sheritepper.necromancer nine-第22节

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hich　the　sounds　gradually　diminished　into　almost　quiet。　It　was　only　then　that　Laggy　Nap　came　forward　once　more。
　〃I　greet　you；　Fatman。〃
　〃Oh；　I　greet　you　as　well；　Laggy　Nap。　Have　you　a　fine　cargo　for　us　this　time？　Something　to　please　them？　Something　to　make　the　great；　tall　things　happy？　I　do　hope　so。　They　bee　difficult；　Laggy　Nap。　Sensitive。　Given　to　fits　and　hurling　things　at　us　for　no　reason。　Oh；　my；　my；　my；　yes。　They　need　distractions；　Laggy　Nap；　indeed　yes。
　〃I　have　most　of　what　I　was　sent　for；　yes。〃
　〃Most？　Do　you　say　'most；'　Laggy　Nap？　Ah；　to　have　only　most　may　not　be　enough。　It　is　far　better　to　have　more；　not　most。　Well；　he　will　be　in　a　temper；　you　may　be　sure。　Tallman　will　be　in　a　temper；　Laggy　Nap。　All　the　Tallmen。　All。　He'll　tell　you　so；　even　if　I　don't。〃　And　the　Fatwagon　rolled　away　among　the　towering　arches　and　the　mumbling　door…faces；　exclaiming　to　itself　as　it　went；　careening　here　and　there；　light　glistening　again　and　again　in　the　gloom　from　the　bald　pate　of　Fatman　where　he　wheeled　his　way　into　the　shadows。
　I　heard　Izia　say　to　Laggy　Nap；　〃Why　will　you　not　let　us　go　outside？　We　are　no　good　to　you　here。　Let　us　take　the　animals　outside　the　walls。　We　will　wait　for　you　there。〃　Her　voice　was　hopeless；　even　as　she　begged。
　〃I　want　you　here！〃　he　hissed；　fingers　jumping　along　the　seam　of　his　trousers；　tap　tap；　full　of　an　energy　and　rhythm　of　their　own。　〃Here。〃
　〃We　sicken；〃　she　murmured。　〃All　of　us；　animals；　all。　In　here。　In　the　gloom　of　this　place；　we　cannot　help　it。　We　sicken。〃
　〃So；　sicken。　I　care　not　whether　you　sicken。　Sicken　silently。　I　swear；　I　will　find　that　Shifter　who　sold　you　to　me　and　sell　you　back　to　him　or　have　vengeance　upon　him　for　cheating　me　as　he　did。〃
　〃You　were　not　cheated；　Laggy　Nap！　I　have　driven　your　animals　across　this　world　a　dozen　times　in　the　ten　years　you　have　had　me。　Who　treats　your　team　beasts　when　they　are　injured　or　ill？　Who　gets　them　across　fords　they　will　not　cross　and　up　trails　they　will　not　climb？　Who　but　me；　Laggy　Nap？　You　were　not　cheated。〃
　〃I　say　I　was　because　you　do　not　give　me　peace。　Now　be　silent　or　burn　a　little。〃　His　fingers　tapped　a　different　rhythm；　and　she　caught　her　breath　in　sudden　pain。
　I　moved；　and　Dolwys　immediately　put　one　of　his　great；　floppy　feet　upon　mine；　half　tripping　me　in　the　process。　I　heard　him　sigh；　〃wait；〃　or　some　such　word；　blown　through　his　water　ox　throat。　I　subsided；　frustrated；　unable　to　do　more　than　ache　at　her　hurt。　In　any　case；　Nap　did　no　more　than　twinge　at　her；　perhaps　because　his　powers　were　much　dwindled　and　perhaps　because　the　careening　Fatwagon　came　barreling　out　of　the　dusk　into　our　midst；　its　occupant　caroling　madly。
　〃Tallman's　ing；　Laggy　Nap。　I　sent　the　call；　just　as　I　knew　you'd　want　me　to；　and　he's　ing　swiftly。　Watch　the　big　mouth；　now；　Laggy　Nap；　he's　on　his　way。　e　Dupies；　e　and　watch。　Tallman's　ing。〃
