cspector.worldwithoutend-第29部分

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　〃No；　madam；　the　ill　fortune　was　mine；〃　he　murmured。　He　had　not　yet　released　my　hand。
　So　that　was　how　it　was　to　be。　All　so　very　polite　and　civilized；　until；　of　course；　the　knives　came　out。
　〃Would　you　like　a　tour　of　the　grounds？〃　Surehand　asked。
　〃Delighted；〃　I　said。　〃I　understand　they　are　most　impressive。〃
　
　I　let　him　pull　me　to　his　side　and　tucked　my　hand　into　the　crook　of　his　elbow。　〃I　am　curious；〃　he　said　as　he　led　me　away　from　the　small　circle　of　people　and　down　toward　his　great　house。　〃I　understand　you　knew　Goya。　I　have　always　been　a　great　admirer　of　his　work。　Tell　me；　was　he　mad　there　at　the　end？〃
　
　I　glanced　over　my　shoulder　at　Caimbeui；　but　he　was　already　engaged　in　conversation　with　a　pretty　young　woman　to　whom　we'd　just　been　introduced；　the　Countess　Teargan。　She　was　Surehand's　constant　panion；　and　even　Caimbeui　was　unable　to　aster…tain　the　nature　of　their　relationship。
　
　〃I　suppose　all　humans　go　mad　upon　realizing　that　they　will　die　soon；〃　I　said。　〃Isn't　that　their　great　misfortune？〃
　
　Surehand　glanced　at　me；　his　face　shrewd　for　a　moment　before　the　pleasant　mask　slipped　back　into　place。
　
　〃I　don't　believe　you　find　it　to　be；〃　he　said。　〃I've　always　found　that　peculiar　about　you。　You　seem　to　despise　your　immortal　state。〃
　
　〃Despise　is　a　bit　strong；〃　I　said　lightly。　〃I　find　the　proposition　a　bit　strange。　It　occurs　to　me　that　we　few　have　had　so　much　time；　yet　we　have　not　done　any　great　good　with　it。　And　often　we　have　done　such　harm　in　the　name　of　ourselves。〃
　
　〃Perhaps　we　are　beyond　such　notions　as　good　or　bad；〃　he　said。　We　were　crossing　the　broad　expanse　of　green　lawn。　Lawn　that　should　have　been　brown　this　time　of　year。
　
　〃But　isn't　that　the　very　problem？〃　I　asked。
　　〃So　you　concern　yourself　with　loftier　matters　than　　ours…is　that　it？〃　he　asked。　
　I　could　hear　the　edge　in　his　voice。
　　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃I　only　know　that　my　choices　are　those　I　can　live　with　lay　to　day。〃
　
　
　We　reached　the　foot　of　the　wide　steps　leading　up　to　a　terrace　outside　the　house。　In　the　dim　light；　it　looked　gray…white　and　unreal。　As　though　it　were　some　creation　conjured　up　to　amaze。
　
　〃Yet　you　e　here　to　ask　for　my　help；〃　he　said　as　he　led　me　up　the　steps。　It　was　getting　colder；　and　I　shivered。　He　pulled　off　his　jacket　and　draped　it　over　my　shoulders。　It　smelled　of　orris　root；　tobacco；　and　musk。
　
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　news　that　I　believe　must　be　told　not　only　to　the　Elders；　but　to　the　world　at　large。〃
　
　Pushing　open　the　wide　glass　doors；　Surehand　gestured　for　me　to　enter　the　house。　Inside　it　was　dark　and　shadowy。　I　banged　my　knee　on　something　and　gave　a　little　yelp。　Instantly；　the　room　was　bathed　in　golden　light。
　
　〃It's　that　damn　ottoman；〃　he　said。　〃I　keep　telling　the　maids　not　to　leave　it　here；　but　they　never　listen。　Are　you　all　right？〃
　
　I　flopped　down　on　the　ottoman　and　pulled　my　skirt　up　to　look　at　the　damage。　It　was　minor；　but　I　could　tell　there　would　be　a　bruise　the　next　day。
　
　〃It's　nothing；〃　I　said　as　I　smoothed　my　skirt　back　down。　〃Is　it　safe　to　talk　here？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　he　replied。　〃The　house　and　grounds　are　swept　on　a　regular　basis　for　any　sort　of　bugging…　magical　or　otherwise。　I'm　curious；　though。　You　are　here　with　Harlequin。　Surely　you　know　he　is　at　odds　with　Ehran。〃
　
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃But　his　relationship　with　you　is　still　intact。　And　I　have　much　more　severe　problems　among　the　Elders　of　this　Tir　myself。　Aithne　and　Alachia；　for　example。　From　whom　I　suspect　you　have　received　much　of　your　information　about　me。〃
　
　He　dropped　into　a　chair　opposite　me　and　looked　me　over。
　
　〃You　are　both　not　at　all　what　they　described　and　quite　like　their　descriptions；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃But　I'm　not　so　foolish　as　to　acquire　all　my　information　from　only　two　sources…and　those　with　grudges；　no　less。〃
　
　〃And　what　have　you　found？〃　I　asked。　My　ego　speaking；　no　doubt。
　
　Surehand　settled　into　his　chair；　then　propped　his　feet　next　to　me　on　the　ottoman。
　
