rh.theassassinsapprentice-第19部分

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e　we'll　have　together。　So。　I'm　Chade；　and　I'm　yet　another　teacher　that　Shrewd　has　found　for　you。　It　took　him　a　while　to　remember　I　was　here；　and　then　it　took　him　a　space　to　nerve　himself　to　ask　me。　And　it　took　me　even　longer　to　agree　to　teach　you。　But　all　that's　done　now。　As　to　what　I'm　to　teach　you　。。。　well。〃
　　　　　　　He　rose　and　moved　to　the　fire。　He　cocked　his　head　as　he　stared　into　it；　then　stooped　to　take　a　poker　and　stir　the　embers　to　fresh　flames。　〃It's　murder；　more　or　less。　Killing　people。　The　fine　art　of　diplomatic　assassination。　Or　blinding；　or　deafening。　Or　a　weakening　of　the　limbs；　or　a　paralysis　or　a　debilitating　cough　or　impotency。　Or　early　senility；　or　insanity　or　。。。　but　it　doesn't　matter。　It's　all　been　my　trade。　And　it　will　be　yours；　if　you　agree。　Just　know；　from　the　beginning；　that　I'm　going　to　be　teaching　you　how　to　kill　people。　For　your　king。　Not　in　the　showy　way　Hod　is　teaching　you；　not　on　the　battlefield　where　others　see　and　cheer　you　on。　No。　I'll　be　teaching　you　the　nasty；　furtive；　polite　ways　to　kill　people。　You'll　either　develop　a　taste　for　it；　or　not。　That　isn't　something　I'm　in　charge　of。　But　I'll　make　sure　you　know　how。　And　I'll　make　sure　of　one　other　thing；　for　that　was　the　stipulation　I　made　with　King　Shrewd。　That　you　know　what　you　are　learning；　as　I　never　did　when　I　was　your　age。　So。　I'm　to　teach　you　to　be　an　assassin。　Is　that　all　right　with　you；　boy？〃
　　　　　　　I　nodded　again；　uncertain；　but　not　knowing　what　else　to　do。
　　　　　　　He　peered　at　me。　〃You　can　speak；　can't　you？　You're　not　a　mute　as　well　as　a　bastard；　are　you？〃
　　　　　　　I　swallowed。　〃No；　sir。　I　can　speak。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　then；　do　speak。　Don't　just　nod。　Tell　me　what　you　think　of　all　this。　Of　who　I　am　and　what　I　just　proposed　that　we　do。〃
　　　　　　　Invited　to　speak；　I　yet　stood　dumb。　I　stared　at　the　poxed　face；　the　papery　skin　of　his　hands；　and　felt　the　gleam　of　his　green　eyes　on　me。　I　moved　my　tongue　inside　my　mouth；　but　found　only　silence。　His　manner　invited　words；　but　his　visage　was　still　more　terrifying　than　anything　I　had　ever　imagined。
　　　　　　　〃Boy；〃　he　said；　and　the　gentleness　in　his　voice　startled　me　into　meeting　his　eyes。　〃I　can　teach　you　even　if　you　hate　me；　or　if　you　despise　the　lessons。　I　can　teach　you　if　you　are　bored；　or　lazy　or　stupid。　But　I　can't　teach　you　if　you're　afraid　to　speak　to　me。　At　least；　not　the　way　I　want　to　teach　you。　And　I　can't　teach　you　if　you　decide　this　is　something　you'd　rather　not　learn。　But　you　have　to　tell　me。　You've　learned　to　guard　your　thoughts　so　well；　you're　almost　afraid　to　let　yourself　know　what　they　are。　But　try　speaking　them　aloud；　now；　to　me。　You　won't　be　punished。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　much　like　it；〃　I　suddenly　blurted。　〃The　idea　of　killing　people。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ah。〃　He　paused。　〃Neither　did　I；　when　it　came　down　to　it。　Nor　do　I；　still。〃　He　sighed　suddenly；　deeply。　〃As　each　time　es；　you'll　decide。　The　first　time　will　be　hardest。　But　know；　for　now；　that　that　decision　is　many　years　away。　And　in　the　meantime；　you　have　much　to　learn。〃　He　hesitated。　〃'There　is　this；　boy。　And　you　should　remember　it　in　every　situation；　not　just　this　one。　Learning　is　never　wrong。　Even　learning　how　to　kill　isn't　wrong。　Or　right。　It's　just　a　thing　to　learn；　a　thing　I　can　teach　you。　That's　all。　For　now；　do　you　think　you　could　learn　how　to　do　it；　and　later　decide　if　you　want　to　do　it？〃
　　　　　　　Such　a　question　to　put　to　a　boy。　Even　then；　something　in　me　raised　its　hackles　and　sniffed　at　the　idea；　but　boy　that　I　was；　I　could　find　no　objection　to　raise。　And　curiosity　was　nibbling　at　me。
　　　　　　　〃I　can　learn　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Good。〃　He　smiled；　but　there　was　a　tiredness　to　his　face　and　he　didn't　seem　as　pleased　as　he　might　have。　〃That's　well　enough；　then。　Well　enough。〃　He　looked　around　the　room。　〃We　may　as　well　begin　tonight。　Let's　start　by　tidying　up。　There's　a　broom　over　there。　Oh；　but　first；　change　out　of　your　nightshirt　into　something　。。。　ah；　there's　a　ragged　old　robe　over　there。　That'll　do　for　now。　Can't　have　the　washer　folk　wondering　why　your　nightshirts　smell　of　camphor　and　pain's　ease；　can　we？　Now；　you　sweep　up　the　floor　a　bit　while　I　put　away　a　few　things。〃
