rh.theassassinsapprentice-第57章

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　　　　　　　I　permitted　myself　a　small　smile；　that　brought　an　answering　scowl　from　Burrich。
　　　　　　　〃Listen　to　what　I'm　telling　you。　Galen　makes　no　secret　that　he　has　no　fondness　for　you。　Of　course；　he　doesn't　know　you　at　all；　so　it's　not　your　fault。　It's　based　solely　on　。。。　what　you　are；　and　what　you　caused；　and　God　knows　that　wasn't　your　fault。　But　if　Galen　admitted　that；　then　he'd　have　to　admit　it　was　Chivalry's　fault；　and　I've　never　known　him　to　admit　that　Chivalry　had　any　faults　。。。　but　you　can　love　a　man　and　know　better　than　that　about　him。〃　Burrich　took　a　brisk　turn　around　the　room；　then　came　back　to　the　fire。
　　　　　　　〃Just　tell　me　what　you　want　to　say；〃　I　suggested。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　trying；〃　he　snapped。　〃It's　not　easy　to　know　what　to　say。　I'm　not　even　sure　if　I　should　be　speaking　to　you。　Is　this　interference；　or　counsel？　But　your　lessons　haven't　started　yet。　So　I　say　this　now。　Do　your　best　for　him。　Don't　talk　back　to　Galen。　Be　respectful　and　courteous。　Listen　to　all　he　says　and　learn　it　as　well　and　quickly　as　you　can。〃　He　paused　again。
　　　　　　　〃I　hadn't　intended　to　do　otherwise；〃　I　pointed　out　a　bit　tartly；　for　I　could　tell　that　none　of　this　was　what　Burrich　was　trying　to　say。
　　　　　　　〃I　know　that；　Fitz！〃　He　sighed　suddenly；　and　threw　himself　down　at　the　table　opposite　me。　With　the　heels　of　both　hands　he　pressed　at　his　temples；　as　if　pained。　I　had　never　seen　him　so　agitated。　〃A　long　time　ago　I　talked　to　you　about　that　other　。。。　magic。　The　Wit。　The　being　with　the　beasts；　almost　being　one　of　them。〃　He　paused　and　glanced　about　the　room　as　if　worried　someone　would　hear。　He　leaned　in　closer　to　me　and　spoke　softly　but　urgently。　〃Stay　clear　of　it。　I've　tried　my　best　to　get　you　to　see　it's　shameful　and　wrong。　But　I've　never　really　felt　that　you　agreed。　Oh；　I　know　you've　abided　by　my　rule　against　it；　most　of　the　time。　But　a　few　times　I've　sensed；　or　suspected；　that　you　were　tinkering　with　things　no　good　man　touches。　I　tell　you；　Fitz；　I'd　sooner　see　。。。　I'd　sooner　see　you　Forged。　Yes；　don't　look　so　shocked；　that's　truly　how　I　feel。　And　as　for　Galen　。。。　Look；　Fitz；　don't　even　mention　it　to　him。　Don't　speak　of　it；　don't　even　think　of　it　near　him。　It's　little　that　I　know　about　the　Skill　and　how　it　works。　But　sometimes　。。。　oh；　sometimes　when　your　father　touched　me　with　it；　it　seemed　he　knew　my　heart　before　I　did；　and　saw　things　that　I　kept　buried　even　from　myself。〃
　　　　　　　A　sudden　deep　blush　suffused　Burrich's　dark　face；　and　almost　I　thought　I　saw　tears　stand　in　his　dark　eyes。　He　turned　aside　from　me　to　the　fire；　and　I　sensed　we　were　ing　to　the　heart　of　what　he　needed　to　say。　Needed；　not　wanted。　There　was　a　deep　fear　in　him；　one　he　denied　himself。　A　lesser　man；　a　man　less　stern　with　himself；　would　have　trembled　with　it。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　fear　for　you；　boy。〃　He　spoke　to　the　stones　above　the　mantelpiece；　and　his　voice　was　so　deep　a　rumble　that　I　almost　couldn't　understand　him。
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃　A　simple　question　unlocks　best；　Chade　had　taught　me。
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know　if　he　will　see　it　in　you。　Or　what　he　will　do　if　he　does。　I've　heard　。。。　no。　I　know　it's　true。　There　was　a　woman；　actually；　little　more　than　a　girl。　She　had　a　way　with　birds。　She　lived　in　the　hills　to　the　west　of　here；　and　it　was　said　she　could　call　a　wild　hawk　from　the　sky。　Some　folk　admired　her；　and　said　it　was　a　gift。　They　took　sick　poultry　to　her；　or　called　her　in　when　hens　wouldn't　set　their　eggs。　She　did　aught　but　good；　for　all　I　heard。　But　Galen　spoke　out　against　her。　Said　she　was　an　abomination；　and　that　it　would　be　the　worse　for　the　world　if　she　lived　to　breed。　And　one　morning　she　was　found　beaten　to　death。〃
　　　　　　　〃Galen　did　it？〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　shrugged；　a　gesture　most　unlike　him。　〃His　horse　had　been　out　of　the　stable　that　night。　That　much　I　know。　And　his　hands　were　bruised；　and　he　had　scratches　on　his　face　and　neck。　But　not　the　scratches　a　woman　would　have　dealt　him；　boy。　Talon　marks；　as　if　a　hawk　had　tried　to　strike　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　you　said　nothing？〃　I　asked　incredulously。
