gc.thewhiterose-第47部分

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　　　〃Destroy　him。〃
　　　〃That's　impossible。〃
　　　〃In　the　town　where　I　was　born　there　is　a　folk　tale　about　a　man　so　mighty　he　dared　mock　the　gods。　In　the　end　his　might　proved　sheer　hubris；　for　there　is　one　against　whom　even　the　gods　are　powerless。〃
　　　〃What's　the　point？〃
　　　〃To　twist　an　old　saw；　death　conquers　all。　Not　even　the　Dominator　can　wrestle　death　and　win　every　time。〃
　　　〃There　are　ways；〃　she　admitted。　〃But　not　without　those　papers。　You　will　return　to　your　quarters　now；　and　reflect。　I　will　speak　to　you　again。〃
　　　I　was　dismissed　that　suddenly。　She　faced　the　dying　city。　Suddenly；　I　knew　my　way　out。　A　powerful　impulse　drove　me　toward　the　door。　A　moment　of　dizziness　and　I　was　outside。
　　　The　Colonel　came　puffing　along　the　corridor。　He　returned　me　to　my　cell。
　　　I　planted　myself　on　my　bunk　and　reflected；　as　ordered。
　　　There　was　evidence　enough　that　the　Dominator　was　stirring；　but　。　。　。　The　business　about　the　documents　not　holding　the　lever　we　had　counted　on…that　was　the　shocker。　That　I　had　to　swallow　or　reject；　and　my　choice　might　have　critical　repercussions。
　　　She　was　leading　me　for　her　own　ends。　Of　course。　I　conceived　numerous　possibilities；　none　pleasant；　but　all　making　a　sort　of　sense　。　。　。
　　　She'd　said　it。　If　the　Dominator　broke　out；　we　were　all　in　the　soup；　good　guys　and　bad。
　　　I　fell　asleep。　There　were　dreams；　but　I　do　not　recall　them。　I　awakened　to　find　a　hot　meal　freshly　delivered；　sitting　atop　a　desk　that　had　not　been　there　before。　On　that　desk　was　a　generous　supply　of　writing　materials。
　　　She　expected　me　to　resume　my　Annals。
　　　I　devoured　half　the　food　before　noting　Raven's　absence。　The　old　nerves　began　to　rattle。　Why　was　he　gone？　Where　to？　What　use　did　she　have　for　him？　Leverage？
　　　Time　is　funny　inside　the　Tower。
　　　The　usual　Colonel　arrived　as　I　finished　eating。　The　usual　soldiers　acpanied　him。　He　announced；　〃She　wants　you　again。〃
　　　〃Already？　I　just　came　back　from　there。〃
　　　〃Four　days　ago。〃
　　　I　touched　my　cheek。　I　have　been　affecting　only　a　partial　beard　of　late。　My　face　was　brushy。　So。　One　long　sleep。　〃Any　chance　I　could　get　a　razor？〃
　　　The　Colonel　smiled　thinly。　〃What　do　you　think？　A　barber　to　wait　in？　Will　you　e　along？〃
　　　I　got　a　vote？　Of　course　not。　I　followed　rather　than　be　dragged。
　　　The　drill　was　the　same。　I　found　her　at　a　window　again。　The　scene　showed　some　corner　of　the　Plain　where　one　of　Whisper's　fortifications　was　besieged。　It　had　no　heavy　ballistae。　A　windwhale　hovered　overhead；　keeping　the　garrison　in　hiding。　Walking　trees　were　dismantling　the　outer　wall　by　the　simple　mechanism　of　growing　it　to　death。　The　way　a　jungle　destroys　an　abandoned　city；　though　ten　thousand　times　faster　than　the　unthinking　forest。
　　　〃The　entire　desert　has　risen　against　me；〃　she　said。　〃Whisper's　outposts　have　suffered　an　annoying　variety　of　attacks。〃
　　　〃I　suspect　your　intrusions　are　resented。　I　thought　you　were　going　to　disengage。〃
　　　〃I　tried。　Your　deaf　peasant　isn't　cooperating。　Have　you　been　thinking？〃
　　　〃I've　been　sleeping　is　what　I've　been　doing。　As　you　know。〃
　　　〃Yes。　So。　There　were　matters　which　demanded　attention。　Now　I　can　devote　myself　to　the　problem　at　hand。〃　The　look　in　her　eye　made　me　want　to　run　。　。　。　She　gestured。　I　froze。　She　told　me　to　back　up；　to　sit　in　a　nearby　chair。　I　sat；　unable　to　shake　the　spell；　though　I　knew　what　was　ing。
　　　She　stood　before　me；　one　eye　closed。　The　open　eye　grew　bigger　and　bigger；　reached　out；　devoured　me　。　。　。
　　　I　think　I　screamed。
　　　The　moment　had　been　inevitable　since　my　capture；　though　I　had　held　a　foolish　hope　otherwise。　Now　she　would　drain　my　mind　like　a　spider　drains　a　fly　。　。　。
　　　I　recovered　in　my　cell；　feeling　as　though　I　had　been　to　hell　and　back。　My　head　throbbed。　It　was　a　major　undertaking　to　rise　and　stagger　to　my　medical　kit；　which　had　been　returned　after　my　captors　removed　the　lethals。　I　prepared　an　infusion　of　willow　inner　bark；　which　took　forever　because　I　had　no　fire　over　which　to　heat　the　water。
　　　Someone　came　in　as　I　nursed　and　cursed　the　first　weak；　bitter　cup。　I　did　not　recognize　him。　He　seemed　surprised　to　see　me　up。　〃Hello；〃　he　said。　〃Quick　recovery。〃
