gc.thewhiterose-第38章

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　　　I　worked　on　it。　I　knew　the　immediate　future　boded　no　good　from　the　attitude　of　the　soldiers；　but　was　not　overly　worried。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　could　handle　whatever　trouble　developed。　The　thing　to　do　now　was　keep　our　heads　and　lives。
　　　I　wanted　to　tend　the　three　injured　soldiers；　but　dared　not。　Just　looking　at　One…Eye　and　Goblin　would　give　clues　enough　for　the　other　side　to　figure　out；　eventually；　who　we　were。　No　sense　giving　them　more。　I　concentrated　on　Tracker。　Once　I　got　him　to　focus　on　me　it　was　no　great　task　to　get　through；　to　calm　him　down；　to　explain　that　we　were　going　somewhere　with　the　soldiers。
　　　He　said；　〃They　shouldn't　ought　to　do　me　like　that；　Croaker。〃　He　sounded　like　a　child　whose　feelings　had　been　hurt。　I　grimaced。　But　the　Guards　did　not　react　to　the　name。
　　　They　surrounded　us；　all　with　hands　upon　weapons；　except　those　trying　to　get　their　injured　panions　to　the　horse　doctor　who　served　as　the　Guard's　physician。　Some　of　them　were　itching　to　get　even。　I　worked　hard　to　keep　Tracker　calm。
　　　The　place　they　took　us　did　not　encourage　me。　It　was　a　sodden　cellar　beneath　the　headquarters。　It　looked　like　a　caricature　of　a　torture　chamber。　I　suspect　it　was　meant　to　intimidate。　Having　seen　real　torture　and　real　torture　implements；　I　recognized　half　the　equipment　as　prop　or　unusually　antiquated。　But　there　were　some　serviceable　implements；　too。　I　exchanged　glances　with　Goblin　and　One…Eye。
　　　Tracker　said；　〃I　don't　like　it　here。　I　want　to　go　outside。　I　want　to　see　Toadkiller　Dog。〃
　　　〃Stand　easy。　We'll　be　out　in　a　little　while。〃
　　　Goblin　grinned　his　famous　grin；　though　it　was　a　little　lopsided。　Yes。　We　would　be　out　soon。　Maybe　feet　first；　but　out。
　　　Colonel　Sweet　was　there。　He　did　not　seem　pleased　by　our　reaction　to　his　stage。　He　said；　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you　men。　You　didn't　seem　eager　to　chat　earlier。　Are　these　surroundings　more　amenable？〃
　　　〃Not　exactly。　They　make　one　wonder；　though。　Is　this　the　penalty　for　stepping　on　the　heels　of　the　gentlemen　traders　of　Oar？　I　didn't　realize　they　had　the　blessing　of　the　Guard　in　their　monopoly。〃
　　　〃Games。　No　games；　Mr。　Candle。　Straight　answers。　Now。　Or　my　men　will　make　your　next　few　hours　extremely　unpleasant。〃
　　　〃Ask。　But　I　have　a　bad　feeling　I　don't　have　the　answers　you　want　to　hear。〃
　　　〃Then　that　will　be　your　misfortune。〃
　　　I　glanced　at　Goblin。　He　had　gone　into　a　sort　of　trance。
　　　The　Colonel　said；　〃I　do　not　believe　you　when　you　say　you're　just　traders。　The　pattern　of　your　questions　indicate　an　inordinate　interest　in　a　man　named　Corbie　and　his　house。　Corbie；　let　it　be　noted；　is　suspected　of　being　either　a　Rebel　agent　or　Resurrectionist。　Tell　me　about　him。〃
　　　I　did；　almost　pletely；　and　truthfully：　〃I　never　heard　of　him　before　we　got　here。〃
　　　I　think　he　believed　me。　But　he　shook　his　head　slowly。
　　　〃You　see。　You　won't　believe　me　even　when　you　know　I'm　telling　the　truth。〃
　　　〃But　how　much　are　you　telling？　That　is　the　question。　The　White　Rose　partments　its　organization。　You　could　have　had　no　idea　who　Corbie　was　and　still　have　e　looking　for　him。　Has　he　been　out　of　touch　for　a　while？〃
　　　This　sucker　was　sharp。
　　　My　face　must　have　been　too　studiedly　blank。　He　nodded　to　himself；　scanned　the　four　of　us；　zeroed　in　on　One…Eye。　〃The　black　man。　Pretty　old；　isn't　he？〃
　　　I　was　surprised　he　did　not　make　more　of　One…Eye's　skin　color。　Black　men　are　extremely　rare　north　of　the　Sea　of　Torments。　Chances　are　the　Colonel　had　not　seen　one　before。　That　a　black　man；　very　old；　is　one　of　the　cornerstones　of　the　Black　pany　is　not　exactly　a　secret。
　　　I　did　not　answer。
　　　〃We'll　start　with　him。　He　looks　least　likely　to　stand　up。〃
　　　Tracker　asked；　〃You　want　me　to　kill　them。　Croaker？〃
　　　〃I　want　you　to　keep　your　mouth　shut　and　stand　still；　that's　what　I　want。〃　Damn。　But　Sweet　missed　the　name。　Either　that　or　I　was　less　famous　than　I　thought　and　overdue　for　ego　deflation。
　　　Sweet　did　seem　amazed　that　Tracker　was　so　confident。
　　　〃Take　him　to　the　rack。〃　He　indicated　One…Eye。
　　　One…Eye　chuckled　and　extended　his　hands　to　the　men　who　approached　him。　Goblin　snickered。　Their　amusement　disturbed　everyone。　Me　not　least；　for　I　knew　their　senses　of　humor。
