gc.shadowslinger-第12节

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Shed　thought。　Made　him　suspicious。　He　ground　his　rag　into　a　tacky　mug。
　　〃What　was　that？〃
　　Shed　spun。　Raven　had　e　to　the　counter。　His　look　brooked　no　crap。　Shed　gave　him　the　gist。
　　〃So　Krage　hasn't　quit。〃
　　〃You　don't　know　him　or　you　wouldn't　ask。　It's　you　or　him；　Raven。〃
　　〃Then　it　has　to　be　him；　doesn't　it？〃
　　Shed　gaped。　〃A　suggestion；　Shed。　Follow　your　friend　when　he　goes　wood…gathering。〃　Raven　returned　to　his　seat。　He　spoke　to　Darling　animatedly；　in　sign；　which　he　blocked　from　Shed's　view。　The　set　of　the　girl's　shoulders　said　she　was　against　whatever　it　was　he　was　proposing。　Ten　minutes　later　he　left　the　Lily。　Each　afternoon　he　went　out　for　a　few　hours。　Shed　suspected　he　was　testing　Krage's　watchers。
　　Darling　leaned　against　the　door　frame；　watching　the　street。　Shed　watched　her；　his　gaze　sliding　up　and　down　her　frame。　Raven's；　he　thought。　They're　thick。　I　don't　dare。　　But　she　was　such　a　fine　looking　thing；　tall；　lean　of　leg；　ready　for　a　man。　。。。　He　was　a　fool。　He　did　not　need　to　get　caught　in　that　trap；　too。　He　had　troubles　enough。　　〃I　think　today　would　be　good　for　it；〃　Raven　said　as　Shed　delivered　his　breakfast。　〃Eh？　Good　for　what？〃
　　〃For　a　hike　up　the　hill　to　watch　friend　Asa。''　
　　〃Oh。　No。　I　can't。　Got　nobody　to　watch　the　place。〃　Back　by　the　counter；　Darling　bent　to　pick　something　off　the　floor。　Shed's　eyes　widened　and　his　heart　fluttered。　He　had　to　do　something。　Visit　a　whore；　or　something。　Or　get　hurt。　But　he　couldn't　afford　to　pay　for　it。　〃Darling　couldn't　handle　it　alone。〃
　　〃Your　cousin　Wally　has　stood　in　for　you　before。〃　Caught　off　balance；　Shed　could　not　marshall　his　excuses　quickly。　And　Darling　was　driving　him　to　distraction。　She　had　to　start　wearing　something　that　concealed　the　shape　of　her　behind　better。　〃Uh。　。。。　He　couldn't　deal　with　Darling。　Doesn't　know　the　signs。〃　　Raven's　face　darkened　slightly。　〃Give　her　the　day　off。　Get　that　girl　Lisa　you　used　when　Darling　was　sick。〃　Lisa；　Shed　thought。　Another　hot　one。　〃I　only　use　Lisa　when　I'm　here　to　watch　her。〃　A　hot　one　not　attached。　〃She'll　steal　me　blinder　than　my　mother。　。。。〃
　　〃Shed！〃
　　〃Eh？〃
　　〃Get　Wally　and　Lisa　here；　then　go　keep　an　eye　on　Asa。　I'll　make　sure　they　don't　carry　off　the　family　silver。〃
　　〃But。　。　。　。〃　Raven　slapped　a　palm　on　the　tabletop。　〃I　said　go！〃
　　The　day　was　clear　and　bright　and；　for　winter；　warm。　Shed　picked　up　Asa's　trail　outside　Krage's　establishment。
　　Asa　rented　a　wagon。　Shed　was　amazed。　In　winter　stable…keepers　demanded　huge　deposits。　Draft　animals　slaughtered　and　eaten　had　no　provenance。　He　thought　it　a　miracle　anyone　trusted　Asa　with　a　team。　　Asa　went　directly　to　the　Enclosure。　Shed　stalked　along　behind；　keeping　his　head　down；　confident　Asa　would　not　suspect　him　even　if　he　looked　back。　The　streets　were　crowded。
　　Asa　left　the　wagon　in　a　public　grove　across　a　lane　running　alongside　the　wall　which　girdled　the　Enclosure。　It　was　one　of　many　similar　groves　where　Juniper's　citizenry　gathered　for　the　Spring　and　Autumn　Rites　for　the　Dead。　The　wagon　could　not　be　seen　from　the　lane。
