fs.thefirstbookofswords-第14节

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seen　what　it　could　do。〃
　　　〃Beg　pardon；　Your　Grace；　I　really　did　not　see　that。　When　the　fighting　started　I　went　to　earth　at　once；　put　my　head　down　and　stayed　that　way。　As　Your　Grace　is　very　well　aware；　most　magic　works　very　poorly　once　blades　are　drawn　and　blood　is　shed。　I　was　of　course　aware　that　some　very　potent　magic　was　operating　nearby；　I　know　now　that　was　I　sensed　was　the　sword。　But　while　the　fighting　lasted　there　was　nothing　I　could　do。　As　soon　as　silence　fell；　I　jumped　up　and。。。〃
　　　〃Did　what　you　could；　yes。　Which；　as　it　turned　out；　wasn't　very　much。　Well；　we'll　see　what　Sharfa　has　to　say　about　these　villagers　of　his　when　he　gets　back。〃
　　　〃And　have　you　now　summoned　him　back；　Your　Grace？〃
　　　〃Yes；　I've　sent　word　that　he　should　hurry；　though　I　hate　for　him　to　cut　short　his　other　mission。。。　well；　he　must　do　what　he　thinks　best　when　he　gets　my　message。　So　must　we　all。　Meanwhile；　let's　have　the　miller　and　his　wife　in。〃
　　　〃By　all　means；　sire。　I　think　it　a　very　wise　decision　for　you　to　question　them　yourself。〃
　　　〃I　want　you　to　observe。〃
　　　The　wizard　nodded　silently。　Duke　Fraktin　made　another　small　motion　with　his　hand。　Though　the　two　men　were　to　all　appearances　alone；　this　gesture　somehow　sufficed　to　convey　the　Duke's　will　beyond　the　chamber　walls。　In　the　time　that　might　have　been　needed　for　a　full；　slow　breath；　a　spear…carrying　guard　appeared；　ushering　in　two　people　in　worn　moners'　garb。
　　　The　man　was　tall　and　sturdy；　and　the　Duke　would　have　put　his　age　at　between　thirty…five　and　forty。　His　fair　hair　hung　over　neatly　bandaged　temples。　He　had　only　one　arm；　now　round　the　waist　of　the　woman　at　his　side。　She　was　plump　but　still　attractive　for　one　of　her　class　and　age；　a　few　years　younger　than　her　husband。　The　dark…haired　woman　was　more　than　a　little　frightened　at　the　moment；　the　Duke　thought；　though　so　far　she　was　controlling　it　well。　The　man　looked　more　dazed　than　frightened。　It　was　only　today；　according　to　the　medical　reports；　three　days　after　his　injury；　that　he'd　regained　his　senses　fully。
　　　Duke　Fraktin　signed　to　the　guard　to　withdraw；　and　then　surprised　the　couple　by　rising　from　his　chair　and　ing　to　greet　them；　which　meant　descending　from　the　low　dais　upon　which　he　and　his　wizard　had　been　sitting　…　the　wizard　was　no　longer　to　be　seen　anywhere。　The　smiling　Duke　took　the　man　briefly　by　the　hand；　as　if　this　were　some　ceremony　for　the　award　of　honors。　Then；　with　a　sort　of　remote　possessiveness；　he　touched　the　bowing；　flustered　woman　on　the　head。　〃So；　you　are　Jord；　and　you　are　Mala。　Have　you　both　been　well　treated？　I　mean；　by　my　men　who　brought　you　here？〃
　　　〃Very　well　treated；　Your　Honor。〃　The　man's　voice；　like　the　expression　on　his　face；　was　still　a　little　dazed。　〃I　thank　you　for　the　care　you've　given　me。　The　healing。〃
　　　The　Duke　waved　gratitude　away。　Whenever　quick　medical　care　was　needed；　for　someone　whose　life　mattered；　he　had　a　priestess　of　Ardneh　on　retainer；　and　the　priestess　had　reason　to　be　prompt　and　attentive　in　responding　to　his　calls。　〃I　wish　we　might　have　saved　your　elder　son。　He　fell　as　a　true　hero；〃　the　Duke　said　and　added　a　delicate　sigh。　〃Actually　it　is　your　younger　son　who　most　concerns　me　today。〃
