按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
aken care of first； before he could enjoy the pany of friends。
The two big men sat facing each other； their noses a meter apart。 The carnival strongman made a show of getting ready； rolling up his right sleeve a trifle more。 He managed to ripple the muscles of his arm impressively as he did so。
〃Don't fear the flame；〃 said Tanakir； leaning forward to put his elbow on the table。 Ben's elbow was already there。 The strongman's fierce scowl emanated onions。 〃I'll not burn you very much。 Cry out once and I'll let you go。〃
〃Don't fear the flame；〃 returned Ben； 〃for I'll not burn you at all。〃 And he reached forward； ready to meet the all…out surge of strength that the other was certain to apply as soon as he could grab Ben's hand。
〃Get him； Ben！〃 called Mark。
Their grips locked in the surge； the table quaked beneath their elbows。
And Barbara； with a greater urgency in her voice than merely friendship： 〃Win； Ben！ Win！〃
Tanakir cried out； but not with victory； nor yet with candle…burn。 The back of his hand descending had snuffed the flame before the heat could even scorch the hairs。 Snuffed out the flame； and thudded on to squash the wax below。
Chapter 4
The small man rode the once…paved road upon a fine but almost starving riding beast； and wore at his side a poor scabbard that had the hilt of a fine sword protruding from it。 Some things about this man； including his long； carefully trained black mustache； suggested that he might be castle…born。 But most of his clothing； and certain other indications； argued for a more humble origin。 He was bareheaded； and under the shock of wild black hair his lean； elegant face was grim。 He was mumbling to himself as he rode slowly through the warm spring sunshine。
Two more men； on foot； were following the mumbling rider across the grimly peaceful countryside； past abandoned farmsteads and untilled fields。 And several paces behind those two shuffled along a lad not quite full grown； though already tall。 On the right shoulder of this youth there rode a hooded shape； that under its covering of green cloth had to be that of some trained flying creature； bird or reptile perhaps。
Taken as a group； the four men looked like the token representation on a stage of some defeated army。 But the only thing their various costumes had in mon was the look of wear and poverty； if this was truly an army； it had no other uniform。
Of the two who were walking together； one carried a battle…hatchet in a kind of holster at his belt； and had a bow slung on his back。 His taller panion wore a sword on one side of his own belt； with a sling and stone…pouch on the other。 The visible hilt of this man's sword； in contrast to their leader's； was dull and cracked。
The surface of the road they traveled had once been paved and cared for； though like most of its users it was now experiencing hard times。 And the land through which the road passed looked as if it might once have been well tended。 A feral milkbeast； lean and scarred； stared at the procession as if it might never have seen men before； then leaped a broken fence to bolt into a thicket。 The man with the bow； hunger starting in his eyes； made the start of a motion to get the weapon off his back； but gave up before pleting it。 The beast was already out of sight。
The leader appeared to be paying very little heed to any of this。 He continued to mouth words to himself as he rode on； eyes fixed ahead。 One of the two men following； he who had the bow； was more concerned than the other by this circumstance。 He now nudged his taller panion； and signaled that they should lag back a few more steps behind their leader。
As soon as the gap between the two men and the rider had widened enough to give them good prospects for some privacy； the shorter man whispered： 〃Why does he mutter so？〃
The taller man who wore the battered sword had a long face with an habitually grave expression； that made him look like a solemn servant dressed up as a soldier。 And he answered gravely： 〃I think his woes have driven him half mad。〃
〃Ha。 Woes？ If that would do it； we'd all be jabbering and snarling as we moved about。 I wonder now。。。 〃
〃What？〃
〃I wonder if I decided wisely； yesterday； when I chose to follow him。〃 The shorter man； whose name was Hubert； paused at that point； as if expecting to receive some ment from his panion。 When none was immediately forthing； he went on。 〃He spoke me fair enough … well； you were there； you heard。 I've yet to hear； though； just what enterprise he plans to use us in。 And you say he's not told you； either。 Well； at first I thought there was no need to ask。 There's little business of any kind to be transacted on these roads； except for robbery。 I've not done that before； but I was hungry enough to try anything。。。 and there you were； looking sane and tolerably well fed； following him already。 You looked as if you might know where you were going。 And now you tell me he's half mad。〃
〃Sh！〃
〃You said it first。〃
〃But not so loud。〃 The taller； grave…faced man； whose name was Pu Chou； appeared for a moment to be annoyed。 Then he answered thoughtfully： 〃I followed him because； as you say； he spoke fair。 He's fed me； so far。 Not a lot； but better than nothing。 And he did promise when I joined him that we were going to find wealth。〃 … Hubert said； flatly： 〃Wealth。 And you believed him。〃
〃You said you believed him； when he spoke to you。 He can speak convincingly。〃
〃Aye。 Well； we've passed travelers who I thought looked like easy game； and not tried to rob them。 He must have some other means of gaining wealth in mind。 Well； that sword he's got is certainly worth a coin or two； even if the sheath is poor。〃
Pu Chou was quietly alarmed。 〃Don't even think of taking it from him。 I've seen him use it once。〃
〃Once？ He hauls it out at every crossroad。 There's some fine charm of magic in it； or at least he thinks there is； for he consults it to choose his way。 Whether it works or not
