rh.theassassinsapprentice-第28部分

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w　villages；　and　would…be　raiders　would　have　a　hard　time　keeping　their　ships　off　the　rocks　while　raiding。　His　southern　coast　was　seldom　bothered。　Watch　Island　itself　was　home　to　little　more　than　gulls；　goats；　and　a　hefty　population　of　clams。　Yet　the　tower　there　was　critical　to　the　early　defense　of　Southcove　in　Shoaks　Duchy。　It　manded　views　of　both　the　inner　and　outer　channels；　and　was　placed　on　a　natural　summit　that　allowed　its　beacon　fires　to　be　easily　seen　from　the　mainland。　Shemshy　himself　had　a　watchtower　on　Egg　Island；　but　Egg　was　little　more　than　a　bit　of　sand　that　stuck　up　above　the　waves　on　high　tide。　It　manded　no　real　view　of　the　water；　and　was　constantly　in　need　of　repair　from　the　shifting　of　the　sands　and　the　occasional　storm　tide　that　overwhelmed　it。　But　it　could　see　a　watch…fire　warning　light　from　Watch　Island　and　send　the　message　on。　As　long　as　Watch　Island　Tower　lit　such　a　fire。
　　　　　　　Traditionally；　the　fishing　grounds　and　clamming　beaches　of　Watch　Island　were　the　territory　of　Rippon　Duchy；　and　so　the　manning　of　the　watchtower　there　had　fallen　to　Rippon　Duchy　as　well。　But　maintaining　a　garrison　there　meant　bringing　in　men　and　their　victuals；　and　also　supplying　wood　and　oil　for　the　beacon　fires；　and　maintaining　the　tower　itself　from　the　savage　ocean　storms　that　swept　across　the　barren　little　island。　It　was　an　unpopular　duty　station　for　men…at…arms；　and　rumor　had　it　that　to　be　stationed　there　was　a　subtle　form　of　punishment　for　unruly　or　unpolitical　garrisons。　More　than　once　when　in　his　cups；　Kelvar　had　declaimed　that　if　manning　the　tower　was　so　important　to　Shoaks　Duchy；　then　Lord　Shemshy　should　do　it　himself。　Not　that　Rippon　Duchy　was　interested　in　surrendering　the　fishing　grounds　off　the　island　or　the　rich　shellfish　beds。
　　　　　　　So　when　Shoaks's　villages　were　raided；　without　warning；　in　an　early　spring　spree　that　destroyed　all　hopes　of　the　fields　being　planted　on　time；　as　well　as　saw　most　of　the　pregnant　sheep　either　slaughtered；　stolen；　or　scattered；　Lord　Shemshy　had　protested　loudly　to　the　King　that　Kelvar　had　been　lax　in　manning　his　towers。　Kelvar　denied　it；　and　asserted　that　the　small　force　he　had　installed　there　was　suitable　for　a　location　that　seldom　needed　to　be　defended。　〃Watchers；　not　soldiers；　are　what　Watch　Island　Tower　requires；〃　he　had　declared。　And　for　that　purpose；　he　had　recruited　a　number　of　elderly　men　and　women　to　man　the　tower。　A　handful　of　them　had　been　soldiers；　but　most　were　refugees　from　Neatbay；　debtors　and　pickpockets　and　aging　whores；　some　declared；　while　supporters　of　Kelvar　asserted　they　were　but　elderly　citizens　in　need　of　secure　employment。
　　　　　　　All　this　I　knew　better　from　tavern　gossip　and　Chade's　political　lectures　than　Burrich　could　imagine。　But　I　bit　my　tongue　and　sat　through　his　detailed　and　strained　explanation。　Not　for　the　first　time　I　realized　he　considered　me　slightly　slow。　My　silences　he　mistook　for　a　lack　of　wit　rather　than　a　lack　of　any　need　to　speak。
