sheritepper.necromancer nine-第7节
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One of the things that became apparent was that the Immutables cared little for Gamesmen。 Riddle's toleration of me and of a few others such as Himaggery was not typical。 I asked him why they let Gamesmen exercise Talents at all； feeling as they did。
〃We are not numerous enough to do otherwise；〃 he said。 〃There are fewer Immutables than there are Gamesmen； many fewer。 We do not bear many children； our numbers remain small and our own skills remain unchanging through time。 Immutable； as you would say。 Each of us can suppress the Talent of any Gamesman for some distance around us。 I can be safe from Demons Reading my thoughts or Armigers Flying from above； but I am not safe from an arrow shot from a distance or a flung spear； as you well know。〃
I nodded。 Tossa had died from an arrow wound。
〃So。 those of us with the ability find it safer to band together in towns and enclaves with our own farms and crafters。 Thus we can protect ourselves and our families from any danger save force of simple arms； and this we can oppose with arms of our own。 We could be overrun； I suppose； if any group of Gamesmen chose to do so； but Gamesmen depend too much upon their Talents。 Without the Talent of Beguilement； few if any of their Rulers would be able to lead men into battle。 And； of course； the pawns will not fight us。 They turn to us for help from time to time。〃
〃I would think all pawns would flock to you for protection。〃
〃We could not protect them。 We are too few。〃
〃What do they want； you want； Riddle？ The Immutables？〃
〃We want what any people want； Peter。 We want to feel secure； to live。 We want to be free to admire the work of our own hands。 Even Gamesmen do the same。 Why else their 'schools' and their 'festivals'？ The Gamesmen depend upon the pawns for labor； for the production of grain； fruit； meat。 If we were numerous enough to protect the pawns； and if they came to us； then 。 。 。 then the Gamesmen would fight； even without their help。〃
〃They could till the soil themselves；〃 I offered； somewhat doubtfully。
〃Would they？〃 asked Riddle。 Both he and I knew the answer to that。 Some few would。 Some few probably did； out of preference。 As for the others in their hundreds of thousands； they would rather die in battle than engage in 〃pawnish〃 behavior。
So we rode together； I in the circle of his protection； he in the circle of fear which came with the Necromancer's garb。 No one bothered us。 There was little traffic upon the road in any case； and those we encountered left a long distance between themselves and us。
〃The things you found in Bannerwell；〃 I asked。 〃Why are you so curious about them？〃
〃I am curious about anything subtle and secret； Peter。 It is difficult to keep secrets among Gamesmen。 A powerful Demon can learn almost anything one knows； can dig out thoughts one does not know one has。 How then are secrets kept？ You would not deny that they are kept？〃
〃One has one's own Demons to guard against thought theft by outsiders。 One stays in one's own purlieus； in one's own Demesne。 。
〃Ah； but walls of that kind can be breached； or sapped。 No。 Sometimes secrets are kept； even by those who go about the world in the guise of ordinary Gamesmen。 There were secrets kept in Bannerwell。 Someone there knew things that others do not。 Huld； it seems。 How did he manage that。 。 。
〃Do you know；〃' he went on； suddenly confidential； 〃as a child I envied the Gamesmen。 Yes。 I was much enamored of Sarah。 A Seer。 How wonderful to see the invisible； the inscrutable； the future 。。。 how wonderful to know everything！〃
〃I don't think that's quite how it works；〃 I said； remembering old Windlow and his frustration at partial visions of uncertain futures。
〃Perhaps not。 Still。 There are many things I want to know。 For example； does the name 'Barish' mean anything to you？〃 His tone was casual； but he watched me from the corner of his eye。
I took a deep breath； hiding it； wondering what to say。 〃Barish？ Why； it's a name from religion。 A Wizard； wasn't he？ Did something very secret and subtle…I forget what。〃 I waited； scarcely able to breathe。 〃Is it a name I should know？〃
〃Secret and subtle。〃 He mused。 〃No。 Everyone knows that much； and seemingly no one knows more than that。〃 He smiled。 〃I am merely interested in secret and subtle things； and I ask those who may know。 I have heard； recently； of this Barish。〃
I turned my hand over to let his words run out。 〃I do not know； Riddle。 You riddle me as you must riddle others。 Do you always ask such questions？〃
〃I talk to hear my voice； boy。 I tie words on a journey as a woman ties ribbons on her hat。〃
