tg.stone of tears-第248部分

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　They　both　spoke　with　a　quiet　economy　of　words　that　added　an　air　of　nobility　to　their　bearing。　While　neither　ever　made　a　clear　offer；　they　managed　to　somehow　leave　no　doubt　in　Richard’s　mind　that　they　were　available　to　spend　the　night　with　him。　Richard　could　never　pin　down　anything　specific　in　what　they　said　to　confirm　the　impression；　but　he　had　no　doubt。　Their　oblique　words　left　him　room　to　feign　missing　their　intent；　and　neither　ever　deigned　to　clarify　what　she　had　said。
　
　He　prayed　that　they　would　never　make　the　offer　any　more　explicit；　because　if　they　did；　he　knew　he　would　have　to　bite　his　tongue　in　half　to　keep　from　saying　yes。　Both　brought　to　mind　what　Pasha　had　told　him　about　men　having　uncontrollable　urges。　He　had　never　been　around　anyone　who　could　make　him　stammer　and　fumble　and　in　general　make　himself　appear　a　fool　as　those　two　did。　Sisters　Merissa　and　Nicci　were　the　embodiment　of　pure；　unadulterated　lust。
　
　When　Pasha　found　out　that　Sisters　Merissa　and　Nicci　were　two　of　his　teachers；　she　gave　a　small　shrug；　and　said　that　they　were　very　talented　Sisters；　and　she　was　sure　they　would　help　him　reach　his　Han。　But　her　cheeks　broke　out　in　red　blotches。
　
　When　Perry　and　Isaac　found　out　about　Sisters　Merissa　and　Nicci；　they　both　nearly　succumbed　to　apoplexy。　They　said　they　would　give　up　all　the　women　in　the　city；　forever；　just　to　have　one　night　with　either。　They　said　that　if　Richard　was　ever　offered　the　opportunity；　he　had　to　take　it；　and　tell　them　every　detail。　Richard　assured　them　that　women　the　likes　of　those　two　would　never　be　interested　in　a　woods　guide　like　him。
　
　He　dared　not　say　out　loud　that　the　offer　had　been　made。
　
　The　fifth　Sister；　Armina；　was　older；　a　mature　woman　who　was　pleasant　enough；　but　all　business。　When　he　had　no　more　luck　finding　his　Han　with　her　than　any　of　the　others；　she　told　him　that　it　would　e　with　time；　and　not　to　feel　disappointed；　but　perhaps　he　should　try　to　put　more　effort　into　it。　Over　time；　she　warmed　to　him；　and　smiled　more。　She　was　surprised　and　flattered　by　the　special　flowers。　She　blushed　at　her　own　blushes。　Richard　liked　her　straightforward　personality。
　
　The　last　Sister；　Liliana；　was　Richard’s　favorite。　Her　easy　smile　was　disarming；　her　plain；　bony　looks　somehow　alluring　because　of　her　open；　friendly　nature。　She　treated　Richard　like　a　confidant。　Richard　felt　relaxed　with　her；　sometimes　spending　more　time　than　he　could　afford；　talking　with　her　late　into　the　night；　simply　because　he　enjoyed　her　pany。　Though　he　had　no　friends　among　his　captors；　she　came　closer　than　any。
　
　When　Richard　gave　her　the　special　flower；　she　hooked　some　of　her　brown　hair　behind　an　ear　and　leaned　in。　Her　eyes　were　wide　with　mischief；　wanting　to　know　how　he　had　gotten　past　the　guards。　She　giggled　when　he　told　the　story　he　invented　of　sneaking　behind　their　backs。　She　stuck　each　rose　proudly　through　a　buttonhole；　and　wore　it　until　it　wilted　or　he　gave　her　another。
　
　When　she　touched　him　in　a　friendly　way；　it　somehow　seemed　the　natural　thing　to　do。　He　found　himself　laying　a　hand　on　her　arm　in　the　same　manner　when　he　told　her　funny　stories　about　when　he　had　been　a　guide。　They　roared　with　laughter　together；　holding　their　ribs　and　getting　tears。
　
　Sister　Liliana　told　him　how　she　had　grown　up　on　a　farm；　and　loved　the　country。　Several　times　Richard　invited　her　on　a　picnic　out　in　the　hills。　She　was　fortable　and　happy　in　the　countryside。　She　didn’t　care　if　she　got　her　dress　dirty。　Richard　couldn’t　imagine　either　Sister　Merissa　or　Nicci　setting　a　foot　to　dirt；　but　Sister　Liliana　would　flop　right　down　on　the　ground　with　him。
