Chapter 16 Chapter 13 Prisoner's Carnival
It was an hour of beatings and taunts, with rotten food thrown at them by rabid rednecks, and the revolting thing smashed in the face.
Wulfgar didn't even respond for an hour.He is now so far away from the scene of the prisoner's carnival, so safe in a private emotional space, a place he created with mental endurance to survive Errtu's torture Going down, it also prevented him from seeing the distorted faces of the peasants, and hearing the voice of the magistrate's assistant encouraging the rioting crowd to participate more actively in this real performance when Jake Helder appeared on that huge stage.The savage was tied behind his back to a solid stake, and there were three others like him beside him.His ankles were chained, with a large iron ball attached to it, and the other end was looped around his neck, enough weight to bend Worf's strong neck and make him bow his head.
He saw the onlookers as if through a transparent crystal.Screaming and gibbering rednecks for blood and torture; agitated, almost gleeful, diabolical guards working through the crowd, and hapless criminals.In his eyes they were literally there, but in his mind he had transformed them all into something else, demons, minions of Errtu with twisted, obscene faces, Their acidic slobber fell upon the savage, biting and humiliating him with their poisonous fangs and horrible breath.He smelled the peculiar smell of Errtu's home again, and the sulfurous gas of the abyss scorched his nostrils and throat, bringing an additional sting to the countless wounds on his body.He seemed to feel the itching from those centipedes and spiders crawling all over his body and getting under his skin.It made him unable to survive, and unable to seek death.
As those torments continued day after day, week after week, year after year, Wulfgar found a place of escape in a small corner of his consciousness.He locked himself inside, oblivious to his surroundings.Facing this carnival right now, he put himself in that hidden corner.
One by one the prisoners were unchained from the posts and paraded, sometimes in close proximity to the bumpkins for abuse and insults, and other times tortured with instruments.Those included rope for tying the whips; a pole designed to hold their arms behind their backs, after which victims could be lifted into the air using a pulley tool; Dirty, filthy water, or, as the unfortunate Crip Sharkey did, hang up a bucket of piss.Krip cried out for most of it, and whatever punishment the magistrate's assistant came up with, Tiannini and Wulfgar stoically accepted it without saying a word, save for the occasional Inevitably there was the sound of some breath puffing from their withered lungs.Morik held his head high for all of this, declaring his innocence and occasionally adding witty comments to his defense, which of course only made him get beaten harder.
Magistrate Jarkeheld appeared, stepping into the howling and cheering, wearing a thick black hood and holding a silver tube for scrolls.The magistrate walked to the center of the stage, stood among the prisoners, and deliberately glanced over them one by one.
Jackheld took a step forward.With a dramatic swipe, he revealed the scroll, the cursed document, to the crowd, whooped and cheered.As the shouts of the people became louder, Jarkeheld made every movement of himself extremely clear. He opened the lid at the bottom of the scroll barrel with a bang, and took out the documents inside.After unfolding it, the magistrate showed these documents to every onlooker around, and at the same time read the name of each criminal.
This carnival organizer looks like one of Errtu's kind, hatching plans for torture.His every word sounded to the barbarian's ear exactly like the baelor's: a savage sound of scratching metal from the bottom of his throat.
"I'm going to tell you a story," began Jarkeheld, "a story of treachery and lies and deceit, of friendships betrayed in order to profit from murder. This is the man!" He added in his voice Pointing to Krip Sharkey with force, "This is the man who told me everything, and the utter terror of this incident has kept me awake every night since then." The magistrate went on to detail Sharkey the offense stated.According to the unfortunate man, it was all Morik's idea.Morik and Wulfgar lured Deudermont outside the house so Tiannini could stab him with the stinger.Meanwhile Morik also pretended to stab the captain with a thorn, and a different poison was applied to the concealed weapon to ensure the priests could not heal the wounded, but the town guard arrived moments after the attack.Throughout the whole plan Krip Sharkey had tried his best to talk them out of it, but he hadn't succeeded out of fear of Wulfgar.The big man had threatened to wring his head off his shoulders and kick him down every street in Luskan.
Many of those onlookers had been victims of Wulfgar's coercive methods when he was still working in the tavern, so they felt that the last sentence had a very high degree of credibility.
"The crimes committed by the four of you are conspiracy and murder—the vile attempt to murder the venerable Captain Deudermont, a visitor of great standing in our fair city," Jacques Hale Ending the story, De said, before waiting for the roaring jeers from the audience to subside, "You four will be given the same heavy punishment. Out of the importance of fairness and justice, we want to hear your answers to these crimes that have been announced. "
He walked in front of Crip Sharkey. "Is what I said all you told me?" he asked.
"Yes sir, yes," replied Crip Sharkey eagerly, "they did it, they did it all!"
Some of the onlookers were throwing their yells of utter disbelief onto the stage, while others were just laughing at the guy, who had an utterly pathetic tone in his words.
"Mr. Shakey," continued Jarkeheld, "do you admit to the first charge announced?"
