gc.thewhiterose-第32部分

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　　　〃This　isn't　smart；〃　I　said　as　we　approached　a　gate　in　Roses'　pale　red　walls；　toward　sunset。　〃We've　all　been　here　before。　You　two　should　be　well…remembered；　what　with　having　robbed　half　the　citizens。〃
　　　〃Robbed？〃　One…Eye　protested。　〃Who　robbed？　。　。　。　〃
　　　〃Both　of　you　clowns。　Selling　those　damned　guaranteed…to…work　amulets　when　we　were　after　Raker。〃
　　　Raker　was　a　one…time　Rebel　general。　He　had　beaten　the　crap　out　of　the　Limper　farther　north；　then　the　pany；　with　a　little　help　from　Soulcatcher；　had　sucked　him　into　a　trap　in　Roses。　Both　Goblin　and　One…Eye　had　preyed　on　the　populace。　One…Eye　was　an　old　hand　at　that。　Back　when　we　were　in　the　south；　beyond　the　Sea　of　Torments；　he　had　been　involved　in　every　shady　scheme　he　could　find。　Most　of　his　ill…gotten　gains　he　soon　lost　at　cards。　He　is　the　world's　worst　cardplayer。
　　　You'd　think　by　one…fifty　he　would　learn　to　count　them。
　　　The　plan　was　for　us　to　lay　up　at　some　sleazy　no…questions…asked　inn。　Tracker　and　I　would　go　out　next　day　and　buy　a　wagon　and　team。　Then　we　would　head　out　the　way　we　had　e；　pick　up　what　gear　we　had　been　unable　to　carry；　and　circle　the　city　by　heading　north。
　　　That　was　the　plan。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　did　not　stick　to　it。
　　　Rule　Number　One　for　a　soldier：　Stick　to　the　mission。　The　mission　is　paramount。
　　　For　Goblin　and　One…Eye　all　rules　are　made　to　be　broken。　When　Tracker　and　I　returned；　with　Toadkiller　Dog　loafing　along　behind；　it　was　late　afternoon。　We　parked。　Tracker　stood　by　while　I　went　upstairs。
　　　No　Goblin。　No　One…Eye。
　　　The　proprietor　told　me　they　had　left　soon　after　I　had；　chattering　about　finding　some　women。
　　　My　fault。　I　was　in　charge。　I　should　have　foreseen　it。　It　had　been　a　long；　long；　long　time。　I　paid　for　another　two　nights；　just　in　case。　Then　I　turned　animals　and　wagon　over　to　the　hostler's　boy；　had　supper　with　a　silent　Tracker；　and　retreated　to　our　room　with　several　quarts　of　beer。　We　shared　it；　Tracker；　me；　and　Toadkiller　Dog。
　　　〃You　going　looking　for　them？〃　Tracker　asked。
　　　〃No。　If　they　haven't　e　back　in　two　days　or　pulled　the　roof　in　on　us；　we'll　go　ahead　without　them。　I　don't　want　to　be　seen　around　them。　There'll　be　people　here　who　remember　them。〃
　　　We　got　pleasantly　buzzed。　Toadkiller　Dog　seemed　capable　of　drinking　people　under　the　table。　Loved　his　beer；　that　dog。　Actually　got　up　and　moved　around　when　he　didn't　have　to。
　　　Next　morning；　no　Goblin。　No　One…Eye。　But　plenty　of　rumors。　We　entered　the　mon　room　late；　after　the　morning　crowd　and　before　the　noontime　rush。　The　hostler　had　no　other　ears　to　bend。
　　　〃You　guys　hear　about　the　ruckus　over　in　the　east　end　last　night？〃
　　　I　groaned　before　he　got　to　the　meat　of　it。　I　knew。
　　　〃Yeah。　Regular　wahoo　war　party。　Fires。　Sorcery。　Lynch　mob。　Excitement　like　this　old　town　hain't　seen　since　that　time　they　were　after　that　General　What's…it　the　Lady　wanted。〃
　　　After　he　went　to　pester　another　customer；　I　told　Tracker；　〃We'd　better　get　out　now。〃
　　　〃What　about　Goblin　and　One…Eye？〃
　　　〃They　can　take　care　of　themselves。　If　they　got　themselves　lynched；　tough。　I'm　not　going　poking　around　and　getting　myself　a　stretched　neck；　too。　If　they　got　away；　they　know　the　plan。　They　can　catch　up。〃
　　　〃I　thought　the　Black　pany　didn't　leave　its　dead　behind。〃
　　　〃We　don't。〃　I　said　it；　but　maintained　my　determination　to　let　the　wizards　stew　in　what　juice　they　had　concocted。　I　did　not　doubt　that　they　had　survived。　They　had　been　in　trouble　before；　a　thousand　times。　A　good　hike　might　have　a　salutary　effect　on　their　feel　for　mission　discipline。
　　　Meal　finished；　I　informed　the　proprietor　that　Tracker　and　I　were　departing；　but　that　our　panions　would　keep　the　room。　Then　I　led　a　protesting　Tracker　to　the　wagon；　put　him　aboard；　and　when　the　boy　had　the　hitch　ready；　headed　for　the　western　gate。
　　　It　was　the　long　way；　through　tortuous　streets；　over　a　dozen　arched　bridges　spanning　canals；　but　it　led　away　from　yesterday's　silliness。　As　we　went　I　told　Tracker　how　we　had　tricked　Raker　into　a　noose。　He　appreciated　it。
　　　〃That　was　the　pany's　trademark；〃　I　concluded。　〃Get　the　enemy　to　do　something　stupid。　We　were　the　best　when　it　came　to　fighting；　but　we　only　fought　when　nothing　else　worked。〃
