fs.thefirstbookofswords-第6部分

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ight；　who　was　actually　the　master；　always　spoke　to　the　old　man　with　respect；　and　listened　to　him　carefully　whenever　village　affairs　were　under　discussion。　Today's　visitors　were　listening　carefully　too　…　Mark　could　see　that　though　he　couldn't　hear　what　was　being　said；　but　gave　no　evidence　that　they　regarded　the　Elder　with　respect。
　　　The　Elder's　eye　now　happened　to　fall　upon　the　two　boys　who　were　gaping　their　slow　way　past　his　house。　He　frowned　abruptly；　and　called　to　Kenn　by　name；　at　the　same　time　beckoning　him　with　a　brisk　little　wave；　it　was　a　more　agitated　motion　than　Mark　could　remember　ever　seeing　the　Elder　make　before。
　　　When　Kenn　stood　dose　before　him；　gaping　in　wonder；　Kyril　ordered：　〃Go；　and　take　down　that　sword　that　hangs　always　on　your　father's　wall；　and　bring　it　directly　here。〃　When　Kenn；　still　goggling；　hesitated　momentarily；　the　old　man　snapped：　〃Go！　Our　visitors　are　waiting：〃
　　　To　such　a　mand；　there　could　be　only　one　possible　response　from　any　village　youth。　Kenn　at　once　went　pelting　away　down　the　long　village　street　toward　the　millhouse　at　its　far　end。　His　legs；　long　and　fast　if　lacking　grace；　were　a　blur　of　awkward　angularity。　Mark；　poised　to　run　after　him；　held　back；　knowing　from　experience　that　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　keep　up。　And　Mark　also　wanted　to　stay　here；　watching；　to　see　what　was　going　to　happen　next；　and；　now　that　he　thought　about　it；　he　didn't　want　to　have　any　part　in　simply　taking　down　the　sword；　without　his　father's　permission；　from　where　it　had　always　hung。。。
　　　The　three　men　of　importance　waited；　gazing　after　Kenn；　ignoring　Mark　who　still　stood　twenty　meters　off　and　watched　them。　The　blue…robed　wizard　…　if　　wizard　he　truly　was　…　figeted；　glanced　once　toward　Mark　with　a　slight　frown；　and　then　away。
　　　Kyril　said；　in　a　voice　a　little　louder　than　before：　〃It　will　be　quicker　this　way；　Your　Honor；　than　if　we　were　all　to　go　to　the　mill…house：〃　And　he　made　a　humble；　nervous　little　bow　to　the　one　Kenn　had　whispered　was　the　Duke's　cousin。　It　was　a　stiff　motion；　one　to　which　the　Elder's　joints　could　hardly　have　been　accustomed。
　　　Now　Mark　began　to　notice　that　a　few　other　villagers；　Falkener　among　them；　had　started　ing　out　of　their　houses　here　and　there。　There　was　a　converging　movement；　very　slight　as　yet；　toward　the　Elder's　house。　They　all　wanted　to　know　what　was　going　on；　but　still　were　not　quite　willing　to　establish　their　presence　in　the　street。
　　　The　man　addressed　by　Kyril；　whoever　he　might　really　be；　ignored　them　as　he　might　have　sparrows。　He　stood　posing　in　a　way　that　suggested　he　was　willing　to　wait　a　little；　willing　to　be　shown　that　the　Elder's　way　was　really　the　quickest　and　most　satisfactory。　He　asked　Kyril：　〃You　say　that　this　man　who　has　the　sword　now　came　here　thirteen　years　ago。　Where　did　he　e　from？〃
　　　〃Oh　yes；　that's　right；　Your　Honor。　Thirteen　years。　It　was　then　that　he　bought　the　mill。　I'm　sure　he　had　permission；　all　in　order；　for　the　move。　He　brought　children　with　him；　and　a　new　bride；　and　he　came　from　a　village　up　toward　the　mountains。〃　Kyril　pointed　to　the　east。　〃Yes　sir；　from　up　there。〃
