tg.stone of tears-第123章

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not。
　
　Kahlan　put　a　hand　on　his　arm。　He　didn’t　flinch　this　time。　‘I　understand；　Chandalen。’
　
　‘My　grandfather　called　for　a　gathering；　and　was　visited　by　our　ancestors’　spirits。　He　wept　for　his　wife　before　the　spirits；　and　asked　if　the　ancestors’　spirits　would　teach　him　how　to　stop　the　Jocopo。　They　told　him　that　first　he　must　stop　weeping　until　after　the　fighting　was　done。’
　
　Kahlan　took　her　hand　back　and　absently　stroked　the　fur　at　her　neck。　‘My　father　taught　me　something　very　much　like　that。　He　said；　‘Don’t　shed　tears　over　those　already　in　the　ground；　until　after　you　have　brought　vengeance　to　those　who　put　them　there。　There　will　be　time　enough；　then。’’
　
　Chandalen　appraised　her　approvingly。　Then　your　father　was　a　wise　man。’
　
　Kahlan　waited　silently　until　at　last　he　seemed　to　mentally　gather　up　the　memories　of　the　stories；　and　continued。
　
　The　ancestors’　spirits　came　to　my　grandfather　every　night　in　a　gathering。　They　taught　him　what　he　must　do；　how　to　kill。　He　taught　these　men　what　he　had　learned。　He　taught　them　how　to　put　mud　on　themselves；　and　tie　grass　to　themselves；　so　not　to　be　seen。　Our　men　became　like　the　shadows。　The　Jocopo　could　not　see　them　if　they　stood　as　close　as　we　do　now。
　
　‘My　grandfather　and　his　men　made　war　with　the　Jocopo。　Not　war　the　way　the　Jocopo　made　war；　but　the　way　the　spirits　taught。　The　Jocopo　made　war　in　the　day；　because　they　were　many；　and　had　no　fear　of　us。　The　spirits　told　grandfather　that　he　must　not　fight　the　Jocopo　the　way　they　wanted；　but　must　make　them　fear　the　night；　and　the　empty　grassland；　and　every　call　of　a　bird　or　frog　or　bug。
　
　‘For　every　one　of　the　Mud　People；　there　were　five　Jocopo。　At　first；　they　were　not　afraid　of　us；　because　of　their　numbers。　We　killed　Jocopo　when　they　hunted　food；　when　they　tended　their　crops；　when　they　cared　for　their　animals；　when　they　went　for　water；　when　they　went　to　squat；　when　they　slept。　Any　Jocopo。　Every　Jocopo。　We　did　not　try　to　fight　them；　we　only　killed　them。　Until　there　were　no　more　Jocopo　in　this　world；　only　in　the　spirit　world。’
　
　She　wondered　briefly　if　he　meant　that　they　had　killed　the　children；　too；　but　she　knew　the　answer；　there　were　no　more　Jocopo。　Something　else　her　father　had　taught　her　came　to　mind：　If　war　is　brought　to　you；　then　it　is　incumbent　upon　you　to　show　no　mercy。　Surely　you　will　be　shown　none；　and　you　will　be　a　traitor　to　your　people　and　as　good　as　their　enemy　if　you　let　any　clemency　slip　its　bounds；　for　your　people　will　pay　for　your　mistake　with　their　lives。
　
　‘I　understand；　Chandalen。　Your　people　did　the　only　thing　they　could。　Your　grandfather　did　what　was　necessary　to　protect　his　people。　My　father　also　taught　me；　‘If　war　is　brought　to　you；　then　let　there　be　war　like　your　enemy　has　never　imagined　in　his　most　frightening　nightmares。　Anything　less；　and　you　hand　victory　to　your　foe。’’
　
　‘Your　father；　too；　must　know　the　spirits　of　his　ancestors。　He　did　well　to　teach　you　their　lessons。’　His　voice　lowered　sympathetically。　‘But　I　know　they　are　harsh　lessons　to　live　by；　and　can　make　you　look　hard　to　others。’
　
　‘I　know　the　truth　of　that。　Your　grandfather　brought　honor　to　the　Mud　People；　Chandalen。　I’m　sure　that　when　it　was　done；　he　shed　many　tears　for　those　of　his　people　who　were　murdered。’
　
　Chandalen　untied　the　thong　at　his　neck　and　shrugged　back　his　mantle；　letting　it　drop　to　the　floor。　He　wore　a　heavy　buckskin　tunic　and　pants。　At　each　shoulder；　held　with　a　band　made　of　woven　prairie　cotton　around　his　upper　arm；　was　a　bone　knife。　The　lower　end　was　sharpened　to　a　point；　and　the　knuckle　at　the　other　end　was　covered　with　the　same　woven　cotton　for　a　better　grip。　Black　feathers　hung　from　the　top。
　
　He　tapped　one　of　the　bones。　This　is　of　my　grandfather。’　He　touched　the　other。　This　is　of　my　father。　One　day；　when　I　have　a　strong　son；　he　will　wear　one　of　me；　and　of　my　father；　and　the　one　of　my　grandfather　will　be　put　to　rest　in　the　ground。’
　
