fs.thefirstbookofswords-第19节

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of　captive　animal；　he　thought；　or　a　pet。
　　　〃My　name　is　Einar；〃　said　Mark。　It　was　a　real　name；　that　of　one　of　his　uncles；　and　another　answer　that　he'd　thought　out　ahead　of　time。　And　now；　because　his　knees　had　started　to　tremble；　worse　than　ever　before；　he　sat　down　on　the　rock。　And　only　now　did　he　notice　how　dry　his　mouth　was。
　　　And　only　after　he'd　sat　down　did　it　sink　in：　I　hunt　dragons　。。。　。
　　　〃We　can　give　you　a　ride；　if　you're　agreeable；〃　Nestor　was　saying。　〃And　maybe　a　little　something　to　munch　on　as　we　travel；　hey？　One　advantage　of　a　wagon；　you　can　do　other　things　while　you　keep　moving：〃
　　　Mark　pulled　himself　together　and　rewrapped　the　sword。　Then　with　it　in　hand　he　slid　down　from　atop　the　boulder。
　　　〃Can　I　take　that　for　you？〃　asked　Nestor；　reaching　down　from　the　elevated　seat。　Mark　had　made　his　decision；　and　handed　up　the　sword；　Nestor　put　it　back　inside　the　wagon。　Then　one　of　Ben's　thick　fingered　hands　closed　on　Mark's　arm；　and　he　was　lifted　aboard　as　if　he　were　a　babe。
　　　Barbara　had　made　room　on　the　seat　for　Mark　by　going　back　into　the　paratively　dim　interior　of　the　wagon。　She　was　fussing　about　with　something　there；　in　a　place　crowded　with　containers；　bales；　and　boxes。
　　　Nestor　already　had　the　loadbeasts　pulling。　〃Going　south　all　right　with　you；　Einar？〃
〃I　was　headed　that　way。〃　Mark　closed　his　eyes；　then　opened　them　again；　because　of　images　of　knives。　He　could　feel　his　heart　beating。　He　let　things　go；　and　let　himself　be　carried。
Chapter　5
　　　Riding　the　wagon's　jouncing　seat；　Mark　was　startled　out　of　an　incipient　daze　by　the　return　of　the　squealing　noise。　This　time　it　came　insistently；　from　close　behind　him。　He　looked　back　quickly。　Barbara；　crouching　in　the　back　of　the　wagon；　had　just　removed　a　cloth　cover　from　a　small　but　sturdy　wooden　cage。　Inside　the　cage　…　by　Vulcan's　hammer　and　Ardneh's　bones！　…　was　a　weasel…sized　creature　that　could　only　be　a　dragon。　Mark　had　never　seen　one　before；　but　what　else　could　be　as　scaly　as　a　snake　and　at　the　same　time　be　equipped　with　wings？
　　　Seeing　Mark　turn　his　head；　Barbara　smiled　at　him。　She　delayed　whatever　she　was　doing　with　the　dragon　long　enough　to　hand　Mark　a　jug　of　water；　and　then；　when　he'd　had　a　drink；　a　piece　of　fruit。　As　he　bit　into　that；　she　got　busy　feeding　the　dragon；　handing　it　something　that　she　fished　out　of　a　sizable　earthen　crock。　Mark　faced　forward　again；　chewing。　Ben　had　a　different；　smaller　jug　in　hand。　〃Brandy？〃
　　　〃No　thanks。〃　Mark　had　never　tasted　strong　drink　of　any　kind　before；　and　didn't　know　what　effect　it　might　be　likely　to　have　on　him。　He'd　seen　a　village　man　or　two　destroyed　by　constant　heavy　drinking。　Ben　…　who　was　getting　a　frown　from　Nestor　stowed　away　the　jug。
　　　〃Is　that　blood　on　your　shirt；　Einar？〃　Barbara　called　from　the　rear。　〃You　all　right？〃
　　　〃No　m'am。　I　mean；　yes　it　is；　but　it's　old。　I'm　all　right。〃
　　　Ben's　curiosity　was　growing　almost　visibly。　〃That's　sure　some　sword　you　got。〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　agreed　Nestor；　who　was　driving　now　at　a　brisk　pace；　mostly　concentrating　on　the　road　ahead；　but　frequently　looking　back。　〃Real　pretty　blade　there。〃
