gc.shadowslinger-第55节

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　　〃Yeah。　Use　it　to　haul　supplies　down　from　Meadenvil；　from　the　miller's；　from　the　brewer's。　Why？〃
　　〃Because　the　Taken　are　looking　for　those　papers　I've　been　on　about。〃　I　had　to　reveal　their　provenance。
　　〃The　same　ones　we　dug　up　in　the　Forest　of　Cloud？〃　One…Eye　asked。
　　〃Yes。　Look。　Soulcatcher　told　me　they　have　the　Limper's　true　name　in　them。　They　also　include　the　wizard　Bomanz's　secret　papers；　where　the　Lady's　true　name　is　supposedly　encoded。〃
　　〃Wow！〃　Goblin　said。
　　〃Right。〃
　　One…Eye　demanded；　〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　us？〃
　　〃The　Limper　wants　his　name　back。　Suppose　he　sees　a　bunch　of　guys　and　a　wagon　light　out　of　here？　What's　he　going　to　figure？　Asa　gave　him　bum　dope　about　them　being　with　Raven。　Asa　doesn't　know　everything　we've　been　up　to。〃
　　Silent　interjected；　in　sign；　〃Asa　is　with　the　Limper。〃
　　〃Fine。　He　did　what　I　wanted。　Okay。　The　Limper　figures　that's　us　making　a　run　for　it　with　the　papers。　'Specially　if　we　let　a　few　pieces　go　fluttering　around。〃
　　〃I　get　it；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃Only　we　don't　have　enough　men　to　work　it。　Only　Bullock　and　the　landlord　that　Asa　don't　know　about。〃
　　Goblin　said；　〃I　think　you　better　stop　talking　and　start　doing。　They're　getting　closer。〃
　　I　called　the　fat　man。　〃Your　friends　from　the　South　have　to　do　us　a　favor。　Tell　them　it's　their　only　chance　of　getting　out　of　this　alive。〃
　　
　　　Chapter　Forty…Eight：　THE　INN：　AMBUSH
　　
　　The　four　southerners　were　shaking　and　sweating。　They　did　not　know　what　was　going　on；　did　not　like　what　they　saw。　But　they　had　bee　convinced　that　cooperation　was　their　only　hope。　〃Goblin！〃　I　shouted　upstairs。　〃Can　you　see　them　yet？〃
　　〃Almost　time。　Count　to　fifty；　then　turn　it　loose。〃
　　I　counted。　Slowly；　forcing　myself　to　keep　the　pace　down。　I　was　as　scared　as　the　southerners。
　　〃Now！〃
　　Goblin　came　boiling　downstairs。　We　all　roared　out　to　the　barn；　where　the　animals　and　wagon　were　waiting；　whooped　out　of　there；　stormed　into　the　road；　and　went　howling　off　south　like　eight　men　very　nearly　taken　by　surprise。　Behind　us　the　Limper's　party　halted　momentarily；　talked　it　over；　then　came　after　us。　I　noted　that　the　Limper　was　setting　the　pace。　Good。　His　men　were　not　eager　to　tangle　with　their　old　buddies。
　　I　brought　up　the　rear；　behind　Goblin　and　One…Eye　and　the　wagon。　One…Eye　was　driving。　Goblin　kept　his　mount　right　beside　the　wagon。
　　We　roared　into　a　rising　curve　where　the　road　began　climbing　a　wooded　hill　south　of　the　inn。　The　innkeeper　said　the　forest　went　on　for　miles。　He　had　gone　ahead　with　Silent　and　Bullock　and　the　men　the　southerners　were　pretending　to　be。
　　〃Yo！〃　someone　shouted　back。　A　scrap　of　red　cloth　whipped　past。　One…Eye　stood　up　on　the　wagon；　clinging　to　the　traces　as　he　edged　over。　Goblin　swung　in　close。　One…Eye　jumped。
　　For　a　moment　I　did　not　think　he　would　make　it。　Goblin　almost　missed。　One…Eye's　feet　trailed　in　the　dust。　Then　he　scrambled　up；　lay　on　his　stomach　behind　his　friend。　He　glared　back　at　me；　daring　me　to　grin。
　　I　grinned　anyway。
