rh.theassassinsapprentice-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n…sized　portion　of　meat　off　the　joint。　I　wasted　no　time　in　filling　my　mouth　with　bread　and　cheese。　Beside　me；　the　man　called　Burrich　set　down　his　mug　and　glared　around　at　Jason。
　　　　　　　〃What's　this？〃　he　asked；　sounding　very　much　like　the　man　in　the　warm　chamber。　He　had　the　same　unruly　blackness　to　his　hair　and　beard；　but　his　face　was　angular　and　narrow。　His　face　had　the　color　of　a　man　much　outdoors。　His　eyes　were　brown　rather　than　black；　and　his　hands　were　long…fingered　and　clever。　He　smelled　of　horses　and　dogs　and　blood　and　leathers。
　　　　　　　〃He's　yours　to　watch　over；　Burrich。　Prince　Verity　says　so。
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　〃You're　Chivalry's　man；　ain't　you？　Care　for　his　horse；　his　hounds；　and　his　hawks？〃
　　　　　　　〃So？〃
　　　　　　　〃So；　you　got　his　little　bastid；　at　least　until　Chivalry　gets　back　and　does　otherwise　with　him。〃　Jason　offered　me　the　slab　of　dripping　meat。　I　looked　from　the　bread　to　the　cheese　I　gripped；　loath　to　surrender　either；　but　longing　for　the　hot　meat；　too。　He　shrugged　at　seeing　my　dilemma；　and　with　a　fighting　man's　practicality；　flipped　the　meat　casually　onto　the　table　beside　my　hip。　I　stuffed　as　much　bread　into　my　mouth　as　I　could　and　shifted　to　where　I　could　watch　the　meat。
　　　　　　　〃Chivalry's　bastard？〃
　　　　　　　Jason　shrugged；　busy　with　getting　himself　bread　and　meat　and　cheese　of　his　own。　〃So　said　the　old　plowman　what　left　him　here。〃　He　layered　the　meat　and　cheese　onto　a　slab　of　bread；　took　an　immense　bite；　and　then　spoke　through　it。　〃Said　Chivalry　ought　to　be　glad　he'd　seeded　one　child；　somewhere；　and　should　feed　and　care　for　him　himself　now。
　　　　　　　An　unusual　quiet　bloomed　suddenly　in　the　kitchen。　Men　paused　in　their　eating；　gripping　bread　or　mugs　or　trenchers；　and　turned　eyes　to　the　man　called　Burrich。　He　himself　set　his　mug　carefully　away　from　the　edge　of　the　table。　His　voice　was　quiet　and　even；　his　words　precise。　〃If　my　master　has　no　heir；　'tis　Eda's　will；　and　no　fault　of　his　manhood。　The　Lady　Patience　has　always　been　delicate；　and…〃
　　　　　　　〃Even　so；　even　so；〃　Jason　was　quickly　agreeing。　〃And　there　sits　the　very　proof　that　there's　nowt　wrong　with　him　as　a　man；　as　is　all　I　was　saying；　that's　all。〃　He　wiped　his　mouth　hastily　on　his　sleeve。　〃As　like　to　Prince　Chivalry　as　can　be；　as　even　his　brother　said　but　a　while　ago。　Not　the　Crown　Prince's　fault　if　his　Lady　Patience　can't　carry　his　seed　to　term　。。。　。〃
　　　　　　　But　Burrich　had　stood　suddenly。　Jason　backed　a　hasty　step　or　two　before　he　realized　I　was　Burrich's　target；　not　him。　Burrich　gripped　my　shoulders　and　turned　me　to　the　fire。　When　he　firmly　took　my　jaw　in　his　hand　and　lifted　my　face　to　his；　he　startled　me；　so　that　I　dropped　both　bread　and　cheese。　Yet　he　paid　no　mind　to　this　as　he　turned　my　face　toward　the　fire　and　studied　me　as　if　I　were　a　map。　His　eyes　met　mine；　and　there　was　a　sort　of　wildness　in　them；　as　if　what　he　saw　in　my　face　were　an　injury　I'd　done　him。　I　started　to　draw　away　from　that　look；　but　his　grip　wouldn't　let　me。　So　I　stared　back　at　him　with　as　much　defiance　as　I　could　muster；　and　saw　his　upset　masked　suddenly　with　a　sort　of　reluctant　wonder。　And　lastly　he　closed　his　eyes　for　a　second；　hooding　them　against　some　pain。　〃It's　a　thing　that　will　try　her　lady's　will　to　the　edge　of　her　very　name；〃　Burrich　said　softly。
　　　　　　　He　released　my　jaw　and　stooped　awkwardly　to　pick　up　the　bread　and　cheese　I'd　dropped。　He　brushed　them　off　and　handed　them　back　to　me。　I　stared　at　the　thick　bandaging　on　his　right　calf　and　over　his　knee　that　had　kept　him　from　bending　his　leg。　He　reseated　himself　and　refilled　his　mug　from　a　pitcher　on　the　table。　He　drank　again；　studying　me　over　the　rim　of　his　mug。
　　　　　　　〃Who'd　Chivalry　get　him　on？〃　a　man　at　the　other　end　of　the　table　asked　incautiously。
　　　　　　　Burrich　swung　his　gaze　to　the　man　as　he　set　his　mug　down。　For　a　moment　he　didn't　speak；　and　I　sensed　that　silence　hovering　again。　〃I'd　say　it　was　Prince　Chivalry's　business　who　the　mother　was；　and　not　for　kitchen　talk；〃　Burrich　said　mildly。
