rh.theassassinsapprentice-第70部分

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to　sponsor　and　name　the　candidate；　and　He　must　find　a　dozen　other　Men　who　concede　the　boy　is　worthy　and　ready。　Living　among　the　men…at…arms；　I　knew　of　the　ceremony；　and　knew　enough　of　its　gravity　and　selectivity　that　I　never　expected　to　participate　in　it。　For　one　thing；　no　one　knew　my　birth　date。　For　another；　I　had　no　knowledge　of　who　was　a　Man；　let　alone　if　twelve　Men　existed　who　would　find　me　worthy。
　　　　　　　But　on　a　certain　night；　months　after　I　had　endured　Galen's　test；　I　awoke　to　find　my　bed　surrounded　by　robed　and　hooded　figures。　Within　the　dark　hoods　I　glimpsed　the　masks　of　the　Pillars。
　　　　　　　No　one　may　speak　or　write　of　the　ceremony　details。　This；　I　think；　I　may　say。　As　each　life　was　put　into　my　hands；　fish；　bird；　and　beast；　I　chose　to　release　it；　not　to　death　but　back　to　its　own　free　existence。　So　nothing　died　at　my　ceremony；　and　hence　no　one　feasted。　But　even　in　my　state　of　mind　at　that　time；　I　felt　there　had　been　enough　blood　and　death　around　me　to　last　a　Lifetime；　and　I　refused　to　kill　with　hands　or　teeth。　My　Man　still　chose　to　give　me　a　name；　so　He　could　not　have　been　totally　displeased。　The　name　is　in　the　old　tongue；　which　has　no　letters　and　cannot　be　written。　Nor　have　I　ever　found　any　with　whom　I　chose　to　share　the　knowledge　of　my　Man　name。　But　its　ancient　meaning；　I　think；　I　can　divulge　here。　Catalyst。　The　Changer。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　I　went　straight　to　the　stables；　to　Smithy　and　then　to　Sooty。　The　distress　I　felt　at　the　thought　of　the　morrow　went　from　mental　to　physical；　and　I　stood　in　Sooty's　stall；　my　head　leaned　against　her　withers；　and　felt　queasy。　Burrich　found　me　there。　I　recognized　his　presence　and　the　steady　cadence　of　his　boots　as　he　came　down　the　stable　walkway；　and　then　he　halted　abruptly　outside　Sooty's　stall。　I　felt　him　looking　in　at　me。
　　　　　　　〃Well。　Now　what？〃　he　demanded　harshly；　and　I　heard　in　his　voice　how　weary　he　was　of　both　me　and　my　problems。　Had　I　been　any　less　miserable；　my　pride　would　have　made　me　draw　myself　up　and　declare　nothing　was　wrong。
　　　　　　　Instead；　I　muttered　into　Sooty's　coat；　〃Tomorrow　Galen　plans　to　test　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know。　He's　demanded　quite　abruptly　that　I　furnish　him　horses　for　this　idiotic　scheme。　I　would　have　refused；　had　he　not　a　wax　signet　from　the　King　giving　him　authority。　And　no　more　do　I　know　than　that　he　wants　the　horses；　so　don't　ask　it；〃　he　added　gruffly　as　I　looked　up　suddenly　at　him。
　　　　　　　〃I　wouldn't；〃　I　told　him　sullenly。　I　would　prove　myself　fairly　to　Galen；　or　not　at　all。
　　　　　　　〃You've　no　chance　of　passing　this　trial　he's　designed；　do　you？〃　Burrich's　tone　was　casual；　but　I　could　hear　how　he　braced　himself　to　be　disappointed　by　my　answer。
　　　　　　　〃None；〃　I　said　flatly；　and　we　were　both　silent　a　moment；　listening　to　the　finality　of　that　word。
　　　　　　　〃Well。〃　He　cleared　his　throat　and　gave　his　belt　a　hitch。　〃Then　you'd　best　get　it　over　with　and　get　back　here；　then。　It's　not　like　you　haven't　had　good　luck　with　your　other　schooling。　A　man　can't　expect　to　succeed　at　everything　he　tries。〃　He　attempted　to　make　my　failure　at　the　Skill　sound　as　if　it　were　of　no　consequence。
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　not。　Will　you　take　care　of　Smithy　for　me　while　I'm　gone？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will。〃　He　started　to　turn　away；　then　turned　back；　almost　reluctantly。　〃How　much　is　that　dog　going　to　miss　you？〃
　　　　　　　I　heard　his　other　question；　but　tried　to　avoid　it。　〃I　don't　know。　I've　had　to　leave　him　so　much　during　these　lessons；　I'm　afraid　he　won't　miss　me　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　doubt　that；〃　Burrich　said　ponderously。　He　turned　away。　〃I　doubt　that　a　very　great　deal；〃　he　said　as　he　walked　off　between　the　rows　of　stalls。　And　I　knew　that　he　knew；　and　was　disgusted；　not　just　that　Smithy　and　I　shared　a　bond；　but　that　I　refused　to　admit　it。
