lmb.shardsofhonor-第11节
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〃She had two on her string； or her on theirs； I can't say which。 He didn't care who survived； or if he were arrested。 He imagined he was dishonored； you see。 He arranged to have each meet him at a deserted place； about half an hour apart。〃
He paused for a long time。 Cordelia waited； barely breathing； uncertain whether to encourage him to go on or not。 He continued eventually； but his voice went flatter and he spoke in a rush。
〃The first was another pigheaded young aristocrat like himself； and he played out the game by the rules。 He knew the use of the two swords； fought with flair； and almost killed m…my friend。 The last thing he said was that he'd always wanted to be killed by a jealous husband； only at age eighty。〃
By this time； the little slip was no surprise to Cordelia； and she wondered if her story had been as transparent to him。 It certainly seemed so。
〃The second was a high government minister； an older man。 He wouldn't fight； although he knocked him down and stood him up several times。 After…after the other； who had died with a joke in his mouth； he could hardly bear it。 He finally slew him outright in the middle of his begging； and left them there。
〃He stopped at his wife's apartment； to tell her what he'd done； and returned to his ship； to wait for arrest。 This all happened in one afternoon。 She was enraged； full of wounded pride…she would have dueled with him； if she could…and she killed herself。 Shot herself in the head； with his service plasma arc。 I wouldn't have thought it a woman's weapon。 Poison； or cutting the wrists； or something。 But she was true Vor。 It burned her face entirely away。 She'd had the most beautiful imaginable face。。。
〃Things worked out very strangely。 It was assumed the two lovers had killed each other…I swear； he never planned it that way…and that she'd killed herself in despondency。 No one ever asked him the first question about it。〃
His voice slowed； and intensified。 〃He went through that whole afternoon like a sleepwalker； or an actor； saying the expected lines； going through the expected motions； and at the end his honor was no better for it。 Nothing was served； no point was proved。 It was all as false as her love affairs； except for the deaths。 They were real。〃 He paused。 〃So you see； you Betans have one advantage。 You at least permit each other to learn from your mistakes。〃
〃I'm…grieved； for your friend。 Does it seem very long ago？〃
〃Sometimes。 Over twenty years。 They say that senile people remember things from their youth more clearly than those of last week。 Maybe he's getting senile。〃
〃I see。〃 She took the story in like some strange； spiked gift； too fragile to drop； too painful to hold。 He lay back； silent again； and she took another turn around the glade； listening at the wood's edge to a silence so profound the roaring of the blood in her ears seemed to drown it out。 When she'd pleted the round； Vorkosigan was asleep； restless and shivering in his fever。 She filched one of the half…burned bedrolls from Dubauer； and covered him up。
CHAPTER FOUR
Vorkosigan woke about three hours before dawn； and made her lie down to snatch a couple hours sleep。 In the grey before sunup he roused her again。 He had evidently bathed in the stream； and used the single…application packet of depilatory he had been saving in his belt to wipe away the itchy four…day growth on his face。
〃I need some help with this leg。 I want to open and drain it and cover it back up。 That will hold until this afternoon； and after that it won't matter。〃
〃Right。〃
Vorkosigan stripped off boot and sock； and Cordelia had him hold his leg under a rushing spout at the edge of the waterfall。 She rinsed his bat knife； then laid open the grossly swollen wound in a deep； quick stroke。 Vorkosigan went white around the lips； but said nothing。 It was Cordelia who winced。 The cut squirted blood and pus and odd…smelling clotted matter which the stream washed away。 She tried not to think about what new microbes they might be introducing by the procedure。 It only needed to be a temporary palliative。
She packed the wound with the last of the tube of his rather ineffective antibiotic； and stripped out the tube of plastic bandage to cover it。
〃It feels better。〃 But Vorkosigan stumbled and almost fell when he attempted to walk normally。 〃Right；〃 he muttered。 〃The time has e。〃 Ceremoniously； he removed the last painkiller and a small blue pill from his first…aid kit； swallowed them； and threw the empty case away。 Cordelia somewhat absently picked it up； found herself with no place to put it； and surreptitiously dropped it again。