　　　〃I　had　it　from　my　father。〃　If　his　hearers　believed　that；　Mark　expected　them　to　draw　the　wrong　conclusion　from　it。　No　one　would　be　much　surprised　to　find　a　nobleman's　bastard　out　on　the　road；　hiking　in　poverty；　carrying　along　some　gift　or　inheritance　that　was　hard　to　translate　to　any　practical　benefit。　Now　Mark　repeated　the　story　about　his　armorer…uncle　being　in　the　employ　of　kind　Sir　Andrew。　He　couldn't　be　sure　how　much　his　audience　believed；　though　they　nodded　politely　enough。
　　　Ben　wagged　his　large　head　sympathetically。　〃I'm　an　orphan　myself。　But　it　don't　worry　me　any　more。〃　From　behind　the　seat　he　pulled　out　the　lute　he　had　been　holding　earlier；　and　strummed　it。　Mark　thought　that　it　sounded　a　little　out　of　tune。　Ben　went　on：　〃I'm　really　a　minstrel。　Just　'prenticing　with　Nestor　here　till　I　can　get　a　good　start　at　what　I　really　want　to　do。　We　got　an　agreement　that　I　can　quit　any　time　I'm　ready。〃
　　　Nestor　nodded　as　if　to　confirm　this。　〃Good　worker；〃　he　remarked。　〃Hate　to　lose　you　when　you　go。〃　Ben　strummed　again；　and　began　to　sing：
　　　　　　　　　　　The　song　was。。。　No；　this　song　is
　　　　　　　　　　　The　ballad　of　gallant　young　Einar
　　　　　　　　　　　Who　was　walking　as　free　as。。。
　　　The　singer　paused。　〃Hard　to　find　a　rhyme　for　that　name。〃　He　thought　for　a　moment　and　tried　again：
　　　　　　　　　　　Young　Einar　was　walking　the　roads
　　　　　　　　　　　As　free　as　a　lark　one　day
　　　　　　　　　　　Along　came　two　men
　　　　　　　　　　　Who　wanted。。。
　　　〃That's　not　quite　how　it　ought　to　go；〃　Ben　admitted　modestly；　after　a　moment's　thought。
　　　〃Must　be　hard　to　play　while　were　bouncing；〃　said　Barbara　understandingly。　There　had　in　fact　been　one　or　two　obvious　wrong　notes。
　　　Mark　was　thinking　that　Ben's　was　not　really　one　of　the　best　singing　voices　he'd　ever　heard；　either。　But　no　one　else　had　any　ment　about　that；　and　he　sure　wasn't　going　to　be　the　first　to　mention　it。
　　　Throughout　the　rest　of　the　day　Nestor　kept　the　wagon　rolling　pretty；　steadily。　He　showed　his　wish　for　concealment　by　expressing　his　satisfaction　when　a　belt　of　fog　engulfed　the　road　for　a　kilometer　or　so。　He　was　always　alertly　on　watch；　and　he　had　Barbara　and　Mark　take　turns　riding　in　the　rear　of　the　wagon；　next　to　the　dragons　cage；　keeping　an　eye　out　to　the　rear　for　the　soldiers　of　the　Duke；　Mark　assumed；　though　Nestor　never　actually　said　so。　From　inside　the　covered；　swaying　cage；　the　unseen　small　dragon　squealed　intermittently。　It　reminded　Mark　of　the　odd　noise　that　a　rabbit　would　sometimes　let　out　when　an　arrow　hit　it。　Beside　the　cage　was　the　earthen　crock；　with　a　weighted　net　for　a　top；　that　held　live　frogs。　Mark　was　told　that　these　were　the　dragon's　food；　and　he　fed　it　one　or　two。　It's　tiny　breath；　too　young　to　burn；　steamed　at　his　hand。　It's　toy　eyes；　doll…eyes；　glittered　darkly。
　　　〃When　do　we　leave　Duke　Fraktin's　territory？〃　Mark　asked　at　one　point　in　the　afternoon。　By　now　the　foothills　had　been　left　behind；　and　the　road　was　traversing　firmly　inhabited　land　under　a　cloudy　sky。　Fields　almost　ready　for　harvest　alternated　with　woodlands　and　pastures。　Nestor　had　driven　through　one　small　village　already。
