gc.shadowslinger-第42章

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　　Ninety　percent　of　me　wanted　to　run　as　fast　as　I　could。　Ten　percent　stuck　to　business。　〃Let's　drag　one　of　these　bastards　along；〃　it　croaked　out　of　a　mouth　dry　with　fear。　〃What　the　hell　for？〃　Elmo　demanded。　〃So　I　can　carve　it　up　and　see　what　it　is。〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　The　Lieutenant　squatted　and　grabbed　a　body　under　the　arms。　It　struggled　feebly。　Shuddering；　I　took　hold　of　booted　feet　and　hoisted。　The　creature　folded　in　the　middle。
　　〃Hell　with　that；〃　the　Lieutenant　said。　He　dropped　his　end；　joined　me。　〃You　pull　that　leg。　I'll　pull　this　one。〃
　　We　pulled。　The　body　slid　sideways。　We　started　bickering　about　who　should　do　what。
　　〃You　guys　want　to　stop　crapping　around？〃　One…Eye　snarled。　He　stabbed　a　wrinkled　black　finger。　I　looked　back。　Creatures　had　appeared　on　the　battlements。　I　felt　an　increase　in　the　dread　the　castle　inspired。
　　〃Something's　happening；〃　I　said；　and　headed　downhill；　never　letting　go　of　the　body。　The　Lieutenant　came　along。　Our　burden　took　a　beating　going　through　the　rock　and　brush。
　　Wham！　Something　hit　the　slope　like　the　stamp　of　a　giant's　foot。　I　felt　like　a　roach　fleeing　a　man　who　hated　cockroaches　and　had　his　stomping　boots　on。　There　was　another　stamp；　more　earth…shaking。
　　〃Oh；　shit；〃　Elmo　said。　He　came　past　me；　arms　and　legs　pumping。　One…Eye　was　right　behind　him；　flying　low；　gaining　ground。　Neither　offered　to　help。
　　A　third　thump；　and　a　fourth；　about　equally　spaced　in　time；　each　closer　than　the　last。　The　last　sent　chunks　of　stone　and　dead　brush　arcing　overhead。
　　Fifty　yards　down…slope　One…Eye　halted；　whirled；　did　one　of　his　magic　things。　A　chunk　of　pale　blue　fire　exploded　in　his　upraised　hands；　went　roaring　up　the　hill；　moaning　past　me　less　than　a　foot　away。　The　Lieutenant　and　I　passed　One…Eye。　A　fifth　giant　stomp　spattered　our　backs　with　shards　of　rock　and　brush。
　　One…Eye　let　out　a　mad　howl　and　ran　again。　He　yelled；　〃That　was　my　best　shot。　Better　dump　that　clown　and　scatter。〃　He　pulled　away；　bounding　like　a　hare　fleeing　hounds。
　　A　scream　filled　the　valley　of　the　Port。　A　pair　of　dots　came　hurtling　over　from　the　southern　slope；　almost　too　fast　for　the　eye　to　follow。　They　passed　over　with　a　hollow；　deep　roar；　and　boomed　like　a　god's　drum　behind　us。　I　was　not　sure；　but　it　seemed　the　dots　were　connected。
　　Another　pair　appeared；　revolving　about　a　mon　center。　I　got　a　better　look。　Yes；　they　were　connected。　They　roared。　They　boomed。　I　glanced　back。　The　face　of　the　black　castle　had　vanished　behind　a　wall　of　color　like　paint　thrown　against；　then　running　down；　a　pane　of　glass　to　which　it　would　not　adhere。
　　〃Taken　are　on　the　job；〃　the　Lieutenant　panted。　His　eyes　were　wild；　but　he　clung　to　his　side　of　our　burden。
　　The　damned　creature　got　hung　up。　Panicky；　we　hacked　its　clothing　free　from　a　thorn　bush。　I　kept　looking　up；　expecting　something　to　e　down　and　smash　us　all　over　the　slope。
　　Another　pair　of　balls　arrived；　spraying　color。　They　did　no　obvious　harm；　but　kept　the　castle　occupied。　We　freed　our　booty；　hurried　on。
　　A　different　sort　of　dot　pair　came；　dropping　from　high　above。　I　pointed。　〃Feather　and　Whisper。〃　The　Taken　plunged　toward　the　black　castle；　preceded　by　a　high…pitched　shriek。　Fire　enveloped　the　castle　wall。　Obsidian　seemed　to　melt　and　run　like　candle　wax；　shifting　the　already　grotesque　decorations　into　forms　even　more　bizarre。　The　Taken　pulled　out；　gained　altitude；　came　around　for　another　pass。　In　the　interim　another　pair　of　dots　screamed　across　the　Port　valley　and　painted　the　planes　of　the　air。　It　would　have　been　a　great　show　if　I　had　not　been　so　damned　busy　getting　away。
　　The　slope　resounded　to　the　stamp　of　an　invisible　giant。　A　circle　fifteen　feet　across　and　five　deep　appeared　above　us。　Sticks　and　stones　flew。　It　missed　by　only　a　dozen　feet。　The　impact　knocked　us　down。　A　line　of　like　imprints　marched　back　up　the　slope。
　　Mighty　though　that　blow　was；　it　was　less　forceful　than　its　predecessors。
