srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第70部分

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　the　Despiser's　army　seething　in　confusion　and　carnage。　He　hoped　that　it　would　fall　apart　without　the　Raver's　leadership　and　coercion。　But　then　he　saw　also　that　the　ur…viles　were　rallying；　taking　charge　of　the　creatures　around　them；　reorganizing　the　hordes。
　　　　In　spite　of　the　High　Lord's　weight；　Quaan　ran　and　vaulted　onto　Drinny's　back。　Shouting　to　the　Warward；　〃Retreat！　Return　to　the　Keep！　The　Gray　Slayer　has　not　lost　his　hold！〃　he　clapped　Drinny　with　his　heels　and　took　the　Ranyhyn　at　a　full　gallop　toward　the　open　gates　of　Revel…stone。
　
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　Colossus
　
　　　　There　were　gaps　in　the　darkness　during　which　Covenant　knew　dimly　that　rank　liquids　were　being　forced　into　him。　They　nourished　him　despite　their　rancid　taste；　his　captors　were　keeping　him　alive。　But　between　these　gaps　nothing　interrupted　his　bereavement；　his　loss　of　everything　he　could　grasp　or　recognize。　He　was　dismembered　from　himself。　The　shrill　vermilion　nail　of　pain　which　the　ur…viles　had　driven　through　his　forehead　impaled　his　identity；　his　memory　and　knowledge　and　awareness。　He　was　at　the　nadir…captured；　conquered；　bereft…and　only　that　iron　stab　in　his　forehead　stood　between　him　and　the　last　numbness　of　the　end。
　　　　So　when　he　began　to　regain　consciousness；　he　jerked　toward　it　like　a　half…buried　corpse；　striving　to　shift　the　weight　which　enfolded　him　like　the　ready　arms　of　his　grave。　Cold　ebbed　into　him　from　the　abyss　of　the　winter。　His　heart　labored；　shuddering　ran　through　him　like　a　crisis。　His　hands　clutched　uselessly　at　the　frozen　dirt。
　　　　Then　rough　hands　flopped　him　onto　his　back。　A　grim　visage　advanced；　receded。　Something　struck　his　chest。　He　gasped　at　the　force　of　the　blow。　Yet　it　helped　him；　it　seemed　to　break　him　free　of　imminent　hysteria。　He　began　to　breathe　more　easily。　In　a　moment；　he　became　aware　that　he　was　beating　the　back　of　his　head　against　the　ground。　With　an　effort；　he　stopped　himself。　Then　he　concentrated　on　trying　to　see。
　
　He　wanted　to　see；　wanted　to　find　some　answer　to　the　pleteness　of　his　loss。　And　his　eyes　were　open…must　have　been　open；　or　he　would　not　have　been　able　to　perceive　the　shadowy　countenance　snarling　over　him。　Yet　he　could　not　make　it　out。　His　eyeballs　were　dry　and　blind；　he　saw　nothing　but　cold；　universal　gray　smeared　around　the　more　pact　gray　of　the　visage。
　　　　〃Up；　Covenant；〃　a　harsh　voice　rasped。　〃You　are　of　no　use　as　you　are。〃
　　　　Another　blow　knocked　his　head　to　the　side。　He　lurched　soddenly。　Through　the　pain　in　his　cheek；　he　felt　himself　gaping　into　the　raw　wind。　He　blinked　painfully　at　the　dryness　of　his　eyes；　and　tears　began　to　resolve　his　blindness　into　shapes　and　spaces。
　　　　〃Up；　I　say！〃
　　　　He　seemed　to　recognize　the　voice　without　knowing　whose　it　was。　But　he　lacked　the　strength　to　turn　his　head　for　another　look。　Resting　on　the　icy　ground；　he　blinked　until　his　sight　came　into　focus　on　a　high；　monolithic　fist　of　stone。
　　　　It　was　perhaps　twenty　yards　from　him　and　forty　feet　tall…an　obsidian　column　upraised　on　a　plinth　of　native　rock；　and　gnarled　at　its　top　into　a　clench　of　speechless　defiance。　Beyond　it　he　could　see　nothing；　it　stood　against　a　background　of　clouds　as　if　it　were　erect　on　the　rim　of　the　world。　At　first；　it　appeared　to　him　a　thing　of　might；　an　icon　of　Earthpower　upthrust　or　set　down　there　to　mark　a　boundary　against　evil。　But　as　his　vision　cleared；　the　stone　seemed　to　grow　shallow　and　slumberous；　blank；　while　he　blinked　at　it；　it　became　as　inert　as　any　old　rock。　If　it　still　lived；　he　no　longer　had　the　eyes　to　see　its　life。
