按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Master Hillman bowed his head up and down。 ‘Of course； Master Rybnik。 Of course。 And a fine choice； I might add。 Quite dashing。’ He wiped his clean； meaty hands on the apron’s corner and then held an arm out to the room。 ‘May I offer you a table； Master Rybnik？ Let me clear a table for you。 I will have someone move。 Let me see to it。。。。’
‘No； no。’ Zedd gestured with his new cane。 ‘That empty one in the corner； near the kitchen； will do splendidly。’
The man looked with worry to where Zedd had pointed。 There？ Oh no； sir； please； let me get you a better table。 Perhaps near the bard。 You would like to hear a lively tune； I’m sure。 He knows any tune you could name。 Let me know your favorite and I will have him play it for you。’
Zedd leaned close and gave the man a wink。 ‘I much prefer the wonderful aromas ing from your kitchen to the singing。’
Master Hillman beamed with pride and then swept his arm in the direction of the empty table； ushering Zedd toward it。 ‘You do me such honor； Master Rybnik。 I have never had anyone swoon over my cooking as do you。 Let me get you a plate。’
‘Ruben； please。 Remember？ And I would be delighted to sample a slice of that roast I smell。’
‘Yes； Master Rybnik； of course。’ Wringing the corner of his apron； he leaned over the table as Zedd sat against the wall。 ‘How is Mistress Rybnik？ I hope she is feeling better。 I pray for her every day。’
Zedd sighed。 ‘Much the same； I’m afraid。’
‘Oh dear； oh dear。 I’m so sorry。 I’ll continue to pray for her。’ He started through the kitchen door。 ‘Let me get you that plate of roast。’
Zedd leaned his new cane against the wall and removed his hat after the man had left； tossing it on the table。 The balding bard sat on a stool on a small platform； hunched over his lute as if permanently deformed around it； strumming with vigor and singing a spirited song about the adventures of a wagon driver； his journey along bad roads from one bad town to another with bad food and worse women； and how he loved the challenge of steep hills and twisting passes； driving rain and blinding snow。
Zedd watched one man； alone in a booth against the wall across the room； roll his eyes and shake his head as he listened to one improbable adventure after another。 A whip lay in a neat coil on the table before him。 Other men； at tables； thought the song a proper tale； and thumped their mugs as they sang along。 Some of the drunker men tried to pinch the smiling serving girls that swept past； but caught only air。
At other tables sat nattily dressed men and women； probably merchants and their wives； talking among themselves and ignoring the singing。 Fashionable nobility； wearing gleaming swords； sat at a few tables off to the quieter side of the room。 In an empty area between the bard and the lone man in the booth； couples danced； some were serving girls and men who had paid them for the turn。 Zedd noted with pique that while there were many men with hats； all the hats looked to be functional； and none were embellished with a feather。
Zedd reached into a pocket to count the gold coins。 Two。 He sighed。 It was expensive playing the part of the wealthy。 He didn’t know how even the wealthy could afford it。 Well； he would just have to do something about that if he was to get transportation all the way to Nicobarese。 He couldn’t have Adie riding that horse anymore； she was too weak。
Springing on light feet； Master Hillman swooped through the kitchen door。 He set a gold…rimmed white plate heaped with roasted lamb in front of Zedd； pausing before he straightened to return a finger to each edge of the plate and turn it just so。 Quickly producing a clean towel； he buffed a spot off the tabletop。 Zedd decided that although he was hungry； he had better eat carefully； lest Master Hillman whisk out to wipe his chin for him。
‘May I bring you a mug of ale； Master Rybnik？ On the house？’
‘Please call me Ruben； that’s my name。 A pot of tea would be splendid。’
‘Of course； Master Rybnik； of course。 Anything else I could do？ Besides the pot of tea？’
Zedd leaned a little toward the center of the table。 Master Hillman did the same。 ‘What’s the current gold to silver exchange ratio？’
‘Forty point five five to one；’ he answered； ticking the numbers off without hesitation。 He cleared his throat。 ‘I believe。 At least； that’s what I seem to remember。’ He smiled apologetically。 ‘I don’t keep track。 But that’s what I believe it is。 Forty point five five to one。 Yes； I think that’s right。’
