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！
Dirk glanced at their brunette captor again…make that three。 Maybe。 Certainly she wasn't a Housewife； equally certainly not related。 What was she doing here？
She grabbed his arm and yanked him toward the ladder in the wall impatiently。 〃Quickly； up to the loft！ Men look upward last； when they're searching； 'tis your best chance。' She whirled to the wife and children。 〃Go about your daily round； forget we are here； as much as you can。 They'll be gone soon enough； you have only to bold the masquerade an hour at most。〃
The apprehension vanished from the wife's face； to be replaced by grim； set purpose。 She nodded once with decision and turned to crackle mands at her brood。 By the time Dirk and Gar were stretched out on the nine…by…nine square of planking that served as a sleeping loft； the whole family were going about their daily tasks； seeming calm and unhurried； with only the faintest trace of anxiety about them。
Gar stared down over the edge of the planking； fascinated。 Dirk glanced at him irritably； what could be so fascinating about scraping dishes？
Then he forgot Gar as cloth rustled beside him； and a warm； firm body stretched out next to him。 He looked up； saw her tearing a square of homespun into strips。
〃You're wounded； in case you hadn't noticed；〃 she said with a tinge of sarcasm。 〃Not that I care； but the blood might drip through the cracks in the boards and give us away。〃
Dirk felt a stir of irritation。 〃If you don't care； why're you taking the risk of hiding us？〃
〃Use your imagination；〃 she snapped。 〃Do I look like a villager？〃
Dirk nodded slowly。 〃So。 You're a rebel。〃
〃A courier for the outlaws。 You're from our 'friends' in the sky？〃
Dirk felt the chill of wariness flow through him from the way she said 〃friends〃…almost as though it were an insult。 〃How do you figure that？〃 he said slowly。
She shrugged。 〃When Lord Cochon and his troops ride out like the Wild Hunt in the middle of the night； it's something more than an escaped churl。 If it were an outlaw raid； I'd know of it； and what else could it be but one of you dropping in？ So I paced you from house to house as soon as you entered the village； and； when I heard the talking in the street； I knew who you were。〃
Dirk lay staring at her； feeling the hot flush of desire spread outward through his whole body。 Not just beauty…brains； too。
He didn't know how to handle the wave of emotion； it scared him。 Simple lust he'd had a hundred times； and knew how to cope with…but this was something different： a fascination； the roots of an obsession。 Warning bells clanged in his mind。 He lay still； hoping the wave would flow through him； crest； and subside。
The girl pushed herself up to her knees and yanked down his stocking； baring the calf。 〃This won't hold for long； but it'll soak up the blood till you're out of here。 You're lucky…it's only a flesh wound。〃 She picked up his foot and started wrapping the cloth。
Dirk lay very still； trying to ignore the current her touch seemed to generate。 〃I take it we lie doggo till they've waked and gone away。〃
〃Yes； and an hour after that。 Less； and they might still be scouring the village； more； and they'll have the Lord's Sniffer out after you。〃
Gar's head snapped up。〃 'Sniffer*？ What's that？〃
〃A low…grade telepath；〃 Dirk explained； 〃usually also an idiot； the two qualities seem to go together more often than not。 They'll walk him around everywhere they think we might be。 If he hears any thoughts out of the ordinary； hell point us out。〃
Gar stared at him。 〃You talk as though a telepath were an everyday occurrence。〃
The girl stopped bandaging； frowned down at him。 〃Why shouldn't it be？〃
〃An excellent question； here。〃 Dirk smiled wryly。 〃One of the effects of massive inbreeding； Gar。〃
Gar turned away； eyes wide； seeming almost numb as he watched the family below。
The girl noticed it； and smiled； almost contemptuously。 〃I thought all you sky…men claimed to be churls。〃
Dirk felt his stomach sink。 He turned and looked over his shoulder。 〃We are。 This one escaped early…before he was two； in his mother's arms。〃
Gar looked up； startled。 The girl looked skeptical； but； after a moment； she turned back to her bandaging。
Dirk decided it was time to distract her。 〃What's your name； beautiful？〃
The girl's head snapped up； fury flaring in her eyes。 〃I'm Madelon…not that it'll do you any good； churl。 Scrub your mind； if you want my help！〃
Dirk stared at her。 He could almost feel his eyes bugging out。 That wasn't his only physiological reaction； but it was the only one he cared to think about at the moment。
He needed a distraction； himself。 He turned back to Gar…and frowned； seeing the big man's total absorption in the domestic scene below。 〃May I ask what the hell you find so unusual？〃
〃Nothing…and that's just it。〃 Gar muttered。 Dirk grimaced impatiently。 〃What's the matter？ Never seen a churl family before？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 Gar said softly； 〃and that's just the problem。〃 He gestured at the people below。 〃Every time I've seen one of your families； I've seen exactly the same thing…exactly。 They perform exactly the same tasks。〃
Dirk smiled sourly。 〃What's strange about that？ If people are hungry； you make dinner。〃
〃Yes。〃 Gar's eyes burned into his。 〃But do you use exactly the same movements？ Down to the slightest； tiniest mannerism？ Sprinkle the salt in just so； reach for a pot at exactly the same time and with precisely the same tilt of body and bend of elbow？〃
Dirk gazed at him for a long moment。 Then he smiled； almost gently。 〃Why wouldn't they be； Gar？ What determines behavior？〃
〃Why； environment and heredity； of course； but…〃 Gar broke off； eyes glazing as he understood。
〃Yes。〃 Dirk nodded。 〃When the inbreeding gets this bad； everyone's got the same genes。 And； when the Lords make you live in the same kinds of houses…almost identical； in fact…and give you identical cloth for your clothes； and identical utensils 。 。 。〃 He shrugged。 〃Sure； the home environments start out different from one another； but； as the centuries pass； the people bee more and more alike； homogenized； so the homes start being alike； too。 Environmental differences tend to be ironed out。 By this time； they've disappeared。 Everyone of any given type is raised in exactly the same type of home。 Exactly。〃 He shrugged。 〃Okay； so we're low on individualism。 We didn't want it that way； I assure you。〃
〃But；〃 Gar said thickly； 〃If everyone of a given type is raised in exactly the same type of home； and has exactly the same genes…〃
〃You get identical behavior。 Down to the slightest mannerism。〃
Gar seemed almost angry。 〃How deep does the identity go？〃
Dirk frowned。 〃If you mean； do we think alike？ The answer is yes 。。。 Except men like me； of course。〃 He turned away； looking down at the family。 〃I was raised in a different environment； after I was ten。 Makes for some differences。 Oh； not the basic ones…but enough。 If you ask me what those boys are thinking right now； I can give you a good guess…but I don't know。。。。〃