〃These things work great；〃 he told her； 〃until they give out； when you fall down like a marionette with the strings cut。 I'm good for about sixteen hours now。〃
Indeed； by the time they'd finished the field rations and readied Dubauer for the day's march； he looked not merely normal； but fresh and rested and full of energy。 Neither referred to the previous night's conversation。
He led them in a wide arc around the mountain's base； so that by noon they were approaching the cratered side from nearly due west They made their way through woods and glades to a spur opposite a great bowl that was all that remained of the lower mountainside from the days before an ancient volcanic cataclysm。 Vorkosigan crawled out on a treeless promontory； taking care not to show himself above the tall grass。 Dubauer； wan and exhausted； curled up on his side in their place of concealment and fell asleep。 Cordelia watched him until his breathing was slow and steady； then crept out beside Vorkosigan。 The Barrayaran captain had his field scope out； sweeping over the hazy green amphitheater。
〃There's the shuttle。 They're camped in the cache caves。 See that dark streak beside the long waterfall？ That's the entrance。〃 He lent her the scope for a closer look。
〃Oh； there's somebody ing out。 You can see their faces on high magnification。〃
Vorkosigan took back the scope。 〃Koudelka。 He's all right。 But the thin man with him is Darobey； one of Radnov's spies in my munications section。 Remember his face…you'll need to know when to keep your head down。〃
Cordelia wondered if Vorkosigan's air of enjoyment was an artifact of the stimulant； or a primitive anticipation of the clash to e。 His eyes seemed to gleam as he watched； counted； and calculated。
He hissed through his teeth； sounding a bit like one of the local carnivores himself。 〃There's Radnov； by God！ Wouldn't I like to get my hands on him。 But this time I can take the Ministry men to trial。 I'd like to see them try to get one of their pets out from under a bona fide charge of mutiny。 The high mand and the Council of Counts will be with me this time。 No； Radnov； you're going to live…and regret it。〃 He settled on stomach and elbows and devoured the scene。
He stiffened suddenly； and grinned。 〃It's time my luck changed。 There's Gottyan； armed； so he must be in charge。 We're nearly home。 e on。〃
They crept back to the cloaking shelter of the trees。 Dubauer was not where they'd left him。
〃Oh； lord；〃 breathed Cordelia； turning and peering into the brush in all directions。 〃Which way did he go？〃
〃He can't have gone far；〃 reassured Vorkosigan； although he too looked worried。 They each made a circle of a hundred meters or so through the woods。 Idiot！ Cordelia castigated herself furiously in her panic。 You just had to go peek。。。 They met back at the original spot without seeing any mark made by the wandering ensign。
〃Look； we haven't the time to search for him now；〃 said Vorkosigan。 〃As soon as I've regained mand； I'll send a patrol out to look for him。 With proper search…scopes； they could find him faster than we can。〃
Cordelia thought of carnivores； cliffs； deep pools； Barrayaran patrols with twitchy trigger fingers。 〃We've e so far；〃 she began。
〃And if I don't regain mand soon； neither of you will survive anyway。〃
Torn； but obedient to reason； she allowed Vorkosigan to take her by the arm。 Only leaning on her slightly； he picked a way down through the woods。 As they neared the Barrayaran camp； he put a thick finger to his lips。
〃Go as quietly as you can。 I haven't e this far to be shot by one of my own pickets。 Ah。 Lie down here。〃 He placed her in a spot behind some fallen logs and knee…high vegetation overlooking a faint new path beaten through the brush。
〃You're not just going to knock on the front door？〃
〃No。〃
〃Why not； if your Gottyan is all right？〃
〃Because there's something else wrong。 I don't know why this landing party is here。〃 He meditated a moment； then handed her back the stunner。 〃If you have to use a weapon； it had better be one you can handle。 It still has a bit of charge…one or two shots。 This path runs between sentry points； and sooner or later someone's going to e down it。 Keep your head down until I call you。〃
He loosed his knife in its sheath and took a concealed position on the other side of the path。 They waited a quarter of an hour； then another。 The woodland drowsed in the warm； soft； white air。
Then down the path came the sound of boots scuffing through the leaf litter。 Cordelia went rigidly still； trying to peer through the weeds without raising her head。 A tall form in the w
