sk.thegunslinger-第25节

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〃Cort；　I　want　you；　bondsman！〃
Now　he　spoke　the　High　Speech；　and　Cort　swung　the　door　open。　He　was　dressed　only　in　thin　underwear　shorts；　a　squat　man　with　bow　legs；　runneled　with　scars　from　top　to　toe；　thick　with　twists　of　muscle。　There　was　a　round；　bulging　belly。　The　boy　knew　from　experience　that　it　was　spring　steel。　The　one　good　eye　glared　at　him　from　the　bashed　and　dented　hairless　head。
The　boy　saluted　formally。　〃Teach　me　no　more；　bonds…man。　Today　I　teach　you。〃
〃You　are　early；　puler；〃　he　said　casually；　but　he　also　spoke　the　High　Speech。　〃Five　years　early；　I　should　judge。　I　will　ask　only　once。　Will　you　renege？〃
The　boy　only　smiled　his　hideous；　painful　smile。　For　Cort；　who　had　seen　the　smile　on　a　score　of　bloodied；　scarlet…skied　fields　of　honor　and　dishonor；　it　was　answer　enough　　perhaps　the　only　answer　he　would　have　believed。
〃It's　too　bad；〃　the　teacher　said　absently。　〃You　have　been　a　most　promising　pupil　　the　best　in　two　dozen　years；　I　should　say。　It　will　be　sad　to　see　you　broken　and　set　upon　a　blind　path。　But　the　world　has　moved　on。　Bad　times　are　on　horseback。〃
The　boy　still　did　not　speak　（and　would　have　been　incapable　of　any　coherent　explanation；　had　it　been　required）；　but　for　the　first　time　the　awful　smile　softened　a　little。
〃Still；　there　is　the　line　of　blood；〃　Cort　said　somberly；　〃revolt　and　witchcraft　to　the　west　or　no。　I　am　your　bondsman；　boy。　I　recognize　your　mand　and　bow　to　it　now　if　never　again　　with　my　heart。〃
And　Cort；　who　had　cuffed　him；　kicked　him；　bled　him；　cursed　him；　made　mock　of　him　and　called　him　the　very　eye　of　syphilis；　bent　to　one　knee　and　bowed　his　head。
The　boy　touched　the　leathery；　vulnerable　flesh　of　his　neck　with　wonder；　〃Rise；　bondsman。　In　love。〃
Cort　stood　slowly；　and　there　might　have　been　pain　behind　the　impassive　mask　of　his　reamed　features。　〃This　is　waste。　Renege；　boy。　I　break　my　own　oath。　Renege；　and　wait！〃
The　boy　said　nothing。
〃Very　well。〃　Cort's　voice　became　dry　and　businesslike。　〃One　hour。　And　the　weapon　of　your　choice。　〃
〃You　will　bring　your　stick？〃
〃I　always　have。〃
〃How　many　sticks　have　been　taken　from　you；　Cort？〃　Which　was　tantamount　to　asking：　How　many　boys　have　entered　the　square　yard　beyond　the　Great　Hall　and　returned　as　gunslinger　apprentices？
〃No　stick　will　be　taken　from　me　today；〃　Cort　said　slowly。　〃I　regret　it。　There　is　only　the　once；　boy。　The　penalty　for　overeagerness　is　the　same　as　the　penalty　for　unworthiness。　Can　you　not　wait？〃
The　boy　recalled　Marten　standing　over　him；　tall　as　mountains。　〃No。〃
〃Very　well。　What　weapon　do　you　choose？〃
The　boy　said　nothing。
Cort's　smile　showed　a　jagged　ring　of　teeth。　〃Wise　enough　to　begin。　In　an　hour。　You　realize　you　will　in　all　probability　never　see　the　others；　or　your　father；　or　this　place　again？〃
〃I　know　what　exile　means；〃　he　said　softly。
〃Go　now。〃
The　boy　went；　without　looking　back。
The　cellar　of　the　barn　was　spuriously　cool；　dank；　smelling　of　cobwebs　and　earthwater。　It　was　lit　from　the　ubiquitous　sun；　but　felt　none　of　the　day's　heat；　the　boy　kept　the　hawk　here　and　the　bird　seemed　fortable　enough。
