rh.theassassinsapprentice-第27部分

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　　　　　　　It　was　two　days　later　when　I　was　surprised　to　be　told　that　Fedwren　had　requested　my　services　for　a　day　or　so。　I　was　surprised　even　more　when　he　gave　me　a　list　of　supplies　he　required　from　town；　and　enough　silver　to　buy　them；　with　two　extra　coppers　for　myself。　I　held　my　breath；　expecting　that　Burrich　or　one　of　my　other　masters　would　forbid　it；　but　instead　I　was　told　to　hurry　on　my　way。　I　went　out　of　the　gates　with　a　basket　on　my　arm　and　my　brain　giddy　with　sudden　freedom。　I　counted　up　the　months　since　I　had　last　been　able　to　slip　away　from　Buckkeep　and　was　shocked　to　find　it　had　been　a　year　or　better。　I　immediately　planned　to　renew　my　old　familiarity　with　the　town。　No　one　had　told　me　when　I　had　to　return；　and　I　was　confident　I　could　snatch　an　hour　or　two　to　myself　and　no　one　the　wiser。
　　　　　　　The　variety　of　the　items　on　Fedwren's　list　took　me　all　over　the　town。　I　had　no　idea　what　use　a　scribe　had　for　dried　seamaid's　hair；　or　for　a　peck　of　forester's　nuts。　Perhaps　he　used　them　to　make　his　colored　inks；　I　decided；　and　when　I　could　not　find　them　in　the　regular　shops；　I　took　myself　down　to　the　harbor　bazaar；　where　anyone　with　a　blanket　and　something　to　sell　could　declare　himself　a　merchant。　The　seaweed　I　found　swiftly　enough　there；　and　learned　it　was　a　mon　ingredient　in　chowder。　The　nuts　took　longer；　for　those　were　something　that　would　have　e　from　inland　rather　than　from　the　sea；　and　there　were　fewer　traders　who　dealt　in　such　things。
　　　　　　　But　find　them　I　did；　alongside　baskets　of　porcupine　quills　and　carved　wooden　beads　and　nut　cones　and　pounded　bark　fabric。　The　woman　who　presided　over　the　blanket　was　old；　and　her　hair　had　gone　silver　rather　than　white　or　gray。　She　had　a　strong　straight　nose　and　her　eyes　were　on　bony　shelves　over　her　cheeks。　It　was　a　racial　heritage　both　strange　and　oddly　familiar　to　me；　and　a　shiver　walked　down　my　back　when　I　suddenly　knew　she　was　from　the　mountains。
　　　　　　　〃Keppet；〃　said　the　woman　at　the　next　mat　as　I　pleted　my　purchase。　I　glanced　at　her；　thinking　she　was　addressing　the　woman　I　had　just　paid。　But　she　was　staring　at　me。　〃Keppet；〃　she　said；　quite　insistently；　and　I　wondered　what　it　meant　in　her　language。　It　seemed　a　request　for　something；　but　the　older　woman　only　stared　coldly　out　into　the　street；　so　I　shrugged　at　her　younger　neighbor　apologetically　and　turned　away　as　I　stowed　the　nuts　in　my　basket。
　　　　　　　I　hadn't　got　more　than　a　dozen　steps　away　when　I　heard　her　shriek　〃Keppet！〃　yet　again。　I　looked　back　to　see　the　two　women　engaged　in　a　struggle。　The　older　one　gripped　the　younger　one's　wrists　and　the　younger　one　struggled　and　thrashed　and　kicked　to　get　free　of　her。　Around　her；　other　merchants　were　standing　to　their　feet　in　alarm　and　snatching　their　own　merchandise　out　of　harm's　way。　I　might　have　turned　back　to　watch　had　not　another　more　familiar　face　met　my　eyes。
　　　　　　　〃Nosebleed！〃　I　exclaimed。
　　　　　　　She　turned　to　face　me　full；　and　for　an　instant　I　thought　I　had　been　mistaken。　A　year　had　passed　since　I'd　last　seen　her。　How　could　a　person　change　so　much？　The　dark　hair　that　used　to　be　in　sensible　braids　behind　her　ears　now　fell　free　past　her　shoulders。　And　she　was　dressed；　not　in　a　jerkin　and　loose　trousers；　but　in　blouse　and　skirt。　The　adult　garments　put　me　at　a　loss　for　words。　I　might　have　turned　aside　and　pretended　I　addressed　someone　else　had　her　dark　eyes　not　challenged　me　as　she　asked　me　coolly；　〃Nosebleed？〃
　　　　　　　I　stood　my　ground。　〃Aren't　you　Molly　Nosebleed？〃
　　　　　　　She　lifted　a　hand　to　brush　some　hair　back　from　her　cheek。　〃I'm　Molly　Chandler。〃　I　saw　recognition　in　her　eyes；　but　her　voice　was　chill　as　she　added；　〃I'm　not　sure　that　I　know　you。　Your　name；　sir？〃
　　　　　　　Confused；　I　reacted　without　thinking。　I　quested　toward　her；　found　her　nervousness；　and　was　surprised　by　her　fears。　Thought　and　voice　I　sought　to　soothe　it。　〃I'm　Newboy；〃　I　said　without　hesitation。