　
　She　never　made　an　offer　to　sleep　with　him。　That　in　itself　put　him　at　ease。　She　never　displayed　any　pretense；　she　seemed　to　genuinely　enjoy　her　time　with　him。　When　he　opened　his　eyes　after　a　session　with　her　and　admitted　he　felt　no　Han；　she　would　squeeze　his　hands　and　tell　him　that　it　was　all　right；　and　that　she　would　try　harder　the　next　time　to　help　him。
　
　Richard　found　himself　telling　her　things　he　told　none　of　the　others。　When　he　confided　how　much　he　wanted　the　Rada’Han　off；　she　put　a　hand　to　his　arm　as　she　gave　him　a　wink；　and　told　him　that　she　would　see　to　it　that　he　had　his　wish；　that　when　the　time　came；　she　would　do　it　herself。　She　said　she　could　understand　his　feelings；　and　for　him　to　have　faith。
　
　She　promised　that　if　one　day　he　was　at　the　end　of　his　tolerance；　and　he　truly　could　stand　it　no　longer；　she　would　help　him；　she　would　remove　the　collar。　But　she　wanted　him　to　know　that　she　had　faith　in　him；　and　wanted　him　to　put　in　his　best　effort　to　learn　to　control　his　Han　before　she　even　considered　it。
　
　She　said　that　other　young　men　tried　to　forget　their　collar　by　bedding　every　woman　willing。　She　told　him　that　she　could　understand　urges；　but　she　hoped　that　if　he　chose　to　sleep　with　a　woman　it　would　be　because　he　liked　her；　and　not　because　he　was　trying　to　forget　the　collar。　She　told　him　not　to　go　to　the　prostitutes　because　they　were　dirty　and　he　would　catch　something。
　
　Richard　told　her　that　he　was　in　love　with　someone；　and　didn’t　want　to　be　unfaithful　to　her。　She　grinned　and　clapped　him　on　the　back　and　said　she　was　proud　of　him。　Richard　didn’t　tell　her　that　Kahlan　had　sent　him　away；　but　he　wanted　to。　He　knew　that　someday；　if　he　could　stand　it　no　longer；　he　could　tell　Liliana　and　she　would　listen；　and　understand。
　
　Because　he　was　so　fortable　around　her；　he　felt　that　if　anyone　could　help　him　find　his　Han；　it　would　be　her。　He　hoped　it　would　be　her。　Richard　had　had　only　a　brother；　and　didn’t　know　what　it　would　be　like　to　have　a　sister；　but　he　imagined　that　if　he　did　have　one；　she　would　be　like　Liliana。　The　name　Sister　Liliana　had　a　different　meaning　to　him　than　was　intended。　She　seemed　his　soulmate。
　
　Still；　he　couldn’t　let　himself　open　up　pletely　to　her。　The　Sisters　were　his　captors；　not　his　friends。　They　were　the　enemy；　for　now。　But　he　knew　that　when　the　time　came；　Liliana　would　side　with　him。
　
　Richard’s　lessons　with　the　six　Sisters　took　up　at　most　two　hours　a　day。　A　waste　of　two　hours　as　far　as　he　was　concerned。　He　was　no　closer　to　touching　his　Han　than　he　had　been　the　first　time　Sister　Verna　had　him　try。
　
　When　Richard　could　manage　to　be　alone；　he　explored　the　land　around　the　palace；　and　found　the　limits　of　his　invisible　chain。　When　he　reached　the　farthest　distance　the　collar　would　allow　him　to　go；　it　felt　like　trying　to　walk　through　a　ten…foot…thick　wall　of　mud　layered　over　solid　rock。　It　was　frustrating　to　be　able　to　see　beyond；　without　obstruction；　yet　not　be　able　to　continue　walking。
　
　It　happened；　as　near　as　he　could　tell；　about　the　same　distance　from　the　palace　in　any　direction。　It　was　a　good　number　of　miles；　but　once　he　found　the　limit；　his　world　began　to　feel　very　small　indeed。
　
　The　day　he　found　his　boundary；　the　limits　of　his　prison；　he　went　to　the　Hagen　Woods；　and　killed　a　mriswith。
　
　His　only　true　solace　was　Gratch。　Richard　spent　most　nights　with　the　gar。　He　wrestled　with　his　furry　friend；　ate　with　him；　and　slept　with　him。　Richard　hunted　food　for　Gratch；　but　the　gar　was　learning　to　hunt　on　his　own。　Richard　was　relieved　to　learn　that；　he　didn’t　have　the　time　to　be　with　h