sheritepper.necromancer nine-第3节

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etting　them　see　the　death's…head　mask；　hearing　the　indrawn　breath；　the　retching　gulp　which　was　all　Karl　could　get　out。　Then　they　were　gone；　yelping　away　like　whipped　pups；　away　to　the　corridors　and　attics。　I　laughed　silently；　overe。
　〃That　wasn't　nice；〃　said　Chance　sanctimoniously。
　〃Aaah；　Chance。〃　I　poked　him　in　his　purse；　where　the　merchants'　coins　still　clinked　fulsomely。　〃We　have　our　little　failings；　don't　we？　It　was　you　who　told　me　to　travel　as　a　Necromancer；　Chance。　I　cannot　help　it　if　it　scares　small　boys　witless。〃　My　feelings　of　sick　sweet　nostalgia　had　turned　to　ones　of　delighted　vengeance。　Karl　might　think　twice　before　bullying　a　smaller　boy　again。　I　planned　how；　before　I　left；　I　might　drive　the　point　home。
　In　order　to　reach　Mertyn's　tower　room　we　had　to　climb　past　the　schoolrooms；　the　rooms　of　the　other　Masters。　Gamesmaster　Gervaise　met　us　on　the　landing　outside　his　own　classroom；　and　he　knew　me　at　once；　seeming　totally　unawed　by　the　mask。
　〃Peter；　my　boy。　Mertyn　said　you'd　be　ing　to　visit。　He's　down　in　the　garden；　talking　to　a　tradesman　just　now。　e　in　and　have　wine　with　me　while　you　wait　for　him。　e　in；　Chance。　I　have　some　of　your　favorite　here　to　drown　the　dust　of　the　road。　I　remember　we　had　trouble　keeping　it　when　you　were　here；　Chance。　No　less　trouble　now；　but　it's　I　who　drink　it。〃　He　led　us　through　the　cold　classroom　where　the　Gamemodel　swam　in　its　haze　of　blue　to　his　own　sitting　room；　warm　with　firelight　and　sun。　〃Brrrr。〃　He　shivered　as　he　shut　the　door。　〃The　older　I　get；　the　harder　it　bees　to　bear　the　cold　of　the　game　model。　But　you　remember。　All　you　boys　have　chapped　hands　and　faces　from　it。〃
　I　shivered　in　sympathy　and　remembrance；　accepting　the　wine　he　poured。　〃You　always　had　us　work　with　the　model　when　it　was　snowing　out；　Master　Gervaise。　And　in　the　heat　of　summer；　we　never　did。〃
　〃Well；　that　seems　perverse；　doesn't　it？　It　wasn't　for　that　reason；　of　course。　In　the　summer　it's　simply　too　difficult　to　keep　the　models　cold。　We　lock　them　away　down　in　the　ice　cellar。　It　will　soon　be　too　warm　this　year。　Not　like　last　season　where　winter　went　on　almost　to　midsummer。〃　He　poured　wine　for　himself；　sat　before　the　fire。　〃Now；　tell　me　what　you've　been　doing　since　Bannerwell。　Mertyn　told　me　all　about　that。〃　He　shook　his　head　regretfully。　〃Pity　about　Mandor。　Never　trusted　him；　though。　Too　pretty。〃
　I　swirled　my　glass；　watching　the　wine　swirl　into　a　spiral　and　climb　the　edges。　〃I　haven't　been　doing　much。〃
　〃No　Games？〃　He　seemed　surprised。
　〃No；　sir。　There　is　very　little　Gaming　in　the　Bright　Demesne。〃
　〃Well；　that　es　with　consorting　with　Wizards。　I　told　Mertyn　you　should　get　out；　travel　a　bit；　try　your　Talent。　But　it　seems　you're　doing　that。〃　He　nodded　and　sipped。　〃Strange　are　the　Talents　of　Wizards。　That's　an　old　saying；　you　know。　I　have　never　known　one　well；　myself。　Is　Himaggery　easy　to　work　with？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　I　think　he　is。　Very　open。　Very　honest。〃
