tg.stone of tears-第93部分

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nd　the　other　bay　will　be　Geraldme。’
　
　‘Jessup；　Bonnie；　and　Geraldine；’　she　huffed。　‘No　doubt　from　The　Adventures　of　Bonnie　Day。’
　
　‘Glad　to　hear　you　read　something　other　than　prophecies；　Sister　Verna。’
　
　‘As　I　told　you　before；　ones　with　the　gift　who　e　to　the　palace　are　brought　when　they　are　young。　One　boy　brought　The　Adventures　of　Bonnie　Day　with　him。　I　read　it　to　see　if　it　was　appropriate　for　young　minds；　and　to　see　if　it　was　of　good　moral　teachings。　I　found　it　to　be　a　preposterous　story　of　three　people　who　would　have　had　no　troubles　if　a　one　of　them　had　been　blessed　with　brains。’
　
　Richard　smiled　a　little。　‘Perfect　names　for　‘dumb　animals’　then。’
　
　She　scowled　at　him。　‘It　was　a　book　of　no　intellectual　value。　No　value　of　any　kind。　I　destroyed　it。’
　
　Richard’s　smile　tried　to　fade；　but　he　didn’t　let　it。　‘My　father　。。。　well；　the　man　who　raised　me　as　his　son；　and　who　I　think　of　as　my　father；　George　Cypher；　well；　he　traveled　often。　One　time；　when　he　came　home；　he　brought　me　The　Adventures　of　Bonnie　Day；　as　a　gift　for　learning　to　read。　It　was　the　first　book　I　ever　had。　I　read　it　many　times。　It　brought　me　pleasure；　and　made　me　think；　each　time　I　read　it。　I；　too；　thought　the　three　heroes　did　foolhardy　things；　and　I　always　vowed　not　to　repeat　the　same　mistakes　they　made。　You　may　have　seen　no　value　in　it；　but　it　taught　me　things。　Things　of　value。　It　made　me　think。　Perhaps；　Sister　Verna；　that　is　something　you　don’t　like　your　students　to　do？’
　
　He　turned　away　from　her　and　started　taking　apart　the　bridles。　‘My　real　father；　Darken　Rahl；　came　to　my　house；　just　this　autumn；　looking　for　me。　He　wanted　to　cut　my　belly　open　and　read　my　entrails　…　to　kill　me。　Just　as　he　killed　George　Cypher。’　He　stole　a　quick　glance　over　his　shoulder。　‘Anyway；
　
　I　wasn’t　at　home；　and　while　he　was　waiting　for　me；　he　tore　that　book　apart　and　threw　the　pages　all　around。　Maybe　he　didn’t　want　me　learning　any　of　its　lessons　or　thinking　for　myself　either。’
　
　Sister　Verna　didn’t　say　anything；　but　he　could　feel　her　eyes　watching　him　take　the　bridles　apart；　undo　the　headstalls　and　reins　from　the　bits。　After　he　had　them　apart；　he　packed　the　headstalls　away　and　flipped　the　reins　over　his　shoulder。
　
　He　could　hear　her　let　out　a　little；　angry　breath。　‘I’ll　not　be　calling　horses　by　names。’
　
　Richard　stacked　the　three　spade　bits　atop　one　another　on　the　dirt；　where　the　horses　had　pawed　the　ground　bare。　‘You　might　want　to　reconsider　the　wisdom　of　that；　Sister　Verna。’
　
　She　stepped　out　to　the　side　of　him；　where　he　could　see　her；　pointing　at　the　ground。　‘What　are　you　doing？　Why　did　you　take　the　bridles　apart？　What　are　you　doing　with　those　bits？’
　
　Richard　drew　the　sword。　Its　distinctive　ring　filled　the　cold；　bright　air。　The　rage　of　the　magic　instantly　flooded　through　him。　‘I’m　destroying　them；　Sister。’
　
　With　a　scream　of　fury；　and　before　she　could　make　a　move；　he　brought　the　sword　down　with　a　powerful　swing。　The　tip　whistled　through　the　air。　The　blade　shattered　the　three　bits　into　flying　shards　of　hot　metal。
　
　She　rushed　forward；　her　cloak　flapping。　‘What’s　the　matter　with　you！　Have　you　lost　your　mind！　We　need　those　bits　to　control　the　horses！’
　
　‘Spade　bits　can　be　cruel。　I　won’t　allow　you　to　use　them。’
　
　‘Cruel！　They　are　just　stupid　beasts！　Beasts　that　need　to　be　controlled！’
　
　‘Beasts；’　he　muttered；　shaking　his　head　and　sliding　his　sword　back　into　its　scabbard。　He　snugged　up　the　halter　on　Bonnie　and　began　attaching　the　reins　to　the　side　rings。　‘You　don’t　need　a　bit　to　control　a　horse。　I’ll　teach　you　how。　Besides；　without　a　bit　in　their　mouths　they　can　eat　while　we　travel。　They’ll　be　happier　that　way。’
