srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第41部分

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　of　will　between　them。　But　Lena　gave　a　low　cry　and　hid　her　face　in　Covenant's　shoulder。
　　　　Covenant；　too；　could　not　bear　to　see　Foamfollower's　hurt。　He　turned　on　Banner　and　gasped　into　the　Bloodguard's　ear；　〃Give　it　up！　Admit　you　know　him。　Hellfire！　Banner…you　bloody　egomaniac！　You're　so　proud…　after　the　Bloodguard　failed　you　can't　stand　to　admit　there　might　be　any　faithfulness　left　anywhere。　It's　you　or　nothing。　But　he's　a　Giant；　Bannor！''　Bannor　did　not　move；　but　a　muscle　quivered　along　his　jaw。　〃Wasn't　Elena　enough　for　you？〃　Covenant　hissed。　〃Are　you　trying　to　make　another　Kevin　out　of　him？〃
　　　　For　an　instant；　Banner's　white　eyebrows　gathered　into　a　stark　frown。　Then　he　said　flatly；　〃Pardon　me；　Saltheart　Foamfollower。　I　trust　you。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　withdrew　his　hands。　They　were　rigid　with　pain；　and　he　hugged　them　to　his　chest；　panting　hoarsely。
　　　　Bannor　turned　to　Covenant。　Something　in　his　pose　made　Covenant　flinch　as　if　he　expected　the　Bloodguard　to　strike　him。　〃You　also　caused　the　fall　of　High　Lord　Elena；〃　Bannor　said　brittlely。　〃You　pelled　us　to　reveal　the　unspoken　name。　Yet　you　did　not　bear　the　burden　of　that　name　yourself。　Therefore　the　Law　of　Death　was　broken；　and　Elena　fell。　I　did　not　reproach　you　then；　and　do　not　now。　But　I　say　to　you：　beware；　ur…Lord　Covenant！　You　hold　too　many　dooms　in　your　unwell　hands。〃
　　　　〃I　know　that；〃　muttered　Covenant。　He　was　shaking　so　badly　that　he　had　to　keep　both　arms　around　Lena　to　support　himself。　〃I　know　that。　It's　the　only　thing　I　know　for　sure。''　He　could　not　look　at　Foamfollower；　he　was　afraid　of　the　Giant's　pain；　afraid　that　the　Giant　might　resent　his　intervention。　Instead；　he　held　onto　Lena　while　his　reaction　to　the　strain　surged　into　anger。
　　　　''But　I've　had　enough　of　this。''　His　voice　was　too　violent；　but　he　did　not　care。　He　needed　some　outlet　for　his　passion。　〃I'm　not　interested　in　asking　for　help　anymore。　Now　I'm　going　to　tell　you　what　to　do。　Manethrall　Lithe　promised　that　the　Ramen　would　do　whatever　I　wanted。　You　care　about　promises…you　keep　this　one。　I　want　food；　all　we　can　carry。　I　want　guides　to　take　us　to　Landsdrop　as　fast　as　possible。　I　want　scouts　to　help　us　get　across　the　Spoiled　Plains。''　Words　tumbled　through　his　teeth　faster　than　he　could　control　them。　〃If　Foamfollower's　been　crippled…　By　hell；　you're　going　to　make　it　up　to　him！〃
　　　　〃Ask　for　the　moon；〃　Manethrall　Kam　muttered。
　　　　〃Don't　tempt　me！〃　Hot　shouts　thronged　in　his　throat　like　fire；　he　whirled　to　fling　flames　at　the　Manethralls。　But　their　haunted　eyes　stopped　him。　They　did　not　deserve　his　rage。　Like　Bannor　and　Foamfollower；　they　were　the　victims　of　the　Despiser…the　victims　of　the　things　he；　Thomas　Covenant；　had　not　done；　had　been　unwilling　or　unable　to　do；　for　the　Land。　Again；　he　could　feel　the　ground　on　which　he　stood　tremoring。
　　　　With　an　effort；　he　turned　back　to　Bannor；　met　the　Bloodguard's　aging　gaze。　〃What　happened　to　Elena　wasn't　your　fault　at　all；〃　he　mumbled。　〃She　and　I…did　it　together。　Or　I　did　it　to　her。〃　Then　he　pushed　himself　to　go　to　Foamfollower。
　　　　But　as　he　moved；　Lena　caught　his　arm；　swung　him　around。　He　had　been　bracing　himself　on　her　without　paying　any　attention　to　her；　now　she　made　him　look　at　her。　〃Elena…my　daughter…what　has　happened　to　her？〃　Horror　crackled　in　her　eyes。　The　next　instant；　she　was　clawing　at　his　chest　with　desperate　fingers。　〃What　has　happened　to　her？〃
