gc.thewhiterose- 第19节

　　　
　　　Case　heard　Corbie　was　back　at　last。　He　ran　to　the　old　man's　home。　Corbie　greeted　him　with　a　hug。　〃How　you　been；　lad？〃
　　　〃We　thought　you　were　gone　for　good。〃　Corbie　had　been　away　eight　months。
　　　〃I　tried　to　get　back。　There's　damned　near　no　roads　anymore。〃
　　　〃I　know。　The　Colonel　asked　the　Taken　to　fly　supplies　in。〃
　　　〃I　heard。　The　military　government　in　Oar　got　off　their　butts　when　that　hit。　Sent　a　whole　regiment　to　start　a　new　road。　It's　about　a　third　of　the　way　built。　I　came　up　on　part　of　it。〃
　　　Case　donned　his　serious　face。　〃Was　it　really　your　daughter？〃
　　　〃No；〃　Corbie　said。　On　departing　he　had　announced　that　he　was　off　to　meet　a　woman　who　might　be　his　daughter。　He　claimed　to　have　given　over　his　savings　to　a　man　who　would　find　his　children　and　bring　them　to　Oar。
　　　〃You　sound　disappointed。〃
　　　He　was。　His　researches　had　not　worked　out　well。　Too　many　records　were　missing。
　　　〃What　sort　of　winter　was　it；　Case？〃
　　　〃Bad。〃
　　　〃It　was　bad　down　there；　too。　I　worried　for　you　all。〃
　　　〃We　had　trouble　with　the　tribes。　That　was　the　worst　part。　You　can　always　stay　inside　and　throw　another　log　on。　But　you　can't　eat　if　thieves　steal　your　stores。〃
　　　〃I　thought　it　might　e　to　that。〃
　　　〃We　watched　your　house。　They　broke　in　some　of　the　empty　places。〃
　　　〃Thank　you。〃　Corbie's　eyes　narrowed。　His　home　had　been　violated？　How　thoroughly？　A　careful　searcher　might　have　found　enough　to　hang　him。　He　glanced　out　a　window。　〃Looks　like　rain。〃
　　　〃It　always　looks　like　rain。　When　it　don't　look　like　snow。　It　got　twelve　feet　deep　last　winter。　People　are　worried。　What's　happened　to　the　weather？〃
　　　〃Old　folks　say　it　goes　this　way；　after　the　Great　et。　The　winters　turn　bad　for　a　few　years。　Down　in　Oar　it　never　got　that　cold。　Plenty　of　snow；　though。〃
　　　〃Wasn't　that　cold　here。　Just　snowed　so　much　you　couldn't　get　out。　I　like　to　went　crazy。　The　whole　Barrowland　looked　like　a　frozen　lake。　You　could　hardly　tell　where　the　Great　Barrow　was。〃
　　　〃Uhm？　I　have　to　unpack　yet。　If　you　don't　mind？　Let　everyone　know　I'm　back。　I'm　near　broke。　I'll　need　work。〃
　　　〃Will　do；　Corbie。〃
　　　Corbie　watched　from　a　window　as　Case　ambled　back　to　the　Guard　pound；　taking　an　elevated　walkway　built　since　his　departure。　The　mud　below　explained　it。　That　and　Colonel　Sweet's　penchant　for　keeping　his　men　occupied。　Once　Case　vanished　he　went　to　the　second　floor。
　　　Nothing　had　been　disturbed。　Good。　He　peeped　out　a　window；　toward　the　Barrowland。
　　　How　it　had　changed　in　just　a　few　years。　A　few　more　and　you　would　not　be　able　to　find　it。
　　　He　grunted；　stared　the　harder。　Then　he　retrieved　the　silken　map　from　its　hiding　place；　studied　it；　then　the　Barrowland　again。　After　a　time　he　fished　sweat…stained　papers　from　inside　his　shirt；　where　he　had　carried　them　since　stealing　them　from　the　university　in　Oar。　He　spread　them　over　the　map。
　　　Late　that　afternoon　he　rose；　donned　a　cloak；　gathered　the　cane　he　now　carried；　and　went　out。　He　limped　through　the　water　and　mud　and　drizzle　till　he　reached　a　point　overlooking　the　Great　Tragic　River。
　　　It　was　in　flood；　as　always。　Its　bed　had　continued　to　shift。　After　a　time　he　cursed；　smote　an　old　oak　with　his　cane；　and　turned　back。
　　　The　day　had　gone　grey　with　the　hour。　It　would　be　dark　before　he　got　home。
　　　〃Damned　plications；〃　he　muttered。　〃I　never　counted　on　this。　What　the　hell　am　I　going　to　do？〃
　　　Take　the　high　risk。　The　one　chance　he　wished　most　to　avoid；　though　its　possible　necessity　was　his　real　reason　for　having　wintered　in　Oar。
　　　For　the　first　time　in　years　he　wondered　if　the　game　were　worth　the　candle。
　　　Whatever　his　course；　it　would　be　dark　before　he　got　home。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Sixteen：THE　PLAIN　OF　FEAR
　　　
　　　You　get　mad　and　walk　out　on　Darling；　you　can　miss　a　lot。　Elmo；　One…Eye；　Goblin；　Otto；　those　guys　like　to　bait　me。　They　were　not　about　to　clue　me　in。　They　got　everybody　else　to　go　along。　Even　Tracker；　who　seemed　to　be　taking　a　shine　to　me　and　chattered　at　me　more　than　everybody　else　bined；　would　not　drop　a　hint。　So　when　the　day　came；　I　went　topside　in　total　ignorance。