　When　Kahlan　had　first　seen　the　bone　knives；　when　they　had　left　the　Mud　People　village；　she　had　thought　they　were　ceremonial。　With　terrible　certainty；　she　now　knew　they　were　not。　They　were　real　weapons：　spirit　weapons。
　
　‘What　are　the　feathers？’
　
　He　stroked　the　glossy　black　feathers　on　the　one　at　his　right　shoulder。　The　Bird　Man　we　had　then；　when　this　was　made；　placed　these。’　He　touched　the　ones　on　his　left　shoulder。　The　Bird　Man　we　have　now　placed　these。　They　are　raven。’
　
　The　raven　was　a　powerful　spirit　to　the　Mud　People。　Its　image　invoked　death。　While　she　thought　the　idea　of　wearing　a　knife　made　from　your　grandfather　and　father’s　arm　bone　was　gruesome；　she　knew　it　was　an　honor　to　Chandalen；　and　so　didn’t　say　anything　to　insult　his　beliefs。　‘It　brings　me　honor；　Chandalen；　that　you　would　bring　the　spirits　of　your　ancestors　to　protect　me。’
　
　He　didn’t　look　happy。　The　Bird　Man　says　you　are　Mud　People；　too；　and　must　be　protected；　so　I　wear　these。　It　is　my　duty。’
　
　He　stroked　his　grandfather’s　bone　again。　‘My　grandfather　taught　my　father；　and　my　uncle；　Toffalar；　the　man　you　killed；　to　be　protectors　of　our　people。’　He　touched　his　father’s　bone。　‘My　father　taught　me。　I　will　teach　my　son；　when　he　es；　and　someday　he　will　carry　my　spirit　with　him　as　he　protects　our　people。
　
　‘Since　the　time　we　killed　the　Jocopo；　we　have　not　let　many　e　onto　our　land。　Our　ancestors’　spirits　teach　us　that　to　invite　others　to　e　as　they　wish　is　to　invite　death。　The　spirits　speak　true。　You　brought　Richard　With　The　Temper　to　us；　and　because　of　him；　Darken　Rahl　came　and　killed　many　of　our　people。’
　
　So　it　came　down　to　this。　Chandalen　was　supposed　to　be　a　protector　of　his　people；　but　they　had　been　killed　and　he　hadn’t　been　able　to　stop　it。　The　ancestors’　spirits　helped　us　to　save　the　Mud　People；　Chandalen；　and　countless　others。　They　saw　that　Richard’s　heart　was　true；　that　he　was　risking　his　life；　the　same　as　you；　to　save　others　who　did　not　want　war。’
　
　‘He　stayed　in　the　spirit　house　while　Darken　Rahl　killed　our　people。　He　did　not　try　to　stop　him。　He　did　not　fight。　He　let　our　people　die。’
　
　‘Do　you　know　why？’　She　waited　as　he　stood　stone…faced；　but　when　he　didn’t　reply；　she　resumed。　The　spirits　told　him　that　if　he　went　out　to　fight　Darken　Rahl；　he　would　be　fighting　the　way　Darken　Rahl　fought；　and　Richard　would　die；　never　to　help　anyone。　They　told　him　that　if　he　wanted　to　defeat　Darken　Rahl　and　save　the　rest　of　the　Mud　People；　he　must　not　fight　the　way　Darken　Rahl　did；　but　wait　and　fight　his　own　way；　later；　just　as　the　spirits　told　your　grandfather。’
　
　He　regarded　her　skeptically。　This　is　his　story。’
　
　‘I　was　there；　Chandalen。　I　heard　them　say　this。　Richard　wanted　to　fight。　He　wept　with　frustration　when　the　spirits　told　him　he　must　not。　There　was　nothing　that　could　have　been　done　to　stop　Rahl　just　then。　It　was　not　Richard’s　fault；　nor　was　it　yours。　You　could　have　done　nothing　to　stop　it；　the　same　as　Richard　could　have　done　nothing。　If　he　had　tried；　he　would　be　dead；　and　Darken　Rahl　would　have　won。’
　
　He　leaned　a　little　closer。　If　you　had　not　brought　him；　it　would　not　have　happened。　Darken　Rahl　would　not　have　e　looking　for　him。’
　
　She　drew　herself　up　straight。　‘Chandalen；　do　you　know　what　I　do？　What　my　specialty　is？’
　
　‘Yes。　Like　all　Confessors；　you　make　people　afraid　of　you；　so　you　may　tell　them　what　to　do；　and　because　they　are　afraid；　they　will　do　as　you　say。’
　
　‘In　a　way。　I　lead　the　Council　of　the　Midlands。　I　represent　all　the　people　and　protect　their　rights。　I　make　it　possible　for　those　like　the　Mud　People　to　live　as　they　wish。’
　
　‘We　protect　ourselves。’
　
　She　gave　him　a　sober　nod。　‘You　think　so？　For　every　one　of　the　Mud　People；　there　were　five　Jocopo。　Your　grandfather　was　brave；　and　defeated　an　enemy　that　outnumbered　him。　But　for　every　man；　woman；　and　child　of　the　Mud　People；　there　are　over　a　hundred　dead　soldiers　here；　and　this　is　only　one　city　of　this　land。　They　were　defeated　as　if　they　were　nothing。　One　hundred　fighting　men　for　every　Mud　Person；　and　they　fought　bravely；　you　said　so。　What　chance　do　you　think　you　would　have　against　an　army　that　could　defeat　this　many？　Against　an　army　half　that　size？’
　
　Chandale