　　　　　　　He　barked　a　bitter　laugh。　〃Another　spoke　before　I　could。　Galen　was　accused；　by　the　girl's　cousin；　who　happened　to　work　here　in　the　stables。　Galen　would　not　deny　it。　They　went　out　to　the　Witness　Stones　and　fought　one　another　for　El's　justice；　which　always　prevails　there。　Higher　than　the　King's　court　is　the　answer　to　a　question　settled　there；　and　no　one　may　dispute　it。　The　boy　died。　Everyone　said　it　was　the　El's　justice；　that　the　boy　had　accused　Galen　falsely。　One　said　it　to　Galen。　And　he　replied　that　El's　justice　was　that　the　girl　had　died　before　she　bred；　and　her　tainted　cousin；　too。〃
　　　　　　　Burrich　fell　silent。　I　was　queasy　with　what　he　had　told　me；　and　a　cold　fear　snaked　through　me。　A　question　once　decided　at　the　Witness　Stones　could　not　be　raised　again。　That　was　more　than　law；　it　was　the　very　will　of　the　gods。　So　I　was　to　be　taught　by　a　man　who　was　a　murderer；　a　man　who　would　try　to　kill　me　if　he　suspected　I　had　the　Wit。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；〃　Burrich　said　as　if　I　had　spoken　aloud。　〃Oh；　Fitz；　my　son；　be　careful；　be　wise。〃　And　for　a　moment　I　wondered；　for　it　sounded　as　if　he　feared　for　me。　But　then　he　added；　〃Don't　shame　me；　boy。　Or　your　father。　Don't　let　Galen　say　that　I've　let　my　prince's　son　grow　up　a　half　beast。　Show　him　that　Chivalry's　blood　runs　true　in　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'll　try；〃　I　muttered。　And　I　went　to　bed　that　night　wretched　and　afraid。
　　　　　　　The　Queen's　Garden　was　nowhere　near　the　Women's　Garden　or　the　kitchen　garden　or　any　other　garden　in　Buckkeep。　It　was；　instead；　atop　a　circular　tower。　The　garden　walls　were　high　on　the　sides　that　faced　the　sea；　but　to　the　south　and　west；　the　walls　were　low　and　had　seats　along　them。　The　stone　walls　captured　the　warmth　of　the　sun　and　fended　off　the　salt　winds…from　the　sea。　The　air　was　still　there；　almost　as　if　hands　were　cupped　over　my　ears。　Yet　there　was　a　strange　wildness　to　the　garden　founded　on　stone。　There　were　rock　basins；　perhaps　birdbaths　or　water　gardens　at　one　time；　and　various　tubs　and　pots　and　troughs　of　earth；　intermingled　with　statuary。　At　one　time　the　tubs　and　pots　had　probably　overflowed　with　greenery　and　flowers。　Of　the　plants；　only　a　few　stalks　and　the　mossy　earth　in　the　tubs　remained。　The　skeleton　of　a　vine　crawled　over　a　half…rotted　trellis。　It　filled　me　with　an　old　sadness　colder　than　the　first　chill　of　winter　that　was　also　here。　Patience　should　have　had　this；　I　thought。　She　would　bring　life　here　again。
　　　　　　　I　was　the　first　to　arrive。　August　came　soon　after。　He　had　Verity's　broad　build；　much　as　I　had　Chivalry's　height；　and　the　dark　Farseer　coloring。　As　always；　he　was　distant　but　polite。　He　dealt　me　a　nod　and　then　strolled　about；　looking　at　the　statuary。
　　　　　　　Others　appeared　rapidly　after　him。　I　was　surprised　at　how　many；　over　a　dozen。　Other　than　August；　son　of　the　King's　sister；　no　one　could　boast　so　much　Farseer　blood　as　I　could。　There　were　cousins　and　second　cousins；　of　both　sexes；　and　both　younger　and　older　than　I。　August　was　probably　the　youngest；　at　two　years　my　junior；　and　Serene；　a　woman　in　her　mid　twenties；　was　probably　the　eldest。　It　was　an　oddly　subdued　group。　A　few　clustered；　talking　softly；　but　most　drifted　about；　poking　at　the　empty　gardens　or　looking　at　the　statues。
　　　　　　　Then　Galen　came。
　　　　　　　He　let　the　door　of　the　stairwell　slam　shut　behind　him。　Several　of　the　others　jumped。　He　stood　regarding　us；　and　we　in　turn　looked　at　him　in　silence。
　　　　　　　There　is　something　I　have　observed　about　skinny　men。　Some；　like　Chade；　seem　so　preoccupied　with　their　lives　that　they　either　forget　to　eat；　or　burn　every　bit　of　sustenance　they　take　in　the　fires　of　their　passionate　fascination　with　life。　But　there　is　another　type；　one　who　goes　about　the　world　cadaverously；　cheeks　sunken；　bones　jutting；　and　one　senses　that　he　so　disapproves　of　the　whole　of　the　world　that　he　begrudges　every　bit　of　it　that　he　takes　inside　himself。　At　that　moment　I　would　have　wagered　that　Galen　had　never　truly　enjoyed　one　bite　of　food　or　one　swallow　of　drink　in　his　life。
　　　　　　　His　dress　puzzled　me。　It　was　opulently　rich；　with　fur　at　his　collar　and　neck；　and　amber　beading　so　thick　on　his　vest　it　would　have　turned　a　sword。　But　the　rich　fabrics　strained　over　him；　the　clothing　tailored　so　snugly　to　him　that　one　wondered　if　the　maker　had　lacked　sufficient　fabric