gc.thewhiterose-第36章
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hat I want to know is； who was supposed to get it？ Was it unique or part of a series？ Our friend is in trouble； lad。 If he recovers； he's in hot water。 Deep。 Real bums don't write long letters to anybody。〃
〃Well； sir； like I said； he was trying to track down his kids。 And he may have e from Opal 。 。 。 〃
〃I know。 There is circumstantial evidence on his side。 Maybe he can satisfy me when he es around。 On the other hand； this being the Barrowland； anything remarkable bees suspicious。 Question； son。 And you must answer satisfactorily or you're in hot water； too。 Why did you try to hide the packet？〃
The crux。 The moment from which there was no escape。 He had prayed it would not arrive。 Now； facing it； Case knew his loyalty to Corbie was unequal to the test。
〃He asked me if； if anything happened to him； I would get a letter delivered to Oar。 A letter in oilskin。〃
〃He did expect trouble； then？〃
〃I don't know。 I don't know what was in the letter or why he wanted it delivered。 He just gave me a name。 And then he said to tell you something after the letter was delivered。〃
〃Ah？〃
〃I don't remember his exact words。 He said to tell you the thing in the Great Barrow isn't asleep anymore。〃
Sweet came out of his seat as though stung。 〃He did？ And how did he know？ Never mind。 The name。 Now！ Who was the packet to go to？〃
〃A smith in Oar。 Named Sand。 That's all I know； sir。 I swear。〃
〃Right。〃 Sweet seemed distracted。 〃Back to your duties； lad。 Tell Major Klief I want him。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Next morning Case watched Major Klief and a detail ride out； under orders to arrest Sand Smith。 He felt terribly guilty。 And yet； just how had he betrayed anyone？ He might have been betrayed himself if Corbie was a spy。
He assuaged his guilt by tending Corbie with religious devotion； keeping him clean and fed。
Chapter Thirty： A BARROWLAND NIGHT
It took Goblin and One…Eye only minutes to examine the house。 〃No traps；〃 One…Eye announced。 〃No ghost； either。 Some old resonances of sorcery overlaid by more recent ones。 Upstairs。〃
I produced a scrap of paper。 Upon it were my notes from the Bomanz letters。 We went upstairs。 Confident though they were； Goblin and One…Eye let me go first。 Some friends。
I checked to make certain the window was shuttered before permitting a light。 Then： 〃Do your stuff。 I'll poke around。〃 Tracker and Toadkiller Dog remained in the doorway。 It was not a big room。
I examined book titles before starting a serious search。 The man had had eclectic tastes。 Or had collected what was cheapest； perhaps。
I found no papers。
The place did not look ransacked。 〃One…Eye。 Can you tell if this place was searched？〃
〃Probably not。 Why？〃
〃The papers aren't here。〃
〃You looked where he hid stuff？ Like he said？〃
〃All but one。〃 A spear stood in a corner。 Sure enough； when I twisted it； its head came off and revealed a hollow shaft。 Out came the map mentioned in the story。 We spread it on the table。
Chills crept up my back。
This was real history。 This chart had shaped today's world。 Despite my limited grasp of TelleKurre and my even more feeble knowledge of wizardly symbols； I felt the power mapped there。 For me； at least； it radiated something that left me teetering on the boundary between disfort and true dread。
Goblin and One…Eye did not feel it。 Or were too intrigued。 They put their heads together and examined the route Bomanz used to reach the Lady。
〃Thirty…seven years of work；〃 I said。
〃What？〃
〃It took him thirty…seven years to accumulate that information。〃 I noticed something。 〃What's this？〃 It was something that should not have been there； as I recalled the story。 〃I see。 Our correspondent added notes of his own。〃
One…Eye looked at me。 Then he looked at the chart。 Then he looked at me again。 Then he bent to examine the route on the map。 〃That has to be it。 No other answer。〃
〃What？〃
〃I know what happened。〃
Tracker stirred unfortably。
〃Well？〃
〃He tried to go in there。 The only way you can。 And couldn't get out。〃
