fs.thesecondbookofswords-第11节

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　　　〃I　meant　I've　seen　him　use　it　as　a　sword。　When　I　was　his　only　follower；　and　still　unarmed　myself。　Three　bandits　thought　they　wanted　it。　One　of　them　got　away。　It's　one　of　the　others'　sword　I'm　wearing　now。〃
　　　〃Oh。〃
　　　And　for　some　time　after　that　the　little　procession　trudged　on　in　silence。　Hubert　glanced　back　once　at　the　lad　who　was　still　bringing　up　the　rear；　probably　too　far　back　to　have　overheard　the　whispered　conversation。　The　name　of　this　youth　was　Golok；　and　Hubert　had　rarely　heard　him　speak　at　all。　Instead　he　appeared　to　spend　most　of　his　life　staring　straight　ahead　as　if　in　abstract　thought。　Whatever　the　creature　was　on　his　shoulder　…　Hubert　had　not　yet　gotten　a　good　look　at　it　without　its　cover　…　it　was　as　quiet　as　if　it　were　asleep；　or　　perhaps　dead　and　stuffed。　Hubert　had　learned　from　Pu　Chou　yesterday　that　Golok　had　once　been　apprentice　to　the　Master　of　the　Beasts　at　some　important　castle；　some　kind　of　a　problem　had　arisen；　and　he　had　had　to　leave。　Whether　he　was　the　true　owner　of　the　thing　that　perched　on　his　shoulder　now　was　a　question　that　had　not　been　raised。　Hubert　had　no　urge　to　press　for　details　in　the　lives　of　these　his　new　panions；　even　as　he　was　content　for　his　own　history　to　remain　unknown　to　them。
　　　Now　Hubert　turned　his　eyes　ahead　again。　The　sky　in　that　direction　was　darkening；　he　observed；　as　if　a　storm　were　ing。　Especially　ahead　and　off　there　to　the　right。
　　　Of　more　immediate　interest　was　something　that　now　lay　only　a　few　strides　ahead；　namely　yet　another　crossroads。　Here　the　disintegrating　pavement　of　what　had　once　been　a　king's　way　intersected　another　and　more　mon　road。　This　was　of　hard…packed　earth　and　gravel；　and　it　wound　away　to　left　and　right　amidst　the　gentle　rolling　of　the　land。　Like　most　roads　in　this　time　of　failing　merce；　it　was　beginning　to　be　overgrown　by　weeds　and　grass。。。
　　　To　the　left；　this　intersecting　thoroughfare　led　off　into　a　near…monotony　of　gradually　improving　fields。　It　was　possible　to　see　for　several　kilometers　in　that　direction；　and　in　the　distance　intact　houses　and　barns　were　visible；　as　well　as　small　groups　of　laborers　in　those　far　fields。　Maybe；　thought　Hubert；　they　had　now　e　to　the　edge　of　the　Margrave's　well…protected　lands。　That　suggested　to　Hubert　that　they　might　expect　to　encounter　some　of　the　Margrave's　soldiers　shortly；　and　that　in　turn　suggested　to　him　that　perhaps　this　would　be　a　good　point　to　turn　back。　But　then；　he　was　not　the　leader。
　　　To　the　right　conditions　were　different。　In　that　direction　the　simple　crossroad　soon　became　a　dismal；　muddy；　heavily　rutted　way；　almost　a　sunken　road。　It　lost　its　way　among　leafless　thickets；　and　clumps　of　inordinately　tall　thistles；　that　seemed　to　have　grown　where　they　were　for　no　other　purpose　than　to　provide　some　ideal　sites　for　ambush。　A　chill　wind　drifted　down　on　the　travelers　from　that　direction；　where；　as　Hubert　had　noted　earlier；　the　sky　was　growing　dark。　On　the　horizon　to　the　right　the　clouds　were　really　ominous。
