bl.necroscope2-第9部分

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　The　Wallach　had　told　his　men　to　speak　to　no　one；　but　as　they　put　away　their　gear；　ate　and　drank；　spoke　in　muffled　tones　to　each　other；　he　himself　shared　a　jug　of　brandy　with　his　host。　〃Who　are　you？〃　that　gnarled　old　man　asked　him。
　〃Do　you　ask　what　I　have　been　and　where　I　have　been？〃　Thibor　answered。　〃That's　easier　to　tell　than　who　I　am。〃
　〃Tell　it　then；　if　you　feel　like　talking。〃
　Thibor　smiled　and　sipped　brandy。　〃I　was　a　young　boy　under　the　Carpatii。　My　father　was　an　Ungar　who　wandered　into　the　borders　of　the　southern　steppe　to　farm…him　and　his　brothers　and　kin　and　their　families。　I'll　be　brief：　came　the　Pechenegi；　all　was　uprooted；　our　settlement　destroyed。　Since　then　I've　wandered；　fought　the　barbarian　for　payment　and　what　little　I　could　find　on　his　body；　done　what　I　could　where　and　whenever。　Now　I'll　be　a　trapper。　I've　seen　the　mountains；　the　steppe；　the　forests。　Farming's　a　hard　life　and　blood…letting　makes　a　man　bitter。　But　in　the　towns　and　cities　there's　money　to　be　had　from　furs。　You've　roamed　a　bit　yourself；　I'll　vow？〃
　〃Here　and　there；〃　the　other　shrugged；　nodded。　He　was　swarthy　as　smoke…grimed　leather；　wrinkled　as　a　walnut　from　extremes　of　weather；　lean　as　a　wolf。　Not　young　by　any　standards；　still　his　hair　was　shiny　black；　his　eyes　too；　and　he　seemed　to　have　all　of　his　teeth。　But　he　moved　his　limbs　carefully　and　his　hands　were　very　crooked。　〃I'd　be　doing　it　still　if　my　bones　hadn't　started　to　seize　up。　We　had　a　cart　of　two　wheels　wrapped　in　leather；　which　we'd　break　down　and　carry　when　the　way　was　rough。　Upon　the　cart　we　took　our　house　and　goods　along　with　us：　a　big　tent　with　rooms；　and　cooking　pots；　and　tools。　We　were…we　are…Szgany；　gypsies；　and　became　Szgany　Ferengi　when　I　built　this　place　here。〃　He　craned　his　neck　and　looked　up；　wide…eyed；　at　one　interior　wall　of　the　house。　It　was　a　look　half　respectful；　half　fearful。　There　was　no　window　but　the　Wallach　knew　that　the　old　man　stared　up　at　the　mountain　peaks。
　〃Szgany　Ferengi？〃　Thibor　repeated。　〃You　ally　yourself　to　the　Boyar　Ferenczy　in　his　castle；　then？〃
　The　old　gypsy　lowered　his　eyes　from　the　unseen　heights；　drew　back　a　little；　took　on　a　suspicious　look。　Thibor　quickly　poured　him　more　of　his　own　brandy。　The　other　remained　silent　and　the　Wallach　shrugged。　〃No　matter；　it's　just　that　I've　heard　good　things　of　him；〃　he　lied。　〃My　father　knew　him；　once。。。〃
　〃Indeed！〃　the　old　man's　eyes　widened。
　Thibor　nodded。　〃One　cold　winter；　the　Ferenczy　gave　him　shelter　in　his　castle。　My　father　told　me；　if　ever　I　passed　this　way；　I　should　go　up　and　remind　the　Boyar　of　that　time；　and　thank　him　on　behalf　of　my　father。〃
　The　old　man　stared　at　Thibor　for　long　moments。　〃So；　you've　heard　good　things　of　our　master；　have　you？　From　your　father；　eh？　And　you　were　born　under　the　mountains。。。〃
　〃Is　something　strange？〃　Thibor　raised　a　dark　eyebrow。
　The　other　looked　him　up　and　down。　〃You're　a　big　man；〃　he　said；　grudgingly；　〃and　strong；　I　can　tell。　Also；　you　look　fierce。　A　Wallach；　eh；　whose　fathers　were　Ungars？　Well；　perhaps　you　are；　perhaps　you　are。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　am　what？〃