　　　　Slowly；　fragments　of　other　senses　returned　to　him。　He　discovered　that　he　could　hear　the　wind　hissing　ravenously　past　him　like　a　river　thrashing　across　rapids；　and　behind　it　was　a　deep；　muffled　booming　like　the　thunder　of　a　waterfall。
　　　　〃Up！〃　the　harsh　voice　repeated。　〃Must　I　beat　you　senseless　to　awaken　you？〃
　　　　Mordant　laughter　echoed　after　the　demand　as　if　it　were　a　jest。
　　　　Abruptly；　the　rough　hands　caught　hold　of　his　robe　and　yanked　him　off　the　ground。　He　was　still　too　weak　to　carry　his　own　weight；　too　weak　even　to　hold　up　his　head。　He　leaned　against　the　man's　chest　and　panted　at　his　pain；　trying　with　futile　fingers　to　grasp　the　man's　shoulders。
　　　　〃Where…？〃　he　croaked　at　last。　〃Where…？〃
　　　　The　laughter　ridiculed　him　again。　Two　unrecognizable　voices　were　laughing　at　him。
　　　　〃Where？〃　the　man　snapped。　〃Thomas　Covenant；　you　are　at　my　mercy。　That　is　the　only　where　which　signifies。〃
　　　　Straining；　Covenant　heaved　up　his　head　and　found　himself　staring　miserably　into　Triock's　dark　scowl。
　　　　Triock？　He　tried　to　say　the　name；　but　his　voice　failed　him。
　　　　〃You　have　slain　everything　that　was　precious　to　me。　Think　on　that；　Unbeliever〃…he　invested　the　title　with　abysms　of　contempt…〃if　you　require　to　know　where　you　are。〃
　　　　Triock？
　　　　〃There　is　murder　and　degradation　in　your　every　breath。　Ah！　you　stink　of　it。〃　A　spasm　of　revulsion　knotted　Triock's　face；　and　he　dropped　Covenant　to　the　ground　again。
　　　　Covenant　landed　heavily　amid　sarcastic　mirth。　He　was　still　too　dazed　to　collect　his　thoughts。　Triock's　disgust　affected　him　like　a　mand；　he　lay　prostrate　with　his　eyes　closed；　trying　to　smell　himself。
　　　　It　was　true。　He　stank　of　leprosy。　The　disease　in　his　hands　and　feet　reeked；　gave　off　a　rotten　effluvium　out　of　all　proportion　to　the　physical　size　of　his　infection。　And　its　message　was　unmistakable。　The　ordure　in　him；　the　putrefaction　of　his　flesh；　was　spreading…expanding　as　if　he　were　contagious；　as　if　at　last　even　his　body　had　bee　a　violation　of　the　fundamental　health　of　the　Land。　In　some　ways；　this　was　an　even　more　important　violation　than　the　Despiser's　winter…or　rather　his　stench　was　the　crown　of　the　wind；　the　apex　of　Lord　Foul's　intent。　That　intent　would　be　plete　when　his　illness　became　part　of　the　wind；　when　ice　and　leprosy　together　extinguished　the　Land's　last　vitality。
　　　　Then；　in　one　intuitive　leap；　he　understood　his　sense　of　bereavement。　He　identified　his　loss。　Without　looking　to　verify　the　perception；　he　knew　that　his　ring　had　been　taken　from　him；　he　could　feel　its　absence　like　destitution　in　his　heart。
　　　　The　Despiser's　manipulations　were　plete。　The　coercion　and　subterfuge　which　had　shaped　Covenant's　experiences　in　the　Land　had　borne　fruit。　Like　a　Stone…warped　tree；　they　had　fructified　to　produce　this　unanswerable　end。　The　wild　magic　was　now　in　Lord　Foul's　possession。
　　　　A　wave　of　grief　rushed　through　Covenant。　The　enormity　of　the　disaster　he　had　precipitated　upon　the　Land　appalled　him。　His　chest　locked　in　a　clench　of　sorrow；　and　he　huddled　on　the　verge　of　weeping。
　　　　But　before　he　could　release　his　pain；　Triock　was　at　him　again。　The　Stonedownor　gripped　the　shoulders　of　his　robe；　shook　him　until　his　bones　rattled。　〃Awaken！〃　Triock　rasped　viciously。　〃Your　time　is　short。　My　time　is　short。　I　do　not　mean　to　waste　it。〃
