tg.stone of tears- 第182部分

　
　‘But　。。。’
　
　Richard　reached　down　and　gripped　Pasha’s　arm。　She　gasped　in　surprise　as　he　yanked　her　up；　sitting　her　behind　him　on　Bonnie。　‘Please　don’t　let　the　sun　set　on　you　here；　Sister。　I　hear　it’s　dangerous　in　the　Hagen　Woods　after　dark。’
　
　Pasha　hid　her　face　from　the　Sister；　and　he　could　feel　her　giggling　softly　against　his　back。
　
　‘Yes；　yes；’　Sister　Maren　said；　her　eyes　already　lost　to　the　mriswith；　‘all　right。　You　two　go　on　back。　You　have　done　well；　both　of　you。　I　must　study　this　creature　before　the　animals　get　to　it。’
　
　Pasha　held　him　so　tight　that　he　could　hardly　breathe。　It　was　distracting　to　feel　her　firm　breasts　mashed　against　his　back。　Her　fingers　gripped　his　chest；　trying　to　get　a　better　hold　on　him；　as　if　she　was　afraid　she　might　fall　at　any　moment。
　
　When　they　were　clear　of　the　woods；　and　into　the　open　hills；　he　slowed　Bonnie　to　a　walk　and　pried　Pasha’s　hands　off。
　
　She　clamped　them　right　back。　‘Richard！　I　might　fall！’
　
　He　pulled　her　hands　loose　again。　‘You’re　not　going　to　fall。　Just　hold　on　easy；　and　let　your　hips　move　with　the　horse。　Use　your　balance；　you　don’t　need　to　cling　for　dear　life。’
　
　She　gripped　his　sides。　‘Well；　I’ll　try。’
　
　The　sky　was　turning　golden　as　they　descended　the　rounded　hills　toward　the　city。　Richard　swayed　with　Bonnie’s　steps　as　she　went　over　rocks　and　across　shallow　ravines；　and　thought　about　the　mriswith；　and　his　hunger　to　fight　it。　The　craving　to　go　back　into　the　Hagen　Woods　still　burned　in　the　back　of　his　mind。
　
　‘Your　ankle　isn’t　really　twisted；　is　it？’　Pasha　asked　after　a　long　ride　in　silence。
　
　‘No。’
　
　‘You　lied　to　a　Sister。　Richard；　you　must　learn　that　lying　is　wrong。　The　Creator　hates　lies。’
　
　‘So　Sister　Verna　has　told　me。’
　
　He　decided　he　didn’t　want　to　ride　anymore　with　her　holding　on　to　him；　so　he　dismounted　and　lead　Bonnie　by　the　reins。　Pasha　scooted　forward　into　the　saddle。
　
　‘Then　why　did　you　do　it　if　you　know　it’s　wrong？’
　
　‘Because　I　wanted　to　make　Sister　Maren　walk　back。　She　made　you　walk　all　the　way　out　there　again　as　punishment　for　something　that　was　not　your　fault。’
　
　Pasha　slid　off　Bonnie　and　came　up　to　walk　beside　him。　She　raked　her　fingers　through　her　hair；　trying　to　arrange　it　to　her　satisfaction。
　
　‘That　was　very　nice　of　you。’　She　put　a　hand　on　his　arm。　‘I　think　we’re　going　to　bee　good　friends。’
　
　Richard　pretended　to　turn　and　look　around　as　he　walked　so　that　her　arm　fell　away。　‘Can　you　get　this　collar　off　me？’
　
　‘The　Rada’Han？　Well；　no。　Only　a　full　Sister　is　able　to　remove　a　Rada’Han。　I　don’t　know　how。’
　
　‘Then　we　are　not　going　to　be　friends。　I　have　no　use　for　you。’
　
　‘You　have　gone　to　great　risk　for　Sister　Verna。　She　must　be　your　friend。　A　person　only　does　such　things　for　friends。　You　went　out　of　your　way　to　see　that　I　had　a　horse　to　ride　back。　You　must　hope　we　can　bee　friends。’
　
　Richard　watched　the　country　ahead　as　he　walked。　‘Sister　Verna　is　not　my　friend。　I　did　as　I　did　only　because　what　was　done　to　her　was　my　fault　and　was　unjust。　That　is　the　only　reason。
