tg.stone of tears-第169章

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　against　the　walls　to　make　room　for　the　three　horses。　They　made　their　way　to　and　from　the　well　in　indifferent　silence　as　Richard　and　Sister　Verna　passed。
　
　A　few　older　men　sat　in　wide　doorways；　or　leaned　against　walls。　The　men　wore　brimless；　straight…sided；　round；　dark；　flat…topped　hats；　with　strange　markings　in　light　colors　that　looked　to　have　been　painted　on　with　fingers。　Many　of　the　men　smoked　thin…stemmed　pipes。　Conversation　fell　silent　as　Richard　and　Sister　Verna　passed；　and　all　watched　the　two　strangers　and　three　horses　moving　by。　Some　idly　tugged　on　the　long；　dangling　earrings　they　wore　in　their　left　ears。
　
　Sister　Verna　led　the　way　through　the　narrow　streets；　taking　them　deeper　into　the　maze　of　drab　buildings。　When　they　at　last　reached　a　wider　cobblestone　street；　she　halted；　turned　to　him；　and　spoke　in　quiet　warning。
　
　‘These　people　are　the　Majendie。　Their　land　is　a　vast；　crescent…shaped　swath　of　forests。　We　must　travel　the　length　of　their　land；　all　the　way　to　the　point　of　the　horn　of　their　land。　They　worship　spirits。　Those　skulls　we　saw　back　there　were　sacrifices　to　their　spirits。
　
　‘Though　they　hold　foolish　beliefs　which　are　reprehensible；　we　do　not　have　the　power　to　change　them。　We　need　to　pass　through　their　land。　You　will　do　as　they　ask；　or　our　skulls　will　end　up　with　all　the　others　on　that　pile。’
　
　Richard　refused　to　give　her　the　satisfaction　of　an　answer　or　an　argument。　He　sat　with　his　hands　folded　over　the　pommel　of　his　saddle　and　without　emotion　watched　her　until　she　finally　turned　away　and　started　out　once　more。
　
　After　passing　under　a　low　bridge　building；　they　entered　a　slightly　dished；　open　square。　Perhaps　a　thousand　men　milled　about　or　clustered　in　small　groups。　Like　the　other　men　he　had　seen；　these　all　wore　the　one　long；　dangling　earring；　though　on　the　right　side　instead　of　the　left。　They　also　all　wore　short　swords　and　black　sashes。　Unlike　the　other　men；　none　of　these　wore　hats　on　their　shaved　heads。
　
　Off　in　the　center；　a　raised　platform　held　a　circle　of　men　sitting　cross…legged；　facing　inward；　around　a　thick　pole。　Here　was　the　source　of　the　eerie　melody。　A　circle　of　women　in　black　sat　in　a　ring；　facing　outward；　around　the　men。
　
　Standing　with　her　back　against　the　pole；　a　big　woman　in　a　billowing　black　outfit　slid　the　back　of　her　hand　up　the　pole　and　took　hold　of　a　knot　in　the　end　of　a　rope　hanging　from　a　bell。　As　she　watched　Richard　and　the　Sister　ride　into　the　square；　she　rang　the　bell　once。　The　Sister　brought　them　to　an　abrupt　halt　as　the　piercing　peal　drifted　across　the　square；　hushing　the　men；　and　urging　the　flute　players　into　faster　strains。
　
　That　is　a　warning；’　Sister　Verna　said。　‘A　warning　to　the　spirits　of　their　enemies。　The　bell　is　also　a　call　to　the　warriors　present。　Those　are　these　men　here　in　the　square。　The　spirits　have　been　warned；　and　the　warriors　called。　If　she　rings　that　bell　again；　we　die。’　Sister　Verna　glanced　to　his　even　expression。　This　is　a　sacrifice　ritual；　to　appease　spirits。’
　
　She　watched　men　e　and　take　hold　of　the　reins　of　their　horses。　The　circle　of　women　in　black　stood　and　began　to　dance　and　twirl　to　the　haunting　music。　When　Sister　Verna　glanced　at　him　again；　Richard；　with　deliberate　care；　checked　that　his　sword　was　loose　in　its　scabbard。　She　sighed　and　then　dismounted。　When　she　cleared　her　throat　in　annoyance；　he　finally　dismounted；　too。
　
　Sister　Verna　drew　her　light　cloak　tight　around　herself　as　she　spoke　to　him　while　watching　the　women　in　black　dance　and　spin　around　the　pole　and　the　woman　in　the　center。
　
　The　Majendie　live　in　a　crescent　around　a　land　of　swampy　forest　in　which　live　their　enemy。　The　people　who　live　in　the　heart　of　that　forbidding　land　are　a　wild；　savage　lot；　and　will　not　allow　any　of　us　through　their　land；　much　less　guide　us。　Even　if　we　could　avoid　them；　we　would　bee　lost　within　an　hour；　and　never　find　our　way　out。　The　only　way　for　us　to　reach　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets；　which　lies　beyond　these　savages；　is　to　go　around　them；　along　the　crescent　of　land　belonging　to　the　Majendie。　Our　destination　lies　between　the　cusps　of　the　crescent　belonging　to　the　Majendie；　and　beyond　the　savages　in　the　center。’
