srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第23部分

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！


　　　　Then　Quirrel　slowed　abruptly　and　stopped。　Triock　and　Foamfollower　caught　up　with　her；　found　her　with　another　Stonedownor　woman。　The　woman　whispered　quickly；　〃Triock；　the　people　are　ready。　Enemies　approach。　They　are　many；　but　the　scouts　saw　no　Cavewights　or　ur…viles。　How　shall　we　fight　them？〃
　　　　As　she　spoke；　Covenant　dropped　to　the　ground。　He　stamped　his　feet　to　speed　the　circulation　in　his　knees　and　stepped　close　to　Triock　so　that　he　could　hear　what　was　said。
　　　　〃Someone　among　them　has　eyes；〃　Triock　responded。　〃They　hunt　the　High　Wood。〃
　　　　〃So　say　the　elders。〃
　　　　〃We　will　use　it　to　lure　them。　I　will　remain　on　this　side　of　the　Stonedown…away　from　them；　so　that　they　must　search　all　the　homes　to　find　me。　The　houses　will　disrupt　their　formations；　e　between　them。　The　Stonedown　itself　and　surprise　will　aid　us。　Tell　the　people　to　conceal　themselves　on　this　side…behind　the　walls；　in　the　outer　houses。　Go。〃
　　　　The　woman　turned　and　ran　toward　the　Stonedown。　Triock　followed　her　more　slowly；　giving　instructions　to　Quirrel　and　Yeurquin　as　he　moved。　With　Foamfollower　at　his　side；　Covenant　hurried　after　them；　trying　to　figure　out　how　to　keep　himself　alive　when　the　fighting　started。　Triock　seemed　sure　that　the　marauders　were　after　the　lomillialor；　but　Covenant　had　other　ideas。　He　was　prepared　to　believe　that　this　band　of　Foul's　creatures　had　e　for　him　and　the　white　gold。
　　　　He　panted　his　way　up　a　long　hill　behind　Triock；　and　when　they　topped　it；　he　found　himself　overlooking　the　crouched　stone　shapes　of　the　village。　In　the　unhale　dawn；　he　made　out　the　rough；　circular　configuration　of　the　Stonedown；　its　irregular　houses；　most　of　them　flat…roofed　and　single…storied；　stood　facing　inward　around　its　open　center；　the　gathering　place　for　its　people。
　　　　In　the　distance；　near　the　mouth　of　the　valley；　were　the　fires　of　the　marauders。　They　moved　swiftly；　as　if　they　had　the　scent　of　prey　in　their　nostrils。
　　　　Triock　stopped　for　a　moment　to　peer　through　the　gloom　toward　them。　Then　he　said　to　Foamfollower；　〃If　this　also　goes　astray；　I　leave　the　High　Wood　and　the　Unbeliever　in　your　care。　You　must　do　what　I　cannot。〃
　　　　〃It　must　not　go　astray；〃　Foamfollower　replied。　〃We　cannot　allow　it。　What　is　there　that　I　could　do　in　your　stead？〃
　　　　Triock　jerked　his　head　toward　Covenant。　〃Forgive　him。〃
　　　　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　he　started　at　a　lope　down　the　hill。
　　　　Covenant　rushed　to　catch　up　with　him；　but　his　dead　feet　slipped　so　uncertainly　through　the　snow　that　he　could　not　move　fast　enough。　He　did　not　overtake　Triock　until　they　were　almost　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　There　Covenant　grabbed　his　arm；　stopped　him；　and　panted　steamily　into　his　face；　〃Don't　forgive　me。　Don't　do　any　more　violence　to　yourself　for　me。　Just　give　me　a　weapon　so　I　can　defend　myself。〃
　　　　Triock　struck　Covenant's　hand　away。　〃A　weapon；　Unbeliever？〃　he　barked。　''　Use　your　ring。〃　But　a　moment　later　he　controlled　himself；　fought　down　his　bitterness。　Softly；　he　said；　〃Covenant；　perhaps　one　day　we　will　e　to　prehend　each　other；　you　and　I。〃　Reaching　into　his　cloak；　he　drew　out　a　stone　dagger　with　a　long　blade；　and　handed　it　to　Covenant　gravely；　as　if　they　were　rades。　Then　he　hastened　away　to　join　the　people　scurrying　toward　their　positions　on　the　outskirts　of　the　village。