Zedd made a show of considering this。 At last he pulled out one of his two gold coins and slid it with one finger across the table toward the proprietor。
‘I seem to be short of smaller coinage。 If you would be so kind； could you exchange this for me？ And I would like it divided into two purses。 From one take one silver and exchange it for copper； and put that in a third purse。 And please keep the odd bits for the house？’
Master Hillman gave two quick； deep bows。 ‘Of course； Master Rybnik； of course。 And thank you。’
He swept the coin off the table so fast Zedd could scarcely see it go。 After he left； Zedd dug into the lamb roast； watching the people and listening to the singing as he chewed。 Near the end of the meal； Master Hillman was back； placing his broad； round back between Zedd and the crowd。
He set two small purses on the table。 ‘The silver； Master Rybnik。 Nineteen in the light brown one； and twenty in the dark。’ Zedd slipped them into his robes as the other set a heavier； green purse down； sliding it across the table。 And the copper in this。’
Zedd smiled his thanks。 And the tea？’
The big man slapped his forehead。 ‘Forgive me。 In handling the exchange； I forgot。’ One of the noblemen was waving a hand； trying to get his attention。 He snagged the arm of a serving girl ing from the kitchen with a tray of mugs。 ‘Julie！ Fetch Master Rybnik a pot of tea。 And quickly； dear。’ She gave Zedd a smile and a nod before rushing on with her tray。 Smiling； Hillman turned back。 ‘Julie will see to it； Master Rybnik。 If there is anything else I can do； please ask。’
‘Why； yes。 You could call me Ruben。’
Master Hillman chuckled absently and nodded。 ‘Of course； Master Rybnik； of course。’ He rushed off toward the nobleman。
Zedd cut another piece of lamb and stabbed it with his fork。 He liked the name Ruben。 He shouldn’t have told the man any more of it than that。 While he pulled the meat off the tines with his teeth； he watched Julie cross the room； weaving between the crowded tables。
He chewed as he watched her plunk down mugs around a table of raucous men all wearing longcoats。 As she set the last one before the last man； he said something to her。 She had to lean over to hear above the din。 The men suddenly burst into laughter。 Julie straightened and thumped the man on the head with her tray。 As she strutted away； he pinched her。 She yelped but hurried on。
As she went past Zedd’s table； she leaned toward him and smiled。 ‘I’ll be getting your tea for you right now； Master Rybnik。’
‘It’s Ruben。’ He flicked a finger toward the table of noisy men。 ‘I saw what happened。 Do you have to put up with that all the time？’
‘Oh； that’s just Oscar。 He’s harmless； for the most part。 But he has the foulest mouth I’ve ever heard； and I’ve heard my share。 Sometimes； I wish that when he opened his mouth to spew some of his filthy talk at me； he’d get the hiccups instead。’ She huffed a wisp of hair back off her face。 ‘And now he wants another mug。 I’m sorry。 I talk too much。 I’ll get your tea； Master Ryb 。。。’
‘Ruben。’
‘Ruben。’ She gave him a pretty smile before hurrying off。
Eating while he waited； Zedd watched the table of noisy men。 A small wish。 What could it hurt？ Julie returned with the tea and a cup。 As she set them on the table； Zedd crooked his finger； urging her to bend closer。
She leaned over； tightening the apron strings behind her back as she did。 ‘Yes； Ruben？’
The wizard gently touched a finger to the underside of her chin。 ‘You are a very lovely woman； Julie。 Oscar shouldn’t speak to you in foul language； or touch you again。’ His voice lowered to a slow； powerful whisper that almost seemed to make the air sparkle。 ‘When you give him his ale； speak his name； and look him in the eyes； as I look into yours now； and you shall have your wish as you have spoken it to me； but you won’t remember asking it； or that I have granted it。’
Julie blinked as she straightened。 ‘I’m sorry； Ruben； what did you say？’
Zedd smiled。 ‘I said thank you for the tea； and I asked if anyone here has a team of horses； and perhaps a carriage for hire。’
She blinked again。 ‘Oh。 Well 。。。’ She looked around as she pulled her bottom lip through her teeth。 ‘Half the men in here； well； half the men who aren’t dressed as fine as you； are drivers。 Some hire out。 Some haul freight and are regulars； just passing through。’ She pointed at a few tables。 ‘They 。。。 and they； might hire out。 If you can sober them up。’
Zedd thank