rh.theassassinsapprentice-第38部分
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I found the kitchens easily。 It was a great open room； flagged and walled with stone as a defense against fires。 There were three great hearths； fires well banked for the night。 Despite the lateness； or earliness； of the hour； the place was well lit。 A keep's kitchen is never pletely asleep。
I saw the covered pans and smelled the rising bread。 A large pot of stew was being kept warm at the edge of one hearth。 When I peeked under the lid； I saw it would not miss a bowl or two。 I rummaged about and helped myself。 Wrapped loaves on a shelf supplied me with an end crust and in another corner was a tub of butter kept cool inside a large keg of water。 Not fancy。 Thank all； it was not fancy； but the plain simple food I had been craving all day。
I was halfway through my second bowl when I heard the light scuff of footsteps。 I looked up with my most disarming smile； hoping that this cook would prove as softhearted as Buckkeep's。 But it was a serving girl； a blanket thrown about her shoulders over her night robe and her baby in her arms。 She was weeping。 I turned my eyes away in disfort。
She scarcely gave me a glance anyway。 She set her bundled baby down atop the table and fetched a bowl and dipped it full of cool water； muttering all the time。 She bent over the babe。 〃Here； my sweet； my lamb。 Here； my darling。 This will help。 Take a little。 Oh； sweetie； can't you even lap？ Open your mouth； then。 e now； open your mouth。〃
I couldn't help but watch。 She held the bowl awkwardly and tried to maneuver it to the baby's mouth。 She was using her other hand to force the child's mouth open； and using a deal more force than I'd ever seen any other mother use on a child。 She tipped the bowl； and the water slopped。 I heard a strangled gurgle and then a gagging sound。 As I leaped up to protest； the head of a small dog emerged from the bundle。
〃Oh； he's choking again！ He's dying！ My little Feisty is dying and no one but me cares。 He just goes on snoring； and I don't know what to do and my darling is dying。〃
She clutched the lapdog to her as it gagged and strangled。 It shook its little head wildly and then seemed to grow calmer。 If I hadn't been able to hear its labored breathing； I'd have sworn it had died in her arms。 Its dark and bulgy eyes met mine； and I felt the force of the panic and pain in the little beast。
Easy。 〃Here； now；〃 I heard myself saying。 〃You're not helping him by holding him that tight。 He can scarce breathe。 Set him down。 Unwrap him。 Let him decide how he is most fortable。 All wrapped up like that； he's too hot； so he's trying to pant and choke all at once。 Set him down。〃
She was a head taller than I； and for a moment I thought I was going to have to struggle with her。 But she let me take the bundled dog from her arms and unwrap him from several layers of cloth。 I set him on the table。
The little beast was in total misery。 He stood with his head drooping between his front legs。 His muzzle and chest were slick with saliva； his belly distended and hard。 He began to retch and gag again。 His small jaws opened wide； his lips writhed back from his tiny pointed teeth。 The redness of his tongue attested to the violence of his efforts。 The girl squeaked and sprang forward； trying to snatch him up again； but I pushed her roughly back。 〃Don't grab him；〃 I told her impatiently。 〃He's trying to get something up； and he can't do it with you squeezing his guts。〃
She stopped。 〃Get something up？〃
〃He looks and acts like he's got something lodged in his gullet。 Could he have gotten into bones or feathers？〃
She looked stricken。 〃There were bones in the fish。 But only tiny ones。〃
〃Fish？ What idiot let him get into fish？ Was it fresh or rotten？〃 I'd seen how sick a dog could get when it got into rotten； spawned…out salmon on a riverbank。 If that's what this little beast had gobbled； he didn't have a chance。
〃It was fresh； and well cooked。 The same trout I had at dinner。〃
〃Well； at least it's not likely to be poisonous to him。 Right now； it's just the bone。 But if he gets it down； it's still likely to kill him。〃
She gasped。 〃No； it can't！ He mustn't die。 He'll be fine。 He just has an upset stomach。 I just fed him too much。 He'll be fine！ What do you know about it anyway； kitchen boy？〃
I watched the feist go through another round of almost convulsive retching。 Nothing came up but yellow bile。 〃I'm not a kitchen boy。 I'm a dog boy。 Verity's own dog boy； if you must know。 And if we don't help this little mutt； he's going to die。 Very soon。〃
She watched； her face a mixture of awe and horror； as I gripped her little pet firmly。 I'm trying to help。 He didn't believe me。 I prized his jaws open and forced my two fingers down his gullet。 The feist gagged even more fiercely and pawed at me frantically with his front paws。 His claws needed cutting； too。 With the tips of my fingers I could feel the bone。 I twiddled my fingers against it and felt it move。 But it was wedged sideways in the little beast's throat。 The dog gave a strangled howl and struggled frantically in my arms。 I let him go。 〃Well。 He's not going to get rid of that without some help；〃 I observed。
I left her wailing and sniveling over him。 At least she didn't snatch him up and squeeze him。 I got myself a handful of butter from the keg and plopped it into my stew bowl。 Now I needed something hooked； or sharply curved； but not too large。 I rattled through bins and finally came up with a curved hook of metal with a handle on it。 Possibly it was used to lift hot pots off the fire。
〃Sit down；〃 I told the maid。
She gaped at me； and then sat obediently on the bench I'd pointed to。
〃Now hold him firmly； between your knees。 And don't let him go； no matter how he claws and wiggles or yelps。 And hold on to his front feet so he doesn't claw me to ribbons while I'm doing this。 Understand？〃
She took a deep breath； then gulped and nodded。 Tears were streaming down her face。 I set the dog on her lap and put her hands on him。
〃Hold tight；〃 I told her。 I scooped up a gobbet of butter。 〃I'm going to use the fat to grease things up。 Then I've got to force his jaws open； and hook the bone and jerk it out。 Are you ready？〃
She nodded。 The tears had stopped flowing and her lips were set。 I was glad to see she had some strength to her。 I nodded back。
Getting the butter down was the easy part。 It blocked his throat； though； and his panic increased； pounding at my self…control with his waves of terror。 I had no time to be gentle as I forced his jaws open and then put the hook down his throat。 I hoped I wouldn't snag his flesh。 But if I did； well； he would die anyway。 I turned the tool in his throat as he wiggled and yelped and pissed all over his mistress。 The hook caught on the bone and I pulled； evenly and firmly。
It came up in a welter of froth and bile and blood。 A nasty little bone； not a fishbone at all； but the partial breastbone of a small bird。 I flipped it onto the table。 〃And he shouldn't have poultry bones either；〃 I told her severely。
I don't think she even heard me。 Doggy was wheezing gratefully on her lap。 I picked up the dish of water and held it out to him。 He sniffed it； lapped a bit； and then curled up； exhausted。 She picked him up and cradled him in her arms； her head bent over his。
〃There's something I want from you；〃 I began。
〃Anything。〃 She spoke into his fur。 〃Ask； and it's yours。〃
〃First； stop giving him your food。 Give him only red meat and boiled grain for a while。 And for a dog that size； no more than you can cup in your hand。 And don't carry him everywhere。 Make him run about； to give him some muscle and wear down his nails。 And wash him。 He smells foul； coat and breath； from too rich food。 Or he won't live but another year or two。〃
She looked up； stricken。 Her hand went up to her mouth。 And something in her motion； so like her self…conscious touching of her jewelry at dinner； suddenly made me realize who I was scolding。 Lady Grace。 And I had made her dog piss on her night robe。
Something in my face must have given me away。 She smiled deli
