rh.theassassinsapprentice-第62节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


l　be　here　and　present　on　Springseve；　ready　to　be　presented　to　the　King。〃　Again　the　pause。　〃Do　not　think；　however；　that　all　you　must　do　is　find　your　way　back　to　Buckkeep　by　Springseve。　You　are　to　be　a　coterie；　not　homing　pigeons。　How　you　e　and　in　what　pany　will　prove　to　me　that　you　have　mastered　your　Skill。　Be　ready　to　leave　by　tomorrow　morning。〃
　　　　　　　And　then　he　released　us；　one　by　one；　again　with　a　touch　for　each；　and　a　word　of　praise　for　each；　save　me。　I　stood　before　him；　as　open　as　I　could　make　myself；　as　vulnerable　as　I　dared　to　be；　and　yet　the　brush　of　the　Skill　against　my　mind　was　less　than　the　touch　of　the　wind。　He　stared　down　at　me　as　I　looked　up　at　him；　and　I　did　not　need　the　Skill　to　feel　that　he　both　loathed　and　despised　me。　He　made　a　noise　of　contempt　and　looked　aside；　releasing　me。　I　started　to　go：
　　　　　　　〃Far　better；〃　he　said　in　that　cavernous　voice　of　his；　〃if　you　had　gone　over　the　wall　that　night；　bastard。　Far　better。　Burrich　thought　I　abused　you。　I　was　only　offering　you　a　way　out；　as　close　to　an　honorable　way　as　you　were　capable　of　finding。　Go　away　and　die；　boy；　or　at　least　go　away。　You　shame　your　father's　name　by　existing。　By　Eda；　I　do　not　know　how　you　came　to　exist。　That　a　man　such　as　your　father　could　fall　to　such　depth　as　lying　with　something　and　letting　you　bee　is　beyond　my　mind　to　imagine。〃
　　　　　　　As　always；　there　was　that　note　of　fanaticism　in　his　voice　as　he　spoke　of　Chivalry；　and　his　eyes　became　almost　blank　with　blind　idolatry　for　him。　Almost　absentmindedly；　he　turned　away　and　walked　off。　He　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　then　turned；　very　slowly。　〃I　must　ask；〃　he　said；　and　the　venom　in　his　voice　was　hungry　with　hatred。　〃Are　you　his　catamite；　that　he　lets　you　suck　strength　from　him？　Is　that　why　he　is　so　possessive　of　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃Catamite？〃　I　repeated；　not　knowing　the　word。
　　　　　　　He　smiled。　It　made　his　cadaverous　face　even　more　skull…like。　〃Did　you　think　I　hadn't　discovered　him？　Did　you　think　you'd　be　free　to　draw　on　his　strength　for　this　test？　You　won't。　Be　assured；　bastard；　you　won't。〃
　　　　　　　He　turned　and　went　down　the　steps；　leaving　me　standing　there　alone　on　the　rooftop。　I　had　no　idea　what　his　final　words　meant；　but　the　strength　of　his　hatred　had　left　me　sickened　and　weak　as　if　it　were　a　poison　he'd　put　in　my　blood。　I　was　reminded　of　the　last　time　all　had　left　me　on　the　tower　roof。　I　felt　pelled　to　walk　to　the　edge　of　the　tower　and　look　down。　This　corner　of　the　keep　did　not　face　the　sea；　but　there　were　still　jagged　rocks　aplenty　at　the　foot　of　it。　No　one　would　survive　that　fall。　If　I　could　make　a　decision　whose　firmness　lasted　for　one　second；　then　I　could　put　myself　out　of　it　all。　And　what　Burrich　or　Chade　or　anyone　else　might　think　of　it　would　not　be　able　to　trouble　me。
　　　　　　　A　distant　echo　of　a　whimper。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　ing；　Smithy；〃　I　muttered；　and　turned　away　from　the　edge。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN
　　　　　　　The　Trial
