rj.acrownofswords-第124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！


h　him　and　the　Lady　Elayne's　Warder　on　Swovan　Night；　though　truth；　I　remember　little。〃　He　did　not　seem　to　recognize　that　Warder。　Strangely；　considering　the　taste　she　had　shown　in　men　…　Beslan　was　fine…looking；　maybe　a　little　too　fine；　not　at　all　her　sort　…　strangely；　she　smiled　slightly；　and　preened　under　his　scrutiny。
　　　Right　then；　Mat　did　not　care　how　out　of　character　she　behaved。　Obviously　Beslan　suspected　nothing；　or　that　sword　of　his　likely　would　already　be　out；　but　the　last　thing　under　the　Light　Mat　wanted　was　a　day　in　pany　with　the　man。　It　would　be　excruciating。　He　had　some　sense　of　decency；　even　if　Beslan's　mother　did　not。
　　　The　only　problem　was　Beslan；　who　took　that　bloody　promise　to　attend　all　the　festivals　and　feastdays　together　very　seriously。　The　more　Mat　agreed　with　Nalesean　that　the　day　they　had　planned　would　be　dull　beyond　belief；　the　more　determined　Beslan　grew。　After　a　bit；　his　face　began　to　darken；　and　Mat　began　to　think　that　sword　might　be　unsheathed　yet。　Well；　a　promise　was　a　promise。　When　he　and　Nalesean　and　Birgitte　left　the　palace；　half　a　dozen　feathered　fools　strutted　along。　Mat　was　sure　it　would　not　have　happened　had　Birgitte　been　wearing　her　proper　clothes。　The　whole　lot　of　them　kept　eyeing　her　and　smiling。
　　　〃What　was　all　that　twisting　around　while　he　was　spilling　his　eyes　all　over　you？〃　he　muttered　as　they　crossed　the　Mol　Hara。　He　tugged　the　ribbon　holding　the　eagle　mask　tighter。
　　　〃I　did　not　twist；　I　moved。〃　Her　primness　was　so　blatantly　false；　he　would　have　laughed　some　other　time。　〃Slightly。〃　Abruptly　her　grin　was　back；　and　she　lowered　her　voice　for　his　ear　alone。　〃I　told　you　sometimes　it's　fun　to　be　looked　at；　just　because　they're　all　too　pretty　doesn't　mean　I　cannot　enjoy　them　looking。　Oh；　you'll　want　to　look　at　her；〃　she　added；　pointing　to　a　slender　woman　who　went　running　by　in　a　blue　owl　mask　and　rather　fewer　feathers　than　Riselle　had　worn。
　　　That　was　one　of　the　things　about　Birgitte；　she　would　nudge　him　in　the　ribs　and　point　out　a　pretty　girl　for　his　eye　as　readily　as　any　man　he　had　ever　known；　and　expect　him　to　point　out　in　turn　what　she　liked　to　see；　which　was　generally　the　ugliest　man　in　sight。　Whether　or　not　she　chose　to　go　half…naked　today　…　a　quarter；　anyway　…　she　was。。。　well；　a　friend。　A　strange　world；　it　was　turning　out　to　be。　One　woman　he　was　beginning　to　think　of　as　a　drinking　panion；　and　another　after　him　as　intently　as　he　had　ever　pursued　any　pretty　woman；　in　those　old　memories　or　his　own。　More　intently；　he　had　never　chased　any　woman　who　let　him　know　she　did　not　want　to　be　chased。　A　very　strange　world。