　〃Ah。〃　He　laid　a　finger　along　his　nose　and　winked。　〃Open　and　honest　covers　a　world　of　strategy；　no　doubt。　Well。　Who　would　have　thought　a　year　ago　you　would　manifest　such　a　Talent　as　Necromancy。　Rare。　Very　rare。　We　have　not　had　a　student　here　in　the　last　twenty　years　who　manifested　Necromancy。〃
　〃There　are　Talents　I　would　have　preferred；〃　I　said。　Chance　was　looking　modestly　at　his　feet；　saying　nothing。　This　fact　more　than　anything　else　made　me　cautious。　I　had　been　going　to　say　that　Necromancy　was　not　my　own　or　only　Talent；　but　decided　to　leave　the　subject　alone。
　〃I　don't　think　I　even　have　a　Gamespiece　of　a　Necromancer；〃　he　said；　brow　furrowed。　〃Let　me　see　whether　I　do。　He　was　up；　through　the　door　into　the　classroom。　I　followed　him　as　seemed　courteous。　He　was　rooting　about　in　the　cold　chest　which　housed　the　Gamespieces；　itself　covered　with　frost　and　humming　as　its　internal　mechanism　labored　to　retain　the　cold。　〃Armigers；〃　he　said。　〃Plenty　of　Armigers。　Seers；　Shifters；　Rancelmen；　Pursuivants；　quite　an　array　here。　Minor　pieces；　Totem；　Talisman；　Fetish。　Here's　an　Afrit；　forgotten　I　had　that。　Here's　a　whole　set　of　air　serpents；　Dragon；　Firedrake；　Colddrake；　all　in　one　box。　Well。　No　Necromancer。　I　didn't　think　I　had　one。〃
　I　picked　up　a　handful　of　the　little　Gamespieces；　dropped　them　quickly　as　their　chill　bit　my　fingers。　They　were　the　same　size　as　the　ones　I　carried　so　secretly；　perhaps　less　detailed。　Under　the　frost；　I　couldn't　be　sure。　〃Gamesmaster　Gervaise；〃　I　asked；　〃where　do　you　get　them？　I　never　thought　to　ask　when　I　was　a　student；　but　where　do　they　e　from？〃
　〃The　Gamespieces？　Oh；　there's　a　Demesne　of　magicians；　I　think；　off　to　the　west　somewhere；　where　they　are　fashioned。　Traders　bring　them。　Most　of　them　are　give…aways；　lagniappe　when　we　buy　supplies。　I　got　that　set　of　air　serpents　when　I　bought　some　tools　for　the　stables。　Give…aways；　as　I　said。〃
　〃But　how　can　they　give　them　away？　To　just　anyone？　How　could　they　be　kept　cold？〃
　Gervaise　shook　his　head　at　me。　〃No；　no；　my　boy。　They　don't　give　Gamespieces　to　anyone　but　Gamesmasters。　Who　else　would　want　them？　They　do　it　to　solicit　custom。　They　give　other　things　to　other　people。　Some　merchants　I　know　receive　nice　gifts　of　spices；　things　from　the　northern　jungles。　All　to　solicit　custom。〃　He　patted　the　cold　chest　and　led　the　way　back　to　Chance。　The　level　of　wine　in　the　bottle　was　considerably　lower；　and　I　smiled。　He　gave　me　that　blank；　〃Who；　me？〃　stare；　but　I　smiled　nonetheless。
　〃I　hear　Mertyn's　tread　on　the　stairs；〃　I　said。　〃I　take　leave　of　you；　Gamesmaster　Gervaise。　We　will　talk　again　before　I　leave。〃　And　we　bowed　ourselves　out；　onto　the　stair。　I　said　to　Chance；　〃You　were　very　silent。〃
　〃Gervaise　is　very　talkative　among　his　colleagues；　among　the　tradesmen　in　the　town；　among　farmers。　。　。　。〃　Chance　said。　〃You　may　be　sure　anything　you　said　to　him　will　be　repeated　thrice　tomorrow。〃
　〃Ah；〃　I　said。　〃Well；　we　gave　him　little　enough　to　talk　of。〃
　〃That's　so；〃　he　agreed　owlishly。　〃As　is　often　best。　You　go　up　to　Mertyn；　lad。　I'm　for　the　kitchens　to　see　what　can　be　scratched　up　for　our　lunch。〃