"I'm innocent!" Sharkey pleaded, his voice full of confidence as his collaborators had agreed to spare him the worst punishment the carnival had ever seen, but his voice was drowned out by the jeers of the audience middle.
"Do you admit to the second charge announced?"
"Innocent!" said the man defiantly, giving the magistrate a toothy smile.
"Guilty!" cried an old woman, "he is guilty, and deserves a terrible death for failing to condemn the actions of others!"
Immediately, a hundred voices rang out to support the woman's point of view, but Krip Shakey quickly put away his smile and appeared very confident.Jackheld walked up to the stage and patted the air with both hands to signal the audience to be quiet.When they finally fell silent, the magistrate said: "Crip Sharkey's story has helped us to incriminate others. Therefore, out of consideration for his cooperation, we have agreed to leniency for him." This The decision was immediately met with thunderous boos and jeering whistles, "for his honesty, for the fact that what he said — what was not questioned by others — he had no direct involvement in."
"I doubt it!" cried Morik, as the crowd roared.Jackheld simply motioned to the next guard, and Morik received a savage bludgeon in the stomach.
More boos erupted from the crowd, but Jarkeheld refused them all, and the grin on the bright Krip Sharkey's face widened.
"We agree to his leniency," said Jackheld, throwing up his hands as if there was nothing he could do, "and therefore we should put him to death quickly."
Crip Sharkey's grin was set on his face like a stone, and the boos immediately turned into a chorus of approving roars.
Despite his spitting protests, and despite his legs no longer being able to support his upper body, Krip Sharkey was led to a guillotine and forced to kneel there.
"I'm innocent!" he shouted, but the apology was cut short abruptly when a guard forced him against the guillotine, slamming his face against the wooden blocks of the platform.A tall executioner came onto the stage holding a terrible big axe.
"You can't kill with one blow if you struggle," a guard warned him.
Krip Sharkey looked up: "But you promised me!"
The guard pushed him back to the table with a "bang", "Don't move!" one of them ordered.Feeling terrified, Krip lay on the execution platform, struggling and jumping, rolling desperately.The guards made a lot of noise trying to get hold of him.He kicked his legs savagely, while the onlookers roared, jeered, and shouted "Hang him!" "Kill him!"
"What a lovely crowd," said Captain Deudermont to Robilla sarcastically.Together with several other crew members on the Sea Spirit, they were among the cheering crowd.
"Justice," said the mage firmly.
"I hope so," said the captain thoughtfully. "Is this justice, or entertainment? There is a line here, my friend. Look at this daily exhibition. I believe that the administrators of Luskan long ago could have It draws the line very clearly."
"You asked to be here," Robillard reminded him.
"It is my duty to come here as a witness," Deudermont replied.
"I'm talking about Luskan here," Robilla clarified. "You asked to come to this city, Captain. I said I prefer Waterdeep."
Deudermont silenced his mage friend with a stern stare, but could not refute it himself.
"Stop your struggling!" the guard yelled at Crip, but the filthy creature moved harder, kicking and howling in despair.Several times he managed to evade the approaching hands of the guards, much to the amusement of the onlookers, who found the sight enjoyable.Krip's frantic movements made him meet Jackhelder's eyes for an instant.The magistrate's stern glance at him made Krip stop struggling.
"Draw him to quarters," Jackheld said deliberately and slowly.
This brought the cheers of the audience to a new climax.
Krip had only seen this ultimate punishment twice in his lifetime, and this sentence immediately stole the blood from his face, and made him feel a complete tremor in front of thousands of onlookers. , he peed his pants.
"You promised," he opened his mouth in a low voice that seemed to be panting, but loud enough for the magistrate to hear and come towards him.
"I did promise leniency," Jackheld said quietly, "so I will be true to my promise to you, but only if you cooperate. This is your choice."
The magistrate could hear groans of protest from those huddled close enough in the front row, but Jarkeheld ignored them.
"My four horses are waiting," he warned.
Krip started crying.
"Take him to the guillotine," the magistrate ordered the guards.This time Krip didn't struggle and resisted, and let those people drag him over, force him to maintain a kneeling position, and then push his head down.
"You promised." Crip whispered his last words, but the grim magistrate just smiled and nodded.This expression was not directed at Krip, but at a big man standing next to the pirate.
The huge ax was swung down, and the onlookers gasped in unison as if they were one person, and then burst into roars.Crip Sharkey's head tumbled onto the table and rolled a short distance.A guard rushed to pick it up, turning his face to the headless corpse.Because the legendary perfect decapitation technique can cut the head for a moment and then the guard quickly picks up the head. The poor man will still maintain consciousness for a second or two, which allows him enough time to see his body, but At this time, the expression of the victim will be twisted into the purest and perfect fear.
But not this time, because Krip Sharkey's expression was still as sad as the second before he died.
"Nice," Morik murmured sarcastically from the other side of the tribunal, "but this is by far the best fate the few of us left have had."
