sheritepper.necromancer nine-第9节
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from the constant horror of it。 We cannot sleep by night because of the howling； and we cannot sleep by day or we will all starve。 I； myself； think it might be better to starve。 My father said he would rather starve than have me raped； but my mother said nonsense； the girl must be raped because it is the law。〃
I dropped the cup and heard it echo hollowly from under the bed where it rocked to and fro making clanking sounds。 〃Raped！ By whom？〃
〃By you； sir。 Or； rather； by nobody。〃
I sat upon the side of the bed and reached for the cup with my foot。 〃Sylbie； pour more wine。 Then sit here beside me and tell me what you have just said。 I am quite young； and I do not understand anything you have said。〃
〃Oh； sir；〃 she said； falling to her knees to fetch the cup； 〃truly you are very stupid。 I have already told you。 But I will tell you again。〃
〃It was two years ago last Festival that the Necromancer came to Betand。 He was an old man； and he amused the crowd at the Festival by raising small spirits （some said it was forbidden for him to do so during Festival； and was the cause of all our woe） which danced and sang like little windy shadows。 Well； one night he was drinking at the Dirty Girdle； a tavern which； my mother says； has a well deserved reputation； and he got into an argument with the tavern keeper； a man as foul of mouth as his kitchen floor； so says my mother。 Doryon； the Necromancer； would not take besting in any battle of words； so my father says； and so decided to place a haunting upon the tavern。 He was very drunk； sir； very drunk。
〃So he rose to his feet and made some gestures； speaking some certain words； at which； so my father says； the whole pany within the place trembled； for he had summoned up a monstrous spirit which fulminated and gorbled in the middle of the air； spinning。 Then； so my father says； did the old Necromancer clutch at his chest and fall like an axed tree down； straight； stiff as a dried fish and dead as one； too。
〃But the haunting he had raised up went on boiling and fetching； sir； growing darker and mere roily until at last it began to howl； and it howled its way out of the tavern and into the streets of Betand where it has howled and howled until this night。〃
〃But；〃 I said； 〃why was not some other Necromancer brought to settle the revenant？ What one can raise； surely another can put down。 Or so I have always been taught。〃
〃Sir； it was thought so。 But Doryon was very drunk； and the Necromancers who came after said he had raised no dead spirit from the past but had； instead； raised up some spirit yet unborn； twisted in time and brought untimely to Betand。 None of them knew how to twist it out of being and into the future again。〃
〃So。 And so。 And so what is the what of that？〃 I was baffled； mystified。 〃What has that to do with being raped because it is the law？〃
She shook her head at me as though I should have seen the whole matter clearly by this time。 〃If it is the spirit of one unborn； then it is in the interest of the city that it bee born as soon as possible。 Which means that every woman of Betand able to bear must bear at every opportunity。〃
〃But rape；〃 I protested feebly。 〃Why？〃
〃Because all sexual congress except between married persons is defined as rape in the laws of Betand。 Marriages cannot be entered into lightly for mere convenience。 There are matters of property； of family； of alliance。 It takes years； sometimes； to work out the agreements and settlements and the contracts。〃
〃So they expect me to rape you； to break the laws of the city？〃
〃Oh； truly you are very stupid； sir。 Nobody will break the laws。 Did they not say you were nobody？ How can nobody break a law？ It is manifestly impossible； so says my mother。 We of Betand do not change our laws readily； so says my father； but we interpret them to our needs。〃
〃I see。 At least； I think I see。〃 I was not sure； but it had begun to make a weird kind of sense。
〃I hope so；〃 she said； wearily taking off her jacket。 〃You look far less dirty than the drover。〃 Removing her blouse； 〃That is； if one may choose among nobodies。〃
My throat was dry。 I could think of nothing to say to her； nothing at all。 While I poured wine and drank it； she removed all of her clothing except a filmy thing which began halfway down her front and ended above her knees。 It did little to hide the rest of her。 Knowing my history； you will believe it when I say she was the first female person I had seen so unclothed。 Silkhands the Healer； even when she traveled across the country with us； had never been so unclad。 Now that she was bare； Sylbie seemed not to know what to do next。 I offered her wine； and we gulped at it together； each as unfortable as the other。
