gc.shadowslinger-第33章

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　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃I　was　just　past　his　place。　Don't　look　like　there's　anybody　there　but　him。〃
　　The　men　exchanged　glances。　The　taller　said；　〃Tell　you　what。　Let　me　go　get　a　friend　of　ours。〃
　　〃I　can't　afford　a　whole　army。〃
　　〃Hey；　no　problem。　You　two　work　out　what　you'd　pay　two　of　us；　he'll　e　along　free。　Just　feel　more　fortable　having　him　with　us。〃
　　〃Tough？〃
　　Both　men　grinned。　One　winked　at　the　other。　〃Yeah。　Like　you　wouldn't　believe。〃
　　〃Then　get　him。〃
　　One　man　left。　Shed　dickered　with　the　other。　Lisa　watched　from　across　the　room；　eyes　narrow　and　hard。　Shed　decided　she　was　getting　too　much　into　his　business　too　fast。
　　The　third　man　was　a　frog…faced　character　barely　five　feet　tall。　Shed　frowned　at　him。　His　fetcher　reminded；　〃He's　tough。　Remember？〃
　　〃Yeah？　All　right。　Let's　go。〃　He　felt　a　hundred　percent　better　with　three　men　acpanying　him；　though　he　had　no　real　assurance　they　would　help　if　Gilbert　started　something。
　　There　were　a　couple　of　thugs　in　the　front　room　when　Shed　arrived。　He　told　them：　〃I　want　to　see　Gilbert。〃
　　〃Suppose　he　don't　want　to　see　you？〃　It　was　standard　tough…guy　game…playing。　Shed　did　not　know　how　to　respond。　One　of　his　panions　saved　him　the　worry。
　　〃He　don't　got　much　choice；　does　he？　Unless　that　fat's　all　muscle　in　disguise。〃　He　produced　a　knife；　began　cleaning　his　nails。　The　deed　was　so　reminiscent　of　Raven　that　Shed　was　startled。
　　〃He's　back　in　the　office。〃　The　fat　thug　exchanged　a　look　with　his　panion。　Shed　figured　one　would　run　for　help。　He　started　moving。　His　frog…faced　panion　said；　〃I'll　just　stay　out　here。〃
　　Shed　pushed　into　Gilbert's　office。　The　moneylender　had　a　sack　of　leva　on　his　desk；　was　weighing　coins　one　at　a　time　on　a　fine　scale；　sorting　out　those　that　had　been　clipped。　He　looked　up　angrily。　〃What　the　hell　is　this？〃
　　〃Couple　of　friends　wanted　to　stop　by　with　me　and　watch　how　you　do　business。〃
　　〃I　don't　like　what　this　says　about　our　relationship；　Shed。　It　says　you　don't　trust　me。〃
　　Shed　shrugged。　〃There's　some　nasty　rumors　out　there。　About　you　and　Sue　working　on　me。　To　do　me　out　of　the　Lily。〃
　　〃Sue；　eh？　Where　is　she；　Shed？〃
　　〃There　is　a　connection；　eh？〃　Shed　let　his　face　fall。　〃Damn　you。　That's　why　she　turned　me　down。　You　villain。　Now　she　won't　even　see　me。　That　ape　at　the　door　keeps　telling　me　she　isn't　there。　You　arrange　that；　Mister　Gilbert？　You　know；　I　don't　like　you　much。〃
　　Gilbert　gave　the　lot　of　them　a　nasty　one…eyed　stare。　For　a　moment　he　seemed　to　consider　his　chances。　Then　the　small　man　ambled　in；　leaned　against　the　wall；　his　wide　mouth　wrinkled　into　a　sneer。
　　Gilbert　said；　〃You　e　to　talk　or　to　do　business？　If　it's　business；　get　at　it。　I　want　these　creeps　out　of　here。　They'll　give　the　neighborhood　a　bad　name。〃　
　　Shed　produced　a　leather　bag。　〃You　have　the　bad　name；　Gilbert。　I　hear　people　saying　they　won't　do　business　with　you　anymore。　They　don't　think　it's　right　you　should　try　to　screw　people　out　of　their　property。〃
　　〃Shut　up　and　give　me　some　money；　Shed。　You　just　want　to　whine；　get　out。〃
　　〃Sure　talks　tough　for　being　down　four　to　one；〃　one　of　the　men　remarked。　A　panion　admonished　him　in　another　language。　
　　Gilbert　glared　in　a　way　that　said　he　was　memorizing　faces。　The　little　man　grinned　and　beckoned　with　one　finger。　Gilbert　decided　it　could　wait。
　　Shed　counted　coins。　Gilbert's　eyes　widened　as　the　stack　grew。　Shed　said；　〃Told　you　I　was　working　on　a　deal。〃　He　tossed　in　Sue's　jewelry。
　　One　of　his　panions　picked　up　a　bracelet；　examined　it。　〃How　much　do　you　owe　this　character？〃
　　Gilbert　snapped　a　figure；　which　Shed　suspected　to　be　inflated。
　　The　sailor　observed；　〃You're　shorting　yourself；　Shed。〃
　　〃I　just　want　quit　of　this　jackal's　lien　on　my　place。〃
　　Gilbert　stared　at　the　jewelry；　pallid；　stiff。　He　licked　his　lips　and　reached　for　a　ring。　His　hand　shook。
　　Shed　was　both　fearful　and　filled　with　malicious　glee。　Gilbert　knew　the　ring。　Now　maybe　he　would　be　a　little　nervous　about　messing　with　Matron　Shed。　Or　he　might　decide　to　cut　a　few　throats。　Gilbert　had　some　of　the　same　ego　problems　Krage　had　had。