　　　Sweet　looked　me　in　the　eye。　〃They　find　this　amusing？　Why？〃
　　　〃If　you　don't　indulge　a　sudden　whim　of　civilized　behavior；　you're　going　to　find　out。〃
　　　He　was　tempted　to　back　down；　but　decided　we　were　running　some　colossal　bluff。
　　　They　took　One…Eye　to　the　rack。　He　grinned　and　climbed　up　himself。　Goblin　squeaked；　〃I　been　waiting　to　see　you　on　one　of　those　things　for　thirty　years。　Damned　my　luck　if　somebody　else　doesn't　get　to　turn　the　crank　when　the　chance　finally　es。〃
　　　〃We'll　see　who　turns　that　crank　on　who；　horse　apple；〃　One…Eye　replied。
　　　They　bantered　back　and　forth。　Tracker　and　I　stood　like　posts。　The　imperials　became　ever　more　disturbed。　Sweet；　obviously；　wondered　if　he　shouldn't　take　One…Eye　down　and　work　on　me。
　　　They　strapped　One…Eye　down。　Goblin　cackled；　danced　a　little　jig。　〃Stretch　him　till　he's　ten　feet　tall；　guys；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　still　have　a　mental　midget。〃
　　　Somebody　swung　a　backhand　Goblin's　way。　He　leaned　only　slightly。　When　the　man　pulled　his　hand　back；　having　missed　entirely　and　been　only　lightly　brushed　by　a　warding　hand；　he　looked　at　his　own　paw　in　astonishment。
　　　Ten　thousand　pinpricks　of　blood　had　appeared。　They　formed　a　pattern。　Almost　a　tattoo。　And　that　tattoo　showed　two　serpents　intertwined；　each　with　its　fangs　buried　in　the　other's　neck。　If　necks　are　what　snakes　have　behind　their　heads。
　　　A　distraction。　I　recognized　it；　of　course。　After　the　first　moment；　I　concentrated　on　One…Eye。　He　just　grinned。
　　　The　men　who　were　to　stretch　him　turned　back　after　a　moment；　whipped　by　their　Colonel's　snarl。　Sweet　was　damned　unfortable　now。　He　had　a　suspicion　he　faced　something　extraordinary；　but　he　refused　to　be　intimidated。
　　　As　the　torturers　stepped　up　to　One…Eye　his　naked　belly　heaved。　And　a　big；　nasty　spider　crawled　out　of　his　navel。　It　came　out　in　a　ball；　dragging　itself　with　two　legs；　then　unwrapped　the　others　from　around　a　body　half　the　size　of　my　thumb。　It　stepped　aside　and　another　crawled　forth。　The　first　ambled　down　One…Eye's　leg；　toward　the　man　who　held　the　crank　to　which　One…Eye's　ankles　were　strapped。　The　fellow's　eyes　just　kept　getting　bigger。　He　turned　to　his　manding　officer。
　　　Absolute　silence　filled　the　cellar。　I　don't　think　the　imperials　even　remembered　to　breathe。
　　　Another　spider　crawled　out　of　One…Eye's　heaving　belly。　And　another。　And　he　seemed　diminished　just　a　bit　more　each　time。　His　face　changed；　slowly　shifting　toward　what　a　spider's　face　looks　like　if　you　look　real　close。　Most　people　do　not　have　the　nerve。
　　　Goblin　giggled。
　　　〃Turn　the　crank！〃　Sweet　roared。
　　　The　man　at　One…Eye's　feet　tried。　The　first　spider　scuttled　up　the　lever　onto　his　hand。　He　shrieked；　flung　his　hand　around；　hurled　the　arachnid　into　the　shadows。
　　　〃Colonel；〃　I　said　in　as　businesslike　a　voice　as　I　could　muster；　〃this　has　gone　far　enough。　Let's　not　get　someone　hurt。〃
　　　There　was　a　whole　mob　of　them　and　four　of　us　and　Sweet　wanted　badly　to　rely　on　that。　But　already　several　men　were　edging　toward　the　exit。　Most　were　edging　away　from　us。　Everyone　stared　at　Sweet。
　　　Damned　Goblin。　Had　to　let　his　enthusiasm　get　away。　He　squeaked；　〃Hold　on；　Croaker。　This　is　a　once…in…a…lifetime　chance。　Let　them　stretch　One…Eye　a　little。〃
　　　I　saw　the　light　dawn　behind　Sweet's　eyes；　though　he　tried　to　conceal　it。　〃Damn　you；　Goblin。　Now　you've　done　it。　We're　going　to　have　a　talk　after　this　is　over。　Colonel。　What　will　it　be？　I　have　the　edge　here。　As　you　now　know。〃
　　　He　elected　for　the　better　part　of　valor。　〃Release　him；〃　he　told　the　man　nearest　One…Eye。
　　　There　were　spiders　all　over　One…Eye。　He　had　them　popping　out　of　his　mouth　and　ears　now。　Getting　enthusiastic；　he　had　them　turning　up　as　gaudy　as　you　can　imagine；　hunters；　web…spinners；　jumpers。　All　big　and　revolting。　Sweet's　men　refused　to　go　near　him。
　　　I　told　Tracker；　〃Go　stand　in　the　doorway。　Don't　let　anybody　out。〃　He　had　no　trouble　understanding　that。　I　released　One…Eye。　I　had　to　keep　reminding　myself　the　arachnids　were　illusions。
　　　Some　illusions。　I　felt　the　little　creepies　。　。　。　Belatedly；　I　realized　One…Eye's　legions　were　marching　on　Goblin。　〃Damn　it；