《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》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（9）

    「I want ten coins, a pig, and four figs,」 Mory said, putting down his
    hammer and gazing at Wyddfa.

    「Your wish is granted,」 Wyddfa said. With a loud squeal, a pig walked

    in, followed by four rolling figs. Ten coins dropped from a cracked

    lantern. Garrick stared open-mouthed.

    「So?」 Wyddfa asked, stomping her foot impatiently. 「Are you taking

    him or not?」

    「Yes, yes, of course,」 Mory said, hastily pocketing the figs and the

    coins. The hog, as if by mental command, ran into a small pigpen to join

    the other pigs. Mory took a small knife from his belt and handed it to

    Garrick, along with the leather sheath.

    「There you are,」 Mory said to Garrick. 「It shows that you』re part of

    the trade.」

    「Good!」 Wyddfa cried. 「Well, I』ll leave you two to do your things.」

    When Garrick』s eyes finally adjusted to the dim light of Mory』s

    workshop, the old stonemason showed him various types of rocks and

    interesting gemstones.

    「Quartz—very popular with the ladies. The boys like to use it for

    friendship stones,」 Mory began.

    「What are friendship stones, sir?」 Garrick asked. Mory snorted.

    「Don』t call me sir, Mr. Know-It-All,」 he said, turning to face Garrick.

    「And I』m surprised that you don』t know what an F.S. is. To show their

    friendship, one boy will give another boy a quartz stone, probably carved

    in one crude shape or another.」

    「Oh,」 Garrick said, although he hadn』t really been listening.

    「Ah, topaz!」 Mory cried, taking a rough blue-green rock from behind

    his anvil. 「Used especially for good luck amulets and healing potions!」

    「Er, I thought that amulets were…rather out of date,」 Garrick said,

    squirming uncomfortably.

    「Out of date! We are still using them today!」 Mory glared at Garrick.

    「Oh then,」 Garrick said, not being able to think of anything else to

    say.

    「Opal!」 Mory cried, holding up a tiny, round gem. 「Used especially

    for bridal gowns and veils! Symbolizing purity, it is also put in women』s

    rings.」 A knock on the open door startled both Garrick and Mory.

    「Come in, come in!」 Mory cried, quickly shoving the stones behind

    the anvil. A tall man with bulging eyeballs and a large egghead entered.

    His patch of yellow hair flopped about as he walked.

    「Mory,」 he slurred, taking a gulp of grog from a cracked flask, 「the

    old bonesetter needs a sharp rock.」

    The Spoiled Prince

    163

    「I』ll charge ye later, Olaf,」 Mory said as he threw the man a pointed

    gray rock. 「Just be sure to send Sorrel with four coins!」

    「Thanky.」 Olaf gulped down some more grog and ran out of the

    shop, teetering on his reed sandals.

    「And now I must show you how to carve a stone,」 Mory said, winking

    at Garrick. 「Take out your knife.」 The boy unsheathed his tool, staring at

    it.

    「We want to start with big rocks first. They』re the easiest,」 Mory said

    wisely, taking a large quartz from behind the anvil and scraping at its side.

    Soon it had a sharpened point. 「You try.」

    Garrick took a large topaz and attempted to cut it. In one fleeting

    moment, the knife slipped on the rock and Garrick barely pulled his hand

    away in time.

    「Dolt! Why in the name of Jesus did you have to ruin a perfectly fine

    stone!」 Mory shouted angrily, examining Garrick』s finger. Finally satisfied,

    he took the topaz and made a small chip in the corner of the rock.

    「See?」 Mory asked snidely. 「That』s how you do it, of course, if you

    have the knowledge.」

    The next day Garrick was most unpleasantly awoken by the sound of

    heavy stomping. He rubbed his eyes and looked around.

    「You, boy!」 A soldier in a blue tunic pointed at Garrick with his pike.

    「Do you know anything about the whereabouts of Mory the

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（10）

    Stonemason, hereby accused of theft?」
    「He should be in his room,」 Garrick said stupidly.

    「To his room, then!」 the soldier cried. Garrick could only stare as the

    haggard stonemason was dragged down the hallway bound with thick

    splintery ropes.

    After Garrick had dressed, he was not quite sure what to do. He had

    seen Mory taken to the village prison, a dark, dirty, and sinister place.

    Although Garrick could have gone back to the hut, he felt as if something

    were tugging at him to take Mory out of jail. Garrick reached into his

    tunic』s pocket, unaware that he had done so, and was surprised to find that

    he had a great quantity of money. The coins he pulled out were of a

    strange bronze variety and were inscribed with ancient runes, but he had

    no time to ponder their origins. He ran down the hill to the heavily

    guarded prison, where he a surly-looking soldier met him at the gate.

    「Your pass?」 the soldier asked in a bored tone.

    「I have enough money to take the wrongly accused stonemason out

    of prison,」 Garrick said, stiffening.

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    164

    「Hold out your coins,」 the soldier commanded. Garrick threw the

    coins at the soldier』s feet.

    「I will fetch him for you,」 the soldier said. Moments later, Mory

    emerged from the dimness of the bars. He looked around, as if expecting

    to see someone, until finally his glance rested on Garrick.

    「Why, Garrick!」 Mory cried with amazement. 「It was you who took

    me out of jail! A former apprentice whom I disliked set me up to be taken

    away for a crime I did not commit. I am surprised that you would bother

    about an old man who was thought to be a thief and a robber!」 Although

    Garrick was staring down at his clogs, he could have sworn that he saw

    the fairies for one second flying above.

    The days passed. Finally Garrick won his Certificate of Mastership

    and left the stonemason. Anya accompanied him to a small cottage on the

    outskirts of the village.

    「This is the village school,」 Anya said. 「Here you will be the teacher』s

    assistant, doing small chores and the like.」

    「Aren』t you coming with me?」 Garrick stared at Anya.

    「The teacher is expecting you. She』ll know,」 Anya said briskly,

    disappearing with a wave of her hand. Garrick sighed and trudged up the

    hill. He carefully opened the creaky door and peered around the cottage.

    A dim lantern hung from rotting beams, its flickering flame letting off

    rays of light. Crude wooden desks and benches were jammed closely

    together. There was hardly any room to walk in the cluttered classroom.

    At a larger desk in the front of the room, a young woman was busy

    scribbling on a sheet of vellum. She looked up as Garrick entered.

    「Ah, Garrick!」 the teacher cried. 「I』m very glad you』re here. My name

    is Eleanor. Please call me Ella.」

    Garrick stared down at his shoes.

    「Just begin with stocking the fireplace up with fresh wood, sweep the

    floor, and clean the desks.」 Eleanor looked pleadingly at Garrick.

    「Oh, er, of course,」 Garrick said, rather confused.

    「You can begin with sweeping the floor,」 Eleanor said brightly,

    handing him a broom. It took only a few minutes, so Garrick piled the

    fireplace up with wood and lit it. Next came the cleaning of the desks.

    The boys and girls tended to be untidy, so Garrick busied himself by

    collecting the textbooks which were scattered across the benches and

    desks.

    「Could you please help me sort the books out?」 Eleanor sighed. 「I』m

    afraid the children made rather a mess.」 Garrick nodded and brought the

    books over to Eleanor』s desk.

    The Spoiled Prince

    165

    「Let』s see…this is Cory』s borrowed edition…Willie』s…ah, this

    belongs in the cupboard,」 Eleanor murmured, putting a thick brown

    book in a small wobbling cupboard. Two shabby textbooks, labeled

    「Cory』s」 and 「Will」 were placed aside. Eleanor put two sheets of vellum

    on a desk (two students would share one desk), two quills, and an inkstand

    in between. She did the same on the other desks. When Garrick had

    finished the rest of the job, a loud whoop was heard outside the cottage.

    「Oh dear,」 Eleanor said softly. 「The older boys are coming back from

    the harvest.」 A large, husky boy ran in the cottage.

    「Mornin』, Miss Ella!」 he called out. Eleanor blushed.

    「Tayme, this is my new assistant, Garrick,」 Eleanor said quietly.

    Tayme stared at Garrick.

    「So—would ya like to come out for a round of Hot Potato?」 Tayme

    asked, grinning.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（11）

    「No, actually, could you please tell the other boys and girls to come
    in?」 Eleanor cut in quickly. Tayme nodded and ran to the entrance,

    hollering,

    「Hey, fellows! Time to come in!」 There was a great shout, a stomping,

    and a stampede of children pouring in. Little rosy-cheeked boys

    immediately jumped in the back seats, near the hearth if possible. The

    girls ran as fast as their long smocks would allow, always choosing the

    most well-lit desks. Eleanor raised her hand for silence. Not a single word

    was heard.

    「I would like to introduce my new assistant, Garrick,」 Eleanor said

    firmly, placing a hand on Garrick』s shoulder. 「If you have trouble and I

    am with another pupil, you may ask him for help.」 A few of the younger

    boys squirmed.

    「Today we will start on Arithmetic,」 Eleanor said, striding forward.

    「For the older boys: begin with 2. 4 x 5. 0. Younger boys: start with two

    plus eight.」 There was a hasty dipping of quills and a scribbling on

    vellum.

    「Garrick, please collect the answers,」 Eleanor whispered. He

    swaggered forward, swept the sheets off with one quick move, and

    handed them to Eleanor.

    「Willie!」 Eleanor cried, looking up at a small, curly red-haired boy. He

    bit his lip.

    「Your answer is wrong,」 Garrick said superiorly. Willie hung his head,

    staring down at the rotting wood of his desk.

    「Garrick, why did you have to do that!?」 Eleanor hissed. To Willie she

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    166

    said kindly, 「You』re just off by one. The answer is ten.」 The little boy

    smiled.

    The class ran on. Writing was next. A young girl broke into tears at

    the prospect of having to write one page about life in the village.

    「Now, Sorrel dear, don』t cry,」 Eleanor said, glaring at Garrick, who

    was sniggering.

