tw.togreenangeltower2-第22章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
no more。 So I ran。〃
〃Give the wine to him； Simon；〃 Miriamele said。 〃It's cruel。 He's just a frightened old man。〃
Simon made a face and handed Heanwig the bowl。 The old man sniffed it and a look of rapture crossed his age…spotted features。 He tilted the bowl and drank thirstily。
〃The Fire Dancers！〃 Miriamele hugged herself。 〃Mother of Mercy； Simon； we don't want to get caught by them。 They're all mad。 Tiamak was attacked by some in Kwanitupul； and I saw others light themselves on fire and burn to death。〃
Simon looked from Miriamele to the old man； who was licking his wrinkled lips with a tongue that looked like something which made its home in a seashell。 He felt an unlikely urge to reach out and cuff the old tosspot； although the man had done little enough； really。 Simon suddenly remembered how he had raised the sword； that moment of fury when he might have slain this poor wretch； and was horribly ashamed。
What sort of knight would cut down a feeble drunkard？
But what dreadful fate had sent the old man to frighten the horses and break twigs in the very moment when he was finally holding Miriamele in his arms？ They had been kissing！ She； the princess； the beautiful Miriamele； had been kissing Simon！
He turned his gaze from the old man to Miriamele once more。 She； too； had been watching Heanwig drain his bowl； but now her eyes flicked up to Simon's for a moment。 Even in the torchlight； he could see her blush。 Fate was cruel 。。。 but a little earlier； it had been kind as well。 Oh； sweet Fate； sweet Luck！
Simon abruptly laughed。 The greater part of his anger dissipated like chaff before the wind。 The loveliest girl in all of Aedondom； clever and quick…and she had kissed him。 Called him by his name！ He could still feel the shape of her face on his fingertips。 What right had he to plain？
〃So what do we do？〃 he asked。
Miriamele avoided his eye。 〃We will stay the night。 Then in the morning we will get as far away from the Fire Dancers as we can。〃
Simon darted a glance at Heanwig； who was looking hopefully toward the saddlebags。 〃And him？〃
〃We will let him stay here for the night； too。〃
〃And what if he drinks all the wine and takes it into his head to strangle us in our sleep？〃 Simon protested。 Even he found it rather silly to say such things about the bony； shivering old man； but he desperately wanted to be alone with Miriamele once more。
As if she understood this and was equally determined not to see it happen； Miriamele said： 〃He'll do nothing of the sort。 And we will take turns sleeping。 Will that make you feel better； Simon？ You can guard the wine。〃
The old man looked from one to the other； evidently trying to decide where the battle lines were drawn。 〃Old Heanwig won't be no bother。 You don't nead to stay up； young masters。 You be tired。 Old fellow like me doesn't need sleep。 I'll stay up and watch for them Fire Dancers。〃
Simon snorted。 〃I'm certain you would。 Let's toss him out； Miriamele。 If he isn't the one who followed us； there's no reason to keep him。〃
〃There's a perfectly good reason。 He's an old man and he's frightened。 You forget； Simon； I've seen the Fire Dancers and you haven't。 Don't be cruel just because you're in a bad mood。〃 She gave him a stem look； but Simon thought he saw a tiny flash of knowing amusement in it。
〃No； don't send me out to those Fire Dancers；〃 Heanwig begged。 〃They burned Wiclaf； they did。 I saw it。 And him not harming nobody。 They lit him on fire down Pulley Road； screaming 'Here's what's ing！ Here's what's ing！'〃 Heanwig trailed off； shuddering。 What had started out as a self…serving justification had bee real as the memory played out before his mind's eye。 〃Don't send me away； masters。 I'll never speak no word。〃 His abrupt sincerity was apparent。
Simon looked from Miriamele to the old man； then back to the princess。 He had been neatly outflanked。 〃Oh； very well。〃 he growled。 〃But I'm staying up on first watch； old man； and if you do anything the least bit suspicious； you'll be out that door and into the cold so fast your head will spin。〃
