ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第81节

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！


ght　it　would。　I　thought　they　would　feed　on　each　other　over　the　winter　and　fall　apart。〃
　　〃So　did　I。　It　is　not　so？〃
　　〃It　is　not　so。〃
　　There　was　a　silence。
　　It　was　the　outlaw；　this　time；　who　refilled　both　glasses。　〃I　heard　your　verse；〃　he　said。　〃It　seemed　to　me；　listening；　that　you　had　a　knowledge　of　these　things　already。〃
　　Ben　Avren　looked　at　him。　〃No。　An　apprehension；　perhaps。　My　people　have　a　custom；　a　superstition　really。　We　voice　our　fears　as　a　talisman：　by　bringing　them　into　the　open；　we　hope　to　make　them　untrue。〃
　　〃Talismans；〃　said　Tarif　ibn　Hassan；　〃don't　usually　work。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　said　the　chancellor。　His　voice　turned　brisk。　〃You　have　given；　as　promised；　good　weight。　In　truth；　it　hardly　matters　if　you　reveal　the　tale　of　the　Emin　ha'Nazar　now。　I　can't　readily　imagine　you　would；　in　any　case。　The　offer　made　to　you　there　still　stands：　do　you　want　to　be　part　of　the　army　that　takes　Cartada？〃
　　〃That　tries　to　take　Cartada。〃
　　〃With　your　aid；　I　have　great　hopes　that　we　would。〃
　　The　old　chieftain　stroked　the　stubble　of　his　chin。　〃I　fear　I　will　have　little　enough　choice。　Both　my　sons　want　to　do　this　thing；　and　I　have　not　the　strength　to　overrule　them　together。〃
　　〃That　I　do　not　believe；〃　Mazur　smiled。　〃But　if　you　wish　to　put　it　in　this　way；　it　is　no　matter　to　me。　Meet　us　north　of　Lonza。　I　will　send　heralds　to　you　to　arrange　the　exact　timing；　but　we　ride　from　here　at　the　white　full　moon。〃
　　〃So　soon？〃
　　〃Even　more　urgently　now；　with　what　you　have　told　me。　If　other　armies　are　setting　forth；　we　had　best　be　first　in　the　field；　don't　you　think？〃
　　〃Are　you　covered　at　your　back？　In　Fibaz？〃
　　〃That's　where　I　spent　the　money　the　world　thinks　you　stole　from　the　parias　party。〃
　　〃Walls？〃
　　〃And　soldiers。　Two　thousand　from　Karch　and　Waleska。〃
　　〃And　they　will　be　loyal　against　Jaddites？〃
　　〃If　I　pay　them；　I　believe　they　will　be。〃
　　〃What　about　Belmonte？　Is　Ser　Rodrigo　with　you？〃
　　Mazur　looked　thoughtful　again。　〃He　is；　for　now。　If　Ramiro　of　Valledo　takes　the　field；　I　will　not　say　I　am　sure　of　him。〃
　　〃A　dangerous　man。〃
　　〃Most　useful　men　are　dangerous。〃　The　chancellor's　smile　was　wry。　〃Including　beardless　outlaws　who　want　their　sons　back。　I　will　send　for　them。　Right　now；　in　fact。　It　might　be　safest　if　you　left　tonight。〃
　　〃I　thought　the　same。　I　took　the　precaution　of　finding　them　before　I　looked　for　you。　They　are　waiting　for　me　outside　the　walls。〃
　　Mazur　looked　startled　for　the　first　time。　He　set　down　his　glass。　〃You　have　them　already？　Then　why　。。。　？〃
　　〃I　wanted　to　meet　you；〃　the　bandit　chieftain　said。　His　smile　was　grim。　〃After　so　many　years。　I　also　have　a　dislike　for　breaking　my　sworn　word；　though　that　might　surprise　you。　They　were　granted　their　lives　by　ibn　Khairan　and　Belmonte　on　our　oath　to　accept　their　being　hostages。　Abir's　life　was　given　back　to　him　by　their　physician。〃
　　〃My　physician；〃　said　the　chancellor　quickly。
　　Tarif　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃As　you　please。　In　any　case；　I　would　have　been　unhappy　to　simply　steal　them　away。　It　might　have　confirmed　your　worst　thoughts　of　me。〃
