sheritepper.necromancer nine-第12节

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nic　was　covered　with　embroidered　pictures　of　everything　from　pans　and　lids　to　horses'　heads；　tinner　to　horse　dealer；　he　seemed　a　man　of　many　trades。　None　of　the　others　wore　the　guise　of　Gamesmen。　They　were　dressed　much　as　the　woman　was；　full　short　trousers　over　the　gray　boots；　wide　shirts　and　laced　vests。　I　wondered　where　they　came　from　but　forbore　to　ask。　I　did　not　want　to　talk　to　the　Trader　more　than　necessary。　I　did　not　know　why；　could　not　have　explained　why；　but　the　feeling　was　strong。　It　was　as　though　I　felt　he　could　hear　more　in　my　words　than　I　meant；　see　more　in　my　face　than　I　cared　to　show。　I　smiled；　therefore；　and　nodded　as　he　spoke　to　me；　saying　little　in　return。　So　are　fools　sometimes　protected　by　instinct　when　they　are　too　stupid　to　do　it　by　wit。　　So　we　rode　out；　me　silent　as　could　be；　spending　most　of　my　time　watching　the　woman。　At　first　it　was　because　I　thought　her　so　beautiful；　but　after　a　time　I　saw　that　she　was　not　so　lovely　as　first　glance　had　told　me。　Her　nose　was　too　long。　Her　mouth　too　wide。　One　eye　was　a　little　higher　than　the　other；　and　she　seemed　always　to　have　her　head　cocked　as　though　waiting　for　the　reply　to　some　forgotten　question。　Still；　I　could　not　stop　watching　her；　and　I　rode　so　that　wherever　she　was　in　the　train；　I　would　see　her　as　I　rode。　She　drew　my　eyes　as　a　treasure　draws　a　miser。
　She　saw　that　I　watched　her　and　turned　her　head　away；　not　as　if　displeased；　but　as　though　saddened。　I　had　done　nothing　to　make　her　sad。　There　was　another　reason　for　that；　and　I　resolved　to　learn　it。　Whenever　we　stopped；　she　was　quick　among　some　of　the　silent　men　to　bring　drink　or　prepare　food；　and　I　tried　to　talk　with　her　about　one　thing　or　another。　It　was　as　though　she　had　never　learned　to　speak　more　than　three　words　at　a　time。　Yes。　No。　May　I　bring？　Take　some　。。。　Her　distress　at　being　addressed　was　so　patent　that　I　stopped　at　last；　pretending　what　I　should　have　pretended　from　the　first…disinterest。　It　was　good　I　did。　Nap　was　scowling　at　me　when　he　did　not　think　I　saw　him。　　
　There　were　some　eight　wains　in　the　train；　most　of　them　open　wagons　loaded　high　with　crates　and　covered　with　waterproofs。　One　or　two　were　fitted　up　as　living　places　in　which　the　persons　of　the　train　might　sleep　and　prepare　their　food。　One　was　a　chilly；　small　wagon　which　breathed　vapor　like　a　dragon　and　contained；　so　Laggy　Nap　said；　perishable　foodstuffs　accounted　great　delicacies　in　the　west。　The　wagons　creaked　along　behind　their　teams；　some　of　horses　and　some　of　water　oxen；　and　the　persons　driving　were　silent。　Izia　was　silent。　I　was　silent　while　Laggy　Nap　talked　and　talked　and　talked　of　everything　and　anything　and　the　world。　　　
　So　went　a　day；　a　night；　another　day；　and　in　the　evening　of　the　second　day；　as　I　went　to　relieve　myself　in　a　copse　at　the　side　of　the　road；　I　realized　that　I　was　being　guarded。　One　of　the　persons　in　the　train　walked　by　the　copse；　and　I　recalled　that　every　time　I　had　ridden　a　little　ahead　or　lagged　a　little　behind；　someone　had　been　beside　me　within　moments。　Yes；　I　told　myself；　you　knew　it　before。　It　is　this　which　has　made　you　unfortable　all　along。　　These　people　are　not　simply　offering　you　pany　on　the　way；　they　are　keeping　you；　guarding　you；　and　would　not　let　you　go　away　if　you　tried　to　escape。　I　was　as　certain　of　it　as　if　I　had　been　told　it　by　Laggy　Nap　himself。　
