tg.wizardfirstrule-第67部分

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r；　but　at　last　decided　against　it。
　
　Kahlan　smiled　over　at　him。　〃Wele　to　the　Midlands。　You　have　done　as　you　said　you　would：　you　got　us　here。　Now　the　hard　work　begins。　What　would　you　have　us　do？〃
　
　Richard's　head　was　throbbing；　he　leaned　back　next　to　her。　〃We　need　someone　with…　magic　who　can　tell　us　where　the　last　box　is；　where　to　find　it。　Or　at　least　where　to　look　for　it。　We　can't　just　go　running　around　blindly。　We　need　someone　who　can　point　us　in　the　right　direction。　Who　do　you　know　like　that？〃
　
　Kahlan　gave　him　a　sideways　glance。　〃We　are　a　long　way　from　anyone　who　would　want　to　help　us。〃
　
　She　was　avoiding　telling　him　something。　His　anger　jumped。　〃I　didn't　say　they　had　to　want　to　help　us；　I　said　they　had　to　be；　able　to。　You　just　take　me　to　them　and　I'll　worry　about　the　rest！〃　Richard　immediately　regretted　his　tone　of　voice。　He　leaned　his　head　back　against　the　rock　wall　and　put　the　anger　down。　〃Kahlan；　I'm　sorry。〃　He　rolled　his　head　away　from　her。　〃I've　had　a　hard　day。　Besides　killing　that　man；　I　had　to　run　my　sword　through　my　father　again。　But　the　worst　of　it　was　I　thought　my　best　friend　was　lost　to　the　underworld。　I　just　want　to　stop　Rahl；　to　end　this　nightmare。〃
　
　He　turned　his　face　to　hers；　and　she　gave　him　one　of　her　special；　tight…upped　smiles。　Kahlan　watched　his　eyes　in　the　near　darkness　for　a　few　minutes。
　
　〃Not　easy；　being　Seeker；〃　she　said　softly。
　
　He　smiled　back　at　her。　〃Not　easy；〃　he　agreed。
　
　〃The　Mud　People；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃They　may　be　able　to　tell　us　where　to　search；　but　there　is　no　guarantee　they　will　agree　to　help　us。　The　Wilds　are　a　remote　part　of　the　Midlands；　and　the　Mud　People　are　not　used　to　dealing　with　outsiders。。　They　have　strange　customs。　They　do　not　care　about　the　problems　of　others。　They　wish　only　to　be　left　alone。〃
　
　〃If　he　succeeds；　Darken　Rahl　will　not　respect　their　wishes；〃　he　reminded　her。
　
　Kahlan　took　a　deep　breath；　letting　it　out　slowly。　〃Richard；　they　can　be　dangerous。〃
　
　〃Have　you　dealt　with　them　before？〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃A　few　times。　They　do　not　speak　our　language；　but　I　speak　theirs。〃
　
　〃Do　they　trust　you？〃
　
　Kahlan　looked　away　as　she　wrapped　her　blanket　tighter。　〃I　guess　so。〃　She　looked　up　at　him　from　under　her　eyebrows。　〃But　they　are　afraid　of　me；　and　with　the　Mud　People；　that　may　be　more　important　than　trust。〃
　
　Richard　had　to　bite　the　inside　of　his　lip　to　keep　from　asking　why　they　were　afraid　of　her。　〃How　far？〃
　
　〃I'm　not　sure　exactly　where　we　are　in　the　Wilds。　I　didn't　see　enough　to　tell　for　certain；　but　I'm　sure　they　are　no　more　than　a　week　to　the　northeast。〃
　
　〃Good　enough。　In　the　morning　we　head　northeast。〃
　
　〃When　we　get　there；　you　must　follow　my　lead；　and　if　I　tell　you　something；　you　must　pay　heed。　You　must　convince　them　to　help　you；　or　they　will　not；　sword　or　no　sword。〃　He　gave　her　a　nod。　She　took　her　hand　out　from　under　the　blanket　and　put　in　on　his　arm。　〃Richard；〃　she　whispered；　〃thank　you　for　ing　back　for　me。　I'm　sorry　for　what　it　cost　you。〃
