tg.wizardfirstrule-第70章

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at　to　say；　so　told　him　the　truth。　〃The　clouds　follow　him。　〃
　
　The　elder　studied　her　face　intently　and　nodded。　She　didn't　feel　fortable　under　his　gaze；　and　sought　to　bring　the　conversation　back　to　the　reason　for　her　visit。
　
　〃Savidlin；　the　Seeker　has　e　to　see　your　people　on　my　advice。　He　is　not　here　to　harm　or　interfere　with　your　people。　You　know　me。　l　have　been　among　you　before。　You　know　of　my　respect　for　the　Mud　People。　1　would　not　bring　another　to　you　unless　it　was　important。　Right　now；　time　is　our　enemy。　〃
　
　Savidlin　considered　what　she　had　said　for　a　while；　then　at　last　spoke。
　
　〃As　1　said　before；　you　are　wele　among　us。　〃　He　looked　up　with　a　grin　at　the　Seeker；　then　back　to　her。　〃Richard　With　The　Temper　is　most　wele　in　our　village　too。　〃
　
　The　other　men　were　pleased　with　the　decision；　they　all　seemed　to　like　Richard。　They　gathered　up　their　things；　including　two　deer　and　a　wild　boar；　each　tied　to　a　carrying　pole。　Kahlan　hadn't　seen　the　result　of　their　hunt　before　because　it　had　been　hidden　in　the　tall　grass。　As　they　all　started　off　down　the　path；　the　men　gathered　about　Richard；　touching　him　cautiously　and　jabbering　questions　he　couldn't　understand。　Savidlin　clapped　him　on　the　shoulders；　looking　forward　to　showing　off　his　big　new　friend　to　the　village。　Kahlan　went　along　beside　him；　for　the　most　part　ignored；　and　happy　that　so　far　they　liked　Richard。　She　understood　the　feeling…it　was　hard　to　dislike　him…but　there　was　some　other　reason　for　their　ready　acceptance　of　him。　She　worried　about　what　that　reason　could　be。
　
　〃I　told　you　I　would　win　them　over；〃　Richard　said　with　a　grin　as　he　looked　at　her　over　their　heads。　〃I　just　never　thought　I　would　do　it　by　laying　one　of　them　out。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　23
　CHICKENS　SCATTERED　AT　THEIR　feet　as　the　hunting　party　surrounding　Kahlan　and　Richard　led　them　into　the　Mud　People's　village。　Set　on　a　slight　rise　that　passed　for　a　hill　in　the　grasslands　of　the　Wilds；　the　village　was　a　collection　of　buildings　constructed　of　a　kind　of　mud　brick；　surfaced　with　a　tan　clay　plaster　and　topped　with　grass　roofs　that　leaked　as　they　became　dry；　and　had　to　be　replaced　constantly　to　keep　the　rain　at　bay。　There　were　wood　doors；　but　no　glass　in　the　windows　of　the　thick　walls；　only　cloth　hanging　in　some　to　keep　out　the　weather。
　
　Set　in　a　rough　circle　around　an　open　area；　the　buildings　were　one…room　family　homes　clustered　tightly　on　the　south　side；　most　sharing　at　least　one　mon　wall；　narrow　walkways　passing　between　the　homes　here　and　there；　and　munal　buildings　grouped　together　on　the　north。　A　variety　of　structures　placed　loosely　on　the　east　and　west　separated　them。　Some　of　these　were　nothing　more　than　four　poles　with　grass　roofs；　used　as　places　to　eat；　or　as　work　areas　for　making　weapons　and　pottery；　or　as　food　preparation　and　cooking　areas。　In　dry　times　the　whole　village　was　shrouded　in　a　fog　of　dust　that　clogged　the　eyes；　nose；　and　tongue；　but　now　its　buildings　were　washed　clean　by　the　rain；　and　on　the　ground　a　thousand　footprints　were　turned　to　puddles　that　reflected　the　drab　buildings　above。
