fs.thesecondbookofswords-第15节

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　old　days；　had　used　his　bow　to　hunt　down　a　couple　of　rabbits。
　　　Now　they　were　well　under　way　again；　heading　south　by　mutual　though　still　largely　unspoken　agreement。　The　decision　had　been　arrived　at　in　the　camp；　surrounded　by　eavesdroppers；　and　the　reasons　for　going　south　had　not　been　discussed　as　yet。
　　　Ben　was　driving　the　wagon　at　the　moment；　and　Barbara　talking。
　　　〃Ben；　you　haven't　told　us　what　you're　up　to。　You　say　you　joined　the　Blue　Temple；　but　you're　not　with　'em　any　more。　All　right；　so　you　deserted。　But　you've　got　a　look　about　you。　What're　you　planning　now？〃
　　　Ben　smiled　faintly。　〃I'm　planning　to　marry　you。〃
　　　Barbara　looked　exasperated。　〃We　went　through　all　that　before　you　left。　Nothing's　changed。　When　I　marry　somebody；　it's　going　to　have　to　mean　that　I　can　live　like　a　real　person　somewhere。　No　more。。。〃　She　waved　a　hand；　vaguely　indicating　the　wagon　and　the　road。
　　　〃Fine　with　me；〃　said　Ben。
　　　Her　curiosity　obviously　aroused；　Barbara　looked　at　him　closely。　〃Have　you　got　any　money　in　your　pockets？〃
　　　〃Not　in　my　pockets。　Not　with　me。〃
　　　〃Hidden　somewhere；　then？〃
　　　〃I　haven't　got　it　yet。　But。。。　〃
　　　With　a　loud　sigh；　Barbara　sat　back　between　the　men；　folding　her　arms。　One　more　dream…possibility　demolished。
　　　Mark　enjoyed　listening　to　the　two　of　them。　He　was　curious　about　Ben's　plans　too；　but　he　didn't　want　to　interrupt。　Now　Ben　appeared　to　be　content；　for　the　time　being；　to　look　mysterious　as　he　gazed　into　the　distance　along　the　road　ahead。
　　　They　drove　for　a　while　without　conversation。　Then　Barbara　said　to　Ben：　〃I　know　what　it　is。　You　want　to　get　your　Sword　back；　you're　ready　to　try　to　sell　it。〃
　　　〃I　want　to　get　it　back；　yes。　Sell　it；　no。　We　got　rid　of　the　idea　of　selling　them　even　before　we　hid　the　two　Swords。　We'd　get　cheated　or　murdered　for　sure。　No；　I've　got　a　use　for　Dragonslicer。〃
　　　Mark　asked　him：　〃A　dragon　hunt　somewhere？　Even　Nestor　never　made　much　money　doing　that；　remember？〃
　　　They　all　remembered。　Ben　said：　〃Nestor　wasn't　at　it　long　enough。　Anyway；　it's　a　special　hunt　that　I　have　in　mind。　There's　just　one　dragon　that　needs　to　be　got　rid　of。〃
　　　〃Everyone　who's　plagued　with　dragons　on　his　land　says　that；〃　Barbara　advised　him。　〃Get　your　pay　in　advance。〃　Now　she　swiveled　her　head　to　look　at　the　two　men　in　quick　succession。　〃Both　of　you；　ing　back　at　the　same　time　like　this　…　I　wonder　if　there's　some　connection？〃
　　　〃I　want　my　Sword　back　too；〃　said　Mark。　〃But　I'm　not　going　dragon　hunting。　And　I　had　no　idea　Ben　had　gone　off　to　enlist；　or　that　he'd　be　looking　for　Dragonslicer　now。〃
　　　〃What　do　you　need　Coinspinner　for？〃　Barbara　asked　him。　〃Not　that　I　have　to　know。　I'll　get　it　back　for　you　anyway。〃
　　　〃No　secret　about　it。　I'm　going　back　to　Sir　Andrew's　army。〃　〃Why　do　you　want　to　do　that？〃　Ben　shot　at　him。
　　　〃I　don't　know　if　I　want　to。　I　just　feel　like　I've　got　to。　I　told　you　I　was　with　him　for　a　while；　and　then　things　got　to　seeming　hopeless；　and　I　left。　And　then。。。　〃
　　　〃They　probably　are　hopeless；〃　said　Ben。
