tw.togreenangeltower2-第118节

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　　　　　　　〃Thank　you；　Sludig。　Are　there　sentries　on　Swertclif？〃　〃On　the　near　side；　Highness；　out　of　sight　of　the　castle。〃　〃I　do　not　care　if　anyone　sees　them；〃　the　prince　said。　〃I　am　more　concerned　about　who　might　be　ing　down　on　us　from　the　north。　If　you　and　your　men　are　tired；　ask　Hotvig　to　take　some　of　his　grasslanders　and　ride　down　the　far　side　toward　the　skirts　of　Aldheorte。　Tell　them　to　return　immediately　if　they　see　something　ing。〃　〃I　will；　Prince　Josua。〃　Sludig　went　out。　Josua　turned　to　Isgrimnur。　〃What　do　you　think？　Is　the　Storm　King　going　to　play　the　same　hand　he　produced　at　Naglimund？〃
〃Perhaps。　But　you　had　castle　walls；　there。　Here　we　have　nothing　before　us　but　open　land；　and　nothing　behind　us　but　the　Kynslagh。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　but　we　have　several　thousand　men　here；　too。　And　no　innocents　to　worry　over。　If　my　brother's　chief　ally　thinks　he　will　find　us　as　easy　a　nut　to　crack　as　before；　he　will　be　disappointed。〃
Isgrimnur　stared　at　the　fierce…eyed　prince；　then　at　Camaris；　who　held　his　head　in　his　hands　and　stared　at　the　tabletop。
　　　　　　　Is　Josua　right？　Or　are　we　the　last　raveled　end　of　John's　empire；　waiting　for　a　final　pull　before　it　falls　into　threads？
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　we'd　better　go　and　talk　to　a　few　of　the　captains。〃　The　duke　got　up　and　held　his　hands　close　to　the　brazier；　trying　to　dispel　some　of　the　chill。　〃Better　we　tell　them　something's　ing　than　they　hear　it　by　rumor。〃　He　made　a　noise　of　disgust。　〃Looks　like　we　don't　get　much　sleep。〃

　　　　　　　Miriamele　stared　at　Cadrach。　She；　who　had　heard　him　lie　so　many　times；　could　not　free　herself　of　the　horrifying　certainty　that　this　time　he　was　telling　the　truth。
　　　　　　　Or　the　truth　as　he　sees　it；　anyway；　she　tried　to　fort　herself。
She　looked　at　Binabik；　who　had　narrowed　his　eyes　in　concentration；　then　returned　to　Cadrach's　bleak　face。　〃Doomed？　Do　you　mean　some　danger　beside　that　we　already　face？〃
　　　　　　　He　met　her　stare。　〃Doomed　beyond　hope。　And　I　have　played　no　little　part　in　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　is　it　you　are　saying？〃　demanded　Binabik。
　　　　　　　The　dwarrow　Yis…fidri　seemed　to　want　little　to　do　with　this　volatile　and　frightening　conversation；　he　hesitated；　fingers　flexing。
　　　　　　　〃What　I　am　saying；　troll；　is　that　all　the　scurrying　about　in　caverns　that　we　do　here　matters　little。　Whether　we　escape　the　White　Foxes　outside；　whether　your　Prince　Josua　knocks　down　the　walls；　whether　God　Himself　sends　lightning　down　from　Heaven　to　blast　Elias　to　ash　。。。　none　of　it　matters。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　felt　her　guts　twist　at　the　certainty　in　his　voice。　〃Tell　us　what　you　mean。〃
　　　　　　　The　monk's　hard　face　crumpled。　〃Aedon's　mercy！　Everything　you　have　thought　about　me　is　true；　Miriamele。　Everything。〃　A　tear　ran　down　his　cheek。　〃God　help　me…although　He　has　no　reason　to…I　have　done　such　foul　things。。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Curse　you；　Cadrach；　will　you　explain！〃
　　　　　　　As　if　this　outburst　had　somehow　pushed　Yis…fidri　past　what　he　could　bear；　the　dwarrow　got　up　and　moved　away　rapidly；　going　to　join　his　whispering　fellows　on　the　other　side　of　the　cavern。