    「But—but—」 Sorrel sobbed, wiping her puffy eyes as a wet drop

    landed on her wrinkled vellum.

    「Would you like to write yours on the chalkboard?」 Eleanor asked

    generously, handing Sorrel a stub of chalk.

    「Y-yes,」 Sorrel said happily, drying her tears immediately. Garrick sat

    down in Eleanor』s chair, bored.

    「Garrick!」 Eleanor cried sharply as she noticed the boy out of the

    corner of her gray eyes.

    「I was just sitting down,」 Garrick said, irritated.

    「Well, perhaps you could have been more courteous by asking me

    first,」 Eleanor said in a huff. 「Please move.」 Garrick rose haughtily from

    the chair, barely glancing at Eleanor as she resumed her place.

    Reading the essays was great fun. Eleanor invited some of the best

    authors to present their writings in the front of the cottage, while Garrick

    read excerpts out of other ones at Eleanor』s desk. Garrick embarrassed

    many of the writers by laughing out loud.

    「Here, listen to this,」 Garrick guffawed, and said in the most snobby

    voice he could manage, 「Today was bad. We had too do boring things.

    Ellynor was mean. Schol is hard.」 The writer reddened.

    「Garrick, will you please stop it?!」 Eleanor』s voice was on fire now.

    The schoolchildren backed away in their seats.

    「Fine, fine. Just a bit of a joke, that one,」 Garrick said, smirking

    superiorly.

    Class finally ended at six o』clock. Eleanor scolded Garrick for teasing

    the children and then stomped off. When everyone was gone, Anya

    appeared.

    「You did badly, Garrick,」 she said sternly.

    「The whole lot of those children are commoners and peasants! Why

    should I, a noble prince, pay any attention to those inferior peoples?」

    Garrick shouted.

    「They are not your inferiors,」 Anya said firmly, pressing a hand on

    Garrick』s shoulders. 「They are superior to you in many ways.」

    The remark stung. Garrick kicked at a rock, crying angrily, 「They have

    nothing to teach me! They are not of high birth!」

    The Spoiled Prince

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（12）

    「Watch your words,」 Anya said quietly. Garrick could not sleep the
    entire night.

    The next day Garrick was polite and did not talk much. He felt guilty

    as the children stared at him piercingly, and knew it was entirely his fault.

    Day by day, he steadily improved, until finally he gained Eleanor』s

    trust and the schoolchildren』s friendship.

    Garrick』s days as a teacher』s assistant finally ended, and Miria told him

    that he was to be apprenticed to an herbalist.

    「She knows what she is doing,」 Anya added hurriedly. 「Just don』t try

    to mess up her collection of potions.」 Garrick frowned. An herbalist,

    who was probably bound to be superstitious! How low was he going to

    have to sink?

    「Her name is Glenn,」 Miria continued. 「She is learned in the lore of

    plants and herbs.」

    「Let us go,」 the young fairy said finally, taking Garrick』s arm and

    leading him out of the hut to the village.

    Glenn』s Healing Herbs was a small, rickety shop with broken windows

    and a ramshackle porch. The owner, Glenn herself, was a hunched-over,

    withered lady who leaned heavily on a gnarled stick.

    「Pleased to see you, pleased to see you!」 she croaked merrily,

    straightening her short red kerchief from which one long braid emerged.

    The brown shawl which hung to her waist was patched and faded, but it

    held the sweet aroma of many flowers. A pair of cracked spectacles hung

    crookedly on her brown nose.

    「Here is your new apprentice,」 Miria said, gently pushing Garrick into

    Glenn』s warm arms.

    「Good to meet you, my boy!」 Glenn cried, hugging Garrick tightly.

    「Now come into my shop…」 Garrick barely noticed Miria disappearing.

    As he entered, Garrick stared in awe at the bubbling flasks stored on

    the top shelves. Jars full of green, slimy stuff were stored in the bottom

    shelves, while jugs full of different-colored liquids dotted the middle

    shelves.

    「Ah, you』re interested in my Herbal Essences, eh?」 Glenn asked

    croakily, hobbling over towards the shelves. Garrick took a step back.

    「Er,」 he said, not sure of what exactly to say.

    「Now don』t be afraid of old Glenn, m』dear, I just need you to help me

    get a few ingredients for my newest potion,」 Glenn said, waving a small

    piece of yellowed parchment in Garrick』s face. 「You』ll find these in the

    Forgotten Forest.」 Garrick snatched the paper and dashed out of the

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    168

    herb shop. He wasn』t exactly sure where the Forest was, but it simply

    wouldn』t do to let on that he was less knowledgeable than his subjects by

    asking Glenn.

    It was easy to find his way around the little village. Garrick knew

    where the church was by its great bronze bells, and the dairy by the

    mooing of the cows. At the edge of the village, two paths led into large,

    brambly thickets. Garrick guessed that the first was the Fairies』 Forest, it

    being bright and merry. The other was dark and sinister, with glinting

    yellow eyes that were barely discernible peeking out from every single

    tree. He gulped, somehow knowing that it was the Forgotten Forest.

    As he entered the Forest, Garrick looked down at the list which he

    was clutching so tightly. A messy scrawl read:

    Rootworm (don』t step on!!!)

    Laurel Leaves

    Maple Bark & Sap

    Spider web Thread

    Handful Dark Dirt

    Three Pinecones

    Quart Stream Water

    Garrick had no idea what rootworm was, why in the world the old

    herbalist wanted spider web thread or dark dirt, and most annoyingly he

    had a mosquito bite on his foot—a most inconvenient place.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（13）

    「Oh Hellgates,」 he muttered, pushing back a bush of thorns and
    crawling through the undergrowth. Long, gnarled roots emerged from the

    ground as the circle of trees grew thicker and thicker. Garrick began

    searching for some of the ingredients. He found sap and bark easily

    enough, and took a few pinecones from a frightened squirrel. However,

    Garrick had no idea what rootworm was. He was about to turn back in

    the direction of the stream when he tripped on a hard root. The root, as

    if it were a snake, slithered slowly to Garrick and coiled its body around

    the boy』s foot. He lay transfixed with fear, unable to move. The pain grew

    sharper and sharper. Suddenly Garrick regained his senses and yelped.

    Thinking that he heard an answering cry in the distance he shouted again,

    reassured.

    「Heeeeeelp!」 Garrick cried. The villagers, led by Garrick』s voice,

    hastily crawled to the spot where he was trapped. A young redheaded girl

    kneeled down and drew a flashing knife from her thick leather belt. She

    slashed wildly at the root, also ripping Garrick』s tunic to shreds.

    「How』d you get trapped by a rootworm, foolish youth?」 she asked,

    staring at him with dark black eyes.

    The Spoied Prince

    169

    「I had no idea that this fairly innocent-looking plant would harm me,」

    Garrick said, irritated.

    「You had no idea!」 the girl cried. 「To think that you wandered the

    path of the Forgotten Forest not knowing what lay ahead!」

    「Come, Dianna!」 Garrick turned his head as a sharp voice called out.

    「Well, you might as well get up,」 Dianna said, tugging on Garrick』s

    arm. He pushed himself up, very annoyed. As the villagers began to drift

    away, Garrick gathered the rest of the things on the list (excluding the

    rootworm).

    Garrick burst into the dark herb shop at about midnight. The

    herbalist limped down from a wobbling bunk.

    「I did think that you』d never come out of that dreadful wood,」 she

    said crossly, lighting a taper and opening a cupboard. 「What do you

    have?」 Garrick put the ingredients on the table. Glenn scanned them.

    「You』re missing rootworm!」 she cried shrilly. 「Didn』t I clearly state I

    wanted rootworm!」

    「I almost got killed by a rootworm and you want me to get some!」

    Garrick shouted with anger, smashing his fist on the table.

    「Oh dear,」 Glenn said, softening somewhat. 「I didn』t think that it

    would go to that point. I must check your leg.」 Garrick rolled up his

    ragged pants. Large red welts glowed in the candlelight.

    「Deary me,」 Glenn muttered, taking a jug of ruby wine from one of

    the shelves. 「Drink this. It』ll help you sleep. The operation I』m going to

    perform is bound to be painful. Hopefully you won』t feel it.」 She shoved

    a teaspoonful of the bitter alcohol into Garrick』s mouth. He began to feel

    drowsy, and his eyelids drooped.

    「There, that』s it!」 Glenn encouraged him. 「Just try to make yourself

    go to sleep!」 Although Garrick』s fingers and legs felt numb and asleep, his

    mind still worked as actively as ever. As Glenn wrapped a damp bandage

    around his leg with grains of crushed popperwart, he imagined the fairies

    hovering above. While he imagined this, Glenn tightened the bandage and

    tied more lengths of damp linen around his leg. Then she made a small

    cut in Garrick』s skin with a rather dull knife, split the cut open, and

    rubbed some strong wine around and in the injury. When the wine was

    almost all gone, Glenn rubbed a small quantity of lard around the cut.

    「There, that should disinfect his blood,」 Glenn muttered, unrolling

    his bandage. The welts were barely discernable, much to Glenn』s

    satisfaction. Garrick awoke just when Glenn was finished with the

    operation.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（14）

    「Am I dead?」 Garrick asked sleepily, sluggishly lifting an arm.
    「No, of course not, you great sluggard!」 Glenn cried, laughing. 「I just

    finished the operation, and you』re fine!」 As Garrick drifted into his

    peaceful slumber, Glenn wearily climbed up to her bunk.

    The next day was bright and sunny. Boys played games in the

    cobblestone village square, while girls sat skipping stones and chattering

    by the millpond. Glenn sent Garrick to the market to buy some rosewater

    and hibiscus petals, as well as four carrots, a block of cheese, and some

    fresh fish.

    「The fishwife, Martha Barlyns, is on good terms with me for curing

    her babe once of the fever,」 the old herbalist explained briskly, pressing a

    few coins into Garrick』s palm. 「Just tell her my name and ask for some

    fresh trout.」 Garrick nodded, took the basket, and dashed out the door.

