tg.stone of tears-第150章

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　of　the　number　of　skulls。
　
　His　curiosity；　his　dread；　failed　to　overe　his　stubborn　silence。　He　and　the　Sister　had　not　spoken　since　their　last　argument。　He　had　not　even　slept　in　camp　with　her；　preferring　instead　to　spend　his　watch；　and　the　rest　of　the　night；　hunting　and　sleeping　with　Gratch。　Sister　Verna’s　angry　silence　was；　at　last；　no　match　for　his。　He　had　no　intention；　this　time；　of　being　the　one　to　make　amends。　They　both　contented　themselves　with　looking　at　anything　but　each　other。
　
　Opening　into　sunlight；　the　road　widened；　splitting　in　the　distance　around　a　striated　pyramid。　Richard　frowned；　trying　to　see　what　made　it　look　the　way　it　did　…　a　dotted；　pale　tan；　with　darker　bands　at　evenly　spaced　intervals　up　its　sides。　He　judged　its　height　at　three　times　his　eye　level　from　where　he　sat　atop　Bonnie。
　
　As　they　approached；　he　realized　the　mound　was　constructed　entirely　of　bones。　Human　bones。　The　dotted　tan　parts　were　skulls；　and　the　bands　were　leg　and　arm　bones　placed　end…out　in　layers。　He　guessed　there　must　be　tens　of　thousands　of　skulls　in　the　orderly　heap。　He　stared　as　they　rode　past；　Sister　Verna　didn’t　seem　to　take　notice。
　
　Beyond　the　bone　pile；　the　wide　road　led　into　a　plaza　of　a　dark　and　hazy　city　in　the　middle　of　the　thick　forest。　The　flat　hilltop　had　been　cleared　of　every　tree；　as　had　the　terraced　fields　they　had　passed　not　an　hour　before。
　
　The　fields　looked　to　be　in　preparation　for　planting。　The　ground　was　freshly　turned；　and　there　were　stick　people　to　scare　away　the　birds　when　the　seed　was　planted。　It　was　winter；　yet　here；　in　this　place；　people　planted。　Richard　thought　it　a　wonder。
　
　Rather　than　feeling　open；　this　vast　city；　cleared　of　every　bit　of　green　that　surrounded　it；　seemed　even　more　closed　and　dark　than　the　tunneled　road。　Buildings　were　square；　with　flat　roofs；　and　faced　with　dingy　plaster　the　color　of　bark。　Near　the　roofs；　and　at　each　floor　level；　the　ends　of　support　logs　stuck　from　the　plastered　walls。　Windows　were　small；　with　never　more　than　one　in　a　wall。　The　buildings　varied　in　height；　but　most　were　attached　into　irregular　blocks。　The　tallest　must　have　had　four　floors。　None　had　the　slightest　variation　in　style；　other　than　their　height。
　
　Haze　and　woodsmoke　obscured　the　sky　and　the　buildings　in　the　distance。　The　plaza　seemed　simply　an　open　place　around　a　well　in　the　center；　and　was　the　only　open　area　of　any　size。　It　quickly　terminated　in　narrow；　dark　streets　with　smooth　walls　rising　up　to　each　side；　creating　man…made　chasms。　Overhead；　many　of　the　blocky　buildings　bridged　the　streets；　making　them　dark　tunnels；　and　where　there　were　none　of　the　bridging　buildings　overhead；　wash　hung　on　lines　between　opposing　windows。　Some　streets　were　cobblestone；　but　most　were　mud；　running　with　fetid　water。
　
　People　in　drab；　loose…fitting　clothes　filled　the　narrow　streets；　walked　barefoot　through　the　mud；　stood　with　their　arms　folded；　watching；　or　sat　in　groups　in　doorways。　Women　carrying　clay　water　jugs　on　their　heads；　balanced　with　the　aid　of　a　single　hand；　moved　tight　against　the　walls　to　make　room　for　the　three　horses。　They　made　their　way　to　and　from　the　well　in　indifferent　silence　as　Richard　and　Sister　Verna　passed。
　
　A　few　older　men　sat　in　wide　doorways；　or　leaned　against　walls。　The　men　wore　brimless；　straight…sided；　round；　dark；　flat…topped　hats；　with　strange　markings　in　light　colors　that　looked　to　have　been　painted　on　with　fingers。　Many　of　the　men　smoked　thin…stemmed　pipes。　Conversation　fell　silent　as　Richard　and　Sister　Verna　passed；　and　all　watched　the　two　strangers　and　three　horses　moving　by。　Some　idly　tugged　on　the　long；　dangling　earrings　they　wore　in　their　left　ears。
　
　Sister　Verna　led　the　way　through　the　narrow　streets；　taking　them　deeper　into　the　maze　of　drab　buildings。　When　they　at　last　reached　a　wider　cobblestone　street；　she　halted；　turned　to　him；　and　spoke　in　quiet　warning。
　
　‘These　people　are　the　Majendie。　Their　land　is　a　vast；　crescent…shaped　swath　of　forests。　We　must　travel　the　length　of　their　land；　all　the　way　to　the　point　of　the　horn　of　their　land。　They　worship　spirits。　Those　skulls　we　saw　back　there　were　sacrifices　to　their　spirits。
　
　‘Though　they　hold　foolish　beliefs　which　are　reprehensible；　we　do　not　have　the　power　to　change　them。　We　need　to　pass　through　their　land。　You　will　do　as　they　ask；　or　our　skulls　will　end　up　with　all　the　others　on　that　pile。’
　
　Richard　refused　to　give　her　the　satisfaction　of　an　answer　or　an　argument。　He　sat　with　his　hands　folded　over　the　pommel　of　his　saddle　and　without　emotion　watched　her　until　she　finally　turned　away　and　started　out　once　more。
