tg.stone of tears-第132章

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　‘Prince　Harold　is　a　smart　soldier。’
　
　Captain　Ryan　buttoned　two　of　the　brass　buttons　on　his　dark　brown　wool　coat。　‘But　that　doesn’t　change　my　decision。　Of　all　our　choices；　the　Hammer　and　Anvil　is　the　best　chance　we　have　against　them。　I　believe　we　can　make　it　work。　We　must。’
　
　Chandalen　leaned　toward　her　and　spoke　in　his　tongue。　‘Mother　Confessor；　these　men　are　the　walking　dead。　We　should　be　away　from　them　so　we　do　not　get　caught　in　their　foolishness。　They　are　going　to　die　to　a　man。’
　
　The　captain　frowned。　‘What’d　he　say？’
　
　Kahlan　leaned　close　to　the　young　captain。　‘He　says　you　are　all　going　to　die　tomorrow。’
　
　Captain　Ryan　looked　Chandalen　up　and　down。　‘What　does　he　know　about　battle？　He’s　just　a　savage　from　the　wilds。’
　
　Kahlan　lifted　an　eyebrow。　‘Savage？　He’s　a　pretty　smart　man。　He　speaks　two　languages。　His；　and　ours。’　Captain　Ryan　swallowed。　‘And　he　has　fought　in　battles。　He　has　killed　men。　How　many　men　have　you　killed；　Bradley？’
　
　He　glanced　to　his　two　lieutenants。　‘Well；　none；　I　guess。　Look；　I’m　sorry；　I　meant　no　offense；　but　I　know　about　war。’
　
　‘And　what　do　you　know　about　war；　child？’　she　whispered。
　
　‘We’re　all　volunteers。　Myself；　three　years　ago。　Almost　no　man　here　has　less　than　one　year。　We’ve　all　trained　hard。　Prince　Harold　himself　has　worked　with　us；　taught　us　tactics。　We’ve　won　mock　battles　against　him　several　times。　We　may　be　young　but　we　have　experience。　We　were　sent　on　this　expedition　as　a　final　test　before　our　assignments。　We’ve　been　afield　nearly　a　month；　practicing　war　games　and　battle　tactics。　We　know　what　we　are　about。　Just　because　we’re　young；　that　doesn’t　mean　we　can’t　fight。　We　may　be　young；　but　that　also　means　we’re　strong。’
　
　Chandalen　laughed。　‘Strong？　You　travel　like　women。’　He　cleared　his　throat　when　Kahlan　lifted　an　eyebrow　to　him。　‘Well；　some　women。　You　are　not　so　strong　as　you　think。　You　are　soft。　You　have　wagons　to　carry　your　needs。　That　makes　you　soft。　You　will　die　tomorrow。’
　
　Kahlan　turned　back　to　the　three　soldiers。　‘My　friend　is　wrong。　You　are　not　going　to　die　tomorrow。’
　
　The　captain　brightened。　‘We’re　not？　You　believe　in　us；　then？’
　
　She　shook　her　head。　‘You　are　not　going　to　die　tomorrow　because　I　will　not　allow　it。　I’m　sending　you　back。　You　are　to　take　your　division　back　to　your　mand　unit。　That；　Captain；　is　an　order。　I’m　on　my　way　to　Aydindril　to　take　care　of　this。　I　will　put　a　stop　to　that　army　of　killers。’
　
　Captain　Ryan’s　expression　hardened。　‘We　have　no　mand　to　return　to。　They　were　wiped　out　in　Ebinissia。　That　was　where　we　were　training；　but　we　were　out　on　maneuvers。　We　have　the　trail　of　the　ones　who　did　it；　and　we　are　going　after　them。’
　
　‘Those　soldiers　in　Ebinissia　were　many　times　your　number；　and　they　were　crushed　by　the　force　you　chase。’
　
　‘We　know。　Those　were　men　we　lived　with；　ate　with；　slept　with。　They　were　our　teachers。　They　were　our　brothers；　our　fathers。　They　were　our　friends　and　panions。’　He　shifted　his　weight　and　cleared　his　throat　in　an　effort　to　keep　his　voice　steady。　‘We　should　have　been　there　with　them。　We　should　have　been　there　to　stand　with　them。’