　　　　Covenant　stared　at　her。　He　had　half　forgotten；　he　had　not　wanted　to　remember　that　she　knew　nothing　of　Elena's　end。
　　　　〃He　said　she　fell！〃　she　cried　at　him。　〃What　have　you　done　to　her？〃
　　　　He　held　her　at　arm's　length；　backed　away　from　her。　Suddenly　everything　was　too　much　for　him。　Lena；　Foamfollower；　Bannor；　the　Ramen…he　could　not　keep　a　grip　on　it　all　at　once。　He　turned　his　head　toward　Foamfollower；　ignored　Lena；　and　looked　dumbly　to　the　Giant　for　help。　But　Foamfollower　did　not　even　see　Covenant's　stricken；　silent　plea。　He　was　still　wrapped　in　his　own　pain；　struggling　to　flex　his　wracked　fingers。　Covenant　lowered　his　head　and　turned　back　toward　Lena　as　if　she　were　a　wall　against　which　he　had　to　batter　himself。
　　　　〃She's　dead；〃　he　said　thickly。　〃It's　my　fault…she　wouldn't　have　been　in　that　mess　if　it　hadn't　been　for　me。　I　didn't　save　her　because　I　didn't　know　how。〃
　　　　He　heard　shouts　behind　him；　but　they　made　no　impression　on　him。　He　was　watching　Lena。　Slowly　the　import　of　his　words　penetrated　her。　〃Dead；〃　she　echoed　emptily。　〃Fault。〃　As　Covenant　watched　her；　the　light　of　consciousness　in　her　eyes　seemed　to　falter　and　go　out。
　　　　〃Lena；〃　he　groaned。　〃Lena！〃
　　　　Her　gaze　did　not　recognize　him。　She　stared　blankly　through　him　as　if　her　soul　had　lapsed　within　her。
　　　　The　shouting　behind　him　mounted。　A　voice　nearby　gasped　out；　〃We　are　betrayed！　Ur…viles　and　Cavewights…！　The　sentries　were　slain。〃
　　　　The　urgency　in　the　voice　reached　him。　He　turned　dully。　A　young　Cord　almost　chattering　with　fear　stood　before　the　Manethralls　and　Bannor。　Behind　her；　in　the　entrance　to　the　covert；　fighting　had　already　begun。　Covenant　could　hear　the　shouts　and　groans　of　frantic　hand…to…hand　bat　echoing　out　of　the　rift。
　　　　The　next　instant；　a　tight　pack　of　Cavewights　burst　into　the　canyon；　whirling　huge　broadswords　in　their　powerful；　spatulate　hands。　With　a　shrill　roar；　they　charged　the　Ramen。
　　　　Before　Covenant　could　react；　Bannor　caught　hold　of　him　and　Lena；　　began　to　drag　them　both　toward　the　other　end　of　the　valley。　〃Flee；''　he　said　distinctly　as　he　impelled　them　forward。　〃The　Giant　and　I　will　prevent　pursuit。　We　will　overtake　you…as　soon　as　may　be。　Flee　north；　then　east。''
　　　　The　cliffs　narrowed　until　Covenant　and　Lena　stood　in　the　mouth　of　another　cleft　through　the　hills。　Banner　thrust　them　in　the　direction　of　the　dark　crevice。　''　Make　haste。　Keep　to　the　left。''　Then　he　was　gone；　running　toward　the　battle。
　　　　Half　unconsciously；　Covenant　checked　to　be　sure　that　he　still　had　Triock's　knife　under　his　belt。　Part　of　him　yearned　to　run　after　Banner；　to　throw　himself　like　Banner　into　the　absolution　of　the　fray…to　seek　forgiveness。
　　　　Clutching　hard　at　Lena's　arm；　he　drew　her　with　him　into　the　cleft。
　
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　　　　After　the　first　bend；　even　the　trailing　light　of　the　campfires　was　cut　off；　and　he　could　see　nothing。　Lena　moved　like　a　puppet　in　his　grasp…　empty　and　unadept。　He　wanted　her　to　hold　onto　him；　so　that　he　would　have　both　hands　free；　but　when　he　wrapped　her　fingers　around　his　arm；　they　slipped　limply　off　again。　He　was　forced　to　grope　ahead　with　his　left　hand；　and　retain　her　with　his　maimed　right。　His　numbness　made　him　feel　at　every　moment　that　he　was　about　to　lose　her。
　　　　The　shouting　pursued　him　along　the　crevice；　increased　his　sense　of　urgency　yell　by　yell。　He　cursed　furiously；　trying　to　keep　himself　from　being　frantic。
