sheritepper.necromancer nine-第13部分

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　was　black　without　any　light　in　it　at　all。　Her　eyes　were　smudged　with　deep　shadow。　Her　lips　curved　downward　and　upward　in　the　center　in　that　most　sensuous　of　lines；　that　half　smile　which　is　a　silent　evocation　of　passion。　A　few　days　before　I　would　not　have　noticed。　Now　I　did。　So　much　had　I　learned　in　Betand。　She　walked　with　grace；　but　with　a　slight　。。。　what　was　it？　A　kind　of　hesitation；　a　tentative　placement　of　her　feet；　as　though　she　had　some　reluctance。　So　she　came　beside　the　wide…mouthed　man　and　said　in　a　soft；　neutral　voice；　〃Wele；　traveler。　Would　you　desire　food　or　drink？〃
　〃Not　for　me；〃　I　said　hastily。　I　felt　I　had　done　nothing　but　eat　and　drink　for　several　days。　〃Truly；　and　thank　you。　I　must　ride　on。
　〃We　will　not　hear　of　it。〃　The　Trader　had　a　firm　arm　about　my　shoulders；　fingers　dug　into　my　upper　arm　in　what　might　have　been　a　friendly　grip　but　felt　like　the　talons　of　a　bird　of　prey。　〃Never。　You　will　ride　with　us；　and　we　with　you；　for　our　mutual　protection。　If　you　need　to　go　now；　then　so　will　we。〃　And　with　that　he　called　instructions　to　some　of　the　people　in　the　shade　of　the　wagons　and　provoked　a　swift　turmoil　of　harnessing　and　packing。　I　tried　vainly　to　remonstrate　with　him；　to　no　avail。　Each　argument　was　met　with　firm；　smiling　denial；　while　all　the　time　his　eyes　looked　into　my　soul　without　smiling　at　all。　I　had　never　before　met　one　who　would；　on　no　acquaintance；　call　me　friend　so　often　in　so　insistent　a　voice。　　Well；　what　could　I　do？　They　were　moving　out　onto　the　road；　going　in　the　way　I　intended　to　go。　It　was　with　no　good　grace　I　acpanied　them；　but　acpany　them　I　did。　All　the　while　the　woman；　Izia；　moved　among　the　horses；　as　I　watched　her　broodingly。　clucking　to　them；　speaking　softly　to　them；　fingers　going　to　the　harness　as　she　murmured　into　their　cocked　ears；　submitted　to　the　nuzzling　of　their　muzzles。　When　Nap　came　near；　the　animals　shied　away；　but　they　responded　to　her　as　though　she　had　been　one　of　them。　She　was　dressed　in　a　swinging；　wide　skirt；　a　tightly…laced　bodice　over　a　wide…sleeved　shirt；　and　high　gray　boots　of　some　strange　metallic　weave。　From　time　to　time　she　would　bend　to　stroke　the　boots；　or　more…to　stroke　her　legs　through　the　boots；　first　one　and　then　the　other；　almost　without　seeming　to　know　she　did　it。　I　wondered；　once　more；　at　the　hesitancy　in　her　step；　then　decided　it　must　be　a　thing　mon　to　her　people；　for　several　of　those　in　the　train　walked　in　the　same　way。　Probably；　I　thought；　it　was　a　habit　peculiar　to　whatever　land　they　had　e　from。
　I　cast　my　mind　back　to　the　time　when　Silkhands　the　Healer　had　spent　hours　and　days　teaching　me　all　the　Gamesmen　in　the　Index。　It　had　been　boring　at　the　time；　but　now　I　searched　the　memories　to　find　what　type　of　creature　this　Laggy　Nap　might　be。　〃Trader〃　had　been　in　the　Index。　I　recalled　the　Talents　of　a　Trader；　to　hold　power；　some；　and　to　have　beguilement。　The　dress　of　a　Trader　was　leather　boots；　trousers　of　striped　brown　and　red；　wide…sleeved　shirt；　and　over　all　loose　cap　and　tunic　embroidered　with　symbols　of　whatever　stuff　was　traded。　Laggy　Nap's　tunic　was　covered　with　embroidered　pictures　of　everything　from　pans　and　lids　to　horses'　heads；　tinner　to　horse　dealer；　he　seemed　a　man　of　many　trades。　None　of　the　others　wore　the　guise　of　Gamesmen。　They　were　dressed　much　as　the　woman　was；　full　short　trousers　over　the　gray　boots；　wide　shirts　and　laced　vests。　I　wondered　where　they　came　from　but　forbore　to　ask。　I　did　not　want　to　talk　to　the　Trader　more　than　necessary。　I　did　not　know　why；　could　not　have　explained　why；　but　the　feeling　was　strong。　It　was　as　though　I　felt　he　could　hear　more　in　my　words　than　I　meant；　see　more　in　my　face　than　I　cared　to　show。　I　smiled；　therefore；　and　nodded　as　he　spoke　to　me；　saying　little　in　return。　So　are　fools　sometimes　protected　by　instinct　when　they　are　too　stupid　to　do　it　by　wit。　　So　we　rode　out；　me　silent　as　could　be；　spending　most　of　my　time　watching　the　woman。　At　first　it　was　because　I　thought　her　so　beautiful；　but　after　a　time　I　saw　that　she　was　not　so　lovely　as　first　glance　had　told　me。　Her　nose　was　too　long。　Her　mouth　too　wide。　One　eye　was　a　little　higher　than　the　other；　and　she　seemed　always　to　have　her　head　cocked　as　though　waiting　for　the　reply　to　some　forgotten　question。　Still；　I　could　not　stop　watching　her；　and　I　rode　so　that　wherever　she　was　in　the　train；　I　would　see　her　as　I　rode。　She　drew　my　eyes　as　a　treasure　draws　a　miser。
