fs.thethirdbookofswords-第28部分

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itive。〃
　〃Sensitive！　Me！〃　He　huffed　again。
　Dame　Yoldi　smiled；　and　Denis　could　see　how　much　she　loved　him。　Denis　wondered　suddenly　if　he　himself　had　actually　handled　the　two　Swords　at　the　same　time　at　any　point。　If　he　had；　he　couldn't　remember　feeling　anything　strange。
　Now　Sir　Andrew　turned　back　to　Denis。　〃We　must　soon　hear　your　story　about　the　goddess；　and　Woundhealer；　in　more　detail。　Meanwhile　we　are　all　grateful　to　you　for　what　you　have　brought　to　us。　But　at　the　moment　even　such　a　gift　as　the　Sword　of　Justice　must　wait　to　have　my　full　attention；　and　you　must　wait　to　get　your　proper　thanks。〃
　〃You're　quite　wele；　sir。〃
　Already　Dame　Yoldi　had　Denis　by　the　arm　and　was　turning　him　away。　〃At　the　moment　you　are　in　need　of　food　and　rest。〃　She　gestured；　and　a　woman　came　to　take　Denis　in　charge。
　He　resisted　momentarily。　〃Thank　you；　Ma'am。　But　there　is　one　bit　of　news；　bad　news；　that　I　must　tell　you　first。〃　That　certainly　got　their　full　attention　back。　Denis　swallowed；　then　blurted　out　the　words。　〃The　Dark　King　has　the　Mindsword　in　his　hands。　So　we　were　told　in　Tashigang；　by　some　of　Ardneh's　people。〃　The　source　put　a　strong　flavor　of　reliability　upon　the　news。
　His　hearers　received　his　announcement　with　all　the　shock　that　Denis　had　anticipated。　He　braced　himself　for　the　inevitable　burst　of　questions；　which　he　answered　in　the　only　way　he　could；　pleading　his　own　lack　of　further　knowledge。
　At　last　he　was　dismissed。　Led　away；　he　was　given　bread　and　wine；　then　shown　to　a　tent　where　he　stretched　out　gratefully　upon　the　single　cot。　His　eyes　closed；　their　lids　suddenly　heavy；　and　with　a　swiftness　that　might　have　been　genuinely　magical；　he　plunged　into　a　deep　sleep。
　Denis　awoke　suddenly；　and　feeling　greatly　refreshed。　He　was　surprised　to　see　that　the　pattern　of　tree　shadows　on　the　tent　had　shifted　very　little；　and　no　great　length　of　time　could　have　passed。　What　had　awakened　him　he　did　not　know。
　Listening　to　the　silence　outside　the　tent；　he　thought　that　there　was　some　unusual　tension　in　it。
　He　got　up　and　left　the　tent。　Seeing　that　some　people　were　still　gathered　at　the　place　where　he　had　left　Sir　Andrew　and　Dame　Yoldi；　he　hurried　in　that　direction。　Now；　as　he　walked；　Denis　could　see　a　few　more　people　in　orange　and　black　approaching　quickly　on　foot　along　the　landward　road。　These　were　turning　and　gesturing；　as　if　to　indicate　that　someone　or　something　of　importance　was　ing　after　them。　Everyone　nearby　was　looking　in　that　direction。
　Denis　halted　in　surprise　at　sight　of　the　next　two　figures　that　appeared　down　the　road。　Both　were　wearing　black　and　silver；　the　colors　of　Yambu。　Both　were　mounted；　riding　freely；　not　at　all　like　prisoners。　Still；　neither　was　visibly　armed。　One　was　a　burly　man；　and　the　other。。。
　With　a　silent　gasp；　Denis　recognized　the　Silver　Queen　herself。　He　had　seen　her　twice　before；　both　times　years　ago；　both　times　in　the　city　of　Tashigang。　She；　as　the　city's　formal　overlord；　had　been　appearing　then　in　ceremonial　processions。　He；　then　no　more　than　a　street　urchin；　had　been　clinging　to　precarious　perches　above　the　crowds；　eager　to　watch。
