tp.wyrd sisters-第10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！


s。
　'This　is　foolish；'　he　told　himself。　'Marry；　but　is　it　foolish　enough！'
　He　dozed　off　fitfully；　into　some　sort　of　dream　where　a　vague　figure　kept　trying　to　attract　his　attention；　and　was　only　dimly　aware　of　the　voices　of　Lord　and　Lady　Felmet　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。
　'It's　certainly　a　lot　less　draughty；'　said　the　duchess　grudgingly。
　The　duke　sat　back　in　the　armchair　and　smiled　at　his　wife。
　'Well？'　she　demanded。　'Where　are　the　witches？'
　'The　chamberlain　would　appear　to　be　right；　beloved。　The　witches　seem　to　have　the　local　people　in　thrall。　The　sergeant　of　the　guard　came　back　empty…handed。'　Handed　。　。　。　he　came　down　heavily　on　the　importunate　thought。
　'You　must　have　him　executed；'　she　said　promptly。　'To　make　an　example　to　the　others。'
　'A　course　of　action；　my　dear；　which　ultimately　results　in　us　ordering　the　last　soldier　to　cut　his　own　throat　as　an　example　to　himself。　By　the　way；'　he　added　mildly；　'there　would　appear　to　be　somewhat　fewer　servants　around　the　place。　You　know　I　would　not　normally　interfere…'
　'Then　don't；'　she　snapped。　'Housekeeping　is　under　my　control。　I　cannot　abide　slackness。'
　'I'm　sure　you　know　best；　but…'
　'What　of　these　witches？　Will　you　stand　idly　by　and　let　trouble　seed　for　thg　future？　Will　you　let　these　witches　defy　you？　What　of　the　crown？'
　The　duke　shrugged。　'No　doubt　it　ended　in　the　river；'　he　said。
　'And　the　child？　He　was　given　to　the　witches？　Do　they　do　human　sacrifice？'
　'It　would　appear　not；'　said　the　duke。　The　duchess　looked　vaguely　disappointed。
　'These　witches；'　said　the　duke。　'Apparently；　they　seem　to　cast　a　spell　on　people。'
　'Well；　obviously…'
　'Not　like　a　magic　spell。　They　seem　to　be　respected。　They　do　medicine　and　so　on。　It's　rather　strange。　The　mountain　people　seem　to　be　afraid　of　them　and　proud　of　them　at　the　same　time；　It　might　be　a　little　difficult　to　move　against　them。'
　'I　could　e　to　believe；'　said　the　duchess　darkly；　'that　they　have　cast　a　glamour　over　you　as　well。'
　In　fact　the　duke　was　intrigued。　Power　was　always　darkly　fascinating；　which　was　why　he　had　married　the　duchess　in　the　first　place。　He　stared　fixedly　at　the　fire。
　'In　fact。'　said　the　duchess；　who　recognised　the　malign　smile；　'you　like　it；　don't　you？　The　thought　of　the　danger。　I　remember　when　we　were　married；　all　that　business　with　the　knotted　rope…'
　She　snapped　her　fingers　in　front　of　the　duke's　glazed　eyes；　He　sat　up。
　'Not　at　all！'　he　shouted。
　'Then　what　will　you　do？'
　'Wait。'
　'Waif？'
　'Wait；　and　consider。　Patience　is　a　virtue。'　The　duke　sat　back。　The　smile　he　smiled　could　have　spent　a　million　years　sitting　on　a　rock。　And　then；　just　below　one　eye；　he　started　to　twitch。　Blood　was　oozing　between　the　bandages　on　his　hand。
　
　Once　again　the　full　moon　rode　the　clouds。
　Granny　Weatherwax　milked　and　fed　the　goats；　banked　me　fire　put　a　cloth　over　the　minor　and　pulled　her　broomstick　out　from　behind　the　door。　She　went　out；　locked　the　back　door　behind　her；　and　hung　the　key　on　its　nail　in　the　privy。