　She　saw　that　I　watched　her　and　turned　her　head　away；　not　as　if　displeased；　but　as　though　saddened。　I　had　done　nothing　to　make　her　sad。　There　was　another　reason　for　that；　and　I　resolved　to　learn　it。　Whenever　we　stopped；　she　was　quick　among　some　of　the　silent　men　to　bring　drink　or　prepare　food；　and　I　tried　to　talk　with　her　about　one　thing　or　another。　It　was　as　though　she　had　never　learned　to　speak　more　than　three　words　at　a　time。　Yes。　No。　May　I　bring？　Take　some　。。。　Her　distress　at　being　addressed　was　so　patent　that　I　stopped　at　last；　pretending　what　I　should　have　pretended　from　the　first…disinterest。　It　was　good　I　did。　Nap　was　scowling　at　me　when　he　did　not　think　I　saw　him。　　
　There　were　some　eight　wains　in　the　train；　most　of　them　open　wagons　loaded　high　with　crates　and　covered　with　waterproofs。　One　or　two　were　fitted　up　as　living　places　in　which　the　persons　of　the　train　might　sleep　and　prepare　their　food。　One　was　a　chilly；　small　wagon　which　breathed　vapor　like　a　dragon　and　contained；　so　Laggy　Nap　said；　perishable　foodstuffs　accounted　great　delicacies　in　the　west。　The　wagons　creaked　along　behind　their　teams；　some　of　horses　and　some　of　water　oxen；　and　the　persons　driving　were　silent。　Izia　was　silent。　I　was　silent　while　Laggy　Nap　talked　and　talked　and　talked　of　everything　and　anything　and　the　world。　　　
　So　went　a　day；　a　night；　another　day；　and　in　the　evening　of　the　second　day；　as　I　went　to　relieve　myself　in　a　copse　at　the　side　of　the　road；　I　realized　that　I　was　being　guarded。　One　of　the　persons　in　the　train　walked　by　the　copse；　and　I　recalled　that　every　time　I　had　ridden　a　little　ahead　or　lagged　a　little　behind；　someone　had　been　beside　me　within　moments。　Yes；　I　told　myself；　you　knew　it　before。　It　is　this　which　has　made　you　unfortable　all　along。　　These　people　are　not　simply　offering　you　pany　on　the　way；　they　are　keeping　you；　guarding　you；　and　would　not　let　you　go　away　if　you　tried　to　escape。　I　was　as　certain　of　it　as　if　I　had　been　told　it　by　Laggy　Nap　himself。　
　I　lingered　in　the　copse；　within　sight　of　the　man　who　watched　me；　giving　no　sign　I　was　disturbed；　going　over　and　over　in　my　head　the　words　Mavin　had　left　for　my　guide。　　　〃Befriend　the　shadows　and　beware　of　friends。〃　She　had　warned　me；　and　I　had　not　been　alert　to　the　warning。　Well。　So　and　so。　Time　enough　to　be　wary　now。　
　I　adjusted　my　clothing　and　wandered　back　to　the　wagons；　pausing　now　and　then　to　look　at　a　tree　or　a　bush。　Were　there　shadows？　If　so；　where？　I　saw　none；　could　find　none；　and　was　greeted　by　Laggy　Nap　at　the　fire　as　though　I　had　been　away　for　a　year　and　we　were　lovers。　My　throat　was　dry　as　autumn　grass；　and　I　was　afraid。　Well；　I　would　learn　nothing　to　help　me　by　silence。　It　was　time　to　play　their　Game　and　hope　I　had　time　to　yet　win　something　to　my　benefit。　　
　So　that　evening　I　drank　with　him；　talked　with　him；　told　him　long　tales　of　Betand；　including　three　thousand　things　which　had　not　happened　there　with　at　least　a　hundred　maidens　who　did　not　exist。　All　the　while　his　wide　mouth　smiled　while　his　eyes　looked　coldly　into　my　heart。　All　the　while　I　kept　my　eyes　away　from　Izia；　praying　I　had　not　already　harmed　her　by　my　interest。　　Finally；　I　pretended　drunkenness；　asked　him　about　this　and　that。　　〃Have　you　heard　of　magicians？〃　I　hiccupped　to　show　that　the　question　was　not　of　importance。　〃In　Betand　they　talk　of　。。。　hic　。。。　magicians。〃
　His　hand　twitched。　I　saw　the　jaw　tighten　over　his　smile　and　Izia；　where　she　crouched　by　the　fire；　started　touching　her　legs　as　though　wounded；　looking　up　as　though　she　had　heard　an　ugly　voice　call　her　name。　I　put　my　nose　in　the　cup　and　made　gulping　sounds。　Something　wrong。　Well；　I　would　take　time　to　consider　it　later。
　〃Magicians；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃No。　I　don't　think　I've　heard　of　magicians。〃
　〃Nor　I　before；〃　I　babbled；　all　bibulous　naivete。　〃But　there　in　Betand　they　talk　much　of　magicians。　Why　is　t