ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第30节

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outrun　anything　on　that　plain。　If　anyone　was　foolish　enough　to　attack　him；　once　they　realized　who　he　was。
　　Someone；　therefore；　would　have　had　to　have　been　almost　insanely　reckless；　and　the　Captain　uncharacteristically　lost　in　night　thoughts；　for　him　to　be　ambushed　by　moonlight　so　near　to　home。
　　They　waited　until　his　horse　was　in　the　middle　of　the　stream…the　Carriano…that　formed　the　western　boundary　of　Rancho　Belmonte。　He　was；　in　fact；　almost　on　his　own　land。
　　In　late　summer　the　stream　ran　shallow；　not　even　up　to　the　black　horse's　withers　at　the　deepest　point。　They　were　walking　across；　not　swimming。　But　when　bowmen　rose　up；　like　ghosts　of　the　dead；　from　the　reeds　at　the　river's　edge；　Rodrigo　knew　that　someone　had　given　thought　to　this。　Swift　as　his　mount　was；　the　water　was　going　to　slow　him　for　the　first　few　seconds。　Against　archers　that　would　be　enough。
　　With　the　first　words　spoken　his　thought　was　confirmed。
　　〃We　will　shoot　the　horse；　Ser　Rodrigo。　Do　not　try　to　run。〃
　　He　didn't　want　them　to　shoot　the　horse。
　　He　looked　around。　A　dozen　men；　all　with　kerchiefs　pulled　up　and　hat　brims　low　to　disguise　their　faces。　He　couldn't　see　their　mounts。　Downstream　probably。
　　〃Dismount。　In　the　water。〃　The　same　man　spoke　again；　his　voice　muffled　behind　the　kerchief。
　　〃If　you　know　my　name　you　know　you　are　dead　if　you　pursue　this　folly；〃　Rodrigo　said　softly。　He　didn't　get　off　his　horse　yet；　but　nor　did　he　let　it　move。
　　〃Your　horse　is　dead　if　you　remain　astride。　Get　down。〃
　　He　did　so；　swinging　forward　deliberately；　where　it　was　shallower。　The　water　was　up　to　his　waist。
　　〃Throw　your　sword　on　the　bank。〃
　　He　hesitated。
　　〃We　will　not　shoot　you；　Ser　Rodrigo。　We　will　kill　the　horse。　Throw　your　sword。〃
　　〃There　are　close　to　one　hundred　and　fifty　men　behind　me；〃　Rodrigo　said　levelly；　but　he　was　removing　his　sword　belt　as　he　spoke。
　　〃They　are　half　a　night's　ride　behind　you。〃
　　The　speaker　seemed　remarkably　well　informed。　Rodrigo　tossed　his　sword　and　belt　into　the　grass；　carefully　clear　of　the　stream。　He　marked　where　they　landed；　but　then　someone　moved　to　pick　them　up；　so　it　didn't　matter。
　　〃Now　walk。　Towards　us。　Leave　the　horse　where　he　is。　Someone　will　take　him。〃
　　〃He　won't　take　kindly　to　another　hand；〃　Rodrigo　warned。
　　〃That　is　our　difficulty；　then；〃　the　spokesman　said。　〃We　are　accustomed　to　dealing　with　horses。　e。〃
　　He　went；　sloshing　out　of　the　stream　and　through　the　reeds　to　the　grass。　They　took　him；　insultingly；　further　east　onto　his　own　lands。　There　was　no　one　about；　however；　not　at　the　very　perimeter　of　the　estate；　and　not　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　They　led　him　for　several　hundred　paces；　bows　levelled　constantly；　though　at　the　horse　not　at　him。　Someone　was　clever　here。
　　They　came　to　one　of　the　range　huts。　Like　all　the　huts　it　was　small；　unfurnished；　no　more　than　a　primitive　shelter　for　the　herders　from　rainstorms　or　the　snows　that　sometimes　came　in　winter。
