tg.stone of tears-第148章

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u　to　think！’　The　captain’s　eyes　descended　to　the　ground。　‘You　can’t　push　a　boulder　with　a　stick！　The　only　way　to　move　them　back　this　way　is　to　frighten　them　into　moving　back。’　She　thrust　her　arm　out；　pointing　off　toward　the　enemy　again。　‘Those　are　experienced；　battle…hardened　men！　They’ve　been　fighting　and　killing　for　a　good　long　time。　Do　you　think　they　don’t　know　what　a　Hammer　and　Anvil　is？　Do　you　think　that　just　because　they’re　the　enemy　they　are　stupid？’
　
　‘Well；　no；　but　I　think　。。。’
　
　She　jabbed　a　finger　at　his　chest　as　she　cut　him　off。　‘Do　you　want　me　to　tell　you　what’s　going　to　happen；　Captain？　You　don’t　have　enough　men　to　push　them。　When　you　send　that　detachment　around　them；　they　will　acmodate　you　and　move　a　little；　and　as　they　do　they’ll　wing　out　to　let　your　force　in。　That’s　called　a　Nutcracker。　Guess　who　the　nut　is。
　
　‘Then　they　will　move。　For　your　Anvil。　They　will　be　hounds　roused　to　the　scent　of　blood。　After　they’ve　wiped　out　your　Hammer；　there　will　be　nothing　to　contain　them；　nothing　to　keep　their　flanks　from　wheeling　as　they　drive　in。　They　have　battle　experience　and　know　exactly　what　to　do。
　
　‘They’ll　split　your　pikemen　and　their　archers；　and　cut　them　off　from　their　supporting　swordsmen。　A　flying　wedge　protected　by　shields　will　drive　into　those　pikemen。　Crescents　to　the　sides　will　trap　them。　Their　armored　cavalry　will　e　at　a　full　charge　and　rake　down　your　wings　of　archers；　who　will　by　then　have　no　pikemen　to　blunt　the　charge。　You　will　all　fight　bravely；　but　you　will　be　outnumbered　perhaps　twenty　to　one；　because　you’ve　already　sacrificed　part　of　your　force　to　be　the　Hammer；　and　they　will　all　be　dead　by　then。
　
　To　fight　a　larger　force；　you　must　divide　them；　and　conquer　them　one　bit　at　a　time。　Instead；　you　will　have　done　the　opposite。　You　will　have　divided　yourself　in　half　for　them；　so　they　can　kill　half　at　a　time。　At　their　leisure。’
　
　The　captain　stood　his　ground。　‘We　can　make　a　good　show　of　ourselves。　You　don’t　know　how　good　we　are。　We’re　not　novices。’
　
　‘Every　one　of　those　children　under　your　mand　will　die！　Have　you　ever　seen　anyone　die；　Captain？　Not　die　like　an　old　man　in　bed；　but　in　battle？　You　will　be　run　through　with　spears；　shot　through　the　eyes　with　arrows。　Swords　will　hack　off　arms；　split　open　ribs。　Blades　will　rip　your　bellies　open　and　spill　your　guts　across　the　cold　ground。
　
　‘Faces　you　know；　your　friends；　these　children；　will　look　up　at　you　in　panic　as　they　choke　on　their　own　blood　and　vomit。　Others　will　be　screaming　for　help　as　your　enemy　moves　through　the　wounded　on　the　ground　and　eviscerates　them；　to　make　them　suffer　a　gruesome　death。　The　ones　who　surrender　will　be　executed　while　your　enemy　dances　and　sings　about　the　great　battle　they　have　just　won。’
　
　Captain　Ryan’s　head　finally　rose。　His　lieutenants　still　stared　at　the　ground。　‘You　sound　like　Prince　Harold；　Mother　Confessor。　He　has　given　me　close　to　the　same　speech　on　a　number　of　occasions。’
　
　‘Prince　Harold　is　a　smart　soldier。’
　
　Captain　Ryan　buttoned　two　of　the　brass　buttons　on　his　dark　brown　wool　coat。　‘But　that　doesn’t　change　my　decision。　Of　all　our　choices；　the　Hammer　and　Anvil　is　the　best　chance　we　have　against　them。　I　believe　we　can　make　it　work。　We　must。’
　
　Chandalen　leaned　toward　her　and　spoke　in　his　tongue。　‘Mother　Confessor；　these　men　are　the　walking　dead。　We　should　be　away　from　them　so　we　do　not　get　caught　in　their　foolishness。　They　are　going　to　die　to　a　man。’
　
　The　captain　frowned。　‘What’d　he　say？’
　
　Kahlan　leaned　close　to　the　young　captain。　‘He　says　you　are　all　going　to　die　tomorrow。’
　
　Captain　Ryan　looked　Chandalen　up　and　down。　‘What　does　he　know　about　battle？　He’s　just　a　savage　from　the　wilds。’
　
　Kahlan　lifted　an　eyebrow。　‘Savage？　He’s　a　pretty　smart　man。　He　speaks　two　languages。　His；　and　ours。’　Captain　Ryan　swallowed。　‘And　he　has　fought　in　battles。　He　has　killed　men。　How　many　men　have　you　killed；　Bradley？’
　
　He　glanced　to　his　two　lieutenants。　‘Well；　none；　I　guess。　Look；　I’m　sorry；　I　meant　no　offense；　but　I　know　about　war。’
