cacb.thefarkingdoms-第12节
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inding your Tradewind？ He said it as if this were a custom I should be aware of； which I am not。〃
I kept my face calm； but promised a sacrifice to our hearthgod and also whichever god ruled over chance encounters。 This was as if I were one of the city's mummers； and the fellow across from me was reciting the words as they'd been rehearsed…giving me my cue。 I explained： Finding a Tradewind was not a law or a ritual of Orissa； but a custom； just as Janos had described it。 When a merchant's son closed on his majority； it was customary for him to lead a trading expedition。 The expedition would consist of the young man； any associates or friends he thought necessary； an Evocator； of course； and a small military escort for safety's sake。 He was supposed to seek out new lands； new riches； and new customers； just as his merchant father and father's father had done。 This custom was meant to guarantee that Orissa would remain the trading queen of the known world for another generation…until the young man raised a son himself and sent him out to Find his own Tradewind。
Janos listened intently as if I were all that existed in the world。 I must have sounded hesitant： explaining something you have always taken as a monplace is very difficult； but I wanted to be clear and concise； for the other purpose for my seeking out Captain Greycloak was to test him； to see if I wanted him as the mander of my own guard。 I knew few soldiers； and those I did were more suited for the wineshop and ceremonials than a sudden ambush by raiders。 It was traditional for the army of Orissa to be used as a recruiting station for Findings； and for full…scale merchant expeditions。 Not only was the burden of the soldiers' wages alleviated while they served a merchant； but an officer and the men he chose would also be given bonuses dependent on the expedition's success。
After I'd finished my carefully chosen exposition Janos thought a moment； then asked； 〃This has been going on for how long？〃 I didn't know； precisely； but my father had told me of his father's father's father's Finding； so as far as I knew； forever。
〃A puzzlement；〃 Janos said。 〃Each year someone…or several someones…go seeking new worlds。 Yet the charts I've seen in Orissa still have great areas that are marked as unknown outlands。 Are these Findings kept secret； familiar only to you merchants and your rulers？〃
All merchants have trading secrets； and any new discoveries would be held close as long as they were profitable； but I told him that wasn't the plete story： the journey； in truth； would not be into pletely unknown lands； but almost certainly to the west； to cities and regions familiar to Orissans。 Perhaps a daring young man might chance traveling a distance to the south； if not as far as into the realm of the Ice Barbarians。 That was what my father had done on his Finding。 But he had been regarded as a wild man； or so I'd heard the merchants of his generation say when drink loosened their memories。 For many young men the journey was expected to be as much an exploration of tine wines and the willing maidens of other cities as anything else。 It was also a test； of sorts： a man who returned from his Finding having shown an ability to get along with his father's customers； or having found a few new markets or goods； or who survived without being so ludicrously cursed with ill luck that he was ambushed by bandits… this man would be feasted and praised。 There was some danger： I would not have sought out Janos if the Finding was nothing more than a celebration of beautiful scenes； women； food； and drink。 But I dwelt on the romance； not jeopardy； being the true son of Orissa's most silken…tongued merchant。
〃I understand； now。〃 Janos turned his goblet in his fingers。 〃So then； your Finding will be in which direction？〃
I stared。 Either I hadn't explained clearly； or else a Finding was something pletely alien in the world he came from。 〃Why； west； of course。〃
There was a pause。 Janos looked at me； then smiled； and the sun came out once more。 〃Yes。 As you say： of course。〃 He drained his goblet。 〃Perhaps we should find something more substantial than these morsels before we drink any more。 A good way for an outlander such as myself to suddenly not have to worry about promotion beyond captain is to be found stumbling through the streets before the sun lowers。 My treat。〃
He clapped me on the back； dropped coins on the table； and we went out。 He had said nothing 。。。 and his face had shown less。 But I felt I had somehow failed a test。