　
　〃I　had　to…what　good　would　it　do　to　go　to　the　Midlands　without　my　guide？〃
　
　Kahlan　grinned。　〃I　will　try　to　live　up　to　your　expectations。〃
　
　He　gave　her　hand　a　squeeze　before　they　both　lay　down。　Sleep　took　him　as　he　thanked　the　good　spirits　for　protecting　her
　
　CHAPTER　22
　ZEDD'S　EYES　POPPED　OPEN。　The　aroma　of　spice　soup　was　thick　in　the　air。　Without　moving；　he　looked　cautiously　about。　Chase　lay　next　to　him；　there　were　bones　hung　on　the　walls；　and　it　was　dark　outside　the　window。　He　looked　down　at　his　body。　Bones　were　piled　upon　him。　Without　moving；　he　carefully　caused　them　to　rise　slowly　into　the　air；　then　he　silently　made　them　float　aside；　and　finally　to　set　down。　Making　no　sound；　he　rose。　He　was　in　a　house　full　of　bones；　bones　of　beasts。　He　turned　around。
　
　He　was　surprised　to　e　face…to…face　with　a　woman　just　as　she　also　turned　around。
　
　In　a　fright；　they　both　screamed　and　'threw　their　skinny　arms　into　the　air。
　
　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked；　leaning　forward；　peering　into　her　white　eyes。
　
　She　snatched　her　crutch　just　before　it　toppled　over　and　put　it　back　under　her　arm。　〃I　be　Adie；〃　she　answered　in　a　raspy　voice。　〃You　gave　me　a　scare！　You　awoke　sooner　than　I　expected。〃
　
　　Zedd　straightened　his　robes。　〃How　many　meals　have　I　missed？〃　he　demanded
　
　Scowling；　Adie　looked　him　up　and　down。　〃Too　many；　by　the　looks　of　it。〃
　
　A　grin　creased　Zedd's　cheek。　He　in　turn　eyed　Adie　from　top　to　bottom。　〃You　are　a　fine…looking　woman；〃　he　announced。　With　a　bow　he　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it　lightly；　then　stood　up　proud　and　straight；　holding　one　bony　finger　skyward。　〃Zeddicus　Zu'1　Zorander；　humbly　at　your　whim；　my　dear　lady。〃　He　leaned　forward。　〃What's　wrong　with　your　leg？〃
　
　〃Nothing。　It　be　perfectly　fine。〃
　
　〃No；　no；〃　he　said　with　a　frown；　pointing。　〃Not　that　one；　the　other。〃
　
　Adie　looked　down　at　the　missing　foot；　then　back　up　to　Zedd。　〃It　does　not　go　all　the　way　to　the　ground。　What　be　the　matter　with　your　eyes？〃
　
　〃Well；　I　hope　you　learned　your　lesson；　you　only　have　one　foot　left；　you　know。〃　Zedd's　frown　melted　back　to　a　grin。　〃And　the　problem　with　my　eyes；〃　he　said　in　his　thin　voice；　〃is　that　they　have　been　famished；　but　now　they　are　feasting。〃
　
　Adie　smiled　a　little　smile。　〃Would　you　like　a　bowl　of　soup；　wizard？〃
　
　〃I　thought　you　would　never　ask；　sorceress。〃
　
　He　followed　her　as　she　worked　her　way　across　the　room　to　the　kettle　hanging　in　the。　fireplace　and；　after　she　had　dished　out　two　bowls　of　soup；　carried　them　to　the　table。　Leaning　her　crutch　against　the　wall；　she　sat　opposite　him；　and　cut　a　thick　slice　each　of　bread　and　cheese；　pushing　them　Across　the　table　to　him。　Zedd　bent　over　and　dug　right　in；　but　stopped　after　one　swallow　of　soup　and　looked　up　at　her　white　eyes。
　
　〃Richard　made　this　soup；〃　he　said　in　an　even　voice；　the　second　spoonful　hanging　midway　between　the　bowl　and　his　mouth。
　
　Adie　tore　off　…a　piece　of　bread　and　dunked　it　in　the　soup　as　she　watched　him。　〃That　be　true。　You　be　fortunate；　mine　would　not　be　this　good。〃
　
　Zedd　looked　around　as　he　put　the　spoon　down　in　the　bowl。　〃And　where　is　he？〃
