tp.lightfantastic-第25节

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icky　obstacle　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　luxuriant　oak　tree　that　flourished　in　one　nostril。
　The　Luggage　didn't　bother　to　climb。　It　just　jumped；　and　bounced　its　way　down　with　no　apparent　harm。
　Cohen　sat　in　the　shade；　trying　to　catch　his　breath　and　waiting　for　his　sanity　to　catch　up　with　him。　He　eyed　the　Luggage　thoughtfully。
　'The　horses　have　all　gone；'　said　Twoflower。
　'We'll　find　'em；'　said　Cohen。　His　eyes　bored　into　the　Luggage；　which　began　to　look　embarrassed。
　'They　were　carrying　all　our　food；'　said　Rincewind。
　'Plenty　of　food　in　the　foreshts。'
　'I　have　some　nourishing　biscuits　in　the　Luggage；'　said　Twoflower。　'Traveller's　Digestives。　Always　a　fort　in　a　tight　spot。'
　'I've　tried　them；'　said　Rincewind。　They've　got　a　mean　edge　on　them；　and　…'
　Cohen　stood　up；　wincing。
　'Excushe　me；'　he　said　flatly。　'There'sh　shomething　I've　got　to　know。'
　He　walked　over　to　the　Luggage　and　gripped　its　lid。　The　box　backed　away　hurriedly；　but　Cohen　stuck　out　a　skinny　foot　and　tripped　up　half　its　legs。　As　it　twisted　to　snap　at　him　he　gritted　his　teeth　and　heaved；　jerking　the　Luggage　onto　its　curved　lid　where　it　rocked　angrily　like　a　maddened　tortoise。
　'Hey；　that's　my　Luggage！'　said　Twoflower。　'Why's　he　attacking　my　Luggage？'
　'I　think　I　know；'　said　Bethan　quietly。　'I　think　it's　because　he's　scared　of　it。'
　Twoflower　turned　to　Rincewind；　open…mouthed。
　Rincewind　shrugged。
　'Search　me；'　he　said。　'I　run　away　from　things　I'm　scared　of；　myself。'
　With　a　snap　of　its　lid　the　Luggage　jerked　into　the　air　and　came　down　running；　catching　Cohen　a　crack　on　the　shins　with　one　of　its　brass　corners。　As　it　wheeled　around　he　got　a　grip　on　it　just　long　enough　to　send　it　galloping　full　tilt　into　a　rock。
　'Not　bad；'　said　Rincewind；　admiringly。
　The　Luggage　staggered　back；　paused　for　a　moment；　then　came　at　Cohen　waving　its　lid　menacingly。　He　jumped　and　landed　on　it；　with　both　his　hands　and　feet　caught　in　the　gap　between　the　box　and　the　lid。
　This　severely　puzzled　the　Luggage。　It　was　even　more　astonished　when　Cohen　took　a　deep　breath　and　heaved；　muscles　standing　out　on　his　skinny　arms　like　a　sock　full　of　coconuts。
　They　stood　locked　there　for　some　time；　tendon　versus　hinge。　Occasionally　one　or　other　would　creak。
　Bethan　elbowed　Twoflower　in　the　ribs。
　'Do　something；'　she　said。
　'Um；'　said　Twoflower。　'Yes。　That's　about　enough；　I　think。　Put　him　down；　please。'
　The　Luggage　gave　a　creak　of　betrayal　at　the　sound　of　its　master's　voice。　Its　lid　flew　up　with　such　force　that　Cohen　tumbled　backwards；　but　he　scrambled　to　his　feet　and　flung　himself　towards　the　box。
　Its　contents　lay　open　to　the　skies。
　Cohen　reached　inside。
　The　Luggage　creaked　a　bit；　but　had　obviously　weighed　up　the　chances　of　being　sent　to　the　top　of　that　Great　Wardrobe　in　the　Sky。　When　Rincewind　dared　to　peek　through　his　fingers　Cohen　was　peering　into　the　Luggage　and　cursing　under　his　breath。
　'Laundry？'　he　shouted。　'Is　that　it？　Just　laundry？'　He　was　shaking　with　rage。
　'I　think　there's　some　biscuits　too；'　said　Twoflower　in　a　small　voice。
