ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第91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！


ng　his　corpse　into　the　moat。　The　head　was　cut　off。　The　crowd　of　tanners　left　their　yard；　carrying　the　body；　and　began　proceeding　towards　the　gate　nearest　the　moat。
　　While　crossing　the　city　the　leather　workers…quite　a　number　of　them　by　then…came　across　two　Kindath　women　buying　shawls　in　Weavers'　Lane　late　in　the　day。　It　was　the　man　who　had　recited　the　posted　poem　who　struck　one　of　them　across　the　face。　The　other　woman　had　the　temerity　to　strike　him　in　return。
　　An　unbeliever；　a　woman；　laying　hands　upon　one　of　Ashar's　Star…born？　It　was　not　to　be　endured。
　　Both　women　were　bludgeoned　to　death　in　front　of　the　shop　where　their　purchases　were　still　being　wrapped。　The　weaver　quietly　put　the　two　shawls　back　under　the　counter　and　pocketed　the　money　that　had　been　tendered。　She　then　closed　up　shop　for　the　day。　A　very　large　crowd　had　now　assembled。　After　the　briefest　hesitation；　the　two　women　had　their　heads　cut　off。　No　one　could　later　remember　clearly　who　had　actually　wielded　the　blades。
　　The　angry　crowd；　growing　larger　all　the　time；　began　streaming　towards　the　Gate　of　the　Moat　with　three　headless；　bleeding　Kindath　bodies。
　　On　the　way　there　they　met　another；　even　larger；　gathering。　This　crowd　was　in　the　market　square；　almost　filling　it。　It　was　not　a　market　day。
　　They　had　just　heard　tidings　from　the　north。　Jaddites　had　been　seen。　They　were　almost　upon　them。　An　army　from　Valledo；　ing　to　sack　and　burn　Fezana。
　　Without　any　person　ever　voicing　the　specific　suggestion…as　best　anyone　could　recall　afterwards…the　two　crowds　merged　into　one；　and　drew　others　to　their　mass；　and　they　turned；　together；　in　the　hour　before　sunset　and　the　rising　of　the　white　moon；　towards　the　gates　of　the　Kindath　Quarter。
　　The　governor　of　Fezana　received　advice　of　some　sort　of　uprising　among　the　tanners；　and　violence　done；　at　almost　the　same　moment　that　the　long…feared　word　of　Horsemen　thundering　south；　already　down　through　the　tagra；　also　reached　him。　He　would　have　greatly　preferred　that　these　tidings　remain　his　alone　for　a　time；　but　this　proved　impossible。　A　third　messenger　reported；　immediately　on　the　heels　of　the　first　two；　that　there　was　a　mob　gathered　in　the　marketplace　and　that　they　had　already　heard　the　news　from　the　north。
　　The　governor　thus　had　a　number　of　decisions　to　make　in　rapid　succession。　He　sent　two　separate　messengers　immediately　for　Cartada　and　another　to　Lonza。　It　had　been　agreed　that　part　of　the　Lonza　garrison　would　be　diverted　northwards　to　the　slopes　of　the　Tavares　Range　if　a　siege　actually　began　at　Fezana…they　could　partly　forestall　Jaddite　raids　south　of　the　river。　Food　for　a　besieging　army；　or　the　absence　of　it；　was　often　the　key　to　a　siege。