Neither Wulfgar nor Tiannini answered at either side of his waist.
"It's really beautiful." The thief who had been destined by fate said again.Morik wasn't used to being in such a desperate situation, but this was the first time he felt he had no choice at all.He gave Tiannini a disdainful glance before turning his attention to Wulfgar.The big man seemed so indifferent, so remote from the harm around him, that Morik envied his forgetfulness.
The rogue heard Jackheld's continuous, seemingly good-natured laughter as he communicated with the onlookers.He apologized for not being entertaining in his handling of Crip Sharkey, explaining that out of compassion and tolerance such contingencies should be allowed.Besides, why don't people think so: there are still people who will honestly confess their crimes?
Morik almost drowned in the magistrate's babble, and he insisted on the will in his head to lead himself to a safe and happy place.He thought of Wulfgar, fighting all injustice through this.They had become best friends, and once, they were rivals, and the new Savage's reputation on Half Moon Street had continued to rise, especially after he took down the murderous Woodshatter.To protect the last vestige of his trade's reputation, Morik had considered that Wulfgar would have to be removed, though murder was never the preferred course of action in the rogue's mind.
Then, when the two mightiest men were about to collide, a dark elf—a damned drow! — came to the room that Morik had rented, and came unexpectedly to order Morik to keep a close eye on Wulfgar, but not to hurt him.The dark elf gave Morik a lot of money.The rogue had stuck to the plan for a long time, considering that gold was indeed a far better reward than the drow's sharp-edged weapons, watching Wulfgar get closer and closer as the days went by.They had become a drinking party, spending the rest of the night together on deck, often until dawn.
Morik never received any more messages from the dark elves.If the drow suddenly came to order him to kill Wulfgar, the rogue doubted whether he would abide by the agreement.He now believed that Morik would have joined Wulfgar if he had received instructions from the dark elves to kill the barbarians.
Well, the Rogue was being more realistic in admitting that he probably wouldn't side with Wulfgar, but even then he'd warn the barbarians and run away, far enough away.
Now there is nowhere to escape.Morik tentatively wondered again whether the dark elves would show up to rescue the human they were so interested in.Perhaps a regiment of drow warriors is about to storm the Prisoner's Carnival, slicing through the frightened onlookers with their fine weapons, just as they are doing now on the Judgment Seat.
The fantasy didn't last, because Morik knew they wouldn't come to save Wulfgarle.Not this time.
"I'm really sorry, my friend." He apologized to Wulfgar, for Morik had insisted that most of the present situation was his fault.
Wulfgar didn't answer.Morik knew the big man hadn't even heard him, that his friend had long since drifted away from this place, sunk deep into his own consciousness.
Perhaps this is indeed the best way.Watching the jeering mob, listening to Jarkelder's incessant speech, watching the headless body of Krip Sharkey being dragged to the trial stand, Morik wished he could act like a savage People are as far away from themselves.
The magistrate recounted again the story told by Crip Sharkey: how these three others conspired to murder the most eminent of men, Captain Deudermont.Jackhelder walked towards Wulfgar this time.He looks at the locked-in man, shakes his head, and turns back to the audience, urging them to respond.
There was a torrent of mocking and cursing.
"You are the worst of them all!" roared Jachelder into the Savage's face. "He was your friend, and you betrayed him!"
"Kill him on Deudermont's ship!" came the demand of an anonymous onlooker.
"Pull it out and quarter it, then throw it into the sea and feed it to the fish!" shouted another.
Jackheld turned to the onlookers and raised his hand, asking for silence, and for a split second they obeyed. "This one," said the magistrate, "I believe we should save it for last."
The words immediately sparked another chorus of roars.
"What a day it will be," said Jachelder, the circus owner, "with all three of them refusing to confess their crimes!"
"Justice," Morik whispered under his breath.
Wulfgar stared straight ahead, unblinking, and poor Morik's only thought now was to make himself laugh at Jackhelder's ugly old face.Did the magistrate really think he could inflict more damage and torture on Wulfgar than Errtu?Could Jackhelder have created Catti-brie on stage, raped her, and then dismembered her in front of Wulfgar, as Errtu had done countless times?Could he bring an apparition of Bruenor and bite through the dwarf's skull in one bite, then make a bowl of brain stew from what's left of the dwarf's head?Could he inflict more damage than the demon on Wulfgar's body?Those daemons have spent eons perfecting torture into a masterly art.At the end of all this, could Jarkelder also bring Wulfgar from the brink of death again and again so that the barbarian could start over again and experience new fears?
Wulfgar understood something profound, and he would be happy to show it.This is why Jackheld and his stage look so pale and powerless in front of the Demonic Abyss.He will die here.At last he will be free.
Jackheld ran away from the savage, slammed on the brakes in front of Morik, grabbed his emaciated face in his own strong hands, and turned Morik roughly to face him. "Are you admitting your crime?" he screamed.