　　　The　sun　stood　little　more　than　halfway　to　its　peak；　but　already　celebrants　filled　the　streets　and　squares　and　bridges。　Tumblers　and　jugglers　and　musicians　with　feathers　sewn　about　their　clothes　performed　at　every　street　corner；　the　music　often　drowned　in　laughter　and　shouting。　For　the　poorer　folk　a　few　feathers　laced　into　their　hair　sufficed；　pigeon　feathers　gathered　from　the　pavement　for　the　street　children　dodging　about　and　the　beggars；　but　masks　and　costumes　grew　more　elaborate　as　purses　grew　heavier。　More　elaborate；　and　frequently　more　scandalous。　Men　and　women　alike　were　often　decked　in　feathers　that　revealed　more　skin　than　Riselle　or　that　woman　back　in　the　Mol　Hara。　No　merce　moved　in　the　streets　or　canals　today；　though　a　number　of　shops　seemed　to　be　open　…　along　with　every　tavern　and　inn；　of　course　…　but　here　and　there　a　wagon　made　its　way　through　the　throng　or　a　barge　was　poled　along　supporting　a　platform　where　young　men　and　women　posed　in　bright　bird　masks　that　covered　their　entire…heads；　with　spreading　crests　sometimes　rising　a　full　pace；　moving　long　colorful　wings　in　such　a　way　that　the　rest　of　their　costumes　were　exposed　only　in　flashes。　Which　was　just　as　well；　considering。
　　　According　to　Beslan；　these　settings；　as　they　were　called；　were　usually　presented　in　guild　halls　and　private　palaces　and　houses。　The　entire　festival　normally　took　place　indoors　for　the　most　part。　It　did　not　snow　properly　in　Ebou　Dar　even　when　the　weather　was　as　it　should　be　…　Beslan　said　he　would　like　to　see　this　snow；　one　day　…　but　apparently　ordinary　winter　was　cold　enough　to　keep　people　from　running　around　outdoors　all　but　unclothed。　With　the　heat；　everything　was　spilling　into　the　streets。　Wait　until　night　fell；　Beslan　said；　then　Mat　would　really　see　something。　As　sunlight　faded；　so　did　inhibitions。
　　　Staring　at　a　tall　slender　woman　gliding　along　through　the　crowd　in　mask　and　feathered　cloak　and　beyond　that；　six　or　seven　feathers；　Mat　wondered　what　inhibitions　some　of　these　folk　had　left　to　shed。　He　almost　shouted　at　her　to　cover　herself　with　that　cloak。　She　was　pretty；　but　out　in　the　street；　before　the　Light　and　everybody？
　　　Those　wagons　carrying　the　settings　attracted　followers；　of　course；　thick　knots　of　men　and　women　who　shouted　and　laughed　as　they　tossed　coins；　and　sometimes　folded　notes；　onto　the　wagons　and　squeezed　everyone　else　in　the　street　aside。　He　became　used　to　fleeing　ahead　until　they　could　duck　down　a　crossing　street；　or　waiting　until　the　setting　went　by　to　cross　an　intersection　or　bridge。　While　waiting；　Birgitte　and　Nalesean　tossed　coins　to　filthy　urchins　and　dirtier　beggars。　Well；　Nalesean　tossed；　Birgitte　concentrated　on　the　children；　and　pressed　each　coin　into　a　grubby　hand　like　a　gift；
　　　In　one　of　those　waits；　Beslan　suddenly　put　a　hand　on　Nalesean's　arm；　raising　his　voice　above　the　crowd　and　a　cacophony　of　music　ing　from　at　least　six　different　places。　〃Forgive　me；　Tairen；　but　not　him。〃　A　ragged　man　edged　back　into　the　throng；　warily；　gaunt…cheeked　and　bony；　he　seemed　to　have　lost　whatever　pitiful　feathers　he　might　have　found　for　his　hair。
　　　〃Why　not？〃　Nalesean　demanded。
　　　〃No　brass　ring　on　his　little　finger；〃　Beslan　replied。　〃He's　not　in　the　guild。〃
　　　〃Light；〃　Mat　said；　〃a　man　can't　even　beg　in　this　city　without　belonging　to　a　guild？〃　Maybe　it　was　his　tone。　The　beggar　leaped　for　his　throat；　a　knife　appearing　in　his　grimy　fist。
　　　Without　thinking；　Mat　grabbed　the　man's　arm　and　spun；　slinging　him　away　into　the　crowd；　some　people　cursed　at　Mat；　some　at　the　sprawling　beggar。　Some　tossed　the　fellow　a　coin。