　　　　　　　〃Even　so；　even　so；〃　the　guard　agreed　abruptly；　and　Jason　nodded　like　a　courting　bird　in　agreement。　Young　as　I　was；　I　still　wondered　what　kind　of　man　this　was　who；　with　one　leg　bandaged；　could　quell　a　room　full　of　rough　men　with　a　look　or　a　word。
　　　　　　　〃Boy　don't　have　a　name；〃　Jason　volunteered　into　the　silence。　〃Just　goes　by　'boy。'　〃
　　　　　　　This　statement　seemed　to　put　everyone；　even　Burrich；　at　a　loss　for　words。　The　silence　lingered　as　I　finished　bread　and　cheese　and　meat；　and　washed　it　down　with　a　swallow　or　two　of　beer　that　Burrich　offered　me。　The　other　men　left　the　room　gradually；　in　twos　and　threes；　and　still　he　sat　there；　drinking　and　looking　at　me。　〃Well；〃　he　said　at　long　last。　〃If　I　know　your　father；　he'll　face　up　to　it　square　and　do　what's　right。　But　Eda　only　knows　what　he'll　think　is　the　right　thing　to　do。　Probably　whatever　hurts　the　most。〃　He　watched　me　silently　a　moment　longer。　〃Had　enough　to　eat？〃　he　asked　at　last。
　　　　　　　I　nodded；　and　he　stood　stiffly；　to　swing　me　off　the　table　and　onto　the　floor。　〃e　on；　then；　Fitz；〃　he　said；　and　moved　out　of　the　kitchen　and　down　a　different　corridor。　His　stiff　leg　made　his　gait　ungainly；　and　perhaps　the　beer　had　something　to　do　with　it　as　well。　Certainly　I　had　no　trouble　in　keeping　up。　We　came　at　last　to　a　heavy　door；　and　a　guard　who　nodded　us　through　with　a　devouring　stare　at　me。
　　　　　　　Outside；　a　chill　wind　was　blowing。　All　the　ice　and　snow　that　had　softened　during　the　day　had　gone　back　to　sharpness　with　the　ing　of　night。　The　path　cracked　under　my　feet；　and　the　wind　seemed　to　find　every　crack　and　gap　in　my　garments。　My　feet　and　leggings　had　been　warmed　by　the　kitchen's　fire；　but　not　quite　dried；　so　the　cold　seized　on　them。　I　remember　darkness；　and　the　sudden　tiredness　that　came　over　me；　a　terrible　weepy　sleepiness　that　dragged　at　me　as　I　followed　the　strange　man　with　the　bandaged　leg　through　the　chill；　dark　courtyard。　There　were　tall　walls　around　us；　and　guards　moved　intermittently　atop　them；　dark　shadows　visible　only　as　they　blotted　the　stars　occasionally　from　the　sky。　The　cold　bit　at　me；　and　I　stumbled　and　slipped　on　the　icy　pathway。　But　something　about　Burrich　did　not　permit　me　to　whimper　or　beg　quarter　from　him。　Instead　I　followed　him　doggedly。　We　reached　a　building　and　he　dragged　open　a　heavy　door。
　　　　　　　Warmth　and　animal　smells　and　a　dim　yellow　light　spilled　out。　A　sleepy　stable　boy　sat　up　in　his　nest　of　straw；　blinking　like　a　rumpled　fledgling。　At　a　word　from　Burrich　he　lay　down　again；　curling　up　small　in　the　straw　and　closing　his　eyes。　We　moved　past　him；　Burrich　dragging　the　door　to　behind　us。　He　took　the　lantern　that　burned　dimly　by　the　door　and　led　me　on。
　　　　　　　I　entered　a　different　world　then；　a　night　world　where　animals　shifted　and　breathed　in　stalls；　where　hounds　lifted　their　heads　from　their　crossed　forepaws　to　regard　me　with　lambent　eyes　green　or　yellow　in　the　lantern's　glow。　Horses　stirred　as　we　passed　their　stalls。　〃Hawks　are　down　at　the　far　end；〃　Burrich　said　as　we　passed　stall　after　stall。　I　accepted　it　as　something　he　thought　I　should　know。
　　　　　　　〃Here；〃　he　said　finally。　〃This'll　do。　For　now；　anyway。　I'm　jigged　if　I　know　what　else　to　do　with　you。　If　it　weren't　for　the　Lady　Patience；　I'd　be　thinking　this　a　fine　god's　jest　on　the　master。　Here；　Nosy；　you　just　move　over　and　make　this　boy　a　place　in　the　straw。　That's　right；　you　cuddle　up　to　Vixen；　there。　She'll　take　you　in；　and　give　a　good　slash　to　any　that　think　to　bother　you。〃
　　　　　　　I　found　myself　facing　an　ample　box　stall；　populated　with　three　hounds。　They　had　roused　and　lay；　stick　tails　thumping　in　the　straw　at　Burrich's　voice。　I　moved　uncertainly　in　amongst　them　and　finally　lay　down　next　to　an　old　bitch　with　a　whitened　muzzle　and　one　torn　ear。　The　older　male　regarded　me　with　a　certain　suspicion；　but　the　third　was　a　half…grown　pup；　and　Nosy　weled　me　with　ear　lickings；　nose　nipping；　and　much　pawing。　I　put　an　arm　around　him　to　settle　him；　and　then　cuddled　in　amongst　them　as　Burrich　had　advised。　He　threw　a　thick　blanket　that　smelled　much　of　horse　down　over　me。　A　very　large　gray　horse　in　the　next　stall　stirred　suddenly；　thumping　a　heavy　hoof　against　the　partition；　and　then　hanging　his　head　over　to　see　what　the　night　excitement　was　about。　Burrich　absently　calmed　him　with　a　touch。
　　　　　　　〃It's　rou