　　　　　　　THE　MAN　CEREMONY　IS　supposed　to　take　place　within　the　moon　of　a　boy's　fourteenth　birthday。　Not　all　are　honored　with　it。　It　requires　a　Man　to　sponsor　and　name　the　candidate；　and　He　must　find　a　dozen　other　Men　who　concede　the　boy　is　worthy　and　ready。　Living　among　the　men…at…arms；　I　knew　of　the　ceremony；　and　knew　enough　of　its　gravity　and　selectivity　that　I　never　expected　to　participate　in　it。　For　one　thing；　no　one　knew　my　birth　date。　For　another；　I　had　no　knowledge　of　who　was　a　Man；　let　alone　if　twelve　Men　existed　who　would　find　me　worthy。
　　　　　　　But　on　a　certain　night；　months　after　I　had　endured　Galen's　test；　I　awoke　to　find　my　bed　surrounded　by　robed　and　hooded　figures。　Within　the　dark　hoods　I　glimpsed　the　masks　of　the　Pillars。
　　　　　　　No　one　may　speak　or　write　of　the　ceremony　details。　This；　I　think；　I　may　say。　As　each　life　was　put　into　my　hands；　fish；　bird；　and　beast；　I　chose　to　release　it；　not　to　death　but　back　to　its　own　free　existence。　So　nothing　died　at　my　ceremony；　and　hence　no　one　feasted。　But　even　in　my　state　of　mind　at　that　time；　I　felt　there　had　been　enough　blood　and　death　around　me　to　last　a　Lifetime；　and　I　refused　to　kill　with　hands　or　teeth。　My　Man　still　chose　to　give　me　a　name；　so　He　could　not　have　been　totally　displeased。　The　name　is　in　the　old　tongue；　which　has　no　letters　and　cannot　be　written。　Nor　have　I　ever　found　any　with　whom　I　chose　to　share　the　knowledge　of　my　Man　name。　But　its　ancient　meaning；　I　think；　I　can　divulge　here。　Catalyst。　The　Changer。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　I　went　straight　to　the　stables；　to　Smithy　and　then　to　Sooty。　The　distress　I　felt　at　the　thought　of　the　morrow　went　from　mental　to　physical；　and　I　stood　in　Sooty's　stall；　my　head　leaned　against　her　withers；　and　felt　queasy。　Burrich　found　me　there。　I　recognized　his　presence　and　the　steady　cadence　of　his　boots　as　he　came　down　the　stable　walkway；　and　then　he　halted　abruptly　outside　Sooty's　stall。　I　felt　him　looking　in　at　me。
　　　　　　　〃Well。　Now　what？〃　he　demanded　harshly；　and　I　heard　in　his　voice　how　weary　he　was　of　both　me　and　my　problems。　Had　I　been　any　less　miserable；　my　pride　would　have　made　me　draw　myself　up　and　declare　nothing　was　wrong。
　　　　　　　Instead；　I　muttered　into　Sooty's　coat；　〃Tomorrow　Galen　plans　to　test　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know。　He's　demanded　quite　abruptly　that　I　furnish　him　horses　for　this　idiotic　scheme。　I　would　have　refused；　had　he　not　a　wax　signet　from　the　King　giving　him　authority。　And　no　more　do　I　know　than　that　he　wants　the　horses；　so　don't　ask　it；〃　he　added　gruffly　as　I　looked　up　suddenly　at　him。
　　　　　　　〃I　wouldn't；〃　I　told　him　sullenly。　I　would　prove　myself　fairly　to　Galen；　or　not　at　all。
　　　　　　　〃You've　no　chance　of　passing　this　trial　he's　designed；　do　you？〃　Burrich's　tone　was　casual；　but　I　could　hear　how　he　braced　himself　to　be　disappointed　by　my　answer。
　　　　　　　〃None；〃　I　said　flatly；　and　we　were　both　silent　a　moment；　listening　to　the　finality　of　that　word。
　　　　　　　〃Well。〃　He　cleared　his　throat　and　gave　his　belt　a　hitch。　〃Then　you'd　best　get　it　over　with　and　get　back　here；　then。　It's　not　like　you　haven't　had　good　luck　with　your　other　schooling。　A　man　can't　expect　to　succeed　at　everything　he　tries。〃　He　attempted　to　make　my　failure　at　the　Skill　sound　as　if　it　were　of　no　consequence。
