tg.stone of tears-第133部分

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their　spirits　to　retribution　by　the　spirits　of　those　defeated。　Likewise；　they　believed　that　if　they　left　their　dead　at　the　site　of　a　defeat；　the　spirits　of　their　fallen　rades　would　live　on　to　plague　their　enemies。　Whoever　had　done　this　must　have　believed　such；　and　dragged　their　own　dead　away　from　the　bodies　of　those　they　had　vanquished。　Kahlan　knew　of　several　peoples　who　believed　that　the　act　of　dying　in　battle　could　bring　about　such　thaumaturgy。　One　nation；　above　all；　sat　at　the　head　of　her　roster。
　
　As　they　skirted　an　overturned　wagon；　its　load　of　firewood　spilled　in　a　heap；　Chandalen　paused　beneath　a　small　wooden　sign　carved　with　a　leafy　plant　next　to　a　mortar　and　pestle。　With　a　hand；　he　shielded　his　eyes　from　the　sunlight　and　looked　into　the　long；　narrow　shop　set　back　a　few　feet　from　the　buildings　to　each　side。　‘What　is　this　place？’
　
　Kahlan　walked　past　him；　through　the　splintered　doorframe。　‘It’s　an　herb　shop。’　The　counter　was　covered　with　broken　glass　jars　and　dried　herbs；　all　scattered　together　in　a　useless　mess。　Only　two　glass　lids　remained　unbroken　among　the　pale　green　debris。　‘This　is　where　people　went　to　get　herbs　and　remedies。’
　
　Behind　the　counter；　the　wall　cabinet；　which　reached　from　floor　to　ceiling　and　almost　the　entire　length　of　the　narrow　shop；　had　held　hundreds　of　small　wooden　drawers；　their　patina　darkened　by　the　countless　touches　of　fingers。　The　ones　still　left　in　place　were　smashed　in　with　a　mace。　The　drawers　and　their　contents　on　the　floor　had　been　crushed　underfoot。　Chandalen　squatted　and　pulled　open　the　few　drawers　near　the　bottom　that　had　remained　untouched；　inspecting　briefly　their　stores　before　sliding　each　drawer　closed　again。
　
　‘Nissel　would　be　。。。　how　do　you　say　‘astonished’？’
　
　‘Astonished；’　Kahlan　answered。
　
　‘She　would　be　astonished；　to　see　this　many　healing　plants。　This　is　a　crime；　to　destroy　things　that　help　people。’
　
　She　watched　him　pull　open　drawers　and　then　slide　them　closed。　‘A　crime；’　she　agreed。
　
　He　pulled　open　another　drawer；　and　gasped。　He　squatted；　motionless；　for　a　moment；　before　reverently　lifting　a　bundle　of　miniature　plants；　tied　at　their　stems　with　a　bit　of　string。　The　tiny；　dry　leaves　were　a　dusky　greenish　brown　with　crimson　veining。
　
　A　low　whistle　came　from　between　his　teeth。　‘Quassin　doe；’　he　whispered。
　
　Kahlan　eyed　the　shadowed　back　of　the　shop　as　her　vision　adjusted　to　the　darkness。　She　saw　no　bodies。　The　proprietor　must　have　fled　before　he　was　killed；　or　maybe　he　was　one　who　had　stood　with　the　army　against　the　invaders。　‘What　is　Quassin　doe？’
　
　Chandalen　turned　the　bundle　over　in　his　palm；　his　eyes　fixed　unblinking　on　it。　‘Quassin　doe　can　save　your　life　if　you　take　ten…step　poison　by　mistake；　or；　if　you　are　quick　enough；　when　shot　by　an　arrow　with　the　poison　on　it。’
　
　‘How　can　you　take　it　by　mistake？’
　
　‘Many　poison　bandu　leaves　must　be　chewed；　for　a　long　time；　and　made　wet　in　your　mouth；　before　being　cooked　until　they　bee　a　thick　paste。　Sometimes；　if　you　swallow　some　of　the　wetness　in　your　mouth　by　accident；　or　chew　too　long；　it　can　make　you　sick。’
　
　He　opened　a　buckskin　waist　pouch　and　showed　her　a　small；　carved　bone；　lidded　box。　Inside　was　a　dark　paste。　This　is　ten…step　poison　we　put　on　our　arrows。　We　make　it　from　the　bandu。　If　you　ate　a　very　little　of　this；　it　would　make　you　sick。　If　you　ate　a　little　more　you　would　be　a　long　time　to　die。　If　you　ate　more；　you　would　die　quick。　But　no　one　would　eat　it　after　it　is　made　and　put　in　here。’　He　slipped　the　box　of　poison　back　in　his　pouch。