　
　She　glanced　over；　to　make　sure　he　was　at　least　listening；　before　she　went　on。　The　Majendie　are　at　constant　war　with　the　savages　who　live　in　that　swampy　forest。　In　order　to　be　permitted　through　Majendie　land；　we　must　prove　we　are　allied　with　them　and　their　spirits；　and　not　their　enemy。
　
　Those　skulls　we　saw　are　the　skulls　of　this　enemy；　who　were　sacrificed　to　the　Majendie　spirits。　In　order　for　us　to　be　permitted　to　pass；　we　must　help　them　in　this　sacrifice。　The　Majendie　believe　that　men　with　the　gift；　like　all　men；　carry　the　seed　of　life　and　soul；　endowed　by　the　spirits。　More；　they　believe　that　one　with　the　gift　has　a　special；　direct　link　with　the　spirits。　A　sacrifice　made　with　the　aid　of　a　young　man　with　the　gift　confers　the　sanctifying　grace　of　their　spirits　upon　all　their　people。　They　believe　it　breathes　life；　divine　life；　on　their　people。
　
　The　Majendie　require　this　participation　when　we　bring　young　boys　through　for　the　first　time；　believing　it　links　their　spirits　to　those　of　the　Majendie。　This　ceremony　also　insures　that　the　people　with　whom　they　are　at　war　will　hate　wizards；　because　they　help　the　Majendie；　and　will　never　cooperate　with　them。　This；　the　Majendie　believe；　denies　their　enemy　a　divine　channel　to　the　spirit　world。’
　
　The　men　in　the　square　all　drew　their　short　swords。　Laying　the　swords　on　the　ground　with　their　points　toward　the　woman　in　the　center；　they　knelt　with　shiny　heads　bowed。
　
　The　woman　who　rang　the　bell；　the　one　in　the　center；　is　the　leader　of　these　people。　The　Queen　Mother。　She　is　the　one　who　is　bound　to　the　female　spirits。　She　represents　the　spirits　of　fertility　in　this　world。　She　is　the　embodiment　of　the　receptacle　of　the　divine　seed　from　the　spirit　world。’
　
　The　dancing　women　in　black　formed　into　a　line　and　started　off　the　platform　in　the　direction　of　Richard　and　the　Sister。
　
　The　Queen　Mother　is　sending　her　representatives　to　take　you　to　the　sacrificial　offering。’　Sister　Verna　glanced　up　at　him；　then　fussed　with　the　corner　of　her　cloak。　‘We　are　fortunate。　This　means　they　have　one　to　be　sacrificed。　If　we　came　here　and　they　didn’t；　we　would　have　to　wait　until　one　of　their　enemy　was　captured。　Sometimes　that　can　take　weeks；　even　months。’
　
　Richard　said　nothing。
　
　She　turned　her　back　to　the　approaching　women　in　black　and　faced　him。　‘You　will　be　taken　to　a　place　where　the　prisoner　is　held。　There　you　will　be　offered　the　chance　to　give　your　blessing。　Not　giving　your　blessing　means　you　wish　to　precede　the　prisoner　in　sacrifice。　If　you　don’t　give　your　blessing；　it　will　only　insure　that　you　die；　too。
　
　‘You　give　your　blessing　by　kissing　the　sacred　knife　they　will　offer　you。　You　don’t　have　to　kill　the　person　with　your　own　hand。　You　have　only　to　kiss　the　knife　to　give　your　blessing；　to　give　the　spirits’　blessings；　and　they　will　do　the　killing。　But　you　must　watch　them　do　it；　so　the　spirits　will　see　the　sacrifice　through　your　eyes。’　She　glanced　over　her　shoulder　at　the　approaching　women　in　black。　‘The　beliefs　of　these　people　are　obscene。’
　
　She　sighed　in　resignation　and　turned　to　face　him　again。　Richard　folded　his　arms　and　glared　at　her。
　
　‘I　know　you　don’t　like　this；　Richard；　but　it　has　kept　peace　for　three　thousand　years　between　us　and　the　Majendie。　Though　it　sounds　a　paradox；　it　saves　lives；　more　lives　than　it　costs。　The　savages　who　are　their　enemy　make　war　not　only　on　them；　but　also　on　us。　The　palace；　and　the　civilized　people　of　the　Old　World；　are　sporadically　subjected　to　their　raids　and　fierce　attacks。’
　
　Small　wonder；　Richard　thought；　but　he　said　nothing。
　
　Sister　Verna　stepped　aside　to　stand　at　his　shoulder　as　the　women　in　black　formed　into　a　dark　knot　before　the　two　of　them。　All　were　older；　perhaps　the　age　of　grandmothers。　They　were　all　portly；　and　their　black　outfits　covered　their　hair　and　everything　else　except　their　wrinkled　hands　and　faces。
　
　With　gnarled　fingers；　one　drew　the　coarse　black　fabric　tight　at　her　chin。　She　bowed　her　head　to　Sister　Verna。　‘Wele；　wisewoman。　Our　sentries　have　t