　　〃This　should　more　than　cover　everything；　Mr。　Gilbert。　The　big；　too。　Even　with　the　extra　points。　Let's　have　my　lien　back。〃
　　Dully；　Gilbert　retrieved　that　from　a　box　on　a　nearby　shelf。　His　eyes　never　left　the　ring。
　　Shed　destroyed　the　lien　immediately。　〃Don't　I　still　owe　you　a　little　something；　though；　Mr。　Gilbert？　Yes；　I　think　so。　Well；　I'll　do　my　best　to　see　you　get　everything　you've　got　ing。〃
　　Gilbert　squinted　angrily。　Shed　thought　he　saw　a　hint　of　fear；　too。　That　pleased　him。　Nobody　was　ever　afraid　of　Marron　Shed；　except　maybe　Asa；　who　did　not　count。
　　Best　make　his　exit；　before　he　stretched　his　luck。　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Gilbert。　See　you　again　soon。〃
　　Passing　through　the　outer　room；　he　was　astonished　to　find　Gilbert's　men　snoring。　The　frog…faced　man　grinned。　Outside；　Shed　paid　his　guardians。　〃He　wasn't　as　much　trouble　as　I　expected。〃
　　〃You　had　us　with　you；〃　the　little　man　said。　〃Let's　go　to　your　place　and　have　a　beer。〃
　　One　of　the　others　observed；　〃He　looked　like　he　was　in　shock。〃
　　The　little　man　asked；　〃How'd　you　ever　get　that　far　into　a　moneylender；　anyway？〃
　　〃A　skirt。　I　thought　I　was　going　to　marry　her。　She　was　just　taking　me　for　my　money。　I　finally　woke　up。〃
　　His　panions　shook　their　heads。　One　said；　〃Women。　Got　to　watch　them；　buddy。　They'll　pick　your　bones。〃
　　〃I　learned　my　lesson。　Hey。　Drinks　on　the　house。　I've　got　some　wine　I　used　to　keep　for　a　special　customer。　He　left　town；　so　I'm　stuck　with　it。〃
　　〃That　bad；　eh？〃
　　〃No。　That　good。　Nobody　can　afford　it。〃
　　Shed　spent　his　entire　evening　sipping　wine；　even　after　the　sailors　decided　they　had　business　elsewhere。　He　broke　into　a　grin　each　time　he　recalled　Gilbert's　reaction　to　the　ring。　〃Got　to　be　careful　now；〃　he　muttered。　〃He's　as　crazy　as　Krage。〃
　　In　time　the　good　feeling　departed。　Fear　took　over。　He'd　face　anything　Gilbert　did　alone；　and　he　was　still　very　much　the　same　old　Shed　under　the　patina　left　by　Raven　and　a　few　deals　since。
　　〃Ought　to　haul　the　bastard　up　the　hill；〃　he　muttered　into　his　mug。　Then：　〃Damn！　I'm　as　bad　as　Raven。　Worse。　Raven　never　delivered　them　alive。　Wonder　what　that　bastard　is　doing　now；　with　his　fancy　ship　and　slick　young　slot？〃
　　He　got　himself　very；　very　drunk　and　very；　very　filled　with　self…pity。
　　The　last　guest　went　to　his　bunk。　The　last　outsider　went　home。　Shed　sat　there　nursing　his　wine　and　glowering　at　Lisa；　angry　with　her　for　no　reason　he　could　define。　Her　body；　he　thought。　Ripe。　But　she　wouldn't。　Too　good　for　him。　And　her　pushiness　lately。　Yeah。
　　She　studied　him　as　she　cleaned　up。　Efficient　little　witch。　Better　even　than　Darling；　who　had　worked　hard　but　hadn't　the　economy　of　movement　Lisa　had。　Maybe　she　did　deserve　to　manage　the　place。　He　hadn't　done　such　a　great　job。
　　He　found　her　seated　opposite　him。　He　glowered。　She　did　not　retreat。　A　hard　lass；　too。　Wouldn't　bluff。　Didn't　scare。　Tough　Buskin　bitch。　Be　trouble　someday。
　　〃What's　the　matter；　Mr。　Shed？〃
　　〃Nothing。〃
　　〃I　hear　you　paid　Gilbert　off。　On　a　loan　you　took　on　this　place。　How　could　you　take　a　loan　on　the　Lily？　It's　been　in　your　family　for　ages。〃
　　〃Don't　give　me　that　sentimental　crap。　You　don't　believe　it。〃
　　〃Where　did　you　get　the　money？〃
　　〃Maybe　you　shouldn't　be　so　nosy。　　Maybe　nosiness　could　be　bad　for　your　health。〃　He　was　talking　surly　and　tough　but　not　meaning　what　he　said。　〃You've　been　acting　strange　lately。〃
　　〃I　was　in　love。〃
　　〃That　wasn't　it。　What　happened　to　that；　anyway？　I　hear　Sue　disappeared。　Gilbert　says　you　did　her　in。〃
　　〃Did　what？　I　was　over　to　her　place　today。〃
　　〃You　see　her？〃
　　〃No。　The　door　guard　said　she　wasn't　home。　Which　means　she　didn't　want　to　see　me。　Probably　had　somebody　else　up　there。〃
　　〃Maybe　it　meant　she　wasn't　home。〃　Shed　snorted。　〃I　told　you　I　don't　want　to　talk　about　her　anymore。　Understand？〃
　　〃Sure。　Tell　me　where　you　got　the　money。〃　Shed　glared。　〃Why？〃
　　〃Because　if　there's　more；　I　want　a　chunk。　I　don't　want　to　spend　my　life　in　the　Buskin。　I'll　do　whatever　it　takes　to　get　out。〃
　　Shed　smirked。
　　She　misunderstood。　〃This　job　is　just　to　keep　body　and　soul　together　till　I　find　so