〃Do they？〃 I asked； interested。 〃I have only seen ribbons on students' Tunics； e Festival。〃
〃Oh； well； Peter。 You have not seen much。〃 And with that； he lapsed into along； fortable silence。 It had rained betimes and we found lung…mushrooms all along the sides of fallen trees。 Riddle cut away a nice bunch of them； glistening ivory in the dusk； and rolled them in meal to fry up for our supper。 He told me about living off the countryside； more even than Yarrel had done。 Riddle spoke of roots and shoots； berries and nuts； how to cook the curled fronds of certain ferns with a bit of smoked meat； how to bake earth…fruits in their skins by wrapping them first in the leaves of the rain…hat bush； then in mud； then burying the whole in the coals at evening to have warm and tender for the morrow's breakfast。
Our road cut across country between loops of the River until the land began to rise more steeply。 Then the River ran straight or in long jogs between outcroppings； plunging over these in an hysteria of white water and furious spray。 Our horses climbed； and we strode beside them for part of each morning and each afternoon so they would not tire or bee lame。 Stone lanterns along the way began to appear； at first only broken； old ones。 half crumbled to gravel； but later newer ones； and then ones lit with votive lights。
〃What are these？〃 I asked。 〃Burning good candles here in the daylight？〃
〃Wards against the Gifters；〃 said Riddle。 〃The people here…abouts are most wary of Gifters and what Gifts they may make to the unsuspecting。〃
〃Why have I never heard of them until now？〃
〃Because students hear of very little。〃 He did not make it a rebuke； but I was offended nonetheless。
〃We were taught morning to evening。 They did nothing but teach us of things。〃
〃They did nothing but teach you of certain things；〃 Riddle replied sternly。 〃And they told you nothing of other things。 They told you nothing of the Gifters； though the world north of the Great Bowl goes in constant fear of them。 You are told nothing of the nations and places of this world； but only of the small part you inhabit
〃Riddle。〃 I was caught up in a curious excitement。 〃Why do you say 'this world'？ Do you believe it is true what the fablers say； that there are more worlds than this？〃
〃There are stories of others。 Not that the stories are necessarily true。 But that's part of what I mean。 In the Schools you are all taught so little about what really is and what may truly be。〃
〃Why would they do that？ Why would my own thalan； for example； fail to teach me things I would need to know？〃
〃Because they do not believe you do need to know；〃 he replied in exasperation。 〃They think the least told； the least troubled。 If you do not hear of the Northern Lands； you will not venture there。 If you do not hear of Gifters； you will not fall prey to one。 It is all arrant nonsense； of course。 Pawner caravans pick up a hundred ignorant youths and carry them away north for every one who adventures there on his own。 Gifters make between…meal bites of the naive； while the well…taught escape with their lives。 I have even heard old Gamesmen speak with tears in their throats of the 'innocence' of youth。 'Innocence； indeed。 They should say arrant ignorance and be done with it。〃 He fumed for another league and I did not interrupt him； for I often learned much by letting him burble。 Thus it was I did not ask him more about Gifters when I should have done。
〃There is a pawnish settlement in the south；〃 he said at last； 〃in which they do not teach their children anything of sex。 It is kept a great mystery。 The belief of this sect is that this ignorance will keep their children from harm。 As a result； they value virginity highly and it is virtually unknown among them。〃
I did not believe this； but allowed it to stand unchallenged as we rode on。 I didn't ask about Gifters； or the northlands； or anything else。 Ah well。 Yestersight is perfect； so they say。
We had been several days on the road when we came to a rolling range of hills and began to track upward by repeated switch…backs； higher and higher； the way being more rocky and precipitous as we went。 I was reminded a bit of the road from Windlow's House to Bannerwell； except that this one did not seem to run through wilderness。 There were villages all along the way； cut into the sides of the mountains with meadows the size of handkerchiefs spread upon the ledges； and a constant procession of lanterns； little ones and big ones； never seeming to run out of candles。 At last we came to a high pass at which the road split； one fork leading downward to the north； the othe