　　　　Covenant　regarded　the　knife　as　if　it　were　a　secret　asp。　For　a　moment；　he　was　uncertain　what　to　do　with　it；　now　that　he　had　a　weapon；　he　could　not　imagine　using　it。　He　had　had　other　knives；　the　implications　of　which　were　ambiguous。　He　looked　questioningly　up　at　Foamfollower；　but　the　Giant's　attention　was　elsewhere。　He　was　staring　intently　toward　the　approach　of　the　fires；　and　his　eyes　held　a　hot；　enthusiastic　gleam；　as　if　they　reflected　or　remembered　slaughter。　Covenant　winced　inwardly。　He　passed　the　knife　back　and　forth　between　his　hands；　almost　threw　it　away；　then　abruptly　opened　his　jacket　and　slid　the　blade　under　his　belt。
　　　　〃Now　what？〃　he　demanded；　trying　to　distract　Foamfollower's　stare。　〃Do　we　just　stand　here；　or　should　we　start　running　around　in　circles？〃
　　　　The　Giant　looked　down　sharply　and　his　face　darkened。　〃They　fight　for　their　homes；〃　he　said　dangerously。　〃If　you　cannot　aid；　at　least　forbear　to　ridicule。〃　With　a　manding　gesture；　he　strode　away　between　the　nearest　houses。
　　　　Groaning　at　the　Giant's　unfamiliar　ire；　Covenant　followed　him　into　the　Stonedown。　Most　of　the　people　had　stopped　moving　now　and　were　stealthily　crouched　behind　the　houses　around　that　side　of　the　village。　They　seemed　to　ignore　Covenant；　and　he　went　by　them　after　Foamfollower　as　if　he　were　on　his　way　to　bait　their　trap　for　the　marauders。
　　　　Foamfollower　halted　at　the　back　of　one　of　the　inner　houses。　It　was　flat…roofed；　like　most　of　the　buildings　around　it；　and　its　stone　eaves　reached　as　high　as　the　Giant's　throat。　When　Covenant　joined　him；　he　picked　up　the　Unbeliever　and　tossed　him　lightly　onto　the　roof。
　　　　Covenant　landed　facedown　in　the　snow。　At　once；　he　lurched　sputtering　to　his　knees；　and　turned　angrily　back　toward　the　Giant。
　　　　〃You　will　be　safer　there；〃　Foamfollower　said。　He　nodded　toward　a　neighboring　house。　〃I　will　ward　you　from　here。　Stay　low。　They　are　almost　upon　us。〃
　　　　Instinctively；　Covenant　dropped　to　his　belly。
　　　　As　if　on　signal；　he　felt　a　hushed　silence　spring　up　around　him。　No　sound　touched　the　Stonedown　except　the　low；　dislocated　whistle　of　the　wind。　He　felt　acutely　exposed　on　the　roof。　But　even　this　height　made　him　dizzy；　he　could　not　look　or　jump　down。　Hastily；　he　skittered　back　from　the　edge；　then　froze　as　he　heard　the　noise　he　made。　Though　his　movements　were　muffled　by　the　snow；　they　sounded　as　loud　as　betrayal　in　the　stillness。　For　a　moment；　he　could　not　muster　the　courage　to　turn　around。　He　feared　to　find　cruel　faces　leering　at　him　over　the　roof　edge。
　　　　But　slowly　the　apprehension　beating　in　his　temples　eased。　He　began　to　curse　himself。　Spread…eagled　on　the　roof；　he　worked　slowly　around　until　he　was　facing　in　toward　the　center　of　the　Stonedown。
　　　　Across　the　valley；　light　bled　into　the　air　through　the　gray　packed　clouds。　The　clouds　shut　out　any　other　sky　pletely；　and　under　their　cold　weight　the　day　dawned　bleak　and　cheerless；　irremediably　aggrieved。　The　sight　chilled　Covenant　more　than　black　night。　He　could　see　now　more　clearly　than　he　had　from　Kevin's　Watch　that　this　shrouded；　constant　gloom　was　unnatural；　wrong…the　pall　of　Lord　Foul's　maddest　malice。　And　he　was　aghast　at　the　power　it　implied。　Foul　had　the　might　to　distort　the　Earth's　most　fundamental　orders。　It　would　not　exhaust　him　to　crush　one　ineffectual　leper。　Any　purpose　to　the　contrary　was　mere　witless　buffoonery。
　　　　Covenant's　hand　moved　toward　the　knife　as　if　its　stone　edge　could　remind　him　of　fortitude；　tighten　the　moorings　of　his　endurance。　But　a　distant；　clashing　sound；　uncertain　in　the　wind；　cast　all　other　thoughts　from　his　mind。　After　straining　his　ears　briefly；　he　knew　that　he　was　hearing　the　approach　of　the　marauders。
