fs.thethirdbookofswords-第34章

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ar　over　the　succession。　Even　with　attackers　threatening　us　from　outside。　I　know　my　people。　We　probably　seem　to　you　a　happy；　peaceful　country；　but　you　don't　know。。。〃
　Again　Mark　was　silent。　；
　〃I。。。　Mark；　our　land　and　people。。。　we　owe　you　more　than　we　can　ever　repay。　We　can　give　you　almost　anything。　Except　the　one　thing　that　you　want。　And　that　I　want。。。　oh；　darling。〃
　This　time　the　embrace　lasted　longer。　But　as　before；　the　Princess　broke　it　off。
　Mark　was　conscious　that　he　still　had　a　duty　to　perform；　and　drew　himself　up。　〃I　am　the　bearer　of　certain　messages；　that　Sir　Andrew；　whom　I　serve；　has　charged　me　to　deliver　to　the　ruler　of　the　Lands　of　Tasavalta。〃
　Kristin；　as　never　before　conscious　of　duty；　drew　herself　up；　too；　and　heard　the　messages。　They　were　more　or　less　routine；　diplomatic　preliminaries　looking　to　the　establishment　of　more　regular　contacts。　Sir　Andrew　had　long　resisted　adopting　the　diplomatic　pretense　that　he　was　still　actually　governing　the　lands　and　people　that　had　been　stolen　from　him；　but　he　had　recently　been　persuaded　of　the　value　of　taking　such　a　pose；　even　if　the　facts　were　otherwise。
　Mark　concluded　the　memorized　messages。　〃And　now；　I　am　ordered　to　place　myself　at　Your　Majesty's　disposal。〃　Again；　in　the　fog　of　his　exhaustion；　the　feeling　came　over　him　that　none　of　this　really　had　anything　to　do　with　him；　he　had　stumbled　into　the　middle　of　a　play；　there　were　certain　lines　that　he　was　required　to　read；　and　soon　it　would　all　be　over。
　Kristin　said；　〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it。　You　will　need　a　few　days　in　which　to　rest；　and　recover　from。。。〃　She　had　to　let　that　trail　away。　With　a　toss　of　her　head　she　made　a　new　start。　〃You　will　be　assigned　modest　quarters　here　in　the　palace。〃　Quarters　far　from　my　own　rooms。　So　Mark　understood　the　phrase。　〃Then　you　heard　what　I　told　Karel。　I　mean　to　send　you　on　a　special　mission。　This　should　not　pose　any　conflict　with　your　orders　from　Sir　Andrew；　if　they　are　to　place　yourself　at　my　disposal。　I　hope　that　you　will　accept　the　assignment　willingly。〃
　He　could　feel　only　numbness　now。　〃I　am　at　Your　Majesty's　disposal；　as　I　said　before。〃
　〃Good。〃　Kristin　heaved　an　unroyal　sigh：　part　of　an　ordeal　had　been　passed。　〃The　mission　you　are　to　perform　for　Tasavalta　is　a　result　of　some　magical　business　of　Karel's。　In　divination。。。　you　will　be　given　more　details　later。　But　according　to　him；　the　indications　are　so　urgent　that　he　dared　not　wait　even　until　tomorrow　to　confront　me　with　the　results。
　〃You　are　to　go　and　find　the　Emperor；　and　seek　an　alliance　with　him　for　Tasavalta　…　and　an　alliance　with　him　for　Sir　Andrew　too；　if　you　feel　you　are　empowered　by　Sir　Andrew　to　do　that。　I　leave　that　to　your　judgement。〃
　〃The　Emperor。　An　alliance　with　him？〃　Even　in　Mark's　present　state　of　embittered　numbness；　he　had　to　react　somehow　to　the　strangeness　of　that　proposal。　An　alliance；　as　if　the　Emperor　were　a　nation；　or　had　an　army？　Of　course　the　indications　were；　Mark　thought；　that　the　Emperor　was；　or　at　least　could　be　when　he　chose；　a　wizard　of　immense　power。
　Curious　in　spite　of　everything；　he　asked；　〃Me；　negotiate　for　you　in　such　a　matter？　I'm　not　even　one　of　your　subjects。　Or　a　diplomat。　Why　me？〃
　〃Karel　says　it　should　be　done　that　way。　Though　I　don't　think　that　he　himself　knows　why。　But　I've　learned　over　the　years　that　my　uncle　usually　gives　his　monarch　good　advice。〃
　〃Karel　wants　to　make　sure　I'm　out　of　the　way。〃
　〃There　is　that。　But　sending　you　back　to　Sir　Andrew　would　do　that　just　as　well。　No。　There's　something　about　the　Emperor　…　and　about　you。　I　don't　know　what。〃
　The　Emperor；　thought　Mark。　The　man　that　Draffut；　after　fifty　thousand　years　of　knowing　human　beings；　trusted　at　first　meeting。　The　man　who　had　said　that　he；　Mark；　should　be　given　Sightblinder。
　The　man　in　whose　name　a　simple　incantation　had　twice；　in　Mark's　experience；　repelled　demons　。。。
　The　sorcerer　Karel　…　it　was；　Mark　supposed；　foolish　to　think　he　had　not　been　listening　…　was　back　in　the　room　now；　as　if　on　cue。
　After　all　that　had　already　happened　today；　Mark　had　no　real　capacity　left　for　surprise；　so　he　felt　no　more　than　dull　curiosity　when　he　observed　that　the　magician　was　carrying　a　sheathed　Sword。