　　　　　　　So　now；　laboriously；　Burrich　began　to　instruct　me　in　the　manners　that；　he　told　me；　most　other　boys　picked　up　simply　by　being　around　their　elders。　I　was　to　greet　people　when　I　first　encountered　them　each　day；　or　if　I　walked　into　a　room　and　found　it　occupied；　melting　silently　away　was　not　polite。　I　should　call　folk　by　their　names；　and　if　they　were　older　than　me　or　of　higher　political　station；　as；　he　reminded　me；　almost　anyone　I　met　on　this　journey　would　be；　I　should　address　them　by　title　as　well。　Then　he　inundated　me　with　protocol；　who　could　precede　me　out　of　a　room；　and　under　what　circumstances　（almost　anyone；　and　under　almost　all　conditions；　had　precedent　over　me）。　And　on　to　the　manners　of　the　table。　To　pay　attention　to　where　I　was　seated；　to　pay　attention　to　whoever　occupied　the　high　seat　at　that　table　and　pace　my　dining　accordingly；　how　to　drink　a　toast；　or　a　series　of　toasts；　without　overindulging　myself。　And　how　to　speak　engagingly；　or　more　likely；　to　listen　attentively；　to　whoever　might　be　seated　near　me　at　dinner。　And　on。　And　on。　Until　I　began　to　daydream　wistfully　of　endlessly　cleaning　tack。
　　　　　　　Burrich　recalled　my　attention　with　a　sharp　poke。　〃And　you're　not　to　do　that；　either。　You　look　an　imbecile；　sitting　there　nodding　with　your　mind　elsewhere。　Don't　fancy　no　one　notices　when　you　do　that。　And　don't　glare　like　that　when　you're　corrected。　Sit　up　straight；　and　put　a　pleasant　expression　on　your　face。　Not　a　vacuous　smile；　you　dolt。　Ah；　Fitz；　what　am　I　to　do　with　you？　How　can　I　protect　you　when　you　invite　troubles　on　yourself？　And　why　do　they　want　to　take　you　off　like　this　anyway？〃
　　　　　　　The　last　two　questions；　put　to　himself；　betrayed　his　real　concern。　Perhaps　I　was　a　trifle　stupid　not　to　have　seen　it。　He　wasn't　going。　I　was。　For　no　good　reason　that　he　could　discern。　Burrich　had　lived　long　enough　near　court　to　be　very　cautious。　For　the　first　time　since　he　had　been　entrusted　with　my　care；　I　was　being　removed　from　his　watchfulness。　It　had　not　been　so　long　since　my　father　had　been　buried。　And　so　he　wondered；　though　he　didn't　dare　say；　whether　I　would　be　ing　back　or　if　someone　was　making　the　opportunity　to　quietly　dispose　of　me。　I　realized　what　a　blow　to　his　pride　and　reputation　it　would　be　if　I　were　to　be　〃vanished。〃　So　I　sighed；　and　then　carefully　mented　that　perhaps　they　wanted　an　extra　hand　with　the　horses　and　dogs。　Verity　went　nowhere　without　Leon；　his　wolfhound。　Only　two　days　before　he　had　plimented　me　on　how　well　I　managed　him。　This　I　repeated　to　Burrich；　and　it　was　gratifying　to　see　how　well　this　small　subterfuge　worked。　Relief　flooded　his　face；　then　pride　that　he　had　taught　me　well。　The　topic　instantly　shifted　from　manners　to　the　correct　care　of　the　wolfhound。　If　the　lectures　on　manners　had　wearied　me；　the　repetition　of　hound　lore　was　almost　painfully　tedious。　When　he　released　me　to　go　to　my　other　lessons；　I　left　with　winged　feet。