　〃It's　said；〃　the　gypsy　whispered；　drawing　closer；　〃that　the　old　Ferengi's　true　sons　always　e　home　to　roost。　In　the　end　they　e　here；　seek　him　out…seek　out　their　father！　Would　you　climb　up　to　see　him？〃
　Thibor　put　on　a　look　of　indecision。　He　shrugged。　〃I　might；　if　I　knew　the　way。　But　these　cliffs　and　passes　are　treacherous。〃
　〃I　know　the　way。〃
　〃You've　been　there？〃　Thibor　tried　not　to　seem　too　eager。
　The　old　man　nodded。　〃Oh；　yes；　and　I　could　take　you。　But　would　you　go　alone？　The　Ferengi's　not　one　for　too　many　visitors。〃
　Thibor　appeared　to　give　it　some　little　thought。　〃I'd　want　to　take　two　of　my　friends；　at　least。　In　case　the　way　gets　rough。〃
　〃Huh！　If　these　old　bones　can　make　it；　surely　yours　can！　Just　two　of　them？〃
　〃For　assistance　in　the　steep　places。〃
　Thibor's　host　pursed　his　lips。　〃It　would　cost　you　a　little　something。　My　time　and。。。〃
　That's　understood；〃　the　Wallach　stopped　him。
　The　gypsy　scratched　his　ear。　〃What　do　you　know　of　the　old　Ferengi？　What　have　you　heard　of　him？〃
　Thibor　saw　a　chance　for　knowledge。　Getting　information　out　of　people　such　as　these　was　like　drawing　the　teeth　of　a　bear！　〃I've　heard　he　has　a　great　pany　of　men　garrisoned　with　him；　and　that　his　castle　is　a　fastness　impenetrable。　Because　of　this　he　swears　no　fealty；　pays　no　taxes　on　his　lands；　for　none　may　collect　it。〃
　〃Hah！　The　old　gypsy　laughed　out　loud；　thumped　the　bar；　poured　more　brandy。　〃A　pany　of　men？　Retainers？
　Serfs？　He　has　none！　A　woman　or　two；　perhaps；　but　no　men。　Only　the　wolves　guard　those　passes。　As　for　his　castle：　it　hugs　the　cliff。　One　way　in…for　mere　men…and　the　same　way　out。　Unless　some　unwary　fool　leans　too　far　from　a　window。。。〃
　As　he　paused　his　eyes　because　suspicious　again。　〃And　did　your　father　tell　you　that　the　Ferengi　had　men？〃
　Thibor's　father　had　told　him　nothing；　of　course。　Nor　had　the　Vlad；　for　that　matter。　What　little　he　knew　was　superstitious　twaddle　he'd　had　from　a　fellow　at　court；　a　foolish　man　who　didn't　much　care　for　the　prince　and　who　in　turn　was　little　cared　for。　Thibor　had　no　time　for　ghosts：　he　knew　how　many　men　he'd　killed；　and　not　a　man　of　them　had　e　back　to　haunt　him。
　He　decided　to　take　a　chance。　He'd　already　learned　much　of　what　he　wanted　to　know。　〃My　father　said　only　that　the　way　was　steep；　and　that　when　he　was　there；　many　men　were　camped　in　and　about　the　castle。〃
　The　old　man　stared　at　him；　slowly　nodded。　〃It　could　be；　it　could　be。　The　Szgany　have　often　wintered　with　him。〃　He　came　to　a　decision。　〃Very　well；　I　will　take　you　up…if　he　will　see　you。〃　He　laughed　at　Thibor's　raised　eyebrows；　led　him　out　of　the　house　into　the　quiet　of　the　afternoon。　On　their　way　the　gypsy　took　a　huge　bronze　frying　pan　from　its　peg。
　A　weak　sun　was　poised；　preparing　itself　for　setting　over　the　grey　peaks。　The　mountains　brought　an　early　twilight　here；　where　already　the　birds　were　singing　their　evening　songs。　〃We　are　in　time；〃　the　old　man　nodded。　〃And　now　we　must　hope　that　we　are　seen。〃
　He　pointed　steeply　upwards　at　the　looming　mountains；　to　where　a　high；　jagged　black　crest　etched　itself　against　the　grey　of　the　ultimate　peaks。　〃You　see　there；　where　the　darkness　is　deepest？〃
