rh.theassassinsapprentice-第18部分

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e；　or　if　they　accepted　my　sudden　disappearance　as　easily　as　they　had　accepted　my　ing。　But　mostly　I　ached　with　loneliness；　for　in　all　that　great　keep；　there　were　none　I　sensed　as　friend。　None　save　the　beasts；　and　Burrich　had　forbidden　me　to　have　any　closeness　with　them。
　　　　　　　One　evening　I　had　gone　wearily　to　bed；　only　to　torment　myself　with　my　fears　until　sleep　grudgingly　pulled　me　under。　Light　in　my　face　awoke　me；　but　I　came　awake　knowing　something　was　wrong。　I　hadn't　slept　long　enough；　and　this　light　was　yellow　and　wavering；　unlike　the　whiteness　of　the　sunlight　that　usually　spilled　in　my　window。　I　stirred　unwillingly　and　opened　my　eyes。
　　　　　　　He　stood　at　the　foot　of　my　bed；　holding　aloft　a　lamp。　This　in　itself　was　a　rarity　at　Buckkeep；　but　more　than　the　buttery　light　from　the　lamp　held　my　eyes。　The　man　himself　was　strange。　His　robe　was　the　color　of　undyed　sheep's　wool　that　had　been　washed；　but　only　intermittently　and　not　recently。　His　hair　and　beard　were　about　the　same　color　and　their　untidiness　gave　the　same　impression。　Despite　the　color　of　his　hair；　I　could　not　decide　how　old　he　was。　There　are　some　poxes　that　will　scar　a　man's　face　with　their　passage。　But　I　had　never　seen　a　man　marked　as　he　was；　with　scores　of　tiny　pox　scars；　angry　pinks　and　reds　like　small　burns；　and　livid　even　in　the　lamp's　yellow　light。　His　hands　were　all　bones　and　tendons　wrapped　in　papery　white　skin。　He　was　peering　at　me；　and　even　in　the　lamplight；　his　eyes　were　the　most　piercing　green　I　had　ever　seen。　They　reminded　me　of　a　cat's　eyes　when　it　is　hunting　something；　the　same　bination　of　joy　and　fierceness。　I　pulled　my　quilt　up　higher　under　my　chin。
　　　　　　　〃You're　awake；〃　he　said。　〃Good。　Get　up　and　follow　me。〃
　　　　　　　He　turned　abruptly　from　my　bedside　and　walked　away　from　the　door；　to　a　shadowed　corner　of　my　room　between　the　hearth　and　the　wall。　I　didn't　move。　He　glanced　back　at　me；　held　the　lamp　higher。　〃Hurry　up；　boy；〃　he　said　irritably；　and　rapped　the　stick　he　leaned　on　against　my　bedpost。
　　　　　　　I　got　out　of　bed；　wincing　as　my　bare　feet　hit　the　cold　floor。　I　reached　for　my　clothes　and　shoes；　but　he　wasn't　waiting　for　me。　He　glanced　back　once　to　see　what　was　delaying　me；　and　the　piercing　look　was　enough　to　make　me　drop　my　clothes　and　quake。
　　　　　　　And　I　followed；　wordlessly；　in　my　nightshirt；　for　no　reason　I　could　explain　to　myself。　Except　that　he　had　suggested　it。　I　followed　him　to　a　door　that　had　never　been　there；　and　up　a　narrow　flight　of　winding　steps　that　were　lit　only　by　the　lamp　he　held　above　his　head。　His　shadow　fell　behind　him　and　over　me；　so　that　I　walked　in　a　shifting　darkness；　feeling　each　step　with　my　feet。　The　stairs　were　cold　stone；　worn　and　smooth　and　remarkably　even。　And　they　went　up；　and　up；　and　up；　until　it　seemed　to　me　that　we　had　climbed　past　the　height　of　any　tower　the　keep　possessed。　A　chill　breeze　flowed　up　those　steps；　and　up　my　nightshirt；　shriveling　me　with　more　than　mere　cold。　And　we　went　up；　and　then　finally　he　was　pushing　open　a　substantial　door　that　nonetheless　moved　silently　and　easily。　We　entered　a　chamber。
　　　　　　　It　was　lit　warmly　by　several　lamps；　suspended　from　an　unseen　ceiling　on　fine　chains。　The　chamber　was　large；　easily　three　times　the　size　of　my　own。　One　end　of　it　beckoned　me。　It　was　dominated　by　a　massive　wooden　bed　frame　fat　with　feather　beds　and　cushions。　There　were　carpets　on　the　floor；　overlapping　one　another　with　their　scarlets　and　verdant　greens　and　blues　both　deep　and　pale。　There　was　a　table　made　of　wood　the　color　of　wild　honey；　and　on　it　sat　a　bowl　of　fruit　so　perfectly　ripe　that　I　could　smell　their　fragrances。　Parchment　books　and　scrolls　were　scattered　about　carelessly；　as　if　their　rarity　were　of　no　concern。　All　three　walls　were　draped　with　tapestries　that　depicted　open　rolling　country　with　wooded　foothills　in　the　distance。　I　started　toward　it。
　　　　　　　〃This　way；〃　said　my　guide；　and　relentlessly　led　me　to　the　other　end　of　the　chamber。