　In　those　processions　the　Queen　had　ridden　her　virtually　unique　mount；　a　superbly　trained　and　deadly　warbeast。　Her　steed　today　was　less　remarkable；　though　still　magnificent；　a　huge　riding　beast　matching　that　ridden　by　her　panion。　This　burly　man；　her　escort；　as　they　approached　Sir　Andrew　and　the　others　waiting；　dropped　a　deferential　half…length　behind。
　The　two　riders　halted；　calmly；　at　a　little　distance　from　where　the　folk　in　orange　and　black　were　waiting　to　receive　them。　They　dismounted　there　and　approached　Sir　Andrew's　group　on　foot；　the　tall　Queen　a　pace　ahead　in　her　light　silvery　ceremonial　armor；　taking　long　strides　like　a　man。　Denis　calculated　that　she　must　be　now　well　into　her　middle　thirties；　though　her　tanned　face　looked　younger。　Her　whole　body　was　strong　and　lithe；　and　despite　her　stride　the　generously　female　shape　of　her　body　left　no　doubt　at　all　about　her　sex。　The　Queen's　nose；　Denis　noted　now　in　private　impertinence；　was　too　big　for　her　ever　to　be　called　pretty；　by　any　reasonable　usage　of　the　word。　And　yet；　all　in　all　…　well；　if　he　were　to　meet　some　woman　of　attainable　station　who　looked　just　like　her；　he'd　not　refuse　a　chance　to　know　her　better。
　And　have　you　forgotten　me　already？　The　voice　of　Aphrodite　came　to　Denis　only　in　his　imagination。　It　shook　him；　though；　in　a　resonance　of　conflicting　feelings。
　Sir　Andrew　was　standing　with　folded　arms；　waiting　for　his　visitors；　as　if　the　last　thing　in　the　world　he　might　do　would　be　to　make　any　gesture　acknowledging　his　old　enemy's　greater　rank。　But　she；　approaching；　as　if　she　thought　he　might　do　so　and　wished　to　forestall　him；　was　quick　to　make　the　first　gesture　of　greeting；　flinging　up　her　right　hand　in　the　universal　gesture　of　peace。
　〃We　meet　again！〃　The　Silver　Queen's　voice；　hearty　and　open；　neither　assumed　a　royal　superiority　nor　pretended　a　friendship　that　did　not　exist。　〃My　honored　enemy！　Would　that　my　friends　and　allies　were　half　as　dependable　as　you。　So；　will　you　take　my　hand？　And　never　mind　the　fripperies　of　rank。〃
　And　when　Dame　Yoldi　moved　between　them；　Queen　Yambu　added：　〃Aye；　lady；　you　may　look　at　my　hand　first。　I　bring　no　poisoning；　no　tricks；　which　is　not　to　say　that　none　such　were　suggested　by　my　magicians。
　Dame　Yoldi　did　indeed　make　a　brief　inspection　of　the　Queen's　hand。　Meanwhile　Denis　was　having　to　use　his　elbows　to　keep　himself　from　being　crowded　back　by　the　small　but　growing　throng　of　Sir　Andrew's　people　who　wanted　to　observe　the　meeting　closely。　There　had　evidently　been　more　than　twenty　on　the　island　after　all。　He　managed　to　remain　close　enough　to　see　that　the　Queen's　hand　looked　like　a　soldier's；　being　short…nailed；　spotted　with　callouses　…　the　sort　that　came　from　gripping　weapons　…　and　strong。　But；　for　all　that；　it　was　shapely；　and　not　very　large。
　The　Queen's　offered　hand　was　briefly　engulfed　in　Sir　Andrew's　massive　paw。　And　then　the　Knight　stood　back　again；　grim…faced；　arms　folded；　waiting　to　hear　more。
　The　Queen　cast　a　look　around　her。　Sir　Andrew's　friends　and　bodyguard；　heavily　armed；　most　of　them　impressive　warriors；　were　hovering　suspiciously　close　to　her　and　her　panion；　and　looking　as　grim　as　Sir　Andrew　did　himself。
