按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
ntact by the next day。
The army sprang to alert as the four figures in white wolf…pelt mantles marched toward them。 Shouts erupted; and were repeated back through the ranks。 Tent flaps were flung open and men poured out。 Swords were drawn; sending the ring of steel into the cold; twilight air。 Men with spears came running through the snow。 Men with bows took up positions; nocking arrows。 A wall of several hundred men put themselves between her and the mand tents。 More were ing at a run; pulling on clothes; shouting to others still in their tents。
Kahlan and the three men with her came to a halt。 She stood tall and still。 Behind her; Chandalen; Prindin; and Tossidin leaned lazily on their spears。
A man of rank tumbled out of the largest tent as he pulled on a heavy; brown coat。 He made his way through the wall of men; shouting at the archers to hold their arrows。 He was joined by two others of rank as he stumbled through the line of defenders。 She recognized his rank as he approached。 He was the captain。 The two men with him; one to each side; were lieutenants。
When he drew himself to a panting halt before her; she let the hood of her mantle drop back。 Her long hair fell across the white fur。
‘What is the 。。。’ The captain’s eyes went suddenly wide。 He and the two lieutenants collapsed to a knee。
Every man as far as she could see fell to his knees。 Every head bowed。 The rustle of wool; the creek of leather; and the clang of steel fell silent。 The three men with her cast one another glances of wonder; they had never seen the Mother Confessor greeted by anyone but Mud People before。 The only sound was the slow creak of branches in the cold breeze。
‘Rise; my children。’
Acpanied by the renewed racket of movement; all came to their feet。 The captain stood and gave her a smart bow; from the waist。 He came up with a proud smile。
‘Mother Confessor; what an honor!’
Kahlan stared in disbelief at his square jaw; his wavy light brown hair; his clear; blue eyes; his young; handsome face。
‘You’re a child;’ she whispered。 She looked around to the hundreds; the thousands; of young; bright eyes all fixed on her。 She blinked at them。 She could feel the blood going to her face。
Her fists tightened as she shook with rage。 ‘You’re children! You’re all children!’
The captain glanced back to his men with an embarrassed expression bordering on hurt。 ‘Mother Confessor; we’re new recruits; but we’re all soldiers of the Galean army。’
‘You are all children;’ she whispered。 ‘Children!’
Silence swept over the gathered recruits。 Most looked to be fifteen or sixteen years。 The captain and his two lieutenants shifted their weight and hung their heads。 Some of the men couldn’t help staring openly at Chandalen; Prindin; and Tos…sidin。 They had never seen anyone like them before。
Kahlan grabbed the captain’s lapels and began dragging him off。 She growled to the two lieutenants。 ‘You two e along with us。’ She glared over their heads。 ‘Everyone go back to what you were doing!’
There was a rattle of swords being returned to scabbards and arrows to quivers as she dragged the captain out of earshot of his men。 When she reached the trees; she pulled him toward a log and released him with an angry shove。
Kahlan flopped down on a snow…covered log as if it were a throne。 She folded her arms。 Chandalen stood to her right; Prindin and Tossidin to her left。 They planted the butts of their spears and waited in silence。
She gritted her teeth。 ‘What is your name; Captain?’
He fumbled with a brass button on his open coat。 ‘I’m Bradley Ryan。’ His blue eyes came up。 ‘Captain Bradley Ryan; Mother Confessor。’ He quickly glanced away to the man at his right。 ‘This is Lieutenant Nolan Sloan。’ He pointed to the other side。 ‘This is Lieutenant Flin Hobson。’
‘How many children do you have along with you; Captain Ryan?’
He stiffened a little。 ‘Mother Confessor; we may be younger than you; although not by much; and you may not think highly of us; but we’re soldiers。 Good soldiers。’
‘Good soldiers。’ She was hardly able to keep herself from screaming at him。 ‘If you’re such good soldiers; why was I able to walk; unnoticed; through your line of sentries?’ His face reddened and he made a visible effort to remain silent。 ‘And is there a one of these good soldiers; including you three; that is beyond eighteen?’ He pressed his lips tighter and shook his head。 ‘Then I repeat; how many children do you have along with you?’
There are four and a half thousand under my mand。’
‘And do you know; Captain Ryan; that you are about to stumble upon a force ten times your size?’
Captain Ryan lifted an eyebrow; and a little…boy grin grew out of one side of his mouth。 ‘We’re not about to ‘stumble’ upon anyone; Mother Confessor。 We’re about to catch them。 We’ve been chasing them。 I think we’ll have them tomorrow。’
She gritted her teeth anew。 ‘Have them? Tomorrow; if I hadn’t caught up with you; young man; you and all your ‘men’ would die。 You have no idea of the army you are about to catch。’
He lifted his chin。 ‘We know what we are chasing。 We have scouts; you know。 I get reports。’
Kahlan shot to her feet; thrusting her arm to the right and pointing。 ‘There are fifty thousand men around that mountain!’
‘Fifty…two thousand; and a few hundred。’ He shrugged。 ‘We’re not stupid。 We know what we’re doing。’
Her arm dropped as she glared。 ‘Oh you do; do you? And just what were you going to do once you caught them?’
Captain Ryan smiled as he leaned in; sure that he could prove to her that he indeed did know what he was doing。 ‘Well; they’re about to e to a divergence in the pass。 I’m going to send a force up there; around them; to e in from each fork。 They’ll think they’re being attacked by a large force。 We’re going to drive them back this way; where we’re going to be waiting for them; beyond the narrows just ahead。
Then; we’re going to retreat back this way; to the narrows; then split the flank; let them in; until they have nowhere to go。 The pikemen will be bunched in the narrowest place; they’re called the Anvil。 Archers to the sides will hold the enemy to the center。 The force driving them is called the Hammer。’ His grin widened。 ‘We’ll crush them in the middle。’
He flicked his hand in a casual manner as he straightened a little。 ‘It’s a classic tactic。 It’s called the Hammer and Anvil。’
Dumbfounded; Kahlan stared at him。 ‘I know what it’s called; young man。 The Hammer and Anvil is a bold maneuver 。。。 under the right conditions。 Against a force ten times your size it’s beyond foolhardy。 You are a badger trying to swallow an ox whole。’
‘We were taught that with good timing; and determination; a small force of good men; in a tight place; like this valley 。。。’
‘Good men? You think that’s going to count with the spirits? Is that what your pride and presumption leads you to think!’ The captain’s eyes descended to the ground。 ‘You can’t push a boulder with a stick!