　　　〃But　you　were　paid　to　fight。〃　Things　were　black…and…white　to　Tracker。　Sometimes　I　thought　he　had　spent　too　much　time　in　the　woods。
　　　〃We　were　paid　for　results。　If　we　could　do　the　job　without　fighting；　all　the　better。　What　you　do　is；　you　study　your　enemy。　Find　a　weakness；　then　work　on　it。　Darling　is　good　at　that。　Though　working　on　the　Taken　is　easier　than　you　would　think。　They're　all　vulnerable　through　their　egos。〃
　　　〃What　about　the　Lady？〃
　　　〃I　couldn't　say。　She　doesn't　seem　to　have　a　handle。　A　touch　of　vanity；　but　I　don't　see　how　to　get　hold　of　it。　Maybe　through　her　drive　to　dominate。　By　getting　her　to　overextend　herself。　I　don't　know。　She's　cautious。　And　smart。　Like　when　she　sucked　the　Rebel　in　at　Charm。　Killed　three　birds　with　one　stone。　Not　only　did　she　eliminate　the　Rebel；　she　exposed　the　unreliable　among　the　Taken　and　squashed　the　Dominator's　attempt　to　use　them　to　get　free。〃
　　　〃What　about　him？〃
　　　〃He　isn't　a　problem。　He's　probably　more　vulnerable　than　the　Lady；　though。　He　don't　seem　to　think。　He's　like　a　bull。　So　damned　strong　that's　all　he　needs。　Oh；　a　little　guile；　like　at　Juniper；　but　mostly　just　the　hammer…strokes　type。〃
　　　Tracker　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃Could　be　something　to　what　you　say。〃
　　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Five：THE　BARROWLAND
　　　
　　　Corbie　miscalculated。　He　forgot　that　others　beside　Case　were　interested　in　his　fate。
　　　When　he　failed　to　show　for　work　various　places；　people　came　looking　for　him。　They　pounded　on　doors；　tapped　on　windows；　and　got　no　response。　One　tried　the　door。　It　was　locked。　Now　there　was　genuine　concern。
　　　Some　argued　for　kicking　a　break…in　up　the　chain　of　mand；　others　for　moving　now。　The　latter　view　prevailed。　They　broke　the　lock　and　spread　out　inside。
　　　They　found　a　place　obsessive　in　its　neatness；　spartan　in　its　furnishings。　The　first　man　upstairs　yelped；　〃Here　he　is。　He's　had　a　stroke　or　something。〃
　　　The　pack　crowded　into　the　little　upstairs　room。　Corbie　sat　at　a　table　on　which　lay　an　oilskin　packet　and　a　book。　〃A　book！〃　someone　said。　〃He　was　weirder　than　we　thought。〃
　　　A　man　touched　Corbie's　throat；　felt　a　feeble　pulse；　noted　that　Corbie　was　taking　shallow　breaths　spaced　far　more　widely　than　those　of　a　man　sleeping。　〃Guess　he　did　have　a　stroke。　Like　he　was　sitting　here　reading　and　it　hit　him。〃
　　　〃Had　an　uncle　went　like　that；〃　someone　said。　〃When　I　was　a　kid。　Telling　us　a　story　and　just　went　white　and　keeled　over。〃
　　　〃He's　still　alive。　We　better　do　something。　Maybe　he'll　be　all　right。〃
　　　A　big　rush　downstairs；　men　tumbling　over　men。
　　　Case　heard　when　the　group　rushed　into　headquarters。　He　was　on　duty。　The　news　put　him　in　a　quandary。　He　had　promised　Corbie　。　。　。　But　he　could　not　run　off。
　　　Sweet's　personal　interest　got　the　news　bucked　up　the　ladder　fast。　The　Colonel　came　out　of　his　office。　He　noted　Case　looking　stricken。　〃You　heard。　e　along。　Let's　have　a　look。　You　men。　Find　the　barber。　Find　the　vet。〃
　　　Made　you　reflect　on　the　value　of　men　when　the　army　provided　a　vet　but　not　a　physician。
　　　The　day　had　begun　auspiciously；　with　a　clear　sky。　That　was　rare。　Now　it　was　cloudy。　A　few　raindrops　fell；　spotting　the　wooden　walks。　As　Case　followed　Sweet；　and　a　dozen　men　followed　him；　he　barely　noted　the　Colonel's　remarks　about　necessary　improvements。
　　　A　crowd　surrounded　Corbie's　place。　〃Bad　news　travels　fast；〃　Case　said。　〃Sir。〃
　　　〃Doesn't　it？　Make　a　hole　here；　men。　ing　through。〃　He　paused　inside。　〃He　always　this　tidy？〃
　　　〃Yes；　sir。　He　was　obsessive　about　order　and　doing　things　by　the　numbers。〃
　　　〃I　wondered。　He　stretched　the　rules　a　bit　with　his　night　walks。〃
　　　Case　gnawed　his　lip　and　wondered　if　he　ought　to　give　the　Colonel　Corbie's　message。　He　decided　it　was　not　yet　time。
　　　〃Upstairs？〃　the　Colonel　asked　one　of　the　men　who　had　found　Corbie。
　　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　　Case　was　up　the　stairs　already。　He　spied　Corbie's　oilskin　packet；　without　thinking　started　to　slide　it　inside　his　jacket。
　　　〃Son。〃
　　　Case　turned。　Sweet　stood　in　the　doorway；　frowning。
　　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　　　The　Colonel　was　the　most　intimidating　figure　Case　could　imagine。　More