tg.wizardfirstrule- 第7节

　
　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　more；　or　less。〃
　
　〃Well；　if　I　ask　anything　a　friend　shouldn't；　just　kick　me。〃
　
　Her　smile　brightened　into　the　same　tight…lipped　one　she　had　given　him　before。　The　smile　of　sharing。　It　made　him　grin。
　
　He　turned　to　the　food　and　found　one　of　his　favorites；　small　ribs　with　a　spice　sauce；　put　a　few　on　a　small　white　plate；　and　handed　it　to　her。
　
　〃Try　these　first。　They're　my　most　treasured。〃
　
　Kahlan　held　the　dish　at　arm's　length；　eyeing　it　suspiciously。　〃What　creature's　meat　is　this？〃　〃It's　pork；〃　he　said；　a　little　surprised。　〃You　know；　from　a　pig。　Try　it；　it's　the　best　thing　here；　I　promise。〃
　
　She　relaxed；　brought　the　plate　close；　and　ate　the　meat。　He　ate　a　half　dozen　himself；　savoring　every　bite。
　
　He　put　some　sausages　on　their　plates。　〃Here；　have　some。　of　these；　too。〃
　
　Her　suspicion　flared　anew。　〃What　are　they　made　of？〃
　
　〃Pork　and　beef；　some　spices；　I　don't　know　what　kinds。　Why？　There　some　kinds　of　things　you　don't　eat？〃
　
　〃Some　kinds；〃　she　said　nonmittally　before　eating　a　sausage。　〃May　I　have　some　spice　soup；　please？〃
　
　He　ladled　the　soup　into　a　fine　white　bowl　with　a　gold　rim　and　traded　it　for　her　plate。　She　took　the　bowl　in　both　hands　and　tried　it。
　
　A　smile　came　to　her　face。　〃It's　good；　just　like　I　make。　I　don't　think　our　two　homelands　are　as　different　as　you　fear。〃
　
　As　she　drank　the　remainder　of　the　soup；　Richard；　feeling　better　about　what　she　said；　picked　up　a　thick　slice　of　bread；　put　strips　of　chicken　meat　on　it；　and；　when　she　finished　the　soup；　exchanged　the　bread　for　her　bowl。　She　took　the　bread　with　chicken　and　started　moving　to　the　side　of　the　room　while　she　ate。　He　set　the　soup　bowl　down　and　followed　behind；　shaking　an　occasional　hand。　Their　owners　cast　a　critical　eye　at　the　way　he　was　dressed。　When　she　reached　a　deserted　spot　near　a　column；　she　turned　to　face　him。
　
　〃Please　get　me　a　piece　of　cheese？〃
　
　〃Sure。　What　kind？〃
　
　She　scanned　the　throng。　〃Any　k