　　Shed　squatted　in　shadow　and　bush　and　watched　Asa　dash　to　the　Enclosure　wall。　Somebody　ought　to　clear　that　brush　away；　Shed　thought。　It　made　the　wall　look　tacky。　For　that　matter；　the　wall　needed　repairing。　Shed　crossed　and　found　a　gap　through　which　a　man　could　duck…walk。　He　crept　through。　Asa　was　crossing　an　open　meadow；　hurrying　uphill　toward　a　stand　of　pines。
　　The　inner　face　of　the　wall　was　brush…masked；　too。　Scores　of　bundles　of　wood　lay　among　the　bushes。　Asa　had　more　industry　than　Shed　had　suspected。　Hanging　around　Krage's　gang　had　changed　him。　They　had　him　scared　for　sure。
　　Asa　entered　the　pines。　Shed　puffed　after　him。　Ahead；　Asa　sounded　like　a　cow　pushing　through　the　underbrush。
　　The　whole　Enclosure　was　tacky。　In　Shed's　boyhood　it　had　been　park…like；　a　fit　waiting　place　for　those　who　had　gone　before。　Now　it　had　the　threadbare　look　that　characterized　the　rest　of　Juniper。
　　Shed　crept　toward　hammering　racket。　What　was　Asa　doing；　making　so　much　noise？
　　He　was　cutting　wood　from　a　fallen　tree；　stacking　the　pieces　in　neat　bundles。　Shed　could　not　picture　the　little　man　orderly；　either。　What　a　difference　terror　made。　An　hour　later　Shed　was　ready　to　give　up。　He　was　cold　and　hungry　and　stiff。　He　had　wasted　half　a　day。　Asa　was　doing　nothing　remarkable。　But　he　persevered。　He　had　a　time　investment　to　recoup。　And　an　irritable　Raven　awaiting　his　report。
　　Asa　worked　hard。　When　not　chopping；　he　hustled　bundles　down　to　his　wagon。　Shed　was　impressed。
　　He　stayed；　watched；　and　told　himself　he　was　a　fool。　This　was　going　nowhere。　Then　Asa　became　furtive。　He　collected　his　tools　and　concealed　them；　looked　around　warily。　This　is　it；　Shed　thought。　　Asa　took　off　uphill。　Shed　puffed　after　him。　His　stiff　muscles　protested　every　step。　Asa　traveled　more　than　a　mile　through　lengthening　shadows。　Shed　almost　lost　him。　A　clinking　brought　him　back　to　the　track。
　　The　little　man　was　using　flint　and　steel。　He　crouched　over　a　supply　of　torches　wrapped　in　an　oilskin；　taken　from　hiding。　He　got　a　brand　burning；　hastened　into　some　brush。　A　moment　later　he　clambered　over　some　rocks　beyond；　disappeared。　Shed　gave　it　a　minute；　then　followed。　He　slid　round　the　boulder　where　he　had　seen　Asa　last。　Beyond　lay　a　crack　in　the　earth　just　big　enough　to　admit　a　man。
　　〃My　god；〃　Shed　whispered。　〃He's　found　a　way　into　the　Catabs。　He's　looting　the　dead。〃
　　〃I　came　straight　back；〃　Shed　gasped。　Raven　was　amused　by　his　distress。　〃I　knew　Asa　was　foul；　but　I　never　dreamed　he'd　mit　sacrilege。〃　Raven　smiled。　
　　〃Aren't　you　disgusted？〃　
　　〃No。　Why　are　you？　He　didn't　steal　any　bodies。〃
　　Shed　came　within　a　hair's　breadth　of　assaulting　him。　He　was　worse　than　Asa。
　　〃He　making　out　at　it？〃
　　〃Not　as　well　as　you。　The　Custodians　take　all　the　burial　gifts　except　passage　urns。〃　Every　corpse　in　the　Catabs　was　acpanied　by　a　small；　sealed　urn；　usually　fixed　on　a　chain　around　the　body's　neck。　The　Custodians　did　not　touch　the　few　coins　in　those。　When　the　Day　of　Passage　came；　the　Boatmen　would　demand　payment　for　passage　to　Paradise。
　　〃All　those　souls　stranded；〃　Shed　murmured。　He　explained。
