gc.thewhiterose-第46节

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　　　I　guess　anyone　willing　to　play　heads…up　power　games　with　the　Dominator　has　to　have　them。
　　　I　ignored　the　lurking　menhirs　and　concentrated　on　explaining　the　ways　of　the　Plain；　revealing　the　thousand　little　traps　that；　at　the　least；　might　betray　the　Lady。　It　was　what　a　man　would　do　on　bringing　a　newer　to　the　land。　It　would　not　seem　unusual。
　　　Three　days　into　the　Plain　we　narrowly　missed　being　caught　in　a　change　storm。　She　was　awed。　〃What　was　that？〃　she　asked。
　　　I　explained　the　best　I　could。　Along　with　all　the　speculations。　She；　of　course；　had　heard　it　all　before。　But　seeing　is　believing；　as　they　say。
　　　Not　long　after　that　we　came　on　the　first　of　the　coral　reefs；　which　meant　we　were　in　the　deep　Plain；　among　the　great　strangenesses。　〃What　name　will　you　use？〃　I　asked。　〃I　better　get　used　to　it；〃
　　　〃I　think　Ardath。〃　She　grinned。
　　　〃You　have　a　cruel　sense　of　humor。〃
　　　〃Perhaps。〃
　　　I　do　believe　she　was　having　fun　at　pretending　to　be　ordinary。　Like　some　great　lord's　lady　slumming。　She　even　took　her　turns　at　the　cook　fire。　To　my　stomach's　despair。
　　　I　wondered　what　the　menhirs　made　of　our　relationship。　No　matter　the　pretense；　there　was　a　brittleness；　a　formality；　that　was　hard　to　overe。　And　the　best　we　could　fake　was　a　partnership；　which　I　am　certain　they　found　strange。　When　did　man　and　woman　travel　together　thus；　without　sharing　bedroll　and　such？
　　　The　question　of　pursuing　verisimilitude　that　far　never　arose。　And　just　as　well。　My　panic；　my　terror；　at　the　suggestion　would　have　been　such　that　nothing　else　would　have　arisen。
　　　Ten　miles　from　the　Hole　we　breasted　a　hill　and　encountered　a　menhir。　It　stood　beside　the　way；　twenty　feet　of　weird　stone；　doing　nothing。　The　Lady　asked　in　touristy　fashion；　〃Is　that　one　of　the　talking　stones？〃
　　　〃Yep。　Hi；　rock。　I'm　home。〃
　　　Old　rock　didn't　have　anything　to　say。　We　passed　on。　When　I　looked　back　it　was　gone。
　　　Little　had　changed。　As　we　crested　the　last　ridge；　though；　we　saw　a　forest　of　walking　trees　crowding　the　creek。　A　stand　of　menhirs　both　living　and　dead　guarded　the　crossing。　The　backwards　camel…centaurs　gamboled　among　them。　Old　Father　Tree　stood　by　himself；　tinkling；　though　there　was　not　a　breath　of　wind。　Up　high；　a　single　buzzardlike　avian　soared　against　shattered　clouds；　watching。　One　or　another　of　its　kind　had　followed　us　for　days。　Of　a　human　presence　there　was　no　sign。　What　did　Darling　do　with　her　army？　She　could　not　pack　those　men　into　the　Hole。
　　　For　a　moment　I　was　frightened　that　I　had　returned　to　an　untenanted　keep。　Then；　as　we　splashed　across　the　creek；　Elmo　and　Silent　stepped　out　of　the　coral。
　　　I　dove　off　my　animal　and　gathered　them　into　a　monster　hug。　They　returned　it；　and　in　best　Black　pany　tradition　did　not　ask　a　single　question。
　　　〃Goddamn；〃　I　said。　〃Goddamn；　it's　good　to　see　you。　I　heard　you　guys　was　wiped　out　out　west　somewhere。〃
　　　Elmo　looked　at　the　Lady　with　just　the　slightest　hint　of　curiosity。
　　　〃Oh。　Elmo。　Silent。　This　is　Ardath。〃
　　　She　smiled。　〃So　pleased　to　meet　you。　Croaker　has　said　so　much　about　you。〃