Morik was on the verge of admitting it, almost screaming that he was indeed complicit in the murder of Deudermont.Yes, he thought so, a plan began to quickly become clear in his mind.He'd admit to complicity, but only with the tattooed pirate, trying to save his innocent friend somehow.
But his melancholy made him miss the opportunity, for Jarkeld slapped Morik across the face with a snort of disgust, and at the same time put a clip around the lower part of the rogue's nose, A technical movement sent waves of sharp pain to Morik's eyes.Just as he blinked between pain and surprise, Jackheld had moved away, approaching Tiannini.
"Tiannini," the magistrate said slowly, trying to catch every syllable, and the way he said it reminded everyone how strange and exotic the demiman was. "Tell me, Tianini, what part are you in?"
The tattooed half-Qulan pirate stared straight ahead without blinking or speaking.
Jackheld snapped his hands into the air, and his assistant ran over from the side of the tribunal, handing him a wooden pipe.
Jackheld inspected the object in public, showing it to the onlookers. "Through this apparently inconspicuous tube, our pirate here can blow a dart as accurately as an archer can shoot an arrow," he explained, "and on that dart— For example, a tiny cat's claw—our pirate friend—can be smeared with some of the most potent poisons. The concoction can make blood flow from your eyes and bring on a fever so high that it burns your skin Turning the color of fire, or filling your nose and throat with mucus, making every breath so forced and difficult - the bouts of excruciating pain are nothing more than the agony of his dastardly skill. Part of it."
The onlookers performed with each word, gradually becoming more disgusted and angry.As a master performer, Jackheld weighed their reactions, performed his performance accordingly, and waited for the best moment.
"Are you admitting your crime?" Jackheld suddenly roared in Tiannini's face.
The tattooed pirate still stared blankly and said nothing.If he had been a pure-blood Qulan, he could cast a spell of chaos at this moment, making the magistrate stumbling, incoherent, confused, and forgetful, but Tiannini was not of pure blood, so he would not The magical ability unique to this race.But he had the concentration of the Qulan, in a way that, like Wulfgar, could remove himself from the sight.
"You'll admit it all," Jachelder promised, wagging his fingers angrily in front of Tiannini, unaware that the pirates had completely ignored everything in front of him, "but it's too late now. "
The audience goes into a state of frenzy as the guards unclip the pirate from the tied posts and pull him in front of another instrument of torture.After about an hour and a half of beatings, whippings, pouring salt water on the wounds, and even blinding Tianini in one eye with a red-hot poker, the pirates still didn't say a word.There was no confession, no rebuttal or plea for mercy, not even a scream.
With patience wearing thin, Jacheld walked up to Morik, hoping to change things.He didn't ask the thief if he pleaded guilty.In fact the Magistrate deliberately slapped Morik repeatedly in the face whenever he tried to speak.They strapped Morik on quickly, and the torturer turned the gears slowly, almost imperceptibly (except for Morik in agony) a little bit every minute.
During this time, Tianini has been enduring the brunt of the torture.When Jackheld came up to him again, the pirate could no longer stand, so the guards took him by the feet and hung him up.
"Ready to tell me the truth?" Jackheld asked.
Tiannini spit in his face.
"Bring the horses!" screamed the magistrate with terrified fury.The onlookers went into a wild frenzy.It is not uncommon for magistrates to use quartering by four horses.Those who witnessed it all boasted that it was the greatest performance in punishment.
Four white horses, each dragged by a strong rope, were drawn into the square.The town guard had to push back the crowd as the horses stepped onto the trial stand.For the purpose of performance, the magistrate Jacheld directed every movement of his men to perfection.Soon Tiannini was "safely" holstered and strapped to a horse at each wrist and ankle.
Under the signal of the magistrate, the riders lightly urged their strong mounts, and every two horses pointed in opposite directions, forming a cross.The tattooed pirate instinctively tensed his muscles and pulled back like a battle, but the resistance was of little use.Tiannini is stretched to the limit of the flesh.He groaned and panted, the riders and their well-trained mounts held the pirates to such a limit.A moment later there was a loud pop from one shoulder as the joint snapped off; soon Tianini's knee exploded as well.
Jackheld made a movement ordering the riders to remain as they were, and then he stepped up to the pirate, knife in one hand and whip in the other.He showed Tianini the shimmering blade, turning it back and forth before his eyes. "I can end the suffering," the magistrate promised, "confess your crime, and I will kill you quickly."
The half-Qulan man with the tattoo grunted and looked away.With Jackheld's wave, the riders made their horses take a few more small strides.
The man's pelvis was shattered, and how he screamed at the last moment!How the crowd cried out in gratitude as the skin began to peel away!
"Confession!" Jackheld yelled.
"I shot him!" cried Tiannini.Even before the onlookers could let out a groan of disappointment Jackheld roared, "It's too late!" and swung his whip.
The four horses leaped forward, ripping Tianini's legs from his mutilated body.Then two other horses pulled his wrists into a straight line, and at that moment his face contorted into an expression of horror in the burning pain and imminent death, and then the rest of his body was torn apart, He completely turned into four parts.
