gc.shadowslinger-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


edy　for　causes。　As　a　physician；　I　was　not　fond　of　treating　symptoms　alone。　They　could　recur　indefinitely。　The　disease　itself　had　to　be　attacked。
　　〃What　we　need；〃　Goblin　said　in　a　voice　so　soft　it　almost　vanished　in　the　crackle　of　the　flames；　〃is　a　cause　we　can　believe　in。〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　I　said。　〃That；　too。〃
　　From　outside　came　the　startled；　outraged　cries　of　prisoners　discovering　that　they　were　to　fill　the　graves　they　had　dug。
　　
　　　Chapter　Nine：　JUNIPER：　DEATH　PAYS
　　
　　Shed　grew　increasingly　frightened　as　the　days　passed。　He　had　to　get　some　money。　Krage　was　spreading　the　word。　He　was　to　be　made　an　example。
　　He　recognized　the　tactic。　Krage　wanted　to　scare　him　into　signing　the　Lily　over。　The　place　wasn't　much；　but　it　was　damned　sure　worth　more　than　he　owed。　Krage　would　resell　it　for　several　times　his　investment。　Or　turn　it　into　whore　cribs。　And　Marron　Shed　and　his　mother　would　be　in　the　streets；　with　winter's　deadly　laughter　howling　in　their　faces。
　　Kill　somebody；　Krage　had　said。　Rob　somebody。　Shed　considered　both。　He　would　do　anything　to　keep　the　Lily　and　protect　his　mother。
　　If　he　could　just　get　real　customers！　He　got　nothing　but　one…night　chiselers　and　scroungers。　He　needed　residential　regulars。　But　he　could　not　get　those　without　fixing　the　place　up。　And　that　he　couldn't　do　without　money。
　　Asa　rolled　through　the　doorway。　Pale　and　frightened；　he　scuttled　to　the　counter。　〃Find　a　wood　supply　yet？〃　Shed　asked。
　　The　little　man　shook　his　head；　slid　two　gersh　across　the　counter。　〃Give　me　a　drink。〃
　　Shed　scooped　the　coins　into　his　box。　One　did　not　question　money's　provenance。　It　had　no　memory。　He　poured　a　full　measure。　Asa　reached　eagerly。
　　〃Oh；　no；〃　Shed　said。　〃Tell　me　about　it。〃
　　〃e　on；　Shed。　I　paid　you。〃
　　〃Sure。　And　I'll　deliver　when　you　tell　me　why　you're　so　rocky。〃
　　〃Where's　that　Raven？〃
　　〃Upstairs。　Sleeping。〃　Raven　had　been　out　all　night。
　　Asa　shook　a　little　more。　〃Give　me　that；　Shed。〃
　　〃Talk。〃
　　〃All　right。　Krage　and　Red　grabbed　me。　They　wanted　to　know　about　Raven。〃
　　So　Shed　knew　how　Asa　had　e　by　money。　He　had　tried　to　sell　Raven。　〃Tell　me　more。〃
　　〃They　just　wanted　to　know　about　him。〃
　　〃What　did　they　want　to　know？〃
　　〃If　he　ever　goes　out。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　Asa　stalled。　Shed　pulled　the　mug　away。　〃All　right。　They　had　two　men　watching　him。　They　disappeared。　Nobody　knows　anything。　Krage　is　furious。〃　
　　Shed　let　him　have　the　wine。　He　drained　it　in　a　single　gulp。
　　Shed　glanced　toward　the　stair；　shuddered。　Maybe　he　had　underestimated　Raven。　〃What　did　Krage　say　about　me？〃
　　〃Sure　could　use　another　mug；　Shed。〃
　　〃I'll　give　you　a　mug。　Over　the　noggin。〃
　　〃I　don't　need　you；　Shed。　I　made　a　connection。　I　can　sleep　over　to　Krage's　any　time　I　want。〃
　　Shed　grunted；　made　a　mask　of　his　face。　〃You　win。〃　He　poured　wine。
　　〃He's　going　to　put　you　out　of　business；　Shed。　Whatever　it　takes。　He's　decided　you're　in　it　with　Raven。〃　Wicked　little　smile。　〃Only　he　can't　figure　where　you　got　the　guts　to　buck　him。〃
