tg.stone of tears-第181部分

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ity；　alone；　I　have　mitted　the　Midlands　to　war。　The　army　of　the　Imperial　Order　is　to　be　killed　to　a　man。　No　negotiation　or　promise　will　be　offered　by　the　Midlands。　Under　no　circumstances　will　the　Order’s　surrender　be　accepted。
　
　‘I　have　given　an　oath　on　behalf　of　the　Midlands　that　no　quarter　shall　be　granted。’
　
　Astonished　faces　stared　at　her。
　
　‘Whether　I　live　or　die；　this　decree　is　irrevocable。　Any　land　or　people　who　willingly　join　with　the　Imperial　Order　cast　their　lot　under　the　shadow　of　this　edict。
　
　‘It　is　not　in　the　name　of　Galea　that　I　call　upon　you　to　fight。　In　the　office　of　the　Mother　Confessor；　I　call　upon　you　to　fight　for　the　Midlands。　For　it　is　not　Galea　that　is　under　threat；　but　all　lands；　and　all　free　people。’
　
　There　was　confident　grumbling　that　they　were　up　to　the　task。　Some　in　the　ranks　called　out　their　assurance　that　they　were　the　men　to　do　it；　that　they　were　in　the　right；　and　would　triumph。
　
　Kahlan　nodded　to　them　all。　‘You　think　so？　I　want　each　of　you　to　look　to　the　faces　around　you。’　They　mostly　stared　at　her。　‘Do　as　I　say！　Look　to　all　the　faces　around　you！　Look　to　your　rades！’
　
　A　little　confused；　they　began　looking　around；　twisting　to　see　those　to　the　sides　and　those　behind；　smiling　and　laughing　among　themselves；　as　if　it　were　a　game。
　
　When　they　seemed　to　have　finished　with　the　task；　she　went　on。　A　few　of　you　will　remember　the　faces　you　have　looked　upon　today。　Remember；　and　grieve。　The　rest；　if　you　take　up　this　battle；　will　not　be　around　to　remember。　They　will　die　in　the　struggle。’
　
　In　the　cold　silence；　Kahlan　heard　the　distant　chatter　of　a　squirrel；　and　then　the　sound　of　that；　too；　died　away。
　
　The　smiles　were　all　gone　as　she　finally　spoke　again。　‘These　men；　the　Imperial　Order；　are　led　by　and　are　mostly　D’Haran　troops。　D’Haran　soldiers　are　trained　from　the　time　they　are　half　your　age。　They　fight　internal　conflicts　in　their　land；　put　down　riots　and　rebellions；　they　do　not　simply　practice　battle　tactics；　they　live　them　day　in　and　day　out。　They　know　only　a　life　of　fighting。　They　have　been　exposed　to　it　in　every　form。　I　have　taken　the　confessions　of　many　D’Harans。　Most　do　not　know　the　meaning　of　peace。
　
　‘Since　spring；　when　Darken　Rahl　sent　them　against　the　Midlands；　they　have　been　at　what　they　do　best：　war。　They　have　fought　in　battle　after　battle。　All　who　have　e　before　them　have　fallen。
　
　‘They　relish　fighting。　They　delight　in　it。　They　are　as　close　to　fearless　as　men　e。　They　hold　contests；　often　lethal；　to　win　the　right　to　be　in　the　van　of　battle；　to　win　the　right　to　be　the　first　to　strike　a　blow　at　the　enemy；　to　win　the　right　to　be　the　first　to　fall。’
　
　She　surveyed　the　young　faces。　‘You　have　confidence　in　your　training；　your　battle　tactics？’　The　faces　nodded；　looking　to　one　another；　smiling　their　knowing　confidence。
　
　Kahlan　pointed　to　one；　a　sergeant　by　the　look　of　his　coat’s　braids。　‘Tell　me　then。　You　are　now　in　the　field　of　battle；　having　chased　down　these　men；　and　here　es　the　enemy；　back　at　you。　You　are　in　charge　of　the　pikes　and　archers。　Here　they　e。　Thousands　of　them；　yelling；　running；　ing　to　rend　your　force　in　two；　to　break　your　army’s　back。　You　see　they　have　heavy　spears；　called　by　them　argons；　with　long；　thin　barbs。　If　they　pierce　you；　they　are　nearly　impossible　to　remove。　They　cause　ghastly　wounds　that　are　almost　always　fatal。　Here　they　e；　with　their　argons。　Thousands　of　men。　What　is　your　tactic？’
　