　
　‘When　I　decide　to　get　this　collar　off；　only　those　who　help　me　will　be　my　friends。　Sister　Verna　has　made　it　clear　that　she　will　not　help　me　get　the　collar　off。　She　intends　that　it　remain　on　me。　When　the　time　es；　if　she　stands　in　my　way；　I　will　kill　her；　the　same　as　I　will　kill　any　other　Sister　who　tries　to　stop　me。　The　same　as　I　will　kill　you；　if　you　stand　in　my　way。’
　
　‘Richard；’　she　scoffed；　‘you’re　a　mere　student；　you　shouldn’t　brag　about　your　powers　so。　It’s　unbeing　to　a　young　man。　You　should　not　even　joke　about　such　things。’　She　took　his　arm　again。　‘I　don’t　believe　you　would　ever　hurt　a　woman。　。。。’
　
　‘Then　you　believe　wrong。’
　
　‘Most　young　men　have　trouble　adjusting　at　first；　but　you　will　e　to　trust　in　me。　We　will　bee　friends；　I’m　sure　of　it。’
　
　Richard　yanked　his　arm　away　and　spun　to　her。　This　is　no　game；　Pasha。　If　you　get　in　my　way　when　I　decide　the　time　has　e；　I　will　cut　your　pretty　little　throat。’
　
　She　peered　up　at　him　with　a　coy　smile。　‘Do　you　really　think　I　have　a　pretty　neck？’
　
　‘It’s　a　figure　of　speech；’　he　growled。
　
　He　moved　on；　tugging　Bonnie　ahead。　Pasha　hastened　her　step　to　keep　up。　She　walked　in　silence　for　a　time；　busying　herself　with　pulling　little　knots　and　burrs　from　her　hair。
　
　Richard　was　in　no　mood　to　be　pleasant。　Killing　the　mris…with　had　brought　him　a　strange　feeling　of　fulfillment；　but　it　was　fading　now；　and　his　frustration　with　his　situation　was　returning；　and　it　brought　with　it　the　anger。
　
　Pasha’s　face　brightened。　She　put　on　a　pleasant　smile。
　
　‘I　don’t　know　anything　about　you；　Richard。　Why　don’t　you　tell　me　about　yourself？’
　
　‘What　do　you　want　to　know？’
　
　‘Well；　what　did　you　do　。。。　before　you　came　to　the　palace？　Did　you　have　some　kind　of　skill？　A　profession　you　worked　at？’
　
　Richard　scuffed　his　boots　through　the　dirt。　‘I　was　a　woods　guide。’
　
　‘Where？’
　
　‘Where　I　grew　up；　in　Hartland；　in　Westland。’
　
　Pasha　pulled　the　white　blouse　away　from　her　chest；　trying　to　dry　it。　‘I’m　afraid　I　don’t　know　where　that　is。　I　don’t　know　about　the　New　World。　Someday；　when　I’m　a　Sister；　maybe　I’ll　be　called　upon　to　go　there；　and　help　a　boy。’
　
　Richard　didn’t　say　anything；　so　she　went　on。　‘So　you　were　a　woods　guide。　That　must　have　been　scary；　being　out　in　the　woods　all　the　time。　Weren’t　you　afraid　of　the　animals？　I’d　be　afraid　of　the　animals。’
　
　‘Why？　If　a　rabbit　jumped　out　of　a　bush；　you　could　just　burn　it　to　ashes　with　your　Han。’
　
　She　giggled。　‘I’d　still　be　frightened。　I　like　the　city　better。’　She　pulled　some　hair　back　from　her　face　and　looked　at　him　as　they　walked。　She　had　a　funny　way　of　wrinkling　her　nose。　‘Did　you　have　a　。。。　well；　you　know；　a　girl；　a　love；　or　anything？’
　
　Richard　was　taken　by　surprise　at　the　question。　His　mouth　opened；　but　no　words　came　out。　He　snapped　it　closed。　He　was　not　about　to　discuss　Kahlan　with　her。
　
　‘I　have　a　wife。’
　
　Pasha　missed　a　step。　She　hurried　to　catch　back　up。　‘A　wife！’　She　considered　a　moment。　Her　voice　now　had　an　edge　to　it。　‘What　is　her　name？’