　
　After　passing　under　a　low　bridge　building；　they　entered　a　slightly　dished；　open　square。　Perhaps　a　thousand　men　milled　about　or　clustered　in　small　groups。　Like　the　other　men　he　had　seen；　these　all　wore　the　one　long；　dangling　earring；　though　on　the　right　side　instead　of　the　left。　They　also　all　wore　short　swords　and　black　sashes。　Unlike　the　other　men；　none　of　these　wore　hats　on　their　shaved　heads。
　
　Off　in　the　center；　a　raised　platform　held　a　circle　of　men　sitting　cross…legged；　facing　inward；　around　a　thick　pole。　Here　was　the　source　of　the　eerie　melody。　A　circle　of　women　in　black　sat　in　a　ring；　facing　outward；　around　the　men。
　
　Standing　with　her　back　against　the　pole；　a　big　woman　in　a　billowing　black　outfit　slid　the　back　of　her　hand　up　the　pole　and　took　hold　of　a　knot　in　the　end　of　a　rope　hanging　from　a　bell。　As　she　watched　Richard　and　the　Sister　ride　into　the　square；　she　rang　the　bell　once。　The　Sister　brought　them　to　an　abrupt　halt　as　the　piercing　peal　drifted　across　the　square；　hushing　the　men；　and　urging　the　flute　players　into　faster　strains。
　
　That　is　a　warning；’　Sister　Verna　said。　‘A　warning　to　the　spirits　of　their　enemies。　The　bell　is　also　a　call　to　the　warriors　present。　Those　are　these　men　here　in　the　square。　The　spirits　have　been　warned；　and　the　warriors　called。　If　she　rings　that　bell　again；　we　die。’　Sister　Verna　glanced　to　his　even　expression。　This　is　a　sacrifice　ritual；　to　appease　spirits。’
　
　She　watched　men　e　and　take　hold　of　the　reins　of　their　horses。　The　circle　of　women　in　black　stood　and　began　to　dance　and　twirl　to　the　haunting　music。　When　Sister　Verna　glanced　at　him　again；　Richard；　with　deliberate　care；　checked　that　his　sword　was　loose　in　its　scabbard。　She　sighed　and　then　dismounted。　When　she　cleared　her　throat　in　annoyance；　he　finally　dismounted；　too。
　
　Sister　Verna　drew　her　light　cloak　tight　around　herself　as　she　spoke　to　him　while　watching　the　women　in　black　dance　and　spin　around　the　pole　and　the　woman　in　the　center。
　
　The　Majendie　live　in　a　crescent　around　a　land　of　swampy　forest　in　which　live　their　enemy。　The　people　who　live　in　the　heart　of　that　forbidding　land　are　a　wild；　savage　lot；　and　will　not　allow　any　of　us　through　their　land；　much　less　guide　us。　Even　if　we　could　avoid　them；　we　would　bee　lost　within　an　hour；　and　never　find　our　way　out。　The　only　way　for　us　to　reach　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets；　which　lies　beyond　these　savages；　is　to　go　around　them；　along　the　crescent　of　land　belonging　to　the　Majendie。　Our　destination　lies　between　the　cusps　of　the　crescent　belonging　to　the　Majendie；　and　beyond　the　savages　in　the　center。’
　
　She　glanced　over；　to　make　sure　he　was　at　least　listening；　before　she　went　on。　The　Majendie　are　at　constant　war　with　the　savages　who　live　in　that　swampy　forest。　In　order　to　be　permitted　through　Majendie　land；　we　must　prove　we　are　allied　with　them　and　their　spirits；　and　not　their　enemy。
　
　Those　skulls　we　saw　are　the　skulls　of　this　enemy；　who　were　sacrificed　to　the　Majendie　spirits。　In　order　for　us　to　be　permitted　to　pass；　we　must　help　them　in　this　sacrifice。　The　Majendie　believe　that　men　with　the　gift；　like　all　men；　carry　the　seed　of　life　and　soul；　endowed　by　the　spirits。　More；　they　believe　that　one　with　the　gift　has　a　special；　direct　link　with　the　spirits。　A　sacrifice　made　with　the　aid　of　a　young　man　with　the　gift　confers　the　sanctifying　grace　of　their　spirits　upon　all　their　people。　They　believe　it　breathes　life；　divine　life；　on　their　people。
　
　The　Majendie　require　this　participation　when　we　bring　young　boys　through　for　the　first　time；　believing　it　links　their　spirits　to　those　of　the　Majendie。　This　ceremony　also　insures　that　the　people　with　whom　they　are　at　war　will　hate　wizards；　because　they　help　the　Majendie；　and　will　never　cooperate　with　them。　This；　the　Majendie　believe；　denies　their　enemy　a　divine　channel　to　the　spirit　world。’
　
　The　men　in　the　square　all　drew　their　short　swords。　Laying　the　swords　on　the　ground　with　their　points　toward　the　woman　in　the　center；　they　knelt　with　shiny　heads　bowed。
　
　The　woman　who　rang　the　bell；　the　one　in　the　center；　is　the　leader　of　these　people。　The　Queen　Mother。　She　is　the　one　who　is　bound　to　the　female　spirits。　She　represents　the　spirits　of　fertility　in　this　world。　She　is　the　embodiment　of　the　receptacle　of　the　divine　seed　from　the　spirit　world。’
　
　The　dancing　women　in　black　formed　into　a　line　and　started　off　the　platform　in　the　direction　of　Richard　and　the　Sister。
　
　The　Queen　Mother　is　sending　her　representatives　to　take　you　to　the　sacrificial　offering。’　Sister　Verna　glanced　up　at　him；　then　fussed　with　the　corner　of　her　c