　　The　governor　also　sent　an　aide　running　for　certain　documents　that　had　long　since　been　prepared　for　him。　More　than　three　years　ago；　in　fact；　Almalik　I　of　Cartada；　who　had　been　a　governor　before　he　was　a　monarch　（the　thought　was　an　enduring　distraction）；　had　recorded　with　his　generals　and　advisors　some　plans　to　be　followed　in　the　event　of　a　siege　of　Fezana。　Consulting　these　written　instructions；　which　had　not　been　superseded；　the　governor　noted　with　trepidation　the　boldest　element　of　them。　He　hesitated　for　a　time；　then　elected　to　trust　to　the　wisdom　of　the　dead　king。　Orders　were　given　to　the　most　senior　Muwardi　in　the　room。　The　man's　veiled　face　revealed　nothing；　of　course。　He　left　immediately；　to　assemble　the　men　required。
　　All　of　this；　and　other　associated　mands；　took　some　little　while。　As　a　consequence；　by　the　time　another　messenger　arrived　to　report　that　an　extremely　large　number　of　people　were　now　heading　towards　the　Kindath　Gates　carrying　torches；　the　governor　was　lagging　uncharacteristically　behind　the　sweep　of　events　in　his　city。　The　torches　spurred　him　to　action；　though。　It　was　not　yet　dark；　torches　were　not　needed　for　light。　What　was　the　good　of　defending　against　the　Valledans　if　they　burned　down　their　own　city？　Ashar　and　the　stars　knew　he　had　no　love　for　the　Kindath；　but　if　that　Quarter　was　fired；　the　whole　city　could　go　up。　Wooden　walls　knew　nothing　of　the　boundaries　of　faith。　The　governor　ordered　the　mob　dispersed。
　　It　was　the　proper　thing　to　do；　and　it　could　possibly　have　even　been　achieved；　had　the　order　e　earlier。
　　
　　Alvar　never　forgot　that　evening　and　night　as　long　as　he　lived。
　　He　would　wake　in　terror　from　a　dream　that　he　was　in　Fezana　again　at　sunset　watching　the　mob　approach。　That　memory　marked　him　and　stayed　with　him　as　nothing　in　his　life　ever　had　and　only　one　moment　after…also　at　sunset…was　ever　to　do。
　　They　had　arrived　that　afternoon；　crowding　in　ahead　of　the　Jaddite　dust　cloud　with　a　frightened　swarm　of　people　from　the　countryside。　The　five　of　them　had　raced　all　the　way　west　from　Ragosa　across　the　hills　and　meadows　of　springtime。　They　had　left　the　day　after　Carnival；　immediately　after　burying　Velaz　with　Kindath　rites　and　the　slain　soldier　in　a　Jaddite　ceremony。
　　No　time　to　mourn。　Ibn　Khairan　had　made　that　clear　based　on　what　he　had　learned；　and　Jehane；　wild　with　fear　for　her　parents；　could　not　have　lingered。　They　were　out　of　Ragosa　by　mid…afternoon：　Alvar；　Husari；　Jehane；　ibn　Khairan…and　Rodrigo　Belmonte。　All　of　them　exhausted　after　the　night　just　past；　all　aware　that　in　the　mood　of　this　spring　something　monstrous　could　happen。
　　They　made　the　ten　days'　journey　in　six；　riding　into　the　darkness；　arriving　late　one　afternoon　to　a　place　where　they　could　see　the　walls　of　Fezana。　They　had　already　seen　the　dust　cloud　that　was　the　army　of　Valledo。
　　It　was　Rodrigo　who　spotted　it。　He　had　pointed；　and　then　exchanged　a　long　glance　with　ibn　Khairan　that　Alvar　could　not　interpret。　Jehane　bit　her　lip；　gazing　north。　Husari　said　something　under　his　breath　that　might　have　been　a　prayer。
　　For　Alvar；　despite　weariness　and　anxiety；　the　sight　of　a　cloud　of　dust　stirred　up　by　the　Horsemen　of　Valledo　in　Al…Rassan　stirred　him　deeply。　Then　he　looked　again　at　Jehane　and　Husari　and　back　to　ibn　Khairan；　and　confusion　arose　once　more。　How　did　it　happen　that　something　one　had　desired　all　one's　life　became　cause　for　doubt　and　apprehension？
