rh.royalassassin-第69节

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　　　　　　　He　sighed。　He　glanced　about　my　room；　then　walked　over　to　stand　before　the　tapestry　of　King　Wisdom　greeting　the　Elderling。　He　glanced　up　at　it；　then　smiled　sourly；　finding　some　humor　there　I　had　never　seen。　He　assumed　the　stance　of　a　poet　about　to　recite。　Then　he　halted；　looked　at　me　squarely　once　more。　〃You　are　certain　you　wish　to　know；　Fitzy…fitz？〃
　　　　　　　Like　a　liturgy；　I　repeated　the　question。　〃Whence　es　the　Fool　and　why？〃
　　　　　　　〃Whence？　Ah；　whence？〃　He　went　nose　to　nose　with　Ratsy　for　a　moment；　formulating　a　reply　to　his　own　question。　Then　he　met　my　eyes。　〃Go　south；　Fitz。　To　lands　past　the　edges　of　every　map　that　Verity　has　ever　seen。　And　past　the　edges　of　the　maps　made　in　those　countries　as　well。　Go　south；　and　then　east　across　a　sea　you　have　no　name　for。　Eventually；　you　would　e　to　a　long　peninsula；　and　on　its　snaking　tip　you　would　find　the　village　where　a　Fool　was　born。　You　might　even　find；　still；　a　mother　who　recalled　her　wormy…white　babe；　and　how　she　cradled　me　against　her　warm　breast　and　sang。〃　He　glanced　up　at　my　incredulous；　enraptured　face　and　gave　a　short　laugh。　〃You　cannot　even　picture　it；　can　you？　Let　me　make　it　harder　for　you。　Her　hair　was　long　and　dark　and　curling；　and　her　eyes　were　green。　Fancy　that！　Of　such　rich　colors　was　this　transparency　made。　And　the　fathers　of　the　colorless　child？　Two　cousins；　for　that　was　the　custom　of　that　land。　One　broad　and　swarthy　and　full　of　laughter；　ruddy…lipped　and　brown…eyed；　a　farmer　smelling　of　rich　earth　and　open　air。　The　other　as　narrow　as　the　one　was　wide；　and　gold　to　his　bronze；　a　poet　and　songster；　blue…eyed。　And；　oh；　how　they　loved　me　and　rejoiced　in　me！　All　the　three　of　them；　and　the　village　as　well。　I　was　so　loved。〃　His　voice　grew　soft；　and　for　a　moment　he　fell　silent。　I　knew　with　great　certainty　that　I　was　hearing　what　no　other　had　ever　heard　from　him。　I　remembered　the　time　I　had　ventured　into　his　room；　and　the　exquisite　little　doll　in　its　cradle　that　I　had　found　there。　Cherished　as　the　Fool　had　once　been　cherished。　I　waited。
　　　　　　　〃When　I　was　。。。　old　enough；　I　bade　them　all　farewell。　I　set　off　to　find　my　place　in　history；　and　choose　where　I　would　thwart　it。　This　was　the　place　I　selected；　the　time　had　been　destined　by　the　hour　of　my　birth。　I　came　here；　and　became　Shrewd's。　I　gathered　up　whatever　threads　the　fates　put　into　my　hands；　and　I　began　to　twist　them　and　color　them　as　I　could；　in　the　hopes　of　affecting　what　was　woven　after　me。〃
　　　　　　　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　don't　understand　a　thing　you　just　said。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ah。〃　He　shook　his　head；　setting　his　bells　to　jingling。　〃I　offered　to　tell　you　my　secret。　I　didn't　promise　to　make　you　understand　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　message　is　not　delivered　until　it　is　understood；〃　I　countered。　This　was　a　direct　quote　from　Chade。
　　　　　　　The　Fool　teetered　on　accepting　it。　〃You　do　understand　what　I　said；〃　he　promised。　〃You　simply　do　not　accept　it。　Never　before　have　I　spoken　so　plainly　to　you。　Perhaps　that　is　what　confuses　you。〃