I REMEMBER ORISSA as beautiful in that bright spring day as we wandered the winding lanes； Eanes； for once； not trying to parade his wisdom and walking some five paces behind us。 Orissa was much then as it is now： a farm could still be found beside a smith's forge； and a free peasant's shack just behind a sprawling villa such as my father's。 There were fewer people then； so the land was more open。 The great city and its suburbs and outer district censused no greater than three tens of thousands free； and the same number slave。 No fool had yet proposed a Grand Plan for the city； as has been mentioned recently； to turn Orissa into a nightmare of orderliness such as Lycanth。 The rolling hills that rose to the Magistrates' Citadel were rainbows； each house or shop painted or stained as its owners saw fit。 Many shades of reds； blues； golds； and even purples made Orissa the beautiful artist's palette it was。 A visitor from the west had once said that Orissa looked like a magpie's nest； undignified in its chaos of hues。 My father had eyed him with barely concealed scorn and wondered if he thought Orissa would still be marveled at as the Queen of Cities if； like Lycanth； its buildings and streets were gray and black； or if they were shamefully left in their mon stone or wood colors。 That was what the great hairy not…men of the northern tropics did； to conceal their lean…tos in the jungle。 As did the barbarians of the ice who tried to pretend their great bare stone monoliths showed the virtues of simplicity rather than a lack of imagination and courage to shout splendor to the envious gods。
Eventually we found ourselves on the Street of the Gods。 ing down the middle of the street； behaving as if there were no other traffic； was a Master Evocator…his name was Jeneander。 In front of him were staff…armed； naked servants； their bodies shaved bare； and behind him was his retinue of journeymen； adepts； and secretaries。 I turned away； not making obeisance； as if suddenly entranced by the shabby tabernacle that honored some fruit growers' deity。 From the corner of my eye I saw Janos knuckle a mark of respect； then he turned in the same direction I was facing。 He laughed； a barely audible chuckle。
〃Even here in Orissa；〃 he murmured； 〃superstition calls it the worst of luck for a Evocator to cross your path。 In some places I have visited； seeing such a man or woman would require you to return home and go immediately to bed…or face the worst of nameless fates。〃
I nodded and said something such as yes； I supposed even the most rational of us had some superstitions； but I did not tell him the real explanation。 It was not superstition at all； but cold hatred： for the Evocators and their magic had murdered my brother。
CHAPTER FOUR
Dance of the Far Kingdoms
WE WERE DAWDLING through a sculpture garden near my villa before I broached the subject again。 We had been talking of nothing； talking of everything； each taking the measure of the other。 Finally I was fortable enough with my new friend to ment on something that had been troubling me for a time。 〃I saw your look of disapproval when I said I would journey west in my Finding；〃 I said。
Janos stopped in his tracks； made a musing sound； and stroked his beard。 His actions gave me yet another reason to find the altar of the godlet who ruled over face hair： beard stroking seemed a wonderful device for a canny man to use to consider his words before they tumbled out。 〃My apologies；〃 he said。 〃I thought I was more capable at the graces of civility than I evidently am。 You appear to have some of the talents of a seer。〃
〃There's no magic to it；〃 I said。 〃I am only someone who grew tired of being thought a rich fool。 You should see all the flies that buzz about when you have a wealthy father； all saying how wise you are； how handsome； how your games are the best to be played； how you should be the captain of the team。 Even how your lovemaking is the most head…spinning they have ever encountered。 And could you spare a bit of your purse for a few days； Amalric； my friend？〃
Janos nodded。 〃The best way to live； and I wish it were possible； is to live honestly。 All we need do is find a world where everyone about us is equally as virtuous。 And thick…skinned。 I confess that I did disapprove of what you plan for the Finding of your Tradewind。 Because I was judging your actions by what I would do were I in your place。〃
〃What would you do； friend Janos？ If you were magically transformed into Amalric Antero？〃
〃First； I would endow a certain Janos Greycloak with riches to indulge himself beyond his wildest dreams； so he'd never again have to dance attendance on fat old fools。 Then I would seek my Tradewind…to the east。 A
