tg.stone of tears-第117章

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take　the　quassin　doe；　and　he　will　be　well　again。　If　you　are　shot　with　a　poison　arrow；　sometimes　you　will　have　time　to　save　yourself。　Ten…step　arrows　only　work　quick　if　you　are　shot　in　the　neck。
　
　Then　you　have　no　time　to　take　the　quassin　doe；　you　will　die　too　quick。　But　if　you　are　shot　in　another　place；　maybe　your　leg；　the　poison　takes　longer　to　work；　and　you　have　time　to　take　the　quassin　doe。’
　
　‘What　if　you　aren’t　near　to　Nissel；　so　she　could　give　it　to　you？　You　would　die　if　you　were　out　on　the　plains　hunting　and　you　scratched　yourself　accidentally　with　a　poison　arrow。’
　
　‘All　hunters　used　to　carry　a　few　leaves　with　them；　so　they　may　take　it　if　they　scratched　themselves；　or　were　shot　with　an　arrow　and　had　time。　If　there　is　not　much　poison　on　the　arrow；　like　if　it　has　not　much　on　it　because　it　is　used　to　hunt　small　animals；　you　have　longer。　In　times　long　ago；　when　there　was　war；　our　men　would　swallow　quassin　doe　just　before　a　battle；　so　the　enemy’s　ten…step　arrows　would　not　poison　them。’
　
　He　shook　his　head　sadly。　‘But　this　is　much　trouble　to　get。　The　last　time　we　traded　for　this　much；　every　man　in　the　village　had　to　make　three　bows；　and　two　fists　of　arrows；　and　all　the　women　had　to　make　bowls。　It　is　gone　now；　for　a　long　time。　Years。　The　people　we　traded　with　have　been　able　to　find　no　more。　Two　men　have　died　since　we　no　longer　have　it。　My　people　would　trade　much　to　have　this　much　again。’
　
　Kahlan　stood　over　him；　watching　him　gently　place　it　back　in　the　drawer。　‘Take　it；　Chandalen。　Give　it　to　your　people。　They　have　need　of　it。’
　
　He　slowly　slid　the　drawer　closed。　‘I　cannot。　It　would　be　wrong　to　take　it　from　another　people；　even　if　they　are　dead。　It　does　not　belong　to　my　people；　it　belongs　to　the　people　here。’
　
　Kahlan　squatted　down　next　to　him；　pulled　open　the　drawer；　and　lifted　out　the　little　bundle。　She　found　a　square　of　cloth　lying　on　the　floor　nearby；　used　for　packaging　purchases　and　wrapped　the　quassin　doe　plants。　Take　it。’　She　pushed　the　bundle　into　his　hand。　‘I　know　the　people　of　this　city。　I　will　repay　them　for　what　I　have　taken。　Since　I　will　pay　for　it；　it　belongs　to　me　now。　Take　it。　It　is　my　gift　for　the　trouble　I　have　caused　your　people。’
　
　He　stared　at　the　cloth　parcel　in　his　hand。　‘It　is　too　valuable　for　a　gift。　A　gift　of　such　great　value　would　bind　us　to　an　obligation　to　you。’
　
　Then　it　is　not　a　gift；　but　my　payment；　to　you　and　Prindin　and　Tossidin；　for　guarding　me　on　this　journey。　You　three　are　risking　your　lives　to　protect　me。　That　is　a　debt　I　owe　you　that　is　greater　than　this　payment。　You　will　owe　me　no　more　obligation。’
　
　With　a　frown；　he　studied　the　bundle　a　moment；　and　then　bounced　it　twice　in　his　hand　before　tucking　it　in　the　buckskin　pouch　at　his　waist。　He　tied　the　flap　closed　by　its　rawhide　thong　and　stood。　Then　this　is　in　trade　for　what　we　do。　We　owe　you　no　obligation　beyond　this　journey。’
　
　‘None；’　she　said；　sealing　the　bargain。
　
　The　two　of　them　walked　on　through　the　silent　streets；　past　the　shops　and　inns　of　the　old　city　quarter。　Every　door；　every　window；　was　broken　in。　Shards　of　glass　sparkled　in　the　sunlight；　shimmering　tears　for　the　dead。　The　invading　horde　had　swept　through　every　building；　searching　out　anything　alive。
　
　‘How　do　this　many　thousands；　all　living　in　this　one　place；　find　land　to　feed　their　families？　There　could　not　be　enough　game　to　hunt；　or　fields　for　all　to　plant。’
　
　Kahlan　tried　to　see　the　city　through　his　eyes。　It　must　be　a　great　puzzle　to　him。　‘They　don’t　all　hunt；　or　plant　the　land。　The　people　who　lived　here　specialized。’
　
　‘Specialized？　What　is　this？’
　
　‘It　means　that　different　people　have　different　jobs。　They　work　at　one　thing。　They　use　silver　or　gold　to　buy　the　things　they　need　that　they　don’t　grow　or　make　themselves。’
　
　‘Where　do　they　get　this　silver　or　gold？’
　
　‘People　who　want　the　thing　they　specialize　in　pay　for　it　with　silver　or　gold。’
　
　‘And　where　do　these　others　get　this　silver　or　gold？’
　
　‘They　get　it　from　people　who　pay　them　for　the　things　they　do。’
　