　'But　there　wash　gold！　And　I　shaw　it　eat　shomebody！'　Cohen　looked　imploringly　at　Rincewind。
　The　wizard　sighed。　'Don't　ask　me；'　he　said。　'I　don't　own　the　bloody　thing。'
　'I　bought　it　in　a　shop；'　said　Twoflower　defensively。　'I　said　I　wanted　a　travelling　trunk。'
　'That's　what　you　got；　all　right；'　said　Rincewind。
　'It's　very　loyal；'　said　Twoflower。
　'Oh　yes；'　agreed　Rincewind。　'If　loyalty　is　what　you　look　for　in　a　suitcase。'
　'Hold　on；'　said　Cohen；　who　had　sagged　onto　a　rock。　Wash　it　one　of　thoshe　shopsh　…　I　mean；　I　bet　you　hadn't　noticed　it　before　and　when　you　went　back　again　it　washn't　there？'
　Twoflower　brightened。　'That's　right！'
　'Shopkeeper　a　little　wizened　old　guy？　Shop　full　of　strange　shtuff？'
　'Exactly！　Never　could　find　it　again；　I　thought　I　must　have　got　the　wrong　street；　nothing　but　a　brick　wall　where　I　thought　it　was；　I　remember　thinking　at　the　time　it　was　rather　…'
　Cohen　shrugged。　'One　of　those　shops＇5＇；'　he　said。　That　explainsh　it；　then。'　He　felt　his　back；　and　grimaced。　'Bloody　horshe　ran　off　with　my　linament！'
　Rincewind　remembered　something；　and　fumbled　in　the　depths　of　his　torn　and　now　very　grubby　robe。　He　held　up　a　green　bottle。
　'That'sh　the　shtuff！'　said　Cohen。　'You're　a　marvel。'　He　ooked　sideways　at　Twoflower。
　'I　would　have　beaten　it；'　he　said　quietly；　'even　if　you　hadn't　called　it　off；　I　would　have　beaten　it　in　the　end。'
　'That's　right；'　said　Bethan。
　'You　two　can　make　yourshelf　usheful；'　he　added。　That　Luggage　broke　through　a　troll　tooth　to　get　ush　out。　That　wash　diamond。　Shee　if　you　can　find　the　bitsh。　I've　had　an　idea　about　them。'
　As　Bethan　rolled　up　her　sleeves　and　uncorked　the　bottle　Rincewind　took　Twoflower　to　one　side。　When　they　were　safely　hidden　behind　a　shrub　he　said；　'He's　gone　barmy。'
　'That's　Cohen　the　Barbarian　you're　talking　about！'　said　Twoflower；　genuinely　shocked。　'He　is　the　greatest　warrior　that　…'
　'Was；'　said　Rincewind　urgently。　'All　that　stuff　with　the　warrior　priests　and　man…eating　zombies　was　years　ago。　All　he's　got　now　is　memories　and　so　many　scars　you　could　play　noughts…and…crosses　on　him。'
　'He　is　rather　more　elderly　than　I　imagined；　yes；'　said　Twoflower。　He　picked　up　a　fragment　of　diamond。
　'So　we　ought　to　leave　them　and　find　our　horses　and　move　on；'　said　Rincewind。
　'That's　a　bit　of　a　mean　trick；　isn't　it？'
　'They'll　be　all　right；'　said　Rincewind　heartily。　'The　point　is；　would　you　feel　happy　in　the　pany　of　someone　who　would　attack　the　Luggage　with　his　bare　hands？'
　'That　is　a　point；'　said　Twoflower。
　'They'll　probably　be　better　off　without　us　anyway。'
　'Are　you　sure？'
　'Positive；'　said　Rincewind。
　

　They　found　the　horses　wandering　aimlessly　in　the　scrub；　breakfasted　on　badly…dried　horse　jerky；　and　set　off　in　what　Rincewind　believed　was　the　right　direction。　A　few　minutes　later　the　Luggage　emerged　from　the　bushes　and　followed　them。
　The　sun　rose　higher　in　the　sky；　but　still　failed　to　blot　out　the　light　of　the　star。
　'It's　got　bigger　overnight；'　said　Twoflower。　'Why　isn't　anybody　doing　something？'
　'Such　as　what？'
