rh.theassassinsapprentice-第42部分

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an　inter…island　trader　wider　than　she　was　deep。　Her　shallow　draft　let　her　go　up　rivers　or　right　onto　beaches　without　damage；　but　her　passage　over　deeper　water　left　a　lot　to　be　desired。　She　sidled　along；　with　here　a　dip　and　there　a　curtsy；　like　a　bundle…laden　farm　wife　making　her　way　through　a　crowded　market。　We　seemed　to　be　the　sole　cargo。　A　deckhand　gave　me　a　couple　of　apples　to　share　with　the　horses；　but　little　talk。　So　after　I　had　parceled　out　the　fruit；　I　settled　myself　near　them　on　their　straw　and　took　Chade's　advice　about　resting。
　　　　　　　The　winds　were　kind　to　us；　and　the　captain　took　us　in　closer　to　the　looming　cliffs　than　I'd　have　thought　possible；　but　unloading　the　horses　from　the　vessel　was　still　an　unpleasant　task。　All　of　Chade's　lecturing　and　warnings　had　not　prepared　me　for　the　blackness　of　night　on　the　water。　The　lanterns　on　the　deck　seemed　pathetic　efforts；　confusing　me　more　with　the　shadows　they　threw　than　aiding　me　with　their　feeble　light。　In　the　end；　a　deckhand　rowed　Chade　to　shore　in　the　ship's　dory。　I　went　overboard　with　the　reluctant　horses；　for　I　knew　Sooty　would　fight　a　lead　rope　and　probably　swamp　the　dory。　I　clung　to　Sooty　and　encouraged　her；　trusting　her　mon　sense　to　take　us　toward　the　dim　lantern　on　shore。　I　had　a　long　line　on　Chade's　horse；　for　I　didn't　want　his　thrashing　too　close　to　us　in　the　water。　The　sea　was　cold；　the　night　was　black；　and　if　I'd　had　any　sense；　I'd　have　wished　myself　elsewhere；　but　there　is　something　in　a　boy　that　takes　the　mundanely　difficult　and　unpleasant　and　turns　it　into　a　personal　challenge　and　an　adventure。
　　　　　　　I　came　out　of　the　water　dripping；　chilled；　and　pletely　exhilarated。　I　kept　Sooty's　reins　and　coaxed　Chade's　horse　in。　By　the　time　I　had　them　both　under　control；　Chade　was　beside　me；　lantern　in　hand；　laughing　exultantly。　The　dory　man　was　already　away　and　pulling　for　the　ship。　Chade　gave　me　my　dry　things；　but　they　did　little　good　pulled　on　over　my　dripping　clothes。　〃Where's　the　path？〃　I　asked；　my　voice　shaking　with　my　shivering。
　　　　　　　Chade　gave　a　derisive　snort。　〃Path？　I　had　a　quick　look　while　you　were　pulling　in　my　horse。　It's　no　path；　it's　no　more　than　the　course　the　water　takes　when　it　runs　off　down　the　cliffs。　But　it　will　have　to　do。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　a　little　better　than　he　had　reported；　but　not　much。　It　was　narrow　and　steep　and　the　gravel　on　it　was　loose　underfoot。　Chade　went　before　with　the　lantern。　I　followed；　with　the　horses　in　tandem。　At　one　point　Chade's　bay　acted　up；　tugging　back；　throwing　me　off　balance　and　nearly　driving　Sooty　to　her　knees　in　her　efforts　to　go　in　the　other　direction。　My　heart　was　in　my　mouth　until　we　reached　the　top　of　the　cliffs。
　　　　　　　Then　the　night　and　the　open　hillside　spread　out　before　us　under　the　sailing　moon　and　the　stars　scattered　wide　overhead；　and　the　spirit　of　the　challenge　caught　me　up　again。　I　suppose　it　could　have　been　Chade's　attitude。　The　carris　seed　made　his　eyes　wide　and　bright；　even　by　lantern　light；　and　his　energy；　unnatural　though　it　was；　was　infectious。　Even　the　horses　seemed　affected；　snorting　and　tossing　their　heads。　Chade　and　I　laughed　dementedly　as　we　adjusted　harness　and　then　mounted。　Chade　glanced　up　to　the　stars　and　then　around　the　hillside　that　sloped　down　before　us。　With　careless　disdain　he　tossed　our　lantern　to　one　side。
　　　　　　　〃Away！〃　he　announced　to　the　night；　and　kicked　the　bay；　who　sprang　forward。　Sooty　was　not　to　be　outdone；　and　so　I　did　as　I　had　never　dared　before；　galloping　down　unfamiliar　terrain　by　night。　It　is　a　wonder　we　did　not　all　break　our　necks。　But　there　it　is；　sometimes　luck　belongs　to　children　and　madmen。　That　night　I　felt　we　were　both。
　　　　　　　Chade　led　and　I　followed。　That　night　I　grasped　another　piece　of　the　puzzle　that　Burrich　had　always　been　to　me。　For　there　is　a　very　strange　peace　in　giving　over　your　judgment　to　someone　else；　to　saying　to　them；　〃You　lead　and　I　will　follow；　and　I　will　trust　entirely　that　you　will　not　lead　me　to　death　or　harm。〃　That　night；　as　we　pushed　the　horses　hard；　and　Chade　steered　us　solely　by　the　night　sky；　I　gave　no　thought　to　what　might　befall　us　if　we　went　astray　from　our　bearing；　or　if　a　horse　were　injured　by　an　unexpected　slip。　I　felt　no　sense　of　accountability　for　my　actions。　Suddenly　everything　was　easy　and　clear。　I　simply　did　whatever　Chade　told　me　to　do；　and　trusted　to　him　to　have　it　turn　out　right。　My　spirit　rode　high　on　the　crest　of　that　wave　of　faith；　and　sometime　during　the　night　it　occurred　to　me：　This　was　what　Burrich　had　gotten　from　Chivalry；　and　what　he　missed　so　badly。