　This　was　quite　sufficient。　Only　once；　in　the　entire　history　of　witchery　in　the　Ramtops；　had　a　thief　broken　into　a　witch's　cottage。　The　witch　concerned　visited　the　most　terrible　punishment　on　him。＇4＇
　Granny　sat　on　the　broom　and　muttered　a　few　words；　but　without　much　conviction。　After　a　further　couple　of　tries　she　got　off；　fiddled　with　the　binding；　and　had　another　go。　There　was　a　suspicion　of　glitter　from　one　end　of　the　stick；　which　quickly　died　away。
　'Drat；'　she　said；　under　her　breath。
　She　looked　around　carefully；　in　case　anyone　was　watching。　In　fact　it　was　only　a　hunting　badger　who；　hearing　the　thumping　of　running　feet；　poked　its　head　out　from　the　bushes　and　saw　Granny　hurtling　down　the　path　with　the　broomstick　held　stiff…armed　beside　her。　At　last　the　magic　caught；　and　she　managed　to　vault　clumsily　on　to　it　before　it　trundled　into　the　night　sky　as　gracefully　as　a　duck　with　one　wing　missing。
　From　above　the　trees　came　a　muffled　curse　against　all　dwarfish　mechanics。
　Most　witches　preferred　to　live　in　isolated　cottages　with　the　traditional　curly　chimneys　and　weed…grown　thatch。　Granny　Weatherwax　approved　of　this；　it　was　no　good　being　a　witch　unless　you　let　people　know。
　Nanny　Ogg　didn't　care　much　about　what　people　knew　and　even　less　for　what　they　thought；　and　lived　in　a　new；　knick…knack　crammed　cottage　in　the　middle　of　Lancre　town　itself　and　at　the　heart　of　her　own　private　empire。　Various　daughters　and　daughters…in…law　came　in　to　cook　and　clean　on　a　sort　of　rota。　Every　flat　surface　was　stuffed　with　ornaments　brought　back　by　far…travelling　members　of　the　family。　Sons　and　grandsons　kept　the　logpile　stacked；　the　roof　shingled；　the　chimney　swept；　the　drinks　cupboard　was　always　full；　the　pouch　by　her　rocking　chair　always　stuffed　with　tobacco。　Above　the　hearth　was　a　huge　pokerwork　sign　saying　'Mother'。　No　tyrant　in　the　whole　history　of　the　world　had　ever　achieved　a　domination　so　plete。
　Nanny　Ogg　also　kept　a　cat；　a　huge　one…eyed　grey　torn　called　Greebo　who　divided　his　time　between　sleeping；　eating　and　fathering　the　most　enormous　incestuous　feline　tribe。　He　opened　his　eye　like　a　yellow　window　into　Hell　when　he　heard　Granny's　broomstick　land　awkwardly　on　the　back　lawn。　With　the　instinct　of　his　kind　he　recognised　Granny　as　an　inveterate　cat…hater　and　oozed　gently　under　a　chair。
　Magrat　was　already　seated　primly　by　the　fire。
　It　is　one　of　the　few　unbendable　rules　of　magic　that　its　practitioners　cannot　change　their　own　appearance　for　any　length　of　time。　Their　bodies　develop　a　kind　of　morphic　inertia　and　gradually　return　to　their　original　shape。　But　Magrat　tried。　Every　morning　her　hair　was　long；　thick　and　blond；　but　by　the　evening　it　had　always　returned　to　its　normal　worried　frizz。　To　ameliorate　the　effect　she　had　tried　to　plait　violets　and　cowslips　in　it。　The　result　was　not　all　she　had　hoped。　It　gave　the　impression　that　a　window　box　had　fallen　on　her　head。
　'Good　evening；'　said　Granny。
　'Well　met　by　moonlight；'　said　Magrat　politely。　'Merry　meet。　A　star　shines　on…'
　'Wotcha；'　said　Nanny　Ogg。　Magrat　winced。
