tp.wyrd sisters-第26节

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　Behind　them　the　duke；　who　had　crested　the　latest　maniac　peak　on　the　switchback　of　his　madness　and　was　coasting　speedily　towards　the　watersplash　of　despair；　laughed。
　'Ha　ha。'
　Granny　didn't　stop　until　she　was　outside　the　town　and　under　the　weling　eaves　of　the　forest。　She　turned　off　the　road　and　flumped　down　on　a　log；　her　face　in　her　hands。
　The　other　two　approached　her　carefully。　Magrat　patted　her　on　the　back。
　'Don't　despair；'　she　said。　'You　handled　it　very　well；　we　thought。'
　'I　ain't　despairing；　I'm　thinking；'　said　Granny。　'Go　away。'
　Nanny　Ogg　raised　her　eyebrows　at　Magrat　in　a　warning　fashion。　They　backed　off　to　a　suitable　distance　although；　with　Granny　in　her　present　mood；　the　next　universe　might　not　be　far　enough；　and　sat　down　on　a　moss…grown　stone。
　'Are　you　all　right？'　said　Magrat。　'They　didn't　do　anything；　did　they？'
　'Never　laid　a　finger　on　me；'　said　Nanny。　She　sniffed。　'They're　not　your　real　royalty；'　she　added。　'Old　King　Gruneweld；　for　one；　he　wouldn't　have　wasted　time　waving　things　around　and　menacing　people。　It'd　been　bang；　needles　right　under　the　fingernails　from　the　word　go；　and　no　messing。　None　of　this　evil　laughter　stuff。　He　was　a　real　king。　Very　gracious。'
　'He　was　threatening　to　burn　you。'
　'Oh；　I　wouldn't　of　stood　for　it。　I　see　you've　got　a　follower；'　said　Nanny。
　'Sorry？'　said　Magrat。
　The　young　fellow　with　the　bells；'　said　Nanny。　'And　the　face　like　a　spaniel　what's　just　been　kicked。'
　'Oh；　him。'　Magrat　blushed　hotly　under　her　pale　makeup。　'Really；　he's　just　this　man。　He　just　follows　me　around。'
　'Can　be　difficult；　can　that；'　said　Nanny　sagely。
　'Besides；　he's　so　small。　And　he　capers　all　over　the　place；'　said　Magrat。
　'Looked　at　him　carefully；　have　you？'　said　the　old　witch。
　'Pardon？'
　'You　haven't；　have　you？　I　thought　not。　He's　a　very　clever　man；　that　Fool。　He　ought　to　have　been　one　of　them　actor　men。'
　'What　do　you　mean？'
　'Next　time　you　have　a　look　at　him　like　a　witch；　not　like　a　woman；'　said　Nanny；　and　gave　Magrat　a　conspiratorial　nudge。　'Good　bit　of　work　with　the　door　back　there；'　she　added。　'ing　on　well；　you　are。　I　hope　you　told　him　about　Greebo。'
　'He　said　he'd　let　him　out　directly；　Nanny。'
　There　was　a　snort　from　Granny　Weatherwax。
　'Did　you　hear　the　sniggering　in　the　crowd？'　she　said。　'Someone　sniggered！'
　Nanny　Ogg　sat　down　beside　her。
　'And　a　couple　of　them　pointed；'　she　said。　'I　know。'
　'It's　not　to　be　borne！'
　Magrat　sat　down　on　the　other　end　of　the　log。
　'There's　other　witches；'　she　said。　'There's　lots　of　witches　further　up　the　Ramtops。　Maybe　they　can　help。'
　The　other　two　looked　at　her　in　pained　surprise。
　'I　don't　think　we　need　go　that　far；'　sniffed　Granny。　'Asking　for　help。'
　'Very　bad　practice；'　nodded　Nanny　Ogg。
　'But　you　asked　a　demon　to　help　you；'　said　Magrat。
　'No；　we　didn't；'　said　Granny。
　'Right。　We　didn't。'
　'We　ordered　it　to　assist。'
　'S'right。'
　Granny　Weatherwax　stretched　out　her　legs　and　looked　at　her　boots。　They　were　good　strong　boots；　with　hobnails　and　crescent…shaped　scads；　you　couldn't　believe　a　cobbler　had　made　them；　someone　had　laid　down　a　sole　and　built　up　from　there。