　　　The　leader　had　reined　in　his　steed　at　the　very　center　of　the　crossroads。　Hubert　had　expected　him　to　draw　his　fine　sword；　as　usual；　as　soon　as　the　intersection　was　reached。　But　the　horseman　had　not　done　so　yet。　He　was　looking　from　right　to　left；　and　back　again；　as　if　considering。　At　last　his　mumbled　monologue　had　ceased。
　　　Tall　Pu　Chou；　shading　his　eyes　from　local　sunshine；　was　squinting　off　into　forbidding　shadows　to　the　right。　〃What's　that；　I　wonder？　I　can　make　out　a　certain　tall　structure；　almost　half　a　kilometer　off。　Just　at　the　edge　of　those　trees；　beside　the　road。〃
　　　The　youth　Golok　had　e　up　close　to　the　others　now；　and　it　was　his　surprisingly　deep　voice　that　next　broke　the　silence。　〃That's　a　gallows；〃　he　intoned。
　　　The　mounted　leader　looked　at　him；　and　made　a　brisk　gesture　with　one　hand。　Obediently　Golok　reached　up　and　whisked　off　the　cloth　covering　the　creature　that　rode　his　shoulder。　It's　a　monkbird；　thought　Hubert；　moderately　surprised。　He　himself　was　no　expert　at　handling　beasts；　but　it　was　his　understanding　that　the　small　flying　mammals　were　notoriously　hard　to　train；　and　that　few　beast…handlers　would　attempt　it。　Golok　crooned　low　orders　to　the　beast；　as　its　eyes　blinked　yellow　against　dark　brown　fur。　Hubert　noticed　suddenly　how　handlike　the　tiny　feet　of　the　creature　were；　at　the　ends　of　its　hind　limbs。
　　　〃Go；　Dart；　fly；〃　Golok　whispered。　His　voice　when　he　spoke　to　the　animal　was　much　changed。
　　　In　a　moment　the　monkbird　had　risen　into　the　air　from　its　master's　shoulder。　It　flew　in　a　low　circle　on　membranous　wings；　as　if　orienting　itself。　Then　it　flapped　softly　off　to　the　right；　following　a　course　above　the　road　that　led　to　darkness。
　　　The　mounted　leader　sat　motionless　in　his　saddle；　gazing　after　the　winged　scout；　long　after　distance　and　shadows　had　taken　the　monkbird　out　of　Hubert's　effective　range　of　vision。　The　leader's　hand　was　resting　on　the　black　hilt　of　his　fine　sword。　As　if；　Hubert　thought；　he　knew　that　he　was　going　to　have　to　draw　it　soon；　but　wished　to　postpone　that　act　as　long　as　possible。
　　　And　now　the　leader　spoke　again。　He　was　still　talking　to　himself；　but　this　time　Hubert　was　close　enough　to　hear　some　of　the　words。　〃。。。　cursed　poverty。。。　more　real　than　many　another　curse。　Whether　some　wizard　has　fastened　it　upon　me；　or。。。　〃
　　　The　monkbird's　reconnaissance　did　not　take　very　long。　It　reappeared　in　the　shadowy　distance　and　drew　closer；　until　with　a　final　flourish　of　the　forelimbs　that　unfurled　its　wings　it　sat　again　on　Golok's　shoulder。　Then　it　shivered　slightly；　as　if　it　might　have　experienced　a　chill　under　that　dark　portion　of　the　sky。
　　　〃Man　on　tree？〃　Golok　asked　it；　evidently　confident　that　it　would　understand　the　question。
　　　〃Two…leg　fruit；〃　the　monkbird　answered；　the　first　intelligible　sounds　that　Hubert　had　heard　from　it。　Its　voice　was　tiny　but　piercing　in　tone。
　　　〃Two…leg　is　living？〃　Golok　questioned。
　　　〃No。〃　It　was　the　single；　sharp　note　of　a　birdcall。