Some gasped, some threw up, and most cheered savagely.
"Just," Robilla said to Deudermont, who was whining in disgust, "it's a display like this that makes murder such an unfashionable trade."
Deudermont snorted, "This can only satisfy the lowest feelings of human beings." He retorted.
"I don't think so," replied Robillard, "I am not the one who makes the laws, but unlike your savage friend, I keep them. Do we need a sympathy for the pirates caught in the high seas?" ?"
"We did what we had to do," Deudermont argued. "We didn't torture them to satisfy our twisted desires."
"But we took our satisfaction in sinking them," retorted Robillard sharply, "we didn't weep over their deaths, and usually we didn't stop in pursuit of pirate ships in order to save them from the abyss of evil. Pull them out. And even when we capture them, it's only afterwards to throw the prisoners into the nearest port, usually Luskan, to be judged like this."
Deudermont had already lost the argument, so his eyes could only be stared straight ahead.But, to the captain's civilized and cultivated mind, the show was anything but fair.
Before the multitude of attendants wiped away the blood and filth from the square in front of the judgment seat, the Jackhelder returned to Morik and Wulfgar.
"Do you see how long it took to get him to admit the truth?" said the magistrate to Morik. "It was too late, so he suffered to the last. Will you do it like a fool?"
Morik, feeling as if limbs were beginning to snap, began to answer, to confess, but Jarkeheld put a finger to the man's mouth. "Now is not the time," he explained.
Morik was still about to open his mouth to speak, so Jackheld stopped him with two rags, one crumpled up and stuffed into his mouth, the other tied around his head to hold him in place.
The magistrate went behind the rack and produced a small wooden box, commonly known as a mouse box.The roar of the audience testifies to their excitement.Morik's eyes widened as he recognized the ghastly instrument of torture, and he struggled futilely against the shackles.He hated rats and had been terrified of them all his life.
His worst nightmare has come true.
Jackheld returned to the front of the tribunal again and held the box high, turning it so that the audience could see the delicate design.The front side of the box is a metal mesh, and the other three sides are made of solid wood.The bottom of the box was also wood, but there was left a panel to slide there, and a hole in the bottom for an exit.A rat will be stuffed into the box, which will then be placed on Morik's bare belly, and the door at the bottom will be opened.The box will then be lit.
The rat would escape by the only possible exit - and that was through Morik's body.
A gloved man came out holding the rat, quickly placed it in the box, and placed the box directly above the burglar's belly button.Then he didn't ignite it right away, but let the animal run first, its small and sharp claws touching the thief's skin, stinging him every moment.Morik struggled desperately.
Jackhelder walked towards Wulfgar.This raised the excitement and joy among the onlookers to a new level, and the magistrate imagined how he could push it to the top, imagining what he could do to this stoic and restrained behemoth, and Compared with the previous two executions, it can bring more exciting scenery.
"As we did to your friend Morik?" the magistrate asked.
Wulfgar, who had seen the heartland of Errtu's plane, who had been chewed by the Creator, who had been feared by a legion of rats, made no answer.
"They have honored you by placing you in the highest position," Robilla said to Deudermont. "Luskan rarely executes with such luxury as this."
These words echoed in Captain Deudermont's mind, especially the first sentence.This was what the thought of standing on the land of Luskan brought about.No, that would just provide an excuse for the sadistic Jarkeld to treat the prisoners, even if some of them were guilty.Deudermont had never believed that Wulfgar or Morik had any part in the murder.In particular, the statement that "this is all out of respect for him" made Deudermont feel deeply disgusted.
"Mr. Mason!" he ordered, quickly scribbling a note and handing it to the young man.
"No!" Robila insisted, he understood what Deudermont was thinking, he clearly knew that such a big move would sacrifice the entire Sea Spirit, as well as its prestige and supporters. "They deserve to die!"
"Who are you judging?" Deudermont asked.
"It's not me!" the mage protested. "It's them," he explained, waving his arms at the onlookers.
Deudermont's contemptuous sneer showed the absurdity of the idea.
"Captain, we will be forced to leave Luskan, and we will not be welcome after that," Robilla pointed out.
"They'll forget about it when the next batch of prisoners are pulled out for the people's entertainment, probably at dawn tomorrow." The captain gave a crooked, humorless smile, "Besides, you don't I like Luskan."
Robila groaned and sighed, and raised his hands to indicate that he had lost to Deudermont. This man who was greatly influenced by civilization slipped a note to Mason and ordered him to rush to the magistrate.
"Light the box!" Jackheld ordered from the stage as the guards turned Wulfgar so that the barbarian could witness Morik's pain.
Wulfgar couldn't take himself away from the sight of the mouse box being set on fire.The terrified animal ran around the box before digging.
