sheritepper.necromancer nine-第20节

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threads；　rat　fur　and　murk；　then　set　it　upon　a　stone　dish　with　its　legs　arrayed　full　circle　around　it　and　its　eyes　glittering　in　all　directions；　this　might　have　been　likened　to　what　I　saw。　Then；　if　the　child　had　built　bulky　mud　towers　between　the　spider's　legs；　each　tower　with　doors　at　the　bottom　in　the　shape　of　faces；　each　face　a　maw　opening　into　the　dark…why　then；　that　might　have　been　likened　to　what　I　saw。　Then；　if　the　child　had　surrounded　it　all　with　a　saw…edged　wall　and　set　the　whole　thing　in　quivering　motion…well；　that　was　the　place。　Smoke　rose　from　it。　Clangor　sounded　from　it；　soft　with　distance。　The　faces　upon　the　tower　doors　grimaced；　eyes　first　open　then　shut。　The　spider　turned　its　eyes　this　way　and　that；　the　whole　a　clot；　a　bulk　of　dark　in　the　light　of　morning。
　〃What　is　it？〃　I　whispered；　unbelieving。
　〃The　Blot；〃　she　said。　〃To　which　Gifters　e。　Nap　among　them。〃
　〃Gifters！〃
　〃Traders。　They　call　themselves　Traders。　They　are　Gifters　nonetheless。　They　bring　certain　things　here；　they　take　certain　things　from　here。　The　things　they　take　from　here　they　sell；　sometimes。　Often　they　give。〃
　〃Is　this…the　place　of　magicians？〃
　〃What　do　you　know　of　magicians？〃　she　demanded。
　〃Only　what　is　said　in　the　marketplace。　What　Gamesmaster　Gervaise　said。　What　Laggy　Nap　said。　That　there　may　be；　perhaps；　a　place　of　magicians　to　the　west。　Gervaise　says　the　little　cold　Gamespieces　e　from　there。　Nap　says　no　such　thing；　but　we　both　know　he　is　a　liar。〃
　〃Some　call　the　place　below　there　a　place　of　magicians。　But　there　are　no　Gamesmen　there。　No　Immutables。　Only　a　few　very　strange　beings　which　stay　there　and　other　strange　creatures　which　e　and　go。　And　soon　now；　Nap　again。　He　es　regularly；　and　last　time　he　came　here；　he　left　here　with　your　cousins　in　his　train。〃
　〃My　cousins？〃　I　remembered　two　grinning　faces　under　flame…red　hair；　peering　down　at　me　from　a　height　before　the　battle　at　Bannerwell。　〃My　cousins？　With　Nap？〃
　〃Your　cousins。　Swolwys　and　Dolwys。　Twins。　Scamps。　But　better　Shifters　than　any　you　met　in　Schlaizy　Noithn。　They　have　not　your　advantages；　no　Gamesmen　of　Barish　to　call　upon　（as　I　presume　you　did　in　Castle　Lament；　as　I　intended）　but　good　boys　for　all　that。　I　sent　them　to　join　Nap's　train　the　last　time　he　came　to　the　Blot；　and　I　let　them　go　and　return　by　that　road　to　the　north。
　If　we　had　no　other　evidence；　the　fact　that　Nap　travels　that　road　would　tell　us　what　he　is。　Past　Poffle。　Too　close。　But　they　should　return　soon。〃
　She　was　staring　away　to　the　north　where　a　pair　of　ruts　wound　around　the　edge　of　the　plateau　and　disappeared。　Following　her　gaze　I　could　see　a　plume　of　dust　there。　Someone　was　upon　that　road；　certainly；　and　it　came　in　only　the　one　direction；　toward　the　place　below。
　〃There　they　are。　Still　some　hours　away；　ing　no　faster　than　the　pace　of　their　water　oxen。　So；　if　I　were　you；　my　son；　I'd　sleep　a　while。　Drink　the　rest　of　your　wineghost　and　take　your　full　stomach　into　my　cavern　yonder。　I　will　call　you　when　they　e。〃　She　gestured　toward　a　half　hidden　entrance　I　had　not　noticed　before。　I　was　too　weary　to　argue；　so　let　her　push　me　in　that　direction。
