《無法控制的魔力》: 美國7歲神童 作者: [美]鄒奇奇

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
給家長和教師的提示（7）

    When Akila was informed of the sand storm, she screamed and
    pounced on Jamila, kissing her everywhere and saying, 「My baby, my

    precious baby!」 Agymah shrunk back, feeling he had no place in the

    room. 「Kesi,」 When Akila turned to Kesi, her voice was hard and cold.

    「You were foolish. You should have never gone outside. My poor Jamila!

    As for you, Agymah, you could have done something.」

    「How could we predict the sand storm?! Why blame Kesi?」 Agymah

    exploded.

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    120

    Akila looked surprised at his outburst, but she quickly composed

    herself, and smirked. 「Boy,」 Akila said, 「I was not saying that you had the

    terrible powers to predict the unsure future. You could not be much

    worse if you did. But,」 and here Akila stopped, 「at least, perhaps, you

    could have been more cautious.」

    「Cautious? Again, we could not predict the future, which would tell

    us that we would need to be cautious!」 Agymah exclaimed.

    「Boy! You are disrespectful to your elders! Be gone all of you—Kesi,

    Ata, and Atsu too!」 Akila screeched.

    Agymah stepped out of Akila』s chambers, Ata and Atsu clutching his

    kilt in fear.

    「Kesi, Akila is as much as a witch as I』ve seen!」 he exclaimed.

    「Agymah! That』s it!」 Kesi shouted.

    「Ssssh,」 Agymah said, already guessing what Kesi was going to say.

    「All right,」 Kesi said, hardly able to keep her voice down. 「Perhaps it

    was that Akila was putting the spells on the pharaoh—from afar! And that

    is why she married the pharaoh—to get a closer aim!」

    「When the Lion pounces, the mouse will see—and can escape and the

    Lion finds himself with nothing,」 Agymah said.

    「What has that to do with this?」 Kesi asked, frowning. She looked

    rather pretty when she frowned, Agymah decided.

    「We are the Lion. Akila is the mouse. When we pounce—in this way,

    accuse her—she will escape. You likely are making hasty judgments,

    Kesi,」 Agymah said slowly.

    「Hasty judgments?! Who are you to judge me?!」 Kesi burst out

    laughing.

    「No, no. Akila very well might be guilty. But she will escape. I am sure

    of it. You see already how close the pharaoh fondles her, how he feeds

    the witch her food on a silver spoon, how he looks at you with more and

    more distrust? Akila is feeding your father tales. Your father already

    spends more time with Jamila than with you, Kesi, and it is that witch

    Akila』s fault,」 Agymah said, gritting his teeth.

    「No, no, this cannot be true! O Isis, protector of women and girls,

    help me!」 Kesi gasped.

    「But,」 Agymah said, 「I also remember vividly the two archers who

    stand by your father』s side on hunts—Abasi and Adofo, I believe they are

    called. One of them—Abasi, if I remember, tucked something into his

    kilt, as if hiding it. This was on the evening that your father almost

    drowned. There was also a great deal of whispering between the two.」

    121

    Agymah and the Amulet

    「The archers? Them? No, I do not think so. Akila is my guess,」 Kesi

    said carelessly.

    When Akila emerged from her chambers, she found Agymah and

    Kesi.

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
給家長和教師的提示（8）

    「What are you doing here?!」 Akila shouted.
    「Nothing,」 Agymah said hurriedly.

    「Nothing! As if! I will let you go this time, but rest assured—」

    Agymah had already dragged Kesi, Ata, and Atsu away by that time.

    The next morning, the pharaoh met Agymah and Kesi rather

    nervously in his leisure room. A servant fanned him while another rubbed

    soothing lotions and oils on the pharaoh』s long legs. Not making eye

    contact with Agymah and Kesi, the pharaoh began,

    「Kesi and Agymah, Akila is rather…uncomfortable with your

    presence here. You will be sent to a place where many priestesses, priests,

    and monks have gathered to follow the religious order of Isis and Osiris.」

    「Sent away!」 Kesi exploded. Agymah could only open his mouth, but

    no sound came out.

    「The camels have been made ready,」 the pharaoh said, 「now I dismiss

    you. Ride safely and well!」

    Agymah was enraged. After all he had done for the pharaoh, the

    pharaoh was sending them away! To a religious order, no less!

    「I cannot believe that this is happening to me,」 Kesi moaned, facing

    Agymah and not looking at her camel. 「I am absolutely sure that Akila is

    poisoning my father』s mind against us! If only we could get Akila out of

    the way!」

    「Mmmm,」 Agymah said. He was in deep thought, and it was hard to

    think while being jiggled on the camel』s rough back. Kesi』s babbling didn』t

    help.「Agymah?」 Kesi asked crossly. 「Are you listening?」

    「Sorry,」 Agymah said. They rode in silence for a few minutes. Finally

    their guide stopped them at a tall, silent building. It had no windows and

    was dark and sinister.

    A woman emerged from the building. She wore undecorated sandals

    of rough wood on her brown feet.

    「Isis, from the above, welcomes you,」 she said, folding her hands and

    surveying Kesi.

    「I give you the message of the pharaoh, supreme son of the gods,」

    the guide said with great importance, taking the pharaoh』s message from

    the saddle-bag. After scanning it for a few seconds, the woman said,

    「Come in, come in!」

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    122

    Inside the building was no better than the outside. Kesi and Agymah

    were made to take off their sandals and shake them free of dust, and then

    enter the building barefoot. Then Dalila (for that was the priestess』s name)

    took Agymah to meet Anum, a monk who showed him to his room.

    Agymah』s room was more Spartan than the room he had been

    sleeping in as a slave. When Agymah protested, the monk replied,

    「This is the best room. Accept Osiris』s gift thankfully.」

    「Osiris』s gift! Osiris』s curse, more like!」 Agymah muttered under his

    breath.

    「It is not good to scorn those who are in close contact with the gods,」

    the monk said cheerfully, surprising Agymah, who had thought the monk

    would not be able to hear him.

    「Yes, I can hear your words as well as the gods,」 the monk said, as

    though he had read Agymah』s mind. 「The very words which you believe

    none other to hear.」 Agymah said no more after that.

    Agymah stood waiting. Why is Kesi taking so long? he thought. As if

    answering his call, Kesi came running, breathless.

    「One of the priestesses called for me to stay,」 she explained. 「I

    pretended I didn』t hear her, but we must find someplace to hide. I have

    something I must tell you without the possibility of anyone listening in.」

    Agymah nodded, and pointed outside. Kesi frowned.

    「Hmm,」 she said.

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
給家長和教師的提示（9）

    「It』ll do,」 Agymah hurriedly put in, for fear of the priestess coming.
    「I suppose,」 Kesi said following him outside.

    Agymah headed for the shade of a palm tree. Kesi wanted to lie on

    the burning hot sand, but Agymah hastily opposed that.

    「Somebody would be bound to see us—and after all, it』s much nicer

    here,」 Agymah said. Kesi finally gave in.

    「First, I need to tell you something,」 Kesi chattered excitedly once

    they were settled down, 「my father』s amulet has been stolen. It』s protected

    him from dangers before, but now that it』s stolen, anything will be able to

    kill him!」 At this Kesi resumed a sober face.

    「If only we were back at the palace!」 Agymah stormed. 「If only!」 he

    stubbed his toe against the tree』s trunk in frustration, which only made

    him all the more frustrated.

    「Calm down!」 Kesi was obviously scared. Agymah hurriedly sat

    down, scratching his kilt on the trunk of the palm tree as he did so.

    「Now, as I was saying,」 Kesi said, 「since my father』s amulet is stolen,

    he will have nothing to protect him, and Akila will do her spells over him

    or whatever!」

    123

    Agymah and the Amulet

    「Poison maybe,」 Agymah said.

    Ignoring Agymah, Kesi continued, 「Perhaps we could get back to the

    palace somehow.」

    「In disguise?」 Agymah suggested.

    「No! As ourselves!」 Kesi shouted.

    「There』ll be no other way but to be in disguise,」 Agymah said, sighing

    wearily.

    「I will not go in disguise! It is dishonest, and I don』t want to fool my

    own father!」 Kesi exclaimed, jumping up.

    「If we don』t go in disguise, there will be no way we will be able to

    enter,」 Agymah said.

    「Fine!」 Kesi said after thinking about it for a little while.

    「The question is what shall we disguise ourselves as?」 Agymah asked.

    「I know!」 Kesi exclaimed, her eyes shining. 「We can pretend that

    we』re the gypsies, come from the north of Egypt!」

    「I doubt gypsies come at this time of the year,」 Agymah said, raising

    his eyebrows doubtfully.

    「Oh whatever! Do you really think that they would think about that?」

    Kesi exclaimed impatiently.

    「Yes! And people would get suspicious of us—after all, we would

    only be two gypsies! Gypsies come in groups!」 Agymah shouted.

    「Don』t worry about that!」 Kesi shouted. 「I』ve got it all under my

    sleeve!」

    At exactly sunset, Agymah and Kesi excused themselves from dinner

    and ran to Kesi』s room. Kesi already had a rope ready, which was tied

    securely to the granite bust of Isis.