　The　Dupies　emerged　from　twilight　places；　chattering　at　one　another　like　sparrows；　patting　at　one　another　with　their　swift　little　hands；　eyebrows　cocked　and　mouths　moving；　all　the　time　stroking　at　one　another；　pausing　only　to　hug　and　kiss　with　that　same　greedy　passion　they　had　displayed　toward　the　animals。　They　paused　before　one　of　the　mumbling　Tower　mouths；　waited　in　hushed　expectancy。　Reluctantly；　Laggy　Nap　took　up　a　position　beside　them　and　the　Fatwagon　rolled　to　one　side。　There　was　a　long　hush；　then　the　sound　of　far　off　machinery　in　motion；　a　rumbling　which　vibrated　the　ground　beneath　us　and　sent　all　the　Tower　mouths　into　fits　of　grimaces。
　The　mouth　before　us　turned　downward；　an　introspective　frown；　followed　by　an　expression　of　alertness；　wonder；　and　then　it　opened　to　vomit　out　its　own　metal　tongue；　an　endless　tongue　which　extruded　itself　into　a　platform　a　little　raised　above　the　surface　on　which　we　stood。　Onto　this　platform　rolled　a　little　car；　somewhat　like　those　I　have　seen　used　in　some　pawnish　mines　to　transport　ore；　except　this　one　was　flat。　From　its　prow　there　stuck　up　a　tall　beam；　narrow　and　high。　The　beam　broke　itself　into　angles　and　stepped　down　from　the　car；　its　top　section　bending　to　look　down　upon　us　all。
　〃Tallman；〃　cried　the　Dupies。
　〃Tallman；〃　Fatman　warbled　in　the　same　tone。
　〃Tallman；〃　said　Laggy　Nap；　his　fingers　jerking　along　the　seams　of　his　trousers。　As　for　the　rest　of　us；　we　animals；　we　pawns　and　animals；　we　said　nothing　but　stared　and　stared。　The　voice；　when　it　came；　was　a　woodwind　sound；　a　reed　sound；　deep　and　narrow…edged。
　〃Well；　Laggy　Nap。　You　have　returned。　Have　you　fulfilled　the　orders　I　gave　you？〃
　Fumble；　fumble；　fingers　tap　tap　along　trouser　seams；　feet　shuffle　back　and　forth；　pale　as　paper；　Laggy　Nap。　'I　have　most　of　what　I　was　sent　for；　Tallman。　The　youth；　Peter…the　Necromancer；　he　was　killed　on　the　journey。。。〃
　Along；　long　pause　during　which　that　narrow；　hooded　head　bent　above　Laggy　Nap　as　some　great　serpent　head　might　bend　above　its　prey。　〃Killed？　How　killed？　By　you？〃
　〃No；　Tallman！　Never！　It　was　a　rockslide　on　the　southern　route；　in　the　canyons　there。　He　would　go　that　way；　and　mindful　of　your　orders；　we　went　with　him　until　we　could　be　sure　to　take　him　without　injuring　him。　He　went　to　the　canyon　wall　to　relieve　himself；　Tallman；　and　the　wall　broke　over　him。　More　rock　than　the　train　could　move　in　a　season；　Tallman。　His　body；　under　all　that　rock　　　　　Nap's　voice　faded　into　uncertainty；　and　the　head　above　him　never　moved　but　brooded　still　in　that　unrelenting　scrutiny。
　〃How　long　ago？〃
　〃How　long？　Ah；　let　me　think。　We　have　been　thirty…five　days　on　the　northern　route；　Izia；　wasn't　it　thirty…five　days？　Then　there　was　a　space　of　three　days　getting　back　to　Betand。　Less　than　forty　days；　Tallman。　Thirty…eight；　I　would　say。〃
　〃Not　so　long；　then；　that　you　could　not　take　a　Necromancer　there　and　raise　him。　Raise　this　Peter。　Find　out　from　his　spirit　what　it　was　he　knew。　Not　too　long　for　that？〃
　〃Oh；　I　could　do　that。　Yes。〃　He　gave　a　little　hop；　as　though　eager　to　be　on　his　way。　〃I　need　only　to　have　my　power　renewed；　Tallman。　And　to　unload　the　cargo。〃
