gc.shadowslinger-第51部分

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　　〃They　tell　me　it's　busy　and　we　ought　to　get　out　of　here。　There's　more　of　them。〃
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　We　rejoined　the　others。　One…Eye　was　wrapping　Shed's　necklace　in　a　piece　of　cloth。　〃We　get　back　to　town；　I'm　sealing　this　in　something　made　of　steel　and　sinking　it　in　the　harbor。''
　　〃Destroy　it；　One…Eye。　Evil　always　finds　its　way　back。　The　Dominator　is　a　perfect　example。〃
　　〃Yeah。　All　right。　If　I　can。〃
　　Elmo's　rush　into　the　black　castle　came　to　mind　while　I　was　getting　everybody　organized　to　get　out　of　there。　I　had　changed　my　mind　about　overnighting。　We　could　get　most　of　the　way　back　before　nightfall。　Meadenvil；　like　Juniper；　had　neither　walls　nor　gates。　We　would　not　be　locked　outside。
　　I　let　Elmo　lie　in　the　back　of　my　mind　till　the　thought　ripened。　When　it　did；　I　was　aghast。
　　A　tree　ensures　reproduction　by　shedding　a　million　seeds。　One　certainly　will　survive；　and　a　new　tree　will　grow。　I　pictured　a　horde　of　fighters　bursting　into　the　guts　of　the　black　castle　and　finding　silver　amulets　everywhere。　I　pictured　them　filling　their　pockets。
　　Had　to　be。　That　place　was　doomed。　The　Dominator　would　have　known　that　even　before　the　Lady。
　　My　respect　for　the　old　devil　rose。　Crafty　bastard。
　　It　was　not　till　we　were　back　on　the　Shaker　Road　that　I　thought　to　ask　Hagop　if　he　had　seen　any　evidence　that　anyone　had　left　the　clearing　by　another　route。
　　〃Nope；〃　he　said。　〃But　that　don't　mean　anything。
　　〃Let's　not　spend　so　much　time　yakking；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃Shed；　can't　you　make　that　damned　mule　go　any
faster？〃
　　He　was　scared。　And　if　he　was；　I　was　more　so。
　　
　　　Chapter　Forty…Five：　MEADENVIL：　HOT　TRAIL
　　
　　We　made　the　city。　But　I　swear　I　could　sense　something　sniffing　along　our　backtrail　before　we　reached　the　safety　of　the　lights。　We　returned　to　our　lodgings　only　to　find　most　of　the　men　gone。　Where　were　they？　Off　to　take　over　Raven's　ship；　I　learned。
　　I　had　forgotten　about　that。　Yes。　Raven's　ship。　。　。　。　And　Silent　was　on　Raven's　trail。　Where　was　he　now？　Damn！　Sooner　or　later　Raven　would　lead　him　to　the　clearing。　。　。　。　A　way　to　find　out　if　Raven　had　left　it；　for　sure。　Also　a　way　to　lose　Silent。　〃One…Eye。　Can　you　get　hold　of　Silent？〃
　　He　looked　at　me　strangely。　He　was　tired　and　wanted　to　sleep。
　　〃Look；　if　he　follows　Raven's　every　move；　he's　going　to　head　out　to　that　clearing。〃
　　One…Eye　groaned　and　went　through　several　dramatic　shows　of　disgust。　Then　he　dug　into　his　magic　sack　for　something　that　looked　like　a　desiccated　finger。　He　took　it　to　a　corner　and　muned　with　it；　then　returned　to　say；　〃I　got　a　line　on　him。　I'll　find　him。〃
　　〃Thanks。〃
　　〃Yeah。　You　bastard。　I　ought　to　make　you　e　with　me。〃
　　I　settled　by　the　fire；　with　a　big　beer；　and　lost　myself　in　thought。　After　a　while；　I　told　Shed：　〃We　have　to　go　back　out　there。〃
　　〃Eh？〃
　　〃With　Silent。〃
　　〃Who's　Silent？〃
　　〃Another　guy　from　the　pany。　Wizard。　Like　One…Eye　and　Goblin。　He's　on　Raven's　trail；　tracing　every　move　he　made　from　the　minute　he　arrived。　He　figured　he　could　track　him　down；　or　at　least　tell　from　his　movements　if　he　was　planning　to　trick　Asa。''
