fs.thefirstbookofswords-第21章
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Barbara paused with her hand on the cage； whose forlorn occupant still keened。 〃Do you suppose the big ones came after this？ They must have heard it yelping。〃
Ben shook his head decisively。 〃Never knew dragons to act that way。 Big ones don't care about a small one； except maybe to eat it if they're hungry； which they usually are。〃 Ben was worried； but not about dragons。 〃If Nestor's gone； what're we going to do？〃
Barbara said： 〃We've looked everywhere around here。 Either he's still running； or else he got hurt or killed and washed down the river。 I can't think of anything else。〃
〃Or；〃 said Mark； ing back toward the others in his vain seeking； 〃the soldiers got him after all。 And my sword with him。〃
They all looked once more for Nestor and the sword。 They even followed the river downstream for a little distance。 It seemed plain that a body drifting in this stream would catch in shallows or on a rock before it had gone very far。 Still there was no sign of man or weapon。
At last Barbara was the decisive one。 〃If the soldiers did get him； he's gone； and if he's dead he's dead。 If he's still running； well； we can't catch him when we've got no idea which way he went。 We'd better get ourselves out of here。 More soldiers could e back。 Einar； your sword's just not here either。 If Nestor's got it； and he catches up with us； you'll get it back。〃
〃Where'll we go？〃 Ben sounded almost like a child。
She answered firmly： 〃On to Sir Andrew's。 If Nestor is going to e looking for us anywhere； it'll be there。〃
〃But what'll we say when we get there？ What'll we do？ Sir Andrew's expecting Nestor。〃
〃We'll say he's delayed。〃 Barbara patted Ben's arm hard； encouragingly。 〃Anyway； we've still got Nestor's sword。 You can kill dragons with it if you have to； can't you？ If little Einar here can do it。〃
Ben looked； if not frightened； at least doubtful。 〃I guess we can talk about that on the way。〃
Chapter 8
Two men were sitting in Kind Sir Andrew's dungeon。 One； who was young； perched on a painted stool just inside the bars of a modious whitewashed cell。 The other man was older； better dressed； and occupied a similar seat not very far outside the bars。 He was reading aloud to the prisoner out of an ancient book。 To right and left were half a dozen other cells； all apparently unoccupied； all clean and whitewashed； all surprisingly light and airy for apartments in a dungeon。 Though this level of the castle was half underground； there were windows set high in the end wall of the large untenanted cell at the far end of the row。
At a somewhat greater distance； down a branching； stonevaulted； cross corridor； were other cells that gave evidence of habitation； though not by human beings。 Sir Andrew had caused that more remote portion of his dungeon to be converted into a kind of bestiary； now housing birds and beasts of varied types； whose confinement had required the weaving of cord nets across the original heavy gratings of the cell doors and windows。
Yes； there were more windows in that wing。 You could tell by the amount of light along the corridor that way。 The young man on the stool inside the cell； who was currently the only human inmate in the whole dungeon； and who was supposed to be listening to the reading； kept looking about him with a kind of chronic wonder； at windows and certain other surprises。 The young man's name was at least that was the only name he could remember for himself。 He was thin…faced and thin…boned； and had lank； dark； thinning hair。 His clothes were ragged； and his weathered plexion showed that he had not been an indoor prisoner for any length of recent time。 He had quick eyes … quick nervous hands as well； hands that now and then rubbed at his wrists as if he were still in need of reassurance that they were not bound。 Every now and then he would raise his head and turn it； distracted by the small cheerful cries that came from his fellow prisoners down the corridor。
Kaparu was no stranger to the inside of jails and dungeons； but never in all his wanderings had he previously encountered or even imagined a jail like this。 To begin with； light and air were present in quite astonishing quantities。 Yes； the large cell at the end of the row had real windows； man…sized slits extending through the whole thickness of the lower castle wall； like tunnels open to the bright late summer afternoon。 The way it looked； the last prisoner put in there might just have walked out through the window。 In through those embrasures came not only air and light； but additional cheerful sounds。 Outside on Sir Andrew's green the fair was getting under way。
There was also a sound； ing from somewhere else in the dungeon； of water dripping。 But somehow； in this clean； white interior； the sound suggested not dankness and slow time； but rather the outdoor gurgle of a brook。 Or； more aptly； the lapping of a lake。 The castle stood on a modest rise of ground； the highest in the immediate neighborhood； but its back was to a sizable lake； whose surface level was only a little lower than this dungeon floor。
Resting on the floor of the prisoner's cell； not far from the feet of his stool； was a metal dish that held a sizable fragment of bread； bread fresh from the oven today and without insects。 Beside the plate； a small pottery jug held clean drinking water。 At intervals the prisoner involuntarily darted a glance toward the bread； and each time he did so his left foot as if in reflex lifted a trifle from the stool … rung it was on … but in this peculiar dungeon there were evidently no rats to be continually kicked and shooed away。