　
　Women　wrapped　in　simple　dresses　of　brightly　colored　cloth　sat　in　the　work　areas；　grinding　tava　root；　from　which　they　made　the　flat　bread　that　was　the　staple　of　the　Mud　People。　Sweet…smelling　smoke　rose　from　the　cooking　fires。　Adolescent　girls　with　short　cropped　hair　smoothed　down　by　sticky　mud　sat　by　the　women；　helping。
　
　Kahlan　felt　their　shy　eyes　on　her。　She　knew　from　being　here　before　that　she　was　the　object　of　great　interest　among　the　young　girls；　a　traveler　who　had　been　to　strange　places　and　seen　all　sorts　of　things。　A　woman　whom　men　feared　and　respected。　The　older　women　abided　the　distraction　with　understanding　indulgence。
　
　Children　ran　from　every　corner　of　the　village　to　see　what　manner　of　strangers　Savidlin's　hunting　party　had　brought　back。　They　crowded　around　the　hunters；　squealing　with　excitement；　stomping　their　bare　feet　in　the　mud；　and　splashing　the　men。　Ordinarily；　they　would　be　interested　in　the　deer　and　boar；　but　now　those　were　ignored　in　favor　of　the　strangers。　The　men　tolerated　them　with　good…natured　smiles；　little　children　were　never　scolded。　When　they　were　older；　they　would　be　put　into　strict　training　where　they　would　be　taught　the　disciplines　of　the　Mud　People…of　hunting；　food　gathering；　and　the　ways　of　spirits…but　for　now　they　were　allowed　to　be　children；　with　almost　free　rein　to　play。
　
　The　knot　of　children　offered　up　scraps　of　food　as　bribes　for　stories　of　who　the　strangers　might　be。　The　men　laughed；　declining　the　offerings　in　favor　of　saving　the　tale　for　the　elders。　Only　slightly　disappointed；　the　children　continued　to　dance　about；　this　being　the　most　exciting　thing　that　had　happened　in　their　young　lives；　something　very　much　out　of　the　ordinary；　with　a　distinct　tinge　of　danger。
　
　Six　elders　stood　under　the　leaky　protection　of　one　of　the　open　pole　structures；　waiting　for　Savidlin　to　bring　the　strangers　to　them。　They　wore　deerskin　pants；　and　were　bare…chested；　each　had　a　coyote　hide　draped　around　his　shoulders。　Despite　their　grim　faces；　Kahlan　knew　them　to　be　more　friendly　than　they　appeared。　Mud　People　never　smiled　at　outsiders　until　greetings　had　been　exchanged；　lest　their　souls　be　stolen。
　
　The　children　stayed　back　from　the　pole　building；　sitting　in　the　mud　to　watch　as　the　hunting　party　brought　the　outsiders　to　the　elders。　The　women　had　halted　their　work　at　the　cooking　fires；　as　had　the　young　men　their　weapons　making；　and　all　fell　silent；　including　the　children　sitting　in　the　mud。　Business　among　the　Mud　People　was　conducted　in　the　open；　for　all　to　see。
　
　Kahlan　stepped　up　to　the　six　elders；　Richard　to　her　right　but　back　a　pace；　Savidlin　to　his　right。　The　six　surveyed　the　two　outsiders。
　
　〃Strength　to　Confessor　Kahlan；　〃　said　the　eldest。
　
　〃Strength　to　Toffalar　〃　she　answered。
　