    「Oh and don』t forget I need a length of wool!」 Glenn shouted from

    the doorway. Garrick waved to indicate he had heard and ran along the

    path.

    The market was a busy, bustling place. Garrick stared in awe at the

    sharp, shiny knives a sword smith proudly displayed. He sniffed the sweetsmelling

    saffron and peered into the large billowing pavilions. With a sigh,

    Garrick remembered his duty and turned away from the grand pavilion.

    Garrick』s first stop was at the weaver』s. Katie Webster was a sharp,

    brisk lady, and operated her business quickly and conveniently. As Garrick

    had feared, she was not at all happy to see the boy at closing time.

    「Name your price!」 Katie snapped, shoving a long roll of drab gray

    fabric into Garrick』s face. Not quite understanding what the weaver

    meant, Garrick stammered,

    「Er, I have about eight coins…」 Katie stomped her foot.

    「Not that, dolt!」 she shouted, waving her fist. 「Name a suitable

    amount of money which you can give to me in return for this wool!」

    「Oh, er, t-three c-coins then,」 Garrick stuttered. Katie grabbed the

    coins, biting them to make sure they were genuine, and scribbled

    something on a pad of paper.

    「Your receipt,」 she said irritably, handing the paper over. 「Now go,

    and Lord help you if I catch you here again!」 Garrick scrambled away

    with the wool as fast as his legs could carry him and stumbled onward to

    the fishwife. Plump and ruddy faced with her short hair tucked up into

    her brown cap; Martha Barlyns was just as Garrick had imagined her.

    「Ah, what can I help you with today?」 she cried out to Garrick as he

    arrived in front of the booth.

    The Spoiled Prince

    171

    「Please—I』m here on Glenn』s orders—I need some fresh trout,」

    Garrick said, panting. It was the first time he had ever said please, or at

    least the first time he remembered doing it.

    「Glenn, the old lunatic!」 the fishwife exclaimed, throwing back her

    head and letting out a roaring laugh. 「Of course you』re her new

    apprentice! Here you go, little one!」 She handed Garrick a fairly large fish

    wrapped in thin paper. He accepted the package gratefully, waving goodbye

    to Martha as her dim shape faded into the distance.

    Getting the hibiscus petals and rosewater was not nearly so easy.

    Garrick walked about a quarter mile before he finally found the right

    booth. The man who was selling the rosewater and petals was extremely

    grumpy, it being almost nighttime, and agreed to sell Garrick a half-cup

    of rosewater only after the boy had given him five coins. As Garrick

    turned around to look at the hibiscus petals, he realized that he had no

    more coins. The seller leered at him.

    「Don』t have any more coins, do you?」 he asked, advancing

    dangerously closer to Garrick. 「I suppose you don』t want to give coins to

    me?」 Suddenly, the seller pounced on Garrick, ripping Garrick』s tunic.

    「Heeeeeeeeeelp!」 Garrick shouted, waving his arms and legs wildly. A

    crowd of village men ran towards Garrick, brandishing pitchforks,

    burning torches, and even planks of wood. Women and children

    cautiously emerged from the small huts, the women jumping back when

    they realized they were standing in the midst of a brawl.

    「Yaaaaah!」 the little boys cried, running out of the doorways, banging

    heads with porridge pots and hot pans. The small girls, their skirts tucked

    up, led great ferocious dogs to the battle. The animals barred their teeth,

    clawing madly at the man who had attacked Garrick. Finally the attacker

    was dragged off to the jail and Garrick trudged off towards Glenn』s shop.

    Glenn』s face was very solemn as Garrick told her the story.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（15）

    「I am afraid that the man you encountered was none other than a lowdown
    thug and robber,」 she said, applying a poultice of ground orange

    zest to Garrick』s arm. 「You must be cautious around the market.」

    「I—」 Garrick began angrily, attempting to rise. Glenn gently pushed

    him down.

    「You must have rest,」 she said quietly, pulling a thick quilt over

    Garrick』s shivering body.

    The next morning was miserable. The sky was covered in a blanket of

    fog. Gloom hung over the village. The first raindrops were heard in early

    morning, plunging Old Joe』s bonfire into smoke. Garrick was amazed at

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    172

    the number of ill and wounded folk who trudged through Glenn』s

    doorway. The old herbalist busied Garrick with little tasks, like measuring

    the ruby wine, wrapping bandages, and handing out elderberry cordial to

    reduce the pain. One old man who was carried in by his wife was badly

    burnt on his foot, having accidentally fallen into a fire. A deep gash ran

    through his chest, and blood spurted out as Glenn examined it gravely.

    「No tonic shall cure this wound,」 the herbalist said grimly. 「The least

    we can do is at least let him die in peace.」

    「No!」 Garrick cried. He bit his lip as Glenn glanced back at him.

    「Garrick is right,」 Glenn said finally. 「We must save this man.」

    「H-his n-name is J-Jonathan,」 a woman said between sobs. 「M-my hhusband.」

    「Leah!」 Glenn exclaimed. 「Don』t be so unhappy. We』ll do something,

    I』m sure…」 Her voice trailed off. Garrick peered up at the shelves. He

    carefully lowered a jar full of crushed pearl. He stood on his toes and

    carefully lowered a jug half-full of rosewater. Mixing the two together, he

    added olive oil, rose hips, and dragonseed powder. I really hope this will

    work, Garrick thought as he poured a pint of buttermilk into the mixture

    for good luck. I』ve watched Glenn make her remedies...

    「Glenn,」 Garrick said, tapping the herbalist on the shoulder. 「I』ve

    made something I think might help Jonathan.」 Glenn looked at Garrick』s

    hopeful face.

    「I suppose you could try rubbing it on the wound,」 she said, sighing.

    「I must get to the other patients.」

    Garrick carefully applied the lotion onto the moaning man』s bloody

    chest. As if by magic, Jonathan』s skin slowly closed up around the wound,

    leaving no trace of the injury but a few trails of blood. Garrick was hit

    with the enormity of what he had just done.

    「You must be an angel sent by the Lord!」 Jonathan』s astonished wife

    cried, falling to her knees and kissing the hem of Garrick』s tunic. 「No

    other mortal could cure my Jonathan!」

    「Garrick, I free you from your apprenticeship,」 Glenn cried, striking

    Garrick』s shoulder with her wrinkled finger. 「You have shown me that

    you are a worthy healer!」 There was a great cheer from the crowd and the

    clinking of glasses. Men and women alike toasted to Garrick』s future,

    while Garrick stood, surprised, in the middle of the room.

    The Knights of the Cavalry were the ancient unit guarding the

    Magistrate and his family. Andromeda, who was Wyddfa』s daughter, led

    Garrick to the thick stone walls of the fort, which encircled the village.

    The Spoiled Prince

    173

    「You will be training as a squire,」 Andromeda said softly. 「I trust that

    you will be a loyal companion to the Knights.」 With a quick wave of her

    hand and a coquettish smile, Andromeda leapt into the air and

    disappeared.

    After waiting for a few minutes, Garrick bit his lip, walked forward,

    and knocked timidly on the magnificent, towering wooden gates.

    「Friend or foe?」 a deep voice called, although Garrick could already

    hear the unlatching of the gate.

    「I am a friend!」 Garrick called back. The gates swung open on their

    shiny iron hinges. Garrick gasped at what he saw. Tall knights dressed in

    full chain armor and wielding gleaming bronze lances rode on majestic

    war stallions. Glinting helmets were set on their heads, with red plumes

    sweeping over their necks. Captain Vincent Mercivelle rode in front of

    them, outshining them all in his gold chain armor and silver helmet.

    「Lad!」 the Captain called. 「Be you Garrick?」 Garrick bowed his head.

    「Yes, I am Garrick,」 he said, shielding his eyes from the glint of

    Mercivelle』s lance.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（16）

    「You have been given to me as a squire,」 the captain continued
    pompously, 「and although you are young of age, I am confident that you

    shall serve the Magistrate and the Cavalry dutifully. To begin with you

    must take an oath of allegiance along with my men.」 A knight

    dismounted from his horse and kneeled on one leg. The rest of the

    Cavalry followed suit, until finally Garrick was surrounded by kneeling

    men. Feeling that he was supposed to do likewise, Garrick dropped

    awkwardly on his knee.

    「On the Stone of Sir Modyford, I swear to serve the Magistrate, my

    Captain, and my comrades as long as I live, and if I betray my company

    may the Lord crush me dead under his mighty hand,」 the Knights recited,

    with Garrick murmuring as much as he could hear.

    「Rise!」 the Captain thundered. The Knights rose, Garrick following

    suit.

    「Garrick,」 the Captain said, turning to the trembling boy. 「Recite the

    oath by yourself.」

    「I—I c-can』t, sir,」 Garrick stammered, shaking.

    「He cannot!」 Mercivelle roared. 「He cannot! He is a simpleton

    among wise men!」 The Knights jeered and guffawed with their captain,

    not daring to do otherwise. A few gave Garrick sympathetic looks, but

    that was about all.

    When at last the general clamor had died down, Vincent raised his

    hand, which, as Garrick noticed, was sheathed in a white silk glove.

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    174

    「There is a youngling amongst us,」 he said, more softly this time. 「We

    must all take part in teaching him. He must learn the way of the warrior.

    But he must start, as I did,」 and here Mercivelle looked pointedly at the

    crowd, 「with humble beginnings.」

    That night Garrick could hardly sleep at all. He tossed in his narrow

    bunk, occasionally banging his head on the hard wooden sides. He slept

    with the rest of the squires, who were all at least twelve or thirteen. Two

    particularly large squires reached over Garrick』s bunk, their piggy eyes

    glinting menacingly, and snatched Garrick』s flickering candle. With a cry

    of alarm, Garrick jumped up from his bunk. The Knight Sentry

    immediately ran in, and finding Garrick out of bed, cuffed Garrick

    soundly and retreated to his position.