    「I』ll go down first,」 Kesi volunteered bravely. 「I』m older, so I』m

    bound to be heavier.」

    「You』re not older!」 Agymah hesitated. He had never thought about it

    before.

    「You』re thirteen, right?」 Kesi asked.

    「No!」 Agymah exclaimed. 「I』m fourteen!」

    「Strange. I am too,」 Kesi said.

    「I』ll go first,」 Agymah said, although his stomach churned as he said

    it. The sand below, harmless enough, now seemed like poison.

    「No, I will,」 Kesi said, and lowered herself onto the rope before

    Agymah could say a word. Suddenly, before he could stop himself,

    Agymah felt tears filling up his eyes.

    「I love you, Kesi,」 he croaked. Kesi looked up at Agymah, still

    keeping a firm grip on the rope.

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    124

    「I never thought you would say that,」 she said, her eyes shining with

    tears. 「I love you too.」

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
給家長和教師的提示（10）

    By the time both Agymah and Kesi reached the ground safely, a monk
    had discovered their absence and had the good sense to check outside. He

    shouted after Agymah and Kesi, but they had already run away.

    Kesi and Agymah stole some tattered and outlandish clothing from

    the nearest gypsy camp and snuck away quickly before the theft was

    discovered. They changed their clothing on opposite sides of a palm tree.

    Before he had changed, however, and was still naked, Agymah stooped

    down to look at a party of ants that were eating a worm. He accidentally

    bumped into Kesi, who was also naked. After staring at each other for a

    few seconds, Kesi began laughing.

    「We better change now!」 Agymah was very angry and embarrassed at

    being caught naked.

    「Yes, yes,」 Kesi said, walking off.

    Agymah and Kesi looked strange in their new gypsy get-up.

    「My father will mistake us for just anybody!」 Kesi said proudly,

    tightening her green hair ribbon one last time as they approached the

    pharaoh』s palace.

    「Sssh,」 Agymah said to Kesi. 「There』re the guards.」

    「Aren』t gypsies late to be coming?」 the guard who was standing by the

    great gates said suspiciously.

    「We were injured, and left behind,」 Kesi said, in the most syrupy

    voice she could possibly think of. Agymah pretended to walk with a slight

    limp.

    「Go on, go on,」 the guard said, pushing Kesi and Agymah past.

    The pharaoh received Kesi and Agymah with great interest. 「I hear

    you were left behind?」 he asked, twiddling a tiny golden likeness of Ra

    between his fingers.

    「Yes, O pharaoh,」 Agymah said, remembering just in time not to say

    「O supreme son of the gods.」

    「For some reason you remind me of some people,」 the pharaoh said.

    「But no mind. You will be given lodging, of course.」

    Kesi and Agymah were invited to have dinner with the pharaoh and

    Akila. As the meal neared to an end, Agymah noticed that Akila had crept

    out of the room. All of a sudden there was a loud crash. Agymah ran to

    the kitchen, followed closely by Kesi and the pharaoh.

    Akila was in the middle of it all.Water ran down her face. Chicken bits

    clung to her dress.

    125

    Agymah and the Amulet

    「What has happened?」 the pharaoh asked, bewildered.

    「Some blundering oafs spilled this all over me!」 Akila said, not slow

    in making her excuse.

    「Is there any way we can help?」 Agymah asked, a plan already

    forming in his mind.

    「Not really you,」 Akila said, 「but the girl can help.」

    「At least let me brush you off a bit,」 Agymah said. Brushing the

    chicken bits off of Akila』s dress, Agymah caused a little vial to fall out. It

    was made of glass, with a small sapphire stopper. The vial immediately

    broke, letting forth an odorless fluid.

    Ain, Kesi』s unruly little puppy, ran forward and licked at the liquid. He

    immediately fell down dead. Akila』s face scrunched up into an ugly ball of

    wrinkles.

    「What is the meaning of this, Akila?!」 the pharaoh shouted. 「Why do

    you have this poison concealed in your dress?」

    「This was meant for you, not this stupid dog!」 Akila kicked Ain』s cold

    little body scornfully.

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
給家長和教師的提示（11）

    「She』s plotting against you!」 Kesi shouted. 「Father, please listen to
    us!」 The pharaoh turned, and saw his own daughter, and Agymah.

    「You fooled me!」 the pharaoh shouted. Akila broke free of the

    pharaoh』s grasp and ran out of the room.

    「Catch her!」 the pharaoh shouted, so enraged he forgot any anger

    towards Kesi and Agymah.

    Akila was promptly caught by the palace guards, who dragged her

    screaming and cursing before the pharaoh.

    The execution of Akila and the two bowmen (now found guilty) was

    to be a grand event, with food and drink and much merrymaking, despite

    the desperate shouts of Akila. Agymah, who had been made a prince by

    the pharaoh and granted permission to marry Kesi, rode next to Kesi on

    a large litter carried by four men. Suddenly a servant ran up to the

    pharaoh and cried:

    「O supreme son of the gods, the archers have escaped with your

    youngest daughter to the land of the spell casters!」

    「Be this news true?」 the pharaoh demanded, turning to the other

    slaves.

    「Yes, it is truth, O supreme son of the gods,」 the minions replied.

    「Then with Akila I am much wroth,」 the pharaoh said, wringing his

    hands. 「But I will not trouble my soldiers by sending them into the

    barbaric lands of the spell casters. Let the execution continue.」 So with

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    126

    those words Akila was dropped into the mouths of the hungry crocodiles.

    And it was said that those crocodiles never ate the flesh of humans again.

     

    參考譯文

    contempt –disgust or hatred ( 輕視， 仇恨)

    mummification – process of drying and treating bodies to avoid decay（將屍體做成木乃伊）

    gangly – long limbed(身材瘦長的)

    solemnly – very seriously （莊重的）

    muse – to speak thoughtfully（沉思）

    tarry – waste time（等候）

    sulkily – resentfully（充滿怨恨的）

    hastily – hurriedly（匆忙地）

    hallucination – a vision of something that is not really there, altered perception（幻覺）

    flinched – reacted protectively in response to sudden movement or sound（ 畏縮）

    barbarian – uncivilized person（野蠻人）

    oblivious – completely unaware（遺忘的）

    asp – a type of poisonous snake （毒蛇）

    tourniquet – a tight band applied to stop bleeding （止血帶）

    prompting – urging into action（促進）

    vividly – clearly, intensely（生動的）

    sinister – suggesting evil or malevolence（險惡的）

    Spartan – simple and plain （簡單而樸素的）

    bewildered – confused（使混亂）

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
阿吉瑪與護身符（1）

    「阿吉瑪！」 拉皮斯尖叫著。 她為什麼又來打擾他呢？
    阿吉瑪不想理她。

    「阿吉瑪！」拉皮斯在懇求他。「父親有事，他要見你。」阿吉瑪跳了起來。 儘管阿布巴嘎不是他的生身父親，阿吉瑪還是很愛他。

    「你來嗎？」 拉皮斯問。

    「來，」阿吉瑪說。

    開普莉是阿布巴嘎的長女，她站在門口等阿吉瑪。

    「父親要見你嗎？」 開普莉還是瞧不起他。她自認為是父親最寵愛的女兒，一點也瞧不起她的兄弟姐妹們。

    阿吉瑪沒理她。

    「你要尊重父親！」她沖著阿吉瑪喊道。

    阿布巴嘎的屍體做成了木乃伊，被放在了裝飾著寶石和護身符的棺材里。四個最強壯的衛士把棺材抬到了墓地。

    阿布巴嘎的女兒們都嫁給了法老們的高官。阿吉瑪是個例外，他不是阿布巴嘎的親生兒子。

    秋盡冬來。阿吉瑪不大注意天氣的變化―――埃及的冬天與秋天溫度相差不大。現在他的工作減少了，市場上賣食物的人很多都不來了。他有更多的時間吃他的麵包了。

    日落時候阿吉瑪正坐在草墊上，來了一個使者找他，

    「法老要去打獵， 需要五個奴隸伺候。 我負責來挑選奴隸。 」阿吉瑪從來沒有參加過打獵。 可是他一點也不敢奢望使者能挑上自己。 他的身體並不強壯的， 又瘦又高， 而且動作笨拙。 果然，使者挑上了阿吉瑪旁邊的男孩。突然，他們身邊架子上的一個花瓶掉了下來。 阿吉瑪用手接住了。 使者看了他一眼說，