　　Someone　lit　a　torch。　They　pushed　him　inside。　Six　of　them　came　with　him；　faces　hidden；　not　speaking　save　for　the　leader。　They　took　both　his　knives：　the　one　in　his　belt　and　the　one　in　his　boot。　They　bound　his　hands　in　front　of　him；　and　then　someone　hammered　a　stake　into　the　packed　earth　floor　of　the　hut　and　they　forced　him　to　lie　down　and　pulled　his　bound　hands　up　over　his　head　and　looped　the　thongs　through　the　stake。　They　pulled　off　his　boots　and　tied　his　ankles　together　the　same　way。　Another　stake　was　driven　and　the　cord　that　bound　his　feet　was　looped　across　this。　He　was　unable　to　move；　hands　high　over　his　head；　legs　bound　together　and　pinned　to　the　earth。
　　〃What　do　you　think　will　happen；〃　Rodrigo　said；　breaking　the　silence；　〃when　my　pany　es　to　this　ranch　tomorrow　and　learns　I　have　not　arrived？〃
　　The　leader；　standing　by　the　doorway　watching　all　that　was　being　done；　merely　shook　his　head。　Then　he　gestured　to　the　others。　The　long　torch　was　planted　in　the　ground　and　they　left　him　there　in　the　hut；　trussed　like　a　sacrifice。
　　He　heard　footsteps　receding；　then　the　sound　of　horses　ing　up　and　then　being　ridden　away。　Pinned　helplessly　to　the　earth　on　his　own　land；　Rodrigo　Belmonte　lay　in　silence　for　a　few　moments；　listening　to　the　horsemen　riding　off。　And　then；　helplessly；　but　in　an　entirely　different　sense；　he　began　to　laugh。　It　was　difficult　to　catch　his　breath　with　his　hands　pulled　up　so　high；　he　whooped；　he　gasped；　tears　streamed　from　his　eyes。
　　〃The　god　burn　you；　Rodrigo！〃　said　his　wife；　storming　into　the　hut。　〃How　did　you　know？〃
　　He　went　on　laughing。　He　couldn't　stop。　Miranda　carried；　of　all　things；　an　arrow　in　one　hand。　She　was　dressed　in　black；　in　the　mannish　clothing　that　was　her　custom　on　the　ranch。　She　glared　at　him　in　fury　as　he　howled。　Then　she　stepped　closer　and　stabbed　him　in　the　thigh　with　her　arrow。
　　〃Ouch！〃　exclaimed　the　Captain　of　Valledo。　He　looked　down　and　saw　blood　welling　through　the　rip　in　his　trousers。
　　〃I　hate　when　you　laugh　at　me；〃　she　said。　〃Now；　how　did　you　know？　Tell　me；　or　I'll　draw　blood　again。〃
　　〃I　have　no　doubt；〃　Rodrigo　said；　struggling　to　regain　his　self…control。　He　had　not　seen　her　in　almost　half　a　year。　She　looked　unfairly　magnificent。　She　was　also；　quite　evidently；　in　a　substantial　rage。　He　concentrated；　for　his　own　safety；　on　her　question。
　　〃The　boys　did　well；　actually。　A　few　things。　Corrado　heard　other　horses　as　we　came　up　to　the　stream。　I　didn't；　their　mounts　were　left　far　enough　away　to　avoid　that；　but　a　war…horse　can　be　trained　to　give　warning。〃
　　〃What　else？〃
　　〃Two　men　let　their　shadows　show　in　the　water。　With　doubled　moonlight　one　has　to　be　careful。〃
　　〃Anything　else？〃　Her　voice　had　grown　even　colder。
　　He　considered　it；　and　decided　that　two　things　were　enough。　He　was　still　trussed　up；　and　she　still　had　an　arrow。　The　other　matters　could　wait。
　　〃Nothing；　Miranda。　I　told　you；　they　did　very　well。〃
　　She　stabbed　him　again；　hard；　in　the　other　leg。
　　〃Jad's　light！〃　he　gasped。　〃Miranda；　will　you…
　　〃Tell　truth。　What　else？〃