　　Raven　looked　baffled。　〃How　can　anybody　with　an　ounce　of　brains　believe　that　crap？　Dead　is　dead。　Be　quiet；　Shed。　Just　answer　questions。　How　many　bodies　in　the　Catabs？〃
　　〃Who　knows？　They've　been　putting　them　away　since。　。　。　。　Hell；　for　a　thousand　years。　Maybe　there's　millions。〃
　　〃Must　have　them　stacked　like　cordwood。〃
　　Shed　wondered　about　that。　The　Catabs　were　vast；　but　a　thousand　years'　worth　of　cadavers　from　a　city　Juniper's　size　would　make　a　hell　of　a　pile。　He　looked　at　Raven。　Damn　the　man。　〃It's　Asa's　racket。　Let's　not　try。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Too　dangerous。〃
　　〃Your　friend　hasn't　suffered。〃
　　〃He's　smalltime。　If　he　gets　greedy；　he'll　get　killed。　There　are　Guardians　down　there。　Monsters。〃
　　〃Describe　them。〃
　　〃I　can't。〃
　　〃Can't　or　won't？〃
　　〃Can't。　All　they　tell　you　is　that　they're　there。〃
　　〃I　see。〃　Raven　rose。　〃This　needs　investigating。　Don't　discuss　it。　Especially　not　with　Asa。〃
　　〃Oh；　no。〃　Panicked；　Asa　would　do　something　stupid。
　　Word　drifted　in　off　the　street。　Krage　had　sent　his　two　best　men　after　Raven。　They　had　disappeared。　Three　more　had　vanished　since。　Krage　himself　had　been　injured　by　an　unknown　assailant。　He　had　survived　only　because　of　Count's　immense　strength。　Count　wasn't　expected　to　live。
　　Shed　was　terrified。　Krage　was　neither　reasonable　nor　rational。　He　asked　Raven　to　move　out。　Raven　stared　at　him　in　contempt。　
　　〃Look；　I　don't　want　him　killing　you　here；〃　Shed　said。
　　〃Bad　for　business？〃
　　〃For　my　health；　maybe。　He's　got　to　kill　you　now。　People　will　stop　being　scared　of　him　if　he　doesn't。〃
　　〃He　won't　learn；　eh？　A　damned　city　of　fools。〃
　　Asa　boiled　through　the　doorway。　〃Shed；　I　got　to　talk　to　you。〃　He　was　scared。　〃Krage　thinks　I　turned　him　over　to　Raven。　He's　after　me。　You　got　to　hide　me；　Shed。〃
　　〃Like　hell。〃　The　trap　was　closing。　Two　of　them　here。　Krage　would　kill　him　for　sure；　would　dump　his　mother　into　the　street。
　　〃Shed；　I　kept　you　in　wood　all　winter。　I　kept　Krage　off　your　back。〃
　　〃Oh；　sure。　So　I　should　get　killed；　too？〃
　　〃You　owe　me；　Shed。　I　never　told　nobody　how　you　go　out　at　night　with　Raven。　Maybe　Krage　would　want　to　know　that；　huh？〃
　　Shed　grabbed　Asa's　hands　and　yanked　him　forward；　against　the　counter。　As　if　cued；　Raven　stepped　up　behind　the　little　man。　Shed　glimpsed　a　knife。　Raven　pricked　Asa's　back；　whispered；　〃Let's　go　to　my　room。〃
　　Asa　went　pallid。　Shed　forced　a　smile。　〃Yeah。〃　He　released　Asa；　took　a　stoneware　bottle　from　beneath　the　counter。　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；　Asa。〃　He　collected　three　mugs。　　Shed　went　up　last；　intensely　aware　of　his　mother's　blind　stare。　How　much　had　she　heard？　How　much　had　she　guessed？　She　had　been　cool　lately。　His　shame　had　e　between　them。　He　no　longer　felt　deserving　of　her　respect。　　He　clouted　his　conscience。　I　did　it　for　her！
　　Raven's　room　had　the　only　door　left　on　the　upper　floors。　Raven　held　it　for　Asa　and　Shed。　〃Sit；〃　he　told　Asa；　indicating　his　cot。　Asa　sat。　He　looked　scared　enough　to　wet　himself。　　Raven's　room　was　as　Spartan　as　his　dress。　It　betrayed　no　hint　of　wealth。　　〃I　invest　it；　Shed；〃　R