　　　The　seneschal；　who　was　about　to　ask　another　question；　paused。　For　Kenn　was　ing　back　already。　He　was　carrying　the　sword　in　its　usual　corded　wrapping；　in　which　it　usually　hung　on　the　wall　of　the　main　living　room　inside　the　house。　Kenn　was　walking　now；　not　running。　And　he　was　not　ing　back　alone。　Jord；　his　solid　frame　taller　still　than　that　of　his　slim…bodied　elder　son；　strode　with　him。　Jord's　legs　kept　up　in　a　firm　pace　with　the　youth's　nervous　half…trot。
　　　Jord's　work　clothes　were　dusty；　as　they　so　often　were　from　his　usual　routine　of　maintenance　on　the　huge　wooden　gears　and　shafts　that　formed　the　central　machinery　of　the　mill。　He　glanced　once　at　Mark　…　Mark　could　read　no　particular　message　in　the　look　…　and　then　concentrated　his　attention　on　the　important　visitors。　Jord　seemed　reluctant　to　approach　them；　but　still　he　came　on　with　determination。　At　the　last　moment　he　put　his　big　hand　on　Kenn's　shoulder　and　thrust　the　youth　gently　into　the　background；　stepping　forward　to　face　the　important　men　himself。
　　　Jord　bowed　to　the　visitors；　as　courtesy　required。　But　still　it　was　to　Kyril　the　Elder　that　he　first　spoke。　〃Where's　Sir　Sharfa？　It's　to　him　that　we　in　the　village　must　answer；　for　whatever　we　do　when　other　highborn　folk　e　here　and…〃
　　　He　who　had　been　called　the　seneschal　interrupted；　effectively　though　with　perfect　calm。　〃Sir　Sharfa's　not　available　just　now；　fellow。　Your　loyalty　to　your　manorlord　is　mendable；　but　in　this　case　misplaced。　Sir　Sharfa　is　vassal；　as　you　ought　to　know；　to　my　cousin　the　Duke。　And　it's　Duke　Fraktin　who　wants　to　see　the　sword　that　you've　kept　hanging　on　the　wall。〃
　　　Jord　did　not　appear　tremendously　surprised　to　hear　of　the　Duke's　interest。　〃I　have　been　told；　Your　Honor；　to　keep　that　sword　with　me。　Until　the　time　es　for　it　to　be　passed　on　to　my　eldest　son。〃
　　　〃Oh？　Told？　And　who　told　you　that？〃
　　　〃Vulcan；　Your　Honor。〃　The　words　were　plainly　and　boldly　spoken。　Jord's　calm　assurance　matched　that　of　the　man　who　was　interrogating　him。
　　　The　seneschal　paused；　whatever　words　he'd　been　intending　to　fire　off　next　were　never　said。　Still　he　was　not　going　to　let　himself　appear　to　be　impressed　by　any　answer　that　a　mere　miller　could　return　to　him。　Now　Ibn　Gauthier　extended　one　arm；　hand　open；　rich　sleeve　hanging　deeply；　toward　Kenn。　The　youth　was　still　standing　in　the　background　where　his　father　had　steered　him；　and　was　still　holding　the　wrapped　blade。
　　　The　seneschal　said　to　him：　〃Well　see　it　now。〃
　　　Kenn　glanced　nervously　toward　his　father。　Jord　must　have　signalled　him　to　obey；　for　the　lad　tugged　at　the　wrapping　of　the　sword　…　a　neatly　woven　but　undistinguished　blanket　…　as　if　he　intended　to　display　the　treasure　to　the　visitors　from　a　safe　distance。
　　　The　covering　of　the　sword　fell　free。
　　　The　seneschal　stared　for　a　moment；　then　snapped　his　fingers。　〃Give　it　here！〃
　　　What　happened　in　the　next　moment　would　recur　in　Mark's　dreams　throughout　the　remainder　of　his　life。　And　each　time　the　dream　came　he　would　experience　again　this　last　moment　of　his　childhood；　a　moment　in　which　he　thought：　Strange；　whatever　can　be　making　a　sound　in　the　air　like　flying　arrows？
