sheritepper.necromancer nine-第21节
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a Shifter because she was worthless； that only Nap's kindness and forbearance have kept her alive these years。 He has had her in the boots since she was seven or eight years old； for ten years； at least。 Those years have bent her。 She does not mutiny。 She scarcely lives。〃
〃Why does he hold her so？ Why？〃
The twins gave me a curious look； and Mavin speared me with one of her imperious stares； but Swolwys replied readily enough。 〃She es of a line of horsebreeders and farmers from the South。 Skill with animals is bred into that line as Talent is with us。 She can do anything with horses； with almost any animal； and she is worth a thousand times her price to Nap。 Also； she is fair。〃
I did not want to hear about that。 The thought of her in Nap's sleazy embrace was more than I could bear。 〃What now？〃 I asked。
'Now you will take Swolwys' place；〃 said Mavin。 〃You will go down to Nap's camp。 We need to know what happens inside those walls on the morrow。〃 She gave me another look； daring me to disagree； but I had no thought of that。 No； I would have begged to go。 I needed to see that Izia still lived 。。。 as I remembered her。
7。 The Blot
I was accepted among the water oxen as a water ox； that is； after I had laid hands upon the real beast enough to know how one was made。 I had already learned it was easier to bee something entirely imaginary than to bee something which had a recognized form and movement of its own。 Thus； for the first few hours of wateroxship； it was necessary to admonish myself to keep my head down； my tail in motion against the flies； my floppy feet out from under one another。 Being a fustigar had been easier for me； once； but then I had seen fustigars every day of my life。 Water oxen were more rural animals； certainly smellier ones。 Dolwys whispered to me that I could stop monitoring my own behavior when the smell no longer seemed foreign。 It did not take as long as I had expected。
I learned in the transformation to pick up bulk； a thing I had not known before。 At first inert； as one maintained a form the excess bulk became incorporated gradually into the flesh of the creature。 When one shifted back； there was a certain bulk left over。 Some Shifters； as the hillock had in Schlaizy Noithn； simply gained and gained until that network of fibers which made Shifters what they were was stretched so far it could not assume its original form。 It was all in this network； so Mavin said。 She had already harvested the flesh left over when Dolwys and Swolwys had Shifted back into human form。 It was too scattered to make chops； she said； but it would make good soup。 I confess a certain queasiness about this。 I did not like the thought of eating what had once been a part of my cousins。 They laughed at me when I said this； making me feel very young and foolish。 Nonetheless； I did not like the idea and was glad it was not put to the test。 Instead of soup； I learned to eat grass。
I learned that Shifters had a jargon of their own； almost a language。 Changing back into an original form was called 〃pulling the net；〃 evidently from that network of fibers which transferred more or less intact from creature to creature； from form to form。 One could 〃be〃 a bird with only about half the network。 One could 〃be〃 a water ox with about two…thirds of it。 What was left over simply lay about inside； doing nothing； available to 〃bee〃 other things； clothing or whatever。 It was all very interesting。
At any rate； by morning I was an unremarkable water ox； driven from my graze to a wagon and hitched there； able to see Izia whenever I swung my head in her direction。 Laggy Nap had at last decided to go the final few paces of his journey； into the shadowy courts of the Blot。 The gates were open when we approached。 They looked as though they had been open for a generation or more； hinges rusted and hanging； metal doors bent and sagging； grass pushing up between the stones。 Inside the gates the shadows of the huge； spidery arches fell upon us； and a Tower…face mumbled at us from across the pavement。 Dolwys whiffled as though startled； and I remembered that I was a water ox which would have been startled at such a sight and whiffled with him； hearing Izia's voice； 〃Shaaa； shaaa； shaa； still now； nothing to bother about； my strong ones。 Shaaa； shaaa。〃 The sound of her voice made me shiver involuntarily； perhaps any water ox would have shivered at it。
