war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第30章

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d　that　anyone　had　managed　to　eavesdrop　on　his　conversations　while　the　longhorn　was　shrilling　away。
The　other　male　scowled　and　asked；　〃Why？〃
〃Just　making　conversation。　Do　you　know　something　about　the　rogues？〃
〃No；　but　I　know　that　in　the　Jewel　Box　we　don't　like　it　when　people　are　too　curious。　We　don't　like　them　hunting　runaways。　We　don't　like　them　lisnottening　to　every　private　thing　we　say　and　reporting　back　to　the　Mothers。〃
〃I'm　not　a　spy。〃
Maybe　he　was；　but　he　had　no　intention　of　confessing　it　to　this　fool。
〃Ha！〃　the　swordsman　scoffed。　〃If　you　were；　you　wouldn't　admit　it。〃
〃Be　that　as　it　may；　I　suggest　you　and　your　friends　return　to　your　table　and　let　this　boy　and　I　finish　our　game。〃
The　male　with　the　red　sword　swelled　like　an　inflated　bladder　on　the　verge　of　bursting。　〃You're　trying　to　dismiss　me　like　a　servant？　Do　you　have　any　idea　who　I　am？〃
〃Of　course；　Tathlyn　Godeep。　I　trained　you。　Do　you　remember　me？〃
Ryld　pushed　back　his　cowl；　exposing　his　hitherto　shadowed　features。
Tathlyn　and　his　friends　goggled　at　their　former　teacher　as　if　he　had　just　revealed　himself　to　be　some　ancient　and　legendary　dragon。
〃I　see　you　do。　So　I'll　bid　you　good　day。〃
Tathlyn　looked　as　if　he　was　groping　for　a　ment　that　would　allow　him　to　terminate　this　confrontation　with　his　dignity　intact；　but　the　onnotlookers　started　to　laugh。　His　fear　less　pelling　than　his　pride；　he　screwed　the　sneer　back　onto　his　face。
〃Yes；〃　he　said；　his　voice　raised　to　cut　through　the　laughter；　〃I　know　you；　Master　Argith；　but　you　don't　know　me；　not　the　person　I　have　bee。　Today　I　am　the　weapons　master　of　House　Godeep。〃
House　Godeep　was　one　of　the　petty　Houses　of　Narbondellyn；　whose　frantic　rivalries　on　the　very　bottom　rungs　of　the　ladder　of　status　were　almost　beneath　the　notice　of　the　nobles　farther　up。　Ryld　doubted　the　Godeeps　would　rise　much　higher　with　Tathlyn　leading　their　warriors。　During　his　training；　the　boy　had　learned　to　swing　a　sword　with　reasonable　skill；　but　he　had　always　demonstrated　extraordinary　recklessness　and　gennoteral　poor　judgment　when　placed　in　mand　of　a　squad。
〃Congratulations；〃　said　Ryld。
〃Perhaps　if　you'd　known　I　would　rise　to　such　an　eminence；　you　wouldn't　have　taken　such　delight　in　smashing　my　knuckles　and　beating　my　shoulnotder　to　pulp。〃
〃I　didn't　do　it　for　sport。　It　was　to　teach　you　to　close　the　outside　line　and　to　stand　up　straight。　I　tried　simply　telling　you　to　make　the　adjustments；　but　you　didn't　heed　me。
〃Now；〃　Ryld　continued；　〃I've　explained　I　have　no　intention　of　tattling　to　the　matrons　about　anything　I　might　happen　to　learn　in　this　place。　Is　my　word　good　enough　for　you？　If　so；　we　should　have　no　quarrel。〃
〃That's　what　you　say。〃
〃Lad…excuse　me　。　。　。　Weapons　Master；　pause；　breathe；　and　reflect。　I　sense　you're　feeling　angry　over　your　aches　and　bruises。　Perhaps　you　want　to　take　it　out　on　someone；　but　I'm　not　the　person　who　administered　the　beating。〃
Tathlyn　stood　silent　for　an　instant；　then　he　said；　〃No；　you're　not；　and　I　suppose　all　the　punishment　during　training　was　for　my　own　good。　No　hard　feelings；　Weapons　Master。　Enjoy　your　match。〃
He　started　to　turn　away；　then　whirled　back　around。　The　point　of　the　red　long　sword　streaked　at　Ryld's　neck。
Before　the　four　panions　had　even　reached　the　sava　table；　Ryld　had　inconspicuously　centered　his　weight　and　planted　his　feet　in　a　manner　that　would　allow　him　to　get　out　of　his　chair　quickly。　He　simultaneously　sprang　up　and　brushed　the　blade　aside　with　a　sweep　of　his　arm；　but　he　didn't　strike　it　at　quite　the　proper　angle。　The　wicked　edge　of　the　red　sword　drew　a　little　blood。
Ryld　realized　that　this　was　his　first　real　fight　in　the　better　part　of　a　year。　He'd　intended　to　go　out　with　one　of　the　panies　patrolling　Bauthwaf；　slaughter　himself　a　few　of　the　predators　that　were　always　wandering　in　from　the　caverns　farther　out；　but　somehow　he　had　never　bestirred　himself　to　do　it。
That　was　no　problem。　He　had　no　fear　that　he　was　rusty。　It　was　just　that；　looking　back；　he　was　surprised　at　his　lack　of　motivation。
All　these　thoughts　flashed　through　his　mind　in　an　instant　and　without　slowing　his　reactions　in　the　slightest。
Tathlyn　jumped　back　ou