　　　〃Then　I　went　back　to　my　old　village；　Arin…on…Aldan；　to　see　if　I　could　locate　my　mother　and　my　sister。　There。。。　wasn't　any　village　any　more。　Five　years　since　I've　been　there。　Maybe　I'll　never　know　what　happened　to　them。〃　Mark　paused。　〃But　I'm　going　back　to　Sir　Andrew　now。　With　Coinspinner；　if　I　can。〃
　　　〃Why？〃　pursued　Ben。
　　　Mark　leaned　forward　to　talk　past　Barbara。　〃Look；　he's　trying　to　help　his　people。　The　people　who　were　his；　before　he　lost　his　lands。　Don't　you　think　they　want　him　back？　It　isn't　just　the　lands；　the　wealth；　that　he's　trying　to　recover。〃　Feelings；　ideas；　were　struggling　in　Mark　but　he　couldn't　find　the　words　to　let　them　out。　〃He　keeps　on　fighting　the　Dark　King；〃　he　concluded；　feeling　even　as　he　spoke　how　inadequate　the　words　were。
　　　〃Sounds　hopeless；〃　said　Ben；　remorselessly　practical。
　　　〃Everything's　hopeless；　as　long　as　people　don't　try。〃　And　Mark　added　suddenly：　〃I　wish　that　you　and　Barbara　would　e　with　me。〃
　　　〃To　join　an　army？〃　Barbara　laughed；　though　not　unkindly。
　　　Ben　just　shook　his　head　in　silence。
　　　Mark　hadn't　really　expected　any　other　answer；　but　still　the　refusals；　Ben's　in　particular；　irritated　him。　〃So；　you're　going　to　hunt　dragons　instead？　That's　as　hard　as　fighting　in　a　war；　even　if　you　do　have　Dragonslicer。〃
　　　Ben　turned。　Enthusiasm　entered　his　voice　again。　〃I　told　you；　the　hunting's　only　a　small　part　of　it。　The　dragon　is　just　in　the　way　of　something　else。　I　wish　that　both　of　you　would　e　with　me。〃
　　　〃I'm　no　good　at　riddles；〃　Barbara　said。
　　　〃What　would　we　do？〃　Mark　asked。
　　　〃Gain　some　money。　More　than　just　that。　Wealth。〃
　　　〃I'm　not　out　to　get　wealthy；〃　Mark　told　him。
　　　〃All　right。　You're　out　to　help　Sir　Andrew　fight　for　his　land　and　get　it　back。。。〃
　　　〃And　for　his　people。〃
　　　〃All　right；　for　his　people。　Now　you　could　help　Sir　Andrew　a　lot　more　by　taking　him　a　share　of　treasure；　couldn't　you？　Imagine　yourself　showing　up　in　his　camp　with　jewels　and　gold　enough　to　feed　his　army　for　a　year。〃
　　　〃An　army；　for　a　year？〃
　　　〃Ten　years；　maybe。〃
　　　Barbara　had　turned　to　look　at　the　huge　man　with　concern。　〃Are　you　sick？〃　she　asked　him。　The　question　sounded　unfortably　serious。
　　　And　Mark　asked：　〃Where's　anyone　going　to　find　wealth　like　that？〃
　　　Ben　was　calm。　〃I'll　tell　you　both　if　you　say　you're　with　me。〃
　　　This　wasn't　like　Ben；　and　Mark　couldn't　figure　it　out。　〃Look；　Sir　Andrew　needs　real　help。　Not　some　scheme　that。。。　I'm　going　to　get　Coinspinner　and　take　it　to　him。　If　it's　still　wherever　Barbara　hid　it。〃
　　　Ben　was　looking　stubborn　now；　maybe　offended。　Mark　added：　〃I　think　now　that　we　were　wrong　to　hide　them　the　way　we　did。〃
　　　Barbara　said：　〃Then　you've　forgotten　how　tired　the　three　of　us　were　of　Swords。　Remember？　Wed　worry　that　they'd　be　stolen。　Or　that　somebody　powerful　would　find　out　that　we　had　them；　and　an　army　would　e　after　us；　or　a　demon；　or　some　magician　that　we'd　have　no　way　to　cope　with。　Then　we'd　think　of　trying　to　sell　them　to　someone；　and　we'd　realize　that　we'd　be　cheated　when　we　did；　and　murdered　afterwards。　Then　we'd　worry　that　Coinspinner　would　get　lost　of　itself。。。　remember　how　it'd　move　around？　We'd　hide　it　underneath　something　on　one　side　of　the　wagon；　and　find　it　on　the　other。　Or　just　outside。　I'm　not　sure　it's　going　to　be　there　when　we　look　for　it。〃
