fs.thethirdbookofswords-第30部分

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　Mark　something　like　a　show　to　which　he　need　only　listen；　and　watch。　As　if　none　of　it　had　anything；　really；　to　do　with　him。
　The　windows　of　this　room　were　equipped　with　heavy　shutters；　as　was　fitting　in　a　castle　constructed　to　withstand　assault。　But　on　this　upper　level　of　the　castle；　high　above　any　possible　assault　by　climbing　troops；　the　windows　were　large；　and　today　all　the　shutters　had　been　thrown　open。　Framed　in　their　casement　openings；　the　sea　and　the　rocky　hills　and　the　town　below　all　appeared　like　fine　tapestries　of　afternoon　sunlight；　thrown　by　some　Old　World　magic　on　the　walls。
　Kristin　had　risen　quickly　from　the　throne　when　the　door　opened；　and　when　her　uncle　had　closed　it　again　behind　him　she　had　moved　a　few　paces　forward；　toward　Mark。　But　now　the　two　of　them；　she　and　Mark；　were　still　standing　a　little　apart；　looking　at　each　other　as　if　they　had　nothing　to　say　…　or　perhaps　as　if　neither　of　them　could　manage　to　say　anything。
　But　their　eyes　drew　them　together。　Suddenly　they　were　embracing；　still　without　a　word　of　speech。　Then　Kristin　tore　herself　away。
　〃What　is　this　they've　given　you　to　wear？〃　she　asked；　as　if　the　sight　of　the　costume　they　had　put　on　him；　some　antique　ceremonial　thing；　made　her　want　to　laugh　and　cry　at　once。　But　still　he　said　nothing。
　She　tried　again；　not　with　laughter；　but　now　with　an　almost　distant　courtesy。　How　fine　that　he　had　already　been　reunited　with　his　family。　She'd　had　no　idea；　of　course；　that　they'd　been　living　here。　In　recent　years　a　lot　of　refugees；　good　people；　had　e　in。　Did　Mark's　mother　and　sister　know　him　after　so　long　a　time？　How　long　had　they　been　living　here　in　Tasavalta？　Did　he　have　any　trouble　recognizing　them？　It　was　too　bad　his　father　was　away。
　〃Kristin。〃　As　he　called　her　by　her　name；　he　wondered　if　it　was　the　last　time　he　would　ever　be　able　to　do　so。　〃Stop　it。　Have　you　nothing　real　to　say　to　me？　Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃
　There　was　a　pause；　in　which　Kristin　drew　a　deep　breath；　like　a　woman　who　wondered　if　it　might　be　her　last。
　〃Yes；〃　she　said　then。　〃I　must　say　something　very　real　to　you；　Mark。　For　the　sister　of　a　Princess　Regnant　to　have　married　a　moner；　and　a　foreigner　as　well　…　that　would　have　been　very　hard。　Very　nearly　impossible。　But　I　would　have　done　it。　I　wanted　to　marry　you。　I　wanted　it　so　much　I　was　afraid　to　tell　you　who　I　was。　And　I　was　going　to　marry　you；　wherever　that　path　led。　I　hope　you　will　believe　that。〃
　〃Kristin；　Princess。。。〃
　〃Wait！　Let　me　finish；　please。〃　She　needed　another　pause　to　get　herself　together。　〃But　my　sister　Rimac　is　dead。　She　died　childless　and　unmarried；　and　I　am　ruler　now。　For　a　Princess　Regnant　to　marry　a　moner；　let　alone　a　foreign　soldier；　is　impossible。　Impossible；　except　…　again　I　hope　you　will　believe　me　…　I　would　have　done　it　anyway。　It　would　have　meant　resigning　the　throne；　probably　leaving　the　country；　I　would　have　done　that　for　you。　But。。。〃　〃But。〃