And each time the prisoner turned his head to look at the plate； his gaze was likely to linger； in sheer disbelief； upon the small vase filled with fresh cut flowers； that stood beside his water jug。
The man who sat outside the cell； so patiently reading aloud from the old book； had not been young for some indeterminate time。 He was broadly built； and quite firmly and positively established in middle age； as if he had no intention at all of ever growing really old。 His clothing was rich in fabric and in workmanship； but simple in cut； and more than ordinarily untidy。 Like his garments； his beard and mustache of sandy gray were marked with traces of his recently concluded lunch； which had obviously prised some richer stuff than bread and water。
At more or less regular intervals； he turned the pages of the old book with powerful though ungraceful fingers； and he continued to read aloud from the book in his slow； strong voice。 It was a knowledgeable voice； and never stumbled； though its owner was translating an old language to a new one as he read。 Still there were hesitations； as if the reader wanted to make very sure of every word before he gave it irrevocable pronunciation。 He read：
〃'And the god Ardneh said to the men and women of the Old World； once only will I stretch forth the power of my hand to save you from the end of your own folly； once only and no more。 Once only will I change the world； that the world may not be destroyed by the hellbomb creatures that you in your pride and carelessness have called up out of the depths of matter。 And once only will I hold my Change upon the world； and the number of the years of Change will be fortynine thousand； nine hundred； and forty…nine。
〃'And the men and women of the Old World said to the god Ardneh； we hear thee and agree。 And with thy Change let the world no longer be called Old； but New。 And we do swear and covenant with thee； that never more shall we kill and rape and rob one another in hope of profit； of revenge； or sport。 And never again shall we bomb and level one another's cities； never again。。。 ' 〃
Here the reader paused； regarding his prisoner sternly。 〃Is something bothering you； sirrah？ You seem distracted。〃
The man inside the cell started visibly。 〃I； Sir Andrew？ No； not I。 Nothing is bothering me。 Unless。。。 well； unless； I mean； it is only that a man tends to feel happier when he's outside a cell than when he's in one。〃 And the prisoner's face； which was an expressive countenance when he wished it to be； brought forth a tentative smile。
Sir Andrew's incipient frown deepened in response。 〃If you think you would be happier outside； then pray do not let your attention wander when I am reading to you。 Your chance of rejoining that happy； sunlit world beyond yon windows depends directly upon your behavior here。 Your willingness to admit past errors； to seek improvement； take instruction； and reform。〃
Kaparu said quickly： 〃Oh； I admit my errors； sir。 I do indeed。 And I can take instruction。〃
〃Fine。 Understand that I am never going to set you free； never； as long as I think you are likely to return to your old habits of robbing innocent travelers。〃
The prisoner； like a child reprimanded in some strict school； now sat up straight。 He became all attention。 〃I am trying； Sir Andrew； to behave well。〃 And he gave another quick glance around his cell； this time as if to make sure that no evidence to the contrary might be showing。
〃You are； are you？ Then listen carefully。〃 Sir Andrew cleared his throat； and returned his gaze to the yellowed page before him。 As he resumed reading； his frown gradually disappeared； and his right hand rose unconsciously from the book； to emphasize key words with vague and clumsy gestures。
〃'。。。and when the full years of the Change had been acplished； Orcus； the Prince of Demons； had grown to his full strength。 And Orcus saw that the god Draffut； the Lord of Beasts and of all human mercy； who sat at the right hand of Ardneh in the councils of the gods； was healing men and women in Ardneh's name； of all manner of evil wounds and sickness。 And when Orcus beheld this he was very wroth。 And he。。。'〃
〃Beg pardon； sir？〃
〃Eh？〃
〃That word； sir。 'Wroth'。 It's not one that I'm especially familiar with。〃
〃Ah。 'Wroth' simply means angry。 Wrathful。〃 Sir Andrew spoke now in a milder tone than before； milder in fact than the voice in which he generally read。 And at the same time his expression grew benign。
Once more he returned to his text。 〃Where was I？ Yes； here。。。'In all the Changed world； only Ardneh himself was strong enough to oppose Orcus。 Under the banner of Prince Duncan of the Offshore Islands； men and women of good will from around the earth rallied to the cause of good； aiding and supporting Ardneh。 And under the banner of the evil Emperor； John Ominor； all men and women who loved evil rallied from all the lands of the earth to。。。'〃
〃Sir？〃
〃Yes； what？〃
〃There's one more thing in there I don't understand； sir。 Did you say this John Ominor was an emperor？〃
〃Hm； hah； yes。 Listening now； are you？ Yes。 The Emperor in those days … we are speaking now； remember； of a time roughly two thousand years in the past； at the end of what is called Ardneh's Change； and when the great battle was fought out between Orcus and Ardneh； and both of them perished … at that time； I say； no man was called emperor unless he was a real power in the world。 Perhaps even its greatest power。 It might be possible to trace a very interesting connection from that to
