gc.shadowslinger- 第1部分

　　
　　All　men　are　born　condemned；　so　the　wise　say。　All　suckle　the　breast　of　Death。
　　All　bow　before　that　Silent　Monarch。　That　Lord　in　Shadow　lifts　a　finger。　A　feather　flutters　to　the　earth。　There　is　no　reason　in　His　song。　The　good　go　young。　The　wicked　prosper。　He　is　king　of　the　Chaos　Lords；　His　breath　stills　all　souls。
　　We　found　a　city　dedicated　to　His　worship；　long　ago；　but　so　old　now　it　has　lost　that　dedication。　The　dark　majesty　of　his　godhead　has　frayed；　been　forgotten　by　all　but　those　who　stand　in　his　shadow。　But　Juniper　faced　a　more　immediate　fear；　a　specter　from　yesteryear　leaking　into　the　present　upon　a　height　overlooking　the　city。　And　because　of　that　the　Black　pany　went　there；　to　that　strange　city　far　beyond　the　bounds　of　the　Lady's　empire。　。　。　。　But　this　is　not　the　beginning。　In　the　beginning　we　were　far　away。　Only　two　old　friends　and　a　handful　of　men　we　would　meet　later　stood　nose…to…nose　with　the　shadow。
　　
　　　Chapter　Two：　TALLY　ROADSIDE
　　
　　The　children's　heads　popped　from　the　weeds　like　groundhog　heads。　They　watched　the　approaching　soldiers。　The　boy　whispered；　〃Must　be　a　thousand　of　them。〃　The　column　stretched　back　and　back。　The　dust　it　raised　drifted　up　the　face　of　a　far　hill。　The　creak　and　jangle　of　harness　grew　ever　louder。
　　The　day　was　hot。　The　children　were　sweating。　Their　thoughts　lingered　on　a　nearby　brook　and　a　dip　in　a　pool　they　had　found　there。　But　they　had　been　set　to　watch　the　road。　Rumor　said　the　Lady　meant　to　break　the　renascent　Rebel　movement　in　Tally　province。
　　And　here　her　soldiers　came。　Closer　now。　Grim；　hard…looking　men。　Veterans。　Easily　old　enough　to　have　helped　create　the　disaster　which　had　befallen　the　Rebel　six　years　ago；　claiming；　among　a　quarter　million　men；　their　father。
　　〃It's　them！〃　the　boy　gasped。　Fear　and　awe　filled　his　voice。　Grudging　admiration　edged　it。　〃That's　the　Black　pany。〃
　　The　girl　was　no　student　of　the　enemy。　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　　The　boy　indicated　a　bear　of　a　man　on　a　big　roan。　He　had　silvery　hair。　His　bearing　said　he　was　accustomed　to　mand。　〃That's　the　one　they　call　the　Captain。　The　little　black　one　beside　him　would　be　the　wizard　called　One…Eye。　See　his　hat？　That's　how　you　tell。　The　ones　behind　them　must　be　Elmo　and　the　Lieutenant。〃
　　〃Are　any　of　the　Taken　with　them？〃　The　girl　rose　higher；　for　a　better　look。　〃Where　are　the　other　famous　ones？〃　She　was　the　younger。　The　boy；　at　ten；　already　considered　himself　a　soldier　of　the　White　Rose。　He　yanked　his　sister　down。　〃Stupid！　Want　them　to　see　you？〃
　　〃So　what　if　they　do？〃　The　boy　sneered。　She　had　believed　their　uncle　Neat　when　he　had　said　that　the　enemy　would　not　harm　children。　The　boy　hated　his　uncle。　The　man　had　no　guts。
　　Nobody　pledged　to　the　White　Rose　had　any　guts。　They　just　played　at　fighting　the　Lady。　The　most　daring　thing　they　did　was　ambush　the　occasional　courier。　At　least　the　enemy　had　courage。　They　had　seen　what　they　had　been　sent　to　see。　He　touched　the　girl's　wrist。　〃Let's　go。〃　They　scurried　through　the　weeds；　toward　the　wooded　creek　bank。
