fs.thethirdbookofswords-第30章
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The Sword has pointed in the direction of the abandoned carnival； which was just visible over the nearest gentle rise of ground。
Mark began to walk in the direction of the carnival； leading his mount。 His escort followed silently； professionally alert for trouble。 Denis hesitated for a moment； then abandoned his gravedigging temporarily and came with them too。 The ruined show was only about a hundred meters distant。
Standing on the edge of the area of dilapidated tents and flimsy shelters； Mark looked about him with a frown。 〃This is very much like。。。〃
〃What？〃
〃Nothing。〃 But then Mark hesitated。 His voice when he replied again was strained。 〃Like one carnival in particular that I remember seeing once。。。 long ago。〃
It was of course impossible for him to be certain； but he had a feeling that it was really the same one。 Something about the tents； or maybe the names of the performers … though he could not remember any of them consciously … on the few worn； faded signs that were visible。
Yes。 Nine years ago； or thereabouts； this very carnival … he thought … had been encamped far from here； in front of what had then been Sir Andrew's castle。 That had been the night of Mark's second encounter with a Sword； the night on which someone had thrust Sightblinder into his hands。。。
One of the mounted Tasavaltan troopers sounded a low whistle； a signal meaning that an enemy had been sighted nearby。 Mark forgot the past and sprang alertly into his saddle。
There was barely time to grab for weapons before a patrol of the Dark King's cavalry was upon them。 Vilkata's troops abandoned stealth when they saw that they were seen； to e shouting and charging between the tents and flimsy shacks。
Mark； with Coinspinner raised； met one mounted attacker； a grizzled veteran who fell back wide…eyed when he saw his opponent brandishing a Sword； the magnificent blade made the god…forged weapons unmistakable even when the black hilt with its identifying symbol was hidden in a fist。 Other fighting swirled around them。 Mark's riding beast was slightly wounded。 He had to struggle to control it； as it carried him some little distance where he found himself almost alone。 The Sword of Good Luck could create certain difficulties for a leader； even when it perhaps simultaneously saved his life。 He waved a signal to such of his Tasavaltan people as he could see； then rode to lead them in a counterattack around a wooden structure a little larger than the rest of the carnival's ponents。
In a moment he discovered that his troops had evidently missed or misread his hand signal； and he was for the moment pletely alone。 Swearing by the anatomies of several gods and goddesses； he was wheeling his mount again； to get back to his troops； when his eye fell on the faded legend over the flimsy building's doorway。
It read： THE HOUSE OF MIRTH
And just outside the House of Mirth； a man was sitting； waiting for Mark。 The man； garbed in dull colors； sat there so quietly on a little bench that Mark had ridden past him once without even noticing his presence。 Mark was sure at once that the man was waiting for him； because he was looking at Mark as if he had been expecting him and no one else。
The man on the bench was pactly built； of indeterminate age； and wrapped in a gray cloak of quiet but now somewhat dusty elegance。 His face； Mark thought； was quite calm and also quite ordinary； and he sat there almost meekly； unarmed but with a long empty scabbard at his belt。
Coinspinner pointed straight at the man。 Then the Sword seemed to leap and twist in Mark's hand； and he could not retain his hold upon it。 The man on the bench had done nothing at all that Mark could see； but the Sword of Chance was no longer in Mark's grip； and the scabbard at the Emperor's side was no longer empty。
Even apart from Coinspinner's evidence； Mark had not the least doubt of who he was facing。 He had heard descriptions。 He had heard enough to make him wonder if； in spite of himself； he might be awed when this moment came。 But in fact the first emotion that Mark felt was anger； and his first words expressed it。 They came in a voice that trembled a little with his resentment； and it was not even the taking of the Sword that made him angry。
〃You are my father。 So my mother has told me。〃
The Emperor gave no sign of feeling any anger in response to Mark's。 He only looked Mark up and down and smiled a little； as if he were basically pleased with what he saw。 Then he said： 〃She told you truly； Mark。 You are my son。〃
〃Return my Sword。 I need it； and my troops need me。〃
〃Presently； they are managing without you at the moment。〃
Mark started to get down from his riding beast； meaning to confront the other even more closely。 But at the last moment he decided to hold on to whatever advantage remaining mounted might afford him … even though he suspected that would be none at all。
He accused the seated man again。 〃It was a long time afterward； my mother said； before she realized who you really were。 Not until after I was born。 You were masked； when you took her。 For a while she thought you were Duke Fraktin； that bastard。 Playing tricks； like a。。。 why did you do that to her？ And to my father？〃
Mark heard his own voice quiver on the last word。 Somehow the accusation had ended more weakly than it had begun。
The Emperor answered him steadily。 〃I did it； I took her as you say； because I wanted to bring you into being。〃
〃I。。。〃 It was difficult to find the right words； properly angry and forceful； to answer that。
The man on the bench added： 〃You are one of my many children； Mark。 The Imperial blood flows in your veins。〃