　When　I　came　to　the　cave　entrance；　I　looked　back　expecting　to　see　her　still　watching　from　the　prominence；　but　it　was　bare。　High　above　me　circled　a　huge　bird　with　wings　as　long　as　I　am　tall。　It　cried　my　name　and　dipped　toward　me；　then　caught　a　current　of　air　to　carry　it　north。　It　was　very　beautiful　in　the　sun；　white　and　gleaming；　trailing　plumes　graceful　as　smoke。　I　went　into　the　cave　with　a　feeling　of　exquisite　sadness；　as　though　ridden　by　a　memory　I　could　not　identify。　Had　I　seen　her　so　before？　Or　was　it　something　in　her　voice　as　she　cried　to　me？　Perhaps　it　was　only　the　spirit　in　my　blood；　the　aftermath　of　anger。　I　was　asleep　as　soon　as　I　lay　down。
　She　woke　me　in　the　late　afternoon；　shaking　me　and　offering　some　warm　brew　from　a　simmering　pot　by　the　fire。　〃They　have　stopped；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　as　though　Nap　is　not　eager　to　e　to　the　Blot。　They　have　e　almost　to　the　wall；　however；　and　you　can　see　them　easily　from　the　pinnacle。〃
　So　I　went　onto　the　pinnacle　once　more　to　watch　the　pact　circle　of　wagons　near　the　cinereous　walls。　The　animals　were　unhitched　and　led　away　to　a　patch　of　tall　meadow　grass　near　the　bottom　of　the　long　slope。　Mavin　watched　the　animals　with　curious　intensity。　Until　that　moment　I　had　given　no　thought　as　to　what　guise　my　cousins　had　taken　in　Nap's　train。　Now　her　focused　gaze　told　me　where　they　were　and　in　what　shape。　A　pair　of　oxen　grazed　away　from　the　others；　toward　a　stony　place　heavy　with　obscuring　shadows；　grazed　around；　behind　them；　and　was　gone。　A　rustle　among　small　trees　marked　their　passage。
　〃They　will　be　here　momentarily；〃　she　said　with　satisfaction。　〃Perhaps　we　may　learn　something　　　　　　There　was　the　sound　of　plodding　on　the　trail；　silence；　and　then　they　appeared　around　the　high　stone；　precisely　as　I　remembered　them。　Broad…faced；　red…haired；　with　grins　of　the　same　width　on　lips　of　the　same　shape。　One　of　them　had　an　interesting　scar　over　one　eye。　Otherwise　they　were　identical。　The　scarred　one　pointed　to　his　identifying　mark。
　〃Swolwys；〃　he　said。　〃I　keep　the　scar　to　make　it　easier　for　others　to　address　me　by　name。　It　is　easier　than　Shifting　into　something　unique。〃
　〃Our　similarity　is　uniqueness　enough；〃　said　the　other。　〃Why　should　we　not　be　known　for　that　fact　as　well　as　any　other？　I　am　Dolwys。　Those　mental　midgets　in　the　wagon　train　did　not　even　notice　that　they　had　two　identical　water　oxen。　We　did　it　to　see　if　they　were　alert。　They　are　not；　or　at　least；　not　very。　They　even　believed　you　dead；　Cousin　Peter。〃
　I　swallowed。　They　looked　very　young　to　be　so　insouciant；　younger　even　than　I。　〃I　take　it　you　were　not　convinced。〃
　Swolwys　considered　this。　〃Ah；　had　we　not　known　who　and　what　you　are；　it　is　possible　we　would　have　been　taken　in。　It　was　very　well　done。　Except　that　we　could　not　figure　out　why　you　did　not　simply　Shift　and　slide　away。〃
　〃There　was　a　woman　in　the　train；〃　I　said。
　〃Ah；〃　said　Dolwys。　〃Izia。〃
　〃Lovely　Izia；〃　mented　his　twin。　〃Not　a　type　attractive　to　me；　but　still；　fair。　Very　fair。〃
　Mavin's　head　had　e　up　like　a　questing　fustigar's。　〃A　woman？　What　is　she　to　you？〃