　　　　　　　Her　eyes　widened　with　surprise；　and　then　she　laughed　at　what　she　construed　as　a　joke。　The　barrier　she　had　erected　between　us　burst　like　a　soap　bubble；　and　suddenly　I　knew　her　as　I　had　before。　There　was　the　same　warm　kinship　between　us　that　reminded　me　of　nothing　so　much　as　Nosy。　All　awkwardness　disappeared。　A　crowd　was　forming　about　the　struggling　women；　but　we　left　it　behind　us　as　we　strolled　up　the　cobbled　street。　I　admired　her　skirts；　and　she　calmly　informed　me　that　she　had　been　wearing　skirts　for　several　months　now　and　that　she　quite　preferred　them　to　trousers。　This　one　had　been　her　mother's；　she　was　told　that　one　simply　couldn't　get　wool　woven　this　fine　anymore；　or　a　red　as　bright　as　it　was　dyed。　She　admired　my　clothes；　and　I　suddenly　realized　that　perhaps　I　appeared　to　her　as　different　as　she　to　me。　I　had　my　best　shirt　on；　my　trousers　had　been　washed　only　a　few　days　ago；　and　I　wore　boots　as　fine　as　any　man…at…arms；　despite　Burrich's　objections　about　how　rapidly　I　outgrew　them。　She　asked　my　business　and　I　told　her　I　was　on　errands　for　the　writing　master　at　the　keep。　I　told　her；　too；　that　he　was　in　need　of　two　beeswax　tapers；　a　total　fabrication　on　my　part；　but　one　that　allowed　me　to　remain　by　her　side　as　we　strolled　up　the　winding　street。　Our　elbows　bumped　panionably　and　she　talked。　She　was　carrying　a　basket　of　her　own　on　her　arm。　It　had　several　packets　and　bundles　of　herbs　in　it；　for　scenting　candles；　she　told　me。　Beeswax　took　the　scent　much　better　than　tallow；　in　her　opinion。　She　made　the　best　scented　candles　in　Buckkeep；　even　the　two　other　chandlers　in　town　admitted　it。　This；　smell　this；　this　was　lavender；　wasn't　it　lovely？　Her　mother's　favorite；　and　hers；　too。　This　was　crushsweet；　and　this　beebalm。　This　was　thresher's　root；　not　her　favorite；　no；　but　some　said　it　made　a　good　candle　to　cure　headaches　and　winter　glooms。　Mavis　Threadsnip　had　told　her　that　Molly's　mother　had　mixed　it　with　other　herbs　and　made　a　wonderful　candle；　one　that　would　calm　even　a　colicky　baby。　So　Molly　had　decided　to　try；　by　experimenting；　to　see　if　she　could　find　the　right　herbs　and　re…create　her　mother's　recipe。
　　　　　　　Her　calm　flaunting　of　her　knowledge　and　skills　left　me　burning　to　distinguish　myself　in　her　eyes。　〃I　know　the　thresher's　root；〃　I　told　her。　〃Some　use　it　to　make　an　ointment　for　sore　shoulders　and　backs。　That's　where　the　name　es　from。　But　if　you　distill　a　tincture　from　it　and　mix　it　well　in　wine；　it's　never　tasted；　and　it　will　make　a　grown　man　sleep　a　day　and　a　night　and　a　day　again；　or　make　a　child　die　in　his　sleep。〃
　　　　　　　Her　eyes　widened　as　I　spoke；　and　at　my　last　words　a　look　of　horror　came　over　her　face。　I　fell　silent　and　felt　the　sharp　awkwardness　again。　〃How　do　you　know　such　things？〃　she　demanded　breathlessly。
　　　　　　　〃I　。。。　I　heard　an　old　traveling　midwife　talking　to　our　midwife　up　to　the　keep；〃　I　improvised。　〃It　was　。。。　a　sad　story　she　told；　of　an　injured　man　given　some　to　help　him　rest；　but　his　baby　got　into　it　as　well。　A　very；　very　sad　story。〃　Her　face　was　softening　and　I　felt　her　warming　toward　me　again。　〃I　only　tell　it　to　be　sure　you　are　careful　of　the　root。　Don't　leave　it　about　where　any　child　can　get　at　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Thank　you。　I　shan't。　Are　you　interested　in　herbs　and　roots？　I　didn't　know　a　scribe　cared　about　such　things。〃
　　　　　　　I　suddenly　realized　that　she　thought　I　was　the　scribe's　help　boy。　I　didn't　see　any　reason　to　tell　her　otherwise。　〃Oh；　Fedwren　uses　many　things；　for　his　dyes　and　inks。　Some　copies　he　makes　quite　plain；　but　others　are　fancy；　all　done　with　birds　and　cats　and　turtles　and　fish。　He　showed　me　an　herbal　with　the　greens　and　flowers　of　each　herb　done　as　the　border　for　the　page。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　I　should　dearly　love　to　see；〃　she　said　in　a　heartfelt　way；　and　I　instantly　began　thinking　of　ways　to　purloin　it　for　a　few　days。
　　　　　　　〃I　might　be　able　to　get　you　a　copy　to　read　。。。　not　to　keep；　but　to　study　for　a　few　days；〃　I　offered　hesitantly。
　　　　　　　She　laughed；　but　there　was　a　slight　edge　in　it。　〃As　if　I　could　read！　Oh；　but　I　imagine　you've　picked　up　some　letters；　running　about　for　the　scribe's　errands。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　few；〃　I　told　her；　and　was　surprised　at　the　envy　in　her　eyes　when　I　showed　her　my　list　and　confessed　I　could　read　all　seven　words　on　it。
　　　　　　　A　sudden　shyness　came　over　her。　She　walked　more　slowly；　and　I　realized　we　were　getting　close　to　the　chandlery。　I　wondered　if　her　fathe