tg.stone of tears-第137章

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　She　leaned　over；　tightening　the　apron　strings　behind　her　back　as　she　did。　‘Yes；　Ruben？’
　
　The　wizard　gently　touched　a　finger　to　the　underside　of　her　chin。　‘You　are　a　very　lovely　woman；　Julie。　Oscar　shouldn’t　speak　to　you　in　foul　language；　or　touch　you　again。’　His　voice　lowered　to　a　slow；　powerful　whisper　that　almost　seemed　to　make　the　air　sparkle。　‘When　you　give　him　his　ale；　speak　his　name；　and　look　him　in　the　eyes；　as　I　look　into　yours　now；　and　you　shall　have　your　wish　as　you　have　spoken　it　to　me；　but　you　won’t　remember　asking　it；　or　that　I　have　granted　it。’
　
　Julie　blinked　as　she　straightened。　‘I’m　sorry；　Ruben；　what　did　you　say？’
　
　Zedd　smiled。　‘I　said　thank　you　for　the　tea；　and　I　asked　if　anyone　here　has　a　team　of　horses；　and　perhaps　a　carriage　for　hire。’
　
　She　blinked　again。　‘Oh。　Well　。。。’　She　looked　around　as　she　pulled　her　bottom　lip　through　her　teeth。　‘Half　the　men　in　here；　well；　half　the　men　who　aren’t　dressed　as　fine　as　you；　are　drivers。　Some　hire　out。　Some　haul　freight　and　are　regulars；　just　passing　through。’　She　pointed　at　a　few　tables。　‘They　。。。　and　they；　might　hire　out。　If　you　can　sober　them　up。’
　
　Zedd　thanked　her　and　she　went　to　get　the　ale。　He　watched　as　she　carried　it　back　across　the　room　and　set　it　in　front　of　Oscar。　He　leered　up　at　her　with　a　drunken　grin。　She　stared　into　his　eyes。　Zedd　saw　her　lips　speak　his　name。　Oscar　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　but　hiccupped　instead。　A　bubble　floated　from　his　mouth；　up　into　the　air。　It　popped。　Everyone　at　the　table　erupted　in　laughter。　Zedd’s　brow　pulled　together　in　a　frown　as　he　watched。　That’s　odd；　he　thought。
　
　Every　time　Oscar　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　to　Julie；　he　hiccupped；　and　bubbles　floated　up。　The　men　roared　with　laughter；　accusing　her　of　soaping　his　ale。　They　all　agreed　that　if　she　had；　it　would　serve　him　right。　She　left　the　men　to　their　laughter　when　the　lone　man　in　the　booth　caught　her　attention。　She　nodded　after　he　asked　for　something　and　then　headed　for　the　kitchen。
　
　Julie　paused　at　Zedd’s　table；　giving　a　nod　back　toward　the　lone　man。　‘He　might　have　a　team。　He　smells　more　like　a　horse　than　a　man。’　She　giggled。　‘That　wasn’t　kind。　Forgive　me。　It’s　just　that　I　can’t　get　him　to　spend　any　money　on　ale。　He　wants　me　to　bring　him　some　tea。’
　
　‘I　have　more　than　I　can　drink。　I’ll　go　share　mine　with　him。’　He　winked　at　her。　‘Save　you　a　trip。’
　
　‘Thanks；　Ruben。　Here’s　another　cup；　then。’
　
　Zedd　put　the　last　large　piece　of　roast　in　his　mouth　as　he　surveyed　the　room。　The　men　had　quieted　down；　and　Oscar　had　stopped　hiccupping；　as　they　all　listened　to　the　bard　singing　a　sad　song　about　a　man　who　had　lost　his　love。
　
　Zedd　picked　up　the　teapot　and　cups；　and　started　from　his　table。　He　cursed　under　his　breath　when　he　remembered　his　hat；　and　swept　it　up；　noticing　the　cane　and　snatching　that　up；　too。　He　deliberately　passed　close　to　Oscar；　looking　him　over　carefully。　He　couldn’t　figure　out　why　he　had　hiccupped　bubbles。　Zedd　gave　a　mental　shrug。　The　man　seemed　normal　enough；　now；　if　a　little　too　drunk。
　
　The　wizard　paused　next　to　the　booth　with　the　single　man。　He　held　up　the　pot　and　cups。
　
　‘I　have　more　tea　than　I　can　drink。　Could　I　share　it　with　you？’
　
　The　man　watched　with　a　forbidding　scowl　from　under　bushy　eyebrows。　Zedd　smiled。　The　man　did　indeed　smell　like　a　horse。　He　unfolded　his　huge　arms；　slid　the　coiled　whip　to　the　side　of　the　table；　and　pointed　for　Zedd　to　sit　before　folding　his　arms　again。
　
　‘Well；　delighted；　thank　you。　I’m　。。。　Ruben。’
　
　Zedd　tossed　his　hat　on　the　table　and　lifted　his　eyebrows　in　invitation　to　reply。
　
　‘Ahern；’　he　said；　in　a　deep；　resonant　voice。　‘What　do　you　want？’
　
　Zedd　placed　his　cane　between　his　knees　with　one　hand　and　with　the　other　tugged　at　the　heavy　robes　as　he　sat　on　the　bench；　trying　to　pull　a　thick　fold　from　under　his　bony　bottom。　‘Well；　I　just　wanted　to　share　my　tea；　Ahern。’
　
　‘What　do　you　really　want？’
　
　Zedd　poured　the　man　tea。　‘I　thought　perhaps　you　might　need　some　work。’