〃Have you had lots of women？〃 she whispered in a voice which seemed hopeful of an affirmative answer。
Imanaged to say； 〃Ummm；〃 in a vaguely encouraging tone。
〃I didn't want to be fumbled at；〃 she said through tears。
〃Urnmm；〃 sympathetically。
〃I think it might help if I knew your name。
〃P…Peter。〃
〃Well； Peter； it's a fort that you know about 。。。 everything。 My mother says that will make it much easier；〃 she said； then she threw herself sobbing onto the pillows。
Iwasam a fearfully stupid person。 Until that instant I had not considered the Gamesmen of Barish which were in the pouch at my belt。 Among them was the eidolon of Trandilar； great Queen； Goddess of beguilement and passion。 I had taken that eidolon once before； outside the shattered walls of Bannerwell。 I had not thought of it since； had rejected use of it； had tried to pretend it had never happened。 Now； faced with the sodden misery before me； I could not in conscience ignore Trandilar longer。 Peter； rude boy would indeed 〃fumble at her。〃 Only Trandilar offered any hope for something less than agony for us both。 My hand found the Gamespiece without trying； as though it rushed into my hand。 I knew then what to do and how to do it as the lizard knows the sun。
〃e；〃 I said to the girl； laughing。 〃Let us have some of this good supper the matron has left us。 Tell me about your family。 Eyes like yours are too lovely to spoil with tears。〃 （Was this Peter speaking？ Surely。 If not Peter； then who？ Nobody？）
Tears were wiped away。 Wine was drunk and food eaten； fire allowed to warm skin to a roseate gleaming。 Bodies allowed to huddle together for fort when the howling came； to seek the softness of the mattresses and quilts； to burrow； explore； touch； wonder at； murmur at。 Alone； I would have made all stiff； plex； and hateful； but with Trandilar all merely occurred。 I seem to recall some howls from within the room； but I cannot be sure。 It was of no matter。
When I awoke； I found her staring at me； the tears running down her cheeks once again。
〃Why are you crying？ What's the matter？〃
〃They will arrange a marriage for me；〃 she sobbed； 〃with someone awful； and it will never be like this again。〃
Oh； Trandilar。 Is nothing ever as it should be？
Later that morning the Midwife came to the door of our room； as the matron had said she would。 The dress of a midwife is red； with a white cowl and owl's feathers in a crest。 She stared at me。 then laid hands upon Sylbie with an expression of fierce concentration before shaking her head and turning away without a word。 At which Sylbie turned unwontedly cheerful； as suddenly as she had bee teary before。
〃You must stay another night；〃 she crowed。 〃Nothing happened。〃
I replied； somewhat stiffly； that I felt a good deal had happened； at which she was properly giggly。 I had not known before that girls were giggly。 Boys are； young boys； that is； in the dormitories of the schools。 Perhaps girls are allowed to retain some childhood habits and joys which boys are not。 Or perhaps it is only that male Gamesmen are so driven by Talent…but no。 The whole matter was too plex to think out。 At any rate； the matron came again to give us leave toga into the market while she arranged for the room to be cleaned and food brought in。 So the day went by and another night during which I had no real need of Trandilar； and another morning with Sylbie weeping； for this time the Midwife nodded； the owl feathers bobbing upon her head。 A child would be forthing； it seemed； and the purpose of my being a nobody had been fulfilled。 We sat in the window above the Street as she shed tears all down the front of my tunic。
〃There is no reason to believe you will not have great pleasure with your husband；〃 I said。 Privately； I thought it unlikely unless he had been taught by Trandilar； until I remembered that Trandilar herself had been taught by someone。 〃Don't cry； Sylbie。 This is foolishness！〃
〃You don't understand；〃 she cried。 〃They will marry me off to someone I don't even know。 Someone old； or bald； or fat as a stuffed goose。 Young men don't get wives with settlements as good as I have； or so my mother says。 They have not the wherewithal。 Only old men have enough of the world's wealth to afford a wealthy wife。 Oh； Peter； I shall die； die； die。〃
She was such a pretty thing； soft as a kitten； warm as a muffin。 I was moved to do something for her； saying to myself as I did so that the occasion for doing helpful things should not pass me by again while I mumbled and mowed and made fa