　
　Adie　took　a　bite　of　the　bread　and　chewed；　watching　Zedd。　When　she　had　swallowed；　she　answered。　〃He　and　the　Mother　Confessor　have　gone　through　the　pass；　to　the　Midlands。　Although　he　knows　her　only　as　Kahlan；　she　still　hides　her'　identity　from　him。〃　She　went　on　to　tell　the　wizard　the　story　of　how　Richard　and　Kahlan　had　e　to　her；　seeking　her　help　for　their　stricken　friends。
　
　Zedd　picked　up　the　cheese　in　one　hand；　the　bread　in　the　other；　taking　alternating　bites　as　he　listened　to　Adie's　tale；　wincing　at　hearing　that　he　had　been　sustained　on　gruel。
　
　〃He　told　me　to　tell　you　he　could　not　wait　for　you；〃　she　said；　〃but　that　he　knew　you　would　understand。　The　Seeker　gave　me　instructions　to　pass　on　to　Chase；　for　him　to　return　and　make　preparations　for　when　the　boundary　fails；　for　the　ing　of　Rahl's　forces。　He　was　sorry　he　did　not　know　what　your　plan　be；　but　feared　he　could　not　wait。〃
　
　〃Just　as　well；〃　the　wizard　said　under　his　breath。　〃My　plan　does　not　include　him。〃
　
　Zedd　went　back　to　eating　in　earnest。　When　he　had　finished　the　soup；　he　went　to　the　kettle　and　helped　himself　to　another　bowlful。　He　offered　to　get　Adie　more；　but　she　was　not　yet　finished　with　her　first；　since　she　had　spent　most　of　the　time　with　her　eyes　on　the　wizard。　As　he　sat　back　down；　she　pushed　more　bread　and　cheese　at　him。
　
　〃Richard　keeps　a　secret　from　you；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃If　it　were　not　for　this　business　with　Rahl；　I　would　not　speak　of　it；　but　I　thought　you　should　know。〃
　
　The　light　from　the　lamp　lit　his　thin　face　and　white　hair；　making　him　look　stark　and　all　the　more　thin　in　the　sharp　shadows。　He　picked　up　his　spoon；　looked　down　at　the　soup　a　moment；　then　back　up　at　her　face。
　
　〃As　you　well　know；　we　all　have　secrets；　wizards　more　than　most。　If　we　all　knew　each　other's　secrets；　it　would　prove　a　very　strange　world。　Besides；　it　would　take　all　the　fun　out　of　the　telling　of　them。〃　His　thin　lips　widened　in　a　smile；　his　eyes　sparkled。　〃But　I　fear　no　secret　of　a　person　I　trust；　and　he　has　no　need　to　fear　mine。　It　is　part　of　being　friends。〃
　
　Adie　leaned　back　in　her　chair；　her　blank　white　eyes　stared　at　him；　her　small　smile　came　back。　〃For　his　sake；　I　hope　you　be　right　in　your　trust。　I　would　not　want　to　give　a　wizard　cause　to　be　angry。〃
　
　Zedd　shrugged。　〃As　wizards　go；　I'm　pretty　harmless。〃
　
　She　studied　his　eyes　in　the　lamplight
　
　〃That　be　a　lie；〃　the　sorceress　whispered　in　a　low　rasp。
　
　Zedd　cleared　his　throat；　and　thought　to　change　the　subject。　〃It　would　seem　I　owe　you　thanks　for　tending　to　me；　dear　lady。〃
　
　〃That　be　true。〃
　
　〃And　for　helping　Richard　and　Kahlan〃…he　looked　over　to　Chase；　pointing　with　his　spoon…〃and　the　boundary　warden　too。　I　am　in　your　debt。〃
　
　Adie's　smile　widened。　〃Perhaps；　someday　you　can　return　the　favor。〃
　
　Zedd　pushed　up　the　sleeves　of　his　robes　and　went　back　to　eating　the　soup；　but　not　quite　as　voraciously　as　before。　He　and　the　sorceress　watched　each　other。　The　fire　in　the　hearth　crackled；　and　outside　night　bugs　chirped。　Chase　slept　on。
　
　〃How　long　have　they　been　gone？〃　Zedd　asked　at