He gave Miriamele a last look pounded of annoyance and longing； then settled back against the shed door。
Simon awoke in the early morning to discover Miriamele and the old man both up and chatting amiably。 Simon thought that Heanwig looked even worse in daylight； his seamed features smudged with dirt； his clothes so tattered and soiled that even poverty could not excuse it。
〃You should e with us；〃 Miriamele was saying。 〃You'll be safer than by yourself。 At least join us until you're far away from the Fire Dancers。〃
The old man shook his head doubtfully。 〃Those mad folk be most everywhere； these days。〃
Simon sat up。 His mouth was dry and his head hurt； as though he were the drunkard of the pany。 〃What are you saying？ You can't bring him with us。〃
〃I certainly can；〃 said Miriamele。 〃You may acpany me； Simon； but you may not tell me where I can go or who I can bring along。〃
Simon stared at her for a moment； sensing an argument that he had no hope of winning； no matter what he did。 He was still weighing his next words when he was saved from the useless engagement by Heanwig。
〃Are you bound for Nabban？〃 the old man asked。 〃I never have seen those parts。〃
〃We're going to Falshire；〃 Miriamele said。 〃Then on to Hasu Vale。〃
Simon was just about to upbraid her for telling this plete stranger their travel plans…what had happened to the need for caution she had lectured him about？…when the old man made a gasping noise。 Simon turned； angry already at the thought that the old tosspot was now going to be sick right in front of them； but was startled by the look of horror on Heanwig's mottled face。
〃Going to Hasu Vale！？〃 His voice rose。 〃What； be ye mad？ That whole valley runs haunted。〃 He scrambled a cubit toward the door； grasping fruitlessly for a handhold in the moldering straw beneath him； as though the two travelers had threatened to drag him to the hated place by force。 〃Sooner I'd crawl down into quarry with those Fire Dancers。〃
〃What do you mean； haunted？〃 Miriamele demanded。 〃We've heard that before。 What does it mean？〃
The old man stared at her； eyes rolling to show the whites。 〃Haunted！ Bad 'uns； bogies from out the lich…yard。 Witches and suchlike！〃
Miriamele stared at him hard。 After a year like the last one； she was not inclined to dismiss such talk as superstition。 〃We're going there；〃 she said at last。 〃We have to。 But you don't have to travel any farther than you want to。〃
Heanwig got shakily to his feet。 〃Don't want to go west'ard。 Heanwig'll stay here'bouts。 There's folk in Stanshire as still have a morsel to spare； or a drop； even in bad times。〃 He shook his head。 〃Don't go there； young mistress。 You been kind。〃 He looked pointedly at Simon to make it clear who had not been。
The old sot； Simon thought grumpily。 Who gave him the wine； anyway？ Who didn't break his head when he could have？
〃Go south…you'll be happy there；〃 Heanwig continued； almost pleading。 〃Stay out the Vale。〃
〃We must go；〃 said Miriamele。 〃But we won't make you e。〃
Heanwig had been sidling toward the door。 Now he stopped with his hand already on the wood and ducked his head。 〃I thank you； young mistress。 Aedon's Light be on you。〃 He paused； at a loss for words。 〃Hope you e back again safe。〃
〃Thank you； too； Heanwig；〃 Miriamele replied solemnly。
Simon suppressed a groan of irritation； reminding himself that a knight did not make faces and noises like a scullion did…especially a knight who wished to stay on the good side of his lady。 And at least the old man apparently would not be traveling with them。 That was an acceptable reward for a little forbearance。
As they rode out of Stanshire into the countryside； the rain began to fall once more。 At first it was little more than a flurry of drops； but by the time mid…morning came； it was falling in great sheets。 The wind rose； carrying the rain toward them in cold； cascading slaps of water。
〃This is as bad as being on a ship in storm；〃 Miriamele s
