gc.shadowslinger-第38部分

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hipped　away　to　the　north。　Seconds　later　all　Juniper　was　illuminated　by　a　particolored　glare。
　　〃The　black　castle！〃　people　said。　〃They　hit　the　black　castle。〃
　　Shed　could　see　it　from　his　street。　It　had　vanished　behind　a　curtain　of　color。　Terror　gripped　his　heart。　He　could　not　understand　it。　He　was　safe　down　here。　Wasn't　he？
　　Wasn't　he？　The　pany　had　great　wizards　supporting　it。　They　would　not　let　the　castle　do　anything。　。。。　A　mighty　hammer　blow　threw　stuff　around　the　north　slope。　He　could　not　see　what　was　happening；　but　instantly　sensed　that　the　castle　had　struck　at　someone。　Possibly　that　Croaker；　who　was　up　there　keeping　the　place　isolated。　Maybe　the　castle　was　trying　to　open　the　road。
　　Crowd　yammer　directed　his　attention　to　two　dots　dropping　from　the　blue。　Fire　enveloped　the　castle。　Obsidian　shifted　form；　writhing；　then　found　its　normal　shape　again。　The　flying　attackers　soared；　turned。　Another　pair　of　balls　hurtled　in；　apparently　thrown　from　Duretile。　And　down　came　the　carpet　riders。
　　Shed　knew　who　they　were　and　what　was　happening；　and　he　was　terrified。　Around　him；　the　Buskin；　taken　unawares；　went　berserk。
　　He　retained　the　presence　of　mind　to　consider　his　own　position。　Here；　there；　members　of　the　Black　pany　were　running　for　battle　stations。　Squads　formed　up。　hurried　off。　Pairs　of　soldiers　took　stations　apparently　assigned　against　times　when　rioting　and　looting　looked　possible。　Nowhere　did　Shed　see　anyone　identifiable　as　his　babysitter。
　　He　slipped　back　inside　the　Lily；　upstairs；　into　his　room；　dug　into　his　secret　place。　He　stuffed　gold　and　silver　into　his　pockets；　dithered　over　his　amulet；　then　hung　it　around　his　neck；　under　his　clothing。　He　scanned　the　room　once；　saw　nothing　else　he　wanted　to　take；　hurried　back　downstairs。　There　was　no　one　in　the　mon　room　but　Sal；　who　stood　at　the　door　watching　the　display　on　the　north　slope。　He'd　never　seen　her　more　homebody　and　calm。
　　〃Sal。〃
　　〃Marron？　Is　it　time？〃
　　〃Yes。　I'm　leaving　twenty　leva　in　the　box。　You'll　do　fine　as　long　as　the　soldiers　keep　ing　in。〃
　　〃Is　that　up　there　what's　been　going　on？〃
　　〃That's　where　it's　been　headed。　It'll　probably　get　worse。　They're　here　to　destroy　the　castle。　If　they　can。〃
　　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　He　honestly　did　not。　〃Wouldn't　tell　you　if　I　did。　They　would　find　out　from　you。〃
　　〃When　will　you　be　back？〃
　　〃Maybe　never。　Certainly　not　before　they　pull　out。〃　He　doubted　the　pany　ever　would。　Or；　if　it　did；　it　would　be　replaced。　Its　Lady　seemed　the　type　not　to　turn　loose　of　anything。
　　He　gave　Sal　a　peck　on　the　cheek。　〃Take　care。　And　don't　short　yourself　or　the　kids。　If　Lisa　turns　up；　tell　her　she's　fired。　If　Wally　does；　tell　him　I　forgive　him。〃
　　He　headed　for　the　back　door。　The　flash　and　roar　on　the　slope　continued。　At　one　point　there　was　a　howling　which　fluttered　toward　Duretile；　but　it　broke　up　somewhere　over　the　Enclosure。　He　put　his　head　down　and　his　collar　up　and　followed　alleyways　toward　the　waterfront。