The sight of inflicting such pain on a friend caught Wulfgar's eye, reaching into the private realm of his mind, scratching at the wall of denial he'd built, even as the rat bit its way through Morik's skin.The barbarian let out a roar so dangerous, so untamed and untamed, that it turned all eyes on Morik in suffering.Huge muscles tensed and flexed, Wulfgar flung his battered body aside, sending the man holding him far away.The barbarian swung a leg like a whip, driving the iron ball and chain and sweeping them towards the guy on the other side of his body.A huge force sent the guard straight to the square.
Wulfgar tugged as the others slammed him, as the sticks rained down on him, and as Jachelder interrupted his entertainment plans when Morik spat out gag balls.事情而怒火中烧大声喊叫时，不知出于何故，令人不能相信地，强壮的沃夫加在拉扯中使双臂获得了自由，突然扑向拉肢刑架。
一个个守卫向他冲过来。他将他们又都扔了开去，好像当这些人是孩子一样，但这些冲击使得沃夫加无法再向莫里克迈近一步，此时盗贼已经因为痛苦而开始尖叫了。
“把那东西拿开！”莫里克喊道。
突然间沃夫加脸朝地摔在了地上。贾克海尔德刚才挪到了足够近的距离之后将手中的鞭子响亮地“啪”地一声狠狠地挥到了大个子的背上！
“承认你的罪行！”激怒的地方官在他邪恶地鞭打着沃夫加的时候要求道。
沃夫加吼叫着、挣扎着、又一个守卫摔了出去，然后接下来那个的鼻子就像条大鼻涕虫一样黏满了自己的脸。
“把它拿开！”莫里克再次哭喊。
围观者爱死这种场面了。贾克海尔德确切地感受到自己的演出技巧已经到达了一个新的层次。
“停下！”从观众中传来了一声喊叫，成功地穿透了人们的吼声和啐骂声，“够了！”
但当围观群众转头并认出说话者是海灵号的杜德蒙船长时，激动和兴奋迅速地消失死寂了。杜德蒙面色憔悴地倚在一根藤条上。
当威廉·麦森穿越守卫登上审判台时地方官贾克海尔德的颤抖只能变得更为剧烈。麦森冲到地方官身边将杜德蒙的便条递给他看。
地方官将它拉直展开，读着上面的字。出于惊奇，甚至是有些被吓晕了，他被上面的话刺激得更为愤怒了。贾克海尔德抬头看向杜德蒙，同时有目的地指示一个警卫再次塞住了一直在尖叫的莫里克的嘴，而其他人则将被打得奄奄一息的沃夫加的双腿重新锁起来。
在毫不关心自己和对什么正在折磨着莫里克毫不之情的情况下，沃夫加还是从抓着他的人手中争取到了一点时间。他挣扎蹒跚着，在跌倒前挥动了悬在脚上的铁球和锁链，成功地触到、并将放在莫里克腹部的正在燃烧的老鼠盒子打了下来。
他再次被殴打，并拖到贾克海尔德面前。
“这样做只会使莫里克变得更糟。”虐待狂地方官冷冷地承诺道，他转向杜德蒙，脸上是一种明显被侮辱的神色。“杜德蒙船长！”他叫道，“作为受害人和一个被公认的贵族，你的确有权力递上这样一张便条，但是你真的肯定要这样做吗？在这样一个最后时刻？”
杜德蒙向前走去，毫不理会周围那些抱怨和抗议，甚至是威胁，嗜杀成性的人群中他高高地站在那里，“证明克里普·沙基和那个纹身海盗有罪的证据是牢不可破的，”他解释道，“但它也是似是而非的，据莫里克所说，真正的计划是他和沃夫加来承受罪责，而那两个则只需要享受报酬。”
“但是，”贾克海尔德争辩着，用手指着空气，“这种讲法同样也是似是而非的啊，根据克里普·沙基所说的，一次共谋使得他们都有罪。”