Cadrach　wiped　at　his　eyes　and　nose　with　his　dirty　sleeve。　〃I　told　you　of　my　capture　by　Pryrates；〃　he　said　to　Miriamele。
　　　　　　　〃You　did。〃　And　she　in　turn　had　told　Binabik　and　others　on　Sesuad'ra；　so　she　felt　no　need　to　retell　the　tale　now。
　　　　　　　〃I　told　you　that　after　I　had　betrayed　the　booksellers；　Pryrates　threw　me　out；　thinking　I　was　dead。〃
　　　　　　　She　nodded。
　　　　　　　'That　was　not　true…or　at　least　it　did　not　happen　then。〃　He　took　a　breath。　〃He　set　me　to　spy　on　Morgenes　and　others　I　had　known　from　my　days　as　a　Scrollbearer。〃　
　　　　　　　〃And　you　did　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　think　I　hesitated；　my　lady；　you　do　not　know　how　fiercely　a　drunkard　and　coward　can　cling　to　his　life…or　how　terrified　of　Pryrates'　anger　I　was。　You　see；　I　knew　him。　I　knew　that　the　injuries　he　had　done　to　my　flesh　in　his　tower　were　nothing　set　against　what　he　could　do　if　he　truly　wished　to　make　me　suffer。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　you　spied　for　him？！　Spied　on　Morgenes？〃
　　　　　　　Cadrach　shook　his　head。　〃I　tried…by　the　Tree；　how　I　tried！　But　Morgenes　was　no　fool。　He　knew　that　I　had　fallen　into　dreadful　straits；　and　that　the　red　priest　knew　both　of　us　from　elder　days。　He　gave　me　food　and　a　night's　lodging；　but　he　was　suspicious。　He　made　sure　there　was　nothing　for　me　to　find　in　either　his　chambers　or　his　discourse　that　would　be　useful　to　someone　like　Pryrates。〃　Cadrach　shook　his　head。　〃If　anything；　my　efforts　only　taught　Morgenes　that　he　had　less　time　than　he　had　hoped。〃
〃So　you　failed？〃　Miriamele　could　not　see　where　this　was　leading；　but　a　deep　dread　was　spreading　through　her。　
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　And　I　was　terrified。　When　I　went　back　to　Hjeldin's　Tower；　Pryrates　was　angry。　But　he　did　not　kill　me；　or　do　something　worse；　as　I　feared。　Instead　he　asked　me　more　questions　about　Du　Svardenvyrd。　I　think　by　then　he　had　already　been　touched　by　the　Storm　King　and　was　beginning　to　bargain　with　him。〃　Cadrach's　look　turned　contemptuous。　〃As　if　any　mortal　could　successfully　bargain　with　one　such　as　that！　I　doubt　Pryrates　has　even　yet　realized　what　has　e　through　the　door　he　opened。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　will　talk　of　what　thing　Pryrates　has　done　later；〃　said　Binabik。　〃You　are　telling　us　now　of　things　you　have　been　doing。〃
　　　　　　　The　monk　stared　at　him。　〃They　are　less　separate　than　you　think；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Pryrates　asked　me　many　questions；　but　for　one　who　had　read　Du　Svardenvyrd…indeed；　for　one　who　knew　Nisses'　book　so　well　that　the　memory　of　its　words　still　haunts　my　thoughts　daily…it　was　easy　enough　to　see　the　direction　behind　his　questions。　Somehow　he　had　been　reached　by　the　Storm　King；　and　now　Pryrates　was　eager　to　know　about　the　three　Great　Swords。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　Pryrates　does　know　about　the　swords。〃　Miriamele　took　a　shaky　breath。　〃I　suppose　he　was　the　one　who　took　Bright…Nail　from　the　mound；　then。〃
