tp.wyrd sisters-第19节

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　Magrat　stood　and　stared　at　the　wilting　posy　in　her　hands。　She　ran　her　fingers　through　her　hair　and　a　shower　of　wilted　petals　fell　out。
　She　felt　that　an　important　moment　had　been　allowed　to　slip　out　of　her　grasp　as　fast　as　a　greased　pig　in　a　narrow　passageway。
　She　felt　an　overpowering　urge　to　curse。　She　knew　a　great　many　curses。　Goodie　Whemper　had　been　really　imaginative　in　that　department；　even　the　creatures　of　the　forest　used　to　go　past　her　cottage　at　a　dead　run。
　She　couldn't　find　a　single　one　that　fully　expressed　her　feelings。
　'Oh；　bugger；'　she　said。
　
　It　was　a　full　moon　again　that　night；　and　most　unusually　all　three　witches　arrived　at　the　standing　stone　early；　it　was　so　embarrassed　by　this　that　it　went　and　hid　in　some　gorse　bushes。
　'Greebo　hasn't　been　home　for　two　days/　said　Nanny　Ogg；　as　soon　as　she　arrived。　'It's　not　like　him。　I　can't　find　him　anywhere。'
　'Cats　can　look　after　themselves；'　said　Granny　Weatherwax。　'Countries　can't。　I　have　intelligence　to　report。　Light　the　fire；　Magrat。'
　'Mmm？'
　'I　said；　light　the　fire；　Magrat。'
　'Mmm？　Oh。　Yes。'
　The　two　old　women　watched　her　drift　vaguely　across　the　moorland；　tugging　absently　at　dried…up　whin　clumps。　Magrat　seemed　to　have　her　mind　on　something。
　'Doesn't　seem　to　be　her　normal　self；'　said　Nanny　Ogg。
　'Yes。　Could　be　an　improvement；'　said　Granny　shortly；　and　sat　down　on　a　rock。　'She　should　of　got　it　lit　before　we　arrived。　It's　her　job。'
　'She　means　well；'　said　Nanny　Ogg；　studying　Magrat's　back　reflectively。
　'I　used　to　mean　well　when　I　was　a　girl；　but　that　didn't　stop　the　sharp　end　of　Goodie　Filter's　tongue。　Youngest　witch　serves　her　time；　you　know　how　it　is。　We　had　it　tougher；　too。　Look　at　her。　Doesn't　even　wear　the　pointy　hat。　How's　anyone　going　to　know？'
　'You　got　something　on　your　mind；　Esme？'　said　Nanny。
　Granny　nodded　gloomily。
　'Had　a　visit　yesterday；'　she　said。
　'Me　too。'
　Despite　her　worries；　Granny　was　slightly　annoyed　at　this。　'Who　from？'　she　said。
　'The　mayor　of　Lancre　and　a　bunch　of　burghers。　They're　not　happy　about　the　king。　They　want　a　king　they　can　trust。'
　'I　wouldn't　trust　any　king　a　burgher　could　trust；'　said　Granny。
　'Yes；　but　it's　not　good　for　anyone；　all　this　taxing　and　killing　folk。　The　new　sergeant　they've　got　is　a　keen　man　when　it　es　to　setting　fire　to　cottages；　too。　Old　Verence　used　to　do　it　too；　mind；　but　。　。　。　well　。　。　。'
　'I　know；　I　know。　It　was　more　personal；'　said　Granny。　'You　felt　he　meant　it。　People　like　to　feel　they're　valued。'
　'This　Felmet　hates　the　kingdom；'　Nanny　went　on。　'They　all　say　it。　They　say　when　they　go　to　talk　to　him　he　just　stares　at　them　and　giggles　and　rubs　his　hand　and　twitches　a　bit。'
　Granny　scratched　her　chin。　'The　old　king　used　to　shout　at　them　and　kick　them　out　of　the　castle；　mind。　He　used　to　say　he　didn't　have　no　time　for　shopkeepers　and　such；'　she　added；　with　a　note　of　personal　approval。
　'But　he　was　always　very　gracious　about　it；'　said　Nanny　Ogg。　'And　he…'
　'The　kingdom　is　worried；'　said　Granny。
　'Yes；　I　already　said。'