　　　〃We'll　look；　though；〃　said　Mark。　He　paused。　〃Neither　of　you　has　ever　heard　anything　of　Townsaver；　I　guess？〃
　　　As　he　had　expected；　the　others　signed　that　they　had　not。　Mark's　father；　Jord　the　blacksmith；　had　been　the　only　survivor　among　the　half　dozen　men　conscripted　by　Vulcan　to　forge　the　Swords。　And　when　the　job　was　done；　the　god　had　taken　Jord's　right　arm　…　and　given　him；　in　payment　he　had　said；　the　Sword　of　Fury；　Townsaver。　All　this　before　Mark　had　been　born。
　　　Then　Jord；　and　Mark's　older　brother　Kenn；　had　died　in　the　fight　when　Townsaver　saved　their　village　…　a　hollow　victory　indeed；　as　Mark　had　seen　for　himself。。。
　　　〃。。。　recovered　from　his　wounds？〃　Barbara　was　asking　him　something。
　　　With　an　effort　Mark　recalled　his　thoughts；　and　figured　out　what　she　was　talking　about。　〃Sir　Andrew？　You　mean　his　wounds　from　when　his　castle　fell？　That　was　five　years　ago。　He's　had　more　wounds　since　then；　and　overe　them　…　he　does　right　well　for　a　man　his　age。　Or　of　any　age；　for　that　matter。　Keeps　his　own　small　army　in　the　field；　most　of　the　year。　Supports　Princess　Rimac；　and　her　General　Rostov。　Harasses　the　Dark　King。　And　fights　Queen　Yambu；　of　course；　she　now　holds　Sir　Andrew's　old　lands。〃　〃Dame　Yoldi's　still　with　him？〃
　　　〃Sir　Andrew'd　not　trust　any　other　seer；　I　think。　Nor　she；　I　suppose；　any　other　lord。〃
　　　Now　again　for　a　time　there　was　silence；　except　for　the　plodding　of　the　loadbeasts'　feet　and　the　creaking　of　the　wagon。　All　three　people　riding　in　it　were　examining　different　but　related　memories。　Ben　reached　up；　unconsciously；　to　rub　a　scar　that　crossed　his　left　shoulder　and　the　upper　part　of　his　arm。　It　was　from　a　wound　received　in　the　fierce　defense　of　Sir　Andrew's　castle；　five　years　ago。。。
　　　And　Mark　returned　to　that　day　now；　as　he　sometimes　did　in　nightmares。　Seeing　the　scaling　ladders　nosing　up　over　the　walls；　the　Gray　Horde　ready　to　swarm　up。　And　massed　behind　its　hideous　ranks　were　the　black　and　silver　of　Yambu；　the　blue　and　white　of　the　army　of　Duke　Fraktin　who　was　now　no　more。　That　had　been　Mark's　first　real　battle；　and　very　nearly　his　last。
　　　Barbara　said：　〃Every　time　I　think　of　that　day；　I　think　of　Nestor。〃
　　　〃Aye；〃　said　Ben。　And　then　again　all　three　were　silent。　On　the　subject　of　Nestor　there　was　no　more　to　be　said。　Dragonslicer　had　been　Nestor's；　as　had　this　very　wagon；　and　Nestor　must　have　fallen　at　some　point　in　the　defense；　perhaps　with　Townsaver　still　in　hand。　By　inheritance；　or　at　least　by　unspoken　agreement　among　Nestor's　friends；　Dragonslicer　had　e　to　Ben。
　　　〃How　large　is　Sir　Andrew's　army　now？〃　Barbara　asked　Mark。
　　　〃Even　if　I　knew　the　numbers；　I'd　be　wrong　to　tell　them。　Even　to　you　two。。。　anyway　the　numbers　change；　with　fortune　and　the　seasons。　But　he　needs　help。〃　Raw　urgency　was　in　Mark's　voice　as　he　repeated：　〃I　wish　you'd　e　with　me。　Both　of　you。〃