　Twoflower　thought。　'Couldn't　somebody　tell　Great　A'Tuin　to　avoid　it？'　he　said。　'Sort　of　go　around　it？'
　'That　sort　of　thing　has　been　tried　before；'　said　Rincewind。　Wizards　tried　to　tune　in　to　Great　A'Tuin's　mind。'
　'It　didn't　work？'
　'Oh；　it　worked　all　right；'　said　Rincewind。　'Only　。　。　。'
　Only　there　had　been　certain　unforeseen　risks　in　reading　a　mind　as　great　as　the　World　Turtle's；　he　explained。　The　wizards　had　trained　up　on　tortoises　and　giant　sea　turtles　first；　to　get　the　hang　of　the　chelonian　frame　of　mind；　but　although　they　knew　that　Great　A'Tuin's　mind　would　be　big　they　hadn't　realised　that　it　would　be　slow。
　'There's　a　bunch　of　wizards　that　have　been　reading　it　in　shifts　for　thirty　years；'　said　Rincewind。　'All　they've　found　out　is　that　Great　A'Tuin　is　looking　forward　to　something。'
　'What？'
　'Who　knows？'
　They　rode　in　silence　for　a　while　through　a　rough　country　where　huge　limestone　blocks　lined　the　track。　Eventually　Twoflower　said；　'We　ought　to　go　back；　you　know。'
　'Look；　we'll　reach　the　Smarl　tomorrow；'　said　Rincewind。　'Nothing　will　happen　to　them　out　here；　I　don't　see　why　…'
　He　was　talking　to　himself。　Twoflower　had　wheeled　his　horse　and　was　trotting　back；　demonstrating　all　the　horsemanship　of　a　sack　of　potatoes。
　Rincewind　looked　down。　The　Luggage　regarded　him　owlishly。
　'What　are　you　looking　at？'　said　the　wizard。　'He　can　go　back　if　he　wants；　why　should　I　bother？'
　The　Luggage　said　nothing。
　'Look；　he's　not　my　responsibility；'　said　Rincewind。　let's　be　absolutely　clear　about　that。'
　The　Luggage　said　nothing；　but　louder　this　time。
　'Go　on　…　follow　him。　You're　nothing　to　do　with　me。'
　The　Luggage　retracted　its　little　legs　and　settled　down　on　the　track。
　'Well；　I'm　going；'　said　Rincewind。　'I　mean　it；'　he　added。
　He　turned　the　horse's　head　back　towards　the　new　horizon；　and　glanced　down。　The　Luggage　sat　there。
　'It's　no　good　trying　to　appeal　to　my　better　nature。　You　can　stay　there　all　day　for　all　I　care。　I'm　just　going　to　ride　off；　okay？'
　He　glared　at　the　Luggage。　The　Luggage　looked　back。
　

　'I　thought　you'd　e　back；'　said　Twoflower。
　'I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it；'　said　Rincewind。
　'Shall　we　talk　about　something　else？'
　'Yeah；　well；　discussing　how　to　get　these　ropes　off　would　be　favourite；'　said　Rincewind。　He　wrenched　at　the　bonds　around　his　wrists。
　'I　can't　imagine　why　you're　so　important；'　said　Herrena。　She　sat　on　a　rock　opposite　them；　sword　across　her　knees。　Most　of　the　gang　laying　among　the　rocks　high　above；　watching　the　road。　Rincewind　and　Twoflower　had　been　a　pathetically　easy　ambush。
　'Weems　told　me　what　your　box　did　to　Gancia；'　she　added。　'I　can't　say　that's　a　great　loss；　but　I　hope　it　understands　that　if　it　es　within　a　mile　of　us　I　will　personally　cut　both　your　throats；　yes？'
　Rincewind　nodded　violently。
　'Good；'　said　Herrena。　'You're　wanted　dead　or　alive；　I'm　not　really　bothered　which；　but　some　of　the　lads　might　want　to　have　a　little　discussion　with　you　about　those　trolls。　If　the　sun　hadn't　e　up　when　it　did…'
　She　left　the　words　hanging；　and　walked　away。
　'Well；　here's　another　fine　mess；'　said　Rincewind。　He　had　another　p