　He　gave　her　face　a　gentle　slap；　hardly　more　than　a　pat。　It　was　their　custom　to　give　only　small　slaps　in　the　village　proper。　Heartier　ones　like　Savidlin　had　delivered　were　reserved　for　chance　meetings　out　on　the　plain；　away　from　the　village。　The　gentler　custom　helped　preserve　order；　and　teeth。　Surin；　Caldus；　Arbrin；　Breginderin；　and　Hajanlet　each　in　turn　offered　strength　and　a　small　slap。　Kahlan　returned　the　greetings　and　the　gentle　slaps。　They　turned　to　Richard。　Savidlin　stepped　forward；　pulling　his　new　friend　with　him。　He　proudly　displayed　his　swollen　lip　to　the　elders。
　
　Kahlan　spoke　Richard's　name　under　her　breath　with　a　rising　inflection　and　a　cautionary　tone。　〃These　are　important　men。　Please　do　not　loosen　their　teeth。〃
　
　He　gave　her　a　quick　glance　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　and　a　mischievous　smile。
　
　〃This　is　the　Seeker；　Richard　With　The　Temper〃　Savidlin　said；　proud　of　his　charge。　He　leaned　closer　to　the　elders；　his　voice　heavy　with　meaning。　〃Confessor　Kahlan　brought　him　to　us。　He　is　the　one　you　spoke　of；　the　one　who　brought　the　rains。　She　told　me　so。　〃
　
　Kahlan　began　to　worry；　she　didn't　know　what　Savidlin　was　talking　about。　The　elders　remained　stone　faced；　except　Toffalar；　who　lifted　an　eyebrow。
　
　〃Strength　to　Richard　With　The　Temper；　〃　Toffalar　said。　He　gave　Richard　a　gentle　slap
　
　〃Strength　to　Toffalar；〃　he　answered　in　his　own　language；　having　recognized　his　name；　and　immediately　returned　the　slap。
　
　Kahlan　breathed　out　in　relief　that　it　was　gentle。　Savidlin　beamed；　showing　his　fat　lip　again。　Toffalar　at　last　smiled。　After　the　others　had　given　and　received　a　greeting；　they　smiled；　too。
　
　And　then　they　did　something　very　odd。
　
　The　six　elders　and　Savidlin　each　dropped　to　one　knee　and　bowed　their　heads　to　Richard。　Kahlan　instantly　tensed。
　
　〃What's　going　on？〃　Richard　asked　out　of　the　side　of　his　mouth；　alerted　by　her　anxiety。
　
　〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　answered　in　a　low　voice。　〃Maybe　it's　their　way　of　greeting　the　Seeker。　I　have　never　seen　them　do　this　before。〃
　
　The　men　rose　to　their　feet；　all　smiles。　Toffalar　held　his　hand　up　and　motioned　over　their　heads　to　the　women。
　
　〃Please；〃　Toffalar　said　to　the　two　of　them；　〃sit　with　us。　We　are　honored　to　have　you　both　among　us。〃
　
　Pulling　Richard　down　with　her；　Kahlan　sat　cross…legged　on　the　wet　wooden　floor。　The　elders　waited　until　they　were　seated　before　seating　themselves；　paying　no　attention　to　the　fact　that　Richard　kept　his　hand　near　his　sword。　Women　came　with　woven　trays　stacked　high　with　loaves　of　round；　flat　tava　bread　and　other　food；　offering　them　first　to　Toffalar　and　then　the　other　elders；　as　they　kept　their　eyes　and　smiles　on　Richard。　They　chatted　softly　among　themselves　about　how　big　Richard　With　The　Temper　was；　and　what　odd　clothes　he　wore。　They　mostly　ignored　Kahlan。
　
　Women　in　the　Midlands　tended　not　to　like　Confessors。　They　saw　them　as　a　menace　who　could　take　their　men；　and　a　threat　to　their　lifestyle；　women　were　not　supposed　to　be　independent。　Kahlan　disregarded　their　cool　glances；　she　was　more　than　used　to　them。
　
　Toffalar　took　his　bread　and　tore　it　into　three　sections；　offering　a　third　to　Richard　first　and　then　a　third　to　Kahlan。　With　a　smile；　another　woman　offered　a　bowl　of　roasted　peppers　to　each。　Kahlan　and　Richard　both　took　one；　and　following　the　elder's　example；　rolled　them　in　the　。bread。　She　notic