rh.theassassinsapprentice-第56部分

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　　　　　　　〃Well。〃　For　the　first　time　I　think　Patience　realized　she　had　taken　our　conversation　into　a　difficult　area。　She　stared　out　the　window　at　a　gray　day。　〃Someone　has　taught　you　well；〃　she　observed　suddenly；　too　brightly。
　　　　　　　〃Fedwren。〃　When　she　said　nothing；　I　added；　〃The　court　scribe；　you　know。　He　would　like　me　to　apprentice　to　him。　He　is　pleased　with　my　letters；　and　works　with　me　now　on　the　copying　of　his　images。　When　we　have　time；　that　is。　I　am　often　busy；　and　he　is　often　out　questing　after　new　paper　reeds。〃
　　　　　　　〃Paper　reeds？〃　she　asked　distractedly。
　　　　　　　〃He　has　a　bit　of　paper。　He　had　several　measures　of　it；　but　little　by　little　he　has　used　it。　He　got　it　from　a　trader；　who　had　it　from　another；　and　yet　another　before　him；　so　he　does　not　know　where　it　first　came　from。　But　from　what　he　was　told；　it　was　made　of　pounded　reeds。　The　paper　is　a　much　better　quality　than　any　we　make；　it　is　thin；　flexible；　and　does　not　crumble　so　readily　with　age；　yet　it　takes　ink　well；　not　soaking　it　up　so　that　the　edges　of　runes　blur。　Fedwren　says　that　if　we　could　duplicate　it；　it　would　change　much。　With　a　good；　sturdy　paper；　any　man　might　have　a　copy　of　tablet　lore　from　the　keep。　Were　paper　cheaper；　more　children　could　be　taught　to　write　and　to　read　both；　or　so　he　says。　I　do　not　understand　why　he　is　so…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did　not　know　any　here　shared　my　interest。〃　A　sudden　animation　lit　the　lady's　face。　〃Has　he　tried　paper　made　from　pounded　lily　root？　I　have　had　some　success　with　that。　And　also　with　paper　created　by　first　weaving　and　then　wet…pressing　sheets　made　with　threads　of　bark　from　the　kinue　tree。　It　is　strong　and　flexible；　yet　the　surface　leaves　much　to　be　desired。　Unlike　this　paper　。。。〃
　　　　　　　She　glanced　again　at　the　sheets　in　her　hand　and　fell　silent。　Then　she　asked　hesitantly；　〃You　like　the　puppy　this　much？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；〃　I　said　simply；　and　our　eyes　suddenly　met。　She　stared　into　me　in　the　same　distracted　way　that　she　often　stared　out　the　window。　Abruptly；　her　eyes　brimmed　with　tears。
　　　　　　　〃Sometimes；　you　are　so　like　him　that　。。。〃　She　choked。　〃You　should　have　been　mine！　It　isn't　fair；　you　should　have　been　mine！〃
　　　　　　　She　cried　out　the　words　so　fiercely　that　I　thought　she　would　strike　me。　Instead；　she　leaped　at　me　and　caught　me　in　a　flying　hug；　at　the　same　time　treading　upon　her　dog　and　overturning　a　vase　of　greenery。　The　dog　sprang　up　with　a　yelp；　the　vase　shattered　on　the　floor；　sending　water　and　shards　in　all　directions；　while　my　lady's　forehead　caught　me　squarely　under　the　chin；　so　that　for　a　moment　all　I　saw　was　sparks。　Before　I　could　react；　she　flung　herself　from　me　and　fled　into　her　bedchamber　with　a　cry　like　a　scalded　cat。　She　slammed　the　door　behind　her。
　　　　　　　And　all　the　while　Lacey　kept　on　with　her　tatting。
　　　　　　　〃She　gets　like　this；　sometimes；〃　she　observed　benignly；　and　nodded　me　toward　the　door。　〃e　again　tomorrow；〃　she　reminded　me；　and　added；　〃You　know；　Lady　Patience　has　bee　quite　fond　of　you。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
　　　　　　　Galen
　　　　　　　GALEN；　SON　OF　A　weaver；　came　to　Buckkeep　as　a　boy。　His　father　was　one　of　Queen　Desire's　personal　servants　who　followed　her　from　Farrow。　Solicity　was　then　the　Skillmaster　at　Buckkeep。　She　had　instructed　King　Bounty　and　his　son　Shrewd　in　the　Skill；　so　by　the　time　Shrewd's　sons　were　boys；　she　was　ancient　already。　She　petitioned　King　Bounty　that　she　might　take　an　apprentice；　and　he　consented。　Galen　was　greatly　favored　of　the　Queen；　and　at　Queen…in…Waiting　Desire's　energetic　urging；　Solicity　chose　the　youth　Galen　as　her　apprentice。　At　that　time；　as　now；　the　Skill　was　denied　to　bastards　of　the　Farseer　House；　but　when　the　talent　bloomed；　unexpected；　among　those　not　of　royalty；　it　was　cultivated　and　rewarded。　No　doubt　Galen　was　such　a　one　as　this；　a　boy　showing　strange　and　unexpected　talent　that　came　abruptly　to　the　attention　of　a　Skillmaster。