　　　　　　　He　was　serious。　I　shook　my　head　again。　〃You　make　no　sense！　You　went　somewhere　to　discover　your　place　in　history？　How　can　that　be？　History　is　what　is　done　and　behind　us。〃
　　　　　　　He　shook　his　head；　slowly　this　time。　〃History　is　what　we　do　in　our　lives。　We　create　it　as　we　go　along。〃　He　smiled　enigmatically。　〃The　future　is　another　kind　of　history。〃
　　　　　　　〃No　man　can　know　the　future；〃　I　agreed。
　　　　　　　His　smile　widened。　〃Cannot　they？〃　he　asked　in　a　whisper。　〃Perhaps；　Fitz；　somewhere；　there　is　written　down　all　that　is　the　future。　Not　written　down　by　one　person；　know；　but　if　the　hints　and　visions　and　premonitions　and　foreseeings　of　an　entire　race　were　written　down；　and　cross…referenced　and　related　to　one　another；　might　not　such　a　people　create　a　loom　to　hold　the　weaving　of　the　future？〃
　　　　　　　〃Preposterous；〃　I　objected。　〃How　would　anyone　know　if　any　of　it　were　true？〃
　　　　　　　〃If　such　a　loom　were　made；　and　such　a　tapestry　of　predictions　woven；　not　for　a　few　years；　but　for　tens　of　hundreds　of　years；　after　a　time　it　could　be　shown　that　it　presented　a　surprisingly　accurate　foretelling。　Bear　in　mind　that　those　who　keep　these　records　are　another　race；　an　exceedingly　long…lived　one。　A　pale　lovely　race；　that　occasionally　mingled　its　bloodlines　with　that　of　men。　And　then！　〃　He　spun　in　a　circle；　suddenly　fey；　pleased　insufferably　with　himself。　〃And　then；　when　certain　ones　were　born；　ones　marked　so　clearly　that　history　must　recall　them；　they　are　called　to　step　forward；　to　find　their　places　in　that　future　history。　And　they　might　further　be　exhorted　to　examine　that　place；　that　juncture　of　a　hundred　threads；　and　say；　these　threads；　here；　these　are　the　ones　I　shall　tweak；　and　in　the　tweaking；　I　shall　change　the　tapestry；　I　shall　warp　the　weft；　alter　the　color　of　what　is　to　e。　I　shall　change　the　destiny　of　the　world。〃
　　　　　　　He　was　mocking　me。　I　was　certain　of　it　now。　〃Once；　in　perhaps　a　thousand　years；　there　may　e　a　man　capable　of　making　such　a　great　change　in　the　world。　A　powerful　King；　perhaps；　or　a　philosopher；　shaping　the　thoughts　of　thousands。　But　you　and　I；　Fool？　We　are　pawns。　Ciphers。〃
　　　　　　　He　shook　his　head　pityingly。　〃This；　more　than　anything　else；　is　what　I　have　never　understood　about　your　people。　You　can　roll　dice；　and　understand　that　the　whole　game　may　hinge　on　one　turn　of　a　die。　You　deal　out　cards；　and　say　that　all　a　man's　fortune　for　the　night　may　turn　upon　one　hand。　But　a　man's　whole　life；　you　sniff　at；　and　say；　what；　this　naught　of　a　human；　this　fisherman；　this　carpenter；　this　thief；　this　cook；　why；　what　can　they　do　in　the　great　wide　world？　And　so　you　putter　and　sputter　your　lives　away；　like　candles　burning　in　a　draft。〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　all　men　are　destined　for　greatness；〃　I　reminded　him。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　sure；　Fitz？　Are　you　sure？　What　good　is　a　life　lived　as　if　it　made　no　difference　at　all　to　the　great　life　of　the　world？　A　sadder　thing　I　cannot　imagine。　Why　should　not　a　mother　say　to　herself；　if　I　raise　this　child　aright；　if　I　love　and　care　for　her；　she　shall　live　a　life　that　brings　joy　to　those　about　her；　and　thus　I　have　changed　the　world？　Why　should　not　the　farmer　that　plants　a　seed　say　to　his　neighbor；　this　seed　I　plant　today　will　feed　someone；　and　that　is　how　I　change　the　world　today？〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　philosophy；　Fool。　I　have　never　had　time　to　study　such　things。〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　Fitz；　this　is　life。　And　no　one　has　time　not　to　think　of　such　things。　Each　creature　in　the　world　should　consider　this　thing；　every　moment　of　the　heart's　beating。　Otherwise；　what　is　the　point　of　arising　each　day？〃