　
　Kahlan　turned　her　back　to　the　three　Galean　soldiers。　She　put　her　fingers　to　her　temples；　closing　her　eyes　as　she　rubbed　in　little　circles。　She　had　a　headache　from　the　worry　of　these　young　men　all　being　slaughtered。　She　grieved　for　the　friends　of　these　men；　friends　and　rades　who　were　killed　defending　their　city。　The　faces　of　the　young　women　floated　before　her　mind’s　eye。
　
　Kahlan　spun　around；　looking　into　the　eyes　of　the　young　captain。　Eyes；　she　realized；　that　had　seen　more　than　she　had　at　first　thought。
　
　‘You　were　the　one；’　she　whispered。　‘You　were　the　one　who　closed　the　doors。　You　closed　the　doors　in　the　palace。　The　doors　on　the　rooms　of　the　queen　and　her　ladies。’　He　swallowed　and　then　nodded。　His　blue　eyes　were　wet。　His　lower　lip　quivered。　‘Why　would　they　do　that　to　those　poor　people？’
　
　Kahlan　answered　in　a　gentle　tone。　The　object　of　a　soldier　is　to　make　his　enemy　do　foolish　things。　Either　by　making　them　too　frightened；　or　too　angry；　to　think。　They　do　it　to　strike　fear　into　your　hearts；　but　more　than　that；　to　make　you　so　angry　you　will　do　something　foolish　so　they　can　kill　you；　too。’
　
　‘Those　men　we　chase　are　the　ones　who　did　that。　We　have　no　mand　to　return　to　It’s　upon　us　now。’
　
　‘That　is　the　foolish　thing　they　want　you　to　do。　You　will　not。　You　will　go　to　another　mand。　You　are　not　going　to　attack　that　army。’
　
　‘Mother　Confessor；　I’m　a　soldier　sworn　to　serve　Galea　and　the　Midlands。　In　my　life；　young　though　you　think　it　is；　I’ve　never　once　entertained　the　idea　of　disobeying　my　manders；　my　queen；　or　the　Mother　Confessor。’　Captain　Ryan　lifted　her　wrist　with　his　finger　and　thumb　and　placed　her　hand　on　his　shoulder。　‘But　in　this；　I　must　disobey　your　orders。　If　you　wish；　you　may　take　me　with　your　power；　but　I　will　not　otherwise　do　as　you　say。’
　
　Lieutenant　Sloan　spoke　up　for　the　first　time。　And　then　you　will　have　to　take　me；　because　I’ll　take　his　place；　and　lead　our　men　to　the　fight。’
　
　Lieutenant　Hobson　stepped　forward。　‘And　then　you’ll　have　to　take　me。’
　
　After　the　three　of　us；’　Captain　Ryan　said；　‘you　will　have　to　move　through　the　officers　and　then　every　one　of　the　men。　If　there　is　one　left；　he　will　attack；　and　die　in　battle　if　need　be。’
　
　She　drew　her　hand　back。　‘I’m　going　to　the　Central　Council　and　will　take　care　of　this。　What　you　want　to　do　is　a　suicide。’
　
　‘Mother　Confessor；　we　are　going　to　attack。’
　
　‘For　what！　For　glory？　You　want　to　be　heroes　avenging　the　murdered？　You　want　to　die　in　a　glorious　battle！’
　
　‘No；　Mother　Confessor；’　he　said　in　a　quiet　tone。　‘We　saw　what　those　men　did　to　Ebinissia。　We　saw　what　they　did　to　the　soldiers　they　captured。　We　saw　what　they　did　to　the　women　and　children　back　there。　Many　of　the　men　under　my　mand　had　mothers　and　sisters　back　there。　We　all　saw　what　was　done　to　them；　and　what　was　done　to　our　fathers　and　brothers。　Our　people。’
　