　　〃I'm　not。　I　don't　have　anything　to　do　with　Raven；　Asa。　You　know　that。〃
　　Asa　enjoyed　his　moment。　〃I　tried　to　tell　Krage；　Shed。　He　didn't　want　to　hear　it。〃
　　〃Drink　your　wine　and　get　out；　Asa。〃
　　〃Shed？〃　The　old　whine　filled　Asa's　voice。
　　〃You　heard　me。　Out。　Back　to　your　new　friends。　See　how　long　they　have　a　use　for　you。〃
　　〃Shed！　。　。　。〃
　　〃They'll　throw　you　back　into　the　street；　Asa。　Right　beside　me　and　Mom。　Git；　you　bloodsucker。〃
　　Asa　downed　his　wine　and　fled；　shoulders　tight　against　his　neck。　He　had　tasted　the　truth　of　Shed's　words。　His　association　with　Krage　would　be　fragile　and　brief。
　　Shed　tried　to　warn　Raven。　Raven　ignored　him。　Shed　polished　mugs；　watched　Raven　chatter　with　Darling　in　the　utter　silence　of　sign　language；　and　tried　to　imagine　some　way　of　making　a　hit　in　the　upper　city。　Usually　he　spent　these　early　hours　eying　Darling　and　trying　to　imagine　a　way　to　gain　access；　but　lately　sheer　terror　of　the　street　had　abolished　his　customary　randiness。
　　A　cry　like　that　of　a　hog　with　a　cut　throat　came　from　upstairs。　〃Mother！〃　Shed　took　the　stairs　two　steps　at　a　time。
　　His　mother　stood　in　the　doorway　of　the　big　bunkroom；　panting。　〃Mom？　What's　wrong？〃
　　〃There's　a　dead　man　in　there。〃
　　Shed's　heart　fluttered。　He　pushed　into　the　room。　An　old　man　lay　in　the　bottom　right　bunk　inside　the　door。
　　There　had　been　only　four　bunkroom　customers　last　night。　Six　gersh　a　head。　The　room　was　six　feet　wide　and　twelve　long；　with　twenty…four　platforms　stacked　six　high。　When　the　room　was　full；　Shed　charged　two　gersh　to　sleep　leaning　on　a　rope　stretched　down　the　middle。
　　Shed　touched　the　old…timer。　His　skin　was　cold。　He　had　been　gone　for　hours。
　　〃Who　was　he？〃　old　June　asked。
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　Shed　probed　his　ragged　clothing。　He　found　four　gersh　and　an　iron　ring。　〃Damn！〃　He　could　not　take　that。　The　Custodians　would　be　suspicious　if　they　found　nothing。　〃We're　jinxed。　This　is　our　fourth　stiff　this　year。〃
　　〃It's　the　customers；　son。　They　have　one　foot　in　the　Catabs　already。〃
　　Shed　spat。　〃I'd　better　send　for　the　Custodians。〃
　　A　voice　said；　〃He's　waited　this　long；　let　him　wait　a　little　longer。〃
　　Shed　whirled。　Raven　and　Darling　stood　behind　his　mother。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃He　might　be　the　answer　to　your　problems；〃　Raven　said。　And　immediately　Darling　began　flashing　signs　so　fast　Shed　could　not　catch　one　in　twenty。　Evidently　she　was　telling　Raven　not　to　do　something。　Raven　ignored　her。
　　Old　June　snapped；　〃Shed！〃　Her　voice　was　heavy　with　admonition。
　　〃Don't　worry；　Mom。　I'll　handle　it。　Go　ahead　with　your　work。〃　June　was　blind；　but　when　her　health　permitted；　she　dumped　the　slops　and　handled　what　passed　for　maid　service…　mainly　dusting　beds　between　guests　to　kill　fleas　and　lice。　When　her　health　confined　her　to　bed；　Shed　brought　in　his　cousin　Wally；　a　ne'er…do…well　like　Asa；　but　with　a　wife　and　kids。　Shed　used　him　out　of　pity　for　the　wife。
　　He　headed　downstairs。　Raven　followed；　still　arguing　with　Darling。　Momentarily；　Shed　wondered　if　Raven　was　diddling　her。　Be　a　damned　waste　of　fine　womanflesh　if　someone　wasn't。
