rh.theassassinsapprentice-第53节

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　　　　　　　Those　who　flinched　or　wavered　were　accused　of　weakness。　During　the　day　he　berated　us　with　our　unworthiness　and　repeated　that　he　had　only　consented　to　try　to　teach　us　at　the　King's　behest。　The　women　he　ignored；　and　though　he　often　spoke　of　past　Princes　and　Kings　who　had　wielded　the　Skill　in　defense　of　the　realm；　he　never　once　mentioned　the　Queens　and　Princesses　who　had　done　likewise。　Nor　did　he　ever　once　give　us　an　overview　of　what　he　was　attempting　to　teach　us。　There　was　only　the　cold　and　the　disfort　of　his　exercises；　and　the　uncertainty　of　when　we　would　be　struck。　Why　we　struggled　to　endure　it；　I　don't　know。　So　quickly　were　we　all　made　acplices　in　our　own　degradation。
　　　　　　　The　sun　finally　ventured　once　again　toward　the　horizon。　But　Galen　had　saved　two　final　surprises　for　us　that　day。　He　let　us　stand；　open　our　eyes；　and　stretch　freely　for　a　few　moments。　Then　he　gave　us　a　final　lecture；　this　one　to　warn　us　against　those　among　us　who　would　undermine　the　training　of　all　by　foolish　self…indulgences。　He　walked　slowly　among　us　as　he　spoke；　wending　his　way　in　and　out　of　our　rows；　and　I　saw　many　a　rolling　eye　and　intake　of　breath　as　he　passed。　Then；　for　the　first　time　that　day；　he　ventured　over　to　the　women's　corner　of　the　court。
　　　　　　　〃Some；〃　he　cautioned　us　as　he　strolled；　〃think　themselves　above　rules。　They　think　themselves　worthy　of　special　attention　and　indulgences。　Such　illusions　of　superiority　must　be　driven　from　you　before　you　can　learn　anything。　It　is　hardly　worthy　of　my　time　for　me　to　have　to　teach　these　lessons　to　such　laggards　and　dolts　as　need　them。　It　is　a　shame　that　they　have　even　found　their　way　into　our　gathering。　But　they　are　among　us；　and　I　will　honor　the　will　of　my　king；　and　attempt　to　teach　them。　Even　though　there　is　only　one　way　I　know　to　waken　such　lazy　minds。〃
　　　　　　　To　Merry　he　gave　two　quick　cuts　with　the　quirt。　But　Serene　he　shoved　down　onto　one　knee　and　struck　four　times。　To　my　shame；　I　stood　there　with　the　rest；　as　each　cut　fell；　and　hoped　only　that　she　would　not　cry　out　and　bring　more　punishment　on　herself。
　　　　　　　But　Serene　rose；　swayed　once；　and　then　stood　again；　still；　looking　out　over　the　heads　of　the　girls　before　her。　I　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。　But　then　Galen　was　back；　circling　like　a　shark　around　a　fishing　boat；　speaking　now　of　those　who　thought　themselves　too　good　to　share　the　discipline　of　the　group；　of　ones　who　indulged　in　meat　in　plenty　while　the　rest　limited　ourselves　to　wholesome　grains　and　pure　foods。　I　wondered　uneasily　who　had　been　so　foolish　as　to　visit　the　kitchen　after　hours。
　　　　　　　Then　I　felt　the　hot　lick　of　the　whip　on　my　shoulders。　If　I　had　thought　he　was　using　the　lash　to　his　full　capability　before；　he　proved　me　wrong　now。
　　　　　　　〃You　thought　to　deceive　me。　You　thought　I　would　never　know　if　Cook　saved　her　precious　pet　a　plate　of　tidbits；　didn't　you？　But　I　know　all　that　happens　in　Buckkeep。　Don't　deceive　yourself　about　that。〃
　　　　　　　It　dawned　on　me　that　he　was　speaking　of　the　meat　scraps　I'd　taken　up　to　Smithy。