　Chandalen　looked　at　her　skeptically。　‘Why　do　they　not　trade？　It　would　be　easier　to　trade。’
　
　‘Well；　in　a　way；　it　is　trading。　Often；　the　person　who　wants　what　you　have　has　nothing　you　want；　so　they　give　you　money　…　silver　or　gold　made　into　flat；　round　disks　called　coins　…instead。　Then　you　can　use　the　money　to　buy　things　you　need。’
　
　‘Buy。’　Chandalen　seemed　to　test　the　strange　word　with　his　tongue　as　he　looked　off　down　a　street　to　their　right　while　shaking　his　head　in　disbelief。　‘Why　would　people　work；　then？
　
　Why　would　they　not　just　go　and　get　this　silver　or　gold　money？’
　
　‘Some　do。　They　hunt　silver　and　gold。　But　that　is　hard　work；　too。　Gold　is　hard　to　find　and　dig　out　of　the　ground。　That　is　why　it　is　used　for　money：　because　it　is　rare。　If　it　were　easy　to　find；　like　grains　of　sand；　then　no　one　would　take　it　in　trade。　If　money　were　easy　to　get；　or　to　make；　it　would　bee　worthless；　and　then　in　the　end　this　system　of　trade；　with　worthless　money；　would　fail；　and　everyone　would　starve。’
　
　He　came　to　a　halt　with　a　frown。　‘What　is　this　money　made　from？　What　is　this　silver　or　gold　you　speak　of？’
　
　She　didn’t　stop　with　him；　and　he　had　to　take　a　few　bounding　steps　to　catch　back　up　with　her。　‘Gold　is　。。。　The　medallion；　the　necklace；　that　the　Bantak　gave　as　a　gift　to　the　Mud　People；　to　show　they　did　not　wish　to　make　war；　that　is　made　of　gold。’　Chandalen　nodded　with　a　knowing　grunt。　Kahlan　halted　this　time。　‘Do　you　know　where　the　Bantak　got　that　much　gold？’
　
　Chandalen　swept　his　gaze　across　the　slate　rooftops。　‘Of　course。　They　got　it　from　us。’
　
　Kahlan　gripped　his　arm　covered　with　his　mantle　and　pulled　him　around。　‘What　do　you　mean；　they　got　it　from　you？’
　
　He　tensed　at　her　touch。　He　didn’t　like　her　hand　…　a　Confessor’s　hand　…　on　him。　That　the　fur　mantle　separated　actual　contact　of　flesh　was　of　no　consequence；　their　flesh　was　close　enough。　If　she　relaxed　her　restraint　of　the　power；　that　thin　piece　of　hide　would　be　no　impediment；　Kahlan　had　loosed　her　power　through　armor　before。　She　released　her　grip　and　he　visibly　relaxed。　‘Chandalen；　where　did　the　Mud　People　get　that　much　gold？’
　
　He　looked　at　her　as　if　she　were　a　child　asking　where　you　might　find　dirt。　‘From　the　holes　in　the　ground。　In　our　land；　to　the　north　where　it　is　rocky　and　nothing　much　will　grow　or　live；　there　are　holes　in　the　ground。　They　have　this　gold　in　them。　It　is　a　bad　place。　The　air　is　hot　and　bad。　It　is　said　that　men　die　if　they　stay　too　long　in　the　ground。　The　yellow　metal　is　in　these　deep　holes。　It　is　too　soft　to　make　good　weapons；　so　it　is　of　no　use。’
　
　He　dismissed　its　importance　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　‘But　the　Bantak　say　their　ancestors’　spirits　like　the　look　of　the　yellow　metal；　and　so　we　let　them　e　onto　our　land　and　go　in　the　holes　so　they　may　get　it　to　make　things　their　ancestors’　spirits　may　like　to　look　upon　when　they　e　to　this　world。’
　
　‘Chandalen；　do　others　know　of　these　holes　in　the　ground；　of　the　gold　that　is　in　them？’
　
　He　shrugged。　‘We　do　not　let　outsiders　e　to　our　land。　But　I　told　you；　it　is　too　soft　to　make　weapons　with；　so　it　is　of　no　use。　It　pleases　the　Bantak；　and　they　are　good　traders　with　us；　so　we　let　them　take　what　they　want。　They　do　not　take　much；　though；　because　it　is　a　bad　place　to　go　into。　No　one　would　want　to　go　there；　except　the　Bantak；　to　please　their　ancestors’　spirits。’
　
　How　could　she　explain　it　to　him？　He　didn’t　understand　the　ways　of　the　outside　world。　‘Chandalen；　you　must　never　use　this　gold。’　He　made　a　face　that　said　he　had　already　explained　how　useless　it　was；　and　no　one　would　want　it。　‘You　may　think　it　is　useless；　but　others　would　kill　to　get　it。　If　people　knew　you　had　gold　on　your　land；　they　would　swarm　over　you　to　get　it。　The　craving　for　gold　makes　men　crazy；　and　they　would　do　anything　to　get　it。　They　would　kill　Mud　People。’
　
　Chandalen　straightened　with　a　smug　expression。　He　took　his　hand　from　the　bowstring　and　tapped　his　chest。　‘I；　and　my　men；　protect　our　people。　We　would　keep　the　outsiders　away。’
　
　Kahlan　swept　her　arm　around；　taking　in　the　hundreds　upon　hundreds　o