gc.shadowslinger-第22部分

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　　I　looked　at　Elmo。　He　looked　at　me。　Oh　boy；　I　thought。　If　Raven　knew　what　he　was　doing。　。。。　I　still　couldn't　get　upset。　He　did　it　for　Darling。　He　couldn't　have　known　he　was　doing　the　Dominator's　work。　He　had　that　much　conscience。　He　would　have　found　another　way。　。　。　。　What　the　hell　was　he　going　to　do　with　so　much　money？
　　We　had　to　find　him。　That　was　all　there　was　to　it。　Whatever　we　did　from　now　on；　our　main　goal；　for　the　sake　of　the　pany；　had　to　be　to　warn　him　off。
　　I　glanced　at　Elmo。　He　agreed。　From　this　moment　forward　we　would　be　fighting　for　the　survival　of　the　outfit。　Somewhere；　somehow；　Raven　must　have　smelled　trouble。　Goblin　looked　under　every　rock　in　the　Buskin；　watched　every　alley；　practically　lived　in　the　Iron　Lily；　and　still　found　a　big　bunch　of　nothing。　Time　ground　past。　Warmer　weather　threatened。　And　we　became　ever　more　panicky。
　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…One：　JUNIPER
　　
　　Raven　departed　soon　after　the　outer　channel　opened。　Shed　went　down　to　say　good…bye…and　only　then　discovered　the　nature　of　Raven's　shipping　investment。　He　had　had　a　ship　built　and　crewed。　A　whole　new　ship；　and　as　big　a　vessel　as　Shed　had　seen。　〃No　wonder　he　needed　a　fortune；〃　he　mused。　How　many　bodies　to　build　that？
　　He　returned　to　the　Lily　numbed。　He　poured　himself　some　wine；　sat　staring　into　nothing。　〃That　Raven　was　a　man　of　vision；〃　he　mumbled。　〃Glad　he's　gone；　though。　Asa；　too。　Maybe　things　can　get　back　to　normal。〃
　　Shed　bought　a　cottage　near　the　Enclosure。　He　installed　his　mother　with　a　staff　of　three。　It　was　a　relief　to　be　rid　of　her　evil；　blind　stare。
　　He　had　workmen　into　the　Lily　every　day。　They　interfered　with　business；　but　business　remained　good。　The　harbor　was　busy。　There　was　work　for　anyone　who　wanted　it。
　　Shed　could　not　handle　prosperity。　He　hared　after　every　impulse　he　had　known　during　his　impoverishment。　He　bought　fine　clothing　he　dared　not　wear。　He　went　places　frequented　only　by　the　wealthy。　And　he　bought　the　attentions　of　beautiful　women。
　　Women　cost　a　lot　when　you　pretended　to　be　somebody　off　the　high　slope。
　　One　day　Shed　went　to　his　secret　cash　box　and　found　it　empty。　All　that　money　gone？　Where？　The　improvements　on　the　Lily　weren't　finished。　He　owed　the　workmen。　He　owed　the　people　caring　for　his　mother。　Damn！　Was　he　back　where　he　started？
　　Hardly。　He　had　his　profits。
　　He　scampered　downstairs；　to　his　business　cash　box；　opened　it；　sighed　in　relief。　He'd　done　all　his　spending　out　of　the　box　upstairs。
　　But　something　was　wrong。　There　wasn't　anywhere　near　enough　in　the　box。　。　。　。　〃Hey；　Wally。〃
　　His　cousin　looked　at　him；　gulped；　raced　out　the　door。　Baffled；　Shed　hurried　outside；　saw　Wally　vanish　into　an　alley。　Then　the　truth　hit　him。　〃Damn　you！〃　he　yelled。　〃Damn　you；　you　damned　thief！〃　He　went　back　in　and　tried　to　figure　where　he　stood。
　　An　hour　later　he　told　the　workmen　to　knock　off。　He　left　his　new　girl　Lisa　in　charge；　started　the　rounds　of　his　suppliers。