David　was　old；　now；　and　no　longer　hunted　the　sky。　His　feathers　had　lost　the　radiant　animal　brightness　of　three　years　ago；　but　the　eyes　were　still　as　piercing　and　motionless　as　ever。　You　cannot　friend　a　hawk；　they　said；　unless　you　are　a　hawk　yourself；　alone　and　only　a　sojourner　in　the　land；　without　friends　or　the　need　of　them。　The　hawk　pays　no　coinage　to　morals。
David　was　an　old　hawk　now。　The　boy　hoped　（or　was　he　too　unimaginative　to　hope？　Did　he　only　know？）　that　he　himself　was　a　young　one。
〃Hai；〃　he　said　softly　and　extended　his　arm　to　the　tethered　perch。
The　hawk　stepped　onto　the　boy's　arm　and　stood　motionless；　unhooded。　With　his　other　hand　the　boy　reached　into　his　pocket　and　fished　out　a　bit　of　dried　jerky。　The　hawk　snapped　it　deftly　from　between　his　fingers　and　made　it　disappear。
The　boy　began　to　stroke　David　very　carefully。　Cort　most　probably　would　not　have　believed　it　if　he　had　seen　it；　but　Cort　did　not　believe　the　boy's　time　had　e；　either。
〃I　think　you　die　today；〃　he　said；　continuing　to　stroke。　〃I　think　you　will　be　made　sacrifice；　like　all　those　little　birds　we　trained　you　on。　Do　you　remember？　No？　It　doesn't　matter。　After　today；　I　am　the　hawk。〃
David　stood　on　his　arm；　silent　and　unblinking；　indifferent　to　his　life　or　death。
〃You　are　old；〃　the　boy　said　reflectively。　〃And　perhaps　not　my　friend。　Even　a　year　ago　you　would　have　had　my　eyes　instead　of　that　little　string　of　meat；　isn't　it　so？　Cortwould　laugh。　But　if　we　get　close　enough　。　。　。　which　is　it；　bird？　Age　。　or　friendship？〃
David　did　not　say。
The　boy　hooded　him　and　found　the　jesses；　which　were　looped　at　the　end　of　David's　perch。　They　left　the　barn。
The　yard　behind　the　Great　Hall　was　not　really　a　yard　at　all；　but　only　a　green　corridor　whose　walls　were　formed　by　tangled；　thick…grown　hedges。　It　had　been　used　for　the　rite　of　ing　of　age　since　time　out　of　mind；　long　before　Cort　and　his　predecessor；　who　had　died　of　a　stab…wound　from　an　overzealous　hand　in　this　place。　Many　boys　had　left　the　corridor　from　the　east　end；　where　the　teacher　always　entered；　as　men。　The　east　end　faced　the　Great　Hall　and　all　the　civilization　and　intrigue　of　the　lighted　world。　Many　more　had　slunk　away；　beaten　and　bloody；　from　the　west　end；　where　the　boys　always　entered；　as　boys　forever。　The　west　end　faced　the　mountains　and　the　hut…dwellers；　beyond　that；　the　tangled　barbarian　forests；　and　beyond　that　the　desert。　The　boy　who　became　a　man　progressed　from　darkness　and　unlearning　to　light　and　responsibility。　The　boy　who　was　beaten　could　only　retreat；　forever　and　forever。　The　hallway　was　as　smooth　and　green　as　a　gaming　field。　It　was　exactly　fifty　yards　long。
Each　end　was　usually　clogged　with　tense　spectators　and　relatives；　for　the　ritual　was　usually　forecast　with　great　accuracy　　eighteen　was　the　most　mon　age　（those　who　had　not　made　their　test　by　the　age　of　twenty…five　usually　slipped　into　obscurity　as　freeholders；　unable　to　face　the　brutal　all…or…nothing　fact　of　the　field　and　the　test）。　But　on
this　day　there　were　none　but　Jamie；　Cuthbert；　Allen；　and　Thomas。　They　clustered　at　the　boy's　end；　gape…mouthed　and　frankly　terrified。