　　　　　　　〃That　food　wasn't　for　me；〃　I　protested；　and　then　could　have　bitten　my　tongue　out。
　　　　　　　His　eyes　glittered　coldly。　〃You'd　lie　to　save　yourself　a　little　just　pain。　You'll　never　master　the　Skill。　You'll　never　be　worthy　of　it。　But　the　King　has　manded　that　I　try　to　teach；　and　so　I　will　try。　Despite　you　or　your　low　birth。〃
　　　　　　　In　humiliation　I　took　the　welts　he　dealt　me。　He　berated　me　as　each　fell；　telling　the　others　that　the　old　rules　against　teaching　the　Skill　to　a　bastard　had　been　to　prevent　just　such　a　thing　as　this。
　　　　　　　Afterward；　I　stood；　silent　and　shamed；　as　he　went　down　the　rows；　dealing　a　perfunctory　swat　with　the　quirt　to　each　of　my　fellows；　explaining　as　he　did　so　that　we　all　must　pay　for　the　failures　of　the　individuals。　It　did　not　matter　that　this　statement　made　no　sense；　or　that　the　whip　fell　lightly　pared　with　what　Galen　had　just　inflicted　on　me。　It　was　the　idea　that　they　were　all　paying　for　my　transgression。　I　had　never　felt　so　shamed　in　my　life。
　　　　　　　Then　he　released　us；　to　go　down　to　another　cheerless　meal；　much　the　same　as　yesterday's。　This　time　no　one　spoke　on　the　stairs　or　at　the　meal。　And　afterward；　I　went　straight　up　to　my　room。
　　　　　　　Meat　soon；　I　promised　the　hungry　pup　that　waited　for　me。　Despite　my　aching　back　and　muscles；　I　forced　myself　to　clean　up　the　room；　scrubbing　up　Smithy's　messes　and　then　making　a　trip　for　fresh　strewing　reeds。　Smithy　was　a　bit　sulky　at　being　left　alone　all　day；　and　I　was　troubled　when　I　realized　I　had　no　idea　how　long　this　miserable　training　would　last。
　　　　　　　I　waited　until　late；　when　all　ordinary　folk　of　the　keep　were　in　their　beds；　before　venturing　down　to　get　Smithy's　food　for　him。　I　dreaded　that　Galen　would　find　out；　but　what　else　was　I　to　do？　I　was　halfway　down　the　big　staircase　when　I　saw　the　glimmering　of　a　single　candle　being　borne　toward　me。　I　shrank　against　the　wall；　suddenly　sure　it　was　Galen。　But　it　was　the　Fool　who　came　toward　me；　glowing　as　white　and　pale　as　the　wax　candle　he　carried。　In　his　other　hand　was　a　pail　of　food　and　a　beaker　of　water　balanced　atop　it。　Soundlessly　he　waved　me　back　to　my　room。
　　　　　　　Once　inside；　the　door　shut；　he　turned　on　me。　〃I　can　take　care　of　the　pup　for　you；〃　he　told　me　dryly。　〃But　I　can't　take　care　of　you。　Use　your　head；　boy。　What　can　you　possibly　learn　from　what　he's　doing　to　you？〃
　　　　　　　I　shrugged；　then　winced。　〃It's　just　to　toughen　us。　I　don't　think　it　will　go　on　much　longer　before　he　gets　down　to　actually　teaching　us。　I　can　take　it。〃　Then：　〃Wait；〃　I　said　as　he　fed　bits　of　meat　to　Smithy　from　the　pail。　〃How　do　you　know　what　Galen's　been　putting　us　through？〃
　　　　　　　〃Ah；　that　would　be　telling；〃　he　said　blithely。　〃And　I　can't　do　that。　Tell；　that　is。〃　He　dumped　the　rest　of　the　pail　out　for　Smithy；　replenished　his　water；　and　stood。
　　　　　　　〃I'll　feed　the　puppy；〃　he　told　me。　〃I'll　even　try　to　take　him　outside　for　a　bit　each　day。　But　I　won't　clean　up　his　messes。〃　He　paused　at　the　door。　〃That's　where　I　draw　the　line。　You'd　better　decide　where　you　will　draw　the　line。　And　soon。　Very　soon。　The　danger　is　greater　than　you　know。〃