　'I　mean；　there's　that　witch　over　Skund　way；'　she　said。　'Sister　Whosis；　wossname；　her　son　went　off　to　be　a　sailor　…　you　know；　Gytha；　her　who　sniffs　and　puts　them　antimassacres　on　the　backs　of　chairs　soon　as　you　sits　down…'
　'Grodley；'　said　Nanny　Ogg。　'Sticks　her　little　finger　out　when　she　drinks　her　tea　and　drops　her　Haitches　all　the　time。'
　'Yes。　Hwell。　I　haven't　hlowered　myself　to　talk　to　her　hever　since　that　business　with　the　gibbet；　you　recall。　I　daresay　she'd　just　love　to　e　snooping　haround　here；　running　her　fingers　over　heverything　and　sniffing；　telling　us　how　to　do　things。　Oh。　yes。　Help。　We'd　all　be　in　a　fine　to…do　if　we　went　around　helping　all　the　time。'
　'Yes；　and　over　Skund　way　the　trees　talk　to　you　and　walk　around　of　night；'　said　Nanny。　'Without　even　asking　permission。　Very　poor　organisation。'
　'Not　really　good　organisation；　like　we've　got　here？'　said　Magrat。
　Granny　stood　up　purposefully。
　'I'm　going　home；'　she　said。
　There　are　thousands　of　good　reasons　why　magic　doesn't　rule　the　world。　They're　called　witches　and　wizards。　Magrat　reflected；　as　she　followed　the　other　two　back　to　the　road。
　It　was　probably　some　wonderful　organisation　on　the　part　of　Nature　to　protect　itself。　It　saw　to　it　that　everyone　with　any　magical　talent　was　about　as　ready　to　co…operate　as　a　she…bear　with　toothache；　so　all　that　dangerous　power　was　safely　dissipated　as　random　bickering　and　rivalry。　There　were　differences　in　style；　of　course。　Wizards　assassinated　each　other　in　draughty　corridors；　witches　just　cut　one　another　dead　in　the　street。　And　they　were　all　as　self…centred　as　a　spinning　top。　Even　when　they　help　other　people；　she　thought；　they're　secretly　doing　it　for　themselves。　Honestly；　they're　just　like　big　children。
　Except　for　me；　she　thought　smugly。
　'She's　very　upset；　isn't　she；'　said　Magrat　to　Nanny　Ogg。
　'Ah；　well；'　said　Nanny。　'There's　the　problem；　see。　The　more　you　get　used　to　magic；　the　more　you　don't　want　to　use　it。　The　more　it　gets　in　your　way。　I　expect；　when　you　were　just　starting　out；　you　learned　a　few　spells　from　Goodie　Whemper；　maysherestinpeace；　and　you　used　them　all　the　time；　didn't　you？'
　'Well；　yes。　Everyone　does。'
　'Well…known　fact；'　agreed　Nanny。　'But　when　you　get　along　in　the　Craft；　you　learn　that　the　hardest　magic　is　the　sort　you　don't　use　at　all。'
　Magrat　considered　the　proposition　cautiously。　'This　isn't　some　kind　of　Zen；　is　it？'　she　said。
　'Dunno。　Never　seen　one。'
　'When　we　were　in　the　dungeons；　Granny　said　something　about　trying　the　rocks。　That　sounded　like　pretty　hard　magic。'
　'Well；　Goodie　wasn't　much　into　rocks；'　said　Nanny。　'It's　not　really　hard。　You　just　prod　their　memories。　You　know；　of　the　old　days。　When　they　were　hot　and　runny。'
　She　hesitated；　and　her　hand　flew　to　her　pocket。　She　gripped　the　lump　of　castle　stone　and　relaxed。
　Thought　I'd　forgotten　it；　for　a　minute　there；'　she　said；　lifting　it　out。　'You　can　e　out　now。'
　He　was　barely　visible　in　the　brightness　of　day；　a　mere　shimmer　in　the　air　under　the　trees。　King　Verence　blinked。　He　wasn't　used　to　daylight。
