rh.theassassinsapprentice-第53章

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d　stings；　was　frequently　lost；　and　never　developed　any　sensible　wariness　toward　man　or　beast。
　　　　　　　Her　education　came　largely　from　herself。　She　mastered　reading　and　ciphering　at　an　early　age；　and　from　that　time　studied　any　scroll；　book；　or　tablet　that　came　her　way　with　voracious　and　indiscriminate　interest。　Tutors　were　frustrated　by　her　distractible　ways　and　frequent　absences　that　seemed　to　affect　not　at　all　her　ability　to　learn　almost　anything　swiftly　and　well。　Yet　the　applying　of　such　knowledge　interested　her　not　at　all。　Her　head　was　full　of　fancies　and　imaginings；　she　substituted　poetry　and　music　for　logic　and　manners　both；　she　expressed　no　interest　at　all　in　social　introductions　and　coquettish　skills。
　　　　　　　And　yet　she　married　a　prince；　one　who　had　courted　her　with　a　single…minded　enthusiasm　that　was　to　be　the　first　scandal　to　befall　him。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　〃Stand　up　straight！〃
　　　　　　　I　stiffened。
　　　　　　　〃Not　like　that！　You　look　like　a　turkey；　drawn　out　and　waiting　for　the　ax。　Relax　more。　No；　but　put　your　shoulders　back；　don't　hunch　them。　Do　you　always　stand　with　your　feet　thrown　out　so？〃
　　　　　　　〃Lady；　he　is　only　a　boy。　They　are　always　so；　all　angles　and　bones。　Let　him　e　in　and　be　at　ease。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　very　well。　e　in；　then。〃
　　　　　　　I　nodded　my　gratitude　to　a　round…faced　serving　woman　who　dimpled　a　smile　at　me　in　return。　She　gestured　me　toward　a　pew　bench　so　bedecked　with　pillows　and　shawls　that　there　was　scarcely　room　left　to　sit。　I　perched　on　the　edge　of　it　and　surveyed　Lady　Patience's　chamber。
　　　　　　　It　was　worse　than　Chade's。　I　would　have　thought　it　the　clutter　of　years　if　I　had　not　known　that　she　had　only　recently　arrived。　Even　a　plete　inventory　of　the　room　could　not　have　described　it；　for　it　was　the　juxtaposition　of　objects　that　made　it　remarkable。　A　feather　fan；　a　fencing　glove；　and　a　bundle　of　cattails　were　all　vased　in　a　well　worn　boot。　A　small　black　terrier　with　two　fat　puppies　slept　in　a　basket　lined　with　a　fur　hood　and　some　woolen　stockings。　A　family　of　carved　ivory　walruses　perched　on　a　tablet　about　horse　shoeing。　But　the　dominant　elements　were　the　plants。　There　were　fat　puffs　of　greenery　overflowing　clay　pots；　teacups　and　goblets　and　buckets　of　cuttings　and　cut　flowers　and　greenery；　vines　spilling　out　of　handleless　mugs　and　cracked　cups。　Failures　were　evident　in　bare　sticks　poking　up　out　of　pots　of　earth。　The　plants　perched　and　huddled　together　in　every　location　that　would　catch　morning　or　afternoon　sun　from　the　windows。　The　effect　was　like　a　garden　spilling　in　the　windows　and　growing　up　around　the　clutter　in　the　room。
　　　　　　　〃He's　probably　hungry；　too；　isn't　he；　Lacey？　I've　heard　that　about　boys。　I　think　there's　some　cheese　and　biscuits　on　the　stand　by　my　bed。　Fetch　them　for　him；　would　you；　dear？〃
　　　　　　　Lady　Patience　stood　slightly　more　than　arm's　distance　away　from　me　as　she　spoke　past　me　to　her　lady。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　hungry；　really；　thank　you；〃　I　blurted　out　before　Lacey　could　lumber　to　her　feet。　〃I'm　here　because　I　was　told　to　make　myself　available　to　you；　in　the　mornings；　for　as　long　as　you　wanted　me。〃
　　　　　　　That　was　a　careful　rephrasing。　What　King　Shrewd　had　actually　said　to　me　was；　〃Go　to　her　chambers　each　morning；　and　do　whatever　it　is　she　thinks　you　ought　to　be　doing　so　she　leaves　me　alone。　And　keep　doing　it　until　she　is　as　weary　of　you　as　I　am　of　her。〃　His　bluntness　had　astounded　me；　for　I　had　never　seen　him　so　beleaguered　as　that　day。　Verity　came　in　the　door　of　the　chamber　as　I　was　scuttling　out；　and　he；　too；　looked　much　the　worse　for　wear。　Both　men　spoke　and　moved　as　if　suffering　from　too　much　wine　the　night　before；　and　yet　I　had　seen　them　both　at　table　last　night；　and　there　had　been　a　marked　lack　of　either　merriness　or　wine。　Verity　tousled　my　head　as　I　went　past　him。　〃More　like　his　father　every　day；〃　he　remarked　to　a　scowling　Regal　behind　him。　Regal　glared　at　me　as　he　entered　the　King's　chamber　and　loudly　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　　　　　　　So　here　I　was；　in　my　lady's　chamber；　and　she　was　skirting　about　me　and　talking　past　me　as　if　I　were　an　animal　that　might　suddenly　strike　out　at　her　or　soil　the　carpets。　I　could　tell　that　it　afforded　Lacey　much　amusement。
