rh.theassassinsapprentice-第19部分

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hard　of　hearing　and　what　she　was　cooking　at　the　time。　My　shyness　and　reticence　were　never　accounted　a　good　enough　excuse　for　failing　to　execute　such　an　assignment；　and　so　I　found　myself　meeting　and　ing　to　know　a　good　many　of　the　lesser　folk　of　the　keep。　Even　though　my　questions　were　inspired　by　Chade；　every　one　of　them　weled　my　interest　and　was　more　than　willing　to　share　expertise。　Without　intending　it；　I　began　to　gather　a　reputation　as　a　〃sharp　youngster〃　and　a　〃good　lad。〃　Years　later　I　realized　that　the　lesson　was　not　just　a　memory　exercise　but　also　instruction　in　how　to　befriend　the　moner　folk；　and　to　learn　their　minds。　Many's　the　time　since　then　that　a　smile；　a　pliment　on　how　well　my　horse　had　been　cared　for；　and　a　quick　question　put　to　a　stable　boy　brought　me　information　that　all　the　coin　in　the　kingdom　couldn't　have　bribed　out　of　him。
　　　　　　　Other　games　built　my　nerve　as　well　as　my　powers　of　observation。　One　day　Chade　showed　me　a　skein　of　yarn　and　told　me　that；　without　asking　Mistress　Hasty；　I　must　find　out　exactly　where　she　kept　the　supply　of　yarn　that　matched　it　and　what　herbs　had　been　used　in　the　dyeing　of　it。　Three　days　later　I　was　told　I　must　spirit　away　her　best　shears；　conceal　them　behind　a　certain　rack　of　wines　in　the　wine　cellar　for　three　hours；　and　then　return　them　to　where　they　had　been；　all　undetected　by　her　or　anyone　else。　Such　exercises　initially　appealed　to　a　boy's　natural　love　of　mischief；　and　I　seldom　failed　at　them。　When　I　did；　the　consequences　were　my　own　lookout。　Chade　had　warned　me　that　he　would　not　shield　me　from　anybody's　wrath　and　suggested　that　I　have　a　worthy　tale　ready　to　explain　away　being　where　I　should　not　be　or　possessing　that　which　I　had　no　business　possessing。
　　　　　　　I　learned　to　lie　very　well。　I　do　not　think　it　was　taught　me　accidentally。
　　　　　　　These　were　the　lessons　in　my　assassin's　primer。　And　more。　Sleight　of　hand　and　the　art　of　moving　stealthily。　Where　to　strike　a　man　to　render　him　unconscious。　Where　to　strike　a　man　so　that　he　dies　without　crying　out。　Where　to　stab　a　man　so　that　he　dies　without　too　much　blood　welling　out。　I　learned　it　all　rapidly　and　well；　thriving　under　Chade's　approval　of　my　quick　mind。
　　　　　　　Soon　he　began　to　use　me　for　small　jobs　about　the　keep。　He　never　told　me；　ahead　of　time；　if　they　were　tests　of　my　skill；　or　actual　tasks　he　wished　acplished。　To　me　it　made　no　difference；　I　pursued　them　all　with　a　single…minded　devotion　to　Chade　and　anything　he　manded。　In　spring　of　that　year　I　treated　the　wine　cups　of　a　visiting　delegation　from　the　Bingtown　traders　so　that　they　became　much　more　intoxicated　than　they　had　intended。　Later　that　same　month　I　concealed　one　puppet　from　a　visiting　puppeteer's　troupe　so　that　he　had　to　present　the　Incidence　of　the　Matching　Cups；　a　lighthearted　little　folktale；　instead　of　the　lengthy　historical　drama　he　had　planned　for　the　evening。　At　the　High…Summer　Feast　I　added　a　certain　herb　to　a　serving　girl's　afternoon　pot　of　tea　so　that　she　and　three　of　her　friends　were　stricken　with　loose　bowels　and　could　not　wait　the　tables　that　night。　In　fall　I　tied　a　thread　around　the　fetlock　of　a　visiting　noble's　horse；　to　give　the　animal　a　temporary　limp　that　convinced　the　noble　to　remain　at　Buckkeep　two　days　longer　than　he　had　planned。　I　never　knew　the　underlying　reasons　for　the　tasks　Chade　set　me。　At　that　age；　I　set　my　mind　to　how　I　would　do　a　thing　rather　than　why。　And　that；　too；　was　a　thing　that　I　believe　it　was　intended　I　learn：　to　obey　without　asking　why　an　order　was　given。