　〃But　you　must　have　heard　them！　There　isn't　anyone　else　to　rule！　You　heard　Rostov。　If　I　hadn't　e　back　to　take　the　throne；　there　would　have　been　a　civil　war　over　the　succession。　Even　with　attackers　threatening　us　from　outside。　I　know　my　people。　We　probably　seem　to　you　a　happy；　peaceful　country；　but　you　don't　know。。。〃
　Again　Mark　was　silent。　；
　〃I。。。　Mark；　our　land　and　people。。。　we　owe　you　more　than　we　can　ever　repay。　We　can　give　you　almost　anything。　Except　the　one　thing　that　you　want。　And　that　I　want。。。　oh；　darling。〃
　This　time　the　embrace　lasted　longer。　But　as　before；　the　Princess　broke　it　off。
　Mark　was　conscious　that　he　still　had　a　duty　to　perform；　and　drew　himself　up。　〃I　am　the　bearer　of　certain　messages；　that　Sir　Andrew；　whom　I　serve；　has　charged　me　to　deliver　to　the　ruler　of　the　Lands　of　Tasavalta。〃
　Kristin；　as　never　before　conscious　of　duty；　drew　herself　up；　too；　and　heard　the　messages。　They　were　more　or　less　routine；　diplomatic　preliminaries　looking　to　the　establishment　of　more　regular　contacts。　Sir　Andrew　had　long　resisted　adopting　the　diplomatic　pretense　that　he　was　still　actually　governing　the　lands　and　people　that　had　been　stolen　from　him；　but　he　had　recently　been　persuaded　of　the　value　of　taking　such　a　pose；　even　if　the　facts　were　otherwise。
　Mark　concluded　the　memorized　messages。　〃And　now；　I　am　ordered　to　place　myself　at　Your　Majesty's　disposal。〃　Again；　in　the　fog　of　his　exhaustion；　the　feeling　came　over　him　that　none　of　this　really　had　anything　to　do　with　him；　he　had　stumbled　into　the　middle　of　a　play；　there　were　certain　lines　that　he　was　required　to　read；　and　soon　it　would　all　be　over。
　Kristin　said；　〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it。　You　will　need　a　few　days　in　which　to　rest；　and　recover　from。。。〃　She　had　to　let　that　trail　away。　With　a　toss　of　her　head　she　made　a　new　start。　〃You　will　be　assigned　modest　quarters　here　in　the　palace。〃　Quarters　far　from　my　own　rooms。　So　Mark　understood　the　phrase。　〃Then　you　heard　what　I　told　Karel。　I　mean　to　send　you　on　a　special　mission。　This　should　not　pose　any　conflict　with　your　orders　from　Sir　Andrew；　if　they　are　to　place　yourself　at　my　disposal。　I　hope　that　you　will　accept　the　assignment　willingly。〃
　He　could　feel　only　numbness　now。　〃I　am　at　Your　Majesty's　disposal；　as　I　said　before。〃
　〃Good。〃　Kristin　heaved　an　unroyal　sigh：　part　of　an　ordeal　had　been　passed。　〃The　mission　you　are　to　perform　for　Tasavalta　is　a　result　of　some　magical　business　of　Karel's。　In　divination。。。　you　will　be　given　more　details　later。　But　according　to　him；　the　indications　are　so　urgent　that　he　dared　not　wait　even　until　tomorrow　to　confront　me　with　the　results。
　〃You　are　to　go　and　find　the　Emperor；　and　seek　an　alliance　with　him　for　Tasavalta　…　and　an　alliance　with　him　for　Sir　Andrew　too；　if　you　feel　you　are　empowered　by　Sir　Andrew　to　do　that。　I　leave　that　to　your　judgement。〃
　〃The　Emperor。　An　alliance　with　him？〃　Even　in　Mark's　present　state　of　embittered　numbness；　he　had　to　react　somehow　to　the　strangeness　of　that　proposal。　An　alliance；　as　if　the　Emperor　were　a　nation；　or　had　an　army？　Of　course　the　indications　were；　Mark　thought；　that　the　Emperor　was；　or　at　least　could　be　when　he　chose；　a　wizard　of　immense　power。