    The next morning Garrick overslept and was given nothing but a

    small bit of soggy toast for breakfast. As he passed through the drill line

    he was taunted by the squires and scolded sternly by an officer. Their first

    lesson, it seemed, was based on the art of the sword.

    「You must hold the sword just like this,」 Officer Alan said pompously,

    displaying his 「perfect」 grip on the sword』s shining hilt.

    「But—sir—I don』t have a sword,」 Garrick said timidly, as the squires

    leered.

    「Use this one,」 Alan said carelessly, tossing him a rusty blade with a

    broken hilt. 「Now, let us continue…who can tell me who Sir Thomas

    Modyford impersonated during the War of Eighteen Battles?」

    Immediately the crowd of squires raised their hands. Garrick took a step

    back.

    「Garrick!」 Alan cried sharply. 「Tell me, whom did he impersonate?」

    「I—I』m n-not sure, sir,」 Garrick stuttered awkwardly.

    「Why, fool, he impersonated Launitnoc Maladies!」 Alan bellowed.

    「In the Battle of Continual Seidalam, Modyford disguised himself as the

    infamous Lieutenant Maladies!」 Garrick hung his head. The other squires

    jeered.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（17）

    「That will conclude our exams for the day,」 Alan said abruptly. 「Raise
    your swords.」 Garrick could barely lift his, but he followed the other

    squires as well as possible.

    「Not like that!」 Alan roared, slapping Garrick』s face. 「You must have

    a dignified posture and a grave, solemn expression!」

    「Alan, I must borrow the boy for a moment,」 Vincent Mercivelle said

    smoothly, emerging from the fort. 「I will have a…little discussion, as you

    might call it.」 Garrick shuddered.

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    175

    「Come, Garrick,」 Mercivelle said heartily, laying a heavy hand on

    Garrick』s shoulder. 「I must talk with you for a second.」 Garrick,

    somewhat relieved that Vincent was at least sparing him humiliation in

    front of the squires, followed the Captain as fast as he could.

    「I understand that you are behind in classes,」 Mercivelle said once

    they were out of earshot. Garrick twitched nervously.

    「I completely misunderstood your intentions when you first came to

    the Cavalry,」 Mercivelle said, bowing. 「I thought you to be an ambitious

    village youth with a taste for swordsmanship. And for that, I must humbly

    beg your pardon.」 Garrick stopped short. Here was the captain of the

    most famous military unit in all of Jarrod apologizing to a peasant! It

    suddenly dawned on Garrick that he wasn』t a peasant. He was a prince.

    The prince. He was the heir of Jarrod.

    「I realize,」 continued Mercivelle, taking up his stride, 「that you are

    not a common village boy. I know you are somebody more—inside.」

    Garrick』s eyes welled up with tears. He had never felt so much joy and

    happiness at one time.

    「Henceforth,」 said Vincent, drawing his sword from its gleaming

    scabbard and striking Garrick lightly on the shoulder, 「You shall be Sir

    Garrick.」

    Garrick』s first battle came unexpectedly. For decades the roguish

    Bumblinks of the Northern Lands had been plotting to invade Jarrod by

    way of the Serpent Sea, which divided the vast hinterlands. Although

    Jarrod had excellent military geniuses who knew all about army tactics,

    hardly anybody knew about sailing. A few sailors from the First Civil War

    remembered tidbits of their old drunkard days, but that was it. Garrick

    was surprised when he first glimpsed Crystal Dock—the miniscule vessels

    submerged in the cluttered shipyard were leaky and infested with vermin.

    The only large ships tied to the dock were clumsily built and hard to steer.

    One large ship would require at least one hundred and fifty men, many of

    whom would lose their lives due to the ship』s faulty design.

    「Why is Jarrod』s navy not grander?」 Garrick asked Mercivelle, who

    was staring out at the water. The aging captain sighed.

    「We have no skilled shipbuilders,」 Vincent said grimly, pushing aside

    a lock of thinning hair. 「This is the best they can make.」 Suddenly there

    was a cry from the fort』s newly-constructed watchtower.

    「The Bumblinks have been sighted! The Bumblinks have been sighted

    in the Serpent Sea!」 the watchman called. The bells in the cathedral tolled

    loudly. Women fell to their knees, praying piously. Men grabbed daggers

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    176

    and slashed about wildly, raising the call and alerting the entire village.

    Mercivelle grabbed his rapier and shoved Garrick aside.

    「You must evacuate,」 Mercivelle said, his forehead creasing with

    worry. 「If you are captured by the uncouth Bumblinks, say nothing.」

    「No!」 Garrick cried. 「I shall remain by your side as long as your heart

    beats!」

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（17）

    「That will conclude our exams for the day,」 Alan said abruptly. 「Raise
    your swords.」 Garrick could barely lift his, but he followed the other

    squires as well as possible.

    「Not like that!」 Alan roared, slapping Garrick』s face. 「You must have

    a dignified posture and a grave, solemn expression!」

    「Alan, I must borrow the boy for a moment,」 Vincent Mercivelle said

    smoothly, emerging from the fort. 「I will have a…little discussion, as you

    might call it.」 Garrick shuddered.

    The Spoiled Prince

    175

    「Come, Garrick,」 Mercivelle said heartily, laying a heavy hand on

    Garrick』s shoulder. 「I must talk with you for a second.」 Garrick,

    somewhat relieved that Vincent was at least sparing him humiliation in

    front of the squires, followed the Captain as fast as he could.

    「I understand that you are behind in classes,」 Mercivelle said once

    they were out of earshot. Garrick twitched nervously.

    「I completely misunderstood your intentions when you first came to

    the Cavalry,」 Mercivelle said, bowing. 「I thought you to be an ambitious

    village youth with a taste for swordsmanship. And for that, I must humbly

    beg your pardon.」 Garrick stopped short. Here was the captain of the

    most famous military unit in all of Jarrod apologizing to a peasant! It

    suddenly dawned on Garrick that he wasn』t a peasant. He was a prince.

    The prince. He was the heir of Jarrod.

    「I realize,」 continued Mercivelle, taking up his stride, 「that you are

    not a common village boy. I know you are somebody more—inside.」

    Garrick』s eyes welled up with tears. He had never felt so much joy and

    happiness at one time.

    「Henceforth,」 said Vincent, drawing his sword from its gleaming

    scabbard and striking Garrick lightly on the shoulder, 「You shall be Sir

    Garrick.」

    Garrick』s first battle came unexpectedly. For decades the roguish

    Bumblinks of the Northern Lands had been plotting to invade Jarrod by

    way of the Serpent Sea, which divided the vast hinterlands. Although

    Jarrod had excellent military geniuses who knew all about army tactics,

    hardly anybody knew about sailing. A few sailors from the First Civil War

    remembered tidbits of their old drunkard days, but that was it. Garrick

    was surprised when he first glimpsed Crystal Dock—the miniscule vessels

    submerged in the cluttered shipyard were leaky and infested with vermin.

    The only large ships tied to the dock were clumsily built and hard to steer.

    One large ship would require at least one hundred and fifty men, many of

    whom would lose their lives due to the ship』s faulty design.

    「Why is Jarrod』s navy not grander?」 Garrick asked Mercivelle, who

    was staring out at the water. The aging captain sighed.

    「We have no skilled shipbuilders,」 Vincent said grimly, pushing aside

    a lock of thinning hair. 「This is the best they can make.」 Suddenly there

    was a cry from the fort』s newly-constructed watchtower.

    「The Bumblinks have been sighted! The Bumblinks have been sighted

    in the Serpent Sea!」 the watchman called. The bells in the cathedral tolled

    loudly. Women fell to their knees, praying piously. Men grabbed daggers

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    176

    and slashed about wildly, raising the call and alerting the entire village.

    Mercivelle grabbed his rapier and shoved Garrick aside.

    「You must evacuate,」 Mercivelle said, his forehead creasing with

    worry. 「If you are captured by the uncouth Bumblinks, say nothing.」

    「No!」 Garrick cried. 「I shall remain by your side as long as your heart

    beats!」

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（18）

    「An act of loyalty, I see,」 Mercivelle said, smiling despite the
    graveness of the subject. 「Do as you will. I shall not blame you if you

    run.」The Bumblinks were not long in coming. After hearing the tolling of

    the cathedral bells and the cry of the watchman, their only choice was to

    attack Jarrod with an open battle. They thought it was possible they would

    still be the victors if they had speed on their side. Garrick felt sick in the

    stomach, but he said nothing. When the first Bumblink war cry was heard,

    Garrick excused himself to change into armor. Once he was fully dressed,

    Garrick emerged from the fort. Mercivelle wore nothing but a short tunic

    and padded trousers. His knee-high boots shone black in the burning sun.

    Garrick stared in awe at the captain.

    「There they are!」 Mercivelle exclaimed, pointing his long finger to the

    far distance of the rolling waves. 「I can see their barbarous red flag!」

    Garrick shuddered under his armor. The Bumblinks did not at all sound

    like a very nice civilization.

    The first war cries were heard about twenty minutes later. Garrick

    sprang to his feet, as did Mercivelle.

    「We shall fight to the death!」 Mercivelle cried valiantly, raising his

    sword. A small Bumblink opponent, wearing nothing but a loose baggy

    white shirt and tight black pants, barred his teeth and ran forward.

    Vincent dodged the attack, circling the Bumblink to intimidate him. None

    of the Bumblinks expected Garrick, a mere boy, to attack. When the

    chance was ripe, Garrick snuck up behind a row of Bumblinks and

    slashed through their line.

