ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第17章

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ark　outside　by　then；　their　daughter；　their　only　child；　was　somewhere　beyond　the　walls　of　civilization　and　safety；　where　women　almost　never　went；　in　the　wilderness　of　the　wide　world。　Eliane　held　a　tall；　burning　candle；　and　by　its　light　someone　watching　could　have　seen　a　taut　anguish　to　her　still…beautiful　face　as　she　listened。
　　She　stood　like　that　a　long　time　before　she　knocked　and　entered　the　room。　The　shutters　were　still　folded　back　and　the　window　was　open；　as　Jehane　had　left　them。　At　the　end　of　a　day　of　death；　with　the　sounds　of　grief　still　raw　beyond　the　gates　of　the　Quarter；　the　stars　were　serene　as　ever　in　the　darkening　sky；　the　moons　would　rise　soon；　the　white　one　first　tonight；　and　then　the　blue；　and　the　night　breeze　would　still　ease　and　cool　the　scorched　summer　earth　where　men　and　women　breathed　and　walked。　And　spoke。
　　〃Eyyia？〃　said　her　husband；　and　Eliane　bet　Danel　heard　the　mangling　of　her　name　as　music。
　　〃You　sound　like　a　marsh　frog；〃　she　said；　moving　to　stand　before　his　chair。
　　By　the　flickering　light　she　saw　him　smile。
　　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　she　asked。　〃My　dear。　I've　needed　you　so　much。〃
　　〃Eyyia；〃　he　tried　again；　and　stood　up。　His　eyes　were　black　hollows。　They　would　always　be　hollows。
　　He　opened　his　arms　and　she　moved　into　the　space　they　made　in　the　world；　and　laying　her　head　against　his　chest　she　permitted　herself　the　almost　unimaginable　luxury　of　grief。
　　
　　At　approximately　the　same　time；　their　daughter　was　just　outside　the　city　walls　negotiating　with　a　number　of　whores　for　the　purchase　of　three　mules。
　　Jehane　had　known；　in　fact；　of　several　hidden　exits　in　the　city　walls。　Some　of　them　were　too　tenuous　for　a　man　of　Husari's　girth；　but　there　was　a　place　in　the　Quarter　itself；　at　the　northwestern　end；　where　a　tree　hid　a　key　to　a　low　passage　through　the　stone　of　the　city　wall。　It　was；　in　the　event；　a　near　thing；　but　Husari　was　able　to　squeeze　through　with　help　from　Velaz。
　　As　they　came　out　and　stood　up　on　the　grassy　space　before　the　river　a　woman's　voice…a　familiar　voice；　in　fact…said　cheerfully　in　the　darkness；　〃Be　wele；　pilgrims。　May　I　lead　you　to　a　Garden　of　Delights　such　as　Ashar　only　offers　to　the　Dead？〃
　　〃He　doesn't　offer　it　at　all　to　the　Kindath；〃　Jehane　replied。　〃Tonight　you　could　almost　tempt　me；　Jacinto。〃
　　〃Jehane？　Doctor？〃　The　woman；　scented　and　gaudily　bejewelled；　stepped　closer。　〃Forgive　me！　I　didn't　recognize　you。　Who　called　for　you　tonight？〃
　　〃No　one；　actually。　Tonight　I　need　your　help。　The　wadjis　may　be　after　me；　and　the　Muwardis。〃
　　〃Plague　rot　them　all！〃　the　woman　named　Jacinto　said。　〃Haven't　they　had　enough　blood　for　one　day？〃　Jehane's　eyes　were　accustomed　to　the　night　by　now；　and　she　could　make　out　the　slender　figure　in　front　of　her；　clad　only　in　the　thinnest；　most　revealing　wisps　of　cloth。　〃What　do　you　need？〃　Jacinto　asked。　She　was　fourteen　years　old；　Jehane　knew。
　　〃Three　mules；　and　your　silence。〃
　　〃You'll　have　them。　e；　I'll　bring　you　to　Nunaya。〃
　　She　had　expected　that。　If　anyone　exerted　any　sort　of　control　over　this　munity　of　women　and　boys　outside　the　walls　it　was　Nunaya。
　　Nunaya　was　not　someone　who　wasted　time；　or　words。　Men　in　a　hurry　knew　this；　too；　or　they　learned　it　soon　enough。　A　client　who　came　to　visit　her　was　likely　to　be　back　inside　Fezana's　walls　within　a　very　short　span　of　time；　relieved　of　certain　urges　and　a　sum　of　money。
　　The　purchase　of　the　mules　was　not　a　difficult　transaction。　For　several　years　now　Jehane…the　only　woman　doctor　in　Fezana…had　been　the　trusted　physician　of　the　whores　of　the　city。　First　in　their　district　inside　the　eastern　wall　and　then　out　here　to　the　north；　after　they　had　been　pushed　by　the　wadjis　beyond　the　city　gates　and　into　one　of　the　straggling　suburbs　by　the　river。
　　That　episode　had　been　but　one　in　a　series　of　irregular；　recurring　outbursts　of　pious　outrage　that　punctuated　the　dealings　between　the　city　and　those　who　traded　in　physical　love。　The　women　fully　expected　to　be　back　inside　the　walls　within　a　year…and　probably　back　outside　them　again　a　year　or　two　after　that。