　Granny　sat　down　and　started　removing　the　pins　that　nailed　her　tall　hat　to　her　bun。　Finally　the　sight　of　Magrat　dawned　on　her。
　'Magrat！'
　The　young　witch　jumped；　and　clamped　her　knuckly　hands　to　the　virtuous　frontage　of　her　gown。
　'Yes？'　she　quavered。
　'What　have　you　got　on　your　lap？'
　'It's　my　familiar；'　she　said　defensively。
　'What　happened　to　that　toad　you　had？'
　'It　wandered　off；'　muttered　Magrat。　'Anyway；　it　wasn't　very　good。'
　Granny　sighed。　Magrat's　desperate　search　for　a　reliable　familiar　had　been　going　on　for　some　time；　and　despite　the　love　and　attention　she　lavished　on　them　they　all　seemed　to　have　some　terrible　flaw；　such　as　a　tendency　to　bite；　get　trodden　on　or；　in　extreme　cases；　metamorphose。
　'That　makes　fifteen　this　year；'　said　Granny。　'Not　counting　the　horse。　What's　this　one？'
　'It's　a　rock；'　chuckled　Nanny　Ogg。
　'Well；　at　least　it　should　last；'　said　Granny。
　The　rock　extended　a　head　and　gave　her　a　look　of　mild　amusement。
　'It's　a　tortoyse；'　said　Magrat。　'I　bought　it　down　in　Sheep…ridge　market。　It's　incredibly　old　and　knows　many　secrets；　the　man　said。'
　'I　know　that　man；'　said　Granny。　'He's　the　one　who　sells　goldfish　that　tarnish　after　a　day　or　two。'
　'Anyway；　I　shall　call　him　Lightfoot；'　said　Magrat；　her　voice　warm　with　defiance。　'I　can　if　I　want。'
　'Yes；　yes；　all　right；　I'm　sure；'　said　Granny。　'Anyway；　how　goes　it；　sisters？　It　is　two　months　since　last　we　met。'
　'It　should　be　every　new　moon；'　said　Magrat　sternly。　'Regular。'
　'It　was　our　Grame's　youngest's　wedding；'　said　Nanny　Ogg。　'Couldn't　miss　it。'
　'And　I　was　up　all　night　with　a　sick　goat；'　said　Granny　Weatherwax　promptly。
　'Yes；　well；'　said　Magrat　doubtfully。　She　rummaged　in　her　bag。　'Anyway；　if　we're　going　to　start；　we'd　better　light　the　candles。'
　The　senior　witches　exchanged　a　resigned　glance。
　'But　we　got　this　lovely　new　lamp　our　Tracie　sent　me；'　said　Nanny　Ogg　innocently。　'And　I　was　going　to　poke　up　the　fire　a　bit。'
　'I　have　excellent　night　vision；　Magrat；'　said　Granny　sternly。　'And　you've　been　reading　them　funny　books。　Grimmers。'
　'Grimoires…'
　'You　ain't　going　to　draw　on　the　floor　again；　neither；'　warned　Nanny　Ogg。　'It　took　our　Dreen　days　to　clean　up　all　those　wossnames　last　time…'
　'Runes；'　said　Magrat。　There　was　a　look　of　pleading　in　her　eyes。　'Look；　just　one　candle？'
　'All　right；'　said　Nanny　Ogg；　relenting　a　bit。　'If　it　makes　you　feel　any　better。　Just　the　one；　mind。　And　a　decent　white　one。　Nothing　fancy。'
　Magrat　sighed。　It　probably　wasn't　a　good　idea　to　bring　out　the　rest　of　the　contents　of　her　bag。
　'We　ought　to　get　a　few　more　here；'　she　said　sadly。　'It's　not　right；　a　coven　of　three。'
　'I　didn't　know　we　was　still　a　coven。　No…one　told　me　we　was　still　a　coven；'　sniffed　Granny　Weatherwax。　'Anyway；　there's　no…one　else　this　side　of　the　mountain；　excepting　old　Gammer　Dismass；　and　she　doesn't　get　out　these　days。'
　'But　a　lot　of　young　girls　in　my　village　。　。　。'　said　Magrat。　'You　know。　They　could　be　keen。'
　'That's　not　how　we　do　it；　as　well　you　know；'　said　Granny　disapprovingly。　'People　don't　go　and　find　witchcraft；　it　es　and　finds　them。'
　'Yes；　yes；'　said　Magrat。　'Sorry。'
　'Right；'　said　Granny；　slightly　mollified。　Sh