　　　　　　　We　rode　the　entire　night。　Chade　breathed　the　horses；　but　not　as　often　as　Burrich　would　have。　And　he　stopped　more　than　once　to　scan　the　night　sky　and　then　the　horizon　to　be　sure　our　course　was　true。　〃See　that　hill　there；　against　the　stars？　You　can't　see　it　too　well；　but　I　know　it。　By　light；　it's　shaped　like　a　butter　monger's　cap。　Keeffashaw；　it's　called。　We　keep　it　to　the　west　of　us。　Let's　go。〃
　　　　　　　Another　time　he　paused　on　a　hilltop。　I　pulled　in　my　horse　beside　his。　Chade　sat　still；　very　tall　and　straight。　He　could　have　been　carved　of　stone。　Then　he　lifted　an　arm　and　pointed。　His　hand　shook　slightly。　〃See　that　ravine　down　there？　We've　e　a　bit　too　far　to　the　east。　We'll　have　to　correct　as　we　go。〃
　　　　　　　The　ravine　was　invisible　to　me；　a　darker　slash　in　the　dimness　of　the　starlit　landscape。　I　wondered　how　he　could　have　known　it　was　there。　It　was　perhaps　half　an　hour　later　that　he　gestured　off　to　our　left；　where　on　a　rise　of　land　a　single　light　twinkled。　〃Someone's　up　tonight　in　Woolcot；〃　he　observed。　〃Probably　the　baker；　putting　early　morning　rolls　to　rise。〃　He　half　turned　in　his　saddle　and　I　felt　more　than　saw　his　smile。　〃I　was　born　less　than　a　mile　from　here。　e；　boy；　let's　ride。　I　don't　like　to　think　of　raiders　so　close　to　Woolcot。〃
　　　　　　　And　on　we　went；　down　a　hillside　so　steep　that　I　felt　Sooty's　muscles　bunch　as　she　leaned　back　on　her　haunches　and　more　than　half　slid　her　way　down。
　　　　　　　Dawn　was　graying　the　sky　before　I　smelled　the　sea　again。　And　it　was　still　early　when　we　crested　a　rise　and　looked　down　on　the　little　village　of　Forge。　It　was　a　poor　place　in　some　ways；　the　anchorage　was　good　only　on　certain　tides。　The　rest　of　the　time　the　ships　had　to　anchor　farther　out　and　let　small　craft　ply　back　and　forth　between　them　and　shore。　About　all　that　Forge　had　to　keep　it　on　the　map　was　iron　ore。　I　had　not　expected　to　see　a　bustling　city。　But　neither　was　I　prepared　for　the　rising　tendrils　of　smoke　from　blackened　open…roofed　buildings。　Somewhere　an　unmilked　cow　was　lowing。　A　few　scuttled　boats　were　just　off　the　shore；　their　masts　sticking　up　like　dead　trees。
　　　　　　　Morning　looked　down　on　empty　streets。　〃Where　are　the　people？〃　I　wondered　aloud。
　　　　　　　〃Dead；　taken　hostage；　or　hiding　in　the　woods　still。〃　There　was　a　tightness　in　Chade's　voice　that　drew　my　eyes　to　his　face。　I　was　amazed　at　the　pain　I　saw　there。　He　saw　me　staring　at　him　and　shrugged　mutely。　〃The　feeling　that　these　folk　belong　to　you；　that　their　disaster　is　your　failure　。。。　it　will　e　to　you　as　you　grow。　It　goes　with　the　blood。〃　He　left　me　to　ponder　that　as　he　nudged　his　weary　mount　into　a　walk。　We　threaded　our　way　down　the　hill　and　into　the　town。
　　　　　　　Going　more　slowly　seemed　to　be　the　only　caution　Chade　was　taking。　There　were　two　of　us；　weaponless；　on　tired　horses；　riding　into　a　town　where　。。。
　　　　　　　〃The　ship's　gone；　boy。　A　raiding　ship　doesn't　move　without　a　full　plement　of　rowers。　Not　in　the　current　off　this　piece　of　coast。　Which　is　another　wonder。　How　did　they　know　our　tides　and　currents　well　enough　to　raid　here？　Why　raid　here　at　all？　To　carry　off　iron　ore？　Easier　by　far　for　them　to　pirate　it　off　a　trading　ship。　It　doesn't　make　sense；　boy。　No　sense　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　Dew　had　settled　heavily　the　night　before。　There　was　a　rising　stench　in　the　town；　of　burned　wet　homes。　Here　and　there　a　few　still　smoldered。　In　front　of　some；　possessions　were　strewn　out　into　the　street；　but　I　did　not　know　if　the　inhabitants　had　tried　to　save　some　of　their　goods；　or　if　the　raiders　had　begun　to　carry　things　off　and　then　changed　their　minds。　A　saltbox　without　a　lid；　several　yards　of　green　woolen　goods；　a　shoe；　a　broken　chair：　the　litter　spoke　mutely　but　eloquently　of　all　that　was　homely　and　safe　broken　forever　and　t