　　〃And　instead？〃
　　Ibn　Hassan　laughed。　〃I　have　probably　confirmed　your　worst　thoughts　of　me。〃
　　〃Pretty　much；〃　said　the　chancellor　of　Ragosa。　After　a　moment；　though；　he　extended　his　hand。　Ibn　Hassan　took　it。　〃I　am　pleased　to　have　spoken　with　you；〃　Mazur　said。　〃Neither　of　us　is　young。　It　might　not　have　happened。〃
　　〃I'm　not　planning　on　making　an　end　soon；〃　said　ibn　Hassan。　〃Perhaps　next　year　I'll　offer　a　verse　here；　at　Carnival。〃
　　〃That；〃　said　ben　Avren；　a　hand　at　his　own　beard；　〃might　be　a　revelation。〃
　　He　sat　alone　for　some　time　after　the　chieftain　from　Arbastro　had　donned　his　mask　and　left。　He　had　no　intention　of　telling　anyone；　but　the　news　about　the　army　sailing　east　struck　him　as　almost　unimaginably　bad。
　　And　rumors　being　spread　about　his　Kindath　brethren　in　Fezana…that　was　terrifying。　He　had　literally　no　idea　what　Almalik　II　of　Cartada　had　in　mind；　but　it　was　clear　that　the　man　felt　frightened　and　alone　and　was　lashing　out。　Frightened　men　were　the　hardest　of　all　to　read；　sometimes。
　　Ibn　Hassan　had　asked　about　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　but　not　about　the　other　one。　The　other　one　was　just　as　much　at　issue；　and　in　a　way；　he　mattered　even　more。
　　〃I　wish；〃　muttered　Mazur　ben　Avren　testily；　〃that　I　really　were　a　sorcerer；　whatever　that　is。〃
　　He　felt　tired　suddenly；　and　his　hip　was　bothering　him　again。　It　seemed　to　him　that　there　ought　to　be　orders　to　give　to　the　bowmen　on　the　balcony　or　the　guards　in　the　adjacent　room；　but　there　weren't。
　　It　was　Carnival。　He　could　hear　the　noise　from　the　street。　It　overwhelmed　the　harp　music　from　below。　The　night　was　growing　louder；　wilder。　Shouts　and　laughter。　The　sharp；　high　whirring　of　those　noise…makers　he　hated。　He　wondered；　suddenly；　where　the　stag　had　gone。
　　Then　he　remembered　what　Zabira　had　told　him；　in　bed　the　night　before。
　　
Fourteen
　　In　fact；　it　was　the　cat　that　found　Alvar；　late　in　the　wild　night；　well　after　the　blue　moon　had　risen　and　was　shining　down；　a　wandering　presence　among　the　stars。
　　He　had　separated　from　the　others　some　time　before。　Lain　had　been　dragged　off；　protesting　unconvincingly；　by　a　cluster　of　field　mice。　Their　giggling　gave　them　away：　they　were　the　girls　who　served　at　the　tables　in　the　favorite　tavern　of　Rodrigo's　men。　Bristling　old　Lain　had　been　the　object　of　their　teasing…and　warnings　about　his　fate　tonight…for　some　time。
　　Ludus；　endlessly　curious；　had　lingered　at　a　street　corner　to　watch　a　wolf　swallowing　fire…trying　to　decipher　the　trick　of　it…and　had　never　caught　up　with　the　rest　of　them。　Alvar　wasn't　sure　where　and　when　he　had　lost　Martin　or　how　the　peacock　regalia　that　flamboyantly　disguised　a　certain　silk　merchant　had　somehow　managed　to　disappear。　It　was　very　late。　He'd　had　more　to　drink　than　was　good　for　any　man。
　　He　hadn't　seen　Jehane　anywhere。　He'd　thought　earlier　that　he　might　know　her　by　her　walk；　but　as　the　night　continued　and　the　streets　grew　more　frenzied　it　even　became　difficult　at　times　to　tell　if　someone　passing　in　the　dark　was　a　man　or　a　woman。　He　reminded　himself　that　she　knew　his　mask；　that　if　he　kept　moving　she　might　find　him　in　the　crowd　to　offer　a　greeting；　share　laughter。