　　　　　　　And　so　passed　the　next　few　hours。　I　swept；　then　mopped　the　stone　floor。　He　directed　me　as　I　cleared　the　paraphernalia　from　the　great　table。　I　turned　the　herbs　on　their　drying　rack。　I　fed　the　three　lizards　he　had　caged　in　the　corner；　chopping　up　some　sticky　old　meat　into　chunks　that　they　gulped　whole。　I　wiped　clean　a　number　of　pots　and　bowls　and　stored　them。　And　he　worked　alongside　me；　seeming　grateful　for　the　pany；　and　chatted　to　me　as　if　we　were　both　old　men。　Or　both　young　boys。
　　　　　　　〃No　letters　as　yet？　No　ciphering。　Bagrash！　What's　the　old　man　thinking？　Well；　I　shall　see　that　remedied　swiftly。　You've　your　father's　brow；　boy；　and　just　his　way　of　wrinkling　it。　Has　anyone　ever　told　you　that　before？　Ah；　there　you　are；　Slink；　you　rascal！　What　mischief　have　you　been　up　to　now？〃
　　　　　　　A　brown　weasel　appeared　from　behind　a　tapestry；　and　we　were　introduced　to　one　another。　Chade　let　me　feed　Slink　quail　eggs　from　a　bowl　on　the　table；　and　laughed　when　the　little　beast　followed　me　about　begging　for　more。　He　gave　me　a　copper　bracelet　that　I　found　under　the　table；　warning　that　it　might　make　my　wrist　green；　and　cautioning　that　if　anyone　asked　me　about　it；　I　should　say　I　had　found　it　behind　the　stables。
　　　　　　　At　some　time　we　stopped　for　honey　cakes　and　hot　spiced　wine。　We　sat　together　at　a　low　table　on　some　rugs　before　the　fireplace；　and　I　watched　the　firelight　dancing　over　his　scarred　face　and　wondered　why　it　had　seemed　so　frightening。　He　noticed　me　watching　him；　and　his　face　contorted　in　a　smile。　〃Seems　familiar；　doesn't　it；　boy？　My　face；　I　mean。〃
　　　　　　　It　didn't。　I　had　been　staring　at　the　grotesque　scars　on　the　pasty　white　skin。　I　had　no　idea　what　he　meant。　I　stared　at　him　questioningly；　trying　to　figure　it　out。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　trouble　yourself　about　it；　boy。　It　leaves　its　tracks　on　all　of　us；　and　sooner　or　later　you'll　get　the　tumble　of　it。　But　now；　well　。。。〃　He　rose；　stretching；　so　that　his　cassock　bared　his　skinny　white　calves。　〃Now　it's　mostly　later。　Or　earlier；　depending　on　which　end　of　the　day　you　fancy　most。　Time　you　headed　back　to　your　bed。　Now。　You'll　remember　that　this　is　all　a　very　dark　secret；　won't　you？　Not　just　me　and　this　room；　but　the　whole　thing；　waking　up　at　night　and　lessons　in　how　to　kill　people；　and　all　of　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'll　remember；〃　I　told　him；　and　then；　sensing　that　it　would　mean　something　to　him；　I　added；　〃You　have　my　word。〃
　　　　　　　He　chuckled；　and　then　nodded　almost　sadly。　I　changed　back　into　my　night　robe；　and　he　saw　me　down　the　steps。　He　held　his　glowing　light　by　my　bed　as　I　clambered　in；　and　then　smoothed　the　blankets　over　me　as　no　one　had　done　since　I'd　left　Burrich's　chambers。　I　think　I　was　asleep　before　he　had　even　departed　from　my　bedside。
　　　　　　　Brant　was　sent　to　wake　me　the　next　morning；　so　late　was　I　in　arising。　I　came　awake　groggy；　my　head　pounding　painfully。　But　as　soon　as　he　left；　I　sprang　from　my　bed　and　raced　to　the　corner　of　my　room。　Cold　stone　met　my　hands　as　I　pushed　against　the　wall　there；　and　no　crack　in　mortar　or　stone　gave　any　sign　of　the　secret　door　I　felt　sure　must　be　there。　Never　for　one　instant　did　I　think　Chade　had　been　a　dream；　and　even　if　I　had；　there　remained　the　simple　copper　bracelet　on　my　wrist　to　prove　he　wasn't。
　　　　　　　I　dressed　hurriedly　and　passed　through　the　kitchens　for　a　slab　of　bread　and　cheese　that　I　was　still　eating　when　I　got　to　the　stables。　Burrich　was　out　of　sorts　with　my　tardiness　and　found　fault　with　every　aspect　of　my　horsemanship　and　stable　tasks。　I　remember　well　how　he　berated　me。　〃Don't　think　that　because　you've　a　room　up　in　the　castle　and　a　crest　on　your　jerkin　that　you　can　turn　into　some　sprawl　about　rogue　who　snores　in　his　bed　until　all　hours　and　then　only　rises　to　fluff　at　his　hair。　I'll　not　have　it。　Bastard　you　may　be；　but　you're　Chivalry's　bastard；　and　I'll　make　you　a　man　he'll　be　proud　of。〃
　　　　　　　I　paused；　the　grooming　brushes　still　in　my　hands。　〃You　mean　Regal；　don't　you？〃
　　　　　　　My　unwonted　question　startled　him。　〃What？〃
　　　　　　　〃When　you　talk　about　rogues　who　stay　in　bed　all　morning　and　do　nothing　except　fuss　about　hair　and　garments；　you　mean　how　Regal　is。〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　opened　his　mouth　an