　　Given；　however；　that　the　women　one　could　buy；　and　a　fair　number　of　boys　as　well；　were　now　mostly　to　be　found　outside　the　walls；　it　was　not　surprising　that　hidden　routes　of　exit　and　entry　were　in　existence。　No　city　that　had　citizens…legitimate　or　otherwise…dwelling　beyond　its　fortifications　could　ever　be　pletely　sealed。
　　Jehane　knew　a　good　many　of　the　whores　by　now；　and　had；　on　more　than　one　occasion；　slipped　out　to　join　them　for　an　evening　of　food　and　drink　and　laughter。　Out　of　courtesy　to　the　doctor　who　delivered　their　children　or　healed　their　bodies　of　afflictions　or　wounds；　clients　were　not　wele　at　such　times。　Jehane　found　these　women…and　the　wise；　bitter　boys…better　pany　than　almost　anyone　she　knew　in　the　city；　within　the　Kindath　Quarter　or　outside　it。　She　wondered；　at　times；　what　that　suggested　about　herself。
　　It　was　far　from　a　serene　world　out　here　among　the　dilapidated　houses　that　straggled　beside　the　moat　and　river；　and　as　often　as　not　Jehane　had　been　urgently　summoned　to　deal　with　a　knife　wound　inflicted　by　one　woman　on　another。　But　although　the　three　religions　were　all　present　here；　it　was　obvious　to　her　that　when　quarrels　arose　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　whether　sun　or　moons　or　stars　were　worshipped。　And　the　wadjis　who　had　forced　them　out　here　were　the　mon　enemy。　Jehane　knew　she　would　not　be　betrayed　by　these　people。
　　Nunaya　sold　them　three　mules　without　so　much　as　a　question　in　her　heavy…lidded；　heavily　accentuated　eyes。　This　was　not　a　place　where　personal　questions　were　asked。　Everyone　had　their　secrets；　and　their　wounds。
　　Jehane　mounted　up　on　one　of　the　mules；　Velaz　and　Husari　took　the　others。　A　lady　was　supposed　to　ride　sidesaddle；　but　Jehane　had　always　found　that　silly　and　awkward。　Doctors　were　allowed　to　be　eccentric。　She　rode　as　the　men　did。
　　It　was　summer；　the　flow　of　the　river　was　lazy　and　slow。　Moving　across；　holding　her　mule　on　a　tight　rein；　Jehane　felt　a　heavy　drifting　object　bump　them。　She　shivered；　knowing　what　it　was。　The　mule　pulled　away　hard　and　she　almost　fell；　controlling　it。
　　They　came　up　out　of　the　water　and　started　north　towards　the　trees。　Jehane　looked　back　just　once。　Lanterns　burned　behind　them　in　watchtowers　along　the　walls　and　in　the　castle　and　the　tall　houses　of　Fezana。　Candles　lit　by　men　and　women　sheltered　behind　those　walls　from　the　dangers　of　the　dark。
　　There　were　headless　bodies　in　the　castle　moat　and　the　river。　One　hundred　and　thirty…nine　of　them。
　　The　one　hundred　and　fortieth　man　was　beside　her　now；　riding　in　what　had　to　be　acute　disfort　but　uttering　no　sound　of　plaint。
　　〃Look　ahead；〃　Velaz　said　quietly。　It　was　very　dark　now　all　around　them　under　the　stars。
　　Jehane　looked　where　he　was　pointing　and　saw　the　red　glow　of　a　fire　in　the　distance。　Her　heart　thumped　hard。　An　unshielded　campfire　on　the　grasslands　could　mean　many　different　things；　obviously；　but　Jehane　had　no　way　of　deciding　what。　She　was　in　an　alien　world　now；　on　this　exposed　plain　at　night；　with　an　aging　servant　and　a　plump　merchant。　Everything　she　knew　and　understood　lay　behind　her。　Even　the　ragged　suburb　of　whores　next　to　the　city　walls　seemed　a　secure；　safe　place　suddenly。
　　〃I　think　I　know　what　that　light　must　be；〃　said　Husari　after　a　moment。　His　voice　was　calm；　the　steady　sureness　of　his　manner　a　continuing　surprise。　〃In　fact；　I'm　certain　of　it；〃　he　said。　〃Let　us　go　there。〃
　　Jehane；　weary　for　the　moment　of　thinking；　having　got　them　out　safely　and　mounted；　was　content　to　follow　his　lead。　It　did　cross　her　mind　that　this　adventure；　this　shared　pursuit　of　vengeance；　might　end　rather　sooner　than　any　of　them　had　anticipated。　She　let　her　mule　follow　Husari's　towards　the　fire　burning　on　the　plain。
　　And　so　it　was　that　the　three　of　them　rode…not　long　after；　just　as　the　white　moon　was　rising…straight　into　the　encampment　of　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　the　Captain　of　Valledo；　and　the　fifty　men　he　had　brought　with　him　to　collect　the　summer　parias；　and　Jehane　came　to　realize　that　a　very　long　day　and　night　were　not　yet　done。
　　
Four
　　The　small…farmers　of　Orvilla；　twelve　of　them；　had　e　to　the　city　together　with　their　laden　mules　and　they　left　Fezana　together　when　the　market