tg.wizardfirstrule-第94章

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　〃Nissel；　what　are　the　leaves　for？〃
　
　Nissel　turned　from　studying　Kahlan's　shirt；　which　she　thought　very　curious。　〃It　will　make　you　relax；　so　you　will　not　feel　what　1　do。　Keep　chewing。　Do　not　worry；　child。　You　will　be　so　relaxed；　you　will　not　care　when　I　stitch。　〃
　
　Kahlan　immediately　spit　out　the　leaves。　The　old　woman　looked　at　them　on　the　floor；　lifting　an　eyebrow　to　Kahlan。
　
　〃Nissel；　I　am　a　Confessor。　If　1　am　relaxed　in　a　manner　like　that；　1　might　not　be　able　to　hold　back　the　power。　When　you　touch　me；　I　could　release　it　without　wanting　to。　〃
　
　Nissel　frowned　with　curiosity。　〃But　you　sleep；　child。　You　relax　then。　〃
　
　〃That　is　different。　I　have　slept　from　birth；　before　my　power　grew　in　me。　If　I　were　to　be　too　relaxed　or　distracted　in　a　way　I　do　not　know；　as　with　your　leaves；　1　could　touch　you　without　intending　it。〃
　
　Nissel　gave　a　crooked　nod。　Then　her　eyebrows　came　up。　She　leaned　closer。　〃Then　how　do　you　。　。　。　〃
　
　Kahlan　gave　a　blank　expression　that　said　nothing　and　everything。
　
　A　look　of　sudden　understanding　came　over　Nissel's　face。　The　healer　straightened　up。　〃Oh。　I　see　now。　〃
　
　She　stroked　Kahlan's　hair　sympathetically；　then　went　to　the　far　corner　and　came　shuffling　back　with　a　piece　of　leather。　〃Put　this　between　your　teeth。　〃　She　patted　Kahlan's　good　shoulder。　〃If　you　are　ever　hurt　again；　be　sure　to　have　them　bring　you　to　Nissel。　I　will　remember；　and　know　what　not　to　do。　Sometimes；　when　you　are　a　healer；　it　is　more　important　to　know　what　not　to　do。　Maybe　when　you　are　a　Confessor　too。　Hmm？〃　Kahlan　smiled　and　gave　a　nod。　〃Now；　child；　make　teeth　marks　in　this　leather　for　me。〃
　
　When　she　was　finished；　Nissel　wiped　the　sweat　from　Kahlan's　face　with　a　cold；　wet　cloth。　Kahlan　was　so　dizzy　and　nauseated　she　couldn't　even　sit　up。　Nissel　kept　her　lying　down　as　she　applied　the　brown　paste　and　wrapped　the　arm　with　clean　bandages。
　
　〃You　should　sleep　for　a　while。　I　will　wake　you　before　the　banquet。　〃
　
　Kahlan　put　her　hand　on　the　old　woman's　arm；　and　made　herself　smile。　〃Thank　you；　Nissel。　〃
　
　She　woke　to　the　feel　of　her　hair　being　brushed。　It　had　dried　while　she　slept。　Nissel　smiled　at　her。
　
　〃You　will　find　it　hard　to　brush　your　pretty　hair　until　your　arm　is　better。　Not　many　have　the　honor　to　have　hair　such　as　yours。　I　thought　you　would　like　it　brushed　for　the　banquet。　It　starts　soon。　A　handsome　young　man　waits　for　you　outside。　〃
　
　Kahlan　sat　up。　〃How　long　has　he　been　out　there？〃
　
　〃Almost　the　whole　time。　1　tried　to　chase　him　away　with　a　broom。　〃　Nissel　frowned。　〃But　he　would　not　go。　He　is　very　stubborn。　Yes？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　Kahlan　grinned。
　
　Nissel　helped　her　put　on　her　clean　clothes。　Her　arm　didn't　hurt　as　much　as　before。　Richard　was　leaning　impatiently　against　the　outside　wall　and　stood　up　straight　when　she　came　out。　He　was　washed　and　clean　and　fresh…looking；　the　mud　all　gone；　and　was　dressed　in　simple　buckskin　pants　and　tunic；　and　of　course　his　sword。　Nissel　was　right：　he　did　look　handsome。
　
　〃How　are　you　doing？　How's　the　arm？　Are　you　all　right？〃
　
　〃I'm　fine。〃　She　smiled。　〃Nissel　has　made　me　well。〃
　
　Richard　kissed　the　top　of　the　old　woman's　head。　〃Thank　you；　Nissel。　I　forgive　you　the　broom。〃
　
　Nissel　smiled　at　the　translation；　leaned　closer；　and　gave　him　a　deep　look　he　found　unfortable。
　
　〃Shall　1　give　him　a　potion；　〃　Nissel　asked；　turning　to　her；　〃to　give　him　stamina？〃
　
　〃No；　〃　Kahlan　said　bristling。　〃I　am　sure　he　will　do　just　fine。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　27
　LAUGHTER　AND　THE　SOUND　of　drums　drifted　from　the　center　of　the　village　as　Richard　and　Kahlan　walked　among　the　huddled；　dark　buildings。　Black　skies　held　back　their　rain；　and　the　damp；　warm　air　brought　in　the　smell　of　the　wet　grasses　that　surrounded　the　village。　Torches　lit　the　platforms　of　the　pole　buildings。　and　large　fires　set　about　the　open　area　snapped　and　popped；　throwing　off　fluttering　shadows。　Kahlan　knew　it　was　a　lot　of　work　to　haul　in　wood　for　cooking　and　kiln　fires；　and　most　were　kept　small。　This　was　an　extravagance　the　Mud　People　rarely　witnessed。
　