　The　young　man　held　his　chin　out；　knowingly。　‘Form　a　tight　rank　of　the　pikes　formed　into　a　box　or　wedge　to　protect　the　archers。　The　pikemen　face　the　pikes　out　and　overlapping　the　shields；　present　the　enemy　with　a　tight；　impenetrable　wall。　The　shields　protect　the　pikemen；　who　protect　the　archers。　The　archers　take　them　down　before　they　can　get　close　enough　to　use　their　argons。　The　few　who　do　fall　on　the　pikes。　Their　drive　is　repelled　and；　in　all　likelihood；　they　have　lost　a　good　many　men　in　the　failed　attempt；　making　another　less　likely。’
　
　Kahlan　nodded；　as　if　impressed。　‘Well　stated。’　He　beamed。　The　men　around　him　grinned　with　pride　in　their　knowledge　of　their　business。　‘I　have　seen　some　of　the　most　experienced　armies　of　the　Midlands　use　those　very　same　tactics　when　the　D’Harans　first　came　over；　last　spring；　when　the　boundary　went　down。’
　
　‘Well；　there　you　have　it；’　the　man　said。　‘They　lose　their　charge　against　the　archers　and　on　the　point　of　our　pikes。’
　
　She　gave　him　a　small　smile。　The　D’Haran　van；　those　men　I　told　you　about；　the　biggest；　the　fiercest；　the　ones　who　won　the　right　to　be　the　first　at　you？　Well；　they’ve　developed　special　tactics　of　their　own；　for　use　against　your　plans。　First　of　all；　they　have　arrow　shields；　so　as　they　run　in；　they’re　protected　from　the　brunt　of　the　archers’　work。
　
　‘And　I　guess　I　forgot　to　tell　you　one　other　thing　about　those　argons　of　theirs。　These　spears　have　iron…sheathed　shafts　for　most　of　their　length；　and　a　unique　purpose。　As　the　enemy　is　charging　in；　mostly　unaffected　by　your　archers；　they　heave　their　argons　at　you。’
　
　‘We　have　shields；’　the　man　pointed　out。　‘Their　argons　expended；　they　will　be　on　the　point　of　our　pikes。’
　
　She　folded　her　arms；　nodding　to　him。　‘The　van；　the　men　who　won　the　right　to　be　the　first　wave；　are　big　men。　I　doubt　the　smallest　has　arms　less　than　twice　the　average　of　yours。
　
　The　argons　are　needle　sharp。　Thrown　by　those　powerful　arms；　they　penetrate　and　stick　in　your　shields。　The　long　barbs　prevent　them　from　being　withdrawn。’
　
　The　confident　smiles　were　fading　as　she　looked　from　face　to　face　as　she　went　on。　‘You　now　have　argons　stuck　solidly　in　your　shields。　You　drop　your　pikes；　drawing　swords　to　hack　the　heavy　spears　away。　But　the　shafts　are　covered　in　iron；　and　don’t　yield。　The　spears　are　heavy；　and　the　butts　drag　the　ground。　D’Harans　can　run　almost　as　fast　as　their　spears　fly。　As　they　reach　you　now；　they　jump　on　the　shafts　of　the　spears　stuck　in　your　shields；　dragging　them　to　the　ground；　leaving　you　on　your　knees；　and　naked　to　their　heavy　axes。’
　
　Arms　still　folded；　she　leaned　toward　them。　‘I　have　seen　men　split　from　scalp　to　navel　by　those　axes。’
　
　Men　glanced　sideways　at　one　another；　their　confidence　shaken。
　
　She　nodded　mockingly　as　she　unfolded　her　arms。　‘I　am　not　giving　you　conjecture。　I’ve　seen　a　D’Haran　force　take　down　an　experienced　army　nearly　ten　times　their　size　in　just　this　fashion。　In　the　space　of　an　hour；　the　battle　turned　from　a　rout　of　the　D’Harans　to　a　rout　of　their　foes。
　
　‘A　D’Haran　charge　of　the　argon　is　almost　as　devastating　as　a　classic　cavalry　charge；　except　they　have　far　greater　numbers　than　any　cavalry。　And　their　own　cavalry　is　anything　but　typical。　You　don’t　even　want　to　know　about　them。
　
　‘They　lost　half　their　number　in　the　slaughter　of　Ebinissia；　and　they　are　in　camp；　now；　singing　and　drinking。　Would　you；　if　you　lost　every　other　one　of　you；　be　of　good　cheer？　‘I　know　you　believe　you　can　win　a　battle　against　a　force　ten　times　your　size；　and　I　know　also　that　such　a　thing　can　be　done。　But　it　is　those　experienced　D’Haran　troops　who；　on　a　battlefield；　fighting　by　the　tactics　of　mon　war；　could　bring　about　such　a　feat。