cacb.thefarkingdoms-第85节

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ate　to　ask　the　question　now　uppermost　in　my　mind。〃
　〃Have　no　fear；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Say　what　you　will。〃
　〃Your　kingdom　of　Gomalalee　lies　in　a　realm　of　constant　warfare。　We　have　seen　the　wounds　your　people　have　suffered。　So；　I　wonder：　if　your　god　is　so　great；　so　knowing；　why　has　He　not　given　you　power　over　your　enemies？〃
　Mortacious　roared　laughter。　It　made　a　ghastly　sound；　as　if　the　winds　of　humor　were　blowing　through　that　deep　cavern　where　the　Dark　Seeker　dwells。　〃Oh；　but　He　has；　my　dear　man　。。。　He　has。〃　The　neck　scarf　had　e　loose；　and　I　saw　clear　the　wound　it　hid　from　view。　It　was　a　putrid；　unhealed　gash　circling　his　throat。　He　did　not　notice　my　gaze　and　returned　the　black　scarf　to　its　place。　His　face　was　mocking。　〃What　is　the　greatest　power　you　can　imagine；　my　little　wizard？〃　he　asked。　〃Tell　me　quick　and　tell　me　true。〃
　Janos　replied　with　no　hesitation。　'To　know　all　things。　To　be　able　to　lift　my　eyes　from　Nature's　stitching　and　see　its　grand　design。　I　would　give　all　I　have…which；　in　the　end；　is　only　my　life…if　I　could　have　but　a　single　glimpse；　one　clear　understanding。〃
　〃Then　you　are　a　fool；〃　Mortacious　said。　〃For　the　sum　of　all　things　is　too　large　to　know。　The　stitches　too　numerous　for　even　the　gods　to　count。〃
　Janos　made　his　eyes　widen　and　stroked　his　beard　as　if　he　were　in　the　presence　of　a　great；　knowing　master。　'Then　what　is　the　answer；　my　lord？　Tell　me；　please；　where　my　error　lies？〃
　〃Why　it　is　as　simple　as　mon　bread；〃　the　wizard　said；　his　eyes　aglow　with　self　importance。　〃The　greatest　power　a　mortal　can　mand　。。。　is　the　power　over　another　man's　soul。〃
　〃I　do　not　understand；〃　Janos　said。　'Tell　me　more；　pray；　to　further　my　education。〃
　But　the　wizard　grew　wary；　fearing　he　had　said　too　much。　He　shook　his　head；　as　if　wearying　of　the　buzz　of　little　children。　He　smoothed　the　scarf；　picked　up　his　cup；　and　drained　it。　He　set　the　cup　down　firmly。　〃I　think　not；〃　he　said　at　last。
　He　brushed　crumbs　from　his　robe　and　came　to　his　feet。　〃I　hope　you　gentlemen　have　supped　well。　Now；　if　you　will　forgive　my　rudeness　。。。　I　shall　ask　you　to　retire。　I　pray　you　find　your　quarters　pleasant；　and　you　sleep　an　untroubled　sleep。〃
　Before　he　could　go；　I　made　bold　to　say；　〃Thank　you；　Lord　Mortacious；　for　your　hospitality。　I　would　not　want　us　to　overstay　it。　With　your　kind　permission；　we　shall　depart　tomorrow…with　deep　regret。〃
　The　wizard　fixed　me　with　those　fierce；　desert…bird　eyes。　I　did　not　flinch；　but　kept　a　mild　look　upon　my　face。　〃We　shall　see；〃　he　finally　said；　then　swept　out。　As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　Janos　scooped　up　the　crumbs　the　wizard　had　discarded　and　put　them　in　his　pocket。　He　gave　me　a　wink　just　as　the　man　who　had　led　us　to　Mortacious　appeared。　〃e　with　me；　if　you　please；　sirs；〃　he　said。