He had written me saying there was something he had to do； that the risks were great。 Was One…Eye right？
Brave man。
No papers。 Unless they were hidden better than I thought。 I would have Goblin and One…Eye search。 I made them reroll the chart and return it to the spear shaft； then said； 〃I'm open to suggestions。〃
〃About what？〃 Goblin squeaked。
〃About how to get this guy away from the Eternal Guard。 And how we get his soul back inside him so we can ask him questions。 Like that。〃
They did not look enthused。 One…Eye said； 〃Somebody will have to go in there to see what's wrong。 Then spring him and guide him out。〃
〃I see。〃 Too well。 We had to lay hands on the living body before doing that。 〃Look this place over。 See what you can find that's hidden。〃
It took them half an hour。 I became a nervous wreck。 〃Too much time； too much time；〃 I kept saying。 They ignored me。
The search produced one scrap of paper； very old； which contained a cipher key。 It was folded into one of the books； not really hidden。 I tucked it away。 It might be used on the papers back at the Hole。
We got out。 We got back to Blue Willy without being detected。 We all heaved sighs of relief once we reached our room。
〃What now？〃 Goblin asked。
〃Sleep on it。 Tomorrow is soon enough to start worrying。〃 I was wrong； of course。 I was worrying already。
With each step forward it became more plicated。
Chapter Thirty…One ： NIGHT IN THE BARROWLAND
The thunder and lightning continued to strut about。 The sound and flash penetrated the walls as though they were paper。 I slept restlessly； my nerves frazzled more than they should be。 The others were dead to the world。 Why couldn't I be？
It started as a pinprick in a corner； a mote of golden light。 The mote multiplied。 I wanted to lunge across and hammer on Goblin or One…Eye； calling them liars。 The amulet was supposed to keep me invisible 。 。 。
Faintest； most ghostly of whispers； like the cry of a ghost down a long； cold cavern。 〃Physician。 Where are you？〃
I did not respond。 I wanted to pull my blanket over my head； but could not move。
She remained diffuse； wavering； uncertain。 Maybe she did have trouble spotting me。 When her face did assume substance momentarily； she did not look my way。 Her eyes seemed blind。
〃You have gone from the Plain of Fear；〃 she called in that faraway voice。 〃You are in the north somewhere。 You left a broad trail。 You are foolish； my friend。 I will find you。 Don't you know that？ You cannot hide。 Even an emptiness can be seen。〃
She had no idea where I was。 I did the right thing by not responding。 She wanted me to betray myself。
〃My patience is not unlimited； Croaker。 But you may e to the Tower still。 Make it soon； though。 Your White Rose does not have long。〃
I finally managed to pull my blanket to my chin。 What a sight I must have made。 Amusing； in retrospect。 Like a little boy afraid of ghosts。
The glow slowly faded。 With it went the nervousness that had plagued me since returning from the Bomanz house。
As I settled down I glanced at Toadkiller Dog。 I caught lightning glinting off a single open eye。
So。 For the first time there was a witness to one of the visitations。 But a mutt。
I don't think anybody believed me about them； ever； except that what I reported always panned out true。
I slept。
Goblin wakened me。 〃Breakfast。〃
We ate。 We made a show of looking for markets for our goods； of seeking a longer term connection for future loads。 Business was not good； except our host offered to purchase distilled spirits regularly。 There was a demand among the Eternal Guard。 The soldiers had little to do but drink。
Lunch。 And while we ate and prepared our thoughts for the head…butting session to follow； soldiers entered the inn。 They asked the landlord if any of his guests had been out last night。 Good old landlord denied the possibility。 He claimed he was the lightest of sleepers。 He knew if anyone came or went。
That was good enough for the soldiers。 They left。
〃What was that？〃 I asked when next the proprietor passed our way。
〃Somebody broke into Corbie's h
