cacb.thefarkingdoms-第14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！
〃Perhaps we should find another wineshop before I tell it to you； since it seems to slide more easily down the craw with lubrication。 And rightly the tale should be told only when everyone is somewhat pickled； and it is a stormy midnight outside。〃
〃A ghost story？ I'm partial to them；〃 I said。
〃Ghosts？ I don't know。 You can call them what you want。 But this is a tale that happened to me personally。〃
We found a shop with its own arbor and an agreeably smiling maid to serve the shop's fine vintage。
〃There were times；〃 Janos said； 〃when our haruspex would dream the moment had e to sacrifice a particular animal； one that would be chosen from my family's own herds。 Mostly the entrails would reveal nothing； but on occasion the diviner would see something terrible。 At that time he would order a curfew。 All men and women； girls and boys of our valley would have to be inside from dusk to dawn。 The flocks would be abandoned； the watch…towers unmanned for as long as four nights。
〃Our people would huddle at fireside； shutters or curtains drawn tight。 Sometimes 。。。 rarely 。。。 there would e a thunder； the same thunder a cavalry patrol makes outriding in a swift patrol。 There were those who swore they could hear the creak of harness and even the clatter of hooves against the cobbles as the patrol crossed one of our few paved squares。 But at dawn there would be no hoof marks in the roadway。 Nothing at all。〃
〃What was out there in the night？〃 I wondered。 〃Or was it just thunder？ The gods know I convinced myself often enough； lying awake as a boy； that I heard all manner of demons in the street outside our villa； or sometimes on the roof just above my balcony； where they were waiting to pounce。 But I'd like to think that I would have been foolish enough to slip out unnoticed to see those ghost horsemen。〃
〃I did just that。〃 Janos half smiled； a smile of approval for my imagined audacity。 〃I let myself down from my bedchamber with a rope I'd stolen from the guardroom earlier that day； when the prophet shouted his latest warning。〃
〃But of course the horsemen didn't materialize that time；〃 I guessed。
〃That was not what happened at all。 I'd cleverly listened to all the tales and carved a small map of the area around our citadel。 On it I'd marked where the riders had been reported most frequently。 One such place was a narrow pass； about eight spearcasts…we measured things in that way in Kostromo； which would have been about one…third of a league…beyond one of my father's byres。 I hid myself in an olive tree below the pass。 The moon was just past half。 Then I waited。 I don't know for how long。 Being perhaps eight or nine； probably I would have slept； in spite of my excitement。 The noise woke me。 Just as the herdsmen had said； I heard crashing horses' hooves。〃
〃But you saw nothing。〃
〃Nothing in the pass；〃 Janos said； looking down into his goblet as if it were an oracle's pool； giving him a vision of the past。 〃But I saw something…two somethings…ride to the hilltop overlooking that pass。 Two riders。 Men； I thought them to be。 They wore armor…or at any rate I saw the gleam of plate and spears。 High…roached helms。 Even their mounts seemed protected； since I saw another moonflash from one steed's head。 The position they took was exactly the one I would order now…if I were leading a patrol into unfriendly territory…overlooking the pass so my main force would not be ambushed。 The hoof thunder grew louder； and passed。 As the sound cleared the pass the two outriders galloped down to rejoin the others。 The sound of their passage died away then。 They were riding to the east…where legend tells us the Far Kingdoms lie。 I fled back to the castle； and to my bed； as if I were pursued。〃
〃And next morning； when you returned？〃
〃Nothing was there。 No hoofprints in the soft ground on the hilltop； no markings in the pass。 No sign that a scouting band； riding far beyond their frontiers； had passed。〃
〃A dream；〃 I said； disappointed that Janos' tale hadn't included a bloody skull； a disappeared peasant； or a flock that stampeded over a cliff in panic。
〃No doubt；〃 Janos agreed。 He glanced at the sundial just outside the arbor。 〃And my new dream is that I am watch officer this night； and I have barely time to return to the barracks and bolt on all the finery I must wear to clank around my post。
〃I have enjoyed this day； my friend；〃 he said； taking silver from his belt pouch against my objections。 〃And you have convinced me there can be no such thing as the Far Kingdoms。 Perhaps we can meet again another day？ Perhaps I can help you plan your Finding； since I have made some minor travels to the west。〃 And he was gone。