　'I　didn't　mean　the　people；　I　meant　the　kingdom。'
　Granny　explained。　Nanny　interrupted　a　few　times　with　brief　questions。　It　didn't　occur　to　her　to　doubt　anything　she　heard。　Granny　Weatherwax　never　made　things　up。
　At　the　end　of　it　she　said；　'Well。'
　'My　feelings　exactly。'
　'Fancy　that。'
　'Quite　so。'
　'And　what　did　the　animals　do　then？'
　'Went　away。　It　had　brought　them　there；　it　let　them　go。'
　'No　one　et　anyone　else？'
　'Not　where　I　saw。'
　'Funny　thing。'
　'Right　enough。'
　Nanny　Ogg　stared　at　the　setting　sun。
　'I　don't　reckon　a　lot　of　kingdoms　do　that　sort　of　thing；'　she　said。　'You　saw　the　theatre。　Kings　and　such　are　killing　one　another　the　whole　time。　Their　kingdoms　just　make　the　best　of　it。　How　e　this　one　takes　offence　all　of　a　sudden？'
　'It's　been　here　a　long　time；'　said　Granny。
　'So's　everywhere；'　said　Nanny；　and　added；　with　the　air　of　a　lifetime　student；　'Everywhere's　been　where　it　is　ever　since　it　was　first　put　there。　It's　called　geography。'
　'That's　just　about　land；'　said　Granny。　'It's　not　the　same　as　a　kingdom。　A　kingdom　is　made　up　of…all　sorts　of　things。　Ideas。　Loyalties。　Memories；　It　all　sort　of　exists　together。　And　then　all　these　things　create　some　kind　of　life。　Not　a　body　kind　of　life；　more　like　a　living　idea。　Made　up　of　everything　that's　alive　and　what　they're　thinking。　And　what　the　people　before　them　thought。'
　Magrat　reappeared　and　began　to　lay　the　fire　with　the　air　of　one　in　a　trance。
　'I　can　see　you've　been　thinking　about　this　a　lot；'　said　Nanny；　speaking　very　slowly　and　carefully。　'And　this　kingdom　wants　a　better　king；　is　that　it？'
　'No！　That　is；　yes。　Look…'　she　leaned　forward　…　'it　doesn't　have　the　same　kind　of　likes　and　dislikes　as　people；　right？'
　Nanny　Ogg　leaned　back。　'Well；　it　wouldn't；　would　it；'　she　ventured。
　'It　doesn't　care　if　people　are　good　or　bad。　I　don't　think　it　could　even　tell；　any　more　than　you　could　tell　if　an　ant　was　a　good　ant。　But　it　expects　the　king　to　care　for　it。'
　'Yes；　but；'　said　Nanny　wretchedly。　She　was　being　a　bit　afraid　of　the　gleam　in　Granny's　eye。　'Lots　of　people　have　killed　each　other　to　bee　king　of　Lancre。　They've　done　all　kinds　of　murder。'
　'Don't　matter！　Don't　matter！'　said　Granny；　waving　her　arms。　She　started　counting　on　her　fingers。　'For　why；'　she　said。　'One；　kings　go　round　killing　each　other　because　it's　all　part　of　destiny　and　such　and　doesn't　count　as　murder；　and　two；　they　killed　for　the　kingdom。　That's　the　important　bit。　But　this　new　man　just　wants　the　power。　He　hates　the　kingdom。'
　'It's　a　bit　like　a　dog；　really；'　said　Magrat。　Granny　looked　at　her　with　her　mouth　open　to　frame　some　suitable　retort；　and　then　her　face　softened。
　'Very　much　like；'　she　said。　'A　dog　doesn't　care　if　its　master's　good　or　bad；　just　so　long　as　it　likes　the　dog。'
　'Well；　then；'　said　Nanny。　'No…one　and　nothing　likes　Felmet。　What　are　we　going　to　do　about　it？'
　'Nothing。　You　know　we　can't　meddle。'
　'You　saved　that　baby；'　said　Nanny。
　'That's　not　meddling！'
　'Have　it　your　way；'　said　Nanny。　'But　maybe　one　day　he'll　e　back。　Destiny　again。　And　you　said　we　should　hide　the　crown。　It'll　all　e　back；　mark　my　words。　Hurry　up　with　that　tea；　Magrat。'