    「我要你了。」

    法老對使者挑選的人非常滿意，但是當他看到阿吉瑪時， 他說，

    「你從哪找來的他？ 你怎麼沒挑尼茲姆， 或納薩爾？

    「萬能的主啊，我真抱歉。」

    使者吻了法老的衣邊。

    「不可饒恕，」法老上了駱駝。阿吉瑪與其他人默默地跟在法老後面。兩名弓箭手站在法老兩邊。

    「我們今天捕鱷魚，」法老莊重地說。「我的夫人赤安娜已經替我們祈禱了。我也帶著護身符。」

    日落的時候，尼羅河裡到處都是鄂魚。法老的獵手們用長茅捕殺鱷魚，弓箭都被鱷魚的硬皮彈了出來。阿吉瑪坐在河岸邊等著。

    「你！」法老用手背打了他一下，「站起來！」

    阿吉瑪不知該怎麼辦了。其它奴隸都咯咯地笑了。

    「你！說你呢！」法老又喊了一次。突然，法老沒站穩，滑到了尼羅河裡！

    「救命呀！」 法老喊道。 他不會游泳， 在水裡拚命地掙扎著。 人們驚恐地看著法老。 只有阿吉瑪毫無畏懼地跳到水裡， 抓住法老的手， 把他救上了岸。

    「謝謝你---你叫什麼名字？」法老還是水淋淋的。

    「阿吉瑪，」他跪下去吻法老的腳。

    「阿吉瑪？阿布巴嘎的養子？」法老問他。

    「是的。」

    「你會被提升的，」法老沉思著說。

    「你將成為奴隸首領。你也會住到新的地方。」

    法老的一個弓箭手向他的同伴說了點什麼。

    「阿巴西！阿都夫！」法老喊著弓箭手。阿巴西把什麼東西塞到了衣服里。

    「是的， 天子？」

    「把箭射到鱷魚嘴裡去。」 法老說。

    「是。」

    阿吉瑪回到宮中。他不再住在原來的地方。 新的地方象當年阿布巴嘎的家裡一樣豪華。 一位使者來找他，

    「天子和皇后都要見你。」

    奴隸們幫他穿上了白色亞麻的短裙。然後把他帶到了一座裝飾豪華的庭院。法老與皇後向他走了過來。

    「赤安娜，這位是阿吉瑪，把我從鱷魚嘴裡救出來的哪個男孩。」 赤安娜笑了， 美麗的雙唇在阿吉瑪眼前閃閃的。 她的長發散發出一股甜香。

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
阿吉瑪與護身符（2）

    「謝謝你， 」 赤安娜美麗的褐眼睛看著阿吉瑪。
    「我們別等了。」法老說，「演出快點開始吧。」法老講完話，一對孿生兄弟走進了場地。 他們抓住法老的腿哭了起來。

    「安靜， 阿塔， 阿蘇！」法老不耐煩地把他們甩開了。

    「對不起， 天子， 」他們的保姆蓬著頭走了進來。 「我能看可思嗎？ 」

     赤安娜剛要說話，法老舉起了手，示意安靜。

    「不行，可思已經有保姆了。 你要看阿塔和阿蘇。」

    「好吧，天子，」保姆鬱鬱不樂地說。

    「你去把可思叫來吧。 我想讓他們見一個人。」 法老說。

    「是的，天子， 」 保姆跑走了。

    可思身材苗條纖細，她裹著一件漂亮的裙子。 阿吉瑪禁不住要多看她一眼。 可思的眼睛又長又大。

    「我為您祈禱，父親。」 可思用頭抵地，吻了一下地。

    「可思呀，我的好女兒！來，認識一下阿吉瑪吧，他是奴隸們的首領。」可思顯然是法老最寵愛的女兒，阿吉瑪尷尬地鞠了個躬。

    「你要吻公主附近的空氣，」保姆悄悄地對阿吉瑪說。阿吉瑪趕快吻了公主附近的空氣。

    「阿吉瑪，」可思瞪著他。她的聲音依然是冷冷的。阿吉瑪覺得有點不舒服，被她這樣看著，就向後退了一步。可思轉身走到她媽媽那裡。

    「阿吉瑪，」法老說，「你要仔細考慮一下，你願意做我的孩子們的玩伴嗎？」

    「當然！」 阿吉瑪說。他當然願意了。

    「可思，阿吉瑪將是你和阿塔和阿蘇的玩伴。 他將住在你們旁邊， 與你們同吃同住。」

    「是，父親，」可思看著阿吉瑪說。

    第二天一早， 阿吉瑪搬到了可思他們旁邊的房間。他住在阿塔和阿蘇的中間，可思的房間在後面。

    那天晚上，阿吉瑪感到一陣劇烈的頭痛。 原來他的頭撞到門上了。

    「怎麼啦？」可思跑進阿吉瑪的卧室，慌張地四下里望著。

    「是你呀，」可思冷冷地說。

    「我撞了頭。」

    他的臉羞得通紅，幸虧可思在黑暗中看不清楚。

    「有意思，我也撞了頭。 我覺得有鬼，」阿塔和阿蘇的房間里也傳來一陣哭聲。

    「我得去我弟弟的房間里看看！」可思跑了。原來，他們也撞了頭。

    「怎麼回事呢？我們為什麼都撞頭了呢？」可思說。

    「可能咱們吃了什麼東西不對勁，也許咱們在幻想吧？」 阿吉瑪顫抖地說。

    「不可能！沒有人敢對法老的孩子們做這樣的事！」

    阿吉瑪害怕了。他原以為自己的想法不錯，可是可思卻給否定了。

    「可能是埃及邊境上的野人們施的魔法。」 可思沉思著說。這回，輪到阿吉瑪笑話她了。

    「魔法？ 只有小孩才信這種鬼話， 」

    「魔法是存在的！」 可思差點就叫起來了。

    「也許， 」 阿吉瑪嘟噥著說。

    法老站在走廊里。

    「可思， 你撞了頭了嗎？阿塔和阿蘇告訴我了。可是我需要你自己親自承認。」

    「是的，阿吉瑪也撞了。」

    「赤安娜和我也撞了。」 法老說。

    「會不會是某種毒藥？」阿吉瑪問。

    「不會，檢驗官沒檢查出任何毒藥。」

    「也許他們被毒傻了呢。」阿吉瑪自己都不太相信這個想法。

    「不，可能是邊境上的魔術師們。」法老說。可思看了阿吉瑪一眼，一副『我告訴過你』的表情。

    「可是，」阿吉瑪還想說話，法老已經走了。

    第二天，法老又要去打獵了。隨行的有皇后，阿吉瑪，法老的孩子們和幾個貼身奴隸。這次他們要捕蛇。赤安娜坐在樹下，一個奴隸為她扇著扇子。阿吉瑪手裡拿著一把尖刀，阿塔和阿蘇拿著樹枝玩打仗。可思躺在太陽下看著。

    突然，沙中的一隻毒蛇悄悄地向前爬行，後面還跟著兩隻。赤安娜坐在樹下，完全沒想到大禍就要臨頭了。

    「有蛇！」 赤安娜的傭人大叫。赤安娜嚇得一動不動。阿吉瑪用手中的尖刀殺了蛇。

    然而，已經太晚了。蛇咬了赤安娜的腿，毒藥開始在她的體內蔓延。法老也不知如何是好。只有可思和阿吉瑪還保持鎮定。

    「阿塔，阿蘇！快去找醫生！」可思叫道。他們巴不得跑掉。可思把自己的裙子撕開了。

    「快，把毒血擠出來，然後我給她上止血帶！」儘管阿吉瑪和可思全力救護也沒有用，赤安娜開始發抖，不過一會，就停止了呼吸。

    法老痛苦的不能自已。他幾天都沒有出屋。等他出來的時候，他瘦了很多。阿吉瑪簡直認不出他來了。他頭髮蓬亂，顴骨高高頂起，手都瘦了。

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
阿吉瑪與護身符（3）

    十月十五日是阿吉瑪的十四歲生日。沒有人為他慶祝。但是可思送給了他一個金項鏈，和她自己做的拖鞋。阿塔和阿蘇送給了他一個淺盤，上面亂七八糟的寫著阿吉瑪的名字。
    法老又娶了新妻子叫阿克拉。她雖然不是很美，卻非常聰明。阿克拉生了一個小女孩，叫嘉米拉。

    幾個月後，阿吉瑪正在和法老的孩子們一起玩，突然來了一陣沙塵。

    「快跑！」可思扔下嘉米拉就跑。 阿吉瑪把她拾了起來。 阿塔和阿蘇害怕的扯著阿吉瑪的衣服。 沙塵越來越近，吹到了阿吉瑪的眼睛和鼻子里。 沙塵停下時， 阿吉瑪也累得倒在了地上。