　　〃They　are　moving　very　fast；〃　ibn　Khairan　had　said；　finally。
　　〃Too　fast；〃　Rodrigo　murmured。　〃They　will　outstrip　some　of　the　fleeing　villagers。　I　don't　understand。　They　want　as　many　mouths　in　the　city　as　possible。〃
　　〃Unless　this　isn't　to　be　a　siege。〃
　　〃What　else　can　it　be？　He　isn't　about　to　storm　those　walls。〃
　　Ibn　Khairan　looked　northwards　again　from　their　vantage　point；　high　on　a　hill　east　of　the　city。　〃Perhaps　just　the　vanguard　is　flying；〃　he　said。　〃For　some　reason。〃
　　〃That　wouldn't　make　sense　either；〃　Rodrigo　had　replied；　his　brow　furrowed。　He　sounded　edgy　to　Alvar；　not　exultant　at　all。
　　〃Does　it　matter？〃　Jehane　asked　sharply。　〃e　on！〃
　　She　had　ridden　at　a　soldier's　pace　all　the　way。　Indeed；　there　were　times　when　Rodrigo　or　ibn　Khairan　had　had　to　restrain　her；　lest　they　ruin　the　horses　with　their　speed。
　　Her　relationship　with　ibn　Khairan　had　changed　since　Carnival。　They　tried　not　to　show　it　too　plainly　on　the　ride；　but　it　was　there　to　be　seen；　in　the　man　as　much　as　in　the　woman。　Alvar　was　making　an　effort　not　to　let　this　distract　him。　He　was　only　partly　successful　in　that。　It　seemed　that　life　could　throw　confusion　and　pain　at　you　from　many　directions。
　　They　came　down　from　that　height　to　cross　the　moat　and　enter　the　city。　Alvar　for　the　first　time；　Jehane　and　Husari　ing　home；　ibn　Khairan　returning　to　where　Almalik　I　had　tried　to　destroy　his　reputation　and　curb　his　power。
　　And　Rodrigo？
　　Alvar　understood　that　the　Captain　was　with　them；　disguised　as　an　Asharite…his　moustache　shaved　off；　hair　and　skin　darkened…because　he　had　sworn　an　oath　to　Velaz　ben　Ishak　to　defend　the　woman　who　was　here　with　them。　He　was　not　a　man　who　forswore　his　oaths。
　　Jehane's　parents　were　to　be　delivered　from　Fezana　and　a　warning　given　to　the　other　Kindath。　That　was　the　immediate　task。　After；　they　would　have　to　turn　again　to　sorting　out　loyalties　and　the　next　steps。　They　were　all；　as　best　Alvar　understood；　still　to　join　the　army　of　Ragosa　somewhere　west　of　Lonza；　on　the　way　to　Cartada。
　　The　dust　cloud　north　of　them　had　probably　altered　that。
　　With　Jaddites　invading　Al…Rassan；　did　Ragosa　still　make　war　on　Cartada？　Asharite　against　Asharite　with　the　Horsemen　down　through　the　tagra！　And　did　the　most　renowned　leader　of　Jaddite　soldiers　in　the　peninsula　fight　for　Ragosa　at　such　a　time？
　　Alvar；　one　of　those　Jaddite　soldiers；　had　no　idea。　On　the　ride　west　he　had　sensed　an　emerging　distance　between　ibn　Khairan　and　Ser　Rodrigo。　Not　a　coldness；　certainly　not　opposition。　It　was　more　like　。。。　a　marshalling　of　defenses。　Each　man　fortifying　himself　against　what　might　be　ing。
　　Husari；　normally　voluble　and　perceptive；　was　no　help　at　all　in　trying　to　sort　this　out。　He　kept　his　own　counsel　all　the　way　here。
　　He　had　killed　his　first　man　in　the　square　at　Carnival。　Jehane；　in　one　of　her　few　exchanges　with　Alvar　on　the　ride；　said　she　thought　that　might　be　the　trouble。　Husari　had　been　a　merchant　not　a　warrior。　A　gentle　man；　a　lazy；　soft　one；　even。　He　had　slain　a　Muwardi　assassin　that　night；　though；　smashing　his　skull　with　a　blow；　spilling　brains　and　blood　on　the　cobblestones。
　　That　could　shake