　Wonderful　aromas　from　the　cooking　fires　drifted　to　her　through　the　night　air；　but　failed　to　spark　her　appetite。　Women　dressed　in　their　brightest　dresses　rushed　around；　with　young　girls　at　their　sides；　tending　to　errands；　seeing　to　it　that　all　went　well。　The　men　wore　their　finest　skins；　ceremonial　knives　hung　at　their　waists；　and　their　hair　was　slicked　down　with　sticky　mud　in　traditional　fashion。
　
　Cooking　went　on　nonstop　as　people　wandered　by；　sampling　the　fare；　talking；　sharing　stories。　Most　people；　it　seemed；　were　either　cooking　or　eating。　There　were　children　everywhere；　playing　and　running　and　laughing；　overflowing　with　excitement　at　the　unexpected　nighttime；　firelit　gathering。
　
　Under　grass　roofs；　musicians　pounded　drums　and　scraped　paddles　up　and　down　ripples　carved　on　boldas；　long　bell…shaped　hollow　tubes。　The　eerie　strains；　music　meant　to　call　ancestors　spirits　to　the　banquet；　carried　far　out　into　the　grasslands。　Other　musicians　sat　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　open　area；　the　sound：　of　the　two　groups　sometimes　joining；　sometimes　separating；　calling　to　one　another　in　haunting　and　occasionally　frantic　beats　an（　knells。　Men　in　costume；　some　dressed　as　animals；　others　painted　as　stylized　hunters；　jumped　and　danced；　acting　out　stories　o　Mud　People　legends。　Gleeful　children　surrounded　the　dancers　imitating　them　and　stamping　their　feet　in　time　with　the　drumming。　Young　couples　off　in　darker　areas　watched　the　activities　a　they　nuzzled　close　together。　Kahlan　had　never　felt　so　alone。
　
　Savidlin；　his　freshly　cleaned　coyote　hide　around　his　shoulders　found　her　and　Richard；　and　dragged　them　off；　slapping　Richard'　back　the　whole　way；　to　sit　with　the　elders　under　their　shelter。　The　Bird　Man　was　dressed　in　his　usual；　plain　buckskin　pants　and　tunic。　He　was　important　enough　not　to　have　to　wear　anything　more。　Weselan　was　there；　as　were　the　wives　of　the　other　elders　and　she　came　to　sit　next　to　Kahlan；　taking　her　hand　and　asking　with　sincere　concern　how　her　arm　was。　Kahlan　wasn't　used　to　having　people　care　about　her。　It　felt　good　to　be　one　of　the　Mud　People；　even　if　it　was　only　pretense。　Pretense；　because　she　was　a　Confessor；　and　as　much　as　she　wished　it　otherwise　right　now　it　was　not；　and　no　decree　could　make　it　so。　She　did　as　she　ha（　learned　to　do　at　a　young　age：　she　put　her　emotions　away；　an（　thought　about　the　job　that　lay　ahead；　about　Darken　Rahl　and　how　little　time　they　had　left。　And　she　thought　about　Dennee。
　
　Richard；　resigned　to　the　fact　that　they　would　have　to　wait　an　other　day　for　the　gathering；　tried　to　make　the　best　of　it；　smiling　and　nodding　at　chattered　advice　he　couldn't　understand。　People　streamed　past　the　elders'　shelter　in　a　steady　procession；　to　greet　the　newest　Mud　People　with　gentle　slaps。　In　all　fairness；　Kahlan　had　to　admit　that　they　paid　as　much　regard　to　her　as　to　Richard
　
　Woven　trays　and　pottery　bowls　filled　with　various　foods　la；　on　the　floor　in　front　of　where　they　sat　cross…legged；　greeting　people；　some　of　whom　sat　with　them　for　a　time。　Richard　sampled　most　of　the　food；　remembering　to　use　his　right　hand。　Kahlan　nibbled　on　a　piece　of　tava　bread　so　as　not　to　appear　impolite。
　
　〃This　is　good；〃　Richard　said；　taking　another　rib。　〃I　think　it's　pork。''
　
　〃It　is　wild　boar；〃　she　said；　watching　the　dancers。
　
　〃And　the　venison；　it's　good　too。　Here；　have　a　piece。〃　He　tried　to　hand　her　a　strip。
　
　〃No。　Thank　you。〃
　
　〃You　all　right？〃
　
　〃Fine。　I'm　just　not　hungry。〃
　
　〃You　haven't　eaten　any　meat　since　we've　been　with　the　Mud　People。〃
　
　〃I'm　just　not　hungry；　that's　all。〃
　
　He　shrugged　and　ate　the　venison。
　
　After　a　time；　the　crowd　of　people　greeting　them　thinned　out；　finally　going　off　to　other　activities。　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　the　Bird　Man　raise　his　hand　in　a　signal　to　someone　in　the　distance。　Kahlan　put　a　brake　to　her　feelings；　and　made　her　face　betray　nothing　of　the　effort；　as　her　mother　had　taught　her：　a　Confessor's　face。
　
　Four　young　women；　all　with　shy　smiles　and　short　hair　slicked　down　with　mud；　timidly　approached。　Richard　greeted　them　with　smiles　and　nods　and　gentle　slaps；　as　he　had　the　other　people。　They　stood；