　〃You　have　stayed　out　of　political　dealings　for　most　of　this　cycle。　You　disapprove　of　the　way　we've　been　handling　matters　thus　far；　According　to　Aithne；　who　rarely　allows　any　mention　of　your　name；　you　are　worse　than　any　nightmare。〃
　
　That　stung；　ing　from　someone　else。　So　he　hated　me　enough　still　to　try　and　sabotage　me　at　every　turn。　Well；　perhaps　it　was　no　more　than　I　deserved。
　
　〃Ah；〃　I　said。
　〃Aithne　always　did　have　a　way　with　words。〃；　Lugh　Surehand　laughed。　It　was　deep　and　rusty；　as　though　he　didn't　use　it　often。
　〃Alachia　underestimates　you；〃　he　said。　〃She　said　you　had　little　wit。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃Alachia　underestimates　anyone　who　doesn't　automatically　worship　her…or　those　who　cannot　be　led　around　by　portions　of　their　anatomy
　〃I　know　little　of　the　animosity　between　the　three　of　you。　Aithne　refuses　to　speak　of　it；　and　Alachia　holds　it　out　like　a　trinket；　then　snatches　it　away　when　one　gets　too　close。〃
　
　I　smoothed　the　velvet　of　my　gown　across　my　knees。　In　the　warm　light　it　took　on　a　deep　silver　cast。　Anything　to　distract　me　from　memories　of　the　past。
　
　〃Do　you　know　the　story　of　Scheherazade？〃　I　asked。
　
　For　a　moment；　Surehand　looked　startled；　but　I　knew　he　would　quickly　replace　that　with　his　usual　bland　expression。　I　wasn't　disappointed。　And　it　occurred　to　me　that　for　all　his　show　of　calmness　and　balance；　he　was　really　quite　formidable。　After　all；　he　had　managed　to　remain　High　Prince　since　the　founding　of　Tir　Taimgire。　With　all　the　political　intrigue　so　rife　among　the　Elders；　he　should　have　been　ousted　long　ago。　But　here　he　was　in　plete　control　of　the　Tir。
　
　〃She　was　married　to　a　sultan。　He　killed　every　other　wife　he　took　after　only　one　night　with　her；〃　began　Surehand。　〃On　the　first　night　of　Scheherazade's　marriage　to　him；　she　refused　to　lay　with　him；　in…sifting　instead　that　she　would　tell　him　a　story。　Each　night　continued　after　the　first　the　same　way。　She　kept　him　spellbound　with　her　wit　and　stories。　It　con…tinned　thus　for　a　thousand　nights。
　
　〃At　the　end　of　the　thousand　nights；　the　sultan　had　fallen　in　love　with　Scheherazade　and　couldn't　bring　himself　to　kill　her。　Thus　was　she　spared。〃
　
　I　clapped　my　hands　softly　together。
　〃Bravo；〃　I　said。　〃Nicely　told。　You　will　go　far　should　you　ever　bee　the　wife　of　a　sultan。〃
　〃Am　I　to　take　it　that　you　have　no　desire　to　bee　my　Scheherazade？〃
　〃I　think　now　would　not　be　the　time　for　those　stories。　I　would　not　cloud　the　danger　of　the　present　with　tales　from　the　past。〃　〃And　if　I　were　to　insist？〃　I　shut　my　eyes。　〃Then　I　would　oblige；〃　I　said。　〃Then　this　must　be　a　very　serious　matter　indeed；〃　he　said。
　
　I　opened　my　eyes。　He　was　looking　at　me　with　an　unreadable　expression。　I　knew　then　that　I　would　never　willingly　make　an　enemy　of　him。　To　do　so　would　be　far　too　dangerous；　even　for　me。　〃I　would　not　e　here　otherwise；〃　I　said。　〃Very　well；〃　he　said。　〃What　is　it　you　wish？〃　〃For　you　to　call　an　emergency　meeting　of　the　High　Council。〃
　
　She's　in　a　dark　house。　At　first；　she　thinks　it　is　Lugh　Surehand's　mansion；　but　then　she　realises　this　is　no　place　she's　been　before。
　
　Outside；　she　hears　the　roar　of　helicopters。　Brilliant　lights　e　streaming　around　the　edges　of　the　drawn　shades。　Then　the　door　bursts　open　and　shadow　figures　are　ing　inside。　They　hold　weapons　and　they　are　grabbing。　Grabbing　the　other　people　who　are　here。　There　are　screams　and　she　starts　to　run。　Run　away　from　the　faceless　things　breaking　into　her　dream。
　
　
　
　
　〃It　went　well　then？〃　asked　Caimbeul。
　
　We　were　in　the　back　of　the　limo　again。　I　still　had　Surehand's　jacket　around　my　shoulders。　I'd　forgotten　to　take　it　off　as　he　led　me　back　to　the　party。
　
　〃He　agreed　to　call　a　meeting　of　the　High　Council；〃　I　replied。　〃It　went　much　better　than　I　expected。　But　I　suspect　he'll　want　something　in　return。〃
　〃And　what　might　that　be？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　think　he　might　be　more　dangerous　than　both　Aithne　and　Alachia。〃
　〃Lugh　Surehand？〃　Caimbeul　was　incredulous。　
　〃He's　good　enough　at　promise　and　juggling　the　players；　but　a　threat？　Please。〃
　
　Ignoring　his　arrogance；　I　stared　out　the　tinted　windows。　The　rain…slick　streets　flashed　by。　On　a　corner　I　saw　a　pair　of　trolls　dressed　in　the　height　of　fashion。　I　wondered　bri