　　Only　twice　did　he　encounter　patrols。　Neither　boasted　a　man　who　knew　him。　The　first　ignored　him。　The　corporal　manding　the　second　told　him　to　get　his　ass　off　the　street　and　went　on。
　　From　Wharf　Street　he　could　see　the　black　castle　once　more；　through　the　masts　and　stays　of　countless　ships。　It　seemed　to　have　gotten　the　worst　of　the　exchange；　which　had　died　away。　Thick；　black　smoke　boiled　out　of　the　fortress；　an　oily　column　leaning　a　few　degrees　and　rising　thousands　of　feet；　then　spreading　in　a　dark　haze。　On　the　slopes　below　the　castle　there　was　a　twinkling　and　seething；　an　anthill…like　suggestion　of　movement。　He　supposed　the　pany　was　hurrying　into　action。
　　The　waterfront　was　in　a　frenzy。　The　channel　boasted　a　dozen　vessels　heading　out。　Every　other　foreign　ship　was　preparing　to　sail。　The　river　itself　seemed　strangely　disturbed　and　choppy。
　　Shed　tried　three　ships　before　he　found　one　where　money　talked　loudly　enough　to　be　heard。　He　paid　ten　leva　to　a　piratical　purser　and　found　himself　a　spot　where　he　would　not　be　seen　from　shore。
　　Nevertheless；　as　the　crew　were　casting　off；　the　man　called　Pawnbroker　came　racing　along　the　pier　with　a　squad　of　soldiers；　shouting　at　the　ship's　master　to　hold　fast。
　　The　ship's　master　made　an　obscene　gesture；　told　them　where　they　could　go；　and　began　drifting　with　the　current。　There　were　too　few　tugs　for　the　number　of　ships　moving　out。
　　For　his　defiance　the　skipper　got　an　arrow　through　the　throat。　Astonished　sailors　and　officers　stood　frozen；　aghast。　Arrows　stormed　aboard；　killed　more　than　a　dozen　men；　including　the　mate　and　boatswain。　Shed　cowered　in　his　hiding　place；　gripped　by　a　terror　deeper　than　any　he　had　known　before。
　　He　had　known　they　were　hard　men；　men　who　did　not　play　games。　He　had　not　realized　just　how　hard　they　were；　how　savage　they　could　be。　The　Duke's　men　would　have　thrown　up　their　hands　in　despair　and　wandered　away　cursing。　They　would　not　have　massacred　anyone。
　　The　arrows　kept　ing；　in　a　light　patter；　till　the　vessel　was　out　of　range。
　　Only　then　did　Shed　peep　out　and　watch　the　city　dwindle　slowly。　Oh；　slowly；　did　it　drift　away。
　　To　his　surprise　none　of　the　sailors　were　angry　with　him。　They　were　angry；　true；　but　had　not　made　a　connection　between　the　attack　and　their　last…minute　passenger。
　　Safe；　he　thought；　elated。　That　lasted　till　he　began　to　wonder　where　he　was　bound　and　what　he　would　do　once　he　got　there。
　　A　sailor　called；　〃Sir；　they're　ing　after　us　in　a　launch。〃　Shed's　heart　dropped　to　his　ankles。　He　looked　and　saw　a　small　ship　pulling　out；　trying　to　put　on　sail。　Men　in　Black　pany　uniform　abused　the　crew；　hurrying　them。
　　He　got　back　into　hiding。　After　the　mauling　these　men　had　taken；　there　was　no　doubt　they　would　surrender　him　rather　than　suffer　more。　If　they　realized　he　was　what　Pawnbroker　wanted。
　　How　had　the　man　picked　up　his　trail？
　　Sorcery。　Of　course。　Had　to　be。
　　Did　that　mean　they　could　find　him　anywhere？
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Five：　JUNIPER：　BAD　NEWS
　　