　
　Richard　kept　his　eyes　straight　ahead　as　he　walked。　‘Her　name　is　Du　Chaillu。’
　
　Pasha　twisted　a　strand　of　hair　around　her　finger。　‘Is　she　pretty？　What　does　she　look　like？’
　
　‘Yes；　she　is　pretty。　She　has　thick　black　hair；　a　little　longer　than　yours。　She　has　attractive　breasts；　and　the　rest　of　her　is　shapely；　too。’
　
　From　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　could　see　Pasha’s　face　glowing　red。　She　picked　at　the　end　of　the　strand　of　hair。　Her　voice　came　quiet　and　cold；　despite　her　trying　to　layer　indifference　over　it。
　
　‘How　long　have　you　known　her？’
　
　‘A　few　days。’
　
　Her　hand　fell　away　from　her　hair。　‘What　do　you　mean；　a　few　days？　How　could　you　only　know　her　a　few　days？’
　
　‘When　Sister　Verna　and　I　went　to　the　Majendie　land；　a　few　days　ago；　they　had　her　chained　up。　They　were　going　to　sacrifice　her　to　their　spirits；　and　they　wanted　me　to　do　the　killing。　Sister　Verna　said　I　was　to　do　as　the　Majendie　wished；　so　we　could　pass　through　their　land。
　
　‘Instead；　I　disobeyed　Sister　Verna；　and　shot　an　arrow　at　their　Queen　Mother；　pinning　her　arm　to　a　pole。　I　told　them　that　if　they　didn’t　let　Du　Chaillu　go；　and　make　peace　with　the　Baka　Ban　Mana；　I　would　put　the　next　arrow　through　the　Queen　Mother’s　head。　They　wisely　agreed。’
　
　‘She　is　one　of　the　savages？’
　
　‘She　is　Baka　Ban　Mana。　A　wisewoman。　She　is　not　a　savage。’
　
　‘And　she　wed　you　because　you　were　her　hero？　Because　you　rescued　her？’
　
　‘No。　Sister　Verna　and　I　had　to　go　through　her　land；　to　e　here。　When　we　were　there；　I　killed　her　five　husbands。’
　
　Pasha　snatched　him　by　the　arm。　‘They　are　blade　masters！　You　managed　to　kill　five　of　them？’
　
　Richard　started　walking　again。　‘No；　I　killed　thirty　of　them。’　Pasha　gasped。　‘Her　five　husbands　were　among　the　thirty。　Du　Chaillu　is　their　spirit　woman；　and　said　I　was　now　the　leader　of　her　people。　She　said　that　since　she　was　the　spirit　woman；　and　I　their　leader；　their　Caharin；　I　was　now　her　husband。’
　
　Pasha’s　smile　crept　back。　Then　you　aren’t　really　her　husband。　She　was　just　telling　you　some　of　her　savage　。。。　some　of　her　Baka　Ban　Mana　spirit　babble。’
　
　Richard　didn’t　say　anything。　Pasha’s　smile　evaporated。　Her　scowl　returned。　‘Then　how　do　you　know　what　her　breasts；　and　the　rest　of　her；　looks　like？’　She　looked　the　other　way　and　gave　a　sniff。　‘I　suppose　she　rewarded　you　for　your　valor。’
　
　‘I　know　because　when　they　sent　me　in　to　kill　her；　she　had　a　collar　around　her　neck　and　she　was　chained　to　a　wall。　She　was　held　naked　in　that　collar　so　that　men　could　rape　her　whenever　they　wanted。’　Pasha　swallowed　and　looked　away　again。　‘She　is　with　child；　now；　by　one　of　those　men。　I　guess　that　because　the　people　to　be　sacrificed　are　held　in　a　collar；　the　Sisters　never　gave　a　thought　to　putting　a　stop　to　it。　I　don’t　guess　the　Sisters　care　much　what　happens　to　someone　in　a　collar。’
　
　‘The　Sisters　care；’　Pasha　said　in　a　small　voice。
　
　Richard　didn’t　argue。　He　walked　on　in　silence。　Pasha