 It looked as if someone was having a busy night there too； the observer could only hope that there was no connection。
Fortune was smiling on the huge man now； for he was able to remember the particular story that his daughter wanted； and to get through the telling of it with reasonable speed。 The child had just gone back to sleep； and the father was just on his way out of the nursery； shutting the door with infinite care behind him； when his wife reappeared； still wearing her stained white robe。
〃We have a moment；〃 she whispered； and drew him aside into their own bedroom。 When that door too had been softly closed； and they were securely alone； she added： 〃I've already taken the medicine downstairs to Denis。 He thinks that the man is probably going to die。。。 there's no doubt； is there； that he's the courier we're expecting？〃
〃I don't suppose there's much doubt about that； no。〃
The lady was slipping out of her bloodied robe now； and throwing it aside。 In the very dim light that came in through the barred window from those distant watchfires； her husband beheld her shapely body as a curved warmed silver candlestick； a pale ghost hardly thickened at all by having borne one child。 Once he had loved this woman hopelessly； and then another love had e to him； and gone again； dissolved in death。 Sometimes he still saw in dreams a cascade of bright red hair。。。 his love for his darkhaired wife still existed； but it was very different now。
As she dug into a chest to get another robe； she told him calmly； 〃One of those we killed tonight cried out； something like： 'Greetings to Ben of Purkinje； from the Blue Temple。' I'm sure that Denis heard it too。〃
〃We're going to have to trust Denis。 He's proved tonight he's loyal。 I think he saved your life。〃
〃Yes；〃 the lady agreed； in a remote voice。 〃Either trust him … or else kill him too。 Well。〃 She dismissed that thought； though not before taking a moment in which to examine it with deliberate care。 Then she looked hard at her husband。 〃And you called me Barb； too； once； down there in his hearing。〃
〃Did I？〃 He'd thought he'd broken himself long ago of calling her that。 Ben … he never really thought of himself as 〃of Purkinje〃 … heaved a great sigh。 〃So； anyway； the Blue Temple has caught up with me。 It probably doesn't matter what Denis overheard。〃
〃And they've caught up with me； too；〃 she reminded him sharply。 〃And with your daughter； whether they were looking for us or not。 It looked like they were ready to wipe out the household if they could。〃 She paused。 〃I hope they haven't located Mark。〃
Ben thought that over。 〃There's no way we can get any word to him quickly。 Is there？ I'm not sure just where he is。〃
〃No； I don't suppose we can。〃 Barbara； tightening the belt on her clean robe； shook her head thoughtfully。 〃And they came here right on the heels of the courier … did you notice that？ They must have been following him somehow； knowing that he'd lead them to us。〃 〃Too much of a coincidence otherwise。〃
〃Yes。 And the alliance still holds； I suppose； between Blue Temple and the Dark King。〃
〃Which means the Dark King's people may know about the courier too。 And about what we have in our possession here； that the courier was going to take away； if the rest of the shipment ever arrives。〃 He heaved another sigh。
〃What do we do； Ben？〃 His wife spoke softly now； standing close to him and looking up。 At average height he towered over her。
〃At the moment； we try to keep the courier alive； and see if he can tell us anything。 About Denis we're just going to have to trust him； as I say。 He's a good man。〃
He was about to open the bedroom door； but his wife's small hand on his arm delayed him。 〃Your hands；〃 she reminded him。 〃Your robe。〃
〃Right。〃 He poured water into a basin and quickly washed his hands； then changed his robe。 Half his mind was still down in the workshop； reliving the fight。 Already in his memory the living bodies he had just broken were taking on the aspects of creatures in some awful dream。 Te knew they were going to e back later to assail him。 Later perhaps his hands would shake again。 It was always like this for him after a fight。 He had to try to put it out of his mind for now。
While he was getting into his clean robe； Barbara said； 〃Ben； as soon as I saw that the man had only one arm； you know what I thought of。〃
〃Mark's father。 But Mark always told us that his father was dead。 He sounded quite sure of it。〃
〃Yes； I remember。 That he'd seen his father struck down in their village street。 But just suppose。。。〃
〃Yes。 Well； we've got enough to worry about as it is。
In another moment they were quietly making their way downstairs together。 The house around them was as quiet now as if everyone were really sleeping。 Ben could picture most of his workers lying awake； holding their breaths； waiting for the next crash。
In Denis's room on the ground floor they found the young man； his face pale under his dark hair； sitting watch over a stranger who still breathed； but barely。 The mistress immediately went to work； improving on her first effort at bandaging Denis's arm。 Ben thought he could see a little more color ing slowly back into the youth's cheeks。
And now； for the third time since midnight； a noise at the back door。 This time a modest tapping。
Something in Ben wanted to react with laughter。 〃Gods and demons； what a night。 My house has turned into the Hermes Gate to the High Road。〃
And now； for the third time； after making sure that his wife and his assistant were armed and as eady for trouble as they could get； Ben maneuvered light and lenses to look out into the narrow exterior passage。 This time； as he reported to the others in a whipser； there were two human figures to be seen outside。 Both appeared to be men； and both were robed in white。
〃It looks like two of Ardneh's people。 One's carrying a big staff that。。。〃 Ben didn't finish。 Barbara caught his meaning。
Those outside； knowing from the light that they were under observation from within； called loudly： 〃Master Courtenay？ We've brought the wooden model that you've been waiting for。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Ben； hearing a code that gave him reassurance。 Still he signed to his panions to remain on guard； before he cautiously opened the door once more。
This time the opening admitted neither a toppling body nor an armed rush。 There was only the peaceful entry of the two in white； who as Ardneh's priests saluted courteously first the master of the house and then the people with him。 Denis； this time holding his hatchet left…handed； was glad to be able to lower it again。
White robes dripped water on a floor already freshly marked by rain and mud and blood。 If the newers noticed these signs of preceding visitors； they said nothing about them。
Instead； as soon as Ben had barred up the door again； the older of the two whiteclad priests offered him the heavy； ornate wooden staff。 It was obviously meant to be a ceremonial object of some kind； too large and unwieldy to be anything but a burden on a march or a hike。 Tall as a man； cruciform in its upper part； the staff was beautifully carved out of some light wood that Denis could not identify。 The uppermost portion resembled the hilt of a gigantic wooden sword； with the heads and necks of two carved dragons recurving upon themselves to form the outsized crosspiece。
〃Beautiful；〃 mented Denis； with a sudden dry suspicion。 〃But I wonder which of Ardneh's rites requires such an object？ I saw nothing at all like it in the time I spent as acolyte。〃
The two white…garbed men looked at Denis。 Then they turned in silent appeal to the man they knew as Master Courtenay。 He told them tiredly； 〃You may show us the inside of the wooden model too。 Denis here is fully in my confidence； as of tonight。 He's going to have to be。〃
Denis stared for a moment at his master； who was watching closely what the priests were doing。 The younger priest had the staff now； and was pressing carefully with strong fingers on the fancy carving。 In a moment； the wood had opened like a shell； revealing a velv