　　　　　　　〃Fool；　this　is　beyond　me；〃　I　declared　uneasily。　I　had　never　seen　him　so　impassioned；　never　heard　him　speak　so　plainly。　It　was　as　if　I　had　stirred　gray…coated　embers　and　suddenly　found　the　cherry…red　coal　that　glowed　in　their　depths。　He　burned　too　brightly。
　　　　　　　〃No；　Fitz。　I　have　e　to　believe　it　is　through　you。〃　He　reached　out　and　tapped　me　lightly　with　Ratsy。　〃Keystone。　Gate。　Crossroads。　Catalyst。　All　these　you　have　been；　and　continue　to　be。　Whenever　I　e　to　a　crossroads；　whenever　the　scent　is　uncertain；　when　I　put　my　nose　to　the　ground；　and　cast　about　and　bay　and　snuffle；　I　find　one　scent。　Yours。　You　create　possibilities。　While　you　exist；　the　future　can　be　steered。　I　came　here　for　you；　Fitz。　You　are　the　thread　I　tweak。　One　of　them；　anyway。　〃
　　　　　　　I　felt　a　sudden　chill　of　foreboding。　Whatever　more　he　had　to　say；　I　did　not　wish　to　hear　it。　Somewhere；　far　away；　a　thin　howl　arose。　A　wolf　baying　in　midday。　A　shiver　ran　up　me；　setting　up　every　hair　on　my　body。　〃You've　had　your　joke；〃　I　said；　laughing　nervously。　〃I　should　have　known　better　than　to　expect　a　real　secret　from　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃You。　Or　not　you。　Linchpin；　anchor；　knot　in　the　line。　I　have　seen　the　end　of　the　world；　Fitz。　Seen　it　woven　as　plainly　as　I've　seen　my　birth。　Oh；　not　in　your　lifetime；　nor　even　mine。　But　shall　we　be　happy；　to　say　that　we　live　in　the　dusk　rather　than　in　the　full　night？　Shall　we　rejoice　that　we　shall　only　suffer；　while　your　offspring　will　be　the　ones　to　know　the　torments　of　the　damned？　Shall　this　be　why　we　do　not　act？〃
　　　　　　　〃Fool。　I　wish　not　to　hear　this。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　had　a　chance　to　deny　me。　But　thrice　you　demanded　it；　and　hear　it　you　shall。〃　He　lifted　his　staff　as　if　leading　a　charge；　and　spoke　as　if　he　addressed　the　full　Council　of　the　Six　Duchies。　〃The　fall　of　the　Kingdom　of　the　Six　Duchies　was　the　pebble　that　started　the　landslide。　The　soulless　ones　moved　on　from　there；　spreading　like　a　bloodstain　down　the　world's　best　shirt。　Darkness　devours；　and　is　never　satiated　until　it　feeds　upon　itself。　And　all　because　the　line　of　House　Farseer　failed。　That　is　the　future　as　it　is　woven。　But　wait！　Farseer？〃　He　cocked　his　head　and　peered　at　me；　considering　as　a　gore…crow。　〃Why　do　they　call　you　that；　Fitz？　What　have　your　ancestors　ever　foreseen　afar　to　gain　such　a　name？　Shall　I　tell　you　how　it　es　about？　The　very　name　of　your　house　is　the　future　reaching　back　in　time　to　you；　and　naming　you　by　the　name　that　someday　your　house　will　deserve。　The　Farseers。　That　was　the　clue　I　took　to　my　heart。　That　the　future　reached　back　to　you；　to　your　house；　to　where　your　bloodlines　intersected　with　my　lifetime；　and　named　you　so。　I　came　here；　and　what　did　I　discover？　One　Farseer；　with　no　name　at　all。　Unnamed　in　any　history；　past　or　future。　But　I　have　seen　you　take　a　n