　　The　fuss　was　over。　It　had　been　a　dramatic　display　while　it　lasted；　though　not　as　impressive　as　some　I've　seen。　The　battle　on　the　Stair　of　Tear。　The　fighting　around　Charm。　This　was　all　flash　and　show；　more　rattling　to　Juniper's　people　than　to　us　or　the　denizens　of　the　black　castle。　They　did　us　no　harm。　The　worst　they　suffered　was　the　direct　deaths　outside　their　gate。　The　fire　inside　did　no　real　harm。　Or　so　the　Taken　reported。
　　Grimy；　Whisper　grounded　her　carpet　outside　my　headquarters；　trundled　inside　looking　the　worse　for　wear　but　unharmed。　〃What　started　it？〃　she　asked。
　　The　Lieutenant　explained。
　　〃They're　getting　frightened；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　desperate。　Were　they　trying　to　scare　you　off　or　take　you　prisoner？〃
　　〃Definitely　prisoner；〃　I　said。　〃They　hit　us　with　some　kind　of　sleepy　spell　before　they　came　after　us。〃　One…Eye　supported　me　with　a　nod。
　　〃Why　were　they　unsuccessful？〃
　　〃One…Eye　broke　the　spell。　Turned　it　around　on　them。　We　killed　three。〃
　　〃Ah！　No　wonder　they　were　upset。　You　brought　one　down　with　you？〃
　　〃I　thought　we　could　understand　them　better　if　I　cut　one　up　to　see　how　he　was　made。〃
　　Whisper　did　one　of　her　mental　fades；　muning　with　the　mistress　of　us　all。　She　returned。　〃A　good　idea。　But　Feather　and　I　will　do　the　cutting。　Where　is　the　corpse？　I'll　take　it　to　Duretile　now。〃
　　I　indicated　the　body。　It　was　in　plain　sight。　She　had　two　men　carry　it　to　her　carpet。　I　muttered；　〃Don't　damn　trust　us　to　do　anything　anymore。〃　Whisper　heard　me。　She　did　not　ment。
　　Once　the　body　was　loaded；　she　told　the　Lieutenant；　〃Begin　your　preliminary　siegework　immediately。　A　cir…cumvallation。　Limper　will　support　you。　It's　likely　the　Dominator's　creatures　will　try　to　break　out　or　take　prisoners；　or　both。　Don't　permit　it。　A　dozen　captives　would　allow　them　to　open　the　pathway。　You　would　find　yourself　facing　the　Dominator。　He　would　not　be　kind。〃
　　〃No　shit。〃　The　Lieutenant　is　a　tough　guy's　tough　guy　when　it　suits　him。　In　those　moments　not　even　the　Lady　could　intimidate　him。　〃Why　don't　you　clear　out？　Tend　to　your　job　and　let　me　tend　to　mine。〃
　　His　remarks　didn't　fit　the　moment；　but　he　was　fed　up　with　Taken　in　general。　He　had　been　on　the　march　with　the　Limper　for　months；　and　the　Limper　fancied　himself　a　mander。　He　gave　the　Lieutenant　and　Captain　both　a　bellyful。　And　maybe　that　was　the　source　of　the　friction　between　the　pany　and　Taken。　The　Captain　had　his　limits；　too；　though　he　was　more　diplomatic　than　the　Lieutenant。　He　would　ignore　orders　that　did　not　suit　him。
　　I　went　out　to　watch　the　circumvallation　of　the　black　castle。　Drafts　of　laborers　arrived　from　the　Buskin；　shovels　over　their　shoulders　and　terror　in　their　eyes。　Our　men　put　down　their　tools　and　assumed　guardianship　and　supervisory　roles。　Occasionally　the　black　castle　sputtered；　making　a　feeble　attempt　to　interfere；　like　a　volcano　muttering　to　itself　after　its　energy　has　been　spent。　The　locals　sometimes　scattered　and　had　to　be　rounded　up。　We　lost　a　lot　of　good　will　won　earlier。
　　A　sheepish　yet　angry　Pawnbroker　came　looking　for　me；　gravity　accentuated　by　the　afternoon　sunlight。　I　eased　away　and　went　to　meet　him。　〃What's　the　bad　news？〃
　　〃That　damned　Shed。　Made　a　run　for　it　in　the　confusion。〃
　　〃Confusion？〃
　　〃The　cit