　　　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　　　〃Physician。　Supposed　to　check　you　once　an　hour。　You　weren't　expected　to　recover　for　a　long　time。　Headache？〃
　　　〃Goddamn　well　right。〃
　　　〃Cranky。　Good。〃　He　placed　his　bag　next　to　my　kit；　which　he　glanced　through　as　he　opened　his。　〃What　did　you　take？〃
　　　I　told　him；　asked；　〃What　do　you　mean；　good？〃
　　　〃Sometimes　they　e　out　listless。　Never　recover。〃
　　　〃Yeah？〃　I　thought　about　whipping　him　just　for　the　hell　of　it。　Just　to　vent　my　spleen。　But　what　was　the　point？　Some　guard　would　e　bouncing　in　and　make　my　pains　the　worse。　Too　much　like　work；　anyway。
　　　〃Are　you　something　special？〃
　　　〃I　think　so。〃
　　　A　flicker　of　a　smile。　〃Drink　this。　Better　than　the　bark　tea。〃　I　downed　the　drink　he　offered。　〃She　is　most　concerned。　Never　before　have　I　seen　her　care　what　became　of　one　subjected　to　the　deep　probe。〃
　　　〃How　about　that？〃　I　was　having　trouble　keeping　my　foul　mood。　The　drink　he'd　given　me　was　good　stuff；　and　fast。　〃What　was　that　concoction？　I　could　use　it　by　the　barrel。〃
　　　〃It's　addictive。　Rendered　from　the　juice　of　the　top　four　leaves　of　the　parsifal　plant。〃
　　　〃Never　heard　of　it。〃
　　　〃Rather　scarce。〃　He　was　examining　me　at　the　time。　〃Grows　in　some　place　called　the　Hollow　Hills。　The　natives　use　it　as　a　narcotic。〃
　　　The　pany　had　been　through　those　terrible　hills　once　upon　a　time。　〃Didn't　know　there　were　natives。〃
　　　〃They're　as　scarce　as　the　plant。　There's　been　talk　in　council　of　growing　it　mercially　after　the　fighting　ends。　As　a　medicinal。〃　He　clucked　his　tongue；　which　reminded　me　of　the　toothless　ancient　who　had　taught　me　medicine。　Funny。　I　hadn't　thought　of　him　in　ages。
　　　Funnier　still；　all　sorts　of　old　odd　memories　were　streaking　to　the　surface；　like　bottom　fish　scared　toward　the　light。　The　Lady　had　stirred　my　mind　good。
　　　I　did　not　pursue　his　remark　about　raising　the　weed　mercially；　though　that　was　at　odds　with　my　notion　of　the　Lady。　The　black　hearts　don't　worry　about　relieving　pain。
　　　〃How　do　you　feel　about　her？〃
　　　〃The　Lady？　Right　now？　Not　very　charitable。　How　about　you？〃
　　　He　ignored　that。　〃She　expects　to　see　you　as　soon　as　you　recover。〃
　　　〃Does　a　bear　shit　in　the　woods？〃　I　countered。　〃I　get　the　idea　I'm　not　exactly　a　prisoner。　How　about　I　get　some　air　on　the　roof？　Can't　hardly　run　away　from　there。〃
　　　〃I'll　see　if　it's　permitted。　Meantime；　take　some　exercise　here。〃
　　　Hah。　The　only　exercise　I　get　is　jumping　to　conclusions。　I　just　wanted　to　get　somewhere　outside　four　walls。　〃Am　I　still　among　the　living？〃　I　asked　when　he　finished　examining　me。
　　　〃For　the　time　being。　Though　with　your　attitude　I　am　amazed　you　survived　in　an　outfit　like　yours。〃
　　　〃They　love　me。　Worship　me。　Wouldn't　harm　a　hair　on　my　head。〃　His　mention　of　the　outfit　put　my　mood　on　the　downswing。　I　asked；　〃You　know　how　long　it's　been　since　I　was　captured？〃
　　　〃No。　I　think　you've　been　here　more　than　a　week。　Could　be　longer。〃
　　　So。　Guess　at　least　ten　days　since　my　capture。　Give　the　boys　the　benefit　of　the　doubt；　have　them　moving　light　and　hard；　and　they　had　maybe　covered　four　hundred　miles。　Just　one　giant　step　out　of　many。　Crap。
　　　Stalling　was　pointless　now。　The　Lady　knew　everything　I　did。　I　wondered　if　any　of　it　had　been　of　any　use。　Or　much　of　a　surprise。
　　　〃How　is　my　friend？〃　I　asked；　suffering　a　sudden　guilt。
　　　〃I　don't　know。　He　was　moved　north　because　his　connection　with　his　spirit　was　being　attenuated。　I'm　sure　the　subject　will　arise　when　next　you　visit　the　Lady。　I'm　finished。　Have　a　nice　stay。〃
　　　〃Sarky　bastard。〃
　　　He　grinned　as　he　left。
　　　Must　run　in　the　profession。
　　　The　Colonel　stepped　in　a　few　minutes　later。　〃I　hear　you　want　to　go　to　the　roof。〃
　　　〃Yeah。〃
　　　〃Inform　the　sentry　when　you　would　like　to　go。〃　He　had　something　else　on　his　mind。　After　a　pause　he　asked；　〃Isn't　there　any　military　discipline　in　your　outfit？〃
　　　He　was　irked　because　I　had　not　been　sirring　him。　Various　smart　remarks　occurred。　I　stifled　them。　My　status　might　not　remain　enigmatic。　〃Yes。　Though　not　so　much　as　in　earlier　days。　Not　enough　of　us　left　since　Juniper　to　make　that　stuff　worth　the　trouble。〃
　　　Sly　shot；　Croaker。　Put　them　on　the　defensive。　Tell　t