　　Shed　shrugged。　〃If　we　have　to；　we　have　to。〃
　　〃Hunh。　You　amaze　me；　Shed。　You've　changed。〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　I　could　have　done　it　all　along。　I　just　know　that　this　thing　can't　happen　again；　to　anybody　else。〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　I　did　not　mention　my　visions　of　hundreds　of　men　looting　amulets　from　the　fortress　at　Juniper。　He　did　not　need　that。　He　had　a　mission。　I　couldn't　make　it　sound　hopeless。
　　I　went　downstairs　and　asked　the　landlord　for　more　beer。　Beer　makes　me　sleepy。　I　had　a　notion。　A　possibility。　I　did　not　share　it　with　anyone。　The　others　would　not　have　been　pleased。
　　After　an　hour　I　took　a　leak　and　dragged　off　to　my　room；　more　intimidated　by　the　thought　of　returning　to　that　clearing　than　by　what　I　hoped　to　acplish　now。
　　Sleep　was　a　time　ing；　beer　or　not。　I　could　not　relax。　I　kept　trying　to　reach　out　and　bring　her　to　me。　Which　meant　nothing　at　all。
　　It　was　a　weak　fool's　hope　that　she　would　return　so　soon。　I　had　put　her　off。　Why　should　she？　Why　shouldn't　she　forget　me　till　her　minions　caught　up　and　could　bring　me　to　her　in　chains？
　　Maybe　there　is　a　connection　on　a　level　I　do　not　understand。　For　I　wakened　from　a　drowse；　thinking　I　needed　to　visit　the　head　again；　and　found　that　golden　glow　hanging　above　me。　Or　maybe　I　did　not　waken；　but　only　dreamed　that　I　did。　I　can't　get　that　straight。　It　always　seems　so　dream…like　in　retrospect。
　　I　did　not　wait　for　her　to　start。　I　started　talking。　I　talked　fast　and　told　her　everything　she　needed　to　know　about　the　lump　in　Meadenvil　and　about　the　possibility　the　troops　had　carried　hundreds　of　seeds　out　of　the　black　castle。
　　〃You　tell　me　this　when　you　are　determined　to　be　my　enemy；　physician？〃
　　〃I　don't　want　to　be　your　enemy。　I'll　be　your　enemy　only　if　you　leave　me　no　option。〃　I　abandoned　debate。　〃We　can't　handle　this。　And　it　has　to　be　handled。　All　its'　like　must　be　handled。　There　is　evil　enough　in　the　world　as　it　is。〃　I　told　her　we　had　found　an　amulet　upon　a　citizen　of　Juniper。　I　named　no　name。　I　told　her　we　would　leave　it　where　she　could　be　sure　to　find　it　when　she　arrived。
　　〃Arrive？〃
　　〃Aren't　you　on　your　way　here？〃
　　Thin　smile；　secretive；　perfectly　aware　that　I　was　fishing。　No　answer。　Just　a　question。　〃Where　will　you　be？〃
　　〃Gone。　Long　gone；　and　headed　far　away。〃
　　〃Perhaps。　We　shall　see。〃　The　golden　glow　faded。
　　There　were　things　I　wanted　to　say　yet；　but　they　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　problem　at　hand。　Questions　I　wanted　to　ask。　I　did　not。
　　The　last　golden　mote　left　me　with　a　whispered；　〃I　owe　you　one；　physician。〃
　　One…Eye　rambled　into　the　place　shortly　after　sunrise；　looking　a　lot　worse　for　wear。　Silent　came　along　behind　him；　looking　pretty　beaten　himself。　He　had　been　on　Raven's　trail　without　let…up。　One…Eye　said；　〃I　caught　him　just　in　time。　Another　hour　and　he　would　have　headed　out。　I　conned　him　into　waiting　till　daylight。''
　　〃Yeah。　You　want　to　wake　the　troops？　We　get　an　earlier　start　today；　we　ought　to　be　able　to　get　back　before　dark。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃I　thought　I　was　pretty　clear。　We've　got　to　go　back　out　there。　Now。　We've　used　one　of　our　days。〃
