tg.wizardfirstrule-第84章

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　〃I'm　fine。〃　She　smiled。　〃Nissel　has　made　me　well。〃
　
　Richard　kissed　the　top　of　the　old　woman's　head。　〃Thank　you；　Nissel。　I　forgive　you　the　broom。〃
　
　Nissel　smiled　at　the　translation；　leaned　closer；　and　gave　him　a　deep　look　he　found　unfortable。
　
　〃Shall　1　give　him　a　potion；　〃　Nissel　asked；　turning　to　her；　〃to　give　him　stamina？〃
　
　〃No；　〃　Kahlan　said　bristling。　〃I　am　sure　he　will　do　just　fine。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　27
　LAUGHTER　AND　THE　SOUND　of　drums　drifted　from　the　center　of　the　village　as　Richard　and　Kahlan　walked　among　the　huddled；　dark　buildings。　Black　skies　held　back　their　rain；　and　the　damp；　warm　air　brought　in　the　smell　of　the　wet　grasses　that　surrounded　the　village。　Torches　lit　the　platforms　of　the　pole　buildings。　and　large　fires　set　about　the　open　area　snapped　and　popped；　throwing　off　fluttering　shadows。　Kahlan　knew　it　was　a　lot　of　work　to　haul　in　wood　for　cooking　and　kiln　fires；　and　most　were　kept　small。　This　was　an　extravagance　the　Mud　People　rarely　witnessed。
　
　Wonderful　aromas　from　the　cooking　fires　drifted　to　her　through　the　night　air；　but　failed　to　spark　her　appetite。　Women　dressed　in　their　brightest　dresses　rushed　around；　with　young　girls　at　their　sides；　tending　to　errands；　seeing　to　it　that　all　went　well。　The　men　wore　their　finest　skins；　ceremonial　knives　hung　at　their　waists；　and　their　hair　was　slicked　down　with　sticky　mud　in　traditional　fashion。
　
　Cooking　went　on　nonstop　as　people　wandered　by；　sampling　the　fare；　talking；　sharing　stories。　Most　people；　it　seemed；　were　either　cooking　or　eating。　There　were　children　everywhere；　playing　and　running　and　laughing；　overflowing　with　excitement　at　the　unexpected　nighttime；　firelit　gathering。
　
　Under　grass　roofs；　musicians　pounded　drums　and　scraped　paddles　up　and　down　ripples　carved　on　boldas；　long　bell…shaped　hollow　tubes。　The　eerie　strains；　music　meant　to　call　ancestors　spirits　to　the　banquet；　carried　far　out　into　the　grasslands。　Other　musicians　sat　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　open　area；　the　sound：　of　the　two　groups　sometimes　joining；　sometimes　separating；　calling　to　one　another　in　haunting　and　occasionally　frantic　beats　an（　knells。　Men　in　costume；　some　dressed　as　animals；　others　painted　as　stylized　hunters；　jumped　and　danced；　acting　out　stories　o　Mud　People　legends。　Gleeful　children　surrounded　the　dancers　imitating　them　and　stamping　their　feet　in　time　with　the　drumming。　Young　couples　off　in　darker　areas　watched　the　activities　a　they　nuzzled　close　together。　Kahlan　had　never　felt　so　alone。
　
　Savidlin；　his　freshly　cleaned　coyote　hide　around　his　shoulders　found　her　and　Richard；　and　dragged　them　off；　slapping　Richard'　back　the　whole　way；　to　sit　with　the　elders　under　their　shelter。　The　Bird　Man　was　dressed　in　his　usual；　plain　buckskin　pants　and　tunic。　He　was　important　enough　not　to　have　to　wear　anything　more。　Weselan　was　there；　as　were　the　wives　of　the　other　elders　and　she　came　to　sit　next　to　Kahlan；　taking　her　hand　and　asking　with　sincere　concern　how　her　arm　was。　Kahlan　wasn't　used　to　having　people　care　about　her。　It　felt　good　to　be　one　of　the　Mud　People；　even　if　it　was　only　pretense。　Pretense；　because　she　was　a　Confessor；　and　as　much　as　she　wished　it　otherwise　right　now　it　was　not；　and　no　decree　could　make　it　so。　She　did　as　she　ha（　learned　to　do　at　a　young　age：　she　put　her　emotions　away；　an（　thought　about　the　job　that　lay　ahead；　about　Darken　Rahl　and　how　little　time　they　had　left。　And　she　thought　about　Dennee。