    「They shall seek revenge for the death of their officers,」 Mercivelle

    wearily wiped sweat from his brow. 「We need more recruits.」

    「There are none,」 Garrick said hopelessly. 「The Bumblinks』 numbers

    are great, and your men are busied with fighting.」

    Mercivelle glanced at the village, cupped his hands around his

    withered lips and cried, 「People of the village! Come, do not be cowed by

    the unthreatening Bumblinks!」

    That did it. Men, women, and children raced out of every corner,

    The Spoiled Prince

    177

    armed with knives, daggers, pitchforks, thick rolling pins, and cutting

    boards. With fierce war cries, the men pounced on the Bumblinks. One

    woman banged a pot over a Bumblink』s head and dragged the Bumblink

    inside her house. The enemy was caught by surprise, sandwiched between

    their two opponents.

    「Why is the leader not surrendering, when the battle has almost

    crowned us its victors?」 Garrick asked, slashing a Bumblink combatant.

    Mercivelle suddenly fell, revealing a Bumblink behind him.

    「Captain!」 Garrick cried with terror, heaving the heavy man to the

    side while pointing his sword at the Bumblink. Mercivelle groaned,

    clutching his arm. The Bumblink leered and did an imitation of a chicken.

    With a cry of rage Garrick severed the Bumblink』s head from his body.

    Victorious, he stomped on the Bumblinks』 bloodless carcass. Glancing

    around to make sure the coast was clear, Garrick dragged Mercivelle to

    the hospital tent. To his surprise, he noticed Glenn busily rubbing creams

    and poultices onto injured knights』 wounds.

    「Glenn!」 Garrick cried, pointing urgently at Mercivelle. 「You must

    cure the captain!」 Glenn ran to Mercivelle』s side.

    「He still lives,」 Glenn said. Garrick noticed she looked unusually

    grave. 「But only just. His breathing is ragged.」 While Glenn bent over

    Mercivelle, Garrick ran to help the other knights, hastily bandaging major

    wounds and quickly treating minor injuries.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（19）

    Looking out the window, Garrick noticed that the largest Bumblink
    had fallen, sorely wounded in the thigh. An enraged cry arose from the

    Bumblinks. They raced forward, waving their swords blindly. The Knights

    easily trampled them with their snorting stallions.

    Although Mercivelle had won, many lives had been lost. Some of the

    best knights were killed or badly wounded, while others were taken

    prisoner. Mercivelle』s wound was healing slowly, but he could talk to

    Garrick and the other knights.

    「You put up a great show of loyalty, Garrick,」 Mercivelle said as the

    other knights gathered around him. 「You are a worthy knight.」

    Next, Arimthea, Wyddfa』s niece, took Garrick to the village

    orphanage. It was a small red brick building with a creaky door and a leaky

    roof. The shivering children, who were huddled inside, near to the

    flickering fireplace, wore stained rags about their feet and itchy wool

    tunics. Even the girls had to make do with the tunics. Arimthea

    disappeared, leaving Garrick to knock on the battered door.

    「Come in!」 a weary voice called. Garrick cautiously peered in.

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    178

    「And do close the door behind you!」 A small, plump lady emerged

    from the corner. Her gray hair was hastily tied up in a bun on top of her

    head, and her pale cheeks showed signs of worry.

    「Do come and help these children, they』ve just lost their parents in a

    Bumblink attack over in the far West,」 the lady said briskly, taking

    Garrick』s hand and shoving him towards the orphans. 「Try cheering them

    up a bit.」

    「They look as if they』re in need of food.」 Garrick stared at the

    scrawny orphans. 「Maybe there』s something you could feed them?」

    「I』m so sorry, dear,」 the lady said, covering her face in her bony

    hands. 「Today we finished off our last stores.」

    「Mama!」 a small girl cried. 「I want bread!」 The lady sighed, and

    turning to the girl, she said sweetly,

    「You』ll get some later, Millie.」 Turning back to Garrick, she spoke in

    low undertones.

    「It』s a little habit the children have, calling me Mama. I feel so

    attached to them,」 the lady confessed. 「By the way, you may call me Dame

    Abigail.」

    「Er…Dame, I have a bit of money,」 Garrick said, again miraculously

    producing weird coins from his pouch, 「maybe I could go to the market

    and buy them a bite to eat?」

    「Oh, would you?」 Abigail asked, brightening.

    「Of course I will,」 Garrick said, glancing sympathetically at the

    orphans. 「I』ll just…jog down there.」 Garrick waved good-bye to Abigail

    and was off to the market. First he bought a loaf of bread, a block of

    hard yellow butter, and some large carp. Garrick found one more coin in

    his pouch, so he purchased some fresh red strawberries. The sky had

    begun to darken, so he hurried towards the orphanage.

    「Good, good, you』ve brought some food!」 Abigail cried delightedly

    when Garrick set foot on the doorstep. 「It』s simply wonderful…」 she

    leaned down and kissed Garrick on the cheek. He reddened slightly.

    「Millie, you may have your bread now,」 Abigail said, generously

    handing a good-sized piece to the little girl. The other orphans were fed

    until all had full tummies. Garrick watched them with satisfaction as dusk

    began to fall, sighed sleepily, and fell into a deep slumber.

    The next morning he was awakened with a hard kick in the ribs.

    Garrick groaned and rolled to his side, only to receive another kick.

    Finally accepting that it was impossible to sleep, Garrick rose sluggishly.

    「Good, you』re awake, and it』s about time, too.」 A squat little mean-

    The Spoiled Prince

    179

    faced man stood above Garrick. His brown overcoat was buttoned tightly

    over his rotund belly. 「Those spoiled brats over there are begging me for

    food. Naturally I gave them a good slap on the backside, but they started

    crying. You go over there and see what』s wrong with them. I』m only here

    on short notice. Old Abby should come back in a few hours. By then, I』ll

    be away at the tavern! Ha!」 Garrick was openmouthed with surprise at the

    man』s cruelty. How dare he do such a thing to unfortunate little

    children??? Little did Garrick realize that he had once been unkind and

    thoughtless like the malevolent man.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
奇奇訪談（20）

    「Hurry up with it, too. I can』t spend all my time in this smelly little
    place of an orphanage,」 the man said, sniffing. Garrick, wanting to be rid

    of the man as soon as possible, hurried to the cold grate where the

    orphans were seated.

    「H-he p-put o-out o-our f-fire b-because h-he said w-we w-were sspoiled

    l-little b-brats,」 Millie sobbed, wiping her tears on her already

    soaked tunic sleeve. Garrick was hit with rage.

    「Come on!」 he cried urgently, tugging on Millie』s arm. 「We must

    make that wicked man sorry for his evil deeds!」 A cheer arose from the

    orphans.

    「Whaddya doin』, spoiling those brats mo—」 the man stopped short

    as he noticed the hatred in the orphans』 eyes. Garrick took a step towards

    him, his eyes glowing angrily like fire.

    「Look—kids, I d-don』t mean any harm,」 the man stammered. 「I』ll

    just be off, then!」 He dashed hurriedly out the door.

    「That gets rid of that stupid lout,」 Garrick said, busily rummaging

    around in his pouch. 「Now where』s Dame Abigail?」

    「She can』t come every day, you know,」 a tall, gangly boy with red

    freckles and dark reddish hair said quite regretfully. 「She has to make

    money. I』m Oliver, by the way.」

    「I thought that the orphanage did make money!」 Garrick exclaimed,

    dropping his pouch with surprise.

    「It used to,」 another boy muttered. 「That awful man you saw—Felix,

    or Ogre, as we call him—was the greediest man in all of eternity.」

    「I could imagine it,」 Garrick said, gritting his teeth.

    「He would charge eighty or eighty five coins for little girls like Millie,

    one hundred and fifty coins for small boys like Trevor here, and two

    hundred coins for big boys like Oliver and I. Plus fifty coins fee if we

    wanted to sit by the fireplace. There was a city council, and everyone

    agreed that it wasn』t fair. So they brought Dame Abigail in to take care of

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    180

    the tramps, but Ogre wasn』t giving up his chance for an easy money

    business that fast. He threatened to tear the building down unless Dame

    married him. He liked her, you see. Dame liked us so much she actually

    wedded that thick-lipped ninny,」 the boy finished off.

    「Have you had breakfast yet?」 Garrick asked, already fearing the

    answer.

    「No, Ogre stole it away and stuffed his big mouth with it. I』d like to

    give him a fat lip,」 Oliver said angrily, shaking his fist as if an invisible

    enemy stood before him.

    「Do you know when the market opens?」 Garrick asked, glancing

    about. He had again produced coins from his pouch, of even more

    bewildering design.

    「Maybe later,」 Oliver replied. 「I don』t know exactly when, but

    probably soon.」

    「Meanwhile, why don』t we build up the fire?」 the other boy asked,

    yawning. 「No sense in talking if we』re icy cold.」 Garrick, seeing the sense

    in this, piled the grate full of wood and started a small flame. The orphans

    gathered around it, deeply inhaling the hot air and leaning close to the

    warm hearth.

    「If you』re still wondering about the market, it should be open by

    now,」 the boy said carelessly. 「Call me Jack, if you have a mind to.」

    Garrick stared out the window, eyeing the white sky critically. It was

    not raining, but a thick cover of mist and fog obscured the village. It

    would not be easy to find his way to the market, however close it was.

    「I don』t really like the weather,」 he said uneasily, turning back to the

    orphans. 「But if you want to go, I』m sure I could navigate the market

    somehow.」 The children exchanged doubtful glances. Finally Jack spoke

    up.

    「Oliver and I want to go,」 he said. 「Millie and Trevor are chickening

    out, I suppose there』s no way Betsy or Annie would want to come—」

    「I am not chickening out!」 The small boy who sat unnoticed by the

    hearth finally spoke out. 「And neither is Millie!」

    「Who votes yes?」 Garrick asked. The young prince had often

    eavesdropped on the Baronet of Mallisque dealing with his troublesome

    yeomen, and considered himself experienced in these affairs. Three

    hands shot up. Millie and two other girls remained silent.

    「Tie,」 Jack said lazily. 「Now what?」 Garrick opened his mouth to say

    something, but hastily shut it. He realized that he had never witnessed a

    tie between the Baronet』s bothersome yeomen.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Spoiled Prince（1）

    181
    「I say we go,」 Oliver said, rising to his feet. 「Might as well,

    anyways…Dame wants some turnips and a bit of cheese.」

    「No!」 Millie squeaked, covering her face with her hands.