　　　From　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Mat　saw　a　second　skinny　man　in　rags　try　to　push　Birgitte　out　of　the　way　to　reach　him　with　a　long　knife。　It　was　a　foolish　mistake　to　underestimate　the　woman　because　of　her　costume；　from　somewhere　among　those　feathers　she　produced　a　knife　and　stabbed　him　beneath　the　arm。
　　　〃Look　out！〃　Mat　shouted　at　her；　but　there　was　no　time　for　warnings；　even　as　he　shouted；　he　drew　from　his　coatsleeve　and　threw　side…armed。　The　blade　streaked　past　her　face　to　sink　into　the　throat　of　yet　another　beggar　flaunting　steel　before　he　could　plant　it　in　her　ribs。
　　　Suddenly　there　were　beggars　everywhere　with　knives；　and　clubs　studded　with　spikes；　screams　and　shouts　rose　as　people　in　masks　and　costumes　scrambled　to　get　out　of　the　way。　Nalesean　slashed　a　man　in　rags　across　the　face；　sending　him　reeling；　Beslan　ran　another　through　the　middle；　while　his　costumed　cronies　fought　still　others。
　　　Mat　had　no　time　to　see　more；　he　found　himself　back…to…back　with　Birgitte　and　facing　his　own　adversaries。　He　could　feel　her　shifting　against　him；　hear　her　mutter　curses；　but　he　was　barely　conscious　of　it；　Birgitte　could　take　care　of　herself；　and　watching　the　two　men　in　front　of　him；　he　was　not　sure　he　could　do　the　same。　The　hulking　fellow　with　the　toothless　sneer　had　only　one　arm　and　a　puckered　socket　where　his　left　eye　had　been；　but　his　fist　held　a　club　two　feet　long；　encircled　by　iron　bands　that　sprouted　spikes　like　steel　thorns。　His　rat…faced　little　panion　still　had　both　eyes　and　several　teeth；　and　despite　sunken　cheeks　and　arms　that　seemed　all　bone　and　sinew；　he　moved　like　a　snake；　licking　his　lips　and　flicking　a　rusty　dagger　from　hand　to　hand。　Mat　aimed　the　shorter　knife　in　his　own　hand　first　at　one；　then　the　other。　It　was　still　long　enough　to　reach　a　man's　vitals；　and　they　danced　and　shuffled；　each　waiting　for　the　other　to　leap　at　him　first
　　　〃Old　Cully　won't　like　this；　Spar；〃　the　bigger　man　growled；　and　rat…face　darted　forward；　rusty　blade　flashing　from　hand　to　hand。
　　　He　did　not　count　on　the　knife　that　suddenly　appeared　in　Mat's　left　hand　and　sliced　across　his　wrist。　The　dagger　clattered　to　the　paving　stones；　but　the　fellow　flung　himself　at　Mat　anyway。　As　Mat's　other　blade　stabbed　into　his　chest；　he　squealed；　eyes　going　wide；　arms　wrapping　around　Mat　convulsively。　The　bald　fellow's　sneer　widened；　his　club　rising　as　he　stepped　in。
　　　The　grin　vanished　as　two　beggars　swarmed　over　him；　snarling　and　stabbing。
　　　Staring　incredulously；　Mat　shoved　rat…face's　corpse　away。　The　street　was　clear　for　fifty　paces　except　for　batants；　and　everywhere　beggars　rolled　on　the　pavement；　two　or　three　or　sometimes　four　stabbing　at　one；　beating　him　with　clubs　or　rocks。
　　　Beslan　caught　Mat's　arm。　There　was　blood　on　his　face；　but　he　was　grinning。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here　and　let　the　Fellowship　of　Alms　finish　its　business。　There's　no　honor　in　fighting　beggars；　and　besides；　the　guild　won't　leave　any　of　these　interlopers　alive。　Follow　me。〃　Nalesean　was　scowling　…　doubtless　he　saw　no　honor　in　fighting　beggars　either