　So　it　was　I　knocked　on　Mertyn's　door　and　was　admitted　to　his　rooms　by　Mertyn　himself。　I　did　not　know　quite　what　to　say。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　seen　him　in　this　place　since　I　had　learned　we　were　thalan。　I　have　heard　that　in　distant　places　there　are　some　people　who　care　greatly　about　their　fathers。　It　is　true　here　among　some　of　the　pawns。　My　friend　Yarrel；　for　example。　Well；　among　Gamesmen；　that　emotion　is　between　thalan；　between　male　children　and　mother's　full　brother；　between　female　children　and　mother's　full　sister。　Here　is　it　such　a　bond　that　women　who　have　no　siblings　may　choose　from　among　their　intimate　friends　those　who　will　stand　in　such　stead。　But　our　relationship；　Mertyn's　and　mine；　had　never　been　acknowledged　within　this　house。
　He　solved　it　all　for　me。　〃Thalan；〃　he　said；　embracing　me　and　taking　the　cloak　from　my　shoulders。　〃Here；　give　me　your　hood；　your　mask。　Pfah！　What　an　ugly　get…up。　Still；　very　wise　to　wear　it。　Chance's　choice；　no　doubt？　He　was　always　a　wary　one。　I　did　better　than　I　knew　when　I　set　him　to　watch　over　you。〃
　I　was　suddenly　happy；　contented；　able　to　smile　full　in　his　face　without　worrying　what　he　would　say　or　think　when　I　told　him　why　I　came。　〃Why　did　you　pick　Chance？〃　I　asked。
　〃Oh；　he　was　a　rascal　of　a　sailor；　left　here　by　a　boat　which　plied　up　and　down　the　lakes　and　rivers　to　the　Southern　Seas。　I　liked　him。　No　nonsense　about　him　and　much　about　survival。　So；　I　said；　you　stay　here　in　this　House　as　cook　or　groom　or　what　you　will；　but　your　job　is　to　watch　over　this　little　one　and　see　he　grows　well。〃
　〃He　did　that；〃　I　said。
　〃He　did　that。　Fed　you　cookies　until　your　eyes　bulged。　Stood　you　up　against　the　bullies　and　let　you　fight　it　out。　Speaking　of　which；　I　recall　you　often　had　a　bit　of　trouble　with　Karl？　Had　a　habit　of　finding　whatever　would　hurt　the　most；　didn't　he？〃
　〃Oh；〃　I　said　and　laughed　bitterly；　〃he　did；　indeed。　Probably　still　does。〃
　〃Does；　yes。　Early　Talent　showing　there。　Something　to　do　with　digging　out　secrets；　finding　hidden　things。　Unpleasant　boy。　Will　be　no　less　unpleasant　in　the　True　Game　I　should　think。　Well；　Chance　stood　you　up　to　him。〃
　〃I'm　grateful　to　you　for　Chance；〃　I　said。　〃I　。　。　。　I　understand　why　you　did　not　call　me　thalan　before。〃
　〃I　didn't　want　to　endanger　you；　Peter。　If　it　had　been　known　you　were　my　full　sister's　son；　some　oaf　would　have　tried　to　use　you　against　me。　Some　oaf　did　it　anyhow；　though　unwittingly。〃　He　sat　silent　for　a　moment。　〃Well；　lad；　what　brings　you　back　to　Mertyn's　House？　I　had　word　you　were　ing；　but　no　word　of　the　reason。〃
　〃I　want　to　find　Mavin。〃
　〃Ah。　Are　you　quite　sure　that　is　what　you　want　to　do？〃
　〃Quite　sure。〃
　〃I'll　help　you　then；　if　I　can。　You　understand　that　I　do　not　know　where　she　is？〃
　I　nodded；　though　until　that　moment　I　had　hoped　he　would　tell　me　where　to　find　her。　Still。
　He　went　on；　〃If　I　knew　where　she　was；　any　Demon　who　wanted　to　find　her　could　simply　Read　her　whereabouts　in　my　head　and　pass　the　word　along　to　whatever　Gamesman　might　be　wanting　to　challenge　her。　No。　She's　too　secret　an　animal　for　that。　She　gives　me　sets　of　directions　from　time　to　time。　That's　all。　If　I　need　to　find　her；　I　have　to　try　to　decipher　them。〃
　〃But　you'll　tell　me　what　they　are？〃
　〃Oh；　I've　written　down　a　copy　for