　There　was　a　silence；　a　silence　which　drew　out　into　a　swamp　of　stillness　in　which　no　one　moved。　Laggy　Nap　himself　did　not　seem　to　breathe。　He　might　have　forgotten　how　to　breathe；　so　still　he　was；　and　when　Tallman　spoke　at　last　the　air　came　out　of　Nap　as　out　of　a　balloon。　〃No；　Laggy　Nap。　No　power　renewal　this　time。　We　will　give　you　power　when　you　return。〃
　〃But；　but Teeth　chattering；　face　like　melting　ice。　〃How　will　I　keep　the　pawns　in　order？　How　keep　the　beasts　in　order；　the　work　done？　How　keep　Izia　doing　her　work　　　　　
　The　impossibly　tall　figure　straightened　itself。　〃You　will　leave　the　pawns　here。　They　need　some　pawns。　To　make　blues。　For　a　ceremony。　You　will　leave　the　woman　here。　I　need　a　woman　for　。。。　something。　You　will　take　one　wagon　and　go。　And　you　will　wear　the　boots　to　be　sure　you　return。〃
　Fatman　burbled；　chortled；　〃Boots；　Tallman。　Whose　boots　for　Laggy　Nap？　Does　Tallman　have　extra　boots　he　wishes　to　be　used　for　Laggy　Nap？〃
　And　the　Dupies；　〃Patience；　patience；　Laggy　Nap。　We　will　find　boots　for　him。〃
　Tallman　growled　something；　beckoned　to　Izia　where　she　crouched　ashen…faced　against　a　pillar。　She　sidled　toward　him　fearfully；　and　he　bent　above　her。　〃Take　off　the　boots。〃
　〃They　will　not　e　off；〃　she　whispered；　hysterical；　panting。
　〃Fool！　They　would　not　e　until　now。　They　will　e　off　now。　Take　them　off。〃
　So；　she　drew　them　from　her　legs　almost　before　my　eyes；　and　I　could　see　what　had　happened　to　her　legs　from　the　years　she　had　worn　them；　old　scars　and　lines　of　festering　red；　a　scaly　peeling　surface　where　there　should　have　been　maiden　smoothness。　She　saw　her　own　legs　and　crawled　away；　retching　and　gasping。　Dolwys　put　his　foot　upon　mine　once　more；　and　again　I　heard　that　same；　sighed　word。　〃Wait。〃
　It　was　the　Dupies　who　put　the　boots　upon　Laggy　Nap；　one　of　them　holding　him　while　the　other　drew　them　on。　When　it　was　done；　Tallman　tapped　at　his　sides　and　Laggy　Nap　screamed。
　〃So；〃　said　the　Tallman；　〃you　will　be　able　to　feel　my　impatience　even　to　the　ends　of　the　world；　Laggy　Nap。　Now；　unload　your　cargo　and　get　you　gone　to　do　what　I　have　ordered。　Go　to　Betand。　Find　a　Necromancer　there。　Promise　him　what　you　must　to　go　with　you　to　the　place　Peter　was　killed。　Raise　Peter　and　find　out　what　he　knew。〃
　〃What　he　knew　about　what；　Tallman？　Do　not　be　angry。　Tell　me　what　is　needed　so　that　I　may　not　fail　you　again。　Please；　Tallman；　tell　your　good　servant　what　to　do　　　　　
　The　polelike　form　turned　impatiently。　〃What　did　the　youth　know　of　'magicians'？　What　did　he　know　about　'Council'？　What　was　he　plotting　with　the　wizards？　Find　out；　Laggy　Nap。　Return　here　as　soon　as　may　be　or　burn；　Laggy　Nap。　I　will　not　be　patient。〃
　I　watched　him　retreat　through　the　sagging　gates；　slumping；　watched　him　take　the　small　wain　which　the　Dupies　had　already　hitched　for　him　and　mount　to　the　seat；　there　to　hold　the　reins　laxly　in　his　hands　as　though　he　had　never　seen　them　before。　He　turned　to　call　rebelliously；　〃Tallman。　Give　me　Izia；　at　least。　She　is　good　with　the　beasts　and　will　make　sure　I　reach　Betand　in　time。〃
　〃Go；　Laggy　Nap。　I　have　another　use　in　mind　for　Izia。〃
　The　little　wagon　rolled　out　through　the　gates　and　away　down　the　long　line　of　hills　toward　the　north。　Still　Dolwys'　foot　was　upon　my　own；　his　jaw　next　to　mine　chewing　endlessly　a