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　not。　Will　you　take　care　of　Smithy　for　me　while　I'm　gone？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will。〃　He　started　to　turn　away；　then　turned　back；　almost　reluctantly。　〃How　much　is　that　dog　going　to　miss　you？〃
　　　　　　　I　heard　his　other　question；　but　tried　to　avoid　it。　〃I　don't　know。　I've　had　to　leave　him　so　much　during　these　lessons；　I'm　afraid　he　won't　miss　me　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　doubt　that；〃　Burrich　said　ponderously。　He　turned　away。　〃I　doubt　that　a　very　great　deal；〃　he　said　as　he　walked　off　between　the　rows　of　stalls。　And　I　knew　that　he　knew；　and　was　disgusted；　not　just　that　Smithy　and　I　shared　a　bond；　but　that　I　refused　to　admit　it。
　　　　　　　〃As　if　admitting　it　were　an　option；　with　him；〃　I　muttered　to　Sooty。　I　bade　my　animals　farewell；　trying　to　convey　to　Smithy　that　several　meals　and　nights　would　pass　before　he　saw　me　again。　He　wriggled　and　fawned　and　protested　that　I　must　take　him；　that　I　would　need　him。　He　was　too　big　to　pick　up　and　hug　anymore。　I　sat　down　and　he　came　into　my　lap　and　I　held　him。　He　was　so　warm　and　solid；　so　near　and　real。　For　a　moment　I　felt　how　right　he　was；　that　I　would　need　him　to　be　able　to　survive　this　failure。　But　I　reminded　myself　that　he　would　be　here；　waiting　for　me　when　I　returned；　and　I　promised　him　several　days　of　my　time　for　his　sole　benefit　when　I　returned。　I　would　take　him　on　a　long　hunt；　such　as　we　had　never　had　time　for　before。　Now；　he　suggested；　and　soon；　I　promised。　Then　I　went　back　up　to　the　keep　to　pack　a　change　of　clothes　and　some　traveling　food。
　　　　　　　The　next　morning　had　much　of　pomp　and　drama　to　it　and　very　little　sense；　to　my　way　of　thinking。　The　others　to　be　tested　seemed　elated。　Of　the　eight　of　us　that　were　setting　out；　I　was　the　only　one　who　seemed　unimpressed　by　the　restless　horses　and　the　eight　covered　litters。　Galen　lined　us　up　and　blindfolded　us　as　threescore　or　more　of　people　looked　on。　Most　of　them　were　related　to　the　students；　or　friends；　or　the　keep　gossips。　Galen　made　a　brief　speech；　ostensibly　to　us；　but　telling　us　what　we　already　knew：　that　we　were　to　be　taken　to　different　locations　and　left；　that　we　must　cooperate；　using　the　Skill；　in　order　to　make　our　ways　back　to　the　keep；　that　if　we　succeeded；　we　would　bee　a　coterie　and　serve　our　king　magnificently　and　be　essential　to　defeating　the　Red…Ship　Raiders。　The　last　bit　impressed　our　onlookers；　for　I　heard　muttering　tongues　as　I　was　escorted　to　my　litter　and　assisted　inside。
　　　　　　　There　passed　a　miserable　day　and　a　half　for　me。　The　litter　swayed；　and　with　no　fresh　air　on　my　face　or　scenery　to　distract　me；　I　soon　felt　queasy　from　it。　The　man　guiding　the　horses　had　been　sworn　to　silence　and　kept　his　word。　We　paused　briefly　that　night。　I　was　given　a　meager　meal；　bread　and　cheese　and　water；　and　then　I　was　reloaded　and　the　jolting　and　swaying　resumed。
　　　　　　　At　about　midday　of　the　following　day；　the　litter　halted。　Once　more　I　was　assisted　in　dismounting。　Not　a　word　was　said；　and　I　stood；　stiff　and　headachy　and　blindfolded　in　a　strong　wind。　When　I　heard　the　horses　leaving；　I　decided　I　had　reached　my　destination　and　reached　up　to　untie　my　blindfold。　Galen　had　knotted　it　tightly　and　it　too