fs.thesecondbookofswords-第24节
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Radulescu's spirit； that had shot up at the mention of promotion； were carefully cut down again to the proper size。 〃You do know at least that the Emperor is not a myth； that he's still a real factor to be considered？〃
Obviously there was only one answer that could be returned to that。
〃I'll try to arrange that briefing soon。 If nothing arises to prevent it。〃 The Chairman returned to his chair； and his voice to its usual somewhat dusty joviality。 〃I think we may say that all the direct evidence we have at this time； Colonel； points to the conclusion that this man Ben； Ben of … what was it？ Purkinje； it says here … that this Ben of Purkinje leaped or fell to his death in the sea； if indeed he did manage to escape the dragon。 By all reports he was somewhat slow on his feet； so the probability that he escaped the dragon is perhaps not very great。
〃What I would like to ask you now is this。 Do you； yourself； see any reason why this office should not consider the incident closed？ Take some routine precautions of course； such as changing the spells for the guardian dragon … that's already been done … but then go on； by and large； as we were？〃
Radulescu cleared his throat carefully。 He did not need to exert much cleverness to sense that the bland question might well contain some kind of trap。 〃Have the drivers been questioned； sir？〃 he asked。 〃I would assume they have。〃
〃Oh； indeed。 No indications of any plot emerged during questioning。〃
Radulescu tried to think。 〃I suppose； sir； that an actual inventory of the treasure has been taken by now？〃
The Chairman nodded。 〃By myself； personally。 It is secure。〃
There was a pause。 〃Well； sir；〃 Radulescu said at last。 〃There are still a couple of things that bother me。〃
〃Ah。 Such as？〃
〃A clever man； pursued by a dragon； might well think of throwing away his cloak to distract the beast。 And from what I've heard about dragons； such a ploy might well succeed； at least momentarily。〃
〃This Ben of Purkinje was far from being a clever man； according to the officers who knew him。 You know that clever men are not monly selected for these jobs。〃
〃That's true； sir； of course。 But。。。 〃
〃But what？〃
〃I supervised； as you know； three previous deliveries to the cave； before this ill…starred one。 Out of more than twenty drivers involved in the four deliveries I supervised； he was the only one to suspect that anything was amiss。 Amiss from his own point of view； I mean。 At least he was the only one who took any steps to save his own miserable life。〃
The Chairman was silent for a little while； pondering。 He surprised Radulescu somewhat when he spoke at last。 〃Wretched life those fellows must lead。 I really don't know why they would object too much to having it ended for them … ever think of it that way？〃 〃No sir； I can't say that I have。〃
After meditating a moment longer； the Chairman said： 〃However that may be … I daresay you were warned； before you started making deliveries； that other officers have had to deal with recalcitrant drivers in the past？〃
〃I was told about the possibility of some such trouble； yes sir。 I got the impression that all actual instances had been in the fairly remote past。〃
〃And did they tell you that the officer in charge had always； in the past； managed to deal with it successfully？ That's why we see to it that you are armed； you know； and they are not。〃
Radulescu could feel his ears burning。 〃Yes； Chairman； I certainly got that impression too。〃
〃What； do you think we ought to do now； Radulescu？ You've had a couple of months to think about it。 What would you order if you were in my position？ It may； but it shouldn't； surprise you to hear that I have enemies on the Council； people who would love to see me make a grave mistake and have a chance to bring me down。〃
Radulescu had thought about it indeed； but his thinking had been of doubtful benefit； as far as he could tell。 〃Well； sir； we might patrol the area more or less regularly for a time。 I know that ordinarily we don't do that because。。。〃
〃。。。because of the excellent reason that if the area were patrolled regularly； its importance would soon no longer be a secret。 Of course； if we were sure that your man had got away； then； yes； we might patrol。 At least until we could arrange to relocate the whole depository somewhere else。 And how much chance would we have then of keeping the new location secret？ And how much would the move cost us； just the move alone； have you any idea？ No； of course you haven't。 Just be glad I don't propose to take it out of your pay。〃 A pleasantry； by all the gods。