　　　　He　began　to　shiver　as　he　realized　that　they　were　making　no　effort　to　move　quietly。　The　whole　valley　lay　open　before　them；　and　they　had　the　hungry　confidence　of　numbers；　they　came　up　along　the　river　clattering　their　weapons；　defying　the　Stonedownors　to　oppose　them。　Cautiously；　Covenant　slid　into　a　better　position　to　see　over　the　edge　of　the　roof。　His　muscles　trembled；　but　he　locked　his　jaws；　pressed　himself　flat　in　the　snow；　and　peered　through　the　dim　air　toward　the　center　of　the　village　with　an　intensity　of　concentration　that　made　his　head　ache。
　　　　Soon　he　heard　guttural　shouts　and　the　clang　of　iron　on　stone　as　the　marauders　rushed　to　search　the　first　houses。　Still　he　could　see　nothing；　the　roof　line　of　the　village　blocked　his　view。　He　tried　to　keep　his　breathing　low；　so　that　exhaled　vapor　would　not　obscure　his　sight　or　reveal　his　position。　When　he　turned　his　head　to　look　in　other　directions；　he　found　that　he　was　clenching　fistfuls　of　snow；　squeezing　them　into　ice。　He　opened　his　hands；　forced　his　fingers　to　unclaw　themselves；　then　braced　his　palms　flat　on　the　stone　so　that　he　would　be　ready　to　move。
　　　　The　loud　approach　spread　out　over　the　far　side　of　the　village　and　began　to　move　inward；　working　roughly　parallel　to　the　river。　Instead　of　trying　to　surround　and　trap　the　Stonedownors；　the　marauders　were　performing　a　slow　sweep　of　the　village；　disdaining　surprise；　they　maneuvered　so　that　the　people　would　be　forced　to　flee　toward　the　narrow　end　of　the　valley。　Covenant　could　think　of　no　explanation　for　these　tactics　but　red…eyed　confidence　and　contempt。　The　marauders　wanted　to　drive　the　people　into　the　final　trap　of　the　valley's　end；　thus　prolonging　and　sharpening　the　anticipated　slaughter。　Such　malicious　surety　was　frightening；　but　Covenant　found　relief　in　it。　It　was　not　an　approach　designed　to　capture　something　as　reputedly　powerful　as　white　gold。
　　　　But　he　soon　learned　another　explanation。　As　he　strained　his　eyes　to　peer　through　the　dawn；　he　saw　a　sharp　flash　of　green　light　from　the　far　side　of　the　village。　It　lasted　only　an　instant；　and　in　its　wake　a　crumbling　noise　filled　the　air…a　noise　like　the　sound　of　boulders　crushing　each　other。　It　startled　him　so　much　that　he　almost　leaped　to　his　feet　to　see　what　had　happened。　But　he　caught　himself　when　he　saw　the　first　creatures　enter　the　center　of　the　Stonedown。
　　　　Most　of　them　were　vaguely　human　in　outline。　But　their　features　were　tormented；　grotesquely　arranged；　as　if　some　potent　fist　had　clenched　them　at　birth；　twisting　them　beyond　all　recognition。　Eyes　were　out　of　place；　malformed；　noses　and　mouths　bulged　in　skin　that　was　contorted　like　clay　which　had　been　squeezed　between　strong　fingers；　and　in　some　cases　all　the　flesh　of　face　and　scalp　oozed　fluid　as　if　the　entire　head　were　a　running　sore。　And　the　rest　of　their　forms　were　no　healthier。　Some　had　backs　bent　at　demented　angles；　others　bore　extra　arms　or　legs；　still　others　wore　their　heads　between　their　shoulder　blades　or　in　the　center　of　their　chests。　But　one　quality　they　shared：　they　all　reeked　of　perversion　as　if　it　were　the　very　lifeblood　of　their　existence；　and　a　hatred　of　everything　hale　or　well　curdled　their　sight。
　　　　Naked　except　for　food　sacks　and　bands　to　hold　weapons；　they　came　snarling　and　spitting　into　the　open　core　of　Mithil　Stonedown。　There　they　stop