tg.wizardfirstrule-第6章

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　〃Your　brother　called　in　all　the　boundary　wardens。〃　He　paused；　taking　another　look　around。　〃To　be　his　personal　guards。〃
　
　〃What！　That　doesn't　make　any　sense！〃　Richard　was　incredulous。　〃He　has　the　Home　Guard；　and　the　army。　What　does　he　need　a　few　boundary　wardens　for？〃
　
　Chase　rested　his　left　hand　on　one　of　the　knife　handles：　〃What；　indeed。〃　His　face　gave　no　hint　of　emotion。　It　rarely　did。　〃Could　be　he　just　wants　us　around　for　effect。　People　are　afraid　of　the　wardens。　You've　been　away　to　the　woods　since　your　father　was　killed；　not　that　I'm　saying　I　wouldn't　do　the　same　if　I　were　you。　All　I'm　saying　is　you　haven't　been　around。　Strange　things　have　been　going　on；　Richard。　People　ing　and　going　in　the　night。　Michael　calls　them　‘concerned　citizens。'　He's　been　talking　some　nonsense　about　plots　against　the　government。　He　has　the　wardens　all　over　the　grounds。〃
　
　Richard　looked　around；　but　didn't　see　any。　He　knew　that　didn't　mean　anything。　If　a　boundary　warden　didn't　want　to　be　seen；　he　could　be　standing　on　your　foot　and　you　wouldn't　be　able　to　find　him。
　
　Chase　drummed　his　fingers　on　a　knife　handle　as　he　watched　Richard's　eyes　scan　about。　〃My　boys　are　out　there；　take　my　word。〃　〃Well；　how　do　you　know　Michael　isn't　right；　what　with　the　father　of　the　new　First　Councilor　being　murdered　and　all？〃
　
　Chase　gave　his　finest　look　of　disgust。　〃I　know　every　little　slime　in　Westland。　There's　no　plot。　Might　be　a　bit　of　fun　to　be　had　if　there　were；　but　I　think　I'm　just　part　of　the　decoration。　Michael　said　I　should　‘stay　visible。'　〃　His　expression　sharpened。　〃And　about　your　father's　murder；　well；　George　Cypher　and　I　go　way　back；　way　back　to　before　when　you　were　born；　back　to　before　the　boundary。　He　was　a　good　man。　I　was　proud　to　call　him　friend。〃　Anger　heated　in　his　eyes。　〃I've　twisted　a　few　fingers。〃　He　shifted　his　weight；　taking　another　look　around　before　bringing　his　fierce　expression　back　to　Richard。　〃Twisted　hard。　Hard　enough　to　cause　their　owners　to　spit　out　their　own　mother's　name　if　it　had　been　the　right　one。　No　one　knows　a　thing；　and　believe　me；　if　they　did　they　would　have　been　happy　to　have　shortened　our　conversation。　First　time　I've　ever　chased　anyone　and　not　been　able　to　get　even　a　whiff。〃　He　folded　his　arms；　and　his　grin　came　back　as　he　eyed　Richard　up　and　down。　〃Speaking　of　slime；　what　have　you　been　about？　You　look　like　one　of　my　customers。〃
　
　Richard　glanced　to　Kahlan；　and　then　back　to　Chase。　〃We　were　up　in　the　high　Ven。〃　Richard　lowered　his　voice。　〃We　were　attacked　by　four　men。〃
　
　Chase　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃Anyone　I　would　know？〃
　
　Richard　shook　his　head。
　
　Chase　frowned。　〃So　where　did　these　four　fellows　go　after　they　jumped　you？〃
　
　〃You　know　the　trail　across　Blunt　Cliff？〃
　
　〃Of　course。〃
　
　〃They're　on　the　rocks　at　the　bottom。　We're　going　to　have　to　have　a　talk。〃
　
　Chase　unfolded　his　arms　and　stared　at　the　two　of　them。　〃I'll　have　a　look。〃　His　eyebrows　knitted　together。　〃How'd　you　manage　it？〃
　