　　Wally　had　screwed　him　good。　He　had　bought　on　credit　and　pocketed　monies　payable。　Shed　covered　his　debts　as　he　went；　growing　increasingly　alarmed　as　his　reserves　dwindled。　Down　to　little　more　than　copper；　he　returned　to　the　Lily　and　started　an　inventory。
　　At　least　Wally　hadn't　sold　what　he　had　bought　on　credit。　The　Lily　was　well…stocked。
　　Only　what　was　he　going　to　do　about　his　mother？
　　The　house　was　paid　for。　That　was　a　plus。　But　the　old　girl　needed　her　servants　to　survive。　And　he　couldn't　pay　their　wages。　But　he　didn't　want　her　back　in　the　Lily。　He　could　sell　all　those　clothes。　He'd　spent　a　fortune　on　them　and　couldn't　wear　them。　He　did　some　figuring。　Yes。　Sell　the　clothes　and　he　could　support　his　mother　till　next　summer。
　　No　more　clothes。　No　more　women。　No　more　improvements　on　the　Lily。　。　。　。　Maybe　Wally　hadn't　spent　it　all。
　　Finding　Wally　was　not　difficult。　He　returned　to　his　family　after　two　days　in　hiding。　He　thought　Shed　would　endure　the　loss。　He　didn't　know　he　was　dealing　with　a　new　Shed。
　　Shed　stormed　to　his　cousin's　tiny　one…room　apartment；　kicked　the　door　in。　〃Wally！〃
　　Wally　squealed。　His　children　and　wife　and　mother　all　screeched　questions。　Shed　ignored　them。　〃Wally；　I　want　it　back！　Every　damned　copper！〃
　　Wally's　wife　got　in　his　way。　〃Calm　down；　Marron。　What's　the　matter？〃
　　〃Wally！〃　Wally　cowered　in　a　corner。　〃Out　of　my　way；　Sal。　He　stole　damned　near　a　hundred　leva。〃　Shed　grabbed　his　cousin　and　dragged　him　out　the　doorway。　〃I　want　it　back。〃
　　〃Shed。　。　。　。〃
　　Shed　shoved　him。　He　staggered　backward；　tripped；　rolled　down　a　flight　of　stairs。　Shed　charged　after　him；　hurled　him　down　another　flight。
　　〃Shed；　please。　。。。〃
　　〃Where's　the　money；　Wally？　I　want　the　money。〃
　　〃I　don't　have　it；　Shed。　I　spent　it。　Honest。　The　kids　had　to　have　clothes。　We　had　to　eat。　I　couldn't　help　it；　Shed。　You　had　so　much。　。　。　。　You're　family；　Shed。　You're　supposed　to　help。〃
　　Shed　shoved　him　into　the　street；　kicked　him　in　the　groin；　dragged　him　upright；　started　slapping。　〃Where　is　it；　Wally？　You　couldn't　have　spent　that　much。　Hell；　your　kids　are　wearing　rags。　I　paid　you　enough　to　handle　that。　Because　you　were　family。　I　want　the　money　you　stole。〃　As　he　raged；　Shed　drove　his　cousin　toward　the　Lily。
　　Wally　whined　and　begged；　refusing　to　tell　the　truth。　Shed　guessed　he　had　stolen　upward　of　fifty　leva；　enough　to　have　pleted　the　renovation　of　the　Lily。　This　hadn't　been　petty　pilfering。　He　hurled　blows　in　an　angry　rain。
　　He　herded　Wally　around　behind　the　Lily；　away　from　prying　eyes。　〃Now　I　get　nasty；　Wally。〃
　　〃Shed；　please。　。。。〃
　　〃You　stole　from　me　and　you're　lying　about　it。　I　could　forgive　you　for　doing　it　for　your　family。　But　you　didn't。　Tell　me。　Or　give　it　back。〃　He　punched　Wally　hard。
　　The　pain　in　his　hands；　from　hitting　the　man；　sapped　his　rage。　But　then　Wally　broke。　〃I　lost　it　gambling。　I　know　I　was　stupid。　But　I　was　so　sure　I　was　going　to　win。　They　took　me。　They　let　me　think　I　was　going　to　win　big；　then　took　me；　and　the　only　way　out　was　to　steal。　They　would　have　killed　me。　I　borrowed　from　Gilbert　after　I　told　him　how　good　you　were　doing。　。。。〃