　　　　　　　Here　was　a　different　spectacle。　A　stone　slab　of　a　table　dominated　it；　its　surface　much　stained　and　scorched。　Upon　it　were　various　tools；　containers　and　implements；　a　scale；　a　mortar　and　pestle；　and　many　things　I　couldn't　name。　A　fine　layer　of　dust　overlaid　much　of　it；　as　if　projects　had　been　abandoned　in　midcourse；　months　or　even　years　ago。　Beyond　the　table　was　a　rack　that　held　an　untidy　collection　of　scrolls；　some　edged　in　blue　or　gilt。　The　scent　of　the　room　was　at　once　pungent　and　aromatic；　bundles　of　herbs　were　drying　on　another　rack。　I　heard　a　rustling　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　movement　in　a　far　corner；　but　the　man　gave　me　no　time　to　investigate。　The　fireplace　that　should　have　warmed　this　end　of　the　room　gaped　black　and　cold。　The　old　embers　in　it　looked　damp　and　settled。　I　lifted　my　eyes　from　my　perusal　to　look　at　my　guide。　The　dismay　on　my　face　seemed　to　surprise　him。　He　turned　from　me　and　slowly　surveyed　the　room　himself。　He　considered　it　a　bit；　and　then　I　sensed　an　embarrassed　disgruntlement　from　him。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　a　mess。　More　than　a　mess；　I　suppose。　But；　well。　It's　been　a　while；　I　suppose。　And　longer　than　a　while。　Well。　It's　soon　put　to　rights。　But　first；　introductions　are　in　order。　And　I　suppose　it　is　a　bit　nippy　to　be　standing　about　in　just　a　nightshirt。　This　way；　boy。〃
　　　　　　　I　followed　him　to　the　fortable　end　of　the　room。　He　seated　himself　in　a　battered　wooden　chair　that　was　overdraped　with　blankets。　My　bare　toes　dug　gratefully　into　the　nap　of　a　woolen　rug。　I　stood　before　him；　waiting；　as　those　green　eyes　prowled　over　me。　For　some　minutes　the　silence　held。　Then　he　spoke。
　　　　　　　〃First；　let　me　introduce　you　to　yourself。　Your　pedigree　is　written　all　over　you。　Shrewd　chose　to　acknowledge　it；　for　all　his　denials　wouldn't　have　sufficed　to　convince　anyone　otherwise。〃　He　paused　for　an　instant　and　smiled　as　if　something　amused　him。　〃A　shame　Galen　refuses　to　teach　you　the　Skill。　But　years　ago　it　was　restricted；　for　fear　it　would　bee　too　mon　a　tool。　I'll　wager　if　old　Galen　were　to　try　to　teach　you；　he'd　find　you　apt。　But　we　have　no　time　to　worry　about　what　won't　happen。〃　He　sighed　meditatively　and　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Abruptly　he　went　on；　〃Burrich's　shown　you　both　how　to　work；　and　how　to　obey。　Two　things　that　Burrich　himself　excels　at。　You're　not　especially　strong；　or　fast；　or　bright。　Don't　think　you　are。　But　you'll　have　the　stubbornness　to　wear　down　anyone　stronger；　or　faster；　or　brighter　than　yourself。　And　that's　more　of　a　danger　to　you　than　to　anyone　else。　But　that　is　not　what　is　now　most　important　about　you。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　the　King's　man　now。　And　you　must　begin　to　understand；　now；　right　now；　that　that　is　the　most　important　thing　about　you。　He　feeds　you；　he　clothes　you；　he　sees　you　are　educated。　And　all　he　asks　in　return；　for　now；　is　your　loyalty。　Later　he　will　ask　your　service。　Those　are　the　conditions　under　which　I　will　teach　you。　That　you　are　the　King's　man；　and　loyal　to　him　pletely。　For　if　you　are　otherwise；　it　would　be　too　dangerous　to　educate　you　in　my　art。〃　He　paused　and　for　a　long　moment　we　simply　looked　at　one　another。　〃Do　you　agree？〃　he　asked；　and　it　was　not　a　simple　question　but　the　sealing　of　a　bargain。
　　　　　　　〃I　do；〃　I　said；　and　then；　as　he　waited：　〃I　give　you　my　word。〃
　　　　　　　〃Good。〃　He　spoke　the　word　heartily。　〃Now。　On　to　other　things。　Have　you　ever　seen　me　before？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　I　realized　for　an　instant　how　strange　that　was。　For；　though　there　were　often　strangers　in　the　keep；　this　man　had　obviously　been　a　resident　for　a　long；　long　time。　And　almost　all　those　who　lived　there；　I　knew　by　sight　if　not　name。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am；　boy？　Or　why　you're　here？〃
　　　　　　　I　shook　my　head　a　quick　negative　to　each　question。　〃Well；　no　one　else　does　either。　So　you　mind　it　stays　that　way。　Make　yourself　clear　on　that：　you　speak　to　no　one　of　what　we　do　here；　nor　of　anything　you　learn。　Understand　that？〃
　　　　　　　My　nod　must　have　satisfied　him；　for　he　seemed　to　relax　in　the　chair。　His　bony　hands　gripped　the　knobs　of　his　knees　through　his　woolen　robe。　〃Good。　Good。　Now。　You　can　call　me　Chade。　And　I　shall　call　you？〃　He　paused　and　waited；　but　when　I　did　not　offer　a　name；　he　filled　in；　〃Boy。　That's　not　names　for　either　of　us；　but　they'll　do；　for　the　time　we'll　have　together。　So。　I'm　Chade；　and　I'm　yet　another　teacher　that　Shrewd　has　found　for　you。　It