〃Your　weapon；　stupid！〃　Cuthbert　hissed；　in　agony。　〃You　forgot　your　weapon！〃
〃I　have　it；〃　the　boy　said　distantly。　Dimly　he　wondered　if　the　news　of　this　had　reached　yet　to　the　central　buildings；　to　his　mother　　and　Marten。　His　father　was　on　a　hunt；　not　due　back　for　weeks。　In　this　he　felt　a　sense　of　shame；　for　he　felt　that　in　his　father　he　would　have　found　understanding；　if　not　approval。　〃Has　Cort　e？〃
〃Cort　is　here。〃　The　voice　came　from　the　far　end　of　the　corridor；　and　Cort　stepped　into　view；　dressed　in　a　short　singlet。　A　heavy　leather　band　encircled　his　forehead　to　keep　sweat　from　his　eyes。　He　held　an　ironwood　stick　in　one　hand；　sharp　on　one　end；　heavily　blunted　and　spatulate　on　the　other。　He　began　the　litany　which　all　of　them；　chosen　by　the　blind　blood　of　their　fathers；　had　known　since　early　childhood；　learned　against　the　day　when　they　would；　perchance；　bee　men。
〃Have　you　e　here　for　a　serious　purpose；　boy？〃
〃I　have　e　for　a　serious　purpose；　teacher。〃
〃Have　you　e　as　an　outcast　from　your　father's　house？〃
〃I　have　so　e；　teacher。〃　And　would　remain　outcast　until　he　had　bested　Cort。　If　Cort　bested　him；　he　would　remain　outcast　forever。
〃Have　you　e　with　your　chosen　weapon？〃
〃I　have　so　e；　teacher。〃
〃What　is　your　weapon？〃　This　was　the　teacher's　advantage；　his　chance　to　adjust　his　plan　of　battle　to　the　sling　or　the　spear　or　the　net。
〃My　weapon　is　David；　teacher。〃
Cort　halted　only　briefly。
〃So　then　have　you　at　me；　boy？〃
〃I　do。〃
〃Be　swift；　then。〃
And　Cort　advanced　into　the　corridor；　switching　his　pike　from　one　hand　to　the　other。　The　boys　sighed　flutteringly；　like　birds；　as　their　patriot　stepped　to　meet　him。
My　weapon　is　David；　teacher。
Did　Cort　remember？　Had　he　fully　understood？　If　so；　perhaps　it　was　all　lost。　It　turned　on　surprise　　and　on　whatever　stuff　the　hawk　had　left　in　him。　Would　he　only　sit；　disinterested；　on　the　boy's　arm；　while　Cort　struck　him　brainless　with　the　ironwood？　Or　seek　the　high；　hot　sky？
They　drew　close　together；　and　the　boy　loosened　the　hawk's　hood　with　nerveless　fingers。　It　dropped　to　the　green　grass；　and　the　boy　halted　in　his　tracks。　He　saw　Cort's　eyes　drop　to　the　bird　and　widen　with　surprise　and　slow…dawning　prehension。
Now；　then。
〃At　him！〃　The　boy　cried　and　raised　his　arm。
And　David　flew　like　a　silent　brown　bullet；　stubby　wings　pumping　once；　twice；　three　times；　before　crashing　into　Cort's　face；　talons　and　beak　searching。
〃Hai！　Roland！〃　Cuthbert　screamed　deliriously。
Cort　staggered　backwards；　off　balance。　The　ironwood　staff　rose　and　beat　futilely　at　the　air　about　his　head。　The　hawk　was　an　undulating；　blurred　bundle　of　feathers。
The　boy　arrowed　forward；　his　hand　held　out　in　a　straight　wedge；　his　elbow　locked。
Still；　Cort　was　almost　too　quick　for　him。　The　bird　had　covered　ninety　percent　of　his　vision；　but　the　ironwood　came　up　again；　spatulate　end　forward；　and　Cort　coldbloodly　performed　the　only　action　that　could　turn　events　at　that　point。　He　beat　his　own　face　three　times；　biceps　flexing　mercilessly。
David　fell　away；　broken　and　twisted。　One　wing　flapped　at　the　ground　frantically。　His　cold；　predator's　eyes　stared　fiercely　into　the　teacher's　bloody；　streamin