　　The　wagon　hit　the　timber　prepared；　flung　up；　twisted。　Horses　screamed；　fought；　could　not　hold　it。　Wagon　and　team　went　thrashing　off　the　road；　crashed　against　trees；　the　animals　screaming　in　pain　and　terror　while　the　vehicle　disintegrated。　The　men　who　had　upset　the　wagon　vanished　immediately。
　　I　spurred　my　mount　forward；　past　Goblin　and　One…Eye　and　Pawnbroker；　yelled　at　the　southerners；　gave　them　the　sign　to　go　on；　keep　riding；　get　the　hell　away。
　　A　quarter　mile　father　on　I　swung　onto　the　track　the　fat　man　had　told　me　about；　got　down　into　the　woods　far　enough　not　to　be　seen；　halted　long　enough　for　One…Eye　to　get　himself　seated。　Then　we　moved　on　hurriedly；　headed　for　the　inn。
　　Above　us；　Limper　and　his　bunch　came　pounding　up　to　where　the　wrecked　wagon　lay；　the　animals　still　crying　their　distress。
　　It　started。
　　Cries。　Shrieks。　Men　dying。　Hiss　and　howl　of　spells。　I　didn't　think　Silent　stood　a　chance；　but　he　had　volunteered。　The　wagon　was　supposed　to　distract　the　Limper　long　enough　for　the　massed　attack　to　reach　him。
　　The　clangor　was　still　going　on；　muted　by　distance；　when　we　reached　open　country。　〃Can't　be　going　all　wrong；〃　I　shouted。　〃Been　going　on　a　while。〃
　　I　did　not　feel　as　optimistic　as　I　pretended。　I　did　not　want　it　to　go　on。　I'd　wanted　them　to　hit　quick；　hurt　the　Limper；　and　fade　away；　doing　enough　damage　to　make　him　retreat　to　the　inn　to　lick　his　wounds。
　　We　hustled　the　animals　into　the　barn　and　headed　for　our　hiding　places。　I　muttered；　〃You　know；　we　wouldn't　be　in　this　spot　if　Raven　had　killed　him　when　he　had　a　chance。〃　Way　back；　when　I　had　helped　capture　Whisper；　when　she　was　trying　to　bring　Limper　over　to　her　side；　Raven　had　had　a　fantastic　opportunity　to　finish　him　off。　He　had　not　been　able；　though　he　had　had　grievances　against　the　Taken。　His　mercy　had　e　back　to　haunt　us　all。
　　Pawnbroker　went　into　the　pig　shed；　where　we　had　installed　a　crude；　light　ballista　built　as　part　of　our　earlier　plan。　Goblin　cast　a　weak　spell　that　made　him　seem　like　just　another　hog。　I　wanted　him　to　stay　out　of　it　if　possible。　I　doubted　the　ballista　would　get　used。
　　Goblin　and　I　raced　upstairs　to　watch　the　road　and　the　ridgeline　to　the　east。　Once　he　broke　off；　which　he　had　not　done　when　he　was　supposed　to；　Silent　would　fake　in　the　direction　taken　by　the　southerners；　retreat　through　the　wood　to　that　ridge；　watch　what　happened　at　the　inn。　It　was　my　hope　that　some　of　the　Limper's　men　would　keep　after　the　southerners。　I　hadn't　told　those　guys　that。　I　hoped　they　had　sense　enough　to　keep　running。
　　〃Ho！〃　Goblin　said。　〃There's　Silent。　He　made　it。〃
　　The　men　appeared　briefly。　I　could　not　tell　who　was　who。　〃Only　three　of　them；〃　I　muttered。　That　meant　four　had　not　made　it。　〃Damn！〃
　　〃It　had　to　work；〃　Goblin　said。　〃Else　they　wouldn't　be　up　there。〃
　　I　did　not　feel　reassured。　I　hadn't　had　many　shots　at　field　mand。　I　hadn't　learned　to　deal　with　the　feelings　that　e　when　you　know　men　have　been　killed　trying　to　carry　out　your　orders。
　　〃Here　they　e。〃
　　Riders　left　the　woods；　ing　up　the　Shaker　Road　amidst　lengthening　shadows。　〃I　make　it　six　men；〃　I　said。　〃No。　Seven。　They　must　not　have　gone　after　those　guys。〃