〃I meant I've seen him use it as a sword。 When I was his only follower； and still unarmed myself。 Three bandits thought they wanted it。 One of them got away。 It's one of the others' sword I'm wearing now。〃
〃Oh。〃
And for some time after that the little procession trudged on in silence。 Hubert glanced back once at the lad who was still bringing up the rear； probably too far back to have overheard the whispered conversation。 The name of this youth was Golok； and Hubert had rarely heard him speak at all。 Instead he appeared to spend most of his life staring straight ahead as if in abstract thought。 Whatever the creature was on his shoulder … Hubert had not yet gotten a good look at it without its cover … it was as quiet as if it were asleep； or perhaps dead and stuffed。 Hubert had learned from Pu Chou yesterday that Golok had once been apprentice to the Master of the Beasts at some important castle； some kind of a problem had arisen； and he had had to leave。 Whether he was the true owner of the thing that perched on his shoulder now was a question that had not been raised。 Hubert had no urge to press for details in the lives of these his new panions； even as he was content for his own history to remain unknown to them。
Now Hubert turned his eyes ahead again。 The sky in that direction was darkening； he observed； as if a storm were ing。 Especially ahead and off there to the right。
Of more immediate interest was something that now lay only a few strides ahead； namely yet another crossroads。 Here the disintegrating pavement of what had once been a king's way intersected another and more mon road。 This was of hard…packed earth and gravel； and it wound away to left and right amidst the gentle rolling of the land。 Like most roads in this time of failing merce； it was beginning to be overgrown by weeds and grass。。。
To the left； this intersecting thoroughfare led off into a near…monotony of gradually improving fields。 It was possible to see for several kilometers in that direction； and in the distance intact houses and barns were visible； as well as small groups of laborers in those far fields。 Maybe； thought Hubert； they had now e to the edge of the Margrave's well…protected lands。 That suggested to Hubert that they might expect to encounter some of the Margrave's soldiers shortly； and that in turn suggested to him that perhaps this would be a good point to turn back。 But then； he was not the leader。
To the right conditions were different。 In that direction the simple crossroad soon became a dismal； muddy； heavily rutted way； almost a sunken road。 It lost its way among leafless thickets； and clumps of inordinately tall thistles； that seemed to have grown where they were for no other purpose than to provide some ideal sites for ambush。 A chill wind drifted down on the travelers from that direction； where； as Hubert had noted earlier； the sky was growing dark。 On the horizon to the right the clouds were really ominous。
The leader had reined in his steed at the very center of the crossroads。 Hubert had expected him to draw his fine sword； as usual； as soon as the intersection was reached。 But the horseman had not done so yet。 He was looking from right to left； and back again； as if considering。 At last his mumbled monologue had ceased。
Tall Pu Chou； shading his eyes from local sunshine； was squinting off into forbidding shadows to the right。 〃What's that； I wonder？ I can make out a certain tall structure； almost half a kilometer off。 Just at the edge of those trees； beside the road。〃
The youth Golok had e up close to the others now； and it was his surprisingly deep voice that next broke the silence。 〃That's a gallows；〃 he intoned。
The mounted leader looked at him； and made a brisk gesture with one hand。 Obediently Golok reached up and whisked off the cloth covering the creature that rode his shoulder。 It's a monkbird； thought Hubert； moderately surprised。 He himself was no expert at handling beasts； but it was his understanding that the small flying mammals were notoriously hard to train； and that few beast…handlers would attempt it。 Golok crooned low orders to the beast； as its eyes blinked yellow against dark brown fur。 Hubert noticed suddenly how handlike the tiny feet of the creature were； at the ends of its hind limbs。
〃Go； Dart； fly；〃 Golok whispered。 His voice when he spoke to the animal was much changed。
In a moment the monkbird had risen into the air from its master's shoulder。 It flew in a low circle on membranous wings； as if orienting itself。 Then it flapped softly off to the right； following a course above the road that led to darkness。
The mounted leader sat motionless in his saddle； gazing after the winged scout； long after distance and shadows had taken the monkbird out of Hubert's effective range of vision。 The leader's hand was resting on the black hilt of his fine sword。 As if； Hubert thought； he knew that he was going to have to draw it soon； but wished to postpone that act as long as possible。
And now the leader spoke again。 He was still talking to himself； but this time Hubert was close enough to hear some of the words。 〃。。。 cursed poverty。。。 more real than many another curse。 Whether some wizard has fastened it upon me； or。。。 〃
The monkbird's reconnaissance did not take very long。 It reappeared in the shadowy distance and drew closer； until with a final flourish of the forelimbs that unfurled its wings it sat again on Golok's shoulder。 Then it shivered slightly； as if it might have experienced a chill under that dark portion of the sky。
〃Man on tree？〃 Golok asked it； evidently confident that it would understand the question。
〃Two…leg fruit；〃 the monkbird answered； the first intelligible sounds that Hubert had heard from it。 Its voice was tiny but piercing in tone。
〃Two…leg is living？〃 Golok questioned。
〃No。〃 It was the single； sharp note of a birdcall。
At this； the mounted leader； with one final muttered ment to himself； drew out his sword； wrenching it from the scabbard with a violent motion and holding it aloft。 As Hubert had observed before； when that sword cleared its sheath it negated all the poverty in the