gc.shadowslinger-第20章

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　　〃Shut　up；　Shed。〃
　　Krage　was　buying　it。　Shed　talked　a　little　louder；　hoping　Raven　would　hear；　e；　and　finish　it。
　　There　was　a　cry　across　the　rooftops。　〃That's　Teskus；〃　Krage　growled。　〃That's　four。　Right？〃
　　Shed　bobbed　his　head。　〃That　we　know　about。　Maybe　there's　only　you　and　me　now。　Krage；　we　should　get　out　of　here　before　he　finds　us。〃
　　〃Might　be　something　to　what　you　say；　Shed。　Might　be。　We　shouldn't　have　e　up　here。　e　on。〃
　　Shed　followed；　keeping　up　the　chatter。　〃It　was　Luke's　idea。　He　thought　he'd　make　points　with　you。　See；　we　saw　him　at　the　top　of　this　drain…spout　and　he　didn't　see　us；　so　Luke　said　why　don't　we　go　after　him　and　get　him；　and　old　Krage　will。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Shut　up；　Shed。　For　God's　sake；　shut　up。　Your　voice　sickens　me。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；　Mr。　Krage。　Only　I　can't。　I'm　so　scared。　。　。　。〃
　　〃If　you　don't；　I'll　shut　you　up　permanent。　You　won't　have　to　worry　about　Raven。〃
　　Shed　stopped　talking。　He　had　pushed　as　far　as　he　dared。
　　Krage　halted　a　short　time　later。　〃We'll　set　an　ambush　near　his　wagon。　He'll　e　back　for　it；　won't　he？〃
　　〃I　expect　so；　Mr。　Krage。　But　what　good　will　I　be？　I　mean；　I　don't　have　a　weapon；　and　wouldn't　know　how　to　use　one　if　I　did。〃
　　〃Shut　up。　You're　right。　You're　not　much　good；　Shed。　But　I　think　you'll　do　fine　as　a　distraction。　You　get　his　attention。　Talk　to　him。　I'll　hit　him　from　behind。〃
　　〃Krage。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Shut　up。〃　Krage　rolled　over　the　side　of　the　building；　clung　to　the　parapet　while　getting　a　solid　foothold。　Shed　leaned　forward。　Three　storeys　to　the　ground。
　　He　kicked　Krage's　fingers。　Krage　cursed；　scrabbled　for　a　fresh　hold；　missed；　dropped；　yelled；　hit　with　a　muted　thump。　Shed　watched　his　vague　shape　twitch；　bee　still。
　　〃I　did　it　again。〃　He　started　shaking。　〃Can't　stay　here。　His　men　might　find　me。〃　He　swung　over　the　parapet　and　monkeyed　down　the　side　of　the　building；　more　afraid　of　being　caught　than　of　falling。
　　Krage　was　still　breathing。　In　fact；　he　was　conscious　but　paralyzed。　〃You　were　right；　Krage。　It　was　a　trap。　You　shouldn't　have　pushed　me。　You　made　me　hate　you　more　than　I　was　scared　of　you。〃　He　looked　around。　It　wasn't　as　late　as　he　had　thought。　The　rooftop　hunt　hadn't　lasted　long。　Where　was　Raven；　anyway？
　　Somebody　had　to　clean　up。　He　grabbed　Krage；　dragged　him　toward　Raven's　wagon。　Krage　squealed。　For　a　moment　Shed　was　afraid　someone　would　investigate。　No　one　did。　This　was　the　Buskin。
　　Krage　screamed　when　Shed　hoisted　him　into　the　wagon。　〃fy；　Krage？〃
　　He　retrieved　Luke　next；　then　went　seeking　other　bodies。　He　found　another　three。　None　were　Raven。　He　muttered；　〃If　he　doesn't　show　in　a　half　hour；　I'll　take　them　up　myself　and　the　hell　with　him。〃　Then：　〃What's　e　over　you；　Marron　Shed？　Letting　this　go　to　your　head？　So　you　found　some　guts。　So　what？　That　don't　make　you　no　Raven。〃
　　Someone　was　ing。　He　snatched　a　booty　dagger；　faded　into　a　shadow。
　　Raven　tumbled　a　body　into　the　wagon。　〃How　the　hell？〃
　　〃I　collected　them；〃　Shed　explained。
　　〃Who　are　they？〃
　　〃Krage　and　his　men。〃
　　〃I　thought　he　ran　for　it。　Figured　I　had　to　go　through　it　all　again。　What　happened？〃
　　Shed　explained。　Raven　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　〃You？　Shed？〃
　　〃I　guess　there's　only　so　much　they　can　scare　you。〃
　　〃True。　But　I　never　thought　you'd　figure　it　out。　Shed；　you　amaze　me。　Disappoint　me；　too；　some。　I　wanted　Krage　myself。〃
　　〃That's　him　making　the　noise。　He's　got　a　broken　back　or　something。　Kill　him　if　you　want。〃
　　〃He's　worth　more　alive。〃
　　Shed　nodded。　Poor　Krage。　〃Where　are　the　rest　of　them？〃
　　〃There's　one　on　the　roof。　Guess　the　other　one　got　away。〃
　　〃Damn。　That　means　it's　not　over。〃
　　〃We　can　get　him　later。〃
　　〃Meanwhile；　he　goes　and　gets　the　others　and　we　have　them　all　after　us。〃
　　〃You　think　they'd　risk　their　lives　to　avenge　Krage？　No　way。　They'll　be　fighting　among　themselves。　Trying　to　take　over。　Wait　here。　I'll　get　the　other　one。〃
　　〃Hurry　up；〃　Shed　said。　The　reaction　was　catching　up。　He　had　survived。　The　old　Shed　was　ing　back；　dragging　all　his　hysteria　with　him。