    「從阿德本法老以後，就沒刮過沙塵了！」可思叫道。

    「什麼？ 」 阿吉瑪問。

    「沙塵暴呀！」可思不耐煩地說。

    「對，」 阿吉瑪和可思的眼神對在了一起，他趕快把頭轉開了。

    「可能我們該回去了。」可思看著地說。

    「好的， 」 阿吉瑪同意。 可思把嘉米拉抱了起來，全然不管她舒服不舒服。

    當他們回到皇宮時，法老正在焦急地等待他們。

    「謝天謝地你們回來了！ 埃及好幾百年都沒刮過沙塵暴了。 」

    「沙塵暴只颳了一會就停了，我們很幸運。」可思說。

    「我懷疑是那些術士乾的。 沒關係，我得告訴阿克拉一聲。」 當她得知這件事後，她抱起嘉米拉就親。

    「寶貝，心肝寶貝！」阿吉瑪有點不好意思呆在那。

    「可思，你們真蠢。今天你們不應該出去。我可憐的嘉米拉！阿吉瑪，你也是的，怎麼不阻止可思呢？」阿克拉不滿地說。

    「我們怎麼知道有沙塵暴呢？可思有什麼錯？」阿吉瑪大聲說。阿克拉有點吃驚地看著他，說，

    「我不是說你們能預報天氣， 但是你們應該更謹慎一點。」

    「謹慎？ 我們沒有預知未來的能力，所以不知道什麼時候要格外謹慎。」阿吉瑪說。

    「孩子，你怎麼不尊重長輩？你們都走吧―――可思，阿塔，阿蘇，走！」

    阿吉瑪走出了阿克拉的房間， 阿塔和阿蘇害怕地拉著他的衣襟。

    「可思，阿克拉是個壞女人！」阿吉瑪說。

    「沒錯！」

    「噓， 」阿吉瑪知道可思會說什麼。

    「好吧。 」可思好不容易才把她的聲音放低。「也許是阿克拉施的魔法！這樣她才能嫁給法老！」

    「獅子要是發怒了，老鼠就會知道， 而且能逃過去。 獅子什麼都不會抓到。」阿吉瑪說。

    「這跟我們有什麼關係？」可思皺著眉頭說。阿吉瑪喜歡看她皺眉頭的樣子。

    「我們是獅子。阿克拉是老鼠。如果我們進攻，她就會逃跑。你不要太快下結論，可思。」阿吉瑪慢慢地說。

    「你還敢批評我？」可思笑著責備他。

    「不是的。可能是阿克拉施的魔法，可是她能找出辦法逃跑。你也知道法老多喜歡她，他給她喂飯，而且你父親越來越不信任你。阿克拉一定在你父親面前說了什麼。他喜歡嘉米拉，而不是你了。」阿吉瑪咬著牙說。

    「這不可能！天呢，我該怎麼辦呀！」可思哭了。

    「我還記得你父親身邊的兩個衛士， 阿巴斯和阿多夫。 阿巴斯似乎把什麼東西藏到他的衣服里了。 他們兩個還嘀嘀咕咕的。」

    「他們？不會吧。我猜是阿克拉。」可思說。

    當阿克拉從房間里走出來的時候，阿吉瑪和可思站在門口。

    「你們在這幹嘛？」阿克拉嚷道。

    「沒事。」阿吉瑪趕快說。

    「沒事？你以為我會相信你們嗎？」阿吉瑪已經把可思，阿塔和阿蘇拉走了。

    第二天，法老在休息室見了阿吉瑪和可思。一個奴隸在給法老扇扇子，另外一個給他的腿上抹油。法老不敢直視阿吉瑪和可思，說，

    「可思，阿吉瑪，你們在這，阿克拉不太舒服。你們還是去修道院里去吧。」

    「把我們趕走？」可思大叫著。可是阿吉瑪卻一句話都說不出來了。

    「駱駝已經被準備好了。現在你們走吧。一路平安吧！」

    阿吉瑪憤怒的想，法老要把他們都送走！而且是去修道院！

    「真不敢相信這是真的，」可思哭著說，她不敢看那些駱駝。「一定是阿克拉在父親面前進讒言！我絕不會放過她！」

    阿吉瑪沉思著。不一會，他們被扶上駱駝，可思還在說著。

    「阿吉瑪？你在聽我說話嗎？」

    「對不起， 」他們沉默地走了一會。前面出現一座黑洞洞的房屋。

    一個女人從房子里走了出來。她的腳上穿著粗糙的木質拖鞋。

    「伊希思女神歡迎你們。」她雙手合十，對可思說。

    「法老有信，」法老的信使從馬鞍袋裡拿出信遞給她。 她瀏覽了一下，馬上說，

    「快請進！」

    屋子裡也是黑洞洞的。 可思和阿吉瑪進屋之前把鞋脫了。 達里拉， 這裡的女住持， 帶阿吉瑪去見阿努姆， 他負責修士們。

    阿吉瑪的房間比他當奴隸時住的房間還簡單。修士說，

    「這是我們最好的房間了。你要感恩。」

    「感恩？ 倒霉透了！」阿吉瑪嘟噥著。

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
阿吉瑪與護身符（4）

    「對神不敬可沒什麼好處。」修士聽見了， 嘲弄的說。
     「我不但能聽見神的聲音，也能聽見你不想讓別人聽見的聲音。」修士似乎知道阿吉瑪在想什麼。

    阿吉瑪等可思。她為什麼這麼慢呢？突然，可思上氣不接下氣的來了。

    「有一個女住持叫我留下。我假裝沒聽見，我們必須藏起來。我要告訴你一個秘密。」阿吉瑪指了指外面。

    「出去吧。」阿吉瑪迅速的說，生怕女住持們聽見。

    阿吉瑪走到樹蔭里。可思想躺在滾燙的沙子上，可是阿吉瑪阻止了她。

    「這樣會有人看見我們的。而且，樹蔭下也很舒服。」阿吉瑪說。

    「我要告訴你這個秘密，我父親的護身符被人偷了。 沒有了護身符，他的生命隨時會有危險的！」說完，可思恢復了平靜。

    「我們要是在宮裡該多好啊！」阿吉瑪說。他用腳踢著樹， 更加鬱悶了。

    「冷靜!」可思害怕了。阿吉瑪坐下， 用手摳著樹。

    「我父親的護身符被偷了，阿克拉就可以對他施魔法了！」

    「可能是毒藥吧，」阿吉瑪說。

    「咱們回去吧。」

    「化妝吧？」阿吉瑪說。

    「不，就這樣回去！」 可思說。

    「我們不可能就這樣回去。」阿吉瑪嘆著氣說。

    「我不化妝，我不想欺騙父親！」可思跳著說。

    「可是不化妝的話，咱們就不能進去呀。」 阿吉瑪說。

    「好吧！」 可思想了想，說。

    「那我們化妝成什麼呢？」阿吉瑪問。

    「我知道了，我們裝成埃及北邊的吉普賽人！」可思說。

    「這個季節吉普賽人不會來的。」阿吉瑪懷疑的說。

    「他們才不會管這個呢。」可思不耐煩地說。

    「是！但是他們還是會懷疑我們，而且，吉普賽人成群結隊的來，我們卻只有兩個人！」阿吉瑪說道。

    「別急！我自有辦法。」可思說。

    日落的時候，阿吉瑪和可思找了個借口不吃晚飯，他們跑到了可思的房間。可思已經準備了一條繩子，她把繩子的一頭拴在神像身上。

    「我先下去，我比你大，肯定也比你沉。」可思自告奮勇的說。

    「你比我大？」阿吉瑪猶豫地問。他以前沒想過這個問題。

    「你十三歲，是不是？」

    「不是，我十四了！」

    「我也是！」可思說。

    「我先走吧。」阿吉瑪其實心裡發抖。 他看看下面的沙地，真不想下去。

    「我先下去。」 可思一邊說，一邊抓住了繩子。 阿吉瑪哭了出來。

    「我愛你，可思， 」 他啞著嗓子說。 可思看著他，一動不動。

    「沒想到你說這個。我也愛你。」 可思也哭了。

    當他們安全的到達地面時，一個修士發現了。 因此他們趕快跑掉了。

    可思和阿吉瑪從最近的吉普賽營地偷了一些破衣服換上。 換衣服的時候，阿吉瑪低頭看螞蟻吃蟲，不小心看見了沒穿衣服的可思。 兩個人彼此對視，然後笑了起來。

    「快換衣服吧！」阿吉瑪不好意思地說。

    「好吧， 」 可思走掉了。

    阿吉瑪和可思穿著偷來的新衣服。

    「我父親一定認不出我們來了！」可思高興地說。他們已經快到法老的宮殿了。

    「噓， 衛兵會聽到的。」 阿吉瑪說。

    「吉普賽人來了， 可是現在有點晚呀！」衛兵狐疑地說。

    「我們受傷了所以落在後面。」可思嗲嗲地說。阿吉瑪裝出腿瘸的樣子。

    「去吧。」 衛兵把他們推過去。

    法老接見了他們。 「聽說你們是落在後面的？」他手裡玩弄著一個金瘤子， 說。

    「是的，法老。」阿吉瑪努力不稱他為「天子」。

    「我看你真眼熟， 沒關係，我們會給你安排住處的。」

    可思和阿吉瑪應邀與法老和阿克拉共進晚餐。 快吃完的時候，阿吉瑪注意到阿克拉溜了出去。 突然傳來一陣巨響， 阿吉瑪跑到廚房去，可思和法老跟著他。

    阿克拉站在中間。 她的臉上全是水，衣服上都是雞屎。

    「發生什麼事了？」法老問。

《無法控制的魔力》　第三部分
阿吉瑪與護身符（5）

    「哪個小搗蛋鬼乾的！」阿克拉解釋道。
    「我們能幫忙嗎？」阿吉瑪腦子裡已經有一個計劃了。

    「你不行，但是那個女孩可以幫我。」

    「至少讓我給您擦擦吧。」阿吉瑪說著，把雞屎從阿克拉的衣服上擦去。他故意從她身上掉下來一個小玻璃瓶子。瓶子里流出透明的液體。

    可思的小狗愛恩跑過來舔著喝了瓶子里的液體。它當時就倒地身亡。阿克拉的臉變了顏色。

    「阿克拉，你帶著毒藥是什麼意思？」法老大叫道。

    「這毒藥是給你喝的，這個該死的狗！」阿克拉踢著愛恩的屍體。

    「她陰謀害您！」可思喊道。 「父親，您相信我們吧！」法老回過頭，看到女兒和阿吉瑪。

    「你膽敢騙我！」法老喊道。阿克拉掙脫了法老的手，跑出了房間。

    「抓住她！」法老下令。

    衛士們很快抓住了阿克拉，她尖叫著被拖到了法老腳下。

    阿克拉和那兩個弓箭手被判了死刑，大家都慶祝這個英明的決定。阿吉瑪已經被封為王子，不日將與可思完婚。突然，一個傭人跑了過來，

    「天子，弓箭手帶著您最小的女兒跑到魔界去了！」

    「這是真的嗎？」法老問其他奴隸。

    「是的。」大家都說。

    「那就處決阿克拉吧。我可不想讓我的士兵們去魔界。」阿克拉被投到了鄂魚池裡。據說，從那以後，鱷魚再也不吃人了。

     