围观者们感到困惑，怀疑着他们的娱乐可能就要结束了，出于这样的想法，他们总觉得自己更喜欢地方官贾克海尔德的解释。
“那么裘西·帕杜斯的故事听起来也不就变得似是而非了吗，一个与盗贼莫里克和沃夫加有着非比寻常关系的人。”贾克海尔德继续说道，“也许我提醒了您，船长，野蛮人甚至都没有拒绝克里普·沙基的要求。”
杜德蒙看向沃夫加，野蛮人还是继续保持着他那除了怒火冲天外没有其他一丝表情的姿势。
“杜德蒙船长，你能够证明这个人的清白吗？”贾克海尔德指着沃夫加问道，说话的声音又慢又响，以让全部人都能听到。
“我没有这个权力，”杜德蒙在那些嗜血乡下人的抗议呼喊声中回答，“我不能决定有罪或者清白，但却可以提供你眼前条子上所写的那些。”
地方官贾克海尔德慌忙地再次看向那张便条，然后举着它将之展示给微观群众看。“一封宽恕沃夫加的信。”他解释道。
人们就像众位一体般安静了下来，然后便开始了冲撞、喊叫和咒骂。一时间杜德蒙和贾克海尔德都害怕可能会发生暴乱。
“这真是个愚蠢的主意！”贾克海尔德咆哮道。
“据您所称，我是个有着尊贵地位的访问者，地方官贾克海尔德，”杜德蒙冷静地回答，“凭着这种地位我要求本城宽恕沃夫加，而且凭着这种地位我希望您能尊重这一要求，或者起码能面对你上级的质问。”
这一下状况变得完全坦白、果断、让人没有一丝回转的空间了。贾克海尔德被限制住了，杜德蒙和地方官都知道，因为的确，船长完全有权力提供这样一个宽恕。这些话是不同寻常的，一般来说被宽恕者的家族都需要付出一大笔开销，但这种状况却从没有像今天一样以如此戏剧性的方式出现过。就在罪犯狂欢节上，在贾克海尔德最伟大的表演秀中最为重要的一刻！
“沃夫加去死！”人群中有人在大叫，其他人也参予了进来，而在这危急的时刻贾克海尔德和杜德蒙的视线都盯着沃夫加。
他们的表情对野蛮人来说根本毫无意义，他仍然沉浸在对死亡所带来的自由的想象之中，也许这是他逃离那常浮现在脑海中的记忆最好的一次机会了。而当沃夫加看向莫里克时，这个人的躯体伸长到几乎都要被拉断了，他腹部胃的位置满是鲜血，警卫们正将另一只老鼠带过来，野蛮人知道这不是选择不选择的问题，盗贼对他的忠诚无以复加。
“我同那次袭击一点关系都没有，”沃夫加有气无力地公然宣告，“相信我，要不就杀了我吧。这一切对我来说都没什么大不了的了。”
“这下你可听到了，贾克海尔德地方官，”杜德蒙说道，“放了他，如果你愿意这样做的话。请尊重我作为路斯坎一位地位尊贵的访问者所作出的宽恕。”
贾克海尔德盯着杜德蒙看了很长时间。老家伙明显地不想赞成这一主张，但他还是冲警卫们点点头，随后沃夫加被迅速地从他们的掌握之中释放出来。在贾克海尔德的命令发出好一会儿，才有个人战战兢兢地拿着把钥匙来到沃夫加脚边，解开了铁球和锁链脚镣。
“带他离开这儿。”生气的贾克海尔德指示道，但大个子对守卫们试图将他推下审判台的举动做出了抵抗。
“莫里克是无辜的。”沃夫加宣称道。
“什么？”贾克海尔德惊呼道，“拉他走！”
沃夫加的强壮是超出了守卫们的想象的，他一动不动地站在那里。“我声明盗贼莫里克的清白！”他喊道，“他什么也没做，如果你还要这么对他，那么你所做的只是为了满足你那恶魔般的欲望，而不是以公正之名！”
“你们两个说得可真像啊。”罗毕拉带着明显的厌恶来到船长身后对杜德蒙悄声说道。
“贾克海尔德地方官！”船长的声音压过了群众的喊叫。
贾克海尔德眼睛直直地盯着他，想知道接下来该怎么办。船长只是点了点头。愁眉苦脸的地方官猛地撕掉他那些羊皮纸文件，愤怒地冲他那些守卫挥挥手，之后一阵风般狂怒地离开了审判台。同样狂怒的人群向前挤压着，但城镇警卫将他们顶了回去。
宽宽的微笑中，向着那些想要对他唾吐的乡下人伸伸舌头，莫里克跟在沃夫加后面，被半拖半抬地带离了审判台。
莫里克花费了走向地方官办公室路上的几乎所有时间来安慰沃夫加。盗贼能够分辨出大个子此时的表情又回到了沃夫加曾被锁在自己那些可怕回忆中时的样子。他担心野蛮人会撕开墙壁杀掉地方官一半以上的助手。盗贼的腹部还是血淋淋的，他的胳膊和双腿也传来了比以往都要厉害的疼痛。他可一点都不想再回到囚犯狂欢节上去了。
莫里克想象着他们被带到贾克海尔德面前时的样子。那景象肯定会给沃夫加以爆炸性的刺激，这使得他的恐惧又加深了一些。令他感到安慰的是，陪同的警卫避开了贾克海尔德的办公室，转而来到了一间小小的、毫无特征的房间。一个神情紧张不安的小个子坐在一张巨大的桌子后面，桌面上垃圾般堆着些论乱不堪的纸张。