　Richard　exchanged　a　quick　glance　with　Kahlan　and　looked　back　to　the　boundary　warden。　〃I　think　the　good　spirits　protected　us。〃
　
　Chase　shot　them　each　a　suspicious　glare。　〃That　so？　Well；　better　not　to　tell　Michael　about　this　right　now。　I　don't　think　he　believes　in　good　spirits。〃　He　studied　both　their　faces。　〃And　if　you　think　there's　a　need；　you　two　e　stay　at　my　place。　You'll　be　safe　enough　there。〃
　
　Richard　thought　about　all　of　Chase's　children　and　knew　he　didn't　want　to　endanger　them；　but　he　didn't　want　to　argue　the　point　either；　so　he　just　nodded。
　
　〃We　better　get　in　there。　Michael　is　sure　to　be　missing　me。〃
　
　〃One　more　thing；〃　Chase　said。　〃Zedd　wants　to　see　you。　He's　in　a　big　fret　about　something。　Says　it's　real　important。〃
　
　Richard　looked　up　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　the　same　strange　snakelike　cloud。　〃I　think　I　need　to　see　him；　too。〃　He　turned　and　started　to　leave。
　
　〃Richard；〃　Chase　said　with　a　look　that　would　have　withered　anyone　else；　〃tell　me　what　were　you　doing　in　the　high　Ven。〃
　
　Richard　didn't　shy　away。　〃Same　as　you。　Trying　to　get　a　whiff。〃
　
　Chase's　hard　face　softened；　and　a　hint　of　his　smile　came　back。　〃Get　one？〃
　
　Richard　nodded　as　he　held　up　his　red；　sore　left　hand。　〃And　it　bites。〃　。
　
　The　two　turned　and　melted　into　the　crowd　entering　the　house；　moving　through　the　entry；　across　white　marble　floors；　to　the　elegant　central　meeting　hall。　Marble　walls　and　columns　glowed　with　a　cold　eerie　cast　where　the　sunlight　streaming　in　from　above　touched　them。　Richard　had　always　preferred　the　warmth　of　wood；　but　Michael　had　maintained　that　anyone　could　go　out　and　make　what　they　wanted　from　wood；　but　if　you　wanted　marble；　you　had　to　hire　a　lot　of　people　who　lived　in　wood　houses　to　do　the　work　for　you。　Richard　remembered　a　time　before　their　mother　died；　when　he　and　。　Michael　played　in　the　dirt；　building　houses　and　forts　with　sticks。　Michael　had　helped　him　then。　He　wanted　so　much　for　Michael　to　help　him　now。
　
　People　Richard　recognized　greeted　him；　getting　only　a　wooden　smile　or　quick　handshake。　Since　Kahlan　was　from　a　strange　land；　Richard　was　a　little　surprised　to　see　how　fortable　she　was　around　all　the　important　people。　It　had　already　occurred　to　him　that　she；　too；　must　be　someone　important。　Gangs　of　assassins　didn't　hunt　down　unimportant　people。
　
　Richard　found　it　difficult　to　smile　at　everyone。　If　the　rumors　about　things　ing　out　of　the　boundary　were　true；　then　all　of　Westland　was　in　danger。　Country　people　in　the　outlying　areas　of　the　Hartland　were　already　terrified　to　go　out　at　night　and　had　recounted　stories　to　him　of　people　being　found　partly　eaten。　He　had　told　them　it　was　just　that　they　had　died　of　some　natural　cause；　and　wild　animals　had　found　the　bodies。　Happened　all　the　time。　They　said　it　was　beasts　from　the　sky。　He　had　passed　it　off　as　superstitious　nonsense。
　
　Until　now。
　
　Even　with　all　the　people　around；　Richard　felt　overwhelmingly　lonely。　He　was　confused　and　didn't　know　what　to　do　about　it。　He　didn't　know　who　to　turn　to。　Kahlan　was　the　only　one　who　made　him　feel　better；　but　at　the　same　time　she　frightened　him。　The　encounter　on　the　cliff　frightened　him。　He　wanted　to　take　her　and　leave。