　　　　　　　There　was　one　task　that　absolutely　delighted　me。　Even　at　the　time　I　knew　that　the　assignment　was　more　than　a　whim　of　Chade's。　He　summoned　me　for　it　in　the　last　bit　of　dark　before　dawn。　〃Lord　Jessup　and　his　lady　have　been　visiting　this　last　two　weeks。　You　know　them　by　sight；　he　has　a　very　long　mustache；　and　she　constantly　fusses　with　her　hair；　even　at　the　table。　You　know　who　I　mean？〃
　　　　　　　I　frowned。　A　number　of　nobles　had　gathered　at　Buckkeep　to　form　a　council　to　discuss　the　increase　in　raids　from　the　Outislanders。　I　gathered　that　the　Coastal　Duchies　wanted　more　warships；　but　the　Inland　Duchies　opposed　sharing　the　taxes　for　what　they　saw　as　a　purely　coastal　problem。　Lord　Jessup　and　Lady　Dahlia　were　inlanders。　Jessup　and　his　mustaches　both　seemed　to　have　fitful　temperaments　and　to　be　constantly　impassioned。　Lady　Dahlia；　on　the　other　hand；　seemed　to　take　no　interest　at　all　in　the　council；　but　spent　most　of　her　time　exploring　Buckkeep。
　　　　　　　〃She　wears　flowers　in　her　hair　all　the　time？　They　keep　falling　out？〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　the　one；〃　Chade　replied　emphatically。　〃Good。　You　know　her。　Now；　here's　your　task；　and　I've　no　time　to　plan　it　with　you。　Sometime　today；　at　any　moment　today；　she　will　send　a　page　to　Prince　Regal's　room。　The　page　will　deliver　something　…　a　note；　a　flower；　an　object　of　some　kind。　You　will　remove　the　object　from　Regal's　room　before　he　sees　it。　You　understand？〃
　　　　　　　I　nodded　and　opened　my　mouth　to　say　something；　but　Chade　stood　abruptly　and　almost　chased　me　from　the　room。　〃No　time；　it　is　nearly　dawn！〃　he　declared。
　　　　　　　I　contrived　to　be　in　Regal's　room；　in　hiding；　when　the　page　arrived。　From　the　way　the　girl　slipped　in；　I　was　convinced　this　was　not　her　first　mission。　She　set　a　tiny　scroll　and　a　flower　bud　on　Regal's　pillow　and　slipped　out　of　the　room。　In　a　moment　both　were　in　my　jerkin；　and　later　under　my　own　pillow。　I　think　the　most　difficult　part　of　the　task　was　refraining　from　opening　the　scroll。　I　turned　scroll　and　flower　over　to　Chade　late　that　night。
　　　　　　　Over　the　next　few　days　I　waited；　certain　there　would　be　some　sort　of　furor　and　hoping　to　see　Regal　thoroughly　disfited。　But　to　my　surprise；　there　was　none。　Regal　remained　his　usual　self；　save　that　he　was　even　sharper　than　usual；　and　seemed　to　flirt　even　more　outrageously　with　every　lady。　As　for　Lady　Dahlia；　she　suddenly　took　an　interest　in　the　council　proceedings　and　confounded　her　husband　by　being　an　ardent　supporter　of　warship　taxes。　The　Queen　expressed　her　displeasure　over　this　change　of　alliance　by　excluding　Lady　Dahlia　from　a　wine　tasting　in　her　chambers。　The　whole　thing　mystified　me；　but　when　I　at　last　mentioned　it　to　Chade；　he　rebuked　me。