　〃She　is　nothing　to　me。〃　I　laughed；　somewhat　bitterly。　〃Why　this　concern？　She　is　a　pawn；　a　servant。　She　is　in　durance；　held　unwillingly；　captive　by　some　device　I　have　not　seen　or　heard　of　before。　Boots。　Metal　boots；　high　on　the　leg；　which　grow　hot　at　Nap's　will。　Had　I　simply　vanished；　Nap　might　have　thought　the　woman　involved　in　my　disappearance；　for　I　had　been　stupid　enough　to　let　him　see　me　watching　her。　As　you　say；　she　is　very　fair。〃
　〃But　she　is　nothing　to　you？〃
　I　began　to　bridle　at　this　repeated　question。　〃Not　quite　nothing；　no！　She　is　a　captive。　As　were　those　in　Castle　Lament。　I　have　told　you　my　feelings　about　such　matters。〃
　〃Ah。　Well。　Perhaps　we　can　do　something　about　it。〃
　At　that　moment；　I　was　glad　there　was　no　Demon　among　them。　I　had　not　been　able　to　say　she　was　nothing　to　me　with　an　honest　heart。　She　was　a　good　deal　to　me；　and　the　fact　that　she　was　now　almost　within　reach　of　my　voice　made　me　tremble。　Izia。　I　could　not　leave　her　to　Nap's　malevolence。　I　would　have　to　find　a　way　to　free　her。　I　did　not　understand　the　pulsion；　for　it　was　not　merely　pity；　but　I　weled　it　as　I　now　supposed　I　had　weled　Sylbie　and　Castle　Lament。　They　were　all　problems；　problems　to　be　solved；　wrongs　to　be　righted。　I　thought　again　of　Windlow's　curious　word：　Justice。　It　was　odd　how　many　satisfying　things　could　be　done　under　that　rubric。　So；　I　ruminated　while　my　cousins　and　mother　leaned　upon　the　stone　to　watch　the　wagons　below。
　'There；〃　whispered　Mavin。　〃Nap　has　decided　to　wait　until　morning　to　enter　the　Blot。〃　It　was　true。　The　camp　had　settled；　Nap　was　seated　beside　his　fire　as　others　moved　about　the　endless　duties　of　the　train。　I　saw　Izia　at　once；　moving　among　the　animals；　searching　for　the　missing　pair；　her　skirted　figure　plain　among　the　trousered　ones　of　the　men；　all　walking　with　that　strange　hesitation　which　I　now；　too　well；　understood。
　〃Is　there　some　way　we　can　free　them？〃　I　asked　the　twins。　〃From　Nap；　or　from　the　boots？〃
　〃If　it　bees　important；　we　must　find　a　way；〃　said　Swolwys。　〃However；　those　boots　are　locked　on　in　a　way　we　do　not　understand。　I　have　heard　Nap　say　that　an　Elator　in　those　boots　could　not　move　out　of　them。　A　Tragamor　could　not　move　them　from　himself。　A　Shifter　could　not　change　out　of　them。　They　transcend　Talent；　so　says　Nap。　Nap　controls　them；　but　he　must　return　to　the　Blot　every　season　to　have　that　power　renewed。　It　is　growing　weaker　even　now；　and　I　think　it　is　only　that　which　brings　him　back　to　the　Blot。　Without　his　power；　control　of　his　servants　wanes。　The　last　day　or　two　we　have　seen　indications　of　rebellion　among　the　pawns；　particularly　the　newest　ones。　We　went　far　to　the　south；　you　know；　looking　for　you；　I　suppose；　cousin。　We　stopped　near　the　Bright　Demesne。　You　were　not　there；　but　Nap　bought　pawns　from　a　pawner；　young；　strong　ones　who　look　at　him　with　mutiny　in　their　eyes。〃
　〃Izia？　Is　she　likely　to　mutiny？〃
　〃No。　Nap　has　had　her　since　she　was　a　child。　He　taunts　her　with　that　fact。　He　tells　her　that　she　was　sold　to　him　by　a　Shifter　because　she　was　worthless；　that　only　Nap's　kindness　and　forbearance　have　kept　her　alive　th