　She　said　to　the　Knight：　〃I　do　trust　you；　you　see；　and　your　safe…conduct　guarantee。　In　nine　years　of　fighting　you；　off　and　on；　I've　learned　to　know　you　well　enough　for　that。〃
　The　Knight　spoke　to　her　for　the　first　time。　〃And　we　have　learned　something　of　your　character　as　well；　Madam。　And　of　yours；　Baron　Amintor。　Now；　what　will　you　have　of　me？　Why　this　urgent　call　for　a　meeting？〃
　The　Baron　was　as　big　and　solid　as　Sir　Andrew；　and　with　much　the　same　hearty　and　honest　look；　though　the　Silver　Queen's　panion　was　probably　the　younger　of　the　two　men　by　some　fifteen　years。　Both　were　battle…scarred；　Denis　observed；　evidently　real　fighters。　Amintor's　eyes　were　intelligent；　and　Denis　had　heard　that　he　was　gifted　with　a　diplomatic　tongue　when　he　chose　to　use　it。
　And　the　Queen。。。　this　Queen　had　been　no　more　than　a　half…grown　girl　when　she　ascended　to　the　throne　of　Yambu。　Her　first　act　afterward；　it　was　said；　had　been　to　put　to　death　the　plotters　who　had　murdered　both　her　parents　in　an　abortive　coup　attempt。　Nor　had　the　throne　been　easy　for　her　to　hold；　through　the　twenty　years　that　followed。　Many　plotters　and　intriguers　during　that　time　had　gone　the　way　of　that　first　set。　Ever　since　its　shaky　beginning；　her　reign　…　except　in　a　few　lucky　places　like　Tashigang　…　had　not　been　gentle。　It　was　said　that　she　grew　ever　more　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　there　were　plots　against　her；　and　that　about　four　years　ago　she　had　sold　her　bastard　adolescent　daughter　into　slavery；　because　of　the　girl's　supposed　involvement　in　one。　The　girl；　Ariane；　had　been　her　only　child；　everyone　knew　that　the　Silver　Queen　had　never　married　formally。
　Now　the　Queen　said　to　Sir　Andrew；　〃I　like　a　man　who　can　e　straight　to　the　point。　But　just　one　question　first：　are　you　aware　that　the　Dark　King　now　has　the　Mindsword　in　his　possession？〃
　The　Knight　answered　calmly。　〃We　have　been　so　informed。〃
　Both　the　Queen　and　Baron　Amintor　appeared　somewhat　taken　aback　by　this　calm　response。　Yambu　said；　〃And　I　thought　that　you　were　existing　in　a　backwater　here！　My　pliments　to　your　intelligence　service。〃
　And　Amintor　chimed　in：　〃You'll　agree；　I'm　sure；　Sir　Andrew；　that　the　fact　does　change　the　strategic　situation　for　us　all。〃
　Sir　Andrew　took　just　a　moment　to　consider　him　in　silence；　before　facing　back　to　the　Queen。　〃And　just　what；　Madam；　do　you　expect　this　change　to　mean？〃
　The　Silver　Queen　laughed。　It　was　a　pleasant；　rueful　sound。　There　was　a　fallen　tree　nearby；　a　twisted　log　that　rested　at　a　convenient　height　on　the　stubs　of　its　own　branches；　and　she　moved　a　couple　of　steps　to　it　and　sat　down。
　〃I　foresee　myself　as　Vilkata's　first　victim；　unless　I　do　something　about　it；　quickly。　I'll　speak　plainly　…　if　you've　begun　to　know　me；　as　you　say；　you　know　that's　how　I　prefer　to　speak。　If　Vilkata　with　the　Mindsword　in　his　hand　falls　on　my　army　now；　then　unless　they　can　withstand　it　somehow　…　and　I've　no　reason　to　hope　they　can　…　then　my　army　will　at　best　melt　away。　At　worst　it'll　join　Vilkata　and　augment　his　str