    我該怎樣稱呼我故事中的英雄或壞蛋？

    如何起個好名字？

    對於創作故事來說，給故事中的人物起名字是許多孩子面臨的第一大挑戰。沒有合適的名字，孩子甚至還沒動筆就覺得寫不下去了。幫助孩子為角色取一個他們覺得相關並且引以為豪的名字是使故事取得成功的一個步驟。奇奇非常重視給角色取名字。她經常和我商量，她這樣問我「你覺得這個名字怎麼樣？」在寫作培訓班裡我們常常發現孩子們想不出名字的時就會陷入困境停止不前；取名問題有時會導致出現寫作障礙，相反，孩子們從一個好名字中獲得的樂趣會帶來靈感。

    利用網際網路搜索引擎的便捷和速度， 取一個既能反應角色特點又符合時代或文化真實性的名字簡單到只需敲幾下鍵盤。奇奇在創作「Agymah and the Amulet」的時候，她需要 一個聽起來像埃及人的男名。她利用搜索引擎找到了許多以埃及人的姓名為特色的網站。她不但發現了自己在尋找的東西，而且還登錄了一些解釋這些名字的起源、含義及意義的網站。這種活動既拓寬了她的知識又提高了她的研究能力。對於一些幻想的故事，奇奇喜歡編造一些名字，喜歡將實際單詞的字母打亂重新排列。

    奇奇訪談

    鄒燦： 你故事中的名字是怎麼想出來的？

    奇奇：我只是從頭到尾看字母表，然後把一些字母組合起來編出這些名字，如果不喜歡我就會換掉。看到B，我就會想一個以B開頭的單詞，比如 『bran』，然後我就想，Bran可以作為名字。但是聽起來有些太簡單了，於是我就可能寫成Branabal甚至是Branavuel。至於 C，哦，也許是Curver。

     鄒燦：C的話就可以用 Curve、Curver。

    奇奇：是的，我覺得壞蛋頭頭叫這個名字不錯。不過我不是特別喜歡這個名字。E呢，可以是Erise。

    鄒燦： Erise會是哪種類型的人物？

    奇奇：也許是個主角。

    鄒燦： 可是，是什麼類型的主角呢？

    奇奇：我不知道為什麼，不過似乎應該是一個十分卑鄙的傢伙。

    鄒燦： 你還有其他方法嗎？

    奇奇：我總是會記住很多名字，因為我知道這樣使用時就可以信手拈來。例如，如果我讀書時讀到或者看到好聽的東西，例如「Great Wexely」，我就會記下來。但是當我想用的時候，我不希望它們聽起來一模一樣，所以就會稍微改動一下，變成「East Yurxely」。

    鄒燦： 還有其他的方法嗎？

    奇奇：有時我喜歡找一個合適的詞，然後改變字母的順序。例如在The Tools of the Trade中去了Aroda大教堂。

    給家長和教師的提示

    打開給人物命名的神秘感，釋放孩子的創造力，給他們隨意選擇的自由。把字母混在一起玩兒給人物取名字的遊戲；找出你的組合；談論一些你認識的人的名字；

    問問孩子除了自己的名字他們還願意被怎麼稱呼。一旦孩子明白名字只是他們的創造，沒有對錯只之分時，他們會喜歡給自己的人物選擇名字的過程。

    趁熱打鐵：

    1.寫下孩子最喜歡的角色類型或名人的名字，然後讓他們利用這些名字的一部分形成新的名字。

    2.讓孩子利用搜索引擎尋找適當的類別，如「英國男名」或者「中國女名」，你會發現有好多名字可以在自己的故事中使用。

    3.讓孩子寫下親戚、鄰居、老師、朋友以及書和電影中的人物的名字。

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分  
　　泰勒老師不大情願讓凱瑟琳和哈姆進擊劍室。凱瑟琳告訴他，哈姆把東西落在裡面了。泰勒老師念了個咒語，門就開了。　凱瑟琳激動地呼吸都急促了。  




《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（1）

    Myles looked up from the book he was
    reading. Didoni Marcelleni, his master,

    frowned at him.

    「I believe I told you to wash my

    paintbrushes,」 Didoni said, putting his

    large, bony hands on his hips.

    「Sorry, master,」 Myles said, grinning

    guiltily. 「My mind wandered off for the

    moment.」

    「Wandered off!」 Didoni snorted.

    「Forgot, more like! But no mind.

    Tomorrow we are off for Bulrox, where the

    Duke himself resides. If luck is with us, the

    Duke himself may ask me to paint his

    portrait, or perhaps commission a portrait

    of his Duchess!」

    「Then, master, won』t we be lucky

    indeed?」 Myles asked, his grin even wider.

    「Don』t be pert! Now hurry up with the

    tasks I give you!」 Didoni exclaimed. Myles

    stowed his book in the gray-brown

    haversack he habitually wore slung over his

    shoulder and said,

    「Yes, master.」

    Washing the paintbrushes was no easy

    task, as he had to haul water up from the

    stream. Simply washing the paintbrushes in

    the stream would never do, as the current

    was swift and strong and could easily carry

    away the delicate paintbrushes, 「which cost

    me a fortune,」 as Didoni always said. Myles

    hated the brushes, but he knew they bought

    the daily bread and kept his mouth shut.

    Myles had a great interest in painting,

    but he had never dared to try. Didoni kept

    all of the paints locked in his sturdy

    painter』s chest, which had quite a number of

    129

    The Tools of the Trade

    commission – an order to

    produce a piece of work

    pert – jesting, bold

    haversack – a heavy bag

    carried on back

    cottar – someone who

    works on a farm in

    exchange for a place to

    live

    ascertained – found out,

    determined to be true

    odoriferous – having or

    diffusing a strong odor

    trudged – walked wearily

    vagabond - homeless

    wanderer

    brandishing – waving

    something about in a

    menacing or threatening

    way

    flagons – a large narrownecked

    bottle used to

    store alcohol

    treachery – betrayal

    minion – a servant or

    enslaved person

    pomp – ceremonial

    splendor, self-importance

    abyss – bottomless

    pilgrimage – religious

    journey

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（2）

    relic – something that has
    existed for a long time,

    often the only thing that

    still remains of something

    that was once grand

    habit – clothing of

    religious order

    sluggards – lazy person

    relish – enjoy

    skulk – to move furtively

    dabble – to participate in

    something without ever

    becoming seriously

    dedicated

    dryly – with subtle

    VOCABULARY LIST

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    130

    delightful springs, drawers, and little niches. Even if he had been able to

    pick the chest』s ornate lock, he rarely had time to spare. Didoni always

    assigned a million little tasks to keep him on his toes. Myles sighed and

    inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. He remembered the old cottars』 house

    with not even a proper roof, where it had always been very smoky and

    dirty. There were certainly some advantages to his new life as an

    apprentice.

    「Myles!」 Didoni shouted impatiently, walking towards the boy.

    「You』re not much of an apprentice,」 Didoni said, sighing heavily as

    Myles jerked to attention. 「I need to dry out my painting canvases from

    yesterday』s rain, and the least you can do for me is concentrate.」

    「Anyways, it』s your choice.」 Didoni said, managing to sound as

    though the exact opposite was true. After he had ascertained that Myles

    looked appropriately guilty, the old man limped away, wearily shaking his

    head.

    Myles hastily filled the buckets with water to the brim, put the buckets

    on a long, thick oak branch, and hoisted the branch onto his shoulders.

    He plowed his way through the long stalks of grass, avoiding any fallen

    branches or other things that would make him trip. When he finally

    arrived at the camp, Didoni was waiting for him.

    「You』re late,」 Didoni said crossly. 「Now you』ll have to continue

    washing our clothes until midnight.」 He flung a pile of dirty clothes at

    Myles』s feet. 「Start the washing early,」 Didoni said. 「You can finish the

    rest of the chores early at sunrise.」

    Myles collapsed with exhaustion onto his haversack, which he had

    emptied and laid across the ground to sleep on. Didoni snored loudly next

    to him, not even opening an eye. Myles checked the dark sky and guessed

    that it was ten past midnight. He was quite right.

