rh.theassassinsapprentice-第76部分

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atiation；　with　her　hands；　and　then　let　fall　to　the　floor　whatever　was　excess；　to　be　trodden　underfoot。　She　did　not　wash；　nor　care　for　herself　in　any　way。　Even　most　animals　soil　only　one　area　of　their　dens；　but　as　for　Netta；　she　was　like　a　mouse　that　lets　her　droppings　fall　everywhere；　with　no　care　for　bedding。
　　　　　　　〃She　was　able　to　speak；　in　a　sensible　way；　if　she　chose　to　or　wanted　some　item　badly　enough。　When　she　spoke　by　her　own　choice；　it　was　usually　to　accuse　me　of　stealing　from　her；　or　to　utter　threats　against　me　if　I　did　not　immediately　give　her　some　item　she　had　decided　she　wanted。　Her　habitual　attitude　toward　me　was　suspicious　and　hateful。　She　ignored　my　attempts　at　normal　conversation；　but　by　withholding　food　from　her；　I　was　able　to　elicit　answers　in　exchange　for　food。　She　had　clear　memory　of　her　family；　but　had　no　interest　in　what　had　bee　of　them。　Rather　she　answered　those　questions　as　if　answering　questions　about　yesterday's　weather。　Of　her　Forging　time；　she　said　only　that　they　had　been　held　in　the　belly　of　a　ship；　and　that　there　had　been　little　food　and　only　enough　water　to　go　around。　She　had　been　fed　nothing　unusual　that　she　recalled；　nor　had　she　been　touched　in　any　way　that　she　remembered。　Thus　she　could　furnish　to　me　no　clue　as　to　the　mechanism　of　Forging　itself。　This　was　a　great　disappointment　to　me；　for　I　had　hoped　that　by　learning　how　a　thing　was　done；　a　man　could　discover　how　to　undo　it。
　　　　　　　〃I　endeavored　to　bring　human　behavior　back　to　her　by　reasoning　with　her；　but　to　no　avail。　She　appeared　to　understand　my　words；　but　would　not　act　on　them。　Even　when　given　two　loaves　of　bread　and　warned　that　she　must　save　one　for　the　morrow　or　go　hungry；　she　would　let　her　second　loaf　fall　to　the　floor；　tread　upon　it；　and　on　the　morrow　eat　her　own　dropped　leavings；　careless　of　what　dirt　clung　to　them。　She　evinced　no　interest　in　her　needlework　or　in　any　other　pastime；　not　even　the　bright　toys　of　a　child。　If　not　eating　or　sleeping；　she　was　content　merely　to　sit　or　lie；　her　mind　as　idle　as　her　body。　Offered　sweets　or　pastries；　she　would　indulge　until　she　vomited；　and　then　eat　more。
　　　　　　　〃I　treated　her　with　sundry　elixirs　and　herbal　teas。　I　fasted　her；　I　steamed　her；　I　purged　her　body。　Hot　and　cold　dousings　had　no　effect　other　than　to　make　her　angry。　I　caused　her　to　sleep　a　full　day　and　a　night；　to　no　change。　I　so　charged　her　with　elfbark　that　she　could　not　sleep　for　two　nights；　but　this　only　made　her　irritable。　I　spoiled　her　with　kindnesses　for　a　time；　but　as　when　I　treated　her　with　the　harshest　restrictions；　it　made　no　difference　to　her；　or　in　how　she　regarded　me。　If　hungry；　she　would　make　courtesies　and　smile　pleasantly　when　manded　to；　but　as　soon　as　food　was　furnished　her；　all　further　mands　and　requests　were　ignored。
　　　　　　　〃She　was　viciously　jealous　of　territory　and　possessions。　More　than　once　she　attempted　to　attack　me；　for　no　more　reason　than　that　I　had　ventured　too　close　to　food　she　was　eating；　and　once　because　she　suddenly　decided　she　wished　to　have　a　ring　I　was　wearing。　She　regularly　killed　the　mice　her　untidiness　attracted；　snatching　them　up　with　amazing　swiftness　and　dashing　them　against　the　wall。　A　cat　that　once　ventured　into　her　chambers　met　with　a　similar　fate。
　　　　　　　〃She　seemed　to　have　little　sense　of　the　time　that　had　passed　since　her　Forging。　She　could　give　good　account　of　her　earlier　life；　if　manded　when　hungry；　but　of　the　days　since　her　Forging；　all　was　as　one　long　'yesterday'　to　her。
　　　　　　　〃From　Netta；　I　could　not　learn　if　something　had　been　added　to　her　or　taken　away　to　Forge　her。　I　did　not　know　if　it　was　a　thing　consumed　or　smelled　or　heard　or　seen。　I　did　not　know　if　it　was　even　the　work　of　a　man's　hand　and　art；　or　the　work　of　a　sea　demon　such　as　some　Farlanders　claim　to　have　power　upon。　From　along　and　weary　experiment；　I　learned　nothing。