　　〃Lost　it？　Gambling？　Borrowed　from　Gilbert？〃　Shed　muttered。　Gilbert　had　moved　in　on　Krage's　territories。　He　was　a　bad　as　his　predecessor。　〃How　could　you　be　so　stupid？〃　The　rage　took　him　again。　He　snatched　a　board　off　a　scrap　pile　left　for　kindling。　He　hit　Wally　hard。　And　hit　him　again。　His　cousin　went　down；　stopped　trying　to　fend
off　the　blows。
　　Shed　froze；　suddenly　coldly　rational。　Wally　wasn't　moving。　〃Wally？　Wally？　Hey；　Wally。　Say　something。〃
　　Wally　did　not　respond。
　　Shed's　stomach　knotted。　He　tossed　the　board　into　the　pile。　〃Have　to　get　that　inside　before　people　cart　it　off。〃　He　gripped　his　cousin's　shoulder。　〃e　on；　Wally。　I　won't　hit　you　anymore。〃
　　Wally　did　not　move。
　　〃Oh；　shit；〃　Shed　muttered。　〃I　killed　him。〃　This　tore　it。　What　now？　There　wasn't　much　justice　in　the　Buskin；　but　what　there　was　was　quick　and　rough。　They　would　hang　him　sure。
　　He　whirled；　looking　for　witnesses。　He　saw　no　one。　His　mind　flew　in　a　hundred　directions。　There　was　a　way　out。　No　body；　no　proof　that　murder　had　been　done。　But　he'd　never　gone　up　that　hill　alone。
　　Hastily；　he　dragged　Wally　to　the　scrap　pile　and　covered　him。　The　amulet　he　needed　to　get　into　the　black　castle。　Where　was　it？　He　dashed　into　the　Lily；　roared　upstairs；　found　the　amulet；　examined　it。　Definitely　serpents　intertwined。　The　workmanship　was　amazingly　detailed。　Tiny　jewels　formed　the　eyes　of　the　snakes。　They　sparkled　menacingly　in　the　afternoon　sun。
　　He　stuffed　the　amulet　into　his　pocket。　〃Shed；　get　yourself　together。　Panic　and　you're　dead。〃
　　How　long　before　Sal　yelled　for　the　law？　A　few　days；　surely。　Plenty　of　time。
　　Raven　had　left　him　his　wagon　and　team。　He　hadn't　thought　to　keep　paying　the　stable…keeper。　Had　the　man　sold　them？　If　so；　he　was　in　trouble。
　　He　cleaned　out　his　coin　boxes；　left　the　Lily　in　Lisa's　care。
　　The　stable…keeper　hadn't　sold　off；　but　the　mules　were　looking　lean。　Shed　cursed　him。
　　〃I　should　feed　them　at　my　own　expense；　mister？〃
　　Shed　cursed　him　some　more　and　paid　what　was　owed。　He　said；　〃Feed　them。　And　have　them　hitched　and　ready　at　the　tenth　hour。〃
　　Shed　remained　panicky　all　afternoon。　Somebody　might　find　Wally。　But　no　lawman　came　stamping　in。　Soon　after　dark　he　stole　away　to　the　stable。
　　He　spent　the　journey　alternately　being　terrified　and　wondering　how　much　Wally　would　bring。　And　how　much　he　could　get　for　his　wagon　and　team。　He　hadn't　factored　them　into　his　earlier　calculations。
　　He　ought　to　help　Wally's　family。　He　had　to。　It　was　the　decent　thing。　。。。　He　was　acquiring　too　many　dependents。
　　Then　he　was　facing　the　dark　gate。　The　castle；　with　all　its　monstrous　decoration；　was　terrible；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　have　grown　since　last　he　had　been　there。　He　knocked　as　Raven　had　done；　his　heart　in　his　throat。　He　gripped　his　amulet　in　his　left　hand。
　　What　was　taking　them　so　long？　He　hammered　again。　The　gate　jumped　open；　startling　him。　He　fled　to　his　wagon；　got　the　mules　moving。
　　He　entered　exactly　as　Raven　had　done；　ignoring　everything　but　his　driving。　He　halted　in　the　same　place；　climbed　down；　dragged　Wally　out。
　　No　one　came　for　several　minutes。　He　grew　ever　more　nervous；　wishing　he'd　had　the　sens