一个守卫将杜德蒙的便条呈现给这个人看。他快速地瞥了一眼，鼻子里哼了一声，因为他早就得知了囚犯狂欢节上令人失望的表现。这个小个子飞快地将自己签名的手写字母涂在了便条上，完成了其已被回复和接受的程序。
“你们并不是清白的，”他将便条递给沃夫加，说道，“你们这些流氓也不能宣告自己是清白的。”
“我们已经被告知可以自由地离开。”莫里克争辩。
“确实，”这个官僚说道，“但不是真正自由地离开，而是被强迫离开。你们能逃脱死刑是因为杜德蒙船长显然不忍心看到对你们的处罚，但他也明白在路斯坎的眼中你们是被判有罪的。因此，你们将被终生驱逐。从大门滚出城去，如果你们在城里被再次抓到，那么你俩就会最后一次面对囚犯狂欢节了。就算是杜德蒙船长也不能再为你们求情了。懂了吗？”
“不算困难的任务。”莫里克回答。
那个蛀虫官僚盯着他看了看，而莫里克只是耸耸肩。
“带他们离开这里。”这个人命令道。一个守卫走过来抓住莫里克的胳膊，另一个想要抓住沃夫加，但野蛮人只是动了动肩膀并投过来一道目光，便使得这个家伙认识到最好还是别这么做。但沃夫加还是一路走了出去没有争辩，很快，这一对伙伴就来到了阳光下，没有镣铐束缚的他们这些天来第一次感受到了自由。
但令两人惊奇的是，警卫并没有立刻离开他们，而是将他们一路护送到了城市的东城门门口。
“出去，别再回来了。”他们中的一个这样说道，随后大门在两人身后“呯”地关上了。
“为什么我还非要回到你们这个肮脏的城市？”莫里克喊道，然后在那些士兵从城墙上往下看时摆了几个下流而带有污辱性的姿势。
一个守卫举起把十字弩瞄准了莫里克，“瞧啊，”他说道，“那只小老鼠想要偷溜回城。”
莫里克知道是时候该离开了，而且要马上。他转过身开始这样做，随后回头看向那个士兵时，发现那人脸上表现出机警的表情，快速降低了手中的弓。而当莫里克看向背后时，他明白了，因为杜德蒙船长和他的法师伙伴正在快速走过来。
一瞬间，所发生的一切让莫里克认为杜德蒙将他们从贾克海尔德手中救出来只是因为他渴望能由自己来更为严格地执行这一惩罚。这种恐惧只存在了一小会儿，因为船长笔直走向了沃夫加，两眼狠狠地盯着他但没有做出任何威胁性的动作。沃夫加迎上了他的目光，没有眨眼也没有畏缩。
“你所说的都是真的吗？”杜德蒙问道。
沃夫加打了个鼻息，很明显这就是船长所能得到的所有的回答。
“沃夫加，贝奥尼加之子，你身上到底发生了什么事？”杜德蒙静静地说道。沃夫加转过身要走开，但船长冲到了他的前面，“你欠我这个，至少。”他说道。
“我什么都不欠你。”沃夫加回答。
杜德蒙对这个答复考虑了一会儿，莫里克知道这位海员正在努力想从沃夫加的观点里看出些什么。
“同意，”船长说道，而罗毕拉则不愉快地鼓了鼓腮帮子，“你有权利宣布你的清白。这么一说，你就不欠我了，因为我除了正确的事情外什么都没干。现在凭着以前的友情请听我说。”
沃夫加冷冷地看着他，但并没有立刻走开。
“我不知道是什么使你堕落了，我的朋友，什么将你从像崔斯特·杜垩登和凯蒂布莉尔那样的伙伴身边引开，还有你的养父，布鲁诺，这个将你带大并教你为人处世的矮人，”船长说道，“我只能祈祷那三位还有半身人能够平安。”
杜德蒙停了一下，但沃夫加什么都没说。
“酒瓶子里是无法得到永久的慰藉的，我的朋友，”船长说，“而替酒馆防范那些普通的顾客也不是什么英雄的行为。为什么你要放弃你所知的这个世界？”
听够了之后，沃夫加开始走开了。当船长再次步入他身前时，大个子仍然以毫不减慢的速度前行，莫里克则跌跌跄跄地跟在后头。
“我给你提供出路。”杜德蒙毫无预兆地（甚至对杜德蒙自己而言）在他身后喊道。
“船长！”罗毕拉表示抗议，但杜德蒙甩开他，踉跄地跟在沃夫加和莫里克后面。
“和我一起到海灵号上去，”杜德蒙说道，“我们可以一起猎杀海盗保护剑湾那些正直的水手。你会从中找回你自己的，我保证！”
“我只想听到你对我的定义，”沃夫加阐明道，他回转身让莫里克保持安静，因为盗贼看上去正在为所提供的条件所迷惑，“其他我什么都不想听。”沃夫加转过身继续上路。
下颚长得大大的，莫里克眼看着他离开。但他回转身时，杜德蒙已经同样退回到了城内。但罗毕拉仍然留在原地一副酸溜溜的表情。
“也许我可以？”莫里克开始边问边走向法师。
“快点给我消失，盗贼，”罗毕拉威胁道，“除非你想变成路边的一块烂泥，等待着下一次雨水把你冲走。”
聪明的莫里克，最终的生存者，这个讨厌法师的人，没有再说第二遍。
Notes: ①一种拉伸受害者肢体的工具或刑具。
Notes: ①一种拉伸受害者肢体的工具或刑具。