　　　　　　　I　went　through　the　rest　of　the　day　in　a　distracted　haze　that　had　Hod　threatening　me　with　a　good　whipping　if　I　didn't　attend　to　what　I　was　doing。　Then　she　shook　her　head　over　me；　sighed；　and　told　me　to　run　along　and　e　back　when　I　had　a　mind　again。　I　was　only　too　happy　to　obey　her。　The　thought　of　actually　leaving　Buckkeep　and　journeying；　journeying　all　the　way　to　Neatbay　was　all　I　could　fit　inside　my　head。　I　knew　I　should　wonder　why　I　was　going；　but　felt　sure　Chade　would　advise　me　soon。　Would　we　go　by　land　or　by　sea？　I　wished　I　had　asked　Burrich。　The　roads　to　Neatbay　were　not　the　best；　I'd　heard；　but　I　wouldn't　mind。　Sooty　and　I　had　never　been　on　a　long　journey　together。　But　a　sea　trip；　on　a　real　ship　。。。
　　　　　　　I　took　the　long　way　back　to　the　keep；　up　a　path　that　went　through　a　lightly　wooded　bit　of　rocky　hillside。　Paper　birches　struggled　there；　and　a　few　alder；　but　mostly　it　was　nondescript　brush。　Sunlight　and　a　light　breeze　were　playing　together　in　the　higher　branches；　giving　the　day　a　fey　and　dappled　air。　I　lifted　my　eyes　to　the　dazzle　of　sun　through　the　birch　leaves；　and　when　I　looked　down；　the　King's　fool　stood　before　me。
　　　　　　　I　stopped　in　my　tracks；　astonished。　Reflexively；　I　looked　for　the　King；　despite　how　ridiculous　it　would　have　been　to　find　him　here。　But　the　Fool　was　alone。　And　outside；　in　the　daylight！　The　thought　made　the　hair　on　my　arms　and　neck　stand　up　in　my　tightened　skin。　It　was　mon　knowledge　in　the　keep　that　the　King's　fool　could　not　abide　the　light　of　day。　mon　knowledge。　Yet；　despite　what　every　page　and　kitchen　maid　nattered　knowingly；　there　stood　the　Fool；　pale　hair　floating　in　the　light　breeze。　The　blue　and　red　silk　of　his　motley　jacket　and　trousers　was　startlingly　bright　against　his　paleness。　But　his　eyes　were　not　as　colorless　as　they　were　in　the　dim　passages　of　the　keep。　As　I　received　their　stare　from　only　a　few　feet　away　in　the　light　of　day；　I　perceived　there　was　a　blueness　to　them；　very　pale；　as　if　a　single　drop　of　pale　blue　wax　had　fallen　onto　a　white　platter。　The　whiteness　of　his　skin　was　an　illusion　also；　for　out　here　in　the　dappling　sunlight　I　could　see　a　pinkness　suffused　him　from　within。　Blood；　I　realized　with　a　sudden　quailing。　Red　blood　showing　through　layers　of　skin。
　　　　　　　The　Fool　took　no　notice　of　my　whispered　ment。　Instead；　a　finger　was　held　aloft；　as　if　to　pause　not　only　my　thoughts　but　the　very　day　around　us。　But　I　could　not　have　focused　my　attention　more　pletely　on　anything；　and　when　he　was　satisfied　of　this；　the　Fool　smiled；　showing　small　white　separate　teeth；　like　a　baby's　new　smile　in　a　boy's　mouth。
　　　　　　　〃Fitz！〃　he　intoned　in　a　piping　voice。　〃Fitz　fitz　fice　fitz。　Fatz　sfitz。〃　He　stopped　abruptly；　and　again　gave　me　that　smile。　I　stared　back　uncertainly；　without　word　or　movement。
　　　　　　　Again　the　finger　soared　aloft；　and　this　time　was　shaken　at　me。　〃Fitz！　Fitz　fix　fice　fitz。　Fats　sfitzes。〃　He　cocked　his　head　at　me；　and　the　movement　sent　the　dandelion　fluff　of　his　hair　wafting　in　a　new　direction。
　　　　　　　I　was　beginning　to　lose　my　fear　of　him。　〃Fitz；〃　I　said　carefully；　and　tapped　my　chest　with　my　forefinger。　〃Fitz；　that's　me。　Yes。　My　name　is　Fitz。　Are　you　lost？〃　I　tried　to　make　my　voice　gentle　and　reassuring　so　as　not　to　alarm　the　poor　creature。　For　surely　he　had　somehow　wandered　off　from　the　keep；　and　that　was　why　he　seemed　so　delighted　to　find　a　familiar　face。
　　　　　　　He　took　a　breath　through　his　nose；　and　then　shook　hi