bl.necroscope2-第56章
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〃Faethor; I'm my own man。 Even if it were in me to serve; I could never call you master。 You must know that; for I did my best to destroy you。〃
Thibor; you do not yet understand; but I have given you many things; great powers。 Ah; but I've also given you several great weaknesses。 mon men; when they die; lie in peace。 Most of them。
That last was some sort of threat and I knew it。 It was in his voice; a DOOM delivered in a whisper。 〃What do you mean?〃 I asked Only defy me and you shall find out。 I have sworn。 And for now; farewell!
And he was gone。
The mirror twinkled once more; like a brilliant star on the far ridge; and then it too was gone 。
I had had enough of vampires; male and female。 I locked my bedmate of last night in the dungeon with her sister; Ehrig and the burrowing thing; and slept in a chair in front of the fire in Faethor's apartments。 e daybreak and there was nothing to hold up my departure。 Except。。。 yes; there were certain things I must do before leaving。 The Ferenczy had made threats; and I was never one to suffer threats lightly。
I went out of the castle; shot two fat rabbits with my crossbow; and took them down to the dungeon。 I showed them to Ehrig; told him what I wanted and that he must help me。 Together we tightly bound and gagged the women; dumping them in one corner of the dungeon。 Then; though he protested loudly; I also bound and gagged Ehrig and put him with the women。 Finally; I cut open the rabbits and threw their crimson carcasses down on the black soil where the flags were torn up。
Then it was a matter of waiting; but not for long。 In a little while a tentacle of leprous flesh came to explore the source of the fresh blood; came groping up through the crumbly soil; pushing it aside; and in a trice I took what I wanted。 I left Ehrig and the women tied up; barred the door on them; and went up into the base of the tower。 Above the dungeon the steps wound about a central stone pillar。 I broke up furniture; piled the pieces around this pillar。 I scavenged through the castle; breaking furniture wherever I found it and sharing the wood between the towers。 Then I poured oil on all the timbers of the battlements; in the hall and rooms where they spanned the gorge; down all the stairwells。 At last I was done; and the work had taken me half…way through the morning。
I left the castle with my loot; walked out a little way from it and looked at it again; one last time; then returned and set a fire in the open door and on the drawbridge。 And never looking back; I started out to retrace my steps to Moupho Aide Ferenc Yaborov。
At midday I met my five remaining Wallachs e to find me。 They saw me ing down the cliff…hugging path and waited for me in the stony depression at its base。 〃Hallo; Thibor!〃 the senior man greeted me when I joined them。 He looked beyond me。 〃Ehrig and Vasily; they are not with you?〃
〃They are dead。〃 I jerked my head towards the peaks。 〃Back there。〃 They looked; saw the column of white smoke reaching like some strange mushroom into the sky。 〃The house of the Ferenczy;〃 I told them; 〃which I have burned。〃
Then I looked at them more sternly。 〃Why did you wait so long before ing to look for me? How long has it been; five; six weeks?〃
〃Those damned gypsies; the Szgany!〃 their spokesman growled。 〃When we awoke; the morning after the three of you left; the village was all but deserted。 Only women and children left。 We tried to find out what was happening; no one seemed to know; or they weren't saying。 We waited two days; then set out after you。 But the missing Szgany menfolk were waiting along the way。 Five of us and more than fifty of them。 They blocked the way; and they had the advantage of good positions in the rocks。〃 He shrugged unfortably; tried not to look embarrassed。 〃Thibor; we'd have been of use to no one dead!〃
I nodded; spoke quietly: 〃And yet now you have e?〃