　'What　are　you　going　to　do　about　the　burghers？'　said　Granny。
　'I　told　them　they'll　have　to　sort　it　out　themselves。　Once　we　use　magic；　I　said；　it'd　never　stop。　You　know　that。'
　'Right；'　said　Granny；　but　there　was　a　hint　of　wistfulness　in　her　voice。
　'I'll　tell　you　this；　though；'　said　Nanny。　'They　didn't　like　it　much。　They　was　muttering　when　they　left。'
　Magrat　blurted　out；　'You　know　the　Fool；　who　lives　up　at　the　castle？'
　'Little　man　with　runny　eyes？'　said　Nanny；　relieved　that　the　conversation　had　returned　to　more　normal　matters。
　'Not　that　little；'　said　Magrat。　'What's　his　name；　do　you　happen　to　know？'
　'He's　just　called　Fool；'　said　Granny。　'No　job　for　a　man；　that。　Running　around　with　bells　on。'
　'His　mother　was　a　Beldame；　from　over　Blackglass　way；'　said　Nanny　Ogg；　whose　knowledge　of　the　genealogy　of　Lancre　was　legendary。　'Bit　of　a　beauty　when　she　was　younger。　Broke　many　a　heart；　she　did。　Bit　of　a　scandal　there；　I　did　hear。　Granny's　right；　though。　At　the　end　of　the　day；　a　Fool's　a　Fool。'
　'Why　d'you　want　to　know；　Magrat？'　said　Granny　Weather…wax。
　'Oh　。　。　。　one　of　the　girls　in　the　village　was　asking　me；'　said　Magrat；　crimson　to　the　ears。
　Nanny　cleared　her　throat；　and　grinned　at　Granny　Weatherwax；　who　sniffed　aloofly。
　'It's　a　steady　job；'　said　Nanny。　'I'll　grant　you　that。'
　'Huh；'　said　Granny。　'A　man　who　tinkles　all　day。　No　kind　of　husband　for　anyone；　I'd　say。'
　'You　…　she'd　always　know　where　he　was；'　said　Nanny；　who　was　enjoying　this。　'You'd　just　have　to　listen。'
　'Never　trust　a　man　with　horns　on　his　hat；'　said　Granny　flatly。
　Magrat　stood　up　and　pulled　herself　together；　giving　the　impression　that　some　bits　had　to　e　quite　a　long　way。
　'You're　a　pair　of　silly　old　women；'　she　said　quietly。　'And　I'm　going　home。'
　She　marched　off　down　the　path　to　her　village　without　another　word。
　The　old　witches　stared　at　one　another。
　'Well！'　said　Nanny。
　'It's　all　these　books　they　read　today；'　said　Granny。　'It　overheats　the　brain。　You　haven't　been　putting　ideas　in　her　head；　have　you？'
　'What　do　you　mean？'
　'You　know　what　I　mean。'
　Nanny　stood　up。　'I　certainly　don't　see　why　a　girl　should　have　to　be　single　her　whole　life　just　because　you　think　it's　the　right　thing；'　she　said。　'Anyway；　if　people　didn't　have　children；　where　would　we　be？'
　'None　of　your　girls　is　a　witch；'　said　Granny；　also　standing　up。
　'They　could　have　been；'　said　Nanny　defensively。
　'Yes；　if　you'd　let　them　work　it　out　for　themselves；　instead　of　encouragin'　them　to　throw　themselves　at　men。'
　'They're　good…lookin'。　You　can't　stand　in　the　way　of　human　nature。　You'd　know　that　if　you'd　ever…'
　'If　I'd　ever　what？'　said　Granny　Weatherwax；　quietly。
　They　stared　at　one　another　in　shocked　silence。　They　could　both　feel　it；　the　tension　creeping　into　their　bodies　from　the　ground　itself；　the　hot；　aching　feeling　that　they'd　started　something　they　must　finish；　no　matter　what。
　'I　knew　you　when　you　were　a　gel；'　said　Nanny　sullenly。　'Stuck…up；　you　were。'
　'At　least　I　spent　most　of　the　time　upright；'　said　Granny。　'Disgustin'；　that