　　　　　　　By　the　time　the　Princes　Chivalry　and　Verity　were　old　enough　to　receive　Skill　instruction；　Galen　had　advanced　enough　to　assist　in　their　instruction；　though　he　was　but　a　year　or　so　older　than　they。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　Once　again　my　life　sought　a　balance　and　briefly　found　it。　The　awkwardness　with　Lady　Patience　gradually　eroded　into　our　acceptance　that　we　would　never　bee　casual　or　overly　familiar　with　one　another。　Neither　of　us　felt　a　need　to　share　feelings；　instead　we　skirted　one　another　at　a　formal　distance；　and　nevertheless　managed　to　gain　a　good　mutual　understanding。　Yet　in　the　formal　dance　of　our　relationship；　there　were　occasional　times　of　genuine　merriment；　and　sometimes　we　even　danced　to　the　same　piper。
　　　　　　　Once　she　had　given　up　the　notion　of　teaching　me　everything　that　a　Farseer　prince　should　know；　she　was　able　to　teach　me　a　great　deal。　Very　little　of　it　was　what　she　initially　intended　to　teach　me。　I　did　gain　a　working　knowledge　of　music；　but　this　was　by　the　loan　of　her　instruments　and　many　hours　of　private　experimentation。　I　became　more　her　runner　than　her　page；　and　from　fetching　for　her；　I　learned　much　of　the　perfumer's　art；　as　well　as　greatly　increasing　my　knowledge　of　plants。　Even　Chade　became　enthused　when　he　discovered　my　new　talents　for　root…and…leaf　propagation；　and　he　followed　with　interest　the　experiments；　few　of　them　successful；　that　Lady　Patience　and　I　made　into　coaxing　the　buds　of　one　tree　to　open　to　leaf　when　spliced　into　another　tree。　This　was　a　magic　she　had　heard　rumored；　but　did　not　scruple　to　attempt。　To　this　day；　in　the　Women's　Garden；　there　is　an　apple　tree；　one　branch　of　which　bears　pears。　When　I　expressed　a　curiosity　about　the　tattooer's　art；　she　refused　to　let　me　mark　my　own　body；　saying　I　was　too　young　for　such　a　decision。　But　without　the　least　qualm；　she　let　me　observe；　and　finally　assist　with；　the　slow　pricking　of　dye　into　her　own　ankle　and　calf　that　became　a　coiled　garland　of　flowers。
　　　　　　　But　all　of　that　evolved　over　months　and　years；　not　days。　We　had　settled　into　a　blunt…spoken　courtesy　toward　one　another　by　the　end　of　ten　days。　She　met　Fedwren　and　enlisted　him　in　her　root…paper　project。　The　pup　was　growing　well　and　was　a　greater　pleasure　to　me　every　day。　Lady　Patience's　errands　to　town　gave　me　ample　opportunities　to　see　my　town　friends；　especially　Molly。　She　was　an　invaluable　guide　to　the　fragrant　stalls　where　I　purchased　Lady　Patience's　perfume　supplies。　Forging　and　Red…Ship　Raiders　might　still　threaten　from　the　horizon；　but　for　those　few　weeks　they　seemed　a　remote　terror；　like　the　remembered　chill　of　winter　on　a　midsummer　day。　For　a　very　brief　period　I　was　happy；　and；　an　even　rarer　gift；　I　knew　I　was　happy。
　　　　　　　And　then　my　lessons　with　Galen　began。
　　　　　　　The　night　before　my　lessons　were　to　begin；　Burrich　sent　for　me。　I　went　to　him　wondering　what　chore　I　had　done　poorly　and　would　be　rebuked　for。　I　found　him　waiting　for　me　outside　the　stables；　shifting　his　feet　as　restlessly　as　a　confined　stallion。　He　immediately　beckoned　me　to　follow　him　and　took　me　up　to　his　chambers。
　　　　　　　〃Tea？〃　he　offered；　and　when　I　nodded；　poured　me　a　mug　from　a　pot　still　warm　on　his　hearth。
　　　　　　　〃What's　the　matter？〃　I　asked　as　I　took　it　from　him。　He　was　strung　as　tight　as　I　had　ever　seen　him。　This　was　so　unlike　Burrich　that　I　feared　some　terrible　news　…　that　Sooty　was　ill；　or　dead；　or　that　he　had　discovered　Smithy。
　　　　　　　〃Nothing；〃　he　lied；　and　did　it　so　poorly　that　he　himself　immediately　recognized　it。　〃It's　this；　boy；〃　he　confessed　suddenly。　〃Galen　came　to　me　today。　He　told　me　that　you　were　to　be　instructed　in　the　Skill。　And　he　charged　me　that　while　he　was　teaching　you；　I　could　interfere　in　no　way　…　not　to　counsel；　or　ask　chores　of　you；　or　even　share　a　meal　with　you。　He　was　most　。。。　direct　about　it。〃　Burrich　paused；　and　I　wondered　what　better　word　he　had　rejected。　He　looked　away　from　me。　〃There　was　a　time　when　I'd　hoped　this　chance　would　be　offered　you；　but　when　it　wasn't；　I　thought；　well；　perhaps　it's　for　the　best。　Galen　can　be　a　hard　teacher。　A　very　hard　teacher。　I've　heard　talk　of　it　before。　He　drives　his　pupils；　but　he　claims　he　expects　no　more　of　them　than　he　does　of　himself。　And；　boy；　I've　heard　that　gossiped　about　me；　too；　if　you　can　credit　it。〃
　　　　　　　I　permitted　myself　a　small　smile；　that　brought　an　answering　scowl　from　Burrich。
　　　　　　　〃Listen　to　what　I'm　telling　you。　Galen　makes　no　secre