Again Mark's injured riding beast began to give him trouble； turning restively this way and that。 He worked to control it； and told himself that if only he had his Sword he would have turned his back on this man and ridden away； gone back to join the fight。 But his Sword was gone。 And now as soon as the animal looked directly at the Emperor it quieted。 It stood still； facing the man on the bench and trembling faintly。
And is it going to be the same with me？ Will I be pacified so easily？ Mark wondered。 Already his intended fury at this man was weakening。
Mark said； 〃I have been thinking about that； too。 The Imperial blood。 If I have it； what does that mean？〃
The Emperor stood up slowly。 There was still nothing physically impressive or even distinctive about him。 He was neither remarkably tall nor short； and； to Mark's dull senses at least； he radiated no aura of magic。 As he walked the few paces to stand beside Mark's trembling mount； he drew Coinspinner and casually handed it up to Mark； hilt first。 〃You will need this； as you say；〃 he remarked； as if in an aside。
And then； as Mark almost dazedly accepted the Sword； the Emperor answered his question。 〃It means； for one thing； that you have the ordering of demons。 More precisely； the ability to order them away； to cast them out。 What words； what particular incantation you employ to do so matters little。〃
Mark slid Coinspinner back into the sheath at his own side。 Now he was free to turn and ride away。 But he did not。 〃The demons； yes。。。 tell me。 There was a girl named Ariane； who was with me once in the Blue Temple dungeon。 Who saved me from a demon there。 Was she。。？〃
〃Another of my children。 Yes。 Did she not once think that she recognized you as a brother？〃
〃She did。 Yes。〃 Now even weak anger was ebbing swiftly； could not be called anger any longer。 Now it had departed。 Leaving。。。 what？
Again the Emperor was smiling at him faintly； proudly。 〃You are a fit husband； Mark； for any Queen on Earth … or any Princess either。 I think you are too good for most of them … but then I may be prejudiced。 Fathers tend to be。〃 The man in gray stood holding on to Mark's stirrup now； and squinting up at him。 〃There's something else； isn't there？ What else are you trying to ask me？〃
Mark blurted out a jumble of words； more or less connected with the memorized version of Princess Kristin's formal request for an alliance。
〃Yes； that's what she sent you after me to do； isn't it？ Well； I have a reputation as a prankster； but I can be serious。 Tell the Princess； when you see her； that she has an alliance with me as long as she wants it。〃
There had been another alliance that Mark had meant to ask for。 But it was too late now。 〃Sir Andrew has just been killed。〃
〃I know that。〃
The calmness in the Emperor's voice seemed inhuman。 Suddenly Mark's anger was not dead after all。 〃He died not half a kilometer from here。 If you would be our ally； why aren't you fighting harder on our side？ Doing more？〃
His father … it was suddenly possible now to think of this man also in those terms … was not surprised by the reproach； or perturbed either。 He let go the stirrup； and stroked the riding beast's injured neck。 Mark thought he saw； though afterward he was not sure； one of the small wounds there wiped away as if it had been no more than a dead leaf fallen on the skin。 Mark's newly acceptable father said； 〃When you are as old as I am； my son； and able to understand as much； then you can intelligently criticize the way I am behaving now。〃
The Emperor stretched himself； a weary movement； then moved back a step and looked around。 〃I think this present skirmish at least is yours。 One day you and I will have a long time to talk。 But not just now。 Now that you have pleted your mission for the Princess； I would advise you to get your remaining people to Tashigang； and quickly inside the walls。 And warn the people in the city； if they do not already realize it； that an attack is imminent。〃
〃I will。〃 Mark heard himself accepting orders from this man； the same man he had sought for days； meaning to confront in accusation。 But this change was riot like that brought about by the Mindsword's hideous warping pressure。 This inward change； this decision； was his own； for all that it surprised him。
His revitalized mount was already carrying him away。 His father waved after him and called： 〃And you can give them this encouraging news as well … Rostov is bringing the Tasavaltan army to their aid！〃
Chapter 13
The little column of refugees was posed for the most part of cumbersome carts and loadbeasts； and for several days it had been moving with a nightmarish slowness over the appalling roads。 Now and again it left the roads； where a bridge had been destroyed or the only roads ran in the wrong directions； to go trundling off across someone's neglected fields。 In this manner the train of carts and wagons had made its way toward Tashigang。 The people in the train； all of them villagers or peasants who had been poor even before the war started； were fearful of the Dark King's cavalry； and with good reason。 Behind them the land was death and ruin； under a leaden sky hazed at the horizon with the smoke of burning villages。 The wooden…wheeled carts groaned with their increasing burden of people who could walk no more； and of the poor belongings that the people were still stubbornly trying to keep。 The loadbeasts； in need of food and most of all of rest； uttered their own sounds of protest。
Riding in the second wagon were four people； a man named Birch and his wife Micheline； along with their two small children。 The ma