　　Feather　and　Whisper　swooped　again；　and　again　the　face　of　the　black　castle　melted；　ran；　shifted　form。　Then　thunder　racked　the　air。　Barn…bam！　Both　Taken　vanished　in　clouds　of　smoke。　They　wobbled　out；　fighting　for　control　of　their　carpets。　Both　smouldered　the　way　Feather　had　the　night　we　captured　Shed。　They　fought　for　altitude。
　　The　castle　turned　its　entire　attention　to　them。　The　Lieutenant　and　I　made　our　escape。
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Four：　JUNIPER：　FLIGHT
　　
　　The　Lily　shuddered　several　times。
　　Shed　was　doing　mugs　and　wondering　which　of　his　customers　were　Black　pany。　The　shaking　made　him　nervous。　Then　a　shriek　flashed　overhead；　rising；　then　falling　as　it　whipped　away　north。　A　moment　later　the　earth　shivered　again；　strong　enough　to　rattle　crockery。　He　rushed　into　the　street。　One　small；　cunning　part　of　him　kept　watching　his　customers；　trying　to　determine　who　was　watching　him。　His　chance　of　escape　had　lessened　drastically　with　the　advent　of　the　pany。　He　no　longer　knew　who　was　who。　They　all　knew　him。
　　He　hit　the　street　as　a　second　shriek　came　from　the　direction　of　the　Enclosure。　He　followed　pointing　hands。　A　pair　of　balls　joined　by　a　cord　whipped　away　to　the　north。　Seconds　later　all　Juniper　was　illuminated　by　a　particolored　glare。
　　〃The　black　castle！〃　people　said。　〃They　hit　the　black　castle。〃
　　Shed　could　see　it　from　his　street。　It　had　vanished　behind　a　curtain　of　color。　Terror　gripped　his　heart。　He　could　not　understand　it。　He　was　safe　down　here。　Wasn't　he？
　　Wasn't　he？　The　pany　had　great　wizards　supporting　it。　They　would　not　let　the　castle　do　anything。　。。。　A　mighty　hammer　blow　threw　stuff　around　the　north　slope。　He　could　not　see　what　was　happening；　but　instantly　sensed　that　the　castle　had　struck　at　someone。　Possibly　that　Croaker；　who　was　up　there　keeping　the　place　isolated。　Maybe　the　castle　was　trying　to　open　the　road。
　　Crowd　yammer　directed　his　attention　to　two　dots　dropping　from　the　blue。　Fire　enveloped　the　castle。　Obsidian　shifted　form；　writhing；　then　found　its　normal　shape　again。　The　flying　attackers　soared；　turned。　Another　pair　of　balls　hurtled　in；　apparently　thrown　from　Duretile。　And　down　came　the　carpet　riders。
　　Shed　knew　who　they　were　and　what　was　happening；　and　he　was　terrified。　Around　him；　the　Buskin；　taken　unawares；　went　berserk。
　　He　retained　the　presence　of　mind　to　consider　his　own　position。　Here；　there；　members　of　the　Black　pany　were　running　for　battle　stations。　Squads　formed　up。　hurried　off。　Pairs　of　soldiers　took　stations　apparently　assigned　against　times　when　rioting　and　looting　looked　possible。　Nowhere　did　Shed　see　anyone　identifiable　as　his　babysitter。
　　He　slipped　back　inside　the　Lily；　upstairs；　into　his　room；　dug　into　his　secret　place。　He　stuffed　gold　and　silver　into　his　pockets；　dithered　over　his　amulet；　then　hung　it　around　his　neck；　under　his　clothing。　He　scanned　the　room　once；　saw　nothing　else　he　wanted　to　take；　hurried　back　downstairs。　There　was　no　one　in　the　mon　room　but　Sal；　who　stood　at　the　door　watching　the　display　on　the　north　slope。　He'd　never　seen　her　more　homebody　and　calm。
　　〃Sal。〃
　　〃Marron？　Is　it　time？〃
　　〃Yes。　I'm　leaving　twenty　leva　in　the　box。　You'll　do　fine　as　long　as　the　soldiers　keep　ing　in。〃
　　〃Is　that　up　there　what's　been　going　on？〃
　　〃That's　where　it's　been　headed。　It'll　probably　get　worse。　They're　here　to　destroy　the　castle。　If　they　can。〃
　　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　He　honestly　did　not。　〃Wouldn't　tell　you　if　I　did。　They　would　find　out　from　you。〃
　　〃When　will　you　be　back？〃
　　〃Maybe　never。　Certainly　not　before　they　pull　out。〃　He　doubted　the　pany　ever　would。　Or；　if　it　did；　it　would　be　replaced。　Its　Lady　seemed　the　type　not　to　turn　loose　of　anything。
　　He　gave　Sal　a　peck　on　the　cheek。　〃Take　care。　And　don't　short　yourself　or　the　kids。　If　Lisa　turns　up；　tell　her　she's　fired。　If　Wally　does；　tell　him　I　forgive　him。〃
　　He　headed　for　the　back　door。　The　flash　and　roar　on　the　slope　continued。　At　one　point　there　was　a　howling　which　fluttered　toward　Duretile；　but　it　broke　up　somewhere　over　the　Enclosure。　He　put　his　head　down　and　his　collar　up　and　followed　alleyways　toward　the　waterfront。
　　Only　twice　did　he　encounter　patrols。　Neither　boasted　a　man　who　knew　him。　The　first　ignored　him。　The　corporal　manding　the　second　told　him　to　get　his　ass　off