    「What were you ever afraid of, anyways, Mil?」 Jack asked casually,

    leaning back. 「I don』t suppose you thought the hawkers could tear their

    grubby fingernails into your soft little heart?」 The little girl uttered a

    scream of fright.

    「Cut it, Jack,」 Oliver said coldly, elbowing Jack in the ribs.

    「Millie, he didn』t really mean it,」 Trevor coaxed his little sister. 「The

    hawkers are nice people! Maybe you』ll get a peppermint from Miss

    Barlyns, or a bit of cherry pie from Robin, or…」 His voice trailed away

    doubtfully. Millie shook her head.

    「Well, it』s obvious that if Millie isn』t coming, someone will have to

    stay at the orphanage with her. And who will that be?」 Garrick asked.

    There was silence.

    「Er, well, fine, if nobody』s going to stay, I might as well,」 Garrick said

    awkwardly, pouring his glittering coins into Oliver』s hands. 「Just don』t take

    too long and make sure the turnips are good.」

    「You sound like an old mother hen,」 Oliver said, chuckling. The coins

    mysteriously disappeared in his hands.

    「What!!!!」 Jack cried, diving for the previously visible coins. Garrick

    stared with astonishment at Oliver』s hand. Just then Dame Abigail came

    around the corner, her face lined with stress. Her eyelids drooped.

    「My dear children,」 she said wearily. 「I do hope you didn』t make Felix

    angry.」

    「We did,」 said Oliver savagely. 「He put out our fire, stole our food,

    slapped us, and called us spoiled brats.」 Abigail buried her face in her

    hands. Reaching into his pouch, Garrick drew out a hard, cold lump of

    gleaming silver. He gasped at it.

    「My dear lad!」 Dame cried. 「Where in the village did you find that?」

    「Er…」 Garrick stammered, not sure what to say.

    「Why do things just keep appearing in your pouch, anyways?」 Jack

    asked slyly, advancing dangerously towards Garrick, his fists clenched into

    balls. 「Suppose you…stole them?」 He raised a fist. Garrick stepped back.

    「Peace, peace!」 Abigail cried shrilly, waving her hands in front of the

    two boys』 faces.

    「Let me deal with this, Dame,」 said Oliver, nimbly stepping aside and

    dealing an unexpected blow to Garrick』s face. Chaos broke out in the

    orphanage.

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    182

    「Stop, boys, this is really—」 Dame Abigail stopped short as Trevor

    tumbled backwards and Garrick threw Oliver over her shoulder. Finally

    Jack was left with Garrick. Millie sat sobbing in a corner, while Abigail

    hitched up her skirts and tried to stop the fight. Garrick knocked Jack in

    the ribs, while Jack punched Garrick in the stomach. Finally Garrick

    seized Jack and kicked him to the ground.

    「Now finally this dreadful ordeal shall be over,」 Abigail said, sighing.

    「You』ll all need a soft bed and some sleep before we go off to the

    market.」 Jack moaned, blood dribbling down his tunic.

    「Really, I don』t see why you got into this fight in the first place,」

    Abigail said, placing her hands on her hips. 「Garrick, I』m ashamed that

    you would want to hurt the boys. Jack, you should know better than to

    accuse Garrick of something he would never do. As for you, Oliver—

    Where is Oliver?」 Garrick turned and found himself staring at shattered

    windowpanes. Oliver lay on the sidewalk, cut and bruised but still alive.

    「As for you, Oliver,」 Abigail said, continuing as if she didn』t realize

    the boy was unconscious, 「I wouldn』t have expected you to side up with

    Jack and hit Garrick.」

    「What about Trevor?」 Garrick asked suddenly. Millie let out a sob.

    They all turned to look where she was weakly pointing. Trevor lay

    slumped against the wall, his leg cut and his lip split. Blood poured from

    his nose.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Spoiled Prince（2）

    「He』s still alive,」 Garrick said shakily, trying to make himself believe
    it was true. Abigail pressed a hand to Trevor』s chest.

    「He still breathes,」 she said. 「But we must find help, quickly.」 Garrick

    immediately ran for Glenn. His mind was racing as he flew into the herb

    shop. Glenn, however, was nowhere to be found.

    「Glenn!」 Garrick bellowed. 「Glenn!」 He pounded on her wooden

    dresser. Finally the old herbalist clambered down from her bunk.

    「What now?」 she asked briskly, pulling on her ragged shawl. 「I do

    expect you got into a fight and here you are, with a black eye and a bruised

    arm. Just show me where the place is and I』ll do my work.」 After Glenn

    had collected her various poultices and potions, Garrick anxiously led her

    to the orphanage. The place was in shambles. Trevor had been laid on a

    straw pallet with a thin blanket over his small body, but his breathing was

    fading. Every once in a while his breath would stop completely.

    「Oh dear,」 Glenn said. 「This is not at all what I expected. Hmm…」

    she began arranging her remedies on the floor, kneeling at Trevor』s side.

    「Hurry!」 Garrick cried, jumping up and down with impatience. This

    The Spoiled Prince

    183

    old woman is dealing with a matter between life and death!!! If only this stupid fistfight

    hadn』t been started in the first place!! If only I hadn』t taken that stupid hunk of silver

    or whatever it was from my pouch! Jack accused me, and I hit Jack or maybe it was

    Oliver, in the ribs! What Father would say if he learned I had sunk to their level!

    「He won』t breathe much longer!」 Glenn ignored Garrick and took a small

    vial from her healer』s pouch. She tipped the contents into Trevor』s mouth,

    muttering,

    「That should ease his breathing.」 Abigail let out a relieved sigh,

    smoothing Trevor』s blonde hair back. Garrick sunk onto the ground,

    exhausted, and fell into a deep slumber.

    He was awakened early the next morning by Dame Abigail』s soft voice

    and the beautiful singing of the nightingales, which were staying out later

    than usual.

    「Good, my dear, you』re awake,」 Abigail said, tiptoeing towards

    Garrick as he yawned and rubbed his eyes. 「Trevor couldn』t be doing

    better, your friend the herbalist stayed all night, muttering strange pagan

    chants, wrapping all those wet bandages, and pouring glassful after

    glassful of odd tonics into the little boy』s mouth. Why, there he is!」

    Garrick turned and glimpsed Trevor out of the corner of his eye,

    limping about with his leg wrapped in a tight bandage. Maybe we shouldn』t

    have started this entire fight in the first place, Garrick thought, biting his lip. Jack

    and Oliver were wrong, but we could have resolved it somehow… Millie watched her

    brother with round eyes, tagging along and asking him questions. Garrick

    could not help chuckling at poor Jack』s plight, for the older boy had been

    laid on a pallet with raw meat and ice covering his black eye. Oliver had

    been laid next to Jack, his arm wrapped in a clumsy sling.

    「And now for you,」 Glenn said, tottering along to where Garrick was

    standing. 「Lie down, that』s a good boy. Let me see…hmm, no major

    damage done…I』ll just fix that cut and be off.」

    「No, really, I』m fine,」 Garrick said, backing away. 「I mean, why don』t

    you heal Trevor or Jack or Oliver?」 He glanced desperately at the three

    boys.

    「I must cure you, little one,」 Glenn said gently. She laid a reassuring

    arm on Garrick』s shoulder. 「Do not worry. It will be short.」

    「Oh, fie!」 Garrick exclaimed impatiently. 「Do it, and be done with it!」

    Glenn chuckled, rubbing strong alcohol on his cut. Garrick winced. The

    injury stung, and the sting seemed to be seeping along to the rest of his

    leg.

    「As for your bruise, there is nothing to be done about it but wait,」

    Glenn sighed. 「Just don』t walk on it.」

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Spoiled Prince（3）

    「I won』t be able to do anything this week,」 Garrick grumbled,
    pushing himself up. 「No chance of going to the market either.」

    「Have heart, laddie,」 Glenn said, rising from the ground. 「I must be

    off, there』s bound to be a line of patients by the herb shop.」

    「Bye, then,」 Garrick said weakly, waving to Glenn as she hobbled out

    of the orphanage.

    When the foggy sky had cleared somewhat, Dame Abigail took

    Garrick to the market. Coins kept reproducing in Garrick』s pocket, until

    finally they had bought fresh turnips and carrots, warm bread straight

    from the oven, and as a special treat clean red strawberries. Jack and

    Oliver were up and awake when they arrived, playing a game of checkers

    on a crude wooden board. They had forgotten all events of the previous

    day and showed no hard feelings towards Garrick.

    「Hey, Garrick!」 Jack called. 「Want to play a friendly game of

    checkers?」

    「Er,」 Garrick said nervously, staring down at his feet. 「I』m not really

    sure…how to play.」 Checkers was not a common game in the palace, it

    being considered a roguish amusement.

    「You don』t know how to play!」 Jack guffawed, tumbling over with

    laughter. 「He doesn』t know how to play, Oliver!」

    Turning a light shade of red, Garrick retorted heatedly, 「Well, I』m

    sure you don』t know how to play…how to play…chess!」 Jack stopped

    laughing at once.

    「Uh…oh, um, that, it』s…er…easy, really,」 Jack said casually. Hearing

    a quiver in Jack』s voice, Garrick smirked.

    「Stop it, you two!」 Abigail cried. 「The strawberries are ready!」

    Garrick dashed towards the tiny kitchenette. Jack ran after him. The sweet

    strawberries were piled high on a cracked plate. Trevor, Millie, Betsy, and

    Annie were already eating the juicy berries. Garrick had barely swallowed

    one strawberry when he was swept up into a multicolored vortex and

    deposited outside of the orphanage.

    Armenia awaited him outside the orphanage. She greeted him kindly

    and took his hand in hers.