　Thibor　nodded。
　That's　the　castle。　Now　watch。〃　He　polished　the　bottom　of　the　pan　on　his　sleeve；　then　turned　it　towards　the　sun。　Catching　the　weak　rays；　he　threw　them　back　into　the　mountains　and　traced　a　line　of　gold　up　the　crags。　Fainter　and　fainter　the　disc　of　light　flickered　with　distance；　jumping　from　scree　to　flat　rock　face；　from　fangs　to　fir　clump；　from　trees　back　to　crumbling　shale　as　it　climbed　ever　higher。　And　finally　it　seemed　to　Thibor　that　the　ray　was　answered；　for　when　at　last　the　gypsy　held　the　pan　stiffly　in　his　gnarled　hands；　suddenly　that　dark；　angular　outcrop　he'd　pointed　out　seemed　to　burst　into　golden　fire！　The　lance　of　light　was　so　sudden；　so　blinding；　that　the　Wallach　threw　up　his　hands　before　his　eyes　and　peered　through　the　bars　of　his　fingers。
　〃Is　that　him？〃　he　gasped。　〃Is　it　the　Boyar　himself　who　answers？〃
　〃The　old　Ferengi？〃　The　gypsy　laughed　uproariously。　Carefully　he　propped　up　the　pan　on　a　flat　rock；　and　still　the　beam　of　light　glanced　down　from　on　high。　〃No；　not　him。　The　sun's　no　friend　of　his。　Nor　any　mirror；　for　that　matter！〃　He　laughed　again；　and　then　explained。　〃It's　a　mirror；　burnished　bright；　one　of　several　which　sit　above　the　rear　wall　of　the　keep　where　it　meets　the　cliff。　Now；　if　our　signal　is　seen；　someone　will　cover　the　mirror…which　merely　shoots　back　our　beam…and　the　light　will　be　snuffed　out。　Not　gradually；　as　by　the　sun's　slow　descent；　but　all　at　once…like　that！〃
　Like　a　candle　snuffed；　the　beam　blinked　out；　leaving　Thibor　almost　staggering　in　what　seemed　a　preternatural　gloom。　He　steadied　himself。　〃So；　it　would　seem　you've　established　contact；〃　he　said。　〃Plainly　the　Boyar　has　seen　that　you　have　something　to　convey；　but　how　will　he　know　what　it　is？〃
　〃He　will　know；〃　said　the　gypsy。　He　grasped　Thibor'sarm；staredup　into　the　high　passes。A　glaze　came　suddenly　over　the　old　man's　eyes　and　he　swayed。　Thibor　held　him　up。　And：
　〃There；　now　he　knows；〃　the　old　man　whispered。　The　film　went　from　his　wide　eyes。
　〃What？〃　Thibor　was　puzzled；　he　felt　troubled。　The　Szgany　were　queer　folk　with　little…understood　powers。　〃What　do　you　mean　when　you　say…〃
　〃And　now　he　will　answer　〃yes〃…or　〃no〃；〃　the　gypsy　cut　him　off。　Even　as　he　finished　speaking　there　came　a　single；　searing　beam　of　light　from　the　high　castle；　which　in　the　next　moment　died　away。
　〃Ah！〃　the　old　gypsy　sighed。　〃And　his　answer　is　〃yes〃；　he　will　see　you。〃
　〃When？〃　Thibor　accepted　the　strangeness　of　it；　fought　down　the　eagerness　in　his　voice。
　〃Now。　We　set　off　at　once。　The　mountains　are　dangerous　at　night；　but　he'll　have　it　no　other　way。　Are　you　still　game？〃
　〃I'll　not　disappoint　him；　now　that　he's　invited　me；〃　said　Thibor。
　〃Very　well。　But　wrap　yourself　well；　Wallach。　It　gets　cold　up　there。〃　The　old　man　fixed　him　with　a　brief；　bright；　penetrating　stare。　〃Aye；　cold　as　death。。。〃
　Thibor　chose　a　pair　of　burly　Wallachs　to　acpany　him。　Most　of　his　men　were　out　of　his　old　homeland；　but　he'd　personally　stood　alongside　these　two　in　his　war　with　the　Pechenegi；　and　he　knew　they　were　fierce　fighters。　He