tg.wizardfirstrule-第81章

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　he　spoke　again。
　
　〃Look　over　my　right　shoulder。　There　is　a　man　leaning　against　the　wall；　long　gray　hair；　arms　folded　across　his　chest。　Tell　me　if　you　know　who　he　is。〃
　
　Kahlan　took　a　bite　of　the　bread　and　pepper；　chewing　as　she　glanced　over　his　shoulder。
　
　〃He　is　the　Bird　Man。　I　don't　know　anything　about　him；　except　that　he　can　call　birds　to　himself。〃
　
　Richard　took　another　piece　of　bread；　rolled　it　up；　and　took　a　bite。　〃I　think　it's　time　we　went　and　had　a　talk　with　him。〃
　
　〃Why？〃
　
　Richard　looked　up　at　her　from　under　his　eyebrows。　〃Because　he's　the　one　who　is　in　charge　around　here。〃
　
　Kahlan　frowned。　〃The　elders　are　in　charge。〃　Richard　smiled　with　one　side　of　his　mouth。　〃My　brother　always　says　that　real　power　is　not　brokered　in　public。〃　He　watched　her　intently　with　his　gray　eyes。　〃The　elders　are　for　show。　They　are　respected；　and　so　are　put　on　display　for　others　to　see。　Like　the　skulls　on　the　poles；　only　they　still　have　the　skin　on　them。　They　have　authority　because　they　are　esteemed；　but　they　are　not　in　charge。〃　With　a　quick　flick　of　his　eyes；　Richard　indicated　the　Bird　Man　leaning　against　the　wall　behind　him。　〃He　is。〃
　
　〃Then　why　has　he　not　made　himself　known？〃
　
　〃Because；〃　he　said；　grinning；　〃he　wants　to　know　how　smart　we　are。〃
　
　Richard　stood　and　held　his　hand　out　to　her。　She　stuffed　the　rest　of　the　bread　in　her　mouth；　brushed　her　hands　on　her　pants；　and　took　his　hand。　As　he　hoisted　her　up；　she　thought　about　how　much　she　liked　the　way　he　always　offered　her　his　hand。　He　was　the　first　person　who　had　ever　done　that。　It　was　just　one　part　of　why　it　felt　so　easy　being　with　him。
　
　They　walked　across　the　mud；　through　the　cold　rain；　toward　the　Bird　Man。　He　still　leaned　against　the　wall；　his　sharp　brown　eyes　watching　them　e。　Long　hair；　mostly　silver…gray；　lay　on　his　shoulders；　flowing　partway　down　the　deerskin　tunic　that　matched　his　pants。　His　clothes　had　no　decoration；　but　a　bone　carving　hung　on　a　leather　thong　around　his　neck。　Not　old；　but　not　young；　and　still　handsome；　he　was　about　as　tall　as　she。　The　skin　of　his　weathered　face　was　as　tough…looking　as　the　deerskin　clothes　he　wore。
　
　They　stopped　in　front　of　him。　He　continued　to　lean　his　shoulders　against　the　wall；　and　his　right　knee　stuck　out　as　his　foot　propped　against　the　plastered　brick。　His　arms　lay　folded　across　his　chest　as　he　studied　their　faces。
　
　Richard　folded　his　arms　across　his　own　chest。　〃I　would　like　to　talk　to　you；　if　you　are　not　afraid　I　might　be　a　spirit。〃
　
　The　Bird　Man's　eyes　went　to　hers　as　she　translated；　then　back　to　Richard's。
　
　〃I　have　seen　spirits　before；　〃　he　said　in　a　quiet　voice。　〃They　do　not　carry　swords。　〃
　
　Kahlan　translated。　Richard　laughed。　She　liked　his　easy　laugh。
　
　〃I　also　have　seen　spirits；　and　you　are　right；　they　do　not　carry　swords。〃　A　small　smile　curled　the　corners　of　the　Bird　Man's　mouth。　He　unfolded　his　arms　and　stood　up　straight。　〃Strength　to　the　Seeker。〃　He　gave　Richard　a　gentle　slap。
　
　〃Strength　to　the　Bird　Man；〃　he　said；　returning　the　easy　slap。
　
　The　Bird　Man　took　the　bone　carving　that　hung　on　the　leather　thong　at　his　neck；　and　put　it　to　his　lips。　Kahlan　realized　it　was　a　whistle。　His　cheeks　puffed　out　as　he　blew；　。　but　there　was　no　sound。　Letting　the　whistle　drop　back；　he　held　his　arm　out　while　he　continued　to　hold　Richard's　eyes。　After　a　moment；　a　hawk　wheeled　out　of　the　gray　sky　and　alighted　on　his　outstretched　arm。　It　fluffed　its　feathers；　then　let　them　settle　as　its　black　eyes　blinked　and　its　head　swiveled　about　in　short；　jerky　movements。
　
　〃e；　〃　the　Bird　Man　said；　〃we　will　talk。　〃
　
　He　led　them　among　the　large　munal　buildings；　to　a　smaller　one　at　the　back；　set　away　from　the　others。　Kahlan　knew　the　building　with　no　windows；　although　she　had　never　been　in　it。　It　was　the　spirit　house；　where　the　gatherings　were　held。
　