　I　lingered　in　the　copse；　within　sight　of　the　man　who　watched　me；　giving　no　sign　I　was　disturbed；　going　over　and　over　in　my　head　the　words　Mavin　had　left　for　my　guide。　　　〃Befriend　the　shadows　and　beware　of　friends。〃　She　had　warned　me；　and　I　had　not　been　alert　to　the　warning。　Well。　So　and　so。　Time　enough　to　be　wary　now。　
　I　adjusted　my　clothing　and　wandered　back　to　the　wagons；　pausing　now　and　then　to　look　at　a　tree　or　a　bush。　Were　there　shadows？　If　so；　where？　I　saw　none；　could　find　none；　and　was　greeted　by　Laggy　Nap　at　the　fire　as　though　I　had　been　away　for　a　year　and　we　were　lovers。　My　throat　was　dry　as　autumn　grass；　and　I　was　afraid。　Well；　I　would　learn　nothing　to　help　me　by　silence。　It　was　time　to　play　their　Game　and　hope　I　had　time　to　yet　win　something　to　my　benefit。　　
　So　that　evening　I　drank　with　him；　talked　with　him；　told　him　long　tales　of　Betand；　including　three　thousand　things　which　had　not　happened　there　with　at　least　a　hundred　maidens　who　did　not　exist。　All　the　while　his　wide　mouth　smiled　while　his　eyes　looked　coldly　into　my　heart。　All　the　while　I　kept　my　eyes　away　from　Izia；　praying　I　had　not　already　harmed　her　by　my　interest。　　Finally；　I　pretended　drunkenness；　asked　him　about　this　and　that。　　〃Have　you　heard　of　magicians？〃　I　hiccupped　to　show　that　the　question　was　not　of　importance。　〃In　Betand　they　talk　of　。。。　hic　。。。　magicians。〃
　His　hand　twitched。　I　saw　the　jaw　tighten　over　his　smile　and　Izia；　where　she　crouched　by　the　fire；　started　touching　her　legs　as　though　wounded；　looking　up　as　though　she　had　heard　an　ugly　voice　call　her　name。　I　put　my　nose　in　the　cup　and　made　gulping　sounds。　Something　wrong。　Well；　I　would　take　time　to　consider　it　later。
　〃Magicians；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃No。　I　don't　think　I've　heard　of　magicians。〃
　〃Nor　I　before；〃　I　babbled；　all　bibulous　naivete。　〃But　there　in　Betand　they　talk　much　of　magicians。　Why　is　that；　do　you　think？〃
　〃Oh；　well；　it's　a　parochial　place；　after　all。　Most　of　the　people　there　are　ignorant；　superstitious。　They　must　talk　of　something；　and　it　is　amusing　to　talk　of　wonders；　freaks；　Gifters　。。。　yes；　Gifters。　They　talk　much　of　Gifters；　but　has　any　one　of　them　ever　seen　a　Gifter？〃　His　eyes　watched　me　over　the　top　of　his　cup。　I　met　them　with　a　stare　in　which　no　glimmer　of　intelligence　showed。
　〃No；　you　know；　you're　right！〃　I　slapped　my　knee；　laughed。　〃No　Gifters　either；　you　think？　Wonderful。　Everyone　lighting　candles　to　something　which　doesn't　exist　。。=　。　marvelous。〃　I　laughed　myself　into　a　long　stretching　movement　which　let　me　see　Izia。　Yes。　She　still　stroked　her　legs；　still　frowned　into　the　fire　as　though　in　pain。　Well。　Cold　certainty　seeped　into　me。　The　man　meant　me　no　good；　no　good　at　all。