　
　Richard；　resigned　to　the　fact　that　they　would　have　to　wait　an　other　day　for　the　gathering；　tried　to　make　the　best　of　it；　smiling　and　nodding　at　chattered　advice　he　couldn't　understand。　People　streamed　past　the　elders'　shelter　in　a　steady　procession；　to　greet　the　newest　Mud　People　with　gentle　slaps。　In　all　fairness；　Kahlan　had　to　admit　that　they　paid　as　much　regard　to　her　as　to　Richard
　
　Woven　trays　and　pottery　bowls　filled　with　various　foods　la；　on　the　floor　in　front　of　where　they　sat　cross…legged；　greeting　people；　some　of　whom　sat　with　them　for　a　time。　Richard　sampled　most　of　the　food；　remembering　to　use　his　right　hand。　Kahlan　nibbled　on　a　piece　of　tava　bread　so　as　not　to　appear　impolite。
　
　〃This　is　good；〃　Richard　said；　taking　another　rib。　〃I　think　it's　pork。''
　
　〃It　is　wild　boar；〃　she　said；　watching　the　dancers。
　
　〃And　the　venison；　it's　good　too。　Here；　have　a　piece。〃　He　tried　to　hand　her　a　strip。
　
　〃No。　Thank　you。〃
　
　〃You　all　right？〃
　
　〃Fine。　I'm　just　not　hungry。〃
　
　〃You　haven't　eaten　any　meat　since　we've　been　with　the　Mud　People。〃
　
　〃I'm　just　not　hungry；　that's　all。〃
　
　He　shrugged　and　ate　the　venison。
　
　After　a　time；　the　crowd　of　people　greeting　them　thinned　out；　finally　going　off　to　other　activities。　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　the　Bird　Man　raise　his　hand　in　a　signal　to　someone　in　the　distance。　Kahlan　put　a　brake　to　her　feelings；　and　made　her　face　betray　nothing　of　the　effort；　as　her　mother　had　taught　her：　a　Confessor's　face。
　
　Four　young　women；　all　with　shy　smiles　and　short　hair　slicked　down　with　mud；　timidly　approached。　Richard　greeted　them　with　smiles　and　nods　and　gentle　slaps；　as　he　had　the　other　people。　They　stood；　pushing　against　each　other；　giggling；　whispering　how　fine　he　was　to　look　upon。　Kahlan　glanced　back　at　the　Bird　Man。　He　gave　her　a　single　nod。
　
　〃Why　aren't　they　leaving？〃　Richard　asked　out　of　the　side　of　his　mouth。　〃What　do　they　want？〃
　
　〃They　are　for　you；〃　she　said　in　an　even　voice。
　
　The　flickering　firelight　lit　his　face　as　he　looked　blankly　at　the　four　women。　〃For　me。　And　what　am　I　to　do　with　them？〃
　
　Kahlan　took　a　deep　breath　as　she　looked　at　the　fires　for　a　moment。　〃I　am　only　your　guide；　Richard。　If　you　need　instruction　in　this；　you　will　have　to　seek　it　elsewhere。〃
　
　There　was　a　moment　of…silence。
　
　〃All　four？　For　me？〃
　
　She　turned　back　to　him　and　saw　a　mischievous　grin　spreading　on　his　face。　She　found　his　smile　irritating。
　
　〃No；　you　are　to　pick　one。〃　〃Pick　one？〃　he　repeated；　the　stupid　grin　still　on　his　face。
　
　She　consoled　herself　with　the　fact　that　at　least　he　wasn't　going　to　cause　trouble　over　this　part。　He　looked　from　one　girl　to　another。