　　　I　had　not　said　a　word。　But　she　had　read　the　Annals。　She　dismounted　and　offered　her　hand。　Each　took　it；　baffled；　for　only　Darling；　in　their　experience；　expected　treatment　as　an　equal。
　　　〃Well；　let's　go　down；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　go　down。　I've　got　a　thousand　things　to　report。〃
　　　〃Yeah？〃　Elmo　said。　And　that　said　a　lot；　for　he　looked　up　our　backtrail　as　he　said　it。
　　　Some　people　who　had　gone　away　with　me　had　not　e　back。
　　　〃I　don't　know。　We　had　half　the　Taken　after　us。　We　got　separated。　I　couldn't　find　them　again。　But　I　never　heard　anything　about　them　being　captured。　Let's　go　down。　See　Darling。　I've　got　incredible　news。　And　get　me　something　to　eat。　We've　been　eating　each　other's　cooking　forever；　and　she's　a　worse　cook　than　I　am。〃
　　　〃Guck；〃　Elmo　said；　and　slapped　me　across　the　back。　〃And　you　lived？〃
　　　〃I'm　one　tough　old　buzzard；　Elmo。　You　ought　to　know。　Shit；　man；　I　。　。　。　〃　I　realized　I　was　chattering　like　a　whacko。　I　grinned。
　　　Silent　signed；　〃Wele　home；　Croaker。　Wele　home。〃
　　　〃e；〃　I　told　the　Lady　as　we　reached　the　entrance　to　the　Hole；　and　took　her　hand。　〃It'll　seem　like　the　pit　till　your　eyes　get　used　to　it。　And　brace　yourself　for　the　smell。〃
　　　Gods；　the　stench！　Gag　a　maggot。
　　　All　kinds　of　excitement　down　below。　It　faded　into　studied　indifference　as　we　passed；　then　resumed　behind　us。　Silent　led　straight　to　the　conference　room。　Elmo　split　off　to　order　us　up　something　to　eat。
　　　As　we　entered　I　realized　that　I　still　held　the　Lady's　hand。　She　gave　me　half　a　smile；　in　which　there　was　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　nervousness。　Talk　about　strutting　into　the　dragon's　lair。　Bold　old　Croaker　gave　her　hand　a　squeeze。
　　　Darling　looked　ragged。　So　did　the　Lieutenant。　A　dozen　others　were　there；　few　of　whom　I　knew。　They　must　have　e　aboard　after　the　imperials　evacuated　the　perimeter　of　the　Plain。
　　　Darling　hugged　me　for　a　long　time。　So　long　I　became　flustered。　We　are　not　touchy　people；　she　and　I。　She　finally　backed　off　and　gave　the　Lady　a　look　in　which　there　was　a　hint　of　jealousy。
　　　I　signed；　〃This　is　Ardath。　She　will　help　me　translate。　She　knows　the　old　languages　well。〃
　　　Darling　nodded。　She　asked　no　questions。　So　much　was　I　trusted。
　　　The　food　arrived。　Elmo　dragged　in　a　table　and　chairs　and　shooed　out　everyone　but　myself；　the　Lieutenant；　himself；　Silent；　and　the　Lady。　He　might　have　sent　her　away；　too；　but　remained　unsure　of　her　standing　with　me。
　　　We　ate；　and　as　we　did　I　related　my　tale　in　snatches；　when　my　hands　and　mouth　were　not　full。　There　were　some　rough　moments；　especially　when　I　told　Darling　that　Raven　was　alive。
　　　In　retrospect　I　think　it　was　harder　on　me　than　on　her。　I　was　afraid　she　would　get　all　excited　and　hysterical。　She　did　nothing　of　the　sort。
　　　First；　she　flat　refused　to　believe　me。　And　I　could　understand　that；　for　till　he　disappeared　Raven　had　been　the　cornerstone　of　her　universe　emotionally。　She　could　not　see　him　not　including　her　in　his　biggest　lie　ever　just　so　he　could　slip　away　to　go　poke　around　the　Barrowland。　That　made　no　sense　to　her。　Raven　never　lied　to　her　before。