　　　At　this；　the　mounted　leader；　with　one　final　muttered　ment　to　himself；　drew　out　his　sword；　wrenching　it　from　the　scabbard　with　a　violent　motion　and　holding　it　aloft。　As　Hubert　had　observed　before；　when　that　sword　cleared　its　sheath　it　negated　all　the　poverty　in　the　appearance　of　the　man　who　held　it。　The　blade；　a　full；　perfect　meter　in　length；　was　moderately　wide；　incredibly　straight　and　sharp。　A　mottled　pattern　on　the　flat　side　seemed　to　exist　just　beneath　the　perfect　polish　of　the　surface；　and　appeared　to　extend　into　the　metal；　to　a　depth　greater　than　the　blade　was　thick。　The　hilt；　was　rich　and　rough　in　texture；　of　lustrous　black；　with　some　small　design　worked　on　it　in　white。　Earlier　Hubert　had　been　able　to　read　this　design　as　the　symbol　of　a　small　white　arrow；　point　aimed　upward　toward　the　pommel。
　　　The　lean　right　arm　of　the　mounted　man　held　out　the　weighty　sword　without　a　quiver。　The　blade　was　extended　in　turn　to　each　of　the　four　roads　leading　from　the　intersection。　When　the　point　was　aimed　along　the　rutty　road　in　the　direction　of　the　gallows；　Hubert　thought　that　he　could　seethe　blade…tip　quivering；　as　if　after　all　there　might　be　a　trace　of　weakness　in　that　determined　arm。
　　　〃This　way；〃　the　leader　ordered。　And　his　voice　was　no　more　unsteady　than　was　the　single　ringing　snap　with　which　he　sheathed　his　blade。
　　　He　rode　along　the　rutted　way　toward　that　darkened　sky；　no　faster　and　no　slower　than　before。　This　time；　the　two　soldiers　and　the　youth　all　followed　closely。　And　in　silence。　Their　surroundings；　once　they　had　turned　at　the　crossroads；　were　not　conducive　to　unnecessary　talk。
　　　A　daylight　owl　fled　through　a　roadside　thicket；　as　if　it　were　horrified　at　something　it　had　found　within。　The　road　here　took　a　winding　course　among　the　ugly　thickets；　making　it　impossible　for　the　traveler　to　see　more　than　a　few　meters　ahead　at　any　point。　The　gallows　…　if　that　was　what　it　was　…　had　disappeared　from　sight　for　the　time　being。　But　it　was　waiting　for　them；　thought　Hubert；　up　ahead。
　　　When　at　last　the　tall　skeletal　structure　came　into　view　again；　there　was　no　doubt　of　what　it　was。　The　rude　scaffolding　had　room　for　three　or　four　victims；　but　there　was　only　one　in　residence；　though　the　frayed　ends　of　other　ropes　indicated　that　once　he　had　enjoyed　pany。
　　　One　lone；　attenuated　human　shape　hung　from　the　weathered　crosstree。　From　the　half…face　that　remained；　a　single　empty　eyesocket　looked　down　upon　the　travelers；　and　seemed　sardonically　to　mark　their　progress。　Hubert　could　not　keep　from　looking　up　at　it　several　times；　though　their　march　did　not　pause　as　it　went　by。　At　last　the　windings　of　the　road　took　the　gallows　out　of　sight　behind　a　screen　of　barren　trees。　All　the　plants　here　were　oddly　leafless；　Hubert　suddenly　realized；　though　spring　was　well　advanced。
　　　Still　the　mounted　leader　rode　on　in　silence；　concentrating　his　attention　on　the　road　ahead　and　the　surrounding　woods　and　thickets。　Even　leafless　as　it　was；　the　growth　beside　the　road　still　seemed　to　promise　ambush。　No　birds　sang。　A　hush　held；　as　if　some　enemy　already　lay　in　wait；　and　had　only　a　moment　ago　fallen　silent　in　anticipation。　At　intervals　the　leader；　as　he　rode；　put　hand　to　sword　once　more。　But　he　did　not　draw。　His　fingers　rested　carefully；　almost　caressingly