rh.theassassinsapprentice-第69部分

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go　unheard。
　　　　　　　With　spring　in　the　air；　all　in　the　seaport　braced；　for　soon　it　would　be　raiding　weather。　I　ate　with　the　guards　every　night　now　and　listened　well　to　all　the　rumors。　Forged　ones　had　bee　robbers　all　along　our　highways；　and　the　stories　of　their　depravities　and　depredations　were　all　the　tavern　talk　now。　As　predators；　they　were　more　devoid　of　decency　and　mercy　than　any　wild　animal　could　be。　It　was　easy　to　forget　they　had　ever　been　human；　and　to　hate　them　with　a　venom　like　nothing　else。
　　　　　　　The　fear　of　being　Forged　increased　proportionately。　Markets　carried　candy…dipped　beads　of　poison　for　mothers　to　give　their　children　in　the　event　the　family　was　captured　by　raiders。　There　were　rumors　that　some　seacoast　villagers　had　packed　up　all　their　belongings　in　carts　and　moved　inland；　forsaking　their　traditional　occupations　as　fishers　and　traders　to　bee　farmers　and　hunters　away　from　the　threat　of　the　sea。　Certainly　the　population　of　beggars　within　the　city　was　swelling。　A　Forged　one　came　into　Buckkeep　Town　itself　and　walked　the　streets；　as　untouchable　as　a　madman　as　he　helped　himself　to　whatever　he　wanted　from　the　market　stalls。　Before　a　second　day　had　passed；　he　had　disappeared；　and　dark　whispers　said　to　watch　for　his　body　to　wash　up　on　the　beach。　Other　rumors　said　a　wife　had　been　found　for　Verity　among　the　mountain　folk。　Some　said　it　was　to　secure　our　access　to　the　passes；　others　that　we　could　not　afford　a　potential　enemy　at　our　backs　when　all　along　our　seacoast　we　must　fear　the　Red…Ships。。　And　there　were　yet　other　rumors；　no；　the　barest　whispers；　too　brief　and　fragmented　to　be　rumors；　that　all　was　not　well　with　Prince　Verity。　Tired　and　sick　said　some；　and　others　sniggered　about　a　nervous　and　weary　bridegroom。　A　few　sneered　that　he　had　taken　to　drink　and　was　only　seen　by　day　when　his　headache　was　worst。
　　　　　　　I　found　my　concern　over　these　last　rumors　to　be　deeper　than　I　would　have　expected。　None　of　the　royals　had　ever　paid　much　mind　to　me；　at　least　not　in　a　personal　way。　Shrewd　saw　to　my　education　and　fort　and　had　long　ago　bought　my　loyalty；　so　that　now　I　was　his　without　even　giving　thought　to　any　alternative。　Regal　despised　me；　and　I　had　long　learned　to　avoid　his　narrow　glance；　and　the　casual　nudges　or　furtive　shoves　that　had　once　been　enough　to　send　a　smaller　boy　staggering。　But　Verity　had　been　kind　to　me；　in　an　absentminded　sort　of　way；　and　he　loved　his　dogs　and　his　horse　and　his　hawks　in　a　way　I　understood。　I　wanted　to　see　him　stand　tall　and　proud　at　his　wedding；　and　hoped　someday　to　stand　behind　the　throne　he　would　occupy　much　as　Chade　stood　behind　Shrewd's。　I　hoped　he　was　well；　and　yet　there　was　nothing　I　could　do　about　it　if　he　were　not；　nor　even　a　way　I　could　see　him。　Even　if　we　had　been　keeping　the　same　hours；　the　circles　we　moved　in　were　seldom　the　same。
　　　　　　　It　was　still　not　quite　full　spring　when　Galen　made　his　announcement。　The　rest　of　the　keep　was　making　its　preparations　for　Springfest。　The　stalls　in　the　marketplace　would　be　sanded　clean　and　repainted　in　bright　colors；　and　tree　branches　would　be　brought　inside　and　gently　forced　so　that　their　blossoms　and　tiny　leaves　could　grace　the　banquet　table　on　Springseve。　But　tender　new　greens　and　eggcake　with　carris　seed　toppings　were　not　what　Galen　had　in　mind　for　us；　nor　puppet　shows　and　hunt　dances。　Instead；　with　the　ing　of　the　new　season；　we　would　be　tested；　either　to　be　proven　worthy　or　discarded。
　　　　　　　〃Discarded；〃　he　repeated；　and　if　he　had　been　condemning　those　unchosen　to　death；　the　attention　of　his　other　students　could　not　have　been　more　intent。　I　numbly　tried　to　understand　in　full　what　it　would　mean　to　me　when　I　failed。　I　had　no　belief　that　he　would　test　me　fairly；　or　that　I　could　pass　such　a　test　even　if　he　did。