    Early in the morning, after Myles had finished his chores, Didoni and

    Myles mounted their donkeys, and set out for Bulrox.

    The Twin Gates of Bulrox were, as usual, extremely crowded. Two

    soldiers were posted at each of the magnificent gates. They made crude

    jokes and belched loudly while patting their jiggling tummies. Their spears

    lay forgotten in the dirt.

    Didoni and Myles passed through without difficulty. The soldiers

    opened the gates at four o』clock and it was normal for folk to be crowding

    around Bulrox. Myles stared openmouthed at the lavish tapestries that

    decorated the stone walls, gasping with amazement at the towering

    buildings.

    The Tools of the Trade

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（3）

    「Shut your mouth, youngster,」 one soldier said rather rudely to Myles,
    poking him in the side with his grubby finger. After that, Myles learned to

    hide his awe at the wealth of the grand city.

    Didoni stopped right in the town square. A young violinist, probably

    sixteen, was grinning at the crowd as he played his gleaming violin. Some

    people were putting coins in the cap he had set out, while the rest merely

    applauded. Only a few acknowledged Didoni and Myles』s arrival. When

    Didoni gave Myles a tweak on the nose, Myles knew it was time to start

    shouting.

    「Portraits! Paintings! By the most learned artist in the world, Didoni

    Marcelleni!」 he shouted. Gradually people began to drift away from the

    violinist and stare at Didoni, who was making long and graceful brush

    strokes on his canvas. A young lady stopped and asked how much a

    portrait would cost.

    「Twenty coins, ma』m, one sitting,」 Myles said, bowing as Didoni had

    told him to.

    「Hmm,」 the lady said. Finally she smiled and said, 「I think I』ll have it.

    My name』s Marie, by the way.」 Myles at once dragged out a folding chair.

    「If it pleases you, sit,」 Myles said, pointing to the chair and bowing

    again. With a graceful sweep of her green skirts, Marie seated herself.

    Didoni was already busy arranging his paints and his charcoal pencils.

    「A smile, please,」 Didoni said, staring at Marie. Marie smiled, light

    reflecting on her shiny red lips.

    「And…good,」 Didoni said, taking a charcoal pencil. 「Myles, write

    Marie right there, will you?」 Myles nodded with excitement and took a

    pencil.

    After Marie had received her portrait, an entire crowd gathered

    around Didoni and Myles, clamoring for paintings. As the summer heat

    grew hotter and hotter they began to drift away.

    「Portraits! Paintings! By the most learned artist in the world, Didoni

    Marcelleni!」 Myles cried again. He was met with the silence of the

    deserted square. Didoni pocketed the forty coins he had made and rose

    stiffly from the bench.

    「It will be enough for today』s bread,」 he said, taking Myles』s hand.

    「But we』ll have to sleep outside again.」

    「Yes, master,」 Myles said, picking up the brushes as Didoni scanned

    the horizon. It was not at all easy to find a shop, as most shopkeepers

    closed their shops at six o』clock in hopes of a cool escape in their huts.

    The only shopkeeper still waiting in his shop was a small, briskTHE

    JOY OF WRITING

    132

    mannered man called Mug. Mug was not at all happy to see Didoni and

    Myles. He preferred no customers to any, and frowned when Didoni

    entered.

    「Whaddya want?」 Mug said, crossing his arms.

    「Just some bread and cheese,」 Didoni said, not surprised at Mug』s

    unfriendliness.

    「Maybe one of those thingamajigs,」 Myles added hopefully, pointing

    to a small axe hanging from the wall.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（4）

    「Do not listen to my apprentice. He has many fancies,」 Didoni said
    quickly, cuffing Myles on the ear. 「Just some bread and cheese.」 Mug

    grunted, taking a moldy loaf from a cupboard and a block of

    odoriferous cheese.

    「Thirty-two coins,」 Mug said. Didoni handed the coins to Mug.

    「Now go!」 Mug shouted. Myles and Didoni were not slow in leaving.

    As the day settled into evening, they trudged to the outskirts of town.

    Though the cornfield they slept in wouldn』t be at all mistaken for luxury

    accommodations, it felt like home after an entire day of contending with

    the hostile city folk.

    That night, Myles munched contentedly on a slice of bread with

    cheese. Didoni had already eaten his fill and was sketching the landscape.

    Myles lay down on his haversack, which he had spread across the grass.

    He stared up at the grayish-blue sky, with the mixed sunset colors of

    reddish-pink and dark violet. He swallowed his last slice of bread and

    cheese, and then rolled over to one side. Soon he fell asleep.

    The next day, Didoni shook him awake.

    「Hurry!」 Didoni shouted. 「The Duke himself is coming out, and we

    need to attract his attention!」 Myles quickly roused himself. Since he had

    slept in his clothes, he had no need to dress and followed Didoni to the

    high road where the Duke was being carried in a litter, sitting on purple

    cushions with his wife, the Duchess Joanna.

    「Long live the Duke! Long live the Duke!」 the townsfolk cried,

    throwing up caps and bonnets.

    At Didoni』s impatient gesture, Myles cried, 「Portraits and paintings of

    fine quality! By the grandest artist in the world, Didoni Marcelleni!」

    The Duke turned his head.「Stop,」 he said to the men who were

    carrying his litter. Didoni and Myles stepped forward.

    「Didoni Marcelleni?」 the Duke asked, his eyebrows raised. 「I am the

    Duke, as you probably already well know, and I govern Bulrox. But you

    say you can paint?」

    「Yes, your Grace,」 Didoni said, bowing with a flourish. 「If it would

    please your Grace.」

    「Hmm,」 the Duke said. Then he turned to Myles.

    「You, boy,」 the Duke said roughly as he dismounted from the litter.

    「Is this artist good?」

    「Very, sir,」 Myles said, ignoring Didoni as he mouthed 『your Grace』.

    「He is very skilled with the brush, and has the rare ability to mix paints

    and produce beautiful colors.」

    「Joanna!」 the Duke turned to the Duchess, who nodded.

    「Yes, my lord?」 Joanna asked, tilting her head.

    「There』s a painter who can do your portrait,」 the Duke said. Turning

    back to Didoni, he said, 「How about seventy coins?」

    Myles gasped. It was an enormous amount, much more than the

    cottars back in his hometown had to pay in taxes to Lord Horace!

    「What ye gawkin』 at, lad?」 An old man with a gray patch over his eye

    came limping forward, waving a rough wood cane. 「There wain』t nothin』

    here.」

    「Vagabond! Ruffian! Thug! Back away—in the name of the Duke!」

    a knight cried, brandishing his great gold mace.

    「I mean no harm to ye idle rich,」 the old man said in a whiny tone. 「I

    just be tellin』 the laddie here some stuff, ain』t it? Now I better be goin』

    now, there』s business with the Gadians…」 The man hobbled away,

    leaning on his cane.

    「Well, as we were saying,」 the Duke began again, 「I will give you

    seventy coins for a portrait of my wife, and another seventy coins for a

    portrait of myself.」

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（5）

    「Yes, your Grace,」 Didoni said quickly.
    「Knights! Clear the square of townsfolk!」 the Duke cried. Within a

    few moments, the square was empty except for the Duke, the Duchess,

    Myles, Didoni, and the Duke』s bodyguards. The Duchess lay down to rest

    as a minion fanned her and spread soothing oils on her white skin. The

    Duke was telling Didoni what he wanted on his portrait.

    「Make me appear strong and majestic. I want no one to think that I

    am a weakling, like my soft elder brother the King,」 the Duke said

    imperiously.

    「Why not paint a suit of armor?」 Myles suggested before he could

    stop himself.

    「Yes! The lad has quite the idea!」 the Duke exclaimed. 「Paint me in a

    suit of shining plate armor, with nothing amiss. Make my eyes as sharp as

    The Tools of the Trade

    133

    an eagle』s, and my nose straight and curved at the end. My lips I care for

    not—but make them solemn.」

    Didoni nodded.

    「It shall be done of course, your Grace,」 Didoni said, already

    beginning to sketch on his canvas.

    Didoni created the most powerful piece of artwork in all of Bulrox

    and beyond. The Duke looked so great and magnificent that it reminded

    Myles of God himself.

    「Now those upstart lords in the Western regions will think twice

    about invading my land!」 the Duke exclaimed proudly. 「And now for

    drawing my wife.」

    Of course the Duchess wanted to be drawn pretty much the opposite.

    Her features were soft and gentle. Her nose was long and thin, but not

    curved at the end. She was to be drawn clothed in a burgundy kirtle with

    her golden hair tied back in a single braid.

    「Thank you,」 the Duchess said when Didoni handed her the portrait.

    「It is beautiful.」

    「Tell your subjects,」 Myles burst in. 「Perhaps they shall want some.」

    「A good idea, lad,」 the Duke said, laughing heartily and patting Myles

    on the back. Didoni, who had looked as if he was about to scold Myles,

    hastily shut his mouth.

    「Well, best regards, your Grace,」 Didoni said, bowing. 「And may God

    grant that we meet again.」

    「Yes, indeed!」 the Duke exclaimed, shaking Didoni』s hand in a warm

    grip. Myles was rather impressed by the pomp of it all. Signaling to the

    men who had been carrying his litter, the Duke climbed in—and Myles

    never saw him again.

