tg.stone of tears-第188部分

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was　applied　from　behind；　and　then　the　handles　yanked　apart。　If　it　was　made　of　wire；　placed　correctly　at　the　neck　joints；　and　the　man　wielding　it　had　arms　big　enough；　his　troga　could　decapitate　a　person　before　the　victim　had　a　chance　to　make　a　sound。　Even　if　it　wasn’t　wire；　or　his　arms　were　not　that　strong；　the　victim　still　made　no　sound　before　he　died。
　
　Captain　Ryan　reached　behind　his　back；　under　his　coat；　and　retrieved　a　wire　troga；　holding　it　up　for　her　to　see。　‘He　gave　us　a　little　demonstration。　He　was　gentle；　but　I’m　still　glad　I　wasn’t　the　one　he　demonstrated　on。　He　says　he　and　Prindin　and　Tossidin　will　use　these　to　take　the　sentries　and　lookouts。　I　don’t　think　he　believes　we　can　sneak　up　on　them　like　he　can。　But　many　of　us　have　spent　a　lot　of　time　hunting；　and　we’re　more　clever　。。。’
　
　Captain　Ryan　leapt　with　a　yelp。　Chandalen　had　poked　him　in　the　ribs；　having　e　up　unseen　behind　him。　The　captain　forted　his　ribs　and　scowled　at　a　smiling　Chandalen。　Prindin　and　his　brother　climbed　up　to　help　unload　the　barrels。
　
　‘You　wish　something；　Mother　Confessor？’　Chandalen　asked。
　
　Kahlan　held　her　hand　out。　‘Give　me　your　bandu。　Your　ten…step　poison。’
　
　His　brow　wrinkled　into　a　scowl；　but　he　reached　into　the　pouch　at　his　waist　and　pulled　out　the　bone　box；　leaning　over　to　hand　it　to　her。　The　brothers　fished　out　their　boxes；　too；　and　handed　them　to　her。
　
　‘How　much　will　I　be　able　to　poison　with　it？　How　many　casks　can　I　make　poison？’
　
　Chandalen　stepped　around　Captain　Ryan；　balancing　atop　the　sides　of　the　round　barrels。　‘You　are　going　to　put　it　in　this　drink？’　Kahlan　nodded。　‘But　then　we　won’t　have　any　more。　We　must　have　it　with　us。　We　may　need　it。’
　
　‘I’ll　leave　a　bit　for　emergencies。　Every　one　we　can　kill　in　this　way　is　one　less　to　fight。’
　
　‘But　they　might　discover　it’s　poison；’　Captain　Ryan　said。　Then　we　won’t　even　have　them　drunk。’
　
　They　have　dogs；’　Kahlan　said。　That’s　why　I　want　to　send　them　food；　too。　They　will　throw　the　dogs　some　of　the　meat；　to　make　sure　it’s　good。　I’m　hoping　they　will　be　put　at　ease　after　testing　the　food　on　the　dogs；　and　anxious　enough　for　the　ale　that　the　idea　of　it　being　poisoned　won’t　e　into　their　heads。’
　
　Chandalen　counted　the　barrels　silently；　and　then　straightened。　There　are　thirty…six。　Twelve　for　each　of　our　bandu。’　He　scratched　his　head　of　black　hair　while　he　pondered。　‘It　will　not　kill　them；　unless　they　drink　much；　but　it　will　make　them　sick。’
　
　‘How　sick？　What　will　it　do？’
　
　‘It　will　make　them　weak。　They　will　be　sick　in　their　stomachs。　Their　heads　will　spin　inside。　Maybe；　some　will　die　in　a　hand　of　days　from　the　poison　sickness。’
　
　Kahlan　nodded。　‘It　will　be　a　great　help。’
　
　‘But　this　is　hardly　enough　for　all　their　men；’　Captain　Ryan　said。　‘Only　some　will　drink　this。’
　
　‘Some　will　go　to　the　unit　who　plundered　it；　and　the　rest　will　be　divided　among　the　men　of　rank　first；　with　what’s　left　going　to　the　soldiers。　The　men　of　rank　are　the　ones　I’m　after。’
　
　All　the　top　rows　were　unloaded；　leaving　only　the　bottom　row；　which　the　men　stood　up　so　the　plugs　could　be　removed。
　
　‘Why　are　six　of　these　barrels　smaller？’
　
　They’re　rum；’　the　captain　said。
　
　‘Rum？　The　drink　of　nobility？’　Kahlan　smiled。　The　manders　will　take　the　rum　first。’　She　straightened　from　peering　into　one　of　the　open　casks。　‘Chandalen；　will　they　be　able　to　taste　it？　Will　the　taste　give　them　warning；　if　I　put　more　in　some？’
　
　He　dipped　a　finger　in　a　cask　of　rum；　and　sucked　it　clean。　‘No。　This　is　bitter　enough。　Bitter　things　hide　the　taste　of　bandu。’