　
　‘Got　work。’
　
　Zedd　poured　tea　for　himself。　‘Really？　What　sort？’
　
　Ahern　unfolded　his　arms　and　sat　back　in　the　booth；　appraising　his　new　table　panion’s　eyes；　and　nothing　else。　He　wore　a　longcoat　draped　around　his　massive　shoulders；　over　a　dark　green　flannel　shirt。　His　thick；　mostly　gray　hair　was　long　enough　to　nearly　cover　his　ears；　and　looked　to　be　infrequently　pestered　by　a　b。　His　deeply　creased；　weatherworn　face　was　splotched　with　pink；　windburned　patches。
　
　‘Why　do　you　want　to　know？’
　
　Zedd　shrugged　as　he　took　a　sip　of　tea。　‘So　I　can　gauge　if　I　can　make　you　a　better　offer。’　Zedd；　of　course；　could　produce　any　amount　of　gold　the　man　could　ask　for；　but　judged　that　not　to　be　the　best　tack。　He　took　another　sip　of　tea　as　he　waited。
　
　‘I　haul　iron　from　Tristen；　down　here　to　the　smiths　in　Pen…verro。　Sometimes　over　to　Winstead。　We　Keltans　make　the　finest　weapons　in　all　the　Midlands；　you　know。’
　
　‘I　heard　differently。’　Ahern’s　frown　darkened。　Zedd　folded　his　hands　over　the　silver…topped　cane。　‘I　hear　them　to　be　the　finest　swords　in　all　the　three　lands；　not　just　the　Midlands。’　The　bard　started　a　new　song　about　a　king　who　lost　his　voice　and　had　to　mand　by　written　instruction；　but　had　never　allowed　any　of　his　subjects　to　learn　to　read；　and　so　lost　his　kingdom；　too。　‘Heavy　loads　to　haul；　this　time　of　year。’
　
　Ahern　gave　the　slightest　hint　of　a　smile。　‘Worse　in　the　spring。　In　the　muck。　Then’s　the　time　we　find　out　who　can　drive；　and　who　can　talk。’
　
　Zedd　pushed　the　full　cup　a　few　inches　closer　to　the　man。　‘Steady　work？’
　
　Ahern　finally　took　up　the　cup。　‘Enough　to　keep　me　fed。’
　
　Zedd　lifted　one　coil　of　the　braided　leather。　‘I　thought　you　looked　to　be　a　man　familiar　with　the　use　of　this。’
　
　There’s　different　ways　to　get　effort　from　a　team。’　He　pointed　with　his　chin　in　the　general　direction　of　the　room。　‘These　fools　think　they　get　what　they　want　by　laying　to　with　the　whip。’
　
　‘And　you　don’t？’
　
　Ahern　shook　his　head。　‘I　crack　my　whip　to　get　their　attention；　to　let　them　know　what　I　want；　where　to　put　their　feet。　My　team　works　for　me　because　I　trained　them　to　work；　not　because　they　get　the　whip。　If　I’m　in　a　tight　spot；　I　want　a　team　that　understands　what　I　want；　not　one　that　jumps　when　they　feel　a　whip。　There　are　enough　gorges　strewn　with　bones　of　man　and　horse。　Don’t　want　to　add　mine　to　the　lot。’
　
　‘Sounds　like　you　know　your　work。’
　
　Ahern　gestured　with　his　cup　to　Zedd’s　elaborate　robes。　‘What　line　of　‘work’　you　in？’
　
　‘Orchards；’　Zedd　said；　pointing　a　finger　skyward。　The　finest　fruits　in　all　the　world；　sir！’
　
　Ahern　grunted。　‘You　mean　you　own　land；　and　others　work　to　grow　you　the　finest　fruits　in　all　the　world。’
　
　Zedd　chuckled。　‘You　have　it　true。　Now；　anyway。　It　didn’t　start　that　way；　though。　I　started　by　myself；　working；　struggling；　for　years。　Tending　my　trees　day　and　night；　trying　to　produce　the　best　fruit　anyone　ever　tasted。　Many　of　the　trees　failed。　Many　times　I　failed；　and　went　hungry。
　
　‘But　I　finally　was　able　to　do　better。　I　saved　every　copper；　and　bought　more　land　in　the　years　I　could。　Planted；　tended；　picked；　hauled；　and　sold　it　all　by　myself。　Over　time；　people　came　to　know　my　fruit　as　the　best；　and　I　became　more　successful。　In　the　last　few　years；　I’ve　hired　people　to　tend　things　for　me。　But　I　still　keep　my　hand　to　the　work；　so　that　it　lives　up　to　what　people　know　me　for。　Would　you　hope　for　any　less　success；　in　your　work？’
　
　Zedd　sat　back；　smiling；　proud　of　the　story　he　had　just　invented　on　the　spot。　Ahern　held　out　his　cup　for　more　tea。
　
　‘Where　are　these　orchards？’
　
　‘In　Westland。　Moved　there　before　the　boundary　went　up。’
　
　‘And　why　are　you　here　now？’
　
　Zedd　leaned　forward；　lowering　his　voice。　‘Well；　you　see；　my　wife　is　not　doing　well。　We’re　both　old；　and　now　that　the　boundary　is　down；　she　wants　to　visit　her　homeland。　She　knows　healers　there　who　may　be　able　to　help　her。　I’d　do　anything　to　help　that　woman。　She’s　too　sick　to　travel　on　horseback　any　longer；　what　with　this　weather；　so　I’d　like　to　hire　someone　to　take　us　to　her　healers。　I’