　　　The　Elder　Kyril　went　down　at　once；　with　the　feathered　end　of　a　long　shaft　protruding　from　his　chest。　At　the　same　time　one　of　the　armed　guards　fell；　arrows　in　his　back　and　ribs；　his　sword　only　a　glint　of　steel　half…drawn　from　its　scabbard。　The　second　guard　was　hit　in　the　thigh；　he　got　his　spear　raised　but　could　do　no　more。　The　wizard　went　down　an　instant　later；　with　his　blue　robes　collapsing　around　him　like　an　unstrung　tent。　The　seneschal。　uninjured；　whirled　around；　drawing　his　own　short　sword　and　getting　his　back　against　a　wall。　His　face　had　gone　a　pasty　white。
　　　The　volley　of　arrows　had　e　from　Mark's　right；　the　direction　where　trees　and　bush　grew　close　and　thick　along　the　near　bank　of　the　Aldan。　The　ambushers；　whoever　they　were；　had　been　able　to　get　within　easy　bowshot　without　being　detected。　But　they　were　charging　out　of　cover　now；　running　between　and　around　the　houses　closest　to　the　riverbank。　A　half…dozen　howling；　weapon…waving　men　were　rushing　hard　toward　the　Elder's　front　yard；　where　the　victims　of　their　volley　had　just　fallen。　Two　large　warbeasts　sprang　out　of　concealment　just　after　the　attacking　men；　but　bounded　easily　ahead　of　them。　One　beast　was　orange…furred　and　one　brindled；　and　both　of　their　bodies；　like　those　of　fighting　men；　were　partially　clothed　in　mail。　They　were　nearly　as　graceful　as　the　cats　from　which　half　their　ancestry　derived。
　　　Mark　had　never　seen　real　warbeasts　before；　but　he　recognized　them　at　once；　from　the　descriptions　in　a　hundred　stories。　He　saw　his　father　knocked　down　by　the　orange　beast　in　its　terrible　passage；　before　Jord　had　had　time　to　do　more　than　turn　toward　his　elder　son　as　if　to　cry　an　order　or　a　warning。
　　　The　seneschal　was　the　beasts'　real　target。　and　they　leaped　at　him；　though　not　to　kill；　they　must　have　been　well　trained　for　this　action。　They　forced　the　Duke's　cousin　back　against　the　front　of　fallen　Kyril's　house；　not　touching　but　confronting　him；　snarling　and　sparring　just　outside　the　tentative　arc　of　his　swordarm。　When　he　would　have　run　to　reach　his　tethered　ridingbeast；　they　forced　him　back　again。　Now　all　four　of　the　tethered　animals　at　the　rack　were　kicking　and　bucking；　screaming　their　fear　and　excitement　in　their　nearhuman　voices。
　　　Kenn；　in　the　first　instant　of　the　attack；　had　turned　to　run。　Then　he　had　seen　his　father　fall；　and　had　turned　back。　White…faced；　he　stood　over　his　father　now；　clumsily　holding　the　unwrapped　sword；　with　the　blade　above　the　fallen　man　as　if　it　could　be　made　into　a　shield。
　　　Mark；　who　had　run　two　steps　toward　home；　looked　back　at　his　father　and　his　brother　and　stopped。　Now　with　shaking　fingers　Mark　was　pulling　the　next…to…last　small　hunting　arrow　from　the　quiver　on　his　back。　His　rabbit…hunting　bow　was　in　his　left　hand。　His　mind　felt　totally　blank。　He　prehended　without　emotion　that　a　man；　the　soldier　who'd　fallen　with　an　arrow　in　his　leg；　was　being　stabbed　to　death　before　his　eyes。　Now　the　charging　men；　bandits　or　whatever　they　were；　had　joined　their　war