　He　drew　himself　up　tall　and　straight　as　he　looked　with　resolve　into　her　eyes。　‘We’re　not　doing　this　for　glory；　Mother　Confessor。　We　know　it’s　a　suicide　mission。　But　we’re　all　single；　we　have　no　families　to　leave　without　fathers。　We’re　doing　it　because　those　men　will　go　on　to　another　city　and　do　to　them　what　they　did　in　Ebinissia。　We’re　doing　this　to　stop　them；　if　we　can。
　
　‘Our　lives　are　sworn　to　protect　our　people。　We　cannot　shirk　our　responsibility。　We　must　attack　and　try　to　stop　these　men　before　they　kill　any　more　innocent　people。　I　pray　to　the　good　spirits　that　you　succeed　in　Aydindril；　but　still；　that　will　take　too　long。　How　many　more　cities　will　be　plundered　before　you　can　bring　the　Midlands　to　bear　on　these　men？　One　city　is　too　many。　We’re　the　only　ones　in　contact　with　these　killers。　Our　lives　are　all　that　stand　between　them　and　their　next　victims。
　
　‘When　I　took　the　oath　to　serve；　I　swore　that　no　matter　the　choices；　no　matter　the　orders；　I　would　always　put　the　protection　of　my　people　first。　That’s　why　I　must　disobey　your　orders；　Mother　Confessor　…　not　for　glory；　but　to　protect　the　defenseless。　I　wish　to　have　your　blessing　in　this；　but　I　will　try　to　stop　those　men　with　your　blessing；　or　without　it。’
　
　She　sank　to　sit　on　the　log　again；　and　stared　off　into　the　distance；　pondering　the　three　soldiers。　The　six　men　waited　in　silence。　Children　indeed。　They　were　older　than　she　had　thought。　And　they　were　right。
　
　It　would　still　take　her　some　time　to　get　to　Aydindril　and　more　time　yet　to　raise　armies　to　hunt　down　these　killers。　In　the　meantime　they　would　go　on　killing。　How　many　would　have　to　die　waiting　for　help　from　the　Central　Council？
　
　She　wished　she　could　be　anyone　right　now　but　who　she　was。　The　Mother　Confessor。　She　disregarded　her　feelings　and　considered　the　problem　as　the　Mother　Confessor　must；　she　weighed　lives；　those　spent；　and　those　spared。
　
　Kahlan　stood　and　turned　to　Chandalen。　‘We　must　help　these　men。’
　
　Chandalen　pushed　his　hands　farther　up　on　his　spear　and　leaned　toward　her。　‘Mother　Confessor；　these　men　are　foolish　children；　and　they　are　going　to　die。　If　we　stay　with　them　they　will　bring　a　storm　of　killing　around　us。　We　will　be　killed　with　them。　They　will　die　just　the　same；　and　you　will　not　reach　Aydindril。’
　
　‘Chandalen；　these　boys　are　like　the　Mud　People。　They　are　chasing　their　Jocopo。　If　we　don’t　help　them；　then　more　will　die　like　we　saw　back　in　the　city。’
　
　Prindin　leaned　in。　‘Mother　Confessor；　we　will　do　whatever　you　wish；　but　there　is　no　way　to　help　these　boys。　We　are　only　four。’
　
　Tossidin　nodded。　‘And　then　you　would　fail　in　your　duty　to　reach　Aydindril。　Is　that　not　important？’
　
　‘Of　course　it　is。’　She　pulled　some　hair　back　off　her　face。　‘But　what　if　the　army　who　killed　everyone　in　that　city　were　going　next　to　the　Mud　People？　Would　you　not　want　me　to　help　if　it　were　your　people　they　would　murder　next？’
　
　The　three　men　straightened。　They　twisted　their　spears　while　they　thought；　glancing　over　her　shoulder　occasionally；　to　the　three　soldiers　who　also　stood　silently。
　
　‘What　would　you　do　to　defeat　this　enemy；