　　　　When　the　rift　divided；　he　followed　the　left　wall。　In　a　few　steps；　this　crevice　became　so　narrow　that　he　had　to　move　along　it　sideways；　pulling　Lena　after　him。　Then　it　began　to　descend。　Soon　it　was　so　steep　that　the　moldering　leaves　and　loam　of　the　floor　occasionally　shifted　under　their　feet。　There　the　rift　became　a　tunnel。　The　stone　sealed　over　their　heads；　while　the　floor　leveled　until　the　ceiling　was　so　close　that　it　made　Covenant　duck　for　fear　he　might　crack　open　his　skull。　The　utter　lightlessness　of　the　passage　dismayed　him。　He　felt　that　he　was　groping　his　way　blindly　into　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　felt　at　every　step　that　the　tunnel　might　pitch　him　into　a　chasm。　He　no　longer　heard　any　sound　from　the　canyon；　his　own　loud　scrabbling　filled　his　ears。　Yet　he　did　not　stop。　The　pressure　of　his　urgency；　the　pressure　of　the　blind　stone　impending　over　the　back　of　his　neck；　pelled　him　onward。
　　　　Still　Lena　gave　no　sign　of　life。　She　stumbled；　moved　at　his　pull；　bumped　dumbly　against　the　walls　of　the　tunnel；　but　her　arm　in　his　grasp　was　inert。　He　could　not　even　hear　her　breathing。　He　tugged　her　after　him　as　if　she　were　a　mindless　child。
　　　　At　last　the　tunnel　ended。　Without　warning；　the　stone　vanished；　and　Covenant　blundered　into　a　thicket。　The　stems　and　branches　lashed　at　him　as　if　he　were　an　enemy。　Protecting　his　eyes　with　his　forearm；　he　thrust　ahead　until　he　found　himself　on　open　ground；　sweating　in　the　teeth　of　the　wind。
　　　　The　night　was　as　dank　and　bitter　as　ever；　but　after　the　pitch　blackness　of　the　tunnel　he　found　that　he　could　see　vaguely。　He　and　Lena　stood　below　a　high；　looming　bluff。　Thickets　and　brush　covered　most　of　its　base；　but　beyond　them　the　ground　sloped　down　barrenly　toward　the　Plains　of　Ra。
　　　　He　paused　in　the　scything　wind　and　tried　to　take　stock　of　the　situation。　The　tunnel　from　this　side　was　well　disguised　by　the　thickets　and　underbrush；　but　still　the　Ramen　should　have　posted　sentries　here。　Where　were　they？　He　saw　no　one；　heard　nothing　but　the　wind。
　　　　He　was　tempted　to　call　out；　but　the　frigid　emptiness　of　the　night　restrained　him。　If　the　Ramen　were　defeated；　the　marauders　would　have　no　difficulty　following　him　through　the　tunnel；　Cavewights　and　ur…viles　could　take　such　passages　in　the　dark　gleefully。　Ur…viles　might　already　be　watching　him　from　the　thicket。
　　　　North；　then　east；　Bannor　had　said。　He　knew　he　had　to　start　moving。　But　he　had　no　supplies…no　food；　no　bedding；　no　fire。　Even　if　he　were　not　pursued；　he　could　hardly　hope　to　survive　in　this　cold。　If　Bannor　and　the　Giant　did　not　e　soon；　he　and　Lena　were　finished。
　　　　But　Bannor　had　said　that　they　would　overtake　him。　It's　too　late；　he　muttered　to　steady　his　resolve；　it's　too　late　to　start　worrying　about　the　impossible。　It's　all　been　impossible　from　the　beginning。　Just　get　going。　At　least　get　her　out　of　this　wind。
　　　　He　put　Lena　on　his　left；　wrapped　his　arm　around　her；　and　started　north　across　the　preternatural　current　of　the　winter。
　　　　He　hurried　as　much　as　possible；　supporting　Lena；　glancing　fearfully　back　over　his　shoulder　to　see　if　they　were　being　followed。　When　he　reached　a　break　in　the　hills　on　his　left；　he　faced　a　difficult　decision：　Bannor　and　Foamfollower　would　locate　him　more　easily　if　he　stayed　on　the　edge　of　the　Plains；　but　if　he　moved　up　among　the　hills　he　would　have　a　better　chance　of　finding　shelter　and　aliantha。　After　a　painful　moment；　he　chose　the　hills。　He　would　have　to　trust　the　hunting　skills　of　his　friends；　Lena　was　his　first　concern