　　　The　parents　were　alarmed　at　once。　The　man　asked　quickly：　〃Mark's　been　found？〃　Their　reactions；　the　Duke　thought；　would　have　been　subtly　different　if　they　had　known　where　their　child　was。　The　Duke　allowed　himself　another　sigh。
　　　〃Alas；　no；〃　replied　the　Duke。　〃Mark　has　not　been　found。　And　he　seems　to　have　taken　away　with　him　a　certain　very　valuable　object。　An　object　in　which　my　own　interest　is　very　strong。〃
　　　The　woman　was　looking　at　the　Duke　with　a　strange　expression　on　her　face；　and　he　wondered　if　she　was　attempting　to　be　seductive。　A　number　of　women　made　that　attempt　with　him；　of　course；　and　probably　few　of　them　had　such　beautiful　black　hair。　Fewer　still；　of　course；　were　thirty…year…old　millwives　with　calloused　hands。　This　one　had　a　high　opinion　of　her　own　attractiveness。　Or　else　something　else　was　on　her　mind。。。
　　　〃Isn't　it　possible；　sir；〃　she　asked　now　with　timid　determination；　〃that　someone　else　took　the　sword？　One　of　those　bandits？〃
　　　〃I　think　not；　Mala。　Where　was　Mark　when　you　saw　him　last？〃
　　　〃In　the　street；　sir。　Our　village　street；　right　after　the　fight。　My　daughter　and　I　came　running　out　from　the　mill；　when　people　told　us　that　Kenn　was　fighting　out　there　with　the　sword。　When　I　got　there；　Mark　was　standing　off　to　one　side。　I　didn't　think　he　was　hurt；　so　I　ran　right　to　Kenn；　and。。。　〃　She　gestured　toward　her　husband　at　her　side。　〃Then；　later；　when　I　looked　around　for　Mark　again；　he　wasn't　there。〃
　　　The　Duke　nodded。　The　daughter　had　given　his　men　a　similar　report；　she　had　been　allowed　to　remain　in　the　village；　looking　after　the　mill。　〃And　when　you　first　ran　out　into　the　street；　Mala；　it　was　Kenn　who　had　the　sword？〃
　　　〃Kenn　was　already　lying　on　the　ground；　Your　Honor；　sir。　I　don't　know　about　the　sword；　I　never　thought　about　it。　All　I　could　think　of　then　was　that　my　husband　and　my　son　were　hurt。〃　Her　dark　eyes　peered　at　the　Duke　from　under　her　fall　of　curly　hair。　Maybe　not　trying　to　be　seductive；　but　trying　to　convey　some　message；　well；　he'd　get　it　from　her　later。
　　　The　woman　went　on：　〃Your　Grace　has　close　relatives　too。　If　you　knew　that　they　were　in　peril；　I　suppose　that　your　first　thought　too　would　be　for　them。〃
　　　The　man　glanced　at　his　wife；　as　if　it　had　struck　him；　too；　that　she　was　acting　oddly。
　　　The　Duke　asked：　〃And　is　another　relative　of　mine　now　in　peril；　as　you　say？〃
　　　〃I　do　not　know；　sir。〃　Whatever　the　woman　had　on　her　mind；　it　was　not　going　to　e　out　openly　just　now。
　　　〃Very　well；〃　the　Duke　said　patiently。　〃Now。　As　for　young　Mark；　I　can　understand　his　taking　fright；　and　running　away；　after　such　an　experience　…　though　I；　of　course；　would　not　have　harmed　him；　had　he　stayed。　I　can　understand　his　flight；　I　say　…　but　why　should　he　have　taken　along　that　sword？〃
　　　〃I　think。。。　〃　the　man　began；　and　paused。
　　　〃Yes？　By　the　way；　Jord；　would　you　care　for　a　little　of　this　wine？　It's　very　good。〃