We saw the first inhabitant of the place as it came mincing across the pavement； and for a moment I thought I had not managed the Shift of my eyes properly。 Something was monstrously wrong with the shape which confronted us； and it stood before us for some time before my mind believed what my eyes saw。 This was no Shifter。 It was a true…person； or perhaps two persons。 From the waist up it was two； two heads； two sets of shoulders； four arms； two chests tapering into one waist； one set of hips and legs。 It chortled； 〃Dupey one；〃 out of one mouth as the other mouth said in a deeper voice； 〃Dupey two。〃 I looked up to see Izia trembling upon her seat and Laggy Nap striding forward with every expression of confidence。
〃Oyah； Dupies。 Will you stable the beasts in the yard； or would you rather we stake them outside the walls？〃 His voice was ingratiating； a tone I had not heard him use except when he had sought to seduce me into his train outside Betand。
The tenor head answered； 'Oh； here； here； Laggy Nap； here。 Where Dupies can watch them； feed them； brush their pretty hides。 You let Dupies have them。 We'll love them all to bits nice things； great； wonderful beasties。〃
Beside me Dolwys trembled。 I； too； at the lustful endearments which sounded to me much like hunger。 The deeper voice said； 'Oh； see how it shivers； pretty beasty is cold； all cold from the shadow。 Bring it in the sun； Dupey； where it is warm
〃Fine；〃 said Nap heartily。 〃You take them along into the sun and bring them food and water； Dupies。 They'll love you for that。〃
〃Ooooh； love us all to bits； the big things will。〃
〃Love us； yes they will。〃 The two led us off； the one led us off； caroling their…its pleasure。 Beside me Dolwys trembled again and again。 I wondered what he was thinking。 We were too much in evidence to talk。 It would have to wait。 We were taken to a sunny spot near a trough of water； and a cart of hay was pushed near to us。 We swished our tails and swung our muzzles under the pattering hands and constant voices of the Dupies； trying to see through them or around them to what Nap and the others were doing。
〃Where is Fatman？ Dupies； where is Fatman？〃 Nap was persistent in the question； as he needed to be to draw the monster's attention away from us。
〃Fatman？ Oh； Fatman is here。 Maybe in a little while； Laggy Nap。 He was here a while ago。 Patience； patience。 He will be here。〃
〃Tallman？ Is Tallman here as well？〃
〃Oh； yes。 Tallman is always here。 Always sometimes。 He goes and es； Laggy Nap。 Patience； patience。〃 The two heads turned to one another； kissed passionately； hugged one another fiercely and went back to their patting and brushing of the horses。 They had not groomed us yet。 I found myself begging that they would not。 This was not to be； however； and I was thoroughly fondled as was Dolwys at my side； with such hungry tenderness that we were both shaking by the time the Dupies had made off and left us。 At last we could watch the people of the train； but they might have been made of stone； slumped as they were on the shadowy pavement of the place near one of the great； mouthy doors。 None moved except Nap； striding among them； slapping his hands along his thighs； clicking his heels upon the stone； toe； toe； toe； an erratic rhythm。 From some hidey hole we could hear the Dupey voices calling； 〃Patience； patience； Laggy Nap。〃
The first evidence of other inhabitants came in a shrill； premonitory shrieking； like a tortured hinge crying stress into the quiet of the place。 It came from within one of the towers； behind the mumble lips of the doors。 The shriek became a rumble； the rumble a clatter and one of the mouths began to open； reluctantly wider and wider until the eyes disappeared in wrinkles and the teeth gaped wide above a metal tongue extending outward； toward us。 down this ramp rolled a figure as strange in its way as the Dupies were in theirs； round； so fat that the shoulders bulged upward and the cheeks outward to make a single convex line which blended into a spherical form； a balloon； a ball； an egg of a man。 He rode in a kind of cup； like an eggcup on wheels； and it was this vehicle which made the extraordinary shrieking noise。
〃Oil； Dupies；〃 it cried。 〃Oil for the Fatwagon。 Oh； she screams； doesn't she。 Makes a terrible racket。 Laggy Nap。 wal…Ia； wallo； holla hello； listen to me e screaming at you。 Oil！ Oil！ Dupies！〃
〃Patience； patience； Fatman；〃 came the answering call； evidently the standard reply to all happenings in this place。 The Fatman rolled his eggcup backward and forward； sending all the animals into frenzies at the high…pitched sound； until the Dupies ran from whatever place they had been hiding。 They bore a can of oil； and a kind of tag game ensued during which the sounds gradually diminished into almost quiet。 It was only then that Laggy Nap came forward