    「Where are we?」 Garrick asked in confusion. Although he had been

    dropped outside of the orphanage, the orphanage was nowhere in sight.

    「I just did a little bit of magic to make it quicker,」 the fairy said,

    smiling coquettishly. 「If you please, here we are.」 Garrick found himself

    staring up at a medium-sized wooden sign that hung from rusty iron

    hinges. Garder』s Print Shoppe was painted neatly on the sign.

    The Spoiled Prince

    185

    「Knock,」 Armenia commanded. Garrick did as he was bidden. He

    was answered by a short, plump man wearing a white vest buttoned over

    his round belly. A pocket watch hung from the man』s vest』s pocket on a

    gold chain and swung as he walked.

    Armenia disappeared.

    「I presume you are Garrick?」 he asked curtly, nodding.

    「Yes, sir,」 Garrick replied, attempting to look past the man』s gigantic

    figure into the room beyond.

    「Then come in,」 the man said shortly. 「I am Ralf. Arithios! Show the

    boy to his workplace.」 The tall, long-limbed teenager who had been lying

    lazily in a corner made a face and finally swaggered towards the two. He

    turned to grin at Garrick, showing two missing teeth and one black tooth.

    「Just come round here,」 Gilbert said, clapping Garrick on the

    shoulder and shoving him towards a desk on which a long row of metal

    letters was placed. 「You have to set the letters to match Hugh』s text. Now

    don』t frown, it ain』t nothin』 hard.」

    「I expect, Arithios Gilbert Marson, that you will first teach the boy

    how to set the letters,」 Ralf said coldly, staring over at them. Garrick took

    a step back.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Spoiled Prince（4）

    「It ain』t a problem, Uncle,」 Gilbert said, grinning once more. 「Now
    see, little fella, here』s a letter, an』 ye just gotta move it to make the words.

    D』ya know how to read?」

    「Of course I do!」 Garrick cried, stomping his foot indignantly. 「Why,

    dare you suggest that I could be ignorant of books, you son of a swine,

    you—」 He stood quivering with suppressed rage and fury.

    「Chill, chill,」 Gilbert said, laughing. He patted Garrick on the back.

    「No hard feelings, nuh-uh.」

    「Mr. Ralf!」 A clear voice called from the front of the shop. 「New

    shipment of ink!」

    「Northwick Special?」 Ralf inquired sharply, peering over his cracked

    spectacles. 「I won』t accept it if not.」 Garrick could not help but

    remember his distant cousin, Regan of Northwick, and giggle.

    「Yessir, indeed it is and no other,」 a slender redhead boy emerged

    from the front of the shop, carrying a large package in his sunburned

    hands. 「Ain』t got no business with wee Master Regan, but me boss says if

    there was ever a book learner he』s one. The little duke uses our Northwick

    Ink, might add for ye.」

    「Yes, yes, I know, Walter,」 Ralf said, waving his hand impatiently.

    「Just give me the ink and be off.」

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    186

    「If master pleases…?」 Walter held out his hand as if expecting

    something, likely money. Garrick suddenly felt an urge to reach into his

    pouch and bring out whatever might be in there. He undid the pouch

    strings and took out a glittering silver coin. Walter stared at the coin

    hungrily. Garrick dropped the money into the boy』s hand. Walter』s fist

    closed around the coin quicker than Garrick could say 「Jack Robinson.」

    「Thanky, sir!」 Walter cried gratefully, and dumping the ink on a chair,

    scrambled out of the shop.

    The afternoon was spent in the tedious job of setting the metal letters.

    Garrick was summoned from his task every ten minutes or so to look at

    Hugh』s writing, collect the printed pages and bind them together, or

    correct any words that had been blurred. Occasionally Garrick would

    wander off into the back of the room, where Hugh leaned over his

    cracked parchment and peered over the opaque glass of his useless

    spectacles.

    「Get back to work, boy!」 Ralf would usually call on those times.

    Ralf finally closed the print shop at dusk. Wearily Garrick followed

    him and Gilbert through the dark streets of the village to a small,

    respectable house on Merchant Corner. Pink roses lined the trellises, set

    against a pretty white background of painted boards. As was the town

    custom, the shingled roof was almost flat, with only the shortest of peaks.

    Light shone brightly through thin chiffon curtains. Garrick looked

    expectantly at Ralf and Gilbert.

    「Do you think your mother will take me in another day while I…?」

    Ralf ended abruptly, turning to Gilbert. Garrick shivered as a cold breeze

    swept past the village.

    「She won』t be any more angry than she was yesterday,」 Gilbert said,

    biting his nails thoughtfully. Garrick stared at him.

    「Then I suppose I』ll risk it,」 Ralf sighed. He knocked twice on the

    great wooden door as Garrick fidgeted nervously. A gaunt woman opened

    the door. Her gray eyes, hair, and lips matched the dusty withered shade

    of her woolen dress.

    「Oh, Gilbert, you did give me a fright. Ralf—」 Here she put her

    hands on her hips. 「I did expect that Hugh gave you the proposal for

    Greenbarrow. No mind. It』s late and I don』t want to be caught outside

    past the nightly curfew.」 Garrick took a step back as Gilbert strode

    through the doorway.

    「And you, lad, who are you?」 the woman asked, peering towards

    Garrick. 「Ralf 』s new apprentice? He mentioned something about a new

    boy.」

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Spoiled Prince（5）

    「Er, yes, ma』m,」 Garrick said, turning red and staring down at his
    shoes.

    「Well, come in, and don』t tarry,」 Ralf said sternly, pulling Garrick in

    as the woman closed the door. 「Garrick, I would like you to meet

    Beatrice, my sister. You』ve met her son Arithios, my nephew.」

    「Oh—yes,」 Garrick said, rather stunned. Before he had been made

    aware of the family connection, he had never thought that Gilbert looked

    anything like Ralf, but as Garrick surveyed Gilbert』s reddish-brown hair,

    his dark hazel eyes, and sharply chiseled nose, he could find many

    similarities.

    「I expect you haven』t had a decent meal yet,」 Beatrice said briskly,

    cracking a hard brown egg into an earthenware bowl and lightly sprinkling

    it with cilantro and salt. 「Eat quickly. Rowena the Midwife from next door

    doesn』t favor bright candlelight from neighboring houses. And Gilbert,

    you should be in bed.」 Garrick eyed the yolky slop doubtfully, twitching

    uncertainly.

    「Ma, it ain』t muggers』 time,」 Gilbert whined, yolk dribbling down his

    chin. 「I don』t see why I ain』t allowed to stay up like Neal! My friend,」 he

    added as Garrick glanced at him.

    「Neal is differently disciplined, Arithios Gilbert Marson, and both

    your mother and I expect that you will react to our method differently,」

    Ralf said sharply, raising his eyebrows. 「Therefore you will issue no

    complaints.」 Gilbert was silent. Garrick stared at him sympathetically.

    When the young prince had lived at the royal palace he had been able to

    go to bed as late as he wished, listening to old Bard Rhem tell tales of the

    elder days and watching the court dwarves and jesters amuse the great

    ladies and lords.

    「There』s Rowena, glaring at me,」 Beatrice chuckled, shutting the

    drapes. 「I expect she』ll holler over any minute now.」 Garrick watched as

    she took the egg dish and scrubbed it thoroughly.

    「Gilbert, go to your room. No reading, understand! Ralf, second

    chamber in the corridor on the left as usual. Gavin—no, Garrin—I mean

    Garrick—follow me,」 Beatrice said, taking Garrick』s hand. He was

    suddenly faced with a labyrinth of endless passages and hallways, not to

    mention various rooms of many sizes. Some were locked and tightly shut,

    but others were wide open, displaying their neglected state.

    「Here』s where you』ll be staying the night,」 Beatrice said hurriedly,

    pushing Garrick into a dimly lit entrance chamber. Solid, thick log walls

    that were chinked with dry mud prevented any of the chilly night breezes

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    188

    from entering, while small windows near the decorative ceiling allowed

    the bright light of the stars to come through.

    「Thank you,」 Garrick said, but his gratefulness was met with silence.

    Beatrice had gone, and he was alone.

    Garrick slept peacefully that night. As soon as he had undressed and

    wearily covered himself in thick woolen quilts and blankets, he

    immediately fell into a deep slumber.

    He awoke to find a bright fire blazing in the hot hearth, with a basin

    of hot wash-water beside his bed. Garrick was pleased to discover a clean

    pressed wool tunic laid out on his bed, as well as sturdy black shoes and

    a fresh washcloth. After scrubbing himself and changing into the tunic,

    he skipped downstairs. Beatrice was waiting for him with a slice of

    somewhat burnt toast and rapidly melting butter.

    「Eat quickly,」 she said coldly, hardly glancing at Garrick as she swept

    the floor with a long broom. 「Ralf does not tolerate tardiness, and Gilbert

    prefers apprentices to be strictly punctual.」 Gulping down the remains of

    his toast, Garrick grabbed his shoes and dashed out the door.

    As Garrick had feared, Ralf was not at all happy at Garrick』s lateness.

    「Go and assist Hugh,」 he said crossly, pointing to the back of the

    shop. 「He needs some help choosing his ink, the ignorant dolt.」 Garrick

    trotted off to do as he was bidden, helping the bewildered writer select a

    suitable ink type. Finally Ralf called him over to set the metal letters.

    「That mad writer Hugh has finally turned in an article,」 Ralf said

    grumpily, tossing a roll of cracked parchment aside. 「Crazy, that man』s

    manuscript.」 Garrick bowed his head respectfully, although he personally

    thought that Hugh』s writing was most fascinating.

    「Garrick!」 Gilbert called from the front of the shop. 「I need you to

    set the letters while I oil the printing press!」 Garrick groaned, but Ralf

    pushed him towards the rack of letters.

    「I』ve got most of it done, why don』t you just organize it a bit more

    and we』ll be set,」 Gilbert said, busily pouring ink into a small cartridge.

    「I—what?」 Garrick asked, his mouth hanging open.