　
　〃Pick　one。　Now　that　will　be　hard。　How　long　do　I　have　to　decide？〃
　
　She　looked　off　at　the　fire　again　and　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment；　then　turned　to　the　Bird　Man。　〃The　Seeker　wishes　to　know　when　he　must　decide　which　woman　to　pick。　〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　looked　a　little　surprised　by　the　question。　〃Before　lie　goes　to　his　bed。　Then　he　must　pick　one；　and　give　our　people　his　child。　In　that　way　he　will　be　joined　to　us　by　blood。　〃
　
　She　told　him　what　the　Bird　Man　said。
　
　Richard　considered　carefully　what　he　was　told。　〃Very　wise。〃　He　looked　back　at　the　Bird　Man　and　smiled　and　nodded。　〃The　Bird　Man　is　very　wise。〃
　
　〃The　Seeker　says　you　are　very　wise；　〃　she　said　to　him；　trying　to　control　her　voice。
　
　The　Bird　Man　and　the　other　elders　seemed　pleased。　Events　were　going　as　they　wished。
　
　〃Well；　this　will　be　a　difficult　decision。　I'll　have　to　think　about　it。　It's　not　something　I　want　to　rush　into。〃
　
　Kahlan　pushed　some　of　her　hair　back　and　turned　to　the　girls。
　
　〃The　Seeker　is　having　difficulty　deciding。　〃
　
　He　gave　the　four　a　big　grin　and　eagerly　motioned　them　up　on　the　platform。　Two　sat　to　the　far　side　of　him；　the　other　two　squeezed　between　Kahlan　and　Richard；　forcing　her　to　move　over　as　they　sat　down。　They　leaned　against　him；　putting　their　hands　on　his　arms；　and　felt　his　muscles　as　they　giggled。　They　mented　to　Kahlan　about　how　big　he　was；　like　her；　and　how　he　would　make　big　children。　They　wanted　to　know　if　he　thought　they　were　pretty。　Kahlan　said　she　didn't　know。　They　begged　her　to　ask　him。
　
　She　took　another　deep　breath。　〃They　want　to　know　if　you　think　they　are　pretty。〃
　
　〃Of　course！　They're　beautiful！　All　of　them。　That's　why　I　can't　decide。　Don't　you　think　they're　beautiful？〃
　
　She　didn't　answer　his　question；　instead　assuring　the　four　that　the　Seeker　found　them　appealing。　They　gave　their　typical　shy　laughs。　The　Bird　Man　and　the　elders　seemed　pleased。　They　were　still　all　smiles；　they　were　in　control　of　events。　She　stared　numbly　at　the　celebration；　watched　the　dancers　without　seeing　them。
　
　The　four　girls　fed　Richard　with　their　fingers　and　giggled。　He　told　Kahlan　it　was　the　best　banquet　he　had　ever　been　to；　and　asked　if　she　didn't　think　so；　too。　She　swallowed　the　lump　in　her　throat　and　agreed　it　was　wonderful　as　she　looked　away　blankly；　at　the　fiery　sparks　swirling　up　into　the　blackness。
　
　After　what　seemed　like　hours；　an　older　woman　with　her　head　bowed　approached　carrying　a　large　round　woven　tray　in　front　of　her。　It　was　neatly　arranged　with　dark　strips　of　dried　meat。
　
　Kahlan　snapped　out　of　her　distant　thoughts。
　
　With　her　head　still　bowed；　the　woman　respectfully　approached　the　elders；　silently　offering　each　the　tray。　They　Bird　Man　took　some　first；　pulling　off　a　piece　with　his　teeth　as　each　of　the　other　elders　took　a　strip。　A　few　of　the　wives　took　some　as　well。　Weselan；　sitting　beside　her　husband；　declined。
　
　The　woman　held　the　tray　in　front　of　Kahlan。　She　politely　declined。　The　woman　held　the　tray　out　to　Richard。　He　took　a　strip。　The　four　young　women　shook　their　bowed　heads