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　I　already　knew　that；　you　see；　because　I　was　the　one　who　had　asked　the　King　that　you　be　sent　here；〃　Lady　Patience　explained　carefully　to　me。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　I　shifted　on　my　bit　of　seat　space　and　tried　to　look　intelligent　and　well　mannered。　Recalling　the　earlier　times　we　had　met；　I　could　scarcely　blame　her　for　treating　me　like　a　dolt。
　　　　　　　A　silence　fell。　I　looked　around　at　things　in　the　room。　Lady　Patience　looked　toward　a　window。　Lacey　sat　and　smirked　to　herself　and　pretended　to　be　tatting　lace。
　　　　　　　〃Oh。　Here。〃　Swift　as　a　diving　hawk；　Lady　Patience　stooped　down　and　seized　the　black　terrier　pup　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck。　He　yelped　in　surprise；　and　his　mother　looked　up　in　annoyance　as　Lady　Patience　thrust　him　into　my　arms。　〃This　one's　for　you。　He's　yours　now。　Every　boy　should　have　a　pet。〃
　　　　　　　I　caught　the　squirming　puppy　and　managed　to　support　his　body　before　she　let　go　of　him。　〃Or　maybe　you'd　rather　have　a　bird？　I　have　a　cage　of　finches　in　my　bedchamber。　You　could　have　one　of　them；　if　you'd　rather。〃
　　　　　　　〃Uh；　no。　A　puppy's　fine。　A　puppy　is　wonderful。〃　The　second　half　of　the　statement　was　made　to　the　pup。　My　instinctive　response　to　his　high…pitched　yi…yi…yi　had　been　to　quest　out　to　him　with　calm。　His　mother　had　sensed　my　contact　with　him　and　approved。　She　settled　back　into　her　basket　with　the　white　pup　with　blithe　unconcern。　The　puppy　looked　up　at　me　and　met　my　eyes　directly。　This；　in　my　experience；　was　rather　unusual。　Most　dogs　avoided　prolonged　direct　eye　contact。　But　also　unusual　was　his　awareness。　I　knew　from　surreptitious　experiments　in　the　stable　that　most　puppies　his　age　had　little　more　than　fuzzy　self…awareness；　and　were　mostly　tuned　to　mother　and　milk　and　immediate　needs。　This　little　fellow　had　a　solidly　established　identity　within　himself；　and　a　deep　interest　in　all　that　was　going　on　around　him。　He　liked　Lacey；　who　fed　him　bits　of　meat；　and　was　wary　of　Patience；　not　because　she　was　cruel；　but　because　she　stumbled　over　him　and　kept　putting　him　back　in　the　basket　each　time　he　laboriously　clambered　out。　He　thought　I　smelled　very　exciting；　and　the　scents　of　horses　and　birds　and　other　dogs　were　like　colors　in　his　mind；　images　of　things　that　as　yet　had　no　shape　or　reality　for　him；　but　that　he　nonetheless　found　fascinating。　I　imaged　the　scents　for　him　and　he　climbed　my　chest；　wriggling；　sniffing　and　licking　me　in　his　excitement。　Take　me；　show　me；　take　me。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　even　listening？〃
　　　　　　　I　winced；　expecting　a　rap　from　Burrich；　then　came　back　to　awareness　of　where　I　was　and　of　the　small　woman　standing　before　me　with　her　hands　on　her　hips。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　something's　wrong　with　him；〃　she　abruptly　observed　to　Lacey。　〃Did　you　see　how　he　was　sitting　there；　staring　at　the　puppy？　I　thought　he　was　about　to　go　off　into　some　sort　of　fit。〃
　　　　　　　Lacey　smiled　benignly　and　went　on　with　her　tatting。　〃Fair　reminded　me　of　you；　lady；　when　you　start　pottering　about　with　your　leaves　and　bits　of　plants　and　end　up　staring　at　the　dirt。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；〃　said　Patience；　clearly　displeased。　〃It　is　quite　one　thing　for　an　adult　to　be　pensive；〃　she　observed　firmly；　〃and　another　for　a　boy　to　stand　about　looking　daft。〃
　　　　　　　Later；　I　promised　the　pup。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　I　said；　and　tried　to　look　repentant。　〃I　was　just　distracted　by　the　puppy。〃　He　had　cuddled　into　the　crook　of　my　arm　and　was　casually　chewing　the　edge　of　my　jerkin。　It　is　difficult　to　explain　what　I　felt。　I　needed　to　pay　attention　to　Lady　Patience；　but　this　small　being　snuggled　against　me　was　radiating　delight　and　contentment。　It　is　a　heady　thing　to　be　suddenly　proclaimed　the　center　of　someone's　world；　even　if　that　someone　is　an　eight…week…old　puppy。　It　made　me　realize　how　profoundly　alone　I　had　felt；　and　for　how　long。　〃Thank　you；〃　I　said；　and　even　I　was　surprised　at　the　gratitude　in　my　voice。　〃Thank　you　very　much。〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　just　a　puppy；〃　Lady　Patience　said；　and　to　my　surprise　she　looked　almost　ashamed。　She　turned　aside　and　stared　out　the　window。　The　puppy　licked　his　nose　and　closed　his　eyes。　Warm。　Sleep。　〃Tell　me　about　yourself；〃　she　demanded　abruptly。