　　　　　　　And　then　he　was　gone；　taking　his　candle　and　warnings　with　him。　I　lay　down　and　fell　asleep　to　the　sounds　of　Smithy　worrying　a　bone　and　making　puppy　growls　to　himself。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　　　　　　　The　Witness　Stones
　　　　　　　The　SKILL；　AT　ITS　Simplest；　is　the　bridging　of　thought　from　person　to　person。　It　can　be　used　a　number　of　ways。　During　battle；　for　instance；　a　mander　can　relay　simple　information　and　mands　directly　to　those　officers　under　him；　if　those　officers　have　been　trained　to　receive　it。　One　powerfully　Skilled　can　use　his　talent　to　influence　even　untrained　minds　or　the　minds　of　his　enemies；　inspiring　them　with　fear　or　confusion　or　doubt。　Men　so　talented　are　rare。　But；　if　incredibly　gifted　with　the　Skill；　a　man　can　aspire　to　speak　directly　to　the　Elderlings；　those　who　are　below　only　the　gods　themselves。　Few　have　ever　dared　to　do　so；　and　of　those　who　did；　even　fewer　attained　what　they　asked。　For　it　is　said；　one　may　ask　of　the　Elderlings；　but　what　they　answer　may　not　be　the　question　you　ask；　but　the　one　you　should　have　asked。　And　the　answer　to　that　question　may　be　one　a　man　cannot　hear　and　live。
　　　　　　　For　when　one　speaks　to　the　Elderlings；　then　is　the　sweetness　of　using　the　Skill　strongest　and　most　perilous。　And　this　is　the　thing　that　every　practitioner　of　the　Skill；　weak　or　strong；　must　always　guard　against。　For　in　using　the　Skill；　the　user　feels　a　keenness　of　fife；　an　uplifting　of　being；　that　can　distract　a　man　from　taking　his　next　breath。　pelling　is　this　feeling；　even　in　the　mon　uses　of　the　Skill；　and　addictive　to　any　not　hardened　of　purpose。　But　the　intensity　of　this　exultation　when　speaking　to　the　Elderlings　is　a　thing　for　which　we　have　no　parison。　Both　senses　and　sense　may　be　blasted　forever　from　a　man　who　uses　the　Skill　to　speak　to　an　Elderling。　Such　a　man　dies　raving；　but　it　is　also　true　he　dies　raving　of　his　joy。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　The　Fool　was　right。　I　had　no　idea　of　the　peril　I　faced。　I　plunged　on　doggedly。　I　have　no　heart　to　detail　the　weeks　that　followed。　Suffice　to　say　that　with　each　day；　Galen　had　us　more　under　his　sway；　and　that　he　also　became　more　cruel　and　manipulative。　Some　few　pupils　disappeared　early　on。　Merry　was　one。　She　stopped　ing　after　the　fourth　day。　I　saw　her　only　once　after　that；　creeping　about　the　keep　with　a　face　both　woebegone　and　shamed。　I　learned　later　that　Serene　and　the　other　women　had　shunned　her　after　she　had　dropped　the　training；　and　when　they　later　spoke　of　her；　it　was　not　as　if　she　had　failed　at　a　test；　but　rather　had　mitted　some　low　and　loathsome　act　for　which　she　could　never　be　forgiven。　I　know　not　where　she　went；　only　that　she　left　Buckkeep　and　never　returned。
　　　　　　　As　the　ocean　sorts　pebbles　from　sand　on　a　beach　and　stratifies　them　at　the　tide　mark；　so　did　the　poundings　and　caressings　of　Galen　separate　his　students。　Initially；　all　of　us　strove　to　be　his　best。　It　was　not　because　we　liked　or　admired　him。　I　know　not　what　the　others　felt；　but　in　my　heart　was　nothing　but　hate　for　him。　But　it　was　a　hatred　so　strong　that　it　spawned　a　resolution　not　to　be　broken　by　such　a　man。　After　days　of　his　abuse；　to　wring　a　single　grudging　word　of　acknowledgment　from　him　was