　
　‘That’s　dangerous！　Spade　bits　give　you　control　over　a　headstrong　beast。’
　
　He　arched　an　eyebrow　to　her。　‘With　horses；　as　with　many　other　things；　Sister；　you　often　get　what　you　expect　to　get。’
　
　‘Without　bits；　you　don’t　have　any　control。’
　
　‘Nonsense。　If　you　ride　properly；　you　control　with　your　legs　and　body。　You　just　have　to　teach　the　horse　to　pay　attention　and　trust　you。’
　
　She　stepped　close；　manding　his　attention。　‘That’s　foolish！　And　dangerous！　There　are　dangers　out　here。　If　you　get　into　a　dangerous　situation；　and　the　horse　is　frightened；　it　could　bolt。　Without　a　spade　bit　you　won’t　be　able　to　stop　a　runaway　horse。’
　
　He　halted　what　he　was　doing　and　looked　to　her　intense　brown　eyes。　‘Sometimes；　Sister；　we　get　the　opposite　of　what　we　intend。　If　we　do　get　in　a　dangerous　situation；　and　you　get　overanxious；　and　jerk　too　hard　on　a　spade　bit；　you　could　tear　the　horse’s　mouth。　If　you　do　that；　the　pain；　terror；　and　anger　can　be　so　intense　that　he　won’t　respond　to　anything　you　do。　He　won’t　understand。　He　will　only　know　that　you　hurt　him；　and　that　you’re　hurting　him　more　with　each　pull　on　the　reins。　You’ll　be　the　threat。　He　will　throw　you　in　a　heartbeat。
　
　‘Then；　if　he　is　simply　frightened；　he　will　bolt。　Worse；　he　could　be　angry。　Angry　horses　are　dangerous。　In　trying　to　avoid　danger　with　a　spade　bit；　you　will　have　brought　it　upon　yourself。’　He　held　her　startled　eyes　in　his　gaze。　‘If　we　get　to　a　town　or　something；　and　can　find　a　jointed　snaffle　bit；　I’ll　let　you　use　that。　But　I　will　not　allow　you　to　put　a　spade　bit　in　any　horse’s　mouth　as　long　as　I’m　with　you。’
　
　She　took　a　deep　breath；　releasing　it　carefully　as　she　folded　her　arms　again。　‘Richard；　we　can’t　control　them　without　a　bit。　It’s　that　simple。’
　
　He　gave　her　a　one…sided　smile。　‘Sure　we　can。　I’ll　teach　you。　The　worst　thing　that　can　happen　without　a　bit　is　that　he　can　run　away　with　you；　and　you’ll　have　a　time　of　stopping　him；　but　sooner　or　later；　you　will　be　able　to。　Your　way；　you　and　the　horse　could　be　hurt；　or　killed。’
　
　He　turned　and　scratched　Bonnie’s　neck。　‘First　thing　you　have　to　do　is　make　friends　with　them。　They　have　to　trust　you　not　to　hurt　them；　or　let　anything　happen　to　them；　though　you　are　in　charge。　If　you’re　their　best　friend；　they　won’t　let　anything　happen　to　you。　They’ll　do　what　you　ask。
　
　‘It’s　surprisingly　easy；　all　you　have　to　do　is　show　them　a　little　respect　and　kindness　along　with　a　firm　hand。　If　they’re　going　to　be　your　friend；　they　need　names；　to　get　their　attention；　and　so　they　know　when　you’re　talking　to　them。’
　
　He　scratched　a　little　harder；　the　horse　leaning　into　it。　‘Isn’t　that　right；　Bonnie？　You’re　a　good　girl；　aren’t　you？　Sure　you　are。’　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　Sister。　‘Jessup　likes　it　when　you　scratch　under　his　chin。　Give　it　a　try；　show　him　you　want　to　be　friends。’　He　gave　her　a　humorless　grin。　‘Like　it　or　not；　Sister；　we　don’t　have　the　bits　anymore。　You　need　to　learn　a　new　way。’
　
　Sister　Verna　stared　at　him　with　a　cold　look。　At　last　she　unfolded　her　arms　and　went　over　to　the　chestnut　gelding。　She　stood　in　front　of　him　a　moment　and　then　reached　out　and　stroked　the　side　of　his　head；　finally　moving　her　hand　under　his　jaw　to　give　him　a　scratch。　There’s　a　good　boy；’　she　said　in　a　flat　tone。
　
　‘You　may　think　horses　are　dumb；　Sister　Verna；　because　they　don’t　understand　most　of　your　words；　but　they　understand　tone　of　voice。　If　you　want　h