〃Because they are gone。〃 He shrugged again。 〃When they stopped us; we went back down to their so…called 〃village〃。 Yesterday morning; the women and kids started to drift off in ones and twos; small parties here and there。 They wouldn't speak and looked miserable as sin; as if they were in mourning; or something! At sun…up today the place was empty; except for one old grandad chief…a 〃prince〃; he calls himself…his crone and a couple of grandchildren。 He wasn't saying anything; and anyway he looks half simple。 So; I came up the trail alone; sticking close to cover; and discovered that all the men had gone; too。 Then I called up these lads to e and look for you。 〃Truth to tell; we'd long thought you were a goner!〃
〃I might well have been;〃 I answered; 〃but I'm not。 Here …; I tossed him a small leather sack; 〃carry this。 And you …; I gave my loot to another; 〃you burden yourself with this。 It's heavy and I've carried it far enough。 As for the job we came to do: it's done。 Tonight we stay in the village; tomorrow it's back to Kiev to see a lying; cheating; scheming Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich!〃
〃Ugh!〃 The spokesman held out his sack at arm's length。 〃There's a creature in here。 It moves!〃
I chuckled darkly。 〃Aye; handle it carefully…and tonight put it in a box; sack and all。 But don't sleep with it next to you。 。
Then we went down to the village。 On the way down I heard them talking among themselves; mainly of the trouble the Szgany had given them。 They mentioned putting the village to the torch。 I wouldn't hear of it。 〃No;〃 I said。 〃The Szgany are loyal in their way。 Loyal to their own。 Anyway; they've moved on; gone for good。 What profit in burning an empty village?〃
And so they said no more about it。
That evening I went to the ancient Szgany prince in his hut and called him out。 He came out into the coolness of the clearing and saluted me。 I stepped close to him and he looked hard at me; and I heard him gasp。 〃Old chief;〃 I said; 〃my men said burn this place; but I stopped them。 I've no quarrel with you or the Szgany。〃
He was brown and wrinkled as a log; toothless; hunched。 His dark eyes were all aslant and seemed not to see too clearly; but I was sure they saw me。 He touched me with a hand that trembled; gripped my arm hard above the elbow。 〃Wallach?〃 he inquired。
〃That I am; and I'll return there soon;〃 I answered。 He nodded; said; 〃Ferengi!…you。〃 It was not a question。
〃Thibor's my name;〃 I told him。 And on impulse:
〃Thibor。。。 Ferenczy; aye。〃
Again he nodded。 〃You…Wamphyri!〃
I began to shake my head in denial; then stopped。 His eyes were boring into mine。 He knew。 And so did I; for certain now。 〃Yes;〃 I said。 〃Wamphyri。〃
He drew breath sharply; let it out slow。 Then: 〃Where will you go; Thibor the Wallach; son of Old One?〃
〃Tomorrow I go to Kiev;〃 I answered grimly。 〃I've business there。 After that; home。〃
〃Business?〃 He laughed a cackling laugh。 〃Ah; business!〃
He released my arm; grew serious。 〃I too go Wallachia。 Many Szgany there。 You need Szgany。 I find you there。〃
〃Good!〃 I said。
He backed away; turned and went back into his hut。
We came out of the forest into Kiev in the evening; and I found a place on the outskirts to rest and buy a skin of wine。 I sent four of my five into the city。 Soon they beganreturn; bringing with them prominent members of my peasant army…what was left of it。 Half had been lured away by Vladimir and were off campaigning against the I'echenegi; the rest remained faithful; then had gone into hiding and waited for me。
There were only a handful of the Vlad's soldiers in the city; even the palace guard were away fighting。 The prince tad only a score of men; his personal bodyguard; at court。 That was part of the news; and this was the rest: thattonight there was to be a small banquet at the palace in honour of some boot…licking Boyar。 I invited myself along。
I arrived at the palace alone; or that is the way it musthave appeared。 I strode through the gardens to the soundof laughter and merrymaking from the great hail。 Men atarms barred my way; and I paused and looked at them。 Who goes there?〃 a guardsmaster challenged me。
I showed myself。 〃Thibor of Wallachia; the Prince's Voevod。 He sent me on a mission; and now I am returned。〃 Along the way I had walked in mire; deliberate