　　A　shadow　lay　upon　their　path。　They　looked　up　and　went　pale。　Three　horsemen　stared　down　at　them。　The　boy　gaped。　Nobody　could　have　slipped　up　unheard。　〃Goblin！〃　The　small；　frog…faced　man　in　the　middle　grinned。　〃At　your　service；　laddy…boy。〃
　　The　boy　was　terrified；　but　his　mind　remained　functional。　He　shouted；　〃Run！〃　If　one　of　them　could　escape。　。　。　。
　　Goblin　made　a　circular　gesture。　Pale　pink　fire　tangled　his　fingers。　He　made　a　throwing　motion。　The　boy　fell；　fighting　invisible　bonds　like　a　fly　caught　in　a　spider's　web。　His　sister　whimpered　a　dozen　feet　away。
　　〃Pick　them　up；〃　Goblin　told　his　panions。　〃They　should　tell　an　interesting　tale。〃
　　
　　　Chapter　Three：　JUNIPER：　THE　IRON　LILY
　　
　　The　Lily　stands　on　Floral　Lane　in　the　heart　of　the　Buskin；　Juniper's　worst　slum；　where　the　taste　of　death　floats　on　every　tongue　and　men　value　life　less　than　they　do　an　hour　of　warmth　or　a　decent　meal。　Its　front　sags　against　its　neighbor　to　the　right；　clinging　for　support　like　one　of　its　own　drunken　patrons。　Its　rear　cants　in　the　opposite　direction。　Its　bare　wood　siding　sports　leprous　patches　of　grey　rot。　Its　windows　are　boarded　with　scraps　and　chinked　with　rags。　Its　roof　boasts　gaps　through　which　the　wind　howls　and　bites　when　it　blows　off　the　Wolander　Mountains。　There；　even　on　a　summer's　day；　the　glaciers　twinkle　like　distant　veins　of　silver。
　　Sea　winds　are　little　better。　They　bring　a　chill　damp　which　gnaws　the　bones　and　sends　ice　floes　scampering　across　the　harbor。
　　The　shaggy　arms　of　the　Wolanders　reach　seaward；　flanking　the　River　Port；　forming　cupped　hands　which　hold　the　city　and　harbor。　The　city　straddles　the　river；　creeping　up　the　heights　on　both　sides。
　　Wealth　rises　in　Juniper；　scrambling　up　and　away　from　the　river。　The　people　of　the　Buskin；　when　they　lift　their　eyes　from　their　misery；　see　the　homes　of　the　wealthy　above；　noses　in　the　air；　watching　one　another　across　the　valley。
　　Higher　still；　crowning　the　ridges；　are　two　castles。　On　the　southern　height　stands　Duretile；　hereditary　bastion　of　the　Dukes　of　Juniper。　Duretile　is　in　scandalous　disrepair。　Most　every　structure　in　Juniper　is。
　　Below　Duretile　lies　the　devotional　heart　of　Juniper；　the　Enclosure；　beneath　which　lie　the　Catabs。　There　half　a　hundred　generations　rest；　awaiting　the　Day　of　Passage；　guarded　by　the　Custodians　of　the　Dead。　　On　the　north　ridge　stands　an　inplete　fortress　called；　simply；　the　black　castle。　Its　architecture　is　alien。　Grotesque　monsters　leer　from　its　battlements。　Serpents　writhe　in　frozen　agonies　upon　its　walls。　There　are　no　joints　in　the　obsidian…like　material。　And　the　place　is　growing。
　　The　people　of　Juniper　ignore　the　castle's　existence；　its　growth。　They　do　not　want　to　know　what　is　happening　up　there。　Seldom　do　they　have　time　to　pause　in　their　struggle　for　survival　to　lift　their　eyes　that　high。
　　
　　　Chapter　Four：　TALLY　AMBUSH
　　
　　I　drew　a　seven；　spread；　discarded　a　trey；　and　stared　at　a　lone　ace。　To　my　left；　Pawnbroker　muttered；　〃That　did　it。　He's　down　to　a　rock。〃
　　I　eyed　him　curiously。　〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃
　　He　drew；　cursed；　discarded。　〃You　get　a　face　like　a　corpse　when　you've　got　it　cold；　Croaker。　Even　your　eyes。〃