　Karel　in　his　soft；　rich　voice　said　to　him：　〃It　is　Coinspinner；　and　it　has　e　to　us　in　a　mysterious　way。　And　you　are　going　to　take　it　with　you　to　help　you　find　the　Emperor。〃
　Mark's　dinner　that　evening　was　eaten　not　in　the　palace；　but　in　the　vastly　humbler　home　of　his　sister　Marian。　It　had　turned　out　that　she　was　now　living　in　the　town；　really　a　small　city；　not　far　below。
　Mark　had　by　now　had　a　little　time　in　which　to　savor　the　great　news　that　his　father　Jord；　who　he　had　thought　for　ten　years　was　dead；　was　alive　after　all。　And　not　only　was　Jord　still　alive　but　well　and　active　at　last　report；　off　now　on　some　secret　mission　for　the　Tasavaltan　intelligence　service。　Neither　Mala　nor　Marian　appeared　to　know　where　Jord　had　been　sent　or　when　he　might　be　back；　and　Mark；　with　some　experience　in　these　matters　himself；　did　not　press　to　find　out。　For　now　it　was　enough　to　know　that　he　at　least　had　a　good　chance　of　someday　seeing　his　living　father　once　again。
　At　dinner　…　a　good　dinner；　evoking　marvelous　memories　…　Mark　heard　from　his　mother　and　sister　how　his　surviving　family　had　e　to　Tasavalta　years　ago；　after　more　years　spent　in　homeless　wandering；　following　the　destruction　of　their　old　village。
　In　the　nine　years　or　so　since　then；　much　had　happened　to　them　all；　and　they　had　much　to　talk　about。　Marian　was　married　now；　her　husband　off　somewhere　with　Rostov's　army。　Her　two　small　children　gaped　through　dinner　at　this　newly　discovered　uncle；　and　warmed　up　to　him　gradually。
　It　was　almost　midnight；　and　Mark　was　having　to　struggle　at　every　moment　to　stay　awake；　before　he　said　goodnight。　His　〃modest　quarters〃　in　the　palace　had　no　attraction；　and　he　was　about　to　go　to　sleep　on　cushions　on　the　floor　in　the　room　where　they　had　dined　and　talked。
　Marian　had　already　said　goodnight；　and　had　taken　the　children　upstairs　to　bed。
　But　Mark's　mother　lingered。　There　was　a　suppressed　urgency　in　her　manner。　〃Walk　me　home。　I　stay　nearby；　here　in　town；　while　Jord　is　gone。　It's　only　a　little　way。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Once　they　were　outside；　Mala　clung　to　her　son's　arm　as　if　she　needed　his　support　to　walk；　though　she　was　not　yet　forty　and　all　evening　had　seemed　full　of　energy；　rejoicing　in　their　reunion。　But　now　her　mood　became　suddenly　tinged　with　sadness。
　〃You've　just　e　back　to　us；〃　she　said。　〃And　before　we　can　begin　to　know　you；　you　must　go　off　again。〃
　〃I　must；　Mother。〃
　〃I　know；　I　know。〃　Mark　had　yet　to　encounter　anyone　at　all；　in　either　town　or　castle；　who　did　not　know　of　his　relationship　with　Kristin；　and　the　potential　problems　that　it　raised。
　Mother　and　son　walked；　slowly。　He　was　very　tired。　He　thought　that　his　mother　seemed　now　to　be　on　the　brink　of　telling　him　something。　She　kept　asking　him；　〃You'll　e　back　to　Tasavalta；　though？〃
　〃I'll　be　here　a　couple　of　days　yet。　I'll　see　you　again；　and　Marian；　before　I　go。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。　Unless　the　plan　for　your　departure　is　changed。　In　these　matters　of　secrecy；　plans　can　change　very　quickly；　I've　learned　that。　But　after　this　mission；　you'll　e　back？〃
　〃To　report　on　my　mission；　I　suppose；　yes；　I'll　have　to。　And　be　sent　off　again。　I　can't　stay　here。　The　Princess's　moner　lover；　and　a　foreigner　to　boot。　If　my　father　had　been　the　Grand　Duke　Basil；　or　Prince　Something…or…other；　things　would　probably　be　different。〃
　They　were　at　her　door　now。　It　was　a　modest　place；　but　looked　fortable；　probably　the　government　here　provided　quarters　for　its　secret　agents'　families。
　Mala；　her　voice　quivering　as　if　she　were　doing　something　difficult；　said：　〃Mark；　e　in；　there's　something　I　must　tell　you；　while　I　have　the　chance。　The　gods　know　if　I'll　ever　have　the　chance　again。〃
　It　was　about　an　hour　later　when　he　emerged　from　the　humble　apartment　where　his　parents　lived。　He　stood　in　the　narrow　street　for　a　little　while；　looking　up　at　the　stars。　They　looked　the　same　as　always。　Beyond　tiredness　now；　Mark　remained　standing　there　in　the　street　for　what　felt　to　him　like　a　long　time。　And　then　he　went　to　his　modest　quarters　in　the　palace；　knowing　that　he　had　to　get　some　rest。
　Two　mornings　late