　I　knew　I　was　right　when　he　came　to　my　blanket　to　offer　me　a　wineskin；　saying；　〃Some　of　the　vintage　we　carry　to　the　cities　away　west。　Not　that　stuff　we've　been　drinking。　No。　Something　very　special。　Thought　you'd　enjoy　it。〃　Smile；　smile；　smile。　I　smiled　stuporously　in　return；　took　the　wineskin　and　laid　it　beside　me。
　〃Generous　of　you；　Trader。　Generous。　I'll　have　a　sip　of　it　in　a　bit。　Oh；　yes；　soon　as　this　last　bit　settles。〃　I　laughed　a　little；　let　my　eyes　close　as　though　I　were　too　drowsy　to　stay　awake；　watching　him　from　beneath　my　lids。　The　smiling　mouth　of　him　snarled；　then　took　up　its　perpetual　cheer。
　〃Sleep　well；〃　he　wished　me。　〃Drink　deep；　and　sleep　well。〃
　〃Ah；　yes；　yes；　I　will。　I　will；　indeed。〃　If　I　drank　his　gift；　I　would　probably　not　wake；　I　told　myself。　How　in　the　name　of　Towering　Tamor　was　I　to　get　out　of　this？　　A　little　time　went　by。　Darkness　settled。　I　heard　someone　going　by　the　place　I　lay　and　reached　out　to　catch　an　ankle。　It　was　Izia；　and　she　crouched　beside　me　saying；　〃What　would　you；　fool？〃
　〃Izia；　I　may　be　a　fool　indeed　to　ask　you；　but…am　I　in　danger？〃
　〃Oh；　poor　fool；　you　are。　And　I　may　not　aid　you　unless　I　die　in　more　agony　than　you　have　ever　felt。〃　She　took　my　hand　and　laid　it　upon　her　boot；　high　upon　her　leg；　and　held　it　there。　Long　moments　went　by。　Then　I　heard　Laggy　Nap　call　from　the　wain；　call　her　name；　once；　again；　and　beneath　my　hand　the　boot　began　to　burn　like　fire。　I　drew　my　hand　away　with　a　harsh　exclamation。
　〃I　e；〃　she　called　in　a　clear　voice；　then　knelt　to　hiss　into　my　ear。　〃You　see；　fool。　We　obey。　We　obey；　obey；　obey。　Or　we　burn。〃
　
　4。　Befriend　the　Shadows
　When　the　camp　came　awake　in　the　morning；　I　pretended　a　headache　and　staggering　inpetence。　During　the　long　waking　hours　I　had　decided　that　Laggy　Nap　was　unsure　of　my　powers；　my　Talents；　and　would　therefore　probably　（though　not　certainly）　decide　not　to　attack　me　directly。　No；　he　would　attempt　something　else；　something　sly　and　sneaking　like　the　drugged　wine　I　was　sure　he　had　already　offered　me　or；　if　he　wanted　me　dead；　some　sneaking　murder。　So；　I　decided　to　appear　no　threat　to　him　while　I　found　a　little　time　to　design　some　strategy　to　protect　my　life。　I　knew　Izia　would　say　nothing。　In　this　I　was　correct。　For　the　first　time　I　was　able　to　interpret　the　discipline　around　me　correctly。　It　was　all　fear　and　pain；　simply　that。　Laggy　Nap　had　some　mental　link　or　some　other　control　of　the　boots　they　wore。　The　wearer　of　those　boots　did　Nap's　will　or　burned。　I　was　led　to　a　remembrance　of　the　devices　which　Nitch　had　sewn　into　my　tunic　the　year　before。　Were　not　these　torture　boots　something　of　the　same　kind？　And　were　both　not　similar　to　the　things　Mandor　had　said　were　Huld's？
　Well；　the　provenance　of　the　things　did　not　matter　at　the　moment。　My　life　did。　Therefore　I　staggered　and　sweated　and　even　managed　to　vomit　in　the　bushes。　Truth　to　tell；　I　felt　sick　enough；　though　it　was　not　winesickness　but　strain　and　fear。　Oh；　yes；　I　was　fearful。　In　the　night　hours　I　had　reached　for　Dorn。　He　had　e　into　my　mind　slowly；　reluctantly；　murmuring　〃Necromancer　nine；　Peter；　Necromancer　nine。〃　I　could　get　nothing　else　out　of　him；　and　I　bad　not　needed　that　warning　that　I　was　at　grave　risk。　I　had　already　figured　that　out　for　myself。
　It　was　no