　　　Made　no　sense　to　me；　either。　But　then；　as　I　have　noted　before；　I　suspected　there　was　more　in　the　shadows　than　anyone　was　admitting。　I　sniffed　the　faintest　whiff　that　maybe　Raven　was　running　from　instead　of　to。
　　　Darling's　denials　did　not　last　long。　She　is　not　one　to　disdain　truth　indefinitely　only　because　it　is　unpleasant。　She　handled　the　pain　far　better　than　I　anticipated；　and　that　suggested　maybe　she　had　had　a　chance　to　bleed　off　some　of　the　worst　in　the　past。
　　　Still；　Raven's　present　circumstances　did　nothing　for　Darling's　emotional　health；　already　doing　poorly　after　her　defeat　at　Horse。　That　harbinger　of　grander　defeats　to　e。　Already　she　suspected　she　might　have　to　face　the　imperials　without　benefit　of　the　information　I　had　been　sent　to　acquire。
　　　I　conjured　universal　despair　when　I　announced　my　failure　and　added；　〃I　have　it　on　high　authority　that　what　we　sought　isn't　in　those　papers　anyway。　Though　I　can't　be　sure　till　Ardath　and　I　finish　what　we　have　here。〃　I　did　sketch　what　I　learned　from　Raven's　documents　before　losing　them。
　　　I　did　not　lie　outright。　That　would　not　be　forgiven　later；　when　the　truth　came　out。　As　inevitably　it　must。　I　just　overlooked　a　few　details。　I　even　admitted　having　been　captured；　questioned；　and　imprisoned。
　　　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here；　then？〃　Elmo　demanded。　〃How　e　you're　even　alive？〃
　　　〃They　turned　us　loose；　Ardath　and　me。　After　that　business　you　had　near　Horse。　That　was　a　message。　I'm　supposed　to　deliver　another。〃
　　　〃Such　as？〃
　　　〃Unless　you're　blind　and　stupid；　you'll　have　noticed　that　you're　not　under　attack。　The　Lady　has　ordered　all　operations　against　the　Rebellion　ceased。〃
　　　〃Why？〃
　　　〃You　haven't　been　paying　attention。　Because　the　Dominator　is　stirring。〃
　　　〃e　on；　Croaker。　We　finished　that　business　in　Juniper。〃
　　　〃I　went　to　the　Barrowland。　I　saw　for　myself；　Lieutenant。　That　thing　is　going　to　break　loose。　One　of　its　creatures　is　out　already；　maybe　dogging　One…Eye　and　them。　I'm　convinced。　The　Dominator　is　a　step　from　breaking　out；　and　not　half…assed　like　in　Juniper。〃　I　turned　to　the　Lady。　〃Ardath。　What　was　that　I　figured？　I　lost　track　of　how　long　we've　been　in　the　Plain。　It　was　about　ninety　days　when　we　came　in。〃
　　　〃It　took　you　eight　days　to　get　here；〃　Elmo　said。
　　　I　lifted　an　eyebrow。
　　　〃The　menhirs。〃
　　　〃Of　course。　Eight　days；　then。　Away　from　ninety　for　a　worst…case　scenario。　Eighty…two　days　till　the　Great　Barrow　opens。〃　I　went　into　more　detail　about　the　Great　Tragic　River　floods。
　　　The　Lieutenant　was　not　convinced。　Neither　was　Elmo。　And　you　cannot　blame　them。　The　Lady　weaves　crafty；　intricate　plots。　And　they　were　sneaky　guys　who　judged　others　by　themselves。　I　did　not　proselytize。　I　was　not　wholeheartedly　born…again　myself。
　　　It　was　of　little　consequence　whether　or　not　those　two　believed；　anyway。　Darling　makes　the　decisions。
　　　She　signed　for　everyone　to　leave　but　me。　I　asked　Elmo　to　show　Ardath　around　and　find　her　a　place　to　bunk。　He　looked　at　me　oddly。　Like　everyone　else；　he　figured　I'd　brought　me　home　a　girlfriend。
　　　I　had　trouble　keeping　a　straight　face。　All　those　years　they　have　ridden　me　because　of　a　few　romances　written　when　first　we　entered　the　Lady's　service。　An