Chapter 9
The little ship looked old； at least to Mark's admittedly non…expert eyes。 But despite this appearance of age； and a thick bodied shape； she had a certain grace of movement。 Whether this was due to her construction； to sheer magic； or to the fact that she was steered and driven by a djinn； was more than Mark could tell。
The ship had two masts； and two cabins； and it belonged to Indosuaros； who had summoned it to meet Doon's party at the coastline； three days' hard ride after their rescue of Ariane from the Red Temple。 Unmanned by any visible power； the vessel had e sailing into shallow water to meet them； almost grounding itself。 And when its eight human passengers had climbed aboard with their slight luggage； it had needed only a word from the wizard to put out to sea again。 And all this without the touch of a human hand on line or sail or rudder。 The djinn was harmless to people； or at least to Indosuaros' friends； so Mitspieler assured them all。 It was visible only desultorily； as a small cloud or vague disturbance in the air； usually above the masts； and sometimes there was audible an echoing voice； that seemed to e from some great distance； exchanging a few words with Indosuaros。
Right now； in the broad daylight of late morning； the djinn could not be seen。 What could be seen was fog； not far ahead。 There usually was fog close ahead； except when it lay just behind the ship； or between the ship and the coastline； or enveloped the little craft entirely。 Except for fog； the coastline had not been out of sight for the three days of the voyage。
The weather occupied a good deal of the attention of everyone on board。 It had been good； except for the patchy fog； and Mark suspected that the weather too was at least partially under the control of Indosuaros。 Mark and Ben； both landlubbers； had been seasick at the start of the voyage； but Mitspieler had dosed them with some minor potion that effected an instant cure。
Mark and Ben were sitting on the foredeck now。 Doon and Indosuaros were closeted in one of the small cabins below； and Ariane was in the other。 Golok and Hubert were looking over the stern； engaged in their own conversation； and Mitspieler was ing above decks and going below again； engaged in an endless series of observations and reports on the weather； the ship's position； and perhaps other factors that Mark was not magically sensitive enough to appreciate。 Meanwhile the monkbird； Dart； was moving about in the rigging。 It spent most of its time up there now； having reached a not entirely easy truce with the djinn who ran the ship。
Ben； for approximately the tenth time since they had left the Red Temple； was asking Mark： 〃Why did she call you brother； do you suppose？〃
Mark gave virtually the same answer that he had given nine times before。 〃I still have no idea。 She looks nothing at all like the sister I do have。 Marian's blond； and smaller than this girl； and older than I am。 This one says she's eighteen； but I'll bet that she's three years younger than that； even if she is large。〃
〃And I'll bet that she's a little mad；〃 said Ben。 〃Probably more than a little。〃
Mark pondered that theory。 〃She says they gave her drugs； in the caravan； to keep her quiet。 She was still drugged when we got to her； and that's why she behaved strangely at the start。 Fainted； and so on。〃
Ariane had started to regain her senses as soon as they reached fresh air； before they were out of the Red Temple pound； and Ben had set her on her feet and let her walk the last steps to where their mounts were waiting。 She'd regained her wits enough by then to grasp that the men had not e simply to attack her； and she had cooperated with them。 Golok had promptly and neatly stolen another riding beast for her to ride。 With the men clustered around her； they'd ridden unchallenged out through the main gate。
〃Fainting and confusion I can understand；〃 said Ben。 〃But the daughter of a queen？ And she still holds to that。〃 〃Well … kings and queens must have daughters sometimes； I suppose； like other people。 And she looks like … well； there's something special in the way she looks； apart from being well…shaped； and ely。〃
〃And red…haired。 And big。 Aye。〃 Ben did not appear to be convinced。
〃And being a queen's daughter might not be a bad claim to make to brigands like us； to try to get good treatment for herself。 You know； sometimes； I get the feeling that she's laughing at the rest of us。〃
〃If that's not madness； in her situation； then I don't k