　
　Zedd　might　know　what　to　do。　He　used　to　live　in　the　Midlands　before　the　boundary；　though　he　would　never　talk　about　it。　And　then　there　was　the　unsettling　feeling　he　had　that　all　of　this　had　something　to　do　with　his　father's　death；　and　his　father's　death　had　something　to　do　with　his　own　secrets；　the　secrets　his　father　had　placed　upon　him　and　him　alone。
　
　Kahlan　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm。　〃Richard；　I'm　sorry。　I　didn't　know　。　。　。　about　your　father。　I'm　sorry。〃
　
　With　the　frightening　events　of　the　day　he　had　almost　forgotten　about　it　until　Chase　had　brought　it　up。。　Almost。　He　gave　a　little　shrug。　〃Thanks。〃　He　waited　a　moment　as　a　woman　in　a　blue　silk　dress　with　ruffles　of　white　lace　at　the　neck；　cuffs；　and　down　the　front　walked　past。　He　looked　down　at　the　floor　as　she　moved　by　so　he　wouldn't　have　to　return　her　smile　if　she　gave　him　one。　〃It　was　three　weeks　ago。〃　He　told　Kahlan　a　little　of　what　had　happened。　She　listened　sympathetically。
　
　〃I'm　sorry；　Richard。　Perhaps　you　would　rather　be　alone。〃
　
　He　forced　himself　to　smile。　〃No；　it's　all　right。　I've　been　alone　enough。　It　helps　to　have　a　friend　to　talk　to。〃
　
　She　gave　him　a　small　smile　and　a　nod；　and　they　moved　on　through　the　crowd。　Richard　wondered　where　Michael　was。　It　seemed　odd　that　he　wasn't　out　yet。
　
　Even　though　he　had　lost　his　appetite；　he　knew　Kahlan　hadn't　eaten　in　two　days。　With　all　the　tempting　food　around；　he　decided　she　must　have　remarkable　self…control。　The　delicious　smells　were　starting　to　change　his　mind　about　his　appetite。
　
　He　leaned　closer　to　her。　〃Hungry？〃
　
　〃Very。〃
　
　He　guided　her　over　to　a　long　table　with　food　piled　in　tiers。　There　were　large　steaming　platters　of　sausages　and　meats；　boiled　potatoes；　dried　fish　of　several　kinds；　grilled　fish；　chicken；　turkey；　mounds　of　raw　vegetables　sliced　into　strips；　big　tureens　of　cabbage　and　sausage　soup；　onion　soup；　and　spice　soup；　platters　of　breads；　cheeses；　fruits；　pies；　and　cakes；　and　casks　of　wine　and　ale。　Servants　were　constantly　ing　and　going　to　keep　the　platters　full。
　
　Kahlan　scrutinized　them。　〃Some　of　the　serving　girls　have　long　hair。　That　is　allowed？〃
　
　Richard　looked　around；　a　little　bewildered。　〃Yes。　Anyone　can　have　any　'kind　of　hair　they　want。　Look。〃　He　held　his　arm　close　to　his　chest　and　pointed　as　he　leaned　toward　her。　〃Those　women　over　there　are　councilors；　some　have　short　hair；　some　have　long。　Whatever　they　want。〃　He　looked　at　her　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　〃Do　people　tell　you　to　cut　your　hair？〃
　
　She　lifted　an　eyebrow　to　him。　〃No。　No　one　has　ever　asked　me　to　cut　my　hair。　It　is　simply　that　where　I　e　from；　the　length　of　a　woman's　hair　has　a　certain　social　significance。〃
　
　〃Does　that　mean　that　you　are　someone　of　considerable　standing？〃　He　took　the　edge　off　the　question　with　a　playful　smile。　〃Seeing　as　how　you　have　such　long；　beautiful　hair；　I　mean。〃
　
　She　gave　him　back　a　small　smile；　devoid　of　joy。　〃Some　think　so。　I　could　only　expect　that　after　this　morning；　the　thought　had　entered　your　mind。　We　all　can　be　only　what　we　are；　nothing　mo