    「Just organize the letters a bit and we』ll be ready,」 Gilbert said,

    looking up and spilling ink over the side of the cartridge. 「Hurry up with

    it, too.」 Garrick sighed and went back to the tedious job of setting the

    letters. Finally he was able to rest his tired arms as Gilbert collected the

    last of the freshly printed papers.

    「Get up, boy, and make yourself useful!」 Ralf snapped, dumping a

    stack of book pages into Garrick』s arms. 「Take this to Friar Augustine the

    The Spoiled Prince

    189

    Bookbinder at Saint Christopher』s Chapel.」 Garrick stared at Ralf,

    stunned.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Spoiled Prince（6）

    「And be quick about it!」 Ralf shouted, waving his finger in Garrick』s
    face. 「I can』t tolerate laziness!」 Garrick dashed from the shop and across

    the cobblestone street to the dimly lit chapel on Rural Row. Garrick froze

    with awe at its towering, sinister entrance.

    「Behold the holy chapel!」 A deep voice rang out from the darkness

    of the apse. Garrick shuddered. Suddenly an overweight monk dressed in

    a long brown habit emerged from the chapel. He had a bald patch on the

    top of his head that glinted in the candlelight.

    「Welcome, welcome, I am Friar Augustine the Bookbinder,」 the fat

    friar said, laughing merrily. 「More pages from old Ralf?」

    「Er…yes, sir,」 Garrick stammered, unsure of what to say. 「I have an

    entire stack.」

    「Just give them to me!」 said Friar Augustine, still chuckling jollily. His

    face became suddenly serious as he accepted the pages. 「And don』t call me

    sir.」

    Augustine broke into laughter again as Garrick stared at him with

    surprise. He watched as the friar took an ornately carved plank of wood,

    measure it, and measure the printed pages. Augustine then took another

    beautiful plank of wood, and taking a long ribbon, tied the pages and the

    wood together.

    「There,」 the friar said with satisfaction, handing the finished product

    to Garrick. 「Tell old Ralf to send in a whole load of pages next time. I

    want to bind a novel.」 Garrick thanked Augustine gratefully and ran out

    of the chapel.

    Garrick was given another task after giving Ralf the book—to stamp

    each page with Ralf 』s seal, a red outline of a howling wolf encircled with

    red ink. It was a very boring job, and soon Garrick was at the end of his

    rope.

    「I won』t do this any longer!」 Garrick cried impatiently, throwing

    down the stamp. 「I cannot and will not!」

    「Since I have hired you, simpleton, I have had more trouble than

    help,」 Ralf said, angrily taking up the stamp and pressing it upon a page.

    「Go and sit in the corner until I find a useful job for you.」 Garrick

    stomped off indignantly and slumped down in a chair, his thoughts

    wandering from time to time on what life would have been back at the

    palace. A wicked voice in his mind reminded him If the fairies hadn』t

    kidnapped you, you would still be living a nice life at home. Garrick hastily

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    190

    banished the idea and went back to thinking about the print shop. He

    could think of nothing but hate for Ralf, and quickly switched to

    imagining what Glenn was doing now. Probably healing her patients, he told

    himself. Still he could not forget the idea that she might be having a good

    time reading or resting.

    「Boy!」 Garrick could barely hear Ralf 』s gruff voice from the front of

    the shop. 「Come and write what Hugh dictates!」 Garrick hurried to

    where the writer sat, stretching his arms and yawning.

    「Get up, you great lazy lump,」 Ralf said meanly, kicking Hugh in the

    leg. 「Garrick is going to write for you.」 Hugh』s eyes brightened as he sat

    up in his chair. Garrick quickly grabbed a roll of parchment and a quill.

    「Alright, start,」 Hugh said dreamily. 「There was once a young,

    beautiful princess by the name of Andorra. Her flaxen curls fell to her

    feet, shining at every angle. Suitors were entranced by her dazzling bluegreen

    eyes and her fair white face with soft red lips and pointed ears. Her

    dresses were of finest quality, spun from gold thread and silver thread.

    Andorra』s jackets were made of green dragon hides with bronze coating,

    which she wore all seasons. Her father, the mighty King Arandis, agreed

    only to give her to a wealthy suitor, for, as he said, the good of the great

    kingdom. At this Andorra fell to sorrow, for her lover was a young squire,

    poor, but courageous and valiant. Many suitors tried in vain to win her

    heart, but none succeeded. In a rage, the King declared that Andorra

    would marry the Duke of Yorlsbourgh, an old, withered man with many

    estates and long coffers filled with endless treasure. At this Andorra wept

    hysterically, but she gathered her wits and finally slipped down the castle

    walls to the open arms of her true lover, the squire Myron. They stole

    away in the midst of night and kissed under the sturdy branches of an oak

    tree. Then they parted with many a sad farewell and went their separate

    ways.」 At this Hugh stopped. Garrick stared down at the parchment

    guiltily. He had become so entranced with the story that he had forgotten

    to write anything down, save a few blurred words on the top of the page.

    「Fool!」 Hugh cried, slapping Garrick soundly. 「You dim-witted

    bastard! You witless nincompoop! You doltish simpleton!」

    By that time Ralf had emerged from the front of the shop,

    accompanied by two fairies Garrick knew well to be Wyddfa and

    Armenia. However, they had taken woman shape again and were walking

    like humans.

《無法控制的魔力》　第四部分
The Spoiled Prince（7）

    「This is your new apprentice?」 Wyddfa asked Ralf, surveying Garrick
    as if she had never seen him before.

    The Spoiled Prince

    191

    「Yes, and a bothersome one, too,」 Ralf said, bristling with fury. 「He』s

    been no use these days, lazing off and saying that this printing work is too

    tedious. I agree, but you must have patience, whatever trade you practice.」

    Like Wyddfa, Armenia inspected Garrick from head to toe.

    「Indeed, this idiotic moron has given me more trouble than I can

    cope with!」 Hugh exclaimed, raising his fist. His eyeballs bulged from

    underneath his bushy eyebrows, his temples throbbing. 「I demand that

    you take him away at once, Ralf, or I shall no longer remain in the

    partnership!」 Ralf 』s face paled as he stared at Garrick. Finally Wyddfa

    broke in.

    「I am aware that my niece, Armenia, has paid you a fee for you to take

    him in as an apprentice,」 she said smoothly, stepping in between the two

    bickering men. 「You made an oath to keep him as long as the

    apprenticeship lasted. I gave you fifty coins for one year, as was each of

    his apprenticeships. Either you keep him, or you must refund my money.」

    Ralf let out a long sigh. Clearly he was beaten.

    「I see that I have lost this argument,」 he said, sighing again. 「But,

    Hugh, my friend, be as good as to stay with me!」

    「I refuse to stay under the same roof with such a fool and simpleton!」

    Hugh roared, storming out of the print shop, never to be seen again.

    Once his shadow had faded into the distance, Wyddfa spoke once more.

    「If it is possible for Garrick to take Hugh』s place as the writer, I will

    pay you thirty more coins,」 she said, taking a pouch from her thick belt.

    Ralf 』s eyes glinted greedily as he reached for the coins. Wyddfa

    immediately snatched them back.

    「Do you agree that Garrick will be the new writer?」 Wyddfa asked

    sternly.

    「Yes, but he must continue with his other tasks as well,」 Ralf said

    defiantly, crossing his arms across his chest.

    「Very well,」 Wyddfa said, smiling wryly. 「I can see you will not give

    up.」

    Although Garrick had been promoted to the high position of a writer,

    he was constantly under the pressure of many things at once.

    「Take this to Friar Augustine the Bookbinder!」 Ralf would shout,

    smashing Garrick』s finger. Or: 「Dim-witted idiot! That』s not the right kind

    of ink!」 Possibly a stern 「Don』t touch that」 or 「that article is too abrupt.」

    Finally on one cloudy, rainy day when it was obvious nobody would

    want to buy anything from the print shop, Garrick had a few hours of rest

    and relaxation to himself. Ralf was snoring next to him on a large fluffy

    pillow, and Gilbert was at Beatrice』s house. There were no books to read

    at the printing shop, but Ralf had ordered Garrick to stay.

    THE JOY OF WRITING

    192

    Ralf must be crazy, Garrick thought as he stared out the window

    wistfully towards Beatrice』s house. I do expect that Gilbert is having a right jolly

    time over there. His eyes wandered back to the printing press, a large

    machine that took up the entire width of the inky desk.

    「I wonder how that thing works,」 Garrick said aloud, feeling its shiny

    mahogany surface with his fingertips.

    「Whaddya think you』re doing, boy!」 Ralf barked, jumping up from his

    pillow. Garrick shrank back guiltily.

    「Never mind, you』ve just disturbed my pleasant little siesta,」 Ralf

    grumbled, shoving Garrick onto a hard chair. 「Stay there. And don』t touch

    the printing machine.」

    After a few hours Garrick could endure it no longer and rose from his

    seat. Yawning, he rubbed his eyes and examined the printing press closely.

    The metal letters were set on a rack below the mahogany top, dripping

    with ink. Another rack holding clean white paper was balanced on two

    short wobbly beams that stretched across the low section of the press.

    The rusty handle on the side of the press was supposed to be cranked to

    lower the inked metal letters, pushing the ink onto the pages and therefore

    creating printed text. Garrick stared wistfully at the impressive machine. If

    only I were allowed to try it, he thought longingly, glancing back at Ralf 』s

    plump figure. If only…well, Ralf is sleeping…No, it』d be too risky…maybe I

    could have a go. Garrick slipped a long sheet of paper onto the rack, quickly

    arranged the letters to make GARRICK, and turned the handle. With a

    loud screech, the metal letters were lowered.

    「Imbecile! Moron! Idiot! Bastard!」 Ralf bellowed, springing up from

    his pillow. 「How dare you play with such expensive material, you—you」

    Ralf 』s furious words were cut off by Gilbert, who entered the shop

    countless minutes before.