　　How　could　a　dead　man　with　four　gersh　get　him　out　from　under　Krage？　Answer：　He　could　not。　Not　legitimately。
　　Raven　settled　onto　his　usual　stool。　He　scattered　a　handful　of　copper。　〃Wine。　Buy　yourself　a　mug；　too。〃
　　Shed　collected　the　coins；　deposited　them　in　his　box。　It's　contents　were　pitiful。　He　wasn't　making　expenses。　He　was　doomed。　His　debt　to　Krage　could　miraculously　be　discharged　and　still　he'd　be　doomed。
　　He　deposited　a　mug　before　Raven；　seated　himself　on　a　stool。　He　felt　old　beyond　his　years；　and　infinitely　weary。
　　〃Tell　me。〃
　　〃The　old　man。　Who　was　he？　Who　were　his　people？〃　Shed　shrugged。　〃Just　somebody　who　wanted　to　get　out
　　of　the　cold。　The　Buskin　is　full　of　them。〃
　　〃So　it　is。〃
　　Shed　shuddered　at　Raven's　tone。　〃Are　you　proposing　what　I　think？〃
　　〃What's　that？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　What　use　is　a　corpse？　I　mean；　even　the　Custodians　only　stuff　them　in　the　Catabs。〃
　　〃Suppose　there　was　a　buyer？〃
　　〃I've　been　supposing　that。〃
　　〃And？〃
　　〃What　would　I　have　to　do？〃　His　voice　barely　carried　across　the　table。　He　could　imagine　no　more　disgusting　crime。　Even　the　least　of　the　city's　dead　were　honored　above　the　living。　A　corpse　was　a　holy　object。　The　Enclosure　was　Juniper's　epicenter。
　　〃Very　little。　Late　tonight；　have　the　body　at　the　back　door。　You　could　do　that？''
　　Shed　nodded　weakly。
　　〃Good。　Finish　your　wine。〃
　　Shed　downed　it　in　a　gulp。　He　drew　another　mug；　polished　his　stoneware　industriously。　It　was　a　bad　dream。　It　would　go　away。
　　The　corpse　seemed　almost　weightless；　but　Shed　had　difficulty　negotiating　the　stairs。　He　had　drunk　too　much。　He　eased　through　the　shadowed　mon；　stepping　with　exaggerated　care。　The　people　clustered　near　the　fireplace　looked　demonic　in　the　sullen　red　of　the　last　coals。
　　One　of　the　old　man's　feet　toppled　a　pot　as　Shed　entered　the　kitchen。　He　froze。　Nothing　happened。　His　heartbeat　gradually　slowed。　He　kept　reminding　himself　that　he　was　doing　this　so　his　mother　would　not　have　to　freeze　on　winter　streets。
　　He　thumped　the　door　with　his　knee。　It　swung　inward　immediately。　A　shadow　hissed；　〃Hurry　up；〃　and　seized　the　old　man's　feet；　helped　Shed　heave　it　into　a　wagon。
　　Panting；　terrified；　Shed　croaked；　〃What　now？〃
　　〃Go　to　bed。　You　get　your　share　in　the　morning。〃
　　Shed's　relieved　sigh　nearly　became　tears。　〃How　much？〃　he　gasped。
　　〃A　third。〃
　　〃Only　a　third？〃
　　〃I'm　taking　all　the　risk。　You're　safe　already。〃
　　〃All　right。　How　much　would　it　be？〃
　　〃The　market　varies。〃　Raven　turned　away。　Shed　closed　the　door；　leaned　against　it　with　closed　eyes。　What　had　he
done？
　　He　built　up　the　fire　and　went　to　bed；　lay　listening　to　his　mother's　snores。　Had　she　guessed？　Maybe　she　wouldn't。　The　Custodians　often　waited　for　night。　He　would　tell　her　she　had　slept　through　everything。
　　He　could　not　sleep。　Who　knew　about　the　death？　If　word　got　out；　people　would　wonder。　They　would　begin　to　suspect　the　unsuspectable。
　　What　if　Raven　got　caught？　Would　the　Inquisitors　make　him　talk？　Bullock　could　make　a　stone　sing。
　　He　watched　his　mother　all　next　morning。　She　did　not　speak　except　in　monosyl