　　　　　　　Cadrach　held　up　his　hand。　〃Pryrates　dealt　with　me　harshly　for　failing　with　Morgenes。　Then　he　had　me　send　a　message　to　old　Jarnauga　in　the　north；　asking　for　information　about　the　Storm　King。　I　suspect　that　the　alchemist　was　looking　for　ways　to　defend　himself　against　his　new　and　very　dangerous　friend。　He　made　me　write　it　as　he　watched；　then　sent　it　himself　with　a　sparrow　he　had　filched　from　Morgenes。　He　let　me　go　free　again。　He　was　sure　I　would　not　run　away　when　he　could　so　easily　locate　me。
　　　　　　　〃But　you　did　run　away；〃　Miriamele　said。　〃You　told　me　so。
　　　　　　　Cadrach　nodded。　〃Eventually。　But　not　then。　My　fear　was　too　great。　But　at　the　same　time　I　knew　that　Jarnauga　would　not　respond。　The　Rimmersman　and　Morgenes　were　closer　than　Pryrates　realized；　and　I　had　no　doubt　the　doctor　would　have　already　written　to　tell　Jarnauga　about　my　unexpected　visit。　In　any　case；　Jarnauga　had　been　living　in　Stormspike's　shadow　for　years　and　would　not　have　opened　his　mind　to　anyone　he　did　not　know　for　certain　to　be　untouched　by　Ineluki's　long　hand。　So　I　knew　that　the　imposture　Pryrates　had　forced　me　to　mit　was　useless；　and　that　when　the　red　priest　discovered　it；　he　would　have　no　use　left　for　me。　My　only　worth　was　as　one　who　had　read　Nisses'　book　and　as　a　former　Scrotlbearer。　But　I　had　answered　all　of　his　questions　about　the　book；　and　now　he　would　discover　that　the　other　Scrollbearers　had　stopped　trusting　me　years　before。。。。〃　He　broke　off；　struggling　again　with　powerful　emotions。
〃Go　on。〃　Miriamele　spoke　a　little　more　gently　than　before。　Whatever　he　had　done；　he　seemed　to　be　genuinely　suffering。

　　　　　　　〃I　was　in　terror…stark　terror。　I　knew　that　I　had　only　a　short　time　before　Jarnauga's　inevitably　unhelpful　reply。　I　wanted　desperately　to　flee；　but　Pryrates　would　know　the　moment　I　left　Erchester；　and　by　his　use　of　the　Art　would　also　know　where　I　had　gone。　He　had　marked　me　in　that　high　chamber　of　his　tower。　He　would　find　me　anywhere。〃　Cadrach　paused；　struggling　for　self…control。　〃So　I　thought；　and　thought；　and　thought…but　not；　to　my　shame；　of　a　way　to　escape　Pryrates　or　thwart　his　plans。　No；　in　my　besottedness　and　my　fear；　I　thought　only　of　ways　that　I　could　please　this　horrid　master；　that　I　could　convince　him　to　grant　me　my　pathetic　life。〃　He　quivered；　unable　for　a　moment　to　continue。
　　　　　　　〃I　had　thought　much　about　his　questions；〃　the　monk　finally　resumed。　〃Especially　about　the　three　Great　Swords。　It　was　clear　that　they　had　some　marvelous　power；　and　equally　clear　that　they　meant　something　to　the　Storm　King。　What　was　not　clear　to　anyone　but　me；　I　thought；　was　that　the　sword　Minneyar；　one　of　the　three；　was　in　fact　Bright…Nail；　the　sword　that　had　been　buried　with　King　John。〃
Miriamele　gaped。　〃You　knew？〃
　　　　　　　〃Anyone　who　read　the　books　of　history　that　I　had　would　have　suspected　it；〃　Cadrach　replied；　〃I　am　convinced　Morgenes　knew；　but　hid　it　in　his　own　book　about　your　grandfather　so　that　only　those　who　knew　what　to　look　for　would　find　it；　thus　keeping　it　from　mon　knowledge。〃　He　had　regained　a　little　posure。　〃In　any　case；　I　read　the　same　sources　Doctor　Morgenes　did；　and　had　long　held　that　opinion；　although　I　had　never　shared　it　with　anyone。　And　the　more　I　thought　about　the　marketplace　gossip　that　claimed　Elias　would　not　handle　his　father's　sword；　that　he　had；　against　custom；　buried　it　with　his　father；　the　more　I　felt　sure　that　my　guess　was　not　just　likely；　but　true。
　　　　　　　〃So　I　decided　that　if　what　Du　Svardenvyrd　seemed　to　suggest　was　al