　　　　　　　〃You　shall　be　a　coterie；　those　of　you　who　prove　yourselves。　Such　a　coterie　as　has　never　been　before；　I　would　think。　At　the　height　of　Springfest；　I　myself　will　present　you　to　your　king；　and　he　shall　see　the　wonder　of　what　I　have　wrought。　As　you　have　e　this　far　with　me；　you　know　I　will　not　be　shamed　before　him。　So　I　myself　will　test　you；　and　test　you　to　your　limits；　to　be　sure　that　the　weapon　I　place　in　my　king's　hand　holds　an　edge　worthy　of　its　purpose。　One　day　from　now；　I　will　scatter　you；　like　seeds　in　the　wind；　across　the　kingdom。　I　have　arranged　that　you　will　be　taken　hence；　by　swift　horse；　to　your　destinations。　And　there　each　of　you　will　be　left；　alone。　Not　one　of　you　will　know　where　any　of　the　others　are。〃　He　paused；　I　think　to　let　each　of　us　feel　the　tension　thrumming　through　the　room。　I　knew　that　all　the　others　vibrated　in　tune；　sharing　a　mon　emotion；　almost　a　mon　mind　as　they　received　their　instruction。　I　suspected　they　heard　far　more　than　the　simple　words　from　Galen's　lips。　I　felt　a　foreigner　there；　listening　to　words　in　a　language　whose　idiom　I　could　not　grasp。　I　would　fail。
　　　　　　　〃Within　two　days　of　being　left；　you　will　be　summoned。　By　me。　You　will　be　directed　who　to　contact；　and　where。　Each　of　you　will　receive　the　information　you　need　to　make　your　way　back　here。　If　you　have　learned；　and　learned　well；　my　coterie　will　be　here　and　present　on　Springseve；　ready　to　be　presented　to　the　King。〃　Again　the　pause。　〃Do　not　think；　however；　that　all　you　must　do　is　find　your　way　back　to　Buckkeep　by　Springseve。　You　are　to　be　a　coterie；　not　homing　pigeons。　How　you　e　and　in　what　pany　will　prove　to　me　that　you　have　mastered　your　Skill。　Be　ready　to　leave　by　tomorrow　morning。〃
　　　　　　　And　then　he　released　us；　one　by　one；　again　with　a　touch　for　each；　and　a　word　of　praise　for　each；　save　me。　I　stood　before　him；　as　open　as　I　could　make　myself；　as　vulnerable　as　I　dared　to　be；　and　yet　the　brush　of　the　Skill　against　my　mind　was　less　than　the　touch　of　the　wind。　He　stared　down　at　me　as　I　looked　up　at　him；　and　I　did　not　need　the　Skill　to　feel　that　he　both　loathed　and　despised　me。　He　made　a　noise　of　contempt　and　looked　aside；　releasing　me。　I　started　to　go：
　　　　　　　〃Far　better；〃　he　said　in　that　cavernous　voice　of　his；　〃if　you　had　gone　over　the　wall　that　night；　bastard。　Far　better。　Burrich　thought　I　abused　you。　I　was　only　offering　you　a　way　out；　as　close　to　an　honorable　way　as　you　were　capable　of　finding。　Go　away　and　die；　boy；　or　at　least　go　away。　You　shame　your　father's　name　by　existing。　By　Eda；　I　do　not　know　how　you　came　to　exist。　That　a　man　such　as　your　father　could　fall　to　such　depth　as　lying　with　something　and　letting　you　bee　is　beyond　my　mind　to　imagine。〃
　　　　　　　As　always；　there　was　that　note　of　fanaticism　in　his　voice　as　he　spoke　of　Chivalry；　and　his　eyes　became　almost　blank　with　blind　idolatry　for　him。　Almost　absentmindedly；　he　turned　away　and　walked　off。　He　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　then　turned；　very　slowly。　〃I　must　ask；〃　he　said；　and　the　venom　in　his　voice　was　hungry　with　hatred。　〃Are　you　his　catamite；　that　he　lets　you　suck　strength　from　him？　Is　that　why　he　is　so　possessive　of　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃Catamite？〃　I　repeated；　not　knowing　the　word。
　　　　　　　He　smiled。　It　made　his　cadaverous　face　even　more　skull…like。　〃Did　you　think　I　hadn't　discovered　him？　Did　you　think　you'd　be　free　to　draw　on　his　strength　for　this　test？　You　won't。　Be　assured；　bastard；　you　won't。〃
　　　　　　　He　turned　and　went　down　the　steps；　leaving　me　standing　there　alone　on　the　rooftop。　I　had　no　idea　what　his　final　words　meant；　but　the　strength　of　his　hatred　had　left　me　sickened　and　weak　as　if　it　were　a　poison　he'd　put　in　my　blood。　I　was　reminded　of　the　last　time　all　had　left　me　on　the　tower　roof。　I　felt　pelled　to　walk　to　the　edge　of　the　tower　and　look　down。　This　corner　of　the　keep　did　not　face　the　sea；　but　there　were　still　jagged　rocks　aplenty　at　the　foot　of　it。　No　one　would　survive　that　fall。　If　I　could　make　a　decision　whose　firmness　lasted　for　one　second；　then　I　could　put　myself　out　of　it　all。　And　what　Burrich　or　Chade　or　anyone　else　might　think　of　it　would　not　be　able　to　trouble　me。
　　　　　　　A　distant　echo　of　a　whimper。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　ing；　Smithy；〃　I　muttered；　and　turned　away　from　the　edge。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN
　　　　　　　The　Trial
　　　　　　　THE　MAN　CEREMONY　IS　supposed　to　take　place　within　the　moon　of　a　boy's　fourteenth　birthday。　Not　all　are　honored　with　it。　It　requires　a　Man　to　sponsor　and　name　the　candidate；　and　He　must　find　a　dozen　other　Men　who　concede　the　boy　is　worthy