I stayed on； ordering another pitcher of wine…partially because I was curious as to which one of us the barmaid had been smiling at； partially to muse on what he'd told me。 Because somehow； in spite of what Janos had said about his being converted to logic； I felt； somewhere out there； far to the east； the brooding darkness and gold that was the legendary Far Kingdoms。
I SAW JANOS several times over the next few weeks when he was off duty。 Freed of Melina's entrancement； I was readying myself for my Finding； talking to older traders and collecting tales from travelers and seamen at the docks； just as I had when I was a boy。 But this time I knew what I was looking for。 My father seemed to note my new earnestness with some degree of approval； since I found myself subjected to his ironic criticisms less and less。 I was also gathering all the tales of the Far Kingdoms； attempting to make sense of them。 There was none to be made： for every story that the Far Kingdoms had enchantments that bade horses to fly； were others saying their Evocators had spells so powerful that no dray animals at all were needed： objects and men flew through the air of their own accord。
Some of these tales I related to Janos。 He listened politely； but skeptically。 It was almost as if he were not that interested。 In fact； he was behaving just as I do today when I am offering a parsimonious tailor a shipment of brocade that's priced somewhat beyond what he was prepared to pay。 〃I agree； sir； that perhaps this cloth； no matter how rare and fine； is highly priced。 It took me two weeks of the most bloodcurdling bargaining before I myself could afford it。〃 Or： 〃Of course； this material requires care in its working； and is intended for the most discriminating of wearers。〃 And so on and so forth； until the poor wight would contemplate murder if I refused to make him the sale。
One evening Janos asked me to dine at an open mess with his fellow officers。 I was honored： the Magistrates' Own regarded themselves as among Orissa's social elite and invitations were much prized。 Besides； there was something I was almost certain I wanted to tell Janos； and something I wished to ask。 All that remained was how to present the matter。 Janos acpanied me back to my father's villa； where I washed and changed into matching black velvet breeches and vest； a red silk shirt with a wide lace…edged collar； knee boots； and a full…length hooded cloak。 I told Eanes he need not acpany me…there would be more than enough servitors present。
As we walked through the twilight streets toward the barracks； I chanced asking Janos why； if he was so intent on seeing new worlds； he was serving in the Magistrates' Own Guard？ Certainly it was an honor； but its duties kept it for the most part watchguarding the Magistrates； Evocators； and the great public buildings of Orissa； which was hardly adventurous。 Janos agreed： it was a dubious honor； but he'd had no choice。 When he had shown up at the barracks wanting to enlist； the minute they'd heard his mother's name； he was doomed。
〃They would never consider dishonoring the Kether family； no matter how tenuous my claim to the name； by making one of them serve in a unit like the Frontier Scouts； which actually might have to smell blood or wave a sword in anger。 Which was my initial request。 Instead； I'm a captain with the Magistrates' Own。 An intellectually stimulating post if ever there was one。 Did you know that it's against the social graces to discuss war； the unit's policies； religion； or women at mess？ Horses； dogs； and hunting； around and around； around and around。 If I hear one more tale of how someone's pack of hounds exhibits almost oracular abilities at finding game； I may be forced to tell the tale of how I once lived on dog for a month when I was manning a watchtower for the Lycanthians in the South。 Not bad； actually； larded with bacon and baked with yams；〃 he said meditatively。 〃Oh well。 There's never been a soldier who didn't cry woe and doom at every opportunity。 It's his right； issued with his practice sword and brass…polishing cloth。〃
The Magistrates' Own mess was splendorous： the plates were silver； as was the service； the goblets were crystal； and each table was covered with fine linen。 In the center of the tables were the regimental trophies； and the honors of war hung from the high rafters and lined the walls。 Janos excused himself； then returned in full dress…short； soft； leather boots； shoulder cloak； and brocaded skirt and tunic。 Over it he wore a sleeveless jerkin； padded and worked to look as if it were ar
