fs.thefirstbookofswords-第46章
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〃Gentle kinsman；〃 said the Lady Marat； as she held out her hand for the Duke's aid in dismounting。 His voice and gesture were as casual as if her humiliation did not concern her in the slightest。 But her words indicated otherwise。 〃I want you to promise me certain specific opportunities of vengeance； on the day that the castle that I left yesterday lies open to your power。〃
Fraktin bowed his head slightly。 〃Consider the promise made； dear lady。 So long as its fulfillment does not conflict with my own needs； with the necessities of war。 And now； I suppose it likely that you have something to report？〃
But before he could begin to hear what it might be； a trumpet sounded； causing the Duke to turn away from the lady momentarily。 He saw that the head of the long column of his main body of infantry； approaching at route step along the road from the northeast； had now e abreast of the place where they were talking。 Duke Fraktin returned the salute of the mounted officer who led the column； then faced back to his discussion with the Lady Marat。 And all the while that they were talking there； the ragged； heavy tramp of the infantry kept moving past them。
The Duke offered the lady refreshment。 But she preferred to wait until； as she said； she had made her preliminary report； and thus a beginning toward obtaining her revenge。 She had plans for everyone in that castle； but particularly for the knight who had stolen her coach and treated her with such total disrespect。
Duke Fraktin listened with close attention to her report； learning among other things that the dragonhunters' wagon had indeed gone on to Sir Andrew's rather than being destroyed by dragons here。
He asked： 〃My courier did get away from Sir Andrew's castle with one sword； though？ You are sure of that？〃
〃Yes； good cousin。 Of that fact I am very sure。 Though I cannot be sure which sword it was。〃
The Duke； not for the first time； was beginning to find this lady attractive。 But he put such thoughts aside； knowing that right now he had better concentrate on other matters。 〃Then where is this flying courier now？ It has never reached me。〃
The lady could offer no explanation。 The Master of the Beasts； when summoned from his place among the Duke's staff officers； gave his opinion that such a dragon ought to be able to fly easily and far； even after being stabbed once or twice with an ordinary sword。 The Master of the Beasts had no explanation for the absence of the courier either； except that； as everyone knew； dragons could be unreliable。
Now the Duke turned to consult with yet another figure； who had just dismounted。 〃What have you to say about my luck now； Blue…Robes？ What of the supposed power of this sword I wear？〃
The magician spread his hands in a placating gesture。 〃Only this； Your Grace： that we do not know what your luck might be now； if you did not have Coinspinner there at your side。〃
〃I find that answer something less than adequate； Blue…Robes。 I find it。。。 what are you gawping at； you fish？〃 This last was directed aside； at one of the retainers of the Lady Marat。 This man had been driving the farm wagon when it arrived。 Having been somewhat battered in the lady's service over the past few days； he was now receiving treatment for his wounds from the Duke's surgeon。
The surgeon looked up at the Duke's voice； and stilled his hands。 The man who had been addressed started to say something； took a second look at the Duke's face； and threw himself prostrate； bandages trailing unsecured。 〃A thousand pardons； Your Grace。 I was remembering that I。。。 that I thought I had seen you at the fair。〃
〃What？ At。。。 〃 And even as the Duke spoke； there came in his brain the remembered echo of the voice of someone else； telling him that he had been seen in some other place where he had never been。 〃Explain yourself； fellow。〃
The man began a confused relation of what had happened at Sir Andrew's fair； on the night when he and the Duke's other secret agents had got their hands on Dragonslicer。 He told some details of that sword's subsequent loss； and of the uncanny； magically changing appearance of the courier dragon as it had soared away。
The Duke nodded thoughtfully。 〃But me？ Where did you think that you saw me？〃
〃Right there in the fairgrounds； sire。 As surely as I see you now。 I understand now that what I saw must have been only an image created by magic。 But I saw you running toward the courier when it first flew up； and I heard your voice calling it down。 And then I saw you stab it。〃
The Duke turned to look at the Lady Marat； who nodded in confirmation。 She said： 〃Those are essentially the details that I was about to add in my own report。〃
Next the Duke looked at his wizard； whose eyes were closed。 The blue…robed one muttered； as if to himself： 〃We knew there was another of the swords involved； located at Sir Andrew's castle。 And now we know which one it was。 That called Sightblinder； or the Sword of Stealth。 It is。。。〃
The Duke jogged his arm； manding silence。 〃Wait。〃
Something was going on； up in the vaguely dripping sky。 The Master of the Beasts； with head tilted back； was calling and gesturing。 Now a reptilian messenger of some kind … the Duke was unable to distinguish the finer gradations of hybrid dragons and other flying life … could be seen in a descending spiral。 Alas； thought Duke Fraktin； watching； but this creature was too small to be the courier that had disappeared with one of the swords。 This was some smaller flying scout reporting。
In fact it was small enough to perch upon the Master's wrist when it came down。 He carried it to some little distance from the gathering of other humans； that the Duke might be able to receive its news； whatever it might be； with some degree of privacy。
In a hoarse whisper the Master translated the report for the Duke a few words at a time； first listening to the dragon's painfully acplished； almost unintelligible half…speech； then turning his head to speak in human words。 〃Your Grace； this concerns the dragonhunter； the man whose human name is Nestor。〃
〃Aye； aye； I know of him。 He wronged me once。 But what has he to do with our present situation？〃 Passing this query on to the dragon was a slow and difficult process also。 Sometimes the Duke thought that his Beast…Master； indispensably skilled though the man was； had grown half…witted through decades of conversation with his charges。
At length a reply came back。 〃It is that this Nestor has been carried off into the Great Swamp； sire。 By a great flying dragon； not one of ours。〃
〃A grown man； carried off by a flyer？ Preposterous。 And yet。。。 but what else is it trying to say？〃
Another guttural exchange took place between trainer and beast。 〃It says； the Gray Horde； sire。 It tells me that the Gray Horde is raised； and marches toward Sir Andrew's lands。〃
There was silence； except for the drip of water from the trees； and the eternal background tramp of marching soldiery。 At last the Duke breathed： 〃Someone has taken a great gamble； then。 Raised by whom？〃 Although he thought that he could guess。
There was another exchange of bestial noises。 Then the Beast…Master said： 〃By humans who follow a woman； sire。 A woman mounted on a warbeast； and leading a human army through the swamp。〃
Duke Fraktin nodded slowly； and made a gesture of dismissal。 The Master rewarded his charge with a small dried lizard； laced with a drug that would give the flyer a sleep of delightful dreams。
Meanwhile the Duke； walking the short distance back to where his staff and the Lady Marat were waiting for him； prepared to call a major conference。 Things had changed。 What confronted him now was no longer the simple conquest of a smaller power that he had planned。
It appeared to him that the gods were once more actively entering the affairs of humankind。
Chapter 15
The screaming of the sword had seemed to Nestor to go on at its full voice for centuries。 But then at last it had declined to a low whine； and now it was dying down to silence。 And the life； the power that still flowed from the hilt into Nestor's shaking hands was