　
　‘So　you　could　take　some　of　the　quassin　doe；　and　it　would　make　you　well　if　you　accidentally　swallowed　some　of　the　bandu　when　you　were　chewing　its　leaves　to　make　the　poison？’　He　nodded　in　answer　to　her　question。　‘But　if　you　were　shot　with　a　ten…step　arrow；　wouldn’t　you　die　before　you　could　take　the　quassin　doe？’
　
　Chandalen　turned　the　bundle　of　plants　in　his　fingers。　‘Maybe。　Sometimes；　a　man　will　scratch　himself　with　his　own　ten…step　arrow；　by　not　meaning　to；　and　he　can　take　the　quassin　doe；　and　he　will　be　well　again。　If　you　are　shot　with　a　poison　arrow；　sometimes　you　will　have　time　to　save　yourself。　Ten…step　arrows　only　work　quick　if　you　are　shot　in　the　neck。
　
　Then　you　have　no　time　to　take　the　quassin　doe；　you　will　die　too　quick。　But　if　you　are　shot　in　another　place；　maybe　your　leg；　the　poison　takes　longer　to　work；　and　you　have　time　to　take　the　quassin　doe。’
　
　‘What　if　you　aren’t　near　to　Nissel；　so　she　could　give　it　to　you？　You　would　die　if　you　were　out　on　the　plains　hunting　and　you　scratched　yourself　accidentally　with　a　poison　arrow。’
　
　‘All　hunters　used　to　carry　a　few　leaves　with　them；　so　they　may　take　it　if　they　scratched　themselves；　or　were　shot　with　an　arrow　and　had　time。　If　there　is　not　much　poison　on　the　arrow；　like　if　it　has　not　much　on　it　because　it　is　used　to　hunt　small　animals；　you　have　longer。　In　times　long　ago；　when　there　was　war；　our　men　would　swallow　quassin　doe　just　before　a　battle；　so　the　enemy’s　ten…step　arrows　would　not　poison　them。’
　
　He　shook　his　head　sadly。　‘But　this　is　much　trouble　to　get。　The　last　time　we　traded　for　this　much；　every　man　in　the　village　had　to　make　three　bows；　and　two　fists　of　arrows；　and　all　the　women　had　to　make　bowls。　It　is　gone　now；　for　a　long　time。　Years。　The　people　we　traded　with　have　been　able　to　find　no　more。　Two　men　have　died　since　we　no　longer　have　it。　My　people　would　trade　much　to　have　this　much　again。’
　
　Kahlan　stood　over　him；　watching　him　gently　place　it　back　in　the　drawer。　‘Take　it；　Chandalen。　Give　it　to　your　people。　They　have　need　of　it。’
　
　He　slowly　slid　the　drawer　closed。　‘I　cannot。　It　would　be　wrong　to　take　it　from　another　people；　even　if　they　are　dead。　It　does　not　belong　to　my　people；　it　belongs　to　the　people　here。’
　
　Kahlan　squatted　down　next　to　him；　pulled　open　the　drawer；　and　lifted　out　the　little　bundle。　She　found　a　square　of　cloth　lying　on　the　floor　nearby；　used　for　packaging　purchases　and　wrapped　the　quassin　doe　plants。　Take　it。’　She　pushed　the　bundle　into　his　hand。　‘I　know　the　people　of　this　city。　I　will　repay　them　for　what　I　have　taken。　Since　I　will　pay　for　it；　it　belongs　to　me　now。　Take　it。　It　is　my　gift　for　the　trouble　I　have　caused　your　people。’
　
　He　stared　at　the　cloth　parcel　in　his　hand。　‘It　is　too　valuable　for　a　gift。　A　gift　of　such　great　value　would　bind　us　to　an　obligation　to　you。’
　
　Then　it　is　not　a　gift；　but　my　payment；　to　you　and　Prindin　and　Tossidin；　for　guarding　me　on　this　journey。　You　three　are　risking　your　lives　to　protect　me。　That　is　a　debt　I　owe　you　that　is　greater　than　this　payment。　You　will　owe　me　no　more　obligation。’
　
　With　a　frown；　he　studied　the　bundle　a　moment；　and　then　bounced　it　twice　in　his　hand　before　tucking　it　in　the　buckskin　pouch　at　his　waist。　He　tied　the　flap　closed　by　its　rawhide　thong　and　stood。　Then　this　is　in　trade　for　what　we　do。　We　owe　you　no　obligation　beyond　this　journey。’
　
　‘None；’　she　said；　sealing　the　bargain。
　
　The　two　of　them　walked　on　through　the　silent　streets；　past　the　shops　and　inns　of　the　old　city　quarter。　Every　door；　every　window；　was　broken　in。　Shards　of　glass　sparkled　in　the　sunlig