　He　put　all　twenty　of　us　in　a　spacious　chamber；　it　was　window…less；　and　its　walls　were　barren　stone。　There　were　cots　set　up；　with　soft　coverlets　that　seemed　odd　amid　such　barrackslike　starkness。　There　was　a　large　water　vessel　in　the　corner；　with　a　dipper　hanging　from　the　mouth；　and　in　another　corner　there　was　a　hole　for　wastes。　As　Mortacious'　man　swung　shut　the　heavy　door；　Janos　signaled　us　to　remain　silent。　We　heard　a　strong　bolt　shoot　into　place；　so　much　for　the　fiction　that　we　were　only　guests。　Janos　crept　to　the　door　and　ran　his　hands　lightly　over　the　surface。　Whatever　he　learned　from　the　examination　pleased　him；　for　he　nodded　in　satisfaction。　He　turned　back　to　us　and　made　signs　there　was　a　listening　spell　in　place。　More　hand　signals　sent　the　men　to　their　cots　to　feign　sleep　and　brought　Sergeant　Maeen　and　me　to　his　side。
　〃It　is　as　I　feared；〃　he　whispered。　〃There　is　no　locking　spell　on　the　door。　Only　the　mechanical　bar。〃
　〃Why　is　that　troublesome；　sir？〃　Maeen　asked。
　I　puzzled　with　him；　for　if　escape　was　necessary；　or　even　possible；　then　the　scanty　security　was　in　our　favor。　Then　I　felt　a　sudden　awful　weariness　and　yearned　for　the　sweet　fort　of　those　soft　coverlets。　Sergeant　Maeen　gave　an　elaborate　yawn；　and　as　the　uncontrollable　urge　to　ape　his　actions　came　upon　me；　I　heard　more　yawns　all　over　the　chamber　as　our　men　were　similarly　affected。
　Janos　gave　Maeen　a　hard　push　to　jolt　him　awake。　〃Fetch　some　water；〃　he　hissed；　〃and　quickly。〃
　As　the　sergeant　stumbled　to　do　his　bidding；　Janos　knelt。　I　squatted　beside　him；　fighting　off　sleep。　There　was　no　question　what　had　happened：　Mortacious　had　cast　a　sleeping　spell　on　our　food。　Janos　took　the　crumbs…the　wizard's　leavings…from　his　pocket　and　spread　them　on　the　floor。　He　leaned　close　and　breathed　over　them：　once；　twice；　three　times。　When　Maeen　returned　with　tht　dipper；　Janos　sprinkled　water　over　the　crumbs　and　made　a　paste。　I　saw　him　struggle　with　a　yawn　of　his　own；　as　he　kneaded　the　paste　into　twenty　bread　pellets。　Once　more　his　hand　dipped　into　his　pocket；　and　when　it　appeared　again；　I　saw　his　fingers　coated　with　the　golden　ash　from　the　wizard's　plate。　He　whispered　a　chant　as　he　sprinkled　the　ash　over　the　dough　pellets；　and　in　dumb　amazement　I　watched　the　pellets　swiftly　rise；　in　a　moment　they　had　the　appearance　and　size　of　small　biscuits。　Hazy　fear　enveloped　me　as　Sergeant　Maeen　sagged　down　and　I　felt　sleep's　dark　veil　descending。
　〃Eat；〃　Janos　hissed；　shoving　the　biscuit　at　me。　I　took　it；　irritated　at　being　ordered　to　do　anything　other　than　sleep。　I　bit　off　a　small　portion　as　he　demanded；　and　it　seemed　so　delicious　after　that　awful　meal；　I　had　to　have　more。　My　mind　sharpened　with　the　pleasure　of　the　taste；　banishing　sleep。　Janos　raced　about；　forcing　a　biscuit　into　every　man's　gullet。　Soon　all　were　awake　and　Janos　was　back　by　my　side。　Once　more　he　held　a　finger　to　his　lips；　but　this　time　it　was　not　directed　at　the　sergeant　and　myself。　With　that　same　finger　he　drew　a　circle　about　our　heads。　He　repeated　the　gesture；　and　I　saw　the　air　begin　to　shimmer。　〃Silence；〃　Janos　whispered。　The　shimmer　became　a　swirl。　〃Silence；〃　he　said　louder　still；　and　the　shimmer　became　a　pale　light。　Then　he　bellowed；　〃Silence。〃　But　though　the　shout　hammered　my　ears；　it　became　a　dead　thing　at　the　barrier　of　pale　light。　No　echo　resounded　from　the　walls　or　aroused　the　men；　although　they　watched　with　anxious　interest。　〃So　much　for　Lord　Mortacious　and　his　silly　spells；〃　Janos　said　in　normal　tones。　〃Now；　we　can　plot　escape　in　fort。〃