    That afternoon, just when the heat was beginning to rise, Didoni and

    Myles mounted their donkeys and continued past Bulrox on a narrow,

    muddy path that would eventually lead to Crastitoles, a bustling city

    similar to Bulrox but larger. King Johann himself kept a summer villa

    there.

    「If his majesty the King allows me to paint his portrait, or maybe the

    Princess』s, I will be a human center of fame,」 Didoni exclaimed, throwing

    his hands high up into the air.

    「I wouldn』t count on it,」 Myles said. 「You got the Duke, but that was

    probably because you were in the front of the crowd. In the crowd that

    awaits the King, knights will be in the front and back row of the crowd

    to keep peace if a person gets too rowdy and disturbs the King.」

    THE JOY OF WRITING

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（6）

    「Say 『his Majesty the King』! 」 Didoni whispered loudly.
    「Why?」 Myles asked.

    「I don』t want to be arrested and put in the stocks for not having the

    proper amount of respect for his majesty the King,」 Didoni said. At

    Myles』s disbelieving look, he added irritably, 「That does happen, you

    know.」

    「As if,」 Myles said under his breath. But the conversation was

    obviously ended.

    The next morning, after a few more hours of riding (and Myles

    complained a good deal about that, as he was very stiff and sore from

    yesterday』s ride), Didoni stopped the donkeys at a small hitching post and

    tied them up. He shoved some clean breeches, stockings, and a white shirt

    that was much too long for Myles into Myles』s arms.

    「Quick,」 Didoni said. 「Change. And don』t forget to say 『his majesty

    the King,』 when speaking of his majesty the King.」 Myles was dressed in

    a few minutes.

    「I would have you wash your hair and your face some,」 Didoni said

    crossly to Myles, 「but that would make us late.」

    Myles saw many things at the gates of Crastitoles. One woman at the

    gates of Crastitoles was flirting with a guard, who looked rather puzzled.

    Another woman was complaining of a sore throat and that the herb

    stores did not open early enough for her to buy cumin seeds. Plenty of

    men were sitting unhappily in the stocks, some with runny noses. A tall

    man guarded the men in the stocks, blowing his smoke pipe at the same

    time. Suddenly, the peals of the great cathedral bell made all of the guards

    come wide awake. They jumped to their posts immediately. At the second

    tolling of the bell, the guards bowed and opened the grand door.

    Everyone ran in.

    「Pass, sweet lady! Pass, good sir! Pass, wee babes!」 the guards』 cries

    rang out. If Myles had been gaping at the splendor in Bulrox, he was so

    stunned at the richness and beauty of Crastitoles that he kept his mouth

    shut.

    「Make way for his majesty the King! Make way for his majesty the

    King! His Excellence! The anointed one! Aside, aside!」 Knights ran in all

    directions. When the commotion had died down somewhat, Myles began

    shouting,

    「Paintings! Portraits! By the most skilled and learned artist in the

    world, Didoni Marcelleni!」

    「If you are not a fraud, come forward!」 a knight commanded.

    The Tools of the Trade

    135

    「Wayne, I will take care of it,」 the King Johann said from his litter.

    Johann, with Princess Anya at his side, stepped down. Didoni stepped

    forward and bowed. Myles did similarly.

    「Hmm,」 Johann said. 「I do not really need another portrait—but our

    court painter was fired just last summer and my daughter, Princess Anya,

    is receiving some inquiries about marriage. Some require her portrait, and

    I』m afraid that this year is not quite going well. I cannot bear to tax the

    people until they starve, so what I pay you will be rather meager. Actually,

    we can work out a deal. You can fill the job as court painter, and your

    apprentice can be my page.」

    「Of course! I am honored!」 Didoni exclaimed. Myles would have

    protested against being the king』s page, but he knew that he was in the

    presence of the King, so he kept his mouth shut.

    That night, Myles and Didoni were put into separate rooms. Although

    the rooms were rather small for a king』s palace, there was plenty of light

    and it was all very neat and clean.

    From his room, Myles had an excellent view of the moat. Below he

    could see Johann taking one of his numerous walks, and Anya right

    beside him.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（7）

    「Master?」 a voice asked.
    Myles spun around. A young maidservant, who looked terrified, took

    a step back. Myles immediately relaxed.

    「Er…his majesty gave orders for you to eat,」 the maid said, putting

    the tray down on Myles』s little coffee table. What the maid put down

    certainly looked appetizing, but, as Myles』s father had always said, looks

    could be deceiving. Myles took a delicate forkful of some meat and almost

    spat the 「awful stuff 」 onto the maid.

    「Ugh! What is this?」 Myles shouted.

    「Er…well…it』s snail,」 the maid said, quickly backing away.

    「Snail!!!」 Myles exploded. He choked down a mouthful of water and

    spluttered. The maid quickly dabbed at Myles』s clothes with a napkin.

    「Rachel?」 Johann』s voice came from the doorway. 「Get the boy in his

    page uniform.」

    「Yes, your majesty,」 Rachel said, putting down the napkin and

    opening the door. Johann stepped in.

    「I can see you didn』t enjoy your food,」 Johann said grimly. 「Yes, only

    for those who sit on the dais there is real meat. Even then, it is hard and

    tough.」 Myles had no idea what a dais was, but he thought that the king

    would think him ignorant if he asked. In truth a dais is a high table where

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    136

    the king, queen (she was dead), and princess sat, along with various high

    lords and ladies. But Myles did not know that, and resolved to ask Didoni

    as soon as he could.

    The next morning, Myles awoke to find Rachel rekindling the fire. He

    found a new suit of clothes already laid out for him, and hastily dressed.

    「His majesty the king would like to have you in his grand ballroom,」

    Rachel said. 「Your master, the artist, is already there.」

    「Thank you,」 Myles said, running out of the room. Of course he had

    no idea where the ballroom was, and at last he saw two grand double

    doors, one of which was open, he glimpsed Johann sitting on a grand

    golden throne under a dark purple awning. Didoni was sitting on a chair

    of honor next to Johann, his canvas already prepared. Myles almost

    laughed to hear the clickety-clack of Didoni』s polished black shoes on the

    vast tile floor.

    「Oh, there you are, lad,」 Johann said to Myles. 「Come come, let』s not

    waste time.」 Didoni barely looked up at his apprentice.

    「Er, your majesty—」 Myles began.

    「Yes, you』ll be wondering what you』re doing here,」 Johann said. 「Now

    you』re to be my new page—Kirshley had to go to squire training last

    week. I wish that I could have a permanent page—boys take some getting

    used to.」 Myles had no idea who Kirshley was, but he guessed (and

    rightly) that he had been Johann』s recent page.

    「Anyways,」 Johann said, motioning towards a chair, 「Sit.」 Myles sat.

    「But first, I want you to meet somebody,」 Johann said. An old,

    twisted man entered the great double doors.

    「Allow me to introduce Sir Roaad. Roaad, this is Myles,」 Johann said.

    「Retired Sir Roaad,」 the old man croaked, leaning on a silver-tipped

    cane with many rubies jutting out from the middle. 「My son takes on the

    family title.」

    「Ah, well, retired or not, Roaad, you』re still up and a-talking, beating

    my poor pages black-and-blue with that cane of yours,」 Johann laughed

    wildly, clutching the arm of his throne. Myles could see nothing funny

    about Johann』s words, but he attempted to make a fake laugh. It sounded

    horrible, and everybody stared in his direction.

    「Enough,」 Johann said finally, stopping the awkwardness. 「Let』s get

    on with some serious business.」

    「Right,」 Roaad said, nodding his head and running a hand through his

    bushy hair.

    「What?」 Myles asked.

    The Tools of the Trade

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（8）

    「It』s all right, lad. Oh, and, I didn』t get your name,」 Johann said.
    「Myles,」 Myles said.

    「Myles! Ah, a good name for a sturdy boy like you,」 said Roaad,

    nodding approvingly. Myles was rather surprised at Roaad』s compliment.

    Back in the cottars』 village, he had been called puny. It was true that Myles

    was small for his age and did not have broad shoulders and arms with

    muscles sticking out. But if a knight called him sturdy, perhaps he was!

    Training as a page was harder than Myles had expected it to be. Roaad

    tried to be gentle with Myles, but it was not easy with a new page. After

    all, Myles was not even of royal blood. Roaad had discovered this after he

    had asked who Myles』s father was. Myles most dearly wished he could

    escape from court life. He was being served ox meat now, but it hardly

    tasted any better.

    One day, as Myles was exploring around the palace, wandering near to

    Didoni』s room, he noticed that Didoni was not in his room and that his

    chest was open. Myles tiptoed in, hardly daring to breathe. He took the

    paints out, then the paintbrushes, and finally, a canvas. He looked in the

    mirror.

    「Why don』t I paint myself?」 Myles said out loud. He thought it a

    rather good idea, and started at once. In two hours, about, he had created

    a masterpiece. It looked exactly like Myles in the mirror. It was at that

    moment Didoni returned.

    「Myles!」 Didoni clutched the doorknob till his hands turned white.