　　　　　　　〃To　Netta　I　gave　a　triple　sleeping　draft　one　evening　with　her　water。　I　had　her　body　bathed；　her　hair　groomed；　and　sent　her　back　to　her　village　to　be　decently　buried。　At　least　one　family　could　put　finis　to　a　tale　of　Forging。　Most　others　must　wonder；　for　months　and　years；　what　has　bee　of　the　one　they　once　held　dear。　Most　are　better　off　not　knowing。〃　There　were；　at　that　time；　over　one　thousand　souls　known　to　have　been　Forged。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　Burrich　had　meant　what　he　said。　He　had　nothing　more　to　do　with　me。　I　was　no　longer　wele　down　at　the　stables　and　kennels。　Cob　especially　took　savage　pleasure　in　this。　Although　he　was　often　gone　with　Regal；　when　he　was　about　the　stables　he　would　often　step　to　block　my　entry。　〃Allow　me　to　bring　you　your　horse；　master；〃　he　would　say　obsequiously。　〃The　stablemaster　prefers　that　grooms　handle　animals　within　the　stables。〃　And　so　I　must　stand；　like　some　inpetent　lordling；　while　Sooty　was　saddled　and　brought　for　me。　Cob　himself　mucked　her　stall　and　brought　her　feed　and　groomed　her；　and　it　ate　at　me　like　acid　to　see　how　quickly　she　weled　him　back。　She　was　only　a　horse；　I　told　myself；　and　not　to　be　blamed。　But　it　was　one　more　abandonment。
　　　　　　　I　had　too　much　time；　suddenly。　Mornings　had　always　been　spent　working　for　Burrich。　Now　they　were　mine。　Hod　was　busy　training　green　men　for　defense。　I　was　wele　to　drill　with　them；　but　it　was　all　lessons　I　had　learned　long　ago。　Fedwren　was　gone　for　the　summer；　as　he　was　every　summer。　I　could　not　think　of　a　way　to　apologize　to　Patience；　and　I　did　not　even　think　about　Molly。　Even　my　forays　to　the　taverns　in　Buckkeep　had　bee　solitary　ones。　Kerry　had　apprenticed　to　a　puppeteer；　and　Dirk　gone　for　a　sailor。　I　was　idle　and　alone。
　　　　　　　It　was　a　summer　of　misery；　and　not　just　for　me。　While　I　was　lonely　and　bitter　and　outgrowing　all　my　clothes；　while　I　snapped　and　snarled　at　any　foolish　enough　to　speak　to　me　and　drank　myself　insensible　several　times　a　week；　I　was　still　aware　of　how　the　Six　Duchies　were　racked。　The　Red…Ship　Raiders；　bolder　than　ever　before；　harried　our　coastline。　This　summer；　in　addition　to　threats；　they　finally　began　to　make　demands。　Grain；　cattle；　the　right　to　take　whatever　they　wished　from　our　seaports；　the　right　to　beach　their　boats　and　live　off　our　lands　and　people　for　the　summer；　their　choice　of　our　folk　for　slaves　。。。　each　demand　was　more　intolerable　than　the　last；　and　the　only　thing　more　intolerable　than　the　demands　were　the　Forgings　that　followed　each　refusal　by　the　King。
　　　　　　　mon　folk　were　abandoning　the　seaport　and　waterfront　towns。　One　could　not　blame　them；　but　it　left　our　coastline　even　more　vulnerable。　More　soldiers　were　hired；　and　more；　and　so　the　levies　were　raised　to　pay　them；　and　folk　grumbled　under　the　burden　of　the　taxes　and　their　fear　of　the　Red…Ship　Raiders。　Even　stranger　were　the　Outislanders　who　came　to　our　shore　in　their　family　ships；　their　raiding　vessels　left　behind；　to　beg　asylum　of　our　people；　and　to　tell　wild　tales　of　chaos　and　tyranny　in　the　Out　Islands；　where　the　Red…Ships　now　ruled　pletely。　They　were　a　mixed　blessing；　perhaps。　They　were　cheaply　hired　as　soldiers；　though　few　really　trusted　them。　But　at　least　their　tales　of　the　Out　Islands　under　Red…Ship　domination　were　harrowing　enough　to　keep　anyone　from　thinking　of　giving　in　to　the　Raiders'　demands。
　　　　　　　About　a　month　after　my　return；　Chade　opened　his　door　to　me。　I　was　sullen　over　his　neglect　of　me　and　went　more　slowly　up　his　stairs　than　ever　I　had　before。　But　when　I　got　there；　he　looked　up　from　crushing　seeds　with　a　pestle　with　a　face　full　of　weariness。　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　with　nothing　of　gladness　in　his　voice。
　　　　　　　〃That's　why　you　were　so　swift　to　wele　me　back；〃　I　observed　sourly。
　　　　　　　He　stopped　his　grinding。　〃I'm　sorry。　I　thought　perhaps　you　would　need　a　time　alone；　to　recover　yourself。〃　He　looked　back　to　his　seeds。　〃It　has　not　been　an　easy　winter　and　spring　for　me；　either。　Shall　we　try　to　put　the　time　behind　us；　and　go　on？〃
　　　　　　　It　was　a　gentle；　reasonable　suggestion。　I　knew　it　was　wise。
　　　　　　　〃Have　I　any　choice？〃　I　asked　sarcastically。
　　　　　　　Chade　finished　grinding　his　seed。　He　scraped　it　into　a　finely　woven　sieve　and　put　it　over　a　cup　to　drip。　〃No；〃　he　said　at　last；　as　if　he　had　considered　it　well。　〃No；　you　don't；　and　neither　do　I。　In　many　things；　we　have　no　choice。〃　He　looked　at　me；　his　eyes　running　up　and　down　me；　and　then　poked　at　his　seed　again。　〃You；〃　h