Chapter 96

LET HER GO, I told him. This isn't her fight.

The Tafur was large and strong, and he twisted Emilie roughly by the hair with his sword edged into her neck. His dark hair was long and greasy¹ and fell over his scarred face. A cross was burned into his neck.

Let her go?He laughed. The Tafur twisted Emilie harder. But she is so pretty and sweet. What a treat she'll make for me. He inhaled² her hair. Like you, I am not used to sifting³ my pole through such highborn trash.

I took a step toward him. What is it you want from me?

I think you know,innkeeper.... I think you know where we have met once before too.

I focused on his hard, laughing eyes. Suddenly the past rocketed through me. The church in Antioch.

He was the bastard⁴ who had killed the Turk.

You are the one doing these terrible deeds? The Tafur grinned in recognition.

`You are free'...innkeeper. Do you not remember? When I saw you last you had an infidel about to plow⁵ your ass⁶. But enough of old times. He forced Emilie to her knees. I would be happy to let her go. You only have to hand over what is mine.

Tell me what you want! I shouted. You've already taken everything I have.

Not all, innkeeper. He forced Emilie's chin up and edged his silvery blade along her neck. She sucked in a gasp⁷. Where is it? Her future awaits.

Where is what? I screamed, I looked at Emilie, so helpless there. Anger flared⁸ in my blood.

Do not toy with me, Red. The Tafur glared. You were there in Antioch, the church. I saw you. You were no more praying than I was. Quick now, or I will ram⁹ my blade through her pretty skull¹⁰.

I was there...Suddenly it came clear to me. The cross. The gold cross I had stolen from the church. That is what this was all about. Why so many people had died. It is buried on the hill, I said. Let her go. It is yours.

I will not barter¹¹ with you. The Tafur's face began to twitch¹² with rage. Hand me what I want, or she will be pig slop, and you next.

Then take it. I stole it from the church. It was just a trinket to me. I don't even know what it is, what it signifies. Just let her go and I will bring the gold cross to you. Just let her go.

Cross... ? I could not tell if it was confusion or rage that shook his lips. He dug the blade into Emilie and spat¹³, I do not want your fucking cross, not if you took it from Saint Peter's ass. You know very well what prize you hold.

Idon't know! My head was spinning. Panic shot through me. I do not have anything else.

You must. He jerked Emilie's head back.

No! I cried.What else could it be? I looked at this monster. Black Cross. He had killed Sophie. He had tossed my son into the flames. He had taken from me everything I loved. And now he would do it again. For what? For a thing I did not have!

Whatever it is, is it worth following me all the way back from the Holy Land? Slaughtering¹⁴ innocent villages and children? My wife and child?

It is! His eyes lit up. Those souls are meaningless compared to it, and a thousand more like your wife and seed.Now, innkeeper! he yelled. Or I will rid the world of yet another you claim to love.

No. I shook my head, at first numbly¹⁵, then with rage. You will not take anything else from me.

I looked at Emilie. Her eyes bravely met mine.

I knew if I charged him, he wouldnot kill her. It was me the Tafur needed. I was the path to his precious prize, not her. He would not risk leaving himself unguarded. I gripped my staff firmly in my palms. It was all I had, this stick against his sword. And my hands. And my will.

In the next breath, I screamed and charged the bastard.

1 greasy   

adj. 多脂的，油脂的

参考例句：

• He bought a heavy-duty cleanser to clean his greasy oven.昨天他买了强力清洁剂来清洗油污的炉子。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

2 inhaled   

v.吸入( inhale的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. 她合上双眼，深深吸了一口气。
• Janet inhaled sharply when she saw him. 珍妮特看到他时猛地吸了口气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 sifting   

n.筛，过滤v.筛( sift的现在分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审

参考例句：

• He lay on the beach, sifting the sand through his fingers. 他躺在沙滩上用手筛砂子玩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was sifting the cinders when she came in. 她进来时，我正在筛煤渣。 来自辞典例句

4 bastard   

n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子

参考例句：

• He was never concerned about being born a bastard.他从不介意自己是私生子。
• There was supposed to be no way to get at the bastard.据说没有办法买通那个混蛋。

5 plow   

n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough

参考例句：

• At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.每年这个时候农民们都在耕地。
• We will plow the field soon after the last frost.最后一场霜过后，我们将马上耕田。

6 ass   

n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人

参考例句：

• He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
• An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

7 gasp   

n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说

参考例句：

• She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
• The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。

8 Flared   

adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
• The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

9 ram   

(random access memory)随机存取存储器

参考例句：

• 512k RAM is recommended and 640k RAM is preferred.推荐配置为512K内存，640K内存则更佳。

10 skull   

n.头骨；颅骨

参考例句：

• The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
• He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

11 barter   

n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易

参考例句：

• Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
• They have arranged food imports on a barter basis.他们以易货贸易的方式安排食品进口。

12 twitch   

v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛

参考例句：

• The smell made my dog's nose twitch.那股气味使我的狗的鼻子抽动着。
• I felt a twitch at my sleeve.我觉得有人扯了一下我的袖子。

13 spat   

n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声

参考例句：

• Her parents always have spats.她的父母经常有些小的口角。
• There is only a spat between the brother and sister.那只是兄妹间的小吵小闹。

14 slaughtering   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The Revolutionary Tribunal went to work, and a steady slaughtering began. 革命法庭投入工作，持续不断的大屠杀开始了。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• \"Isn't it terrific slaughtering pigs? “宰猪的！ 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

15 numbly   

adv.失去知觉，麻木

参考例句：

• Back at the rickshaw yard, he slept numbly for two days. 回到车厂，他懊睡了两天。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• He heard it numbly, a little amazed at his audacity. 他自己也听得一呆，对自己的莽撞劲儿有点吃惊。 来自辞典例句