　　〃Hey；　man；　I'm　ripped。　I'll　die　if　you　make　me。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Sleep　in　the　saddle。　That's　always　been　one　of　your　big　talents。　Sleep　anywhere；　any　time。〃
　　〃Oh；　my　aching　butt。〃
　　An　hour　later　I　was　headed　down　the　Shaker　Road　again；　with　Silent　and　Otto　added　to　the　crew。　Shed　insisted　on　ing　along；　though　I　was　willing　to　excuse　him。　Asa　decided　he　wanted　in；　too。　Maybe　because　he　thought　Shed　would　extend　an　umbrella　of　protection。　He　had　started　talking　mission　like　Shed；　but　a　deaf　man　could　hear　its　false　ring。
　　We　moved　faster　this　time；　pressed　harder；　and　had　Shed　on　a　real　horse。　We　got　down　to　the　clearing　by　noon。　While　Silent　sniffed　around；　I　worked　myself　up　and　took　a　closer　look　at　the　lump。
　　No　change。　Except　the　two　dead　creatures　were　gone。　I　did　not　need　Hagop's　eye　to　see　that　they　had　been　dragged　through　the　entry　hole。
　　Silent　worked　his　way　around　the　clearing　to　a　point　almost　identical　with　that　where　the　creature　trail　entered　the　forest。　Then　he　threw　up　an　arm；　beckoned。　I　hurried　over；　and　did　not　have　to　read　the　dance　of　his　fingers　to　know　what　he　had　found。　His　face　revealed　the　answer。
　　〃Found　it；　eh？〃　I　asked　more　brightly　than　I　felt。　I　had　started　to　count　on　Raven　being　dead。　I　did　not　like　what　the　skeleton　implied。　Silent　nodded。
　　〃Yo！〃　I　called。　〃We　found　it。　Let's　go。　Bring　the　horses。〃
　　The　others　gathered。　Asa　looked　a　little　peaked。　He　asked；　〃How　did　he　do　it？〃
　　Nobody　had　an　answer。　Several　of　us　wondered　whose　skeleton　lay　in　the　clearing　and　how　it　had　e　to　wear　Raven's　necklace。　I　wondered　how　Raven's　plot　for　vanishing　had　dovetailed　so　neatly　with　the　Dominator's　for　seeding　a　new　black　castle。
　　Only　One…Eye　seemed　in　a　mood　to　talk；　and　that　all　plaint。　〃We　follow　this　and　we're　not　going　to　get　back　to　town　before　dark；〃　he　said。　He　said　a　lot　more；　mostly　about　how　tired　he　was。　Nobody　paid　attention。　Even　those　of　us　who　had　rested　were　tired。
　　〃Lead　off；　Silent；〃　I　said。　〃Otto；　you　want　to　take　care　of　his　horse？　One…Eye；　bring　up　the　rear。　So　we　don't　get　any　surprises　from　behind。〃
　　The　track　was　no　track　at　ail　for　a　while；　just　a　straight　shot　through　the　brush。　We　were　winded　by　the　time　it　intercepted　a　game　trail。　Raven；　too；　must　have　been　exhausted；　for　he　had　turned　onto　that　trail　and　followed　it　over　a　hill；　along　a　creek；　up　another　hill。　Then　he　had　turned　onto　a　less　traveled　path　which　ran　along　a　ridge；　toward　the　Shaker　Road。　Over　the　next　two　hours　we　encountered　several　such　forkings。　Each　time　Raven　had　taken　the　one　which　tended　more　directly　westward。
　　〃Bastard　was　headed　back　to　the　high　road；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃Could　have　figured　that；　gone　the　other　way；　and　saved　all　this　tramping　through　the　brush。〃
　　Men　growled　at　him。　His　plaints　were　grating。　Even　Asa　tossed　a　nasty　look　over　one　shoulder。
　　Raven　had　taken　the　long　way；　no　doubt　about　it。　I　would　guess　we　walked　at　least　ten　miles　before　ing　across　edgeline　and　viewing　cleared　land　which　descended　to　the　high　road。　A　nu