　　　〃No　thank　you；　sir。　Your　Grace；　Mark　must　have　seen　both　of　us　fall。　His　older　brother　and　myself；　I　mean。　So　he　probably　thinks　that　I'm　dead　along　with　Kenn。　That　would　mean。。。　I've　always　told　my　sons　that　one　day　when　I　was　gone　the　sword　would　be　theirs。　Of　course　I　always　thought　that　Kenn　would　be　the　one　to　have　it　some　day。　Now　Kenn　is。。　。　〃
　　　The　Duke　waited　for　the　couple　to　recover　themselves。　In　his　own　mind　he　thought　he　was　being　as　gracious　about　it　as　if　they　were　of　his　own　rank。　Courtesy　and　gentleness　were　important　tools　in　dealing　with　folk　of　any　station；　he　sometimes　had　trouble　making　his　subordinates　understand　that　fact。　All　attitudes　were　tools；　and　the　choice　of　the　correct　one　for　each　situation　made　a　great　deal　of　difference。
　　　Still；　he　began　to　grow　impatient。　He　urged　the　miller：　〃Tell　me　all　about　the　sword。〃
　　　〃It　was　given　me　years　ago；　Your　Grace。〃　The　miller　was　managing　to　pull　himself　together。　〃I　have　already　told　your　men。〃
　　　〃Yes；　yes。　Nevertheless；　tell　me　again。　Given　you　by　Vulcan　himself？　What　did　he　look　like？〃
　　　The　miller　looked　surprised；　as　if　he　had　thought　some　other　question　would　e　next。　〃Look　like？　That's　a　hard　thing　to　describe；　Your　Honor。　As　you　might　expect；　he's　the　only　god　I've　ever　seen。　If　it　was　a　man　I　had　to　describe；　I'd　say：　Lame　in　one　leg。　Carries　a　forge…hammer　in　hand　most　of　the　time　…　a　huge　forge…hammer。　He　was　dressed　in　leather；　mostly。　Wearing　a　necklace　made　out　of　what　looked　like　dragonscales　…　I　know　that　sounds　like　foolishness；　or　it　would；　but。。。　and　he　was　taller　than　a　man　might　be。　And　infinitely　stronger。〃
　　　Obviously；　thought　the　Duke；　this　was　not　the　first　time　the　miller　had　tried　to　find　words　to　describe　his　experience　of　thirteen　years　ago。　And　obviously　he　still　wasn't　having　much　success。
　　　〃More　than　a　man；〃　Jord　added　at　last；　with　the　air　of　being　pleased　to　be　able　to　establish　that　much　at　least　beyond　a　doubt。　〃Your　Grace；　I　hope　you　don't　misunderstand　what　I'm　going　to　say　now。〃　〃I　don't　suppose　I　will。　Speak　on。〃
　　　〃From　the　day　I　met　Vulcan；　until　now；　no　man　…　no　woman　either　…　has　truly　been　able　to　frighten　me。　Oh；　if　I　were　to　be　sentenced　to　death；　to　torture；　I'd　be　frightened；　yes。　But　no　human　presence。。。　even　standing　before　the　Dark　King　himself；　I　think；　would　not　be　so　bad　as　what　I've　already　had　to　do。　Your　Grace；　you　must　have　seen　gods；　you'll　know　what　I　mean。〃
　　　His　Grace　had　indeed　confronted　gods　…　though　very　rarely　…　and　on　one　occasion　the　Dark　King　also。　He　said：　〃I　take　your　meaning；　miller；　and　I　think　you　put　it　well；　that　special　impact　of　a　god's　presence。　So；　you　stood　by　Vulcan's　forge　at　his　mand；　and　you　helped　him　make　the　swords？〃
　　　〃Then　Your　Grace　already　knows；　I　mean　that　more　than　one　were　made。〃　The　miller　appeared　more　impressed　by　this　than　by　the　Duke　himself　or　his　surrounding　wealth　and　power。　〃I　have　never　met　anyone　else　who　knew　that　fact；　or　even　suspected　it。　Yes；　we　made　more　than　one。　Twelve；　in　fact。　And　I　stood　by　and　helped。　Smithery　was　my　trade　in　those　days。　Not　that　any　of　the　skill　t