sk.thetalisman-第21节
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badges or seals which gave them access。 Jack had only Speedy Parker's fingerpick； and he didn't think that would get him past the guards' inspection。 One man just now stepping up to the gate flashed a round silver badge and was waved through； the man following him was stopped。 He argued； then the tone of his manner changed； and Jack saw that he was pleading。 The guard shook his head and ordered the man off。
'His men don't have any trouble getting in；' someone to Jack's right said； instantly solving the problem of Territories language； and Jack turned his head to see if the man had spoken to him。
But the middle…aged man walking beside him was speaking to another man； also dressed in the plain； simple clothes of most of the men and women outside the palace grounds。 'They'd better not；' the second man answered。 'He's on his way…supposed to be here today sometime； I guess。'
Jack fell in behind these two and followed them toward the gate。
The guards stepped forward as the men neared； and as they both approached the same guard； the other gestured to the man nearest him。 Jack hung back。 He still had not seen anyone with a scar； nor had he seen any officers。 The only soldiers in sight were the guards； both young and countrified…with their broad red faces above the elaborately pleated and ruffled uniforms； they looked like farmers in fancy dress。 The two men Jack had been following must have passed the guards' tests； for after a few moments' conversation the uniformed men stepped back and admitted them。 One of the guards looked sharply at Jack； and Jack turned his head and stepped back。
Unless he found the Captain with the scar； he would never get inside the palace grounds。
A group of men approached the guard who had stared at Jack； and immediately began to wrangle。 They had an appointment； it was crucial they be let in； much money depended on it； regrettably they had no papers。 The guard shook his head； scraping his chin across his uniform's white ruff。 As Jack watched； still wondering how he could find the Captain； the leader of the little group waved his hands in the air； pounded his fist into a palm。 He had bee as red…faced as the guard。 At length he began jabbing the guard with his fore…finger。 The guard's panion joined him…both guards looked bored and hostile。
A tall straight man in a uniform subtly different from the guards'…it might have been the way the uniform was worn； but it looked as though it might serve in battle as well as in an operetta…noiselessly materialized beside them。 He did not wear a ruff； Jack noticed a second later； and his hat was peaked instead of three…cornered。 He spoke to the guards； and then turned to the leader of the little group。 There was no more shouting； no more finger…jabbing。 The man spoke quietly。 Jack saw the danger ebb out of the group。 They shifted on their feet； their shoulders sank。 They began to drift away。 The officer watched them go； then turned back to the guards for a final word。
For the moment while the officer faced in Jack's direction； in effect shooing the group of men away with his presence； Jack saw a long pale lightning…bolt of a scar zigzagging from beneath his right eye to just above his jawline。
The officer nodded to the guards and stepped briskly away。 Looking neither to the left nor to the right； he wove through the crowd； apparently headed for whatever lay to the side of the summer palace。 Jack took off after him。
'Sir！' he yelled； but the officer marched on through the slow…moving crowd。
Jack ran around a group of men and women hauling a pig toward one of the little tents； shot through a gap between two other bands of people approaching the gate； and finally was close enough to the officer to reach out and touch his elbow。 'Captain？'
The officer wheeled around； freezing Jack where he stood。 Up close； the scar seemed thick and separate； a living creature riding on the man's face。 Even unscarred； Jack thought； this man's face would express a forceful impatience。 'What is it； boy？' the man asked。
'Captain； I'm supposed to talk to you…I have to see the Lady； but I don't think I can get into the palace。 Oh； you're supposed to see this。' He dug into the roomy pocket of the unfamiliar pants and closed his fingers around a triangular object。
When he displayed it on his palm； he felt shock boom through him…what he held in his hand was not a fingerpick but a long tooth； a shark's tooth perhaps； inlaid with a winding； intricate pattern of gold。