　The　hawk　stayed　on　his　arm　as　the　Bird　Man　pulled　the　door　open　and　motioned　them　inside。　A　small　fire　was　burning　in　a　pit　at　the　back　end；　offering　a　little　light　to　the　otherwise　dark　room。　A　hole　in　the　roof　above　the　fire　let　the　smoke　out；　although　it　did　a　poor　job　of　it；　and　left　the　place　with　a　sharp　smoky　smell。　Pottery　bowls　left　from　past　meals　lay　about　the　floor；　and　a　plank　shelf　along　one　wall　held　a　good　two　dozen　ancestral　skulls。　Otherwise；　the　room　was　empty。　The　Bird　Man　found　a　place　near　the　center　of　the　room　where　the　rain　wasn't　dripping；　and　sat　down　on　the　dirt　floor。　Kahlan　and　Richard　sat　side　by　side；　facing　him；　as　the　hawk　watched　their　movements。
　
　The　Bird　Man　looked　at　Kahlan's　eyes。　She　could　tell　he　was　used　to　having　people　be　afraid　when　he　looked　at　them；　even　if　it　wasn't　warranted。　She　could　tell　because　she　was　used　to　the　same　thing。　This　time　he　found　no　fear。
　
　〃Mother　Confessor；　you　have　not　yet　chosen　a　mate。　〃　He　gently　stroked　the　hawk's　head　while　he　watched　her。
　
　Kahlan　decided　she　didn't　like　his　tone。　He　was　testing。　〃No。
　
　Are　you　offering　yourself？〃
　
　He　smiled　slightly。　〃No。　I　apologize。　I　did　not　mean　to　offend　you。　Why　are　you　not　with　a　wizard？〃
　
　〃All　the　wizards；　save　two；　are　dead。　Of　those　two；　one　sold　his　。services　to　a　queen。　The　other　was　struck　down　by　an　underworld　beast；　and　lies　in　a　sleep。　There　are　none　left　to　protect　me。　All　the　other　Confessors　have　been　killed。　We　are　in　dark　times。　〃
　
　His　eyes　looked　genuinely　sympathetic；　but　his　tone　still　was　not。　〃It　is　dangerous　for　a　Confessor　to　be　alone。　〃
　
　〃Yes；　and　it　is　also　dangerous　for　a　man　to　be　alone　with　a　Confessor　who　is　in　great　want　of　something。　From　where　I　sit；　it　would　seem　that　you　are　in　greater　danger　than　1。　〃
　
　〃Perhaps；　〃　he　said；　stroking　the　hawk；　his　slight　smile　returning。　〃Perhaps。　This　one　is　a　true　Seeker？　One　named　by　a　wizard？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　nodded。　〃It　has　been　many　years　since　I　have　seen　a　true　Seeker。　A　Seeker　who　was　not　a　real　Seeker　came　here　one　time。　He　killed　some　of　my　people　when　we　would　not　give　him　what　he　wanted。〃
　
　〃I　am　sorry　for　them；　〃　she　said。
　
　He　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃Do　not　be。　They　died　quickly。　Be　sorry　for　the　Seeker。　He　did　not。　〃　The　hawk　blinked　as　it　looked　at　her。
　
　〃l　have　never　seen　a　pretend　Seeker；　but　1　have　seen　this　one　in　the　rage。　Believe　me；　you　and　your　people　do　not　want　to　ever　give　this　one　cause　to　draw　his　sword　in　anger。　He　knows　how　to　use　the　magic。　1　have　even　seen　him　strike　down　evil　spirits。　〃
　
　He　studied　her　eyes　for　a　moment；　seeming　to　judge　the　truth　of　what　she　said。　〃Thank　you　for　the　warning。　I　will　remember　your　words。　〃
　
　Richard　spoke　up　at　last。　〃Are　you　two　about　done　threatening　each　other？〃
　
　Kahlan　looked　at　him　in　surprise。　〃I　thought　you　couldn't　understand　their　language。〃
　
　〃Can't。　But　I　can　understand　eyes。　If　looks　caused　sparks；　this　place　would　be　ablaze。〃
　
　Kahlan　turned　back　to　the　Bird　Man。　〃The　Seeker　wishes　to　know　if　we　are　finished　threatening　each　other。　〃
　
　He　glanced　at　Richard　and　then　back　to　her。　〃He　is　an　impatient　man；　is　he　not？〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃l　have　told　him　so　myself。　He　denies　it。　〃　〃It　must　be　a　burden　traveling　with　him。　〃
　
　Kahlan　broke　into　a　smile。　〃Not　at　all。　〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　returned　her　smile；　and　then　addressed　his　gaze　to　Richard。　〃If　we　choose　not　to　help　you；　how　many　of　us　will　you　kill？〃
　
　Kahlan　interpreted　the　words　as　they　spoke。
　
　〃None。〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　studied　the　hawk　as　he　asked；　〃And　if　we　choose　not　to　help　Darken　Rahl；　how　many　of　us　will　he　kill？〃
　
　〃Sooner　or　later；　a　great　many。〃
　
　He　took　his　hand　away　from　the　hawk；　and　looked　at　Richard　with　his　sharp　eyes。　〃It　。would　seem　you　argue　for　us　to　help　Darken　Rahl。　〃
　
　A　smile　spread　across　Richard's　face。　〃If　you　choose　not　to　help　me　and　remain　neutral；　foolish　as　that　would　be；　it　is　your　right；　and　I　will　harm　none　of　your　people。　But　Rahl　will。　I　will　press　on　and　fight　against　him　with　my　last　breath　if　need　be。〃
　
　His　face　took　on　a　dangerous　expression。　He　leaned　forward。　〃If；　on　the　other　hand；　you　choose　to　help　Darken　Rahl；　and　I　defeat　him；　I　will　e　back；　and　。　。　。〃　He　pulled　his　finger　across　his　throat　in　a　quick　g