　〃What　about　the　men；　sir？〃　Maeen　asked。　〃Shouldn't　they　be　able　to　listen　as　well？〃
　〃The　size　of　the　counterspell　would　alert　our　host；〃　Janos　said。　〃We　must　not　underestimate　this　man。　He　has　little　wit；　but　much　low　cunning；　and　his　powers　are　as　great　as　any　wizard　I　have　encountered。　Just　because　I　let　him　win　that　little　table　game；　and　sniffed　out　the　sleeping　spell　he　cast　on　our　food；　it　does　not　mean　our　continued　existence　is　assured　beyond　this　night。〃
　〃It　may　be　difficult；　sir；〃　Maeen　said；　as　he　put　his　professional　mind　to　work。　〃But　not　impossible。　He's　got　the　terrain；　and　the　numbers；　I'll　admit。　However；　the　demons　of　surprise　are　on　our　side；　now。　And　as　for　his　men…why；　most　of　'em　are　walking　wounded。〃　he　sniffed。　〃I've　never　seen　such　a　mangy　lot　in　my　life。〃
　But　Janos　wasn't　listening；　his　brow　was　furrowed　in　concentration。　Then　his　skin　pearled　white。　〃Oh；　what　a　fool　I've　been；〃　he　groaned。　〃The　bastard's　tricked　me！〃
　We　asked　what　was　wrong。　Janos　shook　his　head　in　fury。　〃Only　try　and　think　of　escape；　and　you'll　see　for　yourselves；〃　he　said；　voice　shaking　with　emotion。　〃Think　on　it　hard。　Hard　as　you　can。　Imagine　us　fleeing　this　place。　Take　it　step　by　step。　First　the　door　。。。　then　into　the　streets　。。。　then　back　down　the　road　they　marched　us　on。〃
　I　closed　my　eyes　and　followed　his　directions。　The　door　gave　way　with　ease；　soon　we　were　all　running　along　the　road　toward　the　harbor。　I　imagined　a　likely　boat　to　steal；　then　just　as　I　had　us　all　aboard　and　ready　to　sail；　a　terrible；　unreasoning　fear　hurled　out　of　some　dark　corridor　in　my　soul　and　sank　its　teeth　into　my　guts。
　I　could　not　see　the　beast；　but　I　could　smell　the　mad　reek　of　its　presence　and　feel　the　hot　pain　of　its　fangs　burrowing　into　me。　I　knew　I　had　only　one　hope　of　escape：　I　fled　back　down　the　avenue；　back　into　the　building　that　held　us；　back　into　the　chamber　that　was　our　prison；　and　slammed　that　door　shut　with　all　my　might。　I　opened　my　eyes；　bile　in　my　throat；　panic　in　my　breast；　and　saw　the　same　terror　on　Maeen's　face。
　〃Do　you　see　what　he　has　done？〃　Janos　gritted。　〃I　said　he　had　low　cunning；　but　by　all　the　gods　I　mock；　I　did　not　suspect　the　ex…tent　of　that　cunning。〃　Mortacious　had　placed　more　than　one　spell　on　the　food。　One　was　to　make　us　sleep　until　he　was　ready。　The　other　was　to　prevent　us　from　fleeing　once　that　moment　came。　We　were　trapped　in　this　ghastly　city；　our　own　fear　molded　to　make　that　trap。
　〃There　is　only　one　way　to　break　the　spell；〃　Janos　said。　〃My　own　magic　is　useless。　So　we　must　steal　some　of　his。〃
　We　did　not　discuss　the　how　and　why　of　it；　for　we　sensed　any　lingering　discussion　would　arouse　the　worm　from　its　lair。　We　would　go　at　it　simply：　one　step；　then　another；　seizing　opportunity　as　it　came。　The　door　gave　no　trouble；　and　there　were　no　guards　outside。　Janos　told　the　men　to　wait　until　we　returned；　then　we　crept　softly　away。　I　cannot　speak　for　my　two　panions　of　that　night；　but　if　this　account　is　to　be　as　honest　as　I　have　sworn；　I　must　admit　how　tho