　　〃Looks　like　they're　all　hurt。〃
　　〃Element　of　surprise。　The　Limper　with　them？　Can　you　tell？〃
　　〃No。　That　one。　。　。　。　That's　Asa。　Hell；　that's　old　Shed　on　the　third　horse；　and　the　innkeeper　next　to　last。〃
　　A　slight　positive；　then。　They　were　half　as　strong　as　they　had　been。　I'd　lost　only　two　of　seven　mitted。
　　〃What　do　we　do　if　the　Limper　ain't　with　them？〃　Goblin　asked。
　　〃Take　what　es　to　us。〃　Silent　had　vanished　off　the　far　ridge。
　　〃There　he　is；　Croaker。　In　front　of　the　innkeeper。　Looks　like　he's　unconscious。〃
　　That　was　too　much　to　hope。　Yet　it　did　indeed　look　like　the　Taken　was　out。　〃Let's　get　downstairs。〃
　　I　watched　through　a　cracked　shutter　as　they　turned　into　the　yard。　The　only　member　of　the　group　uninjured　was　Asa。　His　hands　were　bound　to　his　saddle；　his　feet　to　his　stirrups。　One　of　the　injured　men　dismounted；　released　Asa；　held　a　knife　on　him　while　he　helped　the　others。　A　variety　of　injuries　were　evident。　Shed　looked　like　he　shouldn't　be　alive　at　all。　The　innkeeper　was　in　better　shape。　Just　seemed　to　have　been　knocked　around　a　lot。
　　They　made　Asa　and　the　fat　man　get　the　Limper　off　his　animal。　I　nearly　gave　myself　away　then。　The　Taken　was　missing　most　of　his　right　arm。　He　had　several　additional　wounds。　But；　of　course；　he　would　recover　if　he　remained　protected　by　his　allies。　The　Taken　are　tough。
　　Asa　and　the　fat　man　started　toward　the　door。　Limper　sagged　like　a　wet　rope。　The　man　who　had　covered　Asa　pushed　the　door　open。
　　The　Limper　wakened。　〃No！〃　he　squeaked。　〃Trap！〃
　　Asa　and　the　innkeeper　dropped　him。　Asa　began　heeling　and　toeing　it；　eyes　closed。　The　innkeeper　whistled　shrilly。　His　dogs　came　raging　out　of　the　barn。
　　Goblin　and　One…Eye　cut　loose。　I　jumped　out　and　went　for　the　Limper　as　he　tried　to　gain　his　feet。
　　My　blade　bit　into　the　Limper's　shoulder　above　the　stump　of　his　right　arm。　His　remaining　fist　came　up　and　brushed　me　across　the　belly。
　　The　air　exploded　out　of　me。　I　nearly　passed　out。　I　settled　to　the　ground；　heaving　my　guts　out；　only　vaguely　aware　of　my　surroundings。
　　The　dogs　boiled　over　the　Limper's　men；　mauling　them　savagely。　Several　hit　the　Taken。　He　hammered　them　with　his　fist；　each　blow　leaving　an　animal　dead。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　charged　out；　hit　nim　with　everything　they　had。　He　shed　their　spells　like　rainwater；　punched　One…Eye；　turned　on　Goblin。
　　Goblin　ran。　The　Limper　trundled　after　him；　weaving；　the　surviving　mastiffs　snapping　at　his　back。
　　Goblin　raced　toward　the　pig　shed。　He　went　sprawling　before　he　reached　it；　twitched　feebly　in　the　mire。　Limper　rolled　up　behind　him；　fist　raised　for　the　kill。
　　Pawnbroker's　shaft　split　his　breastbone；　stood　three　feet　out　of　his　back。　He　stood　there　swaying；　a　ragged　little　man　in　brown　picking　at　the　shaft。　His　whole　will　seemed　to　focus　upon　that。　Goblin　wriggled　away。　Inside　the　shed　Pawn　cranked　the　ballista　back　and　dropped　another　javelin　into　its　trough。
　　Whomp！　This　one　ripped　all　the　way　through　the　Limper。　It　knocked　him　off　his　feet。　The　dogs　went　for　his　throat。
　　I　regained　my　bre