　
　Kahlan　used　her　knife　point　to　divide　the　poison　from　Chandalen’s　box　into　sixths。　She　swished　each　sixth　off　her　knife　point　into　the　round　opening　in　one　of　the　smaller　casks　…　those　with　the　rum。
　
　Chandalen　watched　what　she　was　doing。　That　much；　in　the　smaller　barrels；　will　probably　kill　them　by　morning；　the　next　day　for　sure。　But　now　you　have　none　for　the　other　six。’
　
　Kahlan　handed　Chandalen　back　his　bone　box　with　a　little　of　the　bandu　left　in　the　ers　and　climbed　down　from　the　dray。　‘Six　of　the　casks　of　ale　will　have　no　poison　so　that　we　can　be　sure　the　rum　will　kill　those　who　drink　it。’　She　put　a　knife　point　laden　with　poison　from　Tossidin’s　box　into　each　of　the　next　twelve。　‘Mix　all　the　barrels　up。　I　don’t　want　the　rum　on　the　bottom。　The　manders　might　not　see　it　and　take　the　ale　instead。’
　
　Kahlan　went　to　the　last　twelve　and　opened　Prindin’s　box。　She　looked　up。　‘You　don’t　have　very　much。　What　have　you　done　with　yours？’
　
　Prindin　looked　as　though　he　wished　she　hadn’t　asked　that　question。　He　gestured　vaguely。　‘When　we　left；　I　was　not　thinking　so　good。　You　were　in　a　hurry；　and　so　I　forgot　to　see　that　my　bandu　box　was　full。’
　
　Chandalen　put　his　fists　on　his　hips　and　glared　down　from　atop　the　wagon。　‘Prindin；　how　many　times　have　I　said　that　you　would　forget　to　take　your　feet　could　you　walk　away　without　them？’
　
　‘It　doesn’t　matter；’　Kahlan　said。　Prindin　looked　relieved　to　have　her　interrupt　Chandalen’s　questioning。　‘This　will　make　them　sick。　That　is　all　that　matters。’
　
　As　she　was　putting　it　in　the　barrels；　she　heard　men　in　the　distance　hailing　her。　When　she　had　swirled　the　poison　into　the　last　barrel；　she　looked　up　to　see　two　huge　draft　horses　trotting　toward　her。　She　frowned　at　seeing　men　riding　them　bareback；　and　calling　out　to　her。
　
　The　two　powerful　draft　horses　looked　shaggy　in　their　thick；　dun…colored　winter　coats；　with　heavy　white　feathering　on　their　legs。　They　wore　their　harnesses　and　neck　collars；　but　not　their　breeching。　Several　bends　of　chain　were　looped　over　the　inside　hame　of　each　collar。　The　men　about　all　stared　at　the　odd　sight。
　
　When　the　horses　came　to　a　halt　before　her；　the　riders　un…　hooked　the　loops　of　chain　and　dropped　them　to　the　ground。　She　realized　then　that　the　horses　were　connected　by　that　chain；　attached　to　the　hame　hooks　on　their　collars。　She　had　never　seen　such　a　thing。　The　two　riders　slid　to　the　ground。
　
　‘Mother　Confessor！’　Their　grins　made　their　salutes　look　a　little　silly。　The　both　of　them　were　gangly；　with　short…cropped　brown　hair。　Neither　looked　as　if　he　could　be　fifteen。　Their　wool　coats　were　unbuttoned　in　the　warming　day；　and　fit　them　like　gunnysacks　on　lapdogs。　They　both　looked　about　to　burst　with　excitement。　They　halted　before　getting　too　close；　but　even　their　fear　of　her　couldn’t　wither　their　breathless　excitement。
　
　‘What　are　your　names？’
　
　‘I’m　Brin　Jackson　and　this　is　Peter　Chapman；　Mother　Confessor。　We　had　an　idea；　and　we　wanted　to　show　you。　We　think　it’ll　do　the　job。　We’re　sure　it　will。　It’ll　work　some　clever　it　sure　will。’
　
　Kahlan　looked　from　one　beaming　face　to　the　other。　‘What　will　do　what　job？’
　
　Brin　almost　leapt　with　joy　at　being　asked。　He　hefted　the　chain　lying　in　the　snow　between　the　big　horses。　‘This！’　He　lugged　a　wad　of　chain　to　her　and　held　it　out。　‘This　will　do　it；　Mother　Confessor。　We　thought　of　it　ourselves！　Peter　and　me。’　He　dumped　the　heavy　chain　on　the　ground。　‘Show　her；　Peter。　Move　‘em　apart。’
　
　Peter’s　head　bobbed　as　he　grinned。　He　sidestepped　his　hors