　　　　　　　〃As　if　admitting　it　were　an　option；　with　him；〃　I　muttered　to　Sooty。　I　bade　my　animals　farewell；　trying　to　convey　to　Smithy　that　several　meals　and　nights　would　pass　before　he　saw　me　again。　He　wriggled　and　fawned　and　protested　that　I　must　take　him；　that　I　would　need　him。　He　was　too　big　to　pick　up　and　hug　anymore。　I　sat　down　and　he　came　into　my　lap　and　I　held　him。　He　was　so　warm　and　solid；　so　near　and　real。　For　a　moment　I　felt　how　right　he　was；　that　I　would　need　him　to　be　able　to　survive　this　failure。　But　I　reminded　myself　that　he　would　be　here；　waiting　for　me　when　I　returned；　and　I　promised　him　several　days　of　my　time　for　his　sole　benefit　when　I　returned。　I　would　take　him　on　a　long　hunt；　such　as　we　had　never　had　time　for　before。　Now；　he　suggested；　and　soon；　I　promised。　Then　I　went　back　up　to　the　keep　to　pack　a　change　of　clothes　and　some　traveling　food。
　　　　　　　The　next　morning　had　much　of　pomp　and　drama　to　it　and　very　little　sense；　to　my　way　of　thinking。　The　others　to　be　tested　seemed　elated。　Of　the　eight　of　us　that　were　setting　out；　I　was　the　only　one　who　seemed　unimpressed　by　the　restless　horses　and　the　eight　covered　litters。　Galen　lined　us　up　and　blindfolded　us　as　threescore　or　more　of　people　looked　on。　Most　of　them　were　related　to　the　students；　or　friends；　or　the　keep　gossips。　Galen　made　a　brief　speech；　ostensibly　to　us；　but　telling　us　what　we　already　knew：　that　we　were　to　be　taken　to　different　locations　and　left；　that　we　must　cooperate；　using　the　Skill；　in　order　to　make　our　ways　back　to　the　keep；　that　if　we　succeeded；　we　would　bee　a　coterie　and　serve　our　king　magnificently　and　be　essential　to　defeating　the　Red…Ship　Raiders。　The　last　bit　impressed　our　onlookers；　for　I　heard　muttering　tongues　as　I　was　escorted　to　my　litter　and　assisted　inside。
　　　　　　　There　passed　a　miserable　day　and　a　half　for　me。　The　litter　swayed；　and　with　no　fresh　air　on　my　face　or　scenery　to　distract　me；　I　soon　felt　queasy　from　it。　The　man　guiding　the　horses　had　been　sworn　to　silence　and　kept　his　word。　We　paused　briefly　that　night。　I　was　given　a　meager　meal；　bread　and　cheese　and　water；　and　then　I　was　reloaded　and　the　jolting　and　swaying　resumed。
　　　　　　　At　about　midday　of　the　following　day；　the　litter　halted。　Once　more　I　was　assisted　in　dismounting。　Not　a　word　was　said；　and　I　stood；　stiff　and　headachy　and　blindfolded　in　a　strong　wind。　When　I　heard　the　horses　leaving；　I　decided　I　had　reached　my　destination　and　reached　up　to　untie　my　blindfold。　Galen　had　knotted　it　tightly　and　it　took　me　a　moment　to　get　it　off。
　　　　　　　I　stood　on　a　grassy　hillside。　My　escort　was　well　on　his　way　to　a　road　that　wound　past　the　base　of　the　hill；　moving　swiftly。　The　grass　was　tall　around　my　knees；　sere　from　winter；　but　green　at　the　base。　I　could　see　other　grassy　hills　with　rocks　poking　out　of　their　sides；　and　strips　of　woodland　sheltering　at　their　feet。　I　shrugged　and　turned　to　get　my　bearings。　It　was　hilly　country；　but　I　could　scent　the　sea　and　a　low　tide　to　the　east　somewhere。　I　had　a　nagging　sense　that　the　countryside　was　familiar；　not　that　I　had　been　to　this　particular　spot　before；　but　that　the　lay　of　the　terrain　was　familiar　somehow。　I　turned；　and　to　the　west　saw　the　Sentinel。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　double　jag　of　its　peak。　I　had　copied　over　for　Fedwren　a　map　less　than　a　year　ago；　and　the　creator　had　chosen　the　Sentinel's　distinctive　peak　as　a　motif　for　the　decorative　border。　So。　The　sea　over　there；　the　Sentinel　there；　and　with　a　suddenly　dipping　stomach；　I　knew　where　I　was。　Not　too　far　from　Forge。
　　　　　　　I　found　myself　quickly　turning　in　a　circle；　to　survey　the　surrounding　hillside　and　woodlands　and　road。　No　signs　of　anyone。　I　quested　out；　almost　frantically；　but　found　only　birds　and　small　game　and　one　buck；　who　lifted　his　head　and　snuffed；　wondering　what　I　was。　For　a　moment　I　felt　reassured；　until　I　remembered　that　the　Forged　ones　I　had　encountered　before　had　been　undetected　by　that　sense。
　　　　　　　I　moved　down　the　hill　to　where　several　boulders　jutted　out　from　its　side　and　sat　in　their　shelter。　It　was　not　that　the　wind　was　cold；　for　the　day　promised　spring　soon。　It　was　to　have　something　firmly　against　my　back；　and　to　feel　that　I　was　not　such　an　outstanding　target　as　I　had　been　atop　the　hill。　I　tried　to　think　coolly　what　to　do　next。　Galen　had　suggested　to　us　that　we　should　stay　quietly　where　we　were　deposited；　meditating　and　remaining　open　in　our　senses。　Sometime　in　the　next　two　days；　he　should　try　to　contact　me。
　　　　　　　Nothing　takes　the　heart　out　of　a　man　more　than　the　expectation　of　failure。　I　had　no