　　He　drew　a　breath。　〃I　recognized　the　whicker　of　Fernan's　horse　when　they　brought　him　up　outside。　They　knew　too　well　where　my　boot　knife　was。　They　were　too　gentle　when　they　tied　me。　And　this　whole　affair　was　too　precisely　located　along　the　stream　to　be　an　improvised　ambush。　It　had　to　be　Diego　seeing　me　and　knowing　which　way　I　was　ing。　Is　that　enough；　Miranda？　May　I　get　up　now？　May　I　kiss　you？〃
　　〃Yes；　no；　and　possibly　later；〃　said　his　wife。　〃Have　you　any　idea　how　angry　I　am；　Rodrigo？〃
　　Bound　and　bleeding　on　the　earth；　Rodrigo　Belmonte　was　able　to　say；　quite　truthfully；　〃Some　idea；　yes。〃
　　His　expression　must　have　been　diverting；　because　his　wife；　for　the　first　time；　showed　an　indication　of　being　amused。
　　She　suppressed　it　quickly。　〃Armed　men　came　for　us；　you　uncaring　bastard。　You　left　me　with　children　and　range　hands　thirty　years　past　their　usefulness。〃
　　〃That　isn't　just；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　truly　sorry　you　were　frightened。　You　know　I　am。　I　didn't　think　even　Garcia　de　Rada　would　do　anything　so　stupid　as　an　attack　here；　and　I　did　think　you　and　the　boys　were　equal　to　whatever　might　e。　I　told　you　that。〃
　　〃I　told　you　that；〃　she　mimicked。　〃How　thoughtful　of　you。〃
　　〃If　the　boys　are　going　to　follow　me；〃　he　said　levelly；　〃they　will　have　to　learn　to　handle　matters　of　this　sort；　Miranda。　You　know　it。　They'll　be　marked　as　my　sons　the　minute　they　join　a　pany…mine　or　anyone　else's。　They'll　be　pushed；　and　challenged。　I　can't　do　anything　about　that　except　help　make　them　equal　to　those　challenges　when　they　e。　Unless　you　want　them　both　to　take　vows　and　join　the　clerics？〃
　　〃Twenty…four　horsemen　attacked　us；　Rodrigo。　What　if　Diego　hadn't　seen　them？〃
　　He　said　nothing。　The　truth　was；　he'd　been　having　nightmares　about　that　since　word　of　the　raid　had　e　to　them　in　Esteren。　He　didn't　want　to　say　it；　but　there　must　have　been　more　in　his　expression　than　he　thought；　because　Miranda　abruptly　tossed　her　arrow　aside　and　knelt　on　the　earth　beside　him。
　　〃I　see；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃You　were　frightened；　too。　All　right。　Half　a　mistake；　half　testing　the　boys。　I　can　live　with　that。〃
　　〃I'm　not　sure　if　I　can；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment。　〃If　anything　had　happened　。。。　〃
　　〃That's　why　I　shot　him。　I　know　you　wouldn't　have　done　it。　I　know　it　wasn't　very　honorable；　but　a　man　who　would　do　what　he　did　。。。　He　wouldn't　have　stopped；　Rodrigo。　He　would　have　e　back。　Better　I　killed　him　than　that　you　had　to；　after　he'd　done　something　to　us。〃
　　He　nodded　his　head。　It　wasn't　easy；　bound　as　he　was。　She　made　no　movement　to　release　him。
　　〃I'm　sorry　you　had　to　kill　someone。〃
　　She　shrugged。　〃Given　who　it　was；　it　was　easier　than　I　would　have　thought。　The　boys　had　to　kill　men；　too。〃
　　〃In　the　world　they　are　growing　into；　that　was　bound　to　happen。〃
　　〃I　would　have　preferred　it　not　be　so　soon；　Rodrigo。〃
　　He　said　nothing。　She　settled　back　a　little；　looking　at　him；　still　making　no　move　to　untie　his　bonds。
　　〃The　king　called　you　a　frail　woman。〃
　　She　smiled　at　that。　〃You　didn't　disagree？〃
　　〃I　did；　actually。　I　asked　them　to　pray　for　me　because　I　had　to　go　home　and　tell　you　what　has　happened。〃
　　〃We　heard。　You　sent　the　messenger　so　I'd　have　time　to　calm　down；　I　suppose。〃
　　His　mouth　crooked。　〃It　does