　'Esme；'　said　Nanny。　'There's　someone　to　see　you。'
　Granny　turned　slowly　and　squinted　at　the　ghost。
　'I　saw　you　in　the　dungeon；　didn't　I？'　she　said。　'Who're　you？'
　'Verence；　King　of　Lancre；'　said　the　ghost；　and　bowed。　'Do　I　have　the　honour　of　addressing　Granny　Weatherwax；　doyenne　of　witches？'
　It　has　already　been　pointed　out　that　just　because　Verence　came　from　a　long　line　of　kings　didn't　mean　that　he　was　basically　stupid；　and　a　year　without　the　distractions　of　the　flesh　had　done　wonders　as　well。　Granny　Weatherwax　considered　herself　totally　unsusceptible　to　buttering　up；　but　the　king　was　expertly　applying　the　equivalent　of　the　dairy　surplus　of　quite　a　large　country。　Bowing　was　a　particularly　good　touch。
　A　muscle　twitched　at　the　corner　of　Granny's　mouth。　She　gave　a　stiff　little　bow　in　return；　because　she　wasn't　quite　sure　what　'doyenne'　meant。
　'I'm　her；'　she　conceded。
　'You　can　get　up　now；'　she　added；　regally。
　King　Verence　remained　kneeling；　about　two　inches　above　the　actual　ground。
　'I　crave　a　boon；'　he　said　urgently。
　'Here；　how　did　you　get　out　of　the　castle？'　said　Granny。
　'The　esteemed　Nanny　Ogg　assisted　me；'　said　the　king。　'I　reasoned；　if　I　am　anchored　to　the　stones　of　Lancre；　then　I　can　also　go　where　the　stones　go。　I　am　afraid　I　indulged　in　a　little　trickery　to　arrange　matters。　Currently　I　am　haunting　her　apron。'
　'Not　the　first；　either；'　said　Granny；　automatically。
　'Esme！'
　'And　I　beg　you；　Granny　Weatherwax；　to　restore　my　son　to　the　throne。'
　'Restore？'
　'You　know　what　I　mean。　He　is　in　good　health？'
　Granny　nodded。　'The　last　time　we　Looked　at　him；　he　was　eating　an　apple；'　she　said。
　'It　is　his　destiny　to　be　King　of　Lancre！'
　'Yes；　well。　Destiny　is　tricky；　you　know；'　said　Granny。
　'You　will　not　help？'
　Granny　looked　wretched。　'It's　meddling；　you　see；'　she　said。　'It　always　goes　wrong　if　you　meddle　in　politics。　Like；　once　you　start；　you　can't　stop。　Fundamental　rule　of　magic；　is　that。　You　can't　go　around　messing　with　fundamental　rules。'
　'You're　not　going　to　help？'
　'Well　。　。　。　naturally；　one　day；　when　your　lad　is　a　bit　older　。　。　。'
　'Where　is　he　now？'　said　the　king；　coldly。
　The　witches　avoided　one　another's　faces。
　'We　saw　him　safe　out　of　the　country；　you　see；'　said　Granny　awkwardly。
　'Very　good　family；'　Nanny　Ogg　put　in　quickly。
　'What　kind　of　people？'　said　the　king。　'Not　moners；　I　trust？'
　'Absolutely　not；'　said　Granny　with　considerable　firmness　as　a　vision　of　Vitoller　floated　across　her　imagination。　'Not　mon　at　all。　Very　unmon。　Er。'
　Her　eyes　implored　Magrat　for　help。
　They　were　Thespians；'　said　Magrat　firmly；　her　voice　radiating　such　approval　that　the　king　found　himself　nodding　automatically。
　'Oh；'　he　said。　'Good。'
　'Were　they？'　whispered　Nanny　Ogg。　'They　didn't　look　it。'
　'Don't　show　your　ignorance；　Gytha　Ogg；'　sniffed　Granny。　She　turned　back　to　the　ghost　of　the　king。　'Sorry　about　that；　your　majesty。　It's　just　her　showing　off。　She　don't　even　know　where　Thespia　is。'
　'Wherever　it　is；　I　hope　that　they　know　how　to　school　a　man　in　the　arts　of　war；'