　　Candy　drew；　cursed；　discarded　a　five。　〃He's　right；　Croaker。　You　get　so　unreadable　you're　readable。　e　on；　Otto。〃
　　Otto　stared　at　his　hand；　then　at　the　pile；　as　though　he　could　conjure　victory　from　the　jaws　of　defeat。　He　drew。　〃Shit。〃　He　discarded　his　draw；　a　royal　card。　I　showed　them　my　ace　and　raked　in　my　winnings。
　　Candy　stared　over　my　shoulder　while　Otto　gathered　the　cards。　His　eyes　were　hard　and　cold。　〃What？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Our　host　is　working　up　his　courage。　Looking　for　a　way　to　get　out　and　warn　them。〃
　　I　turned。　So　did　the　others。　One　by　one　the　tavern…keeper　and　his　customers　dropped　their　gazes　and　shrank　into　themselves。　All　but　the　tall；　dark　man　seated　alone　in　shadows　near　the　fireplace。　He　winked　and　lifted　a　mug；　as　if　in　salute。　I　scowled。　His　response　was　a　smile。　　
　　Otto　dealt。
　　〃One　hundred　ninety…three；〃　I　said。
　　Candy　frowned。　〃Damn　you；　Croaker；〃　he　said；　without　emotion。　I　had　been　counting　hands。　They　were　perfect　ticks　of　the　clocks　of　our　lives　as　brothers　of　the　Black　pany。　I　had　played　over　ten　thousand　hands　since　the　battle　at　Charm。　Only　the　gods　themselves　know　how　many　I　played　before　I　started　keeping　track。
　　〃Think　they　got　wind　of　us？〃　Pawnbroker　asked。　He　was　edgy。　Waiting　does　that。
　　〃I　don't　see　how。〃　Candy　arrayed　his　hand　with　exaggerated　care。　A　dead　giveaway。　He　had　something　hot。　I　reexamined　mine。　Twenty…one。　Probably　get　burned；　but　the　best　way　to　stop　him。　。　。　。　I　went　down。　〃Twenty…one。〃
　　Otto　sputtered。　〃You　son…of…a…bitch。〃　He　laid　down　a　hand　strong　for　going　low。　But　it　added　to　twenty…two　because　of　one　royal　card。　Candy　had　three　nines；　an　ace　and　a　trey。　Grinning；　I　raked　it　in　again。
　　〃You　win　this　one；　we're　going　to　check　your　sleeves；〃　Pawnbroker　grumbled。　I　collected　the　cards　and　started　shuffling。
　　The　back　door　hinges　squealed。　Everyone　froze；　stared　at　the　kitchen　door。　Men　stirred　beyond　it。
　　〃Madle！　Where　the　hell　are　you？〃
　　The　tavern…keeper　looked　at　Candy；　agonized。　Candy　cued　him。　The　taverner　called；　〃Out　here；　Neat。〃
　　Candy　whispered；　〃Keep　playing。〃　I　started　dealing。
　　A　man　of　forty　came　from　the　kitchen。　Several　others　followed。　All　wore　dappled　green。　They　had　bows　across　their　backs。　Neat　said；　〃They　must've　got　the　kids。　I　don't　know　how；　but。　。　。　。〃He　saw　something　in　Madle's　eyes。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　We　had　Madle　sufficiently　intimidated。　He　did　not　give　us　away。
　　Staring　at　my　cards；　I　drew　my　spring　tube。　My　panions　did　likewise。　Pawnbroker　discarded　the　card　he　had　drawn；　a　deuce。　He　usually　tries　to　go　low。　His　play　betrayed　his　nervousness。
　　Candy　snagged　the　discard　and　spread　an　ace…deuce…trey　run。　He　discarded　an　eight。
　　One　of　Neat's　panions　whined；　〃I　told　you　we　shouldn't　send　kids。〃　It　sounded　like　breathing　life　into　an　old　argument。
　　〃I　don't　need　any　I…told…you…so；〃　Neat　growled。　〃Madle；　I　spread　the　word　for　a　meeting。　We'll　have　to　scatter　the　outfit。〃
　　〃We　don't　know　nothing　for　sure；　Neat；〃　another　green　man　s