gc.shadowslinger-第7章

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　　〃I'm　not。　I　don't　have　anything　to　do　with　Raven；　Asa。　You　know　that。〃
　　Asa　enjoyed　his　moment。　〃I　tried　to　tell　Krage；　Shed。　He　didn't　want　to　hear　it。〃
　　〃Drink　your　wine　and　get　out；　Asa。〃
　　〃Shed？〃　The　old　whine　filled　Asa's　voice。
　　〃You　heard　me。　Out。　Back　to　your　new　friends。　See　how　long　they　have　a　use　for　you。〃
　　〃Shed！　。　。　。〃
　　〃They'll　throw　you　back　into　the　street；　Asa。　Right　beside　me　and　Mom。　Git；　you　bloodsucker。〃
　　Asa　downed　his　wine　and　fled；　shoulders　tight　against　his　neck。　He　had　tasted　the　truth　of　Shed's　words。　His　association　with　Krage　would　be　fragile　and　brief。
　　Shed　tried　to　warn　Raven。　Raven　ignored　him。　Shed　polished　mugs；　watched　Raven　chatter　with　Darling　in　the　utter　silence　of　sign　language；　and　tried　to　imagine　some　way　of　making　a　hit　in　the　upper　city。　Usually　he　spent　these　early　hours　eying　Darling　and　trying　to　imagine　a　way　to　gain　access；　but　lately　sheer　terror　of　the　street　had　abolished　his　customary　randiness。
　　A　cry　like　that　of　a　hog　with　a　cut　throat　came　from　upstairs。　〃Mother！〃　Shed　took　the　stairs　two　steps　at　a　time。
　　His　mother　stood　in　the　doorway　of　the　big　bunkroom；　panting。　〃Mom？　What's　wrong？〃
　　〃There's　a　dead　man　in　there。〃
　　Shed's　heart　fluttered。　He　pushed　into　the　room。　An　old　man　lay　in　the　bottom　right　bunk　inside　the　door。
　　There　had　been　only　four　bunkroom　customers　last　night。　Six　gersh　a　head。　The　room　was　six　feet　wide　and　twelve　long；　with　twenty…four　platforms　stacked　six　high。　When　the　room　was　full；　Shed　charged　two　gersh　to　sleep　leaning　on　a　rope　stretched　down　the　middle。
　　Shed　touched　the　old…timer。　His　skin　was　cold。　He　had　been　gone　for　hours。
　　〃Who　was　he？〃　old　June　asked。
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　Shed　probed　his　ragged　clothing。　He　found　four　gersh　and　an　iron　ring。　〃Damn！〃　He　could　not　take　that。　The　Custodians　would　be　suspicious　if　they　found　nothing。　〃We're　jinxed。　This　is　our　fourth　stiff　this　year。〃
　　〃It's　the　customers；　son。　They　have　one　foot　in　the　Catabs　already。〃
　　Shed　spat。　〃I'd　better　send　for　the　Custodians。〃
　　A　voice　said；　〃He's　waited　this　long；　let　him　wait　a　little　longer。〃
　　Shed　whirled。　Raven　and　Darling　stood　behind　his　mother。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃He　might　be　the　answer　to　your　problems；〃　Raven　said。　And　immediately　Darling　began　flashing　signs　so　fast　Shed　could　not　catch　one　in　twenty。　Evidently　she　was　telling　Raven　not　to　do　something。　Raven　ignored　her。
　　Old　June　snapped；　〃Shed！〃　Her　voice　was　heavy　with　admonition。
　　〃Don't　worry；　Mom。　I'll　handle　it。　Go　ahead　with　your　work。〃　June　was　blind；　but　when　her　health　permitted；　she　dumped　the　slops　and　handled　what　passed　for　maid　service…　mainly　dusting　beds　between　guests　to　kill　fleas　and　lice。　When　her　health　confined　her　to　bed；　Shed　brought　in　his　cousin　Wally；　a　ne'er…do…well　like　Asa；　but　with　a　wife　and　kids。　Shed　used　him　out　of　pity　for　the　wife。
　　He　headed　downstairs。　Raven　followed；　still　arguing　with　Darling。　Momentarily；　Shed　wondered　if　Raven　was　diddling　her。　Be　a　damned　waste　of　fine　womanflesh　if　someone　wasn't。
　　How　could　a　dead　man　with　four　gersh　get　him　out　from　under　Krage？　Answer：　He　could　not。　Not　legitimately。
　　Raven　settled　onto　his　usual　stool。　He　scattered　a　handful　of　copper。　〃Wine。　Buy　yourself　a　mug；　too。〃
　　Shed　collected　the　coins；　deposited　them　in　his　box。　It's　contents　were　pitiful。　He　wasn't　making　expenses。　He　was　doomed。　His　debt　to　Krage　could　miraculously　be　discharged　and　still　he'd　be　doomed。
　　He　deposited　a　mug　before　Raven；　seated　himself　on　a　stool。　He　felt　old　beyond　his　years；　and　infinitely　weary。
　　〃Tell　me。〃
　　〃The　old　man。　Who　was　he？　Who　were　his　people？〃　Shed　shrugged。　〃Just　somebody　who　wanted　to　get　out
　　of　the　cold。　The　Buskin　is　full　of　them。〃
　　〃So　it　is。〃
　　Shed　shuddered　at　Raven's　tone。　〃Are　you　proposing　what　I　think？〃
　　〃What's　that？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　What　use　is　a　corpse？　I　mean；　even　the　Custodians　only　stuff　them　in　the　Catabs。〃
　　〃Suppose　there　was　a　buyer？〃