　　　　　　　〃Remember；　you　are　the　King's　man。　A　task　is　given　you；　and　you　do　it。　And　you　should　be　well　satisfied　with　yourself　that　you　pleted　the　given　task：　That　is　all　you　need　to　know。　Only　Shrewd　may　plan　the　moves　and　plot　his　game。　You　and　I；　we　are　playing　pieces；　perhaps。　But　we　are　the　best　of　his　markers；　be　assured　of　that。〃
　　　　　　　But　early　on；　Chade　found　the　limits　of　my　obedience。　In　taming　the　horse；　he　had　suggested　I　cut　the　frog　of　the　animal's　foot。　I　never　even　considered　doing　that。　I　informed　him；　with　all　the　worldly　wisdom　of　one　who　has　grown　up　around　horses；　that　there　were　many　ways　to　make　a　horse　limp　without　actually　harming　him；　and　that　he　should　trust　me　to　choose　an　appropriate　one。　To　this　day；　I　do　not　know　how　Chade　felt　about　my　refusal。　He　said　nothing　at　the　time　to　condemn　it；　or　to　suggest　he　approved　my　actions。　In　this　as　in　many　things；　he　kept　his　own　counsel。
　　　　　　　Once　every　three　months　or　so　King　Shrewd　would　summon　me　to　his　chambers。　Usually　the　call　for　me　came　in　the　very　early　morning。　I　would　stand　before　him；　oftentimes　while　he　was　in　his　bath；　or　having　his　hair　bound　back　in　the　gold…wired　queue　that　only　the　King　could　wear；　or　while　his　man　was　laying　out　his　clothes。　Always　the　ritual　was　the　same。　He　would　look　me　over　carefully；　studying　my　growth　and　grooming　as　if　I　were　a　horse　he　was　considering　buying。　He　would　ask　a　question　or　two；　about　my　horsemanship　or　weapons　study　usually；　and　listen　gravely　to　my　brief　answer。　And　then　he　would　ask；　almost　formally；　〃And　do　you　feel　I　am　keeping　my　bargain　with　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃Sir；　I　do；〃　I　would　always　answer。
　　　　　　　〃Then　see　that　you　keep　your　end　of　it　as　well；〃　was　always　his　reply　and　my　dismissal。　And　whatever　servant　attending　him　or　opening　the　door　for　me　to　enter　or　leave　never　appeared　to　take　the　slightest　notice　of　me　or　of　the　King's　words　at　all。
　　　　　　　e　late　fall　of　that　year；　on　the　very　cusp　of　winter's　tooth；　I　was　given　my　most　difficult　assignment。　Chade　had　summoned　me　up　to　his　chambers　almost　as　soon　as　I　had　blown　out　my　night　candle。　We　were　sharing　sweetmeats　and　a　bit　of　spiced　wine；　sitting　in　front　of　Chade's　hearth。　He　had　been　lavishly　praising　my　latest　escapade；　one　that　required　me　turning　inside　out　every　shirt　hung　to　dry　on　the　laundry　courtyard's　drying　lines　without　getting　caught。　It　had　been　a　difficult　task；　the　hardest　part　of　which　had　been　to　refrain　from　laughing　aloud　and　betraying　my　hiding　place　within　a　dyeing　vat　when　two　of　the　younger　laundry　lads　had　declared　my　prank　the　work　of　water　sprites　and　refused　to　do　any　more　washing　that　day。　Chade；　as　usual；　knew　of　the　whole　scenario　even　before　I　reported　to　him。　He　delighted　me　by　letting　me　know　that　Master　Lew　of　the　launderers　had　decreed　that　Sinjon's　wort　was　to　be　hung　at　every　corner　of　the　courtyard　and　garlanded　about　every　well　to　ward　off　sprites　from　tomorrow's　work。
　　　　　　　〃You've　a　gift　for　this；　boy。〃　Chade　chuckled　and　tousled　my　hair。　〃I　almost　think　there's　no　task　I　could　set　you　that　you　couldn't　do。〃
　　　　　　　He　was