　　　I'd　packed　the　usual　field　gear。　Our　traditions　are　heavy　infantry；　though　mostly　we　ride　these　days。　All　of　us　are　too　old　to　lug　eighty　pounds　of　gear。　I　dragged　mine　to　the　cavern　that　serves　as　a　stable　and　smells　like　the　grandfather　of　them　all…and　found　that　not　one　animal　was　saddled。　Well；　one。　Darling's。
　　　The　stable　boy　just　grinned　when　I　asked　what　was　going　on。　〃Go　on　up；〃　he　said。　〃Sir。〃
　　　〃Yeah？　Rotten　bastards。　They　play　games　with　me？　I'll　get　them。　They　damned　well　better　start　remembering　who　keeps　the　Annals　around　here。〃　I　bitched　and　moaned　all　the　way　into　the　pre…moonset　shadows　that　lurked　around　the　tunnel　mouth。　There　I　found　the　rest　of　the　outfit；　all　already　up；　with　light　gear。　Each　man　carried　his　weapons　and　a　sack　of　dried　food。
　　　〃What　you　doing；　Croaker？〃　One…Eye　asked　with　suppressed　laughter。　〃Look　like　you're　taking　everything　you　own。　You　a　turtle？　Carry　your　house　on　your　back？〃
　　　And　Elmo：　〃We　ain't　moving；　boy。　Just　going　on　a　raid。〃
　　　〃You're　a　bunch　of　sadists；　you　know　that？〃　I　stepped　into　the　wan　light。　The　moon　was　half　an　hour　from　setting。　Far；　Taken　drifted　on　the　night。　Those　son…of…a…bitches　were　determined　to　keep　a　close　watch。　Nearer；　a　whole　horde　of　menhirs　had　gathered。　They　looked　like　a　graveyard　out　on　the　desert；　there　were　so　many　of　them。　There　were　a　lot　of　walking　trees；　too。
　　　More；　though　there　was　no　breeze；　I　could　hear　Old　Father　Tree　tinkling。　No　doubt　that　meant　something。　A　menhir　might　have　explained。　But　the　stones　remain　close…mouthed　about　themselves　and　their　fellow　species。　Especially　about　Father　Tree。　Most　of　them　won't　admit　he　exists。
　　　〃Better　lighten　your　load；　Croaker；〃　the　Lieutenant　said。　He　would　not　explain　either。
　　　〃You　going　too？〃　I　asked；　surprised。
　　　〃Yep。　Move　it。　We　don't　have　long。　Weapons　and　field　medical　kit　should　do　it。　Scoot。〃
　　　I　met　Darling　going　down。　She　smiled。　Grouchy　as　I　was；　I　smiled　back。　I　can't　stay　mad　at　her。　I　have　known　her　since　she　was　so　high。　Since　Raven　rescued　her　from　the　Limper's　thugs　long　ago；　in　the　Forsberg　campaigns。　I　cannot　see　the　woman　that　is　without　recalling　the　child　that　was。　I　get　all　sentimental　and　soft。
　　　They　tell　me　I　suffer　from　a　crippling　romantic　streak。　Looking　back；　I'm　almost　inclined　to　agree。　All　those　silly　stories　I　wrote　about　the　Lady　。　。　。
　　　The　moon　was　on　the　rim　of　the　world　when　I　returned　topside。　A　whisper　of　excitement　coursed　among　the　men。　Darling　was　up　there　with　them；　astride　her　flashy　white　mare；　moving　around；　gesturing　at　those　who　understood　sign。　Above；　the　spots　of　luminescence　that　are　characteristic　of　windwhale　tentacles　drifted　lower　than　I'd　ever　heard　tell　of。　Except　in　horror　stories　about　starved　whales　dropping　down　to　drag　their　tentacles　on　the　ground；　ripping　up　every　plant　and　animal　in　their　path。
　　　〃Hey！〃　I　said。　〃We'd　better　look　out。　That　sucker　is　ing　down。〃　A　vast　shadow　blotted　out　thousands　of　stars。　And　it　was　expanding。　Manias　swarmed　around　it。　Big　ones；　little　ones；　in…between　ones…more　than　I'd　ever　seen。
　　　My　expostulation　drew　laughter。　I　turned　surly　again。　I　moved　among　the　men；　harassing　them　about　the　medical　kits　I　expect　them　to　carry　on　a　mission。　I　was　in　a　better　mood　when　I　finished。　They　all　had　them。
　　　The　windwhale　kept　ing　down。
　　　The　moon　disappeared。　The　instant　it　did　the　menhirs　began　to　move。　Moments　later　they　began　to　glow　on　the　side　toward　us。　The　side　away　from　the　Taken。
　　　Darling　rode　along　the　pathway　they　marked。　When　she　passed　a　menhir　its　light　went　out。　I　suspect　it　moved　to　the　far　end　of　the　line。
　　　I　had　no　time　to　check。　Elmo　and　the　Lieutenant　herded　us　into　a　line　of　our　own。　Above；　the　night　filled　with　the　squeaks　and　flutter　of　manias　squabbling　for　flying　room。
　　　The　windwhale　settled　astride　the　creek。
　　　My　god；　it　was　big。　Big！　I　had　no　idea　。　。　。　It　stretched　from　the　coral　over　the　creek　another　two　hundred　yards。　Four；　five　hundred　yards　long；　all　total。　And　seventy　to　a　hundred　wide。
　　　A　menhir　spoke。　I　could　not　make　out　its　words。　But　the　men　began　moving　forward。
　　　In　a　minute　my　worst　suspicions　were　confirmed。　They　were　climbing　the　cre