　Curious　in　spite　of　everything；　he　asked；　〃Me；　negotiate　for　you　in　such　a　matter？　I'm　not　even　one　of　your　subjects。　Or　a　diplomat。　Why　me？〃
　〃Karel　says　it　should　be　done　that　way。　Though　I　don't　think　that　he　himself　knows　why。　But　I've　learned　over　the　years　that　my　uncle　usually　gives　his　monarch　good　advice。〃
　〃Karel　wants　to　make　sure　I'm　out　of　the　way。〃
　〃There　is　that。　But　sending　you　back　to　Sir　Andrew　would　do　that　just　as　well。　No。　There's　something　about　the　Emperor　…　and　about　you。　I　don't　know　what。〃
　The　Emperor；　thought　Mark。　The　man　that　Draffut；　after　fifty　thousand　years　of　knowing　human　beings；　trusted　at　first　meeting。　The　man　who　had　said　that　he；　Mark；　should　be　given　Sightblinder。
　The　man　in　whose　name　a　simple　incantation　had　twice；　in　Mark's　experience；　repelled　demons　。。。
　The　sorcerer　Karel　…　it　was；　Mark　supposed；　foolish　to　think　he　had　not　been　listening　…　was　back　in　the　room　now；　as　if　on　cue。
　After　all　that　had　already　happened　today；　Mark　had　no　real　capacity　left　for　surprise；　so　he　felt　no　more　than　dull　curiosity　when　he　observed　that　the　magician　was　carrying　a　sheathed　Sword。
　Karel　in　his　soft；　rich　voice　said　to　him：　〃It　is　Coinspinner；　and　it　has　e　to　us　in　a　mysterious　way。　And　you　are　going　to　take　it　with　you　to　help　you　find　the　Emperor。〃
　Mark's　dinner　that　evening　was　eaten　not　in　the　palace；　but　in　the　vastly　humbler　home　of　his　sister　Marian。　It　had　turned　out　that　she　was　now　living　in　the　town；　really　a　small　city；　not　far　below。
　Mark　had　by　now　had　a　little　time　in　which　to　savor　the　great　news　that　his　father　Jord；　who　he　had　thought　for　ten　years　was　dead；　was　alive　after　all。　And　not　only　was　Jord　still　alive　but　well　and　active　at　last　report；　off　now　on　some　secret　mission　for　the　Tasavaltan　intelligence　service。　Neither　Mala　nor　Marian　appeared　to　know　where　Jord　had　been　sent　or　when　he　might　be　back；　and　Mark；　with　some　experience　in　these　matters　himself；　did　not　press　to　find　out。　For　now　it　was　enough　to　know　that　he　at　least　had　a　good　chance　of　someday　seeing　his　living　father　once　again。
　At　dinner　…　a　good　dinner；　evoking　marvelous　memories　…　Mark　heard　from　his　mother　and　sister　how　his　surviving　family　had　e　to　Tasavalta　years　ago；　after　more　years　spent　in　homeless　wandering；　following　the　destruction　of　their　old　village。
　In　the　nine　years　or　so　since　then；　much　had　happened　to　them　all；　and　they　had　much　to　talk　about。　Marian　was　married　now；　her　husband　off　somewhere　with　Rostov's　army。　Her　two　small　children　gaped　through　dinner　at　this　newly　discovered　uncle；　and　warmed　up　to　him　gradually。
　It　was　almost　midnight；　and　Mark　was　having　to　struggle　at　every　moment　to　stay　awake；　before　he　said　goodnight。　His　〃modest　quarters〃　in　the　palace　had　no　attraction；　and　he　was　about　to　go　to　sleep　on　cushions　on　the　floor　in　the　room　where　they　had　dined　and　talked。
　Marian　had　already　said　goodnight；　and　had　taken　the　children　upstairs　to　bed。
　But　Mark's　mother　lingered。　There　was　a　suppressed　urgency　in　her　manner。　〃Walk　me　home。　I　stay　nearby；　here　in　town；　while　Jord　is　gone。　It's　only　a　little　way。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Once　they