　　A　kiss；　perhaps；　in　this　altered；　wavering　night。　Although　that　was　a　dangerous　channel　for　his　thoughts。
　　There　was　too　much　license　surrounding　him；　too　charged　and　wanton　a　mood　in　the　streets　of　Ragosa　now。　Alvar　found　himself　almost　aching　with　desire；　and　with　something　more　plex　than　that。
　　Alone　and　far　from　home　in　a　foreign　land　at　night；　amidst　animals　and　birds　and　fabulous　creatures　that　had　never　been；　passing　food　stalls　and　wine　sellers　and　musicians　playing　by　the　orange　and　amber　light　of　candles　and　torches　beneath　the　blue　moon　and　the　stars　of　spring；　Alvar　wandered　the　streets；　a　leather　flask　at　one　hip；　and　longed　for　fort；　for　a　sharing　of　what　this　difficult；　mutable　world　offered　to　men　and　women。
　　He　found　something　very　different。
　　A　leash；　to　be　precise。
　　It　was　slipped　over　his　eagle　mask　and　around　his　neck　as　he　stood　watching　dancers　in　a　square　not　far　from　the　barracks。　The　dancers　had　their　hands　all　over　each　other；　and　the　women　were　being　lifted　and　swung　about　in　a　way　he　had　never　seen　before。　He　tried　to　imagine　himself　joining　in；　then　dismissed　the　thought。　Not　a　soldier's　son　from　a　farm　in　the　north　of　Valledo。
　　It　was　in　that　moment　that　the　leash　was　dropped　over　him　from　behind　and　tightened　about　his　throat。　Alvar　turned　quickly。　A　passing　torch　was　briefly　too　close；　he　couldn't　see　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　could。
　　〃I　will　have　to　decide　how　offended　I　am；〃　said　the　sleek　jungle　cat　he　had　seen　in　the　street　the　morning　before。　〃You　were　to　have　found　me；　Valledan。　Instead　。。。　〃
　　She　wore　the　necklace　that　had　e　with　her　mask　and　much　other　jewelry。　Not　a　great　deal　of　clothing；　however；　as　if　to　pensate。　What　she　was　wearing　clung　to　the　lines　of　her　body。　The　voice　beneath　the　mask　was　remarkably　near　to　a　feline　purr。
　　〃I　was　looking！〃　Alvar　stammered；　then　flushed　beneath　his　own　disguise。
　　〃Good；〃　she　murmured。　〃That　earns　you　some　redress。　Not　all；　mind　you。　I　ought　not　to　have　had　to　be　the　huntress　tonight。〃
　　〃How　did　you　know　me？〃　he　asked；　struggling　for　self…possession。
　　He　heard　her　laugh。　〃A　man　of　your　build　wearing　Asharite　slippers？　Not　hard；　my　northern　soldier。〃　She　paused；　tugged　a　little　on　the　golden　leash。　〃You　are　mine　now；　you　understand？　For　whatever　I　choose　tonight。〃
　　Alvar　discovered　that　his　mouth　had　gone　dry。　He　didn't　answer。　He　didn't　really　have　to。　He　saw　her　smile；　beneath　the　mask。　She　began　walking　and　he　followed　her；　wherever　she　was　taking　him。
　　In　one　way；　it　was　not　far　at　all：　just　around　the　corner；　a　house　fronting　on　the　same　wide　square　as　their　barracks；　near　the　palace。　They　passed　through　an　imposing　double　doorway；　crossed　a　torchlit　courtyard　and　climbed　a　flight　of　stairs。　It　was　an　elegantly　appointed　house。　Servants；　dressed　in　black；　masked　as　small　forest　creatures；　watched　them　pass；　in　silence。
　　In　another　sense；　though；　what　ensued　when　they　came　to　the　room　where　she　led　him…with　its　balcony　ove