When Jack looked up at the Captain's face； half…expecting a blow； he saw his shock echoed there。 The impatience which had seemed so characteristic had utterly vanished。 Uncertainty and even fear momentarily distorted the man's strong features。 The Captain lifted his hand to Jack's； and the boy thought he meant to take the ornate tooth： he would have given it to him； but the man simply folded the boy's fingers over the object on his palm。 'Follow me；' he said。
They went around to the side of the great pavillion； and the Captain led Jack behind the shelter of a great sail…shaped flap of stiff pale canvas。 In the glowing darkness behind the flap； the soldier's face looked as though someone had drawn on it with thick pink crayon。 'That sign；' he said calmly enough。 'Where did you get it？'
'From Speedy Parker。 He said that I should find you and show it to you。' The man shook his head。 'I don't know the name。 I want you to give me the sign now。 Now。' He firmly grasped Jack's wrist。 'Give it to me； and then tell me where you stole it。'
'I'm telling the truth；' Jack said。 'I got it from Lester Speedy Parker。 He works at Funworld。 But it wasn't a tooth when he gave it to me。 It was a guitar…pick。'
'I don't think you understand what's going to happen to you； boy。'
'You know him；' Jack pleaded。 'He described you…he told me you were a Captain of the Outer Guards。 Speedy told me to find you。'
The Captain shook his head and gripped Jack's wrist more firmly。 'Describe this man。 I'm going to find out if you're lying right now； boy； so I'd make this good if I were you。'
'Speedy's old；' Jack said。 'He used to be a musician。' He thought he saw recognition of some kind flash in the man's eyes。 'He's black…a black man。 With white hair。 Deep lines in his face。 And he's pretty thin； but he's a lot stronger than he looks。'
'A black man。 You mean； a brown man？'
'Well； black people aren't really black。 Like white people aren't really white。'
'A brown man named Parker。' The Captain gently released Jack's wrist。 'He is called Parkus here。 So you are from 。 。 。 ' He nodded toward some distant invisible point on the horizon。
'That's right；' Jack said。
'And Parkus 。 。 。 Parker 。 。 。 sent you to see our Queen。'
'He said he wanted me to see the Lady。 And that you could take me to her。'
'This will have to be fast；' the Captain said。 'I think I know how to do it； but we don't have any time to waste。' He had shifted his mental direction with a military smoothness。 'Now listen to me。 We have a lot of bastards around here； so we're going to pretend that you are my son on t'other side of the sheets。 You have disobeyed me in connection with some little job； and I am angry with you。 I think no one will stop us if we make this performance convincing。 At least I can get you inside…but it might be a little trickier once we are in。 You think you can do it？ Convince people that you're my son？'
'My mother's an actress；' Jack said； and felt that old pride in her。
'Well； then； let's see what you've learned；' the Captain said； and surprised Jack by winking at him。 'I'll try not to cause you any pain。' Then he startled Jack again； and clamped a very strong hand over the boy's upper arm。 'Let's go；' he said； and marched out of the shelter of the flap； half…dragging Jack behind him。
'When I tell you to wash the flagstones behind the kitchen； wash flagstones is what you'll do；' the Captain said loudly； not looking at him。 'Understand that？ You will do your job。 And if you do not do your job； you must be punished。'
'But I washed some of the flagstones 。 。 。 ' Jack wailed。
'I didn't tell you to wash some of the flagstones！' the Captain yelled； hauling Jack along behind him。 The people around them parted to let the Captain through。 Some of them grinned sympathetically at Jack。
'I was going to do it all； honest； I was going to go back in a minute 。 。 。 '
The soldier pulled him toward the gate without even glancing at the guards； and yanked him through。 'No； Dad！' Jack squalled。 'You're hurting me！'
'Not as much as I'm going to hurt you；' the Captain said； and pulled him across the wide courtyard Jack had seen from the cart…track。
At the other end of the court the soldier pulled him up wooden steps and into the great palace itself。 'Now your acting had better be good；' the man whispered； and immediately set off down a long corridor； squeezing Jack's arm hard enough to leave bruises。
'I promise I'll be good！' Jack shouted。
The man hauled him into another； narrower corridor。 The interior of the palace did not at all resemble the inside of a tent； Jack saw。 It was a mazelike warren of passages and little rooms； and