　　　〃Sometime　tomorrow；〃　said　Nestor　shortly。　〃Maybe　sooner。〃　The　fog　had　lifted　pletely　now；　and　he　was　busier　than　ever　being　sharp…eyed。　When　Mark　asked　some　more　questions　about　the　dragon；　he　was　told　that　they　were　taking　it　to　the　fair　on　Sir　Andrew's　green；　where　it　ought　to　earn　some　coin　as　an　exhibit。　It　would　also；　Mark　gathered；　serve　to　advertise　Nestor's　skill　in　the　hunt。　Sir　Andrew　was　a　Fen　Marcher；　which　meant　he　had　territory　abutting　the　Great　Swamp。　He　and　some　of　his　tributary　towns；　Mark　was　told；　had　chronic　dragon　problems。
　　　Mark；　thinking　about　it；　had　trouble　picturing　one　man；　however　strong　and　skilled　and　brave；　just　going　out　and　hunting　dragons　as　if　they　were　rabbits。　From　the　stories　he'd　heard；　real　dragon　hunts　were　vast　enterprises　involving　numbers　of　trained　beasts　and　people。　And　Nestor　might　be　brave　and　skilled；　but　he　didn't　look　all　that　strong。　Ben；　of　course；　looked　strong　enough　for　two　at　least。
　　　As　the　afternoon　passed；　Nestor　drove　more　slowly；　and　appeared　to　be　even　more　anxious　about　seeing　what　was　on　the　winding　road　ahead　of　him。　Passing　a　pack　toting　peddler　who　was　ing　from　the　other　direction；　he　slowed　still　more　to　ask　the　man　a　question：　〃Soldiers？〃
　　　The　wink　and　faint　nod　that　he　got　in　return　were　apparently　all　the　answer　Nestor　needed。　He　turned　off　the　road　at　the　next　feasible　place；　and　jounced　across　an　unfenced　field　to　a　side　lane。
　　　〃Just　as　soon　not　meet　any　of　the　Duke's　soldiers；〃　he　muttered；　as　if　someone　had　asked　him　for　an　explanation。　〃There's　a　creek　down　this　way　somewhere。　Maybe　the　water's　low　enough　to　ford。　On　the　other　side's　Blue　Temple　land；　if　I　remember　right。〃
　　　There　was　no　problem　in　finding　the　creek　which　meandered　across　flat　and　largely　neglected　farmland。　Locating　a　place　where　it　could　readily　be　forded　was　somewhat　harder。　Nestor　sent　Ben　and　Barbara　to　scout　on　foot；　upstream　and　down；　and　eventually　succeeded。　Once　on　the　other　side；　he　sighed　with　relief　and　drove　the　wagon　as　deep　as　possible　into　a　small　grove；　not　stopping　till　he　was　out　of　sight　of　Duke　Fraktin's　side　of　the　stream。　Then　he　announced　that　it　was　time　to　set　up　camp。　Ben　and　Barbara　immediately　swung　into　a　well…practiced　routine；　tending　the　loadbeasts　and　starting　to　gather　some　wood　for　a　fire。
　　　As　Mark　began　to　lend　a　hand；　Nestor　called　him　aside。　〃Einar；　you　e　with　me。　We　need　some　more　frogs　for　the　dragon；　and　I've　a　special　way　of　catching　them　that　I　want　to　show　you。〃
　　　〃All　right。　I'll　bring　my　bow；　maybe　we'll　see　a　rabbit。〃
　　　〃It'll　be　getting　dark　for　shooting。　But　fetch　it　along。〃
　　　From　the　back　of　the　wagon　Nestor　dug　out　what　looked　to　Mark　like　a　rather　ordinary　fishnet；　of　moderately　fine　mesh。　On　the　wooden　rim　were　symbols　that　Mark　supposed　might　have　some　magical　significance；　though　often　enough　such　decorative　efforts　had　no　real　power　behind　them。　With　Nestor　carrying　the　net　beside　him；　Mark　trudged　into　the　trees；　an　arrow　nocked　on　his　bow。　They　f