　　ing　down　from　the　castle；　with　pink　and　purple　strands　of　dawn　smearing　the　gaps　between　the　Wolanders；　Shed　asked；　〃Why　is　he　screaming？〃
　　The　tall　being　had　laughed　and　paid　a　hundred　twenty　leva　for　Krage。　His　shrieks　could　still　be　heard。
　　〃I　don't　know。　Don't　look　back；　Shed。　Do　what　you　have　to　and　move　on。〃　And；　a　moment　later：　〃I'm　glad　it's　over。〃
　　〃Over？　What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃That　was　my　last　visit。〃　Raven　patted　his　pocket。　〃I　have　enough。〃
　　〃Me；　too。　I'm　out　of　debt。　I　can　refurbish　the　Lily；　set　my　mother　up　in　her　own　place；　and　have　plenty　to　make　it　next　winter；　no　matter　what　business　is　like。　I'm　going　to　forget　that　castle　exists。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so；　Shed。　You　want　to　get　away　from　it；　better　e　with　me。　It'll　always　be　calling　when　you　want　some　fast　money。〃
　　〃I　couldn't　leave。　I　have　to　look　out　for　my　mother。〃
　　〃Ah　right。　I　warned　you。〃　Then　Raven　asked；　〃What　about　Asa？　He's　going　to　be　a　problem。　The　Custodians　are　going　to　keep　looking　till　they　find　the　people　who　raided　the　Catabs。　He's　the　weak　link。〃
　　〃I　can　handle　Asa。〃
　　〃I　hope　so；　Shed。　I　hope　so。〃
　　Krage's　disappearance　was　the　talk　of　the　Buskin。　Shed　played　a　baffled　role；　claiming　he　knew　nothing；　despite　rumors　to　the　contrary。　His　story　held　up。　He　was　Shed　the　coward。　The　one　man　who　knew　differently　did　not　contradict　him。
　　The　hard　part　was　facing　his　mother。　Old　June　said　nothing；　but　her　blind　stare　was　accusing。　She　made　him　feel　evil；　an　infidel；　and　disowned　in　the　secret　reaches　of　her　mind。　The　gap　had　bee　unbridgable。
　　
　　　Chapter　Sixteen：　JUNIPER：　NASTY　SURPRISE
　　
　　Bullock　looked　me　up　next　time　he　wanted　to　go　downhill。　Maybe　he　just　wanted　pany。　He　had　no　local　friends。
　　〃What's　up？〃　I　asked　when　he　barged　into　my　tiny　office　cum　dispensary。
　　〃Get　your　coat。　Buskin　time　again。〃
　　His　eagerness　excited　me　for　no　reason　other　than　that　I　was　bored　with　Duretile。　I　pitied　my　rades。　They　hadn't　yet　had　a　chance　to　get　out。　The　place　was　a　drudge。
　　So　away　we　went；　and　going　down　the　hill；　past　the　Enclosure；　I　asked；　〃Why　all　the　excitement？〃
　　He　replied；　〃Not　really　excitement。　Not　even　anything　to　do　with　us；　probably。　Remember　that　sweetheart　of　a　moneylender？〃
　　〃In　the　bandages？〃
　　〃Yeah。　Krage。　He's　vanished。　Him　and　half　of　his　boys。　Seems　he　took　a　crack　at　the　guy　who　cut　him。　And　hasn't　been　seen　since。〃
　　I　frowned。　That　did　not　seem　remarkable。　Gangsters　are　always　disappearing；　then　popping　up　again。
　　〃Over　there。〃　Bullock　pointed　to　some　brush　along　the　Enclosure　wall。　〃That's　where　our　men　got　inside。〃　He　indicated　a　stand　of　trees　across　the　way。　〃Parked　their　wagons　there。　We've　got　a　witness　who　saw　those。　Filled　with　wood；　he　says。　e　on。　
　　I'll　show　you。〃　He　pushed　into　the　brush；　dropped　to　hands　and　knees。　I　followed；　grumbling　because　I　was　getting　wet。　The　north　wind　did　nothing　to　improve　matters。
　　The　interior　of　the　Enclosure　was　seedier　than　its　exterior。　Bullock　showed　me　several　dozen　bundles　of　wood　found　in　the　brush　near　the　breach。
　　〃Looks　like　they　were　moving　a　lot。〃
　　〃I　figure　they　needed　a　lot　to　cover　the　bodies。　Cut　it　up　there。〃　He　indicated　trees　above　us；　back　toward　Duretile。　The　castle　stood　limned　against　streamers　of　cloud；　a　grey　stone　rockpile　one　earth　tremor　short　of　collapse。
　　I　examined　the　bundles。　Bullock's　associates　had　dragged　them　out　and　stacked　them；　which　may　not　have　been　smart　detective　work。　Looked　to　me　like　they　had　been　cut　and　bundled　over　a　period　of　weeks。　Some　ends　were　more　weathered　than　others。　I　mentioned　that　to　Bullock。
　　〃I　noticed。　Way　I　figure；　somebody　was　getting　wood　regular。　They　found　the　Catabs　by　accident。　That's　when　they　got　greedy。〃
　　〃Uhm。〃　I　considered　the　woodpile。　〃Figure　they　were　selling　it？〃
　　〃No。　That　we　know。　Nobody　has　been　selling　Enclosure　wood。　Probably　a　family　or　a　group　of　neighbors　using　the　wood　themselves。〃
　　〃You　check　on　wagon　rentals？〃
　　〃How　stupid　do　you　think　people　are？　Rent　a　wagon　for　a　raid　on　the　Catabs？''
　　I　shrugged。　〃We're　counting　on　one　of　them　being　stupid；　aren't　we？〃
　　He　a