　　〃I've　been　supposing　that。〃
　　〃And？〃
　　〃What　would　I　have　to　do？〃　His　voice　barely　carried　across　the　table。　He　could　imagine　no　more　disgusting　crime。　Even　the　least　of　the　city's　dead　were　honored　above　the　living。　A　corpse　was　a　holy　object。　The　Enclosure　was　Juniper's　epicenter。
　　〃Very　little。　Late　tonight；　have　the　body　at　the　back　door。　You　could　do　that？''
　　Shed　nodded　weakly。
　　〃Good。　Finish　your　wine。〃
　　Shed　downed　it　in　a　gulp。　He　drew　another　mug；　polished　his　stoneware　industriously。　It　was　a　bad　dream。　It　would　go　away。
　　The　corpse　seemed　almost　weightless；　but　Shed　had　difficulty　negotiating　the　stairs。　He　had　drunk　too　much。　He　eased　through　the　shadowed　mon；　stepping　with　exaggerated　care。　The　people　clustered　near　the　fireplace　looked　demonic　in　the　sullen　red　of　the　last　coals。
　　One　of　the　old　man's　feet　toppled　a　pot　as　Shed　entered　the　kitchen。　He　froze。　Nothing　happened。　His　heartbeat　gradually　slowed。　He　kept　reminding　himself　that　he　was　doing　this　so　his　mother　would　not　have　to　freeze　on　winter　streets。
　　He　thumped　the　door　with　his　knee。　It　swung　inward　immediately。　A　shadow　hissed；　〃Hurry　up；〃　and　seized　the　old　man's　feet；　helped　Shed　heave　it　into　a　wagon。
　　Panting；　terrified；　Shed　croaked；　〃What　now？〃
　　〃Go　to　bed。　You　get　your　share　in　the　morning。〃
　　Shed's　relieved　sigh　nearly　became　tears。　〃How　much？〃　he　gasped。
　　〃A　third。〃
　　〃Only　a　third？〃
　　〃I'm　taking　all　the　risk。　You're　safe　already。〃
　　〃All　right。　How　much　would　it　be？〃
　　〃The　market　varies。〃　Raven　turned　away。　Shed　closed　the　door；　leaned　against　it　with　closed　eyes。　What　had　he
done？
　　He　built　up　the　fire　and　went　to　bed；　lay　listening　to　his　mother's　snores。　Had　she　guessed？　Maybe　she　wouldn't。　The　Custodians　often　waited　for　night。　He　would　tell　her　she　had　slept　through　everything。
　　He　could　not　sleep。　Who　knew　about　the　death？　If　word　got　out；　people　would　wonder。　They　would　begin　to　suspect　the　unsuspectable。
　　What　if　Raven　got　caught？　Would　the　Inquisitors　make　him　talk？　Bullock　could　make　a　stone　sing。
　　He　watched　his　mother　all　next　morning。　She　did　not　speak　except　in　monosyllables；　but　that　was　her　custom。
　　Raven　appeared　shortly　after　noon。　〃Tea　and　a　bowl　of　porridge；　Shed。〃　When　he　paid；　he　did　not　shove　copper　across　the　counter。
　　Shed's　eye　widened。　Ten　silver　leva　lay　before　him。　Ten？　For　one　dead　old　man？　That　was　a　third？　And　Raven　had　done　this　before？　He　must　be　rich。　Shed's　palms　grew　moist。　His　mind　howled　after　potential　crimes。
　　〃Shed？〃　Raven　said　softly　when　he　delivered　the　tea　and　porridge。　〃Don't　even　think　about　it。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Don't　think　what　you're　thinking。　You　would　end　up　in　the　wagon。〃
　　Darling　scowled　at　them　from　the　kitchen　doorway。　For　a　moment　Raven　seemed　embarrassed。
　　Shed　slunk　into　the　hostel　where　Krage　held　court。　From　the　outside　the　place　was　as　crummy　as　the　Lily。　Timidly；　he　looked　for　Count；　tried　to　ignore　Asa。　Count　would　not　torment　him　for　fun。　〃Count；　I　need　to　see　Krage。〃　Count　opened　big　brown　cow　eyes。　〃Why？〃
　　〃I　brought　him　some　money。　On　account。〃　Count　heaved　himself　upright。　〃All　right。　Wait　here。〃
　　He　stalked　off。
　　Asa　sidled　up。　〃Where'd　you　get　the　money。　Shed？〃
　　〃Where　do　you　get　yours；　Asa？〃　Asa　did　not　answer。
　　〃It　isn't　polite　to　ask。　Mind　your　own　business　or　stay　away　from　me。〃
　　〃Shed；　I　thought　we　were　friends。〃
　　〃I　tried　to　be　friends；　Asa。　I　even　let　you　have　a　place　to　sleep。　And　as　soon　as　you　hooked　up　with　Krage。　。。。〃
　　A　shadow　crossed　Asa's　face。　〃I'm　sorry；　Shed。　You　know　me。　I　don't　think　so　fast。　I　do　dumb　things。〃
　　Shed　snorted。　So　Asa　had　e　to　the　inevitable　conclusion：　Krage　would　dump　him　once　he　settled　with　Raven。
　　Shed　was　tempted　to　betray　Raven。　The　man　had　to　have　a　fortune　hidden。　But　he　was　afraid　of　a　thousand　things；　and　his　guest　stood　at　the　top　of　the　list。
　　Asa　said；　〃I　found　a　way　to　get　deadwood　from　the　Enclosure。〃　His　face　brightened　in　pathetic　appeal。　〃Mostly　pine；　but　it's　wood。〃
　　〃The　Enclosure？〃
　　〃It's　not　illegal；　Shed。　It　keeps　the　Enclosure　cleaned　up。〃
　　Shed　scowled　righteo