    「What…what?」

    「You never let me paint,」 Myles said hastily. 「That is what a master is

    supposed to do for an apprentice—teach them the trade.」

    「Oh, dear,」 Didoni sunk into his couch. 「Myles, what have you

    done?」 Didoni spoke more to himself than to Myles.

    「I have created this,」 Myles pulled his creation from behind his back.

    Didoni glanced at it for a few seconds.

    「It is beautiful,」 Didoni finally admitted. 「But you have disobeyed me,

    and for that I am very displeased and disappointed.」

    「You never taught me to paint,」 Myles said. 「You were supposed to

    teach me the trade. And here I am, stuck as a page with the king, all to

    your benefit and not to mine.」

    「You would still be in that tiny little hut had I not taken you in as my

    apprentice!」 Didoni』s voice was filled with anger. 「You ungrateful

    wretch!」

    「You are supposed to teach me to paint!」 Myles exclaimed. 「You have

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    138

    been neglecting your duties!」 Finally Didoni had to give up. He rose from

    the couch.

    「Perhaps I have,」 Didoni said, somewhat calmer, 「but that does not

    change the fact that you have disobeyed me. An apprentice is supposed to

    obey his master.」

    「You have never told me not to wander near your things!」 Myles

    exclaimed. 「You have never said not to go into your room!」 Didoni had

    to admit this was true.

    「However,」 Didoni continued slowly, 「about this page business. It is

    as much to your benefit as it is to mine. You have a clean bed, a clean

    room, and a good place in the court. You were a starving half-orphan

    when I took you, and now you complain.」

    「It is a good position, yes,」 Myles said. 「But I want to paint. I want to

    wander in the outside world.」

    「You are my apprentice, and therefore bound to me,」 Didoni said

    sharply. 「I do not give you my permission to leave.」

    「I could run away,」 Myles said, although his voice was unsure. He did

    not like the prospect of running away. Two years before, when he was

    only ten, a young boy named Fenn had run away. The next day, three men

    going fishing found his body, covered with snow and rain. And at least the

    palace had good heating.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（9）

    「Myles,」 Didoni pleaded. 「You must reason with me. The very idea of
    running away is doltish.」 Myles bit his lip. It was true. After all, he did

    have a good position. He had good food (with the exception of the ox

    meat), a good room, and he was never cold or tired. But still…

    「I will leave,」 Myles said. 「If you beat me, scold me, do anything to

    me, you cannot change my mind.」

    「I can see that you will not give up,」 Didoni said wearily. 「Go, and

    take my blessing.」

    The next day, after packing, Myles took his leave. Didoni

    accompanied him as far as the gates.

    「From here, just take the left path. Go straight for two miles, and turn

    right. There you will be in Benat. Past there, you can choose your path,」

    Didoni told Myles.

    「I shall, master,」 Myles said, hoisting his haversack onto his shoulders

    and waving back to Didoni.

    It felt lonely riding without Didoni. Myles sighed and rested his head

    on his donkey』s rough neck.

    「I bet you miss your mate, too, old fellow,」 Myles said to the donkey.

    The Tools of the Trade

    139

    Amazingly, the donkey nodded its head. Myles assured himself that it was

    just a coincidence, but he made the sign of the Cross at the same time.

    Suddenly, twenty men leapt out of the tree tops, with burning sticks in

    their hands. Myles gave a start.

    「He jus』 be a laddie,」 Myles heard a bored voice say. As the men

    neared, Myles peered closer and noticed that the men all had a strange

    symbol on the middle of their bare chests. Flagons containing whoknew-

    what were tied to their waists with thick leather belts.

    「Grab him, anyways,」 someone said roughly. 「The chief will hold him

    up for inspection.」 Myles felt himself being grabbed by his collar.

    「Stop, in the name of King Johann, under the grace of Jesus and

    God!」 Myles shouted, regaining his senses.

    「King? We ain』t believe in no king, nor no snotty princesses! By the

    grace of Jesus, indeed! Ha!」 the men shouted. With horror Myles realized

    that these people were Gadians, people who were considered inhuman

    due to their refusal to believe in Jesus and God. They raided villages,

    killing and kidnapping. Myles desperately felt around in his haversack for

    his knife, which Didoni had given him. He finally touched the end of the

    blade, slid the knife out, and tried to look as threatening as possible. The

    men brought up knives also, large ones that Myles blinked at with

    surprise.

    「The boy is armed, but he won』t stand long!」 A great man thundered,

    stepping out from behind the trees. 「Get him!」 Myles suddenly found

    himself battling one man after another, flinching when somebody would

    kick out at him.

    「Let me take care of him. I』ll show you how to really get somebody,」

    the man said. He rushed towards Myles and threw him down from the

    donkey. Myles screamed with pain, but he could do nothing. His ankle was

    sprained very badly.

    「Tie him up!」 the man commanded. The men rushed to do as their

    leader bid them. Myles bit the men as well as he could, but finally one of

    the men threw a rope into Myles』s mouth.

    「Now that』s a good sign of leadership, Growr,」 the leader said. A few

    of the men snorted. Growr glowered at them. Myles was dragged deeper

    and deeper into the forest (where Didoni had warned him on no

    circumstances to go) until the men finally stopped at a particularly sinister

    tree.

    「May the race of the Gadians live forever,」 the leader, Iyvin, said.

    「And may our leader』s sons and grandsons and great grandsons

    THE JOY OF WRITING

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Tools of the Trade（10）

    multiply to form our destiny,」 the rest of the men chanted in reply. Myles
    listened to all of this, afraid that it was some kind of ritual to execute

    unfortunate prisoners. But he was quite wrong about this. Iyvin, despite

    his roughness, was usually very kind to young boys and had never killed

    one of them. He usually tried to turn their hearts against Johann, but only

    halfheartedly. None of the boys had ever dared go as far as treachery—

    everyone knew the price for that. But Myles did not know that, and was

    shuddering with fear. He even noticed that one of the Gadians was the

    patch-eyed man who had walked up to him while Didoni was painting the

    Duke.

    「Ugh,」 he said as a snake slithered up the tree. 「Disgusting things. I

    do hope they』re not going to put that on me.」

    Despite the fact that Didoni usually drove him crazy, Myles couldn』t

    help but think that the old man』s presence would have been a comfort.

    The Gadians dragged Myles into a dark hole, or at least what Myles

    thought was a hole. In truth it was a huge labyrinth of tunnels and

    underground passages. Iyvin, who was in the lead, kept on muttering

    「bring some light out, you lily-livered potbellies,」 but no light was brought

    out. Finally the men halted in a dark corridor.

    「We』re here, and untie the lad, dunce!」 Ivyin』s sharp voice drifted over

    to Myles』s ears. Myles felt his cords being loosened and falling off, and he

    at once stretched out.

    「Ah,」 Iyvin strode over. 「A sight, is it not, my men? Well, let us not

    begin in foolish chatter. Let us begin in a feast!」

    Iyvin was quite wrong in calling the men potbellies. He himself was

    an extremely obese man, weighing at the least five hundred pounds. His

    great tummy, which he patted often, hung a foot below his pants』

    waistline, and his chubby cheeks looked like a baby』s. Myles watched all of

    this with interest. He was becoming more and more hopeful that they

    would not kill him and that perhaps he would have a way of escape.

    「Now, for you, boy,」 Iyvin said rudely to Myles. 「What are you

    called?」

    「Myles,」 Myles said. He was sure that the Gadians were not going to

    kill him—after all, who would ask somebody』s name if they were going to

    be executed anyways?

    「Well, Myles,」 Iyvin said grandly. 「You are ours to keep. Now come

    to the feast table.」

    But Myles refused to eat anything, mostly because of the tales of

    poison and enchanted liquids in the food which Gadians ate. Iyvin was

    The Tools of the Trade

    141

    very offended at this, and soon he said very angrily to Myles, 「If you don』t

    eat, I』ll make you eat!」

    「I submit not to the will of a barbarian!」 Myles cried indignantly.

    「Barbarians!」 If there was one offensive name to call a Gadian, it was

    barbarian. Gadians were native to the land and had first settled it,

    although when King Johann I had come and settled the land, they were

    nearly wiped out. Barbarian really meant foreigner in a more nasty way of

    saying it.

    「Boy! Boy!」 Iyvin shouted, jumping up and down and knocking plates

    and bowls over.

    「Chief!」 The men were very nervous when Iyvin was angry like this.

    He would spill his wrath over everyone, especially those that disturbed

    him. 「Chief! Er, Iyvina』s here!」 Myles was terribly afraid, and was relieved

    when Iyvin jumped down from the table. A girl entered the room. She was

    probably about fourteen, by the look of it. Iyvin immediately hugged her.

    「Iyvina! My darling! What a pleasant surprise! What brings you to the

    men』s place? Could I get you some wine?」 Myles rightly guessed that

    Iyvina was Iyvin』s daughter. After all, she did have the dark black hair and

    black eyes. Only she was very thin, like Myles.

    「Wine would be good, yes, father. But I have much to tell. Johann, the

    so-called ruler, is riding across the plains. If we can remain hidden, we

    may be able to launch an attack,」 Iyvina said.