　
　‘And　what　do　you　know　about　war；　child？’　she　whispered。
　
　‘We’re　all　volunteers。　Myself；　three　years　ago。　Almost　no　man　here　has　less　than　one　year。　We’ve　all　trained　hard。　Prince　Harold　himself　has　worked　with　us；　taught　us　tactics。　We’ve　won　mock　battles　against　him　several　times。　We　may　be　young　but　we　have　experience。　We　were　sent　on　this　expedition　as　a　final　test　before　our　assignments。　We’ve　been　afield　nearly　a　month；　practicing　war　games　and　battle　tactics。　We　know　what　we　are　about。　Just　because　we’re　young；　that　doesn’t　mean　we　can’t　fight。　We　may　be　young；　but　that　also　means　we’re　strong。’
　
　Chandalen　laughed。　‘Strong？　You　travel　like　women。’　He　cleared　his　throat　when　Kahlan　lifted　an　eyebrow　to　him。　‘Well；　some　women。　You　are　not　so　strong　as　you　think。　You　are　soft。　You　have　wagons　to　carry　your　needs。　That　makes　you　soft。　You　will　die　tomorrow。’
　
　Kahlan　turned　back　to　the　three　soldiers。　‘My　friend　is　wrong。　You　are　not　going　to　die　tomorrow。’
　
　The　captain　brightened。　‘We’re　not？　You　believe　in　us；　then？’
　
　She　shook　her　head。　‘You　are　not　going　to　die　tomorrow　because　I　will　not　allow　it。　I’m　sending　you　back。　You　are　to　take　your　division　back　to　your　mand　unit。　That；　Captain；　is　an　order。　I’m　on　my　way　to　Aydindril　to　take　care　of　this。　I　will　put　a　stop　to　that　army　of　killers。’
　
　Captain　Ryan’s　expression　hardened。　‘We　have　no　mand　to　return　to。　They　were　wiped　out　in　Ebinissia。　That　was　where　we　were　training；　but　we　were　out　on　maneuvers。　We　have　the　trail　of　the　ones　who　did　it；　and　we　are　going　after　them。’
　
　‘Those　soldiers　in　Ebinissia　were　many　times　your　number；　and　they　were　crushed　by　the　force　you　chase。’
　
　‘We　know。　Those　were　men　we　lived　with；　ate　with；　slept　with。　They　were　our　teachers。　They　were　our　brothers；　our　fathers。　They　were　our　friends　and　panions。’　He　shifted　his　weight　and　cleared　his　throat　in　an　effort　to　keep　his　voice　steady。　‘We　should　have　been　there　with　them。　We　should　have　been　there　to　stand　with　them。’
　
　Kahlan　turned　her　back　to　the　three　Galean　soldiers。　She　put　her　fingers　to　her　temples；　closing　her　eyes　as　she　rubbed　in　little　circles。　She　had　a　headache　from　the　worry　of　these　young　men　all　being　slaughtered。　She　grieved　for　the　friends　of　these　men；　friends　and　rades　who　were　killed　defending　their　city。　The　faces　of　the　young　women　floated　before　her　mind’s　eye。
　
　Kahlan　spun　around；　looking　into　the　eyes　of　the　young　captain。　Eyes；　she　realized；　that　had　seen　more　than　she　had　at　first　thought。
　
　‘You　were　the　one；’　she　whispered。　‘You　were　the　one　who　closed　the　doors。　You　closed　the　doors　in　the　palace。　The　doors　on　the　rooms　of　the　queen　and　her　ladies。’　He　swallowed　and　then　nodded。　His　blue　eyes　were　wet。　His　lower　lip　quivered。　‘Why　would　they　do　that　to　those　poor　people？’
　
　Kahlan　answered　in　a　gentle　tone。　The　object　of　a　soldier　is　to　make　his　enemy　do　foolish　things。　Either　by　making　them　too　frightened；　or　too　angry；　to　think。　They　do　it　to　strike　fear　into　your　hearts；　but　more　than　that；　to　make　you　so　angry　you　will　do　something　foolish　so　they　can　kill　you；　too。’
　
　‘Those　men　we　chase　are　the　ones　who　did　that。　We　have　no　mand　to　return　to　It’s　upon　us　now。’
　
　‘That　is　the　foolish　thing　they　want　you　to　do。　You　will　not。　You　will　go　to　another　mand。　You　are　not　going　to　attack　that　army。’
　
　‘Mother　Confessor；　I’m　a　soldier　sworn　to　serve　Galea　and　the　Midlands。　In　my　life；　young　though　you　think　it　is；　I’ve　never　once　entertained　the　idea　of　disobeying　my　manders；　my　queen；　or　the　Mother　Confessor。’　Captain　Ryan　lifted　her　wrist　with　his　finger　and　thumb　and　placed　her　hand　on　his　shoulder。　‘But　in　this；　I　must　disobey　your　orders。　If　you　wish；　you　may　take　me　with　your　power；　but　I　will　not　otherwise　do　as　you　say。’
　
　Lieutenant　Sloan　spoke　up　for　the　first　time。　And　then　you　will　have　to　take　me；　because　I’ll　take　his　place；　and　lead　our　men　to　the　fight。’
　
　Lieutenant　Hobson　stepped　forward。　‘And　then　you’ll　have　to　take　me。’
　
　After　the　three