　　　　For　a　moment；　Covenant　could　not　resist；　inanition　and　unconsciousness　and　grief　crippled　him。　But　then　Triock's　gratuitous　violence　struck　sparks　into　the　forgotten　tinder　of　Covenant's　rage。　Anger　galvanized　him；　brought　back　control　to　his　muscles。　He　twisted　in　Triock's　grip；　got　an　arm　and　a　leg　braced　on　the　ground。　Triock　released　him；　and　he　climbed　unevenly　to　his　feet；　panting；　〃Hell　and　blood！　Don't　touch　me；　you…Raver！〃
　　　　Triock　stepped　forward　as　Covenant　came　erect　and　stretched　him　on　the　dirt　again　with　one　sharp　blow。　Standing　over　Covenant；　he　shouted　in　a　voice　full　of　outrage；　〃I　am　no　Raver！　I　am　Triock　son　of　Thuler！…the　man　who　loved　Lena　Atiaran…child…the　man　who　took　the　part　of　a　father　for　Elena　daughter　of　Lena　because　you　abandoned　her！　You　cannot　deny　any　blow　I　choose　to　strike　against　you！〃
　　　　At　that；　Covenant　heard　laughter　again；　but　he　still　could　not　identify　its　source。　Triock's　blow　made　the　pain　in　his　forehead　roar；　the　noise　of　the　hurt　confused　his　hearing。　But　when　the　worst　of　the　sound　passed；　his　eyes　seemed　to　clear　at　last。　He　forced　himself　to　look　up　steadily　into　Triock's　face。
　　　　The　man　had　changed　again。　The　strange　bination　of　loathing　and　hunger；　of　anger　and　fear；　was　gone；　the　impression　he　had　created　that　he　was　using　his　own　anguish　cunningly　was　gone。　In　the　place　of　such　distortions　was　an　extravagant　bitterness；　a　rage　not　controlled　by　any　of　his　old　restraints。　He　was　himself　and　not　himself。　The　former　supplication　of　his　eyes…the　balance　and　ballast　of　his　long　acquaintance　with　gall…　had　foundered　in　passion。　Now　his　brows　clenched　themselves　into　a　knot　of　violence　above　the　bridge　of　his　nose；　the　pleading　lines　at　the　corners　of　his　eyes　had　bee　as　deep　as　scars；　and　his　cheeks　were　taut　with　grimaces。　Yet　something　in　his　eyes　themselves　belied　the　focus　of　his　anger。　His　orbs　were　glazed　and　milky；　as　if　they　were　blurred　by　cataracts；　and　they　throbbed　with　a　vain　intensity。　He　looked　as　if　he　were　going　blind。
　　　　The　sight　of　him　made　Covenant's　own　rage　feel　in　condign；　faulty。　He　was　beholding　another　of　his　victims。　He　had　no　justification　for　anger。　〃Triock！〃　he　groaned；　unable　to　think　of　any　other　response。　〃Triock！〃
　　　　The　Stonedownor　paused；　allowing　him　a　chance　to　regain　his　feet；　then　advanced　threateningly。
　　　　Covenant　retreated　a　step　or　two。　He　needed　something　to　say；　something　that　could　penetrate　or　deflect　Triock's　bitterness。　But　his　thoughts　were　stunned；　they　groped　ineffectually；　as　if　they　had　been　rendered　fingerless　by　the　loss　of　his　ring。　Triock　swung　at　him。　He　parried　the　blow　with　his　forearms；　kept　himself　from　being　knocked　down　again。　Words…he　needed　words。
　　　　〃Hellfire！〃　he　shouted　because　he　could　not　find　any　other　reply。　〃What　happened　to　your　Oath　of　Peace？〃
　　　　〃It　is　dead；〃　Triock　growled　hoarsely。　〃It　is　dead　with　a　spike　of　wood　in　its　belly！〃　He　swung　again；　staggered　Covenant。　〃The　Law　of　Death　is　broken；　and　all　Peace　has　been　laid　waste。〃
　　　　Covenant　regained　his　balance　and　retreated　farther。　〃Triock！〃　he　gasped。　〃I　didn't　kill　her。　She　died　trying　to　save　my　life。　She　knew　it　was　my　fault；　and　she　still　tried　to　save　me。　She　would　fight　you　now　if　she　saw　you　like　this！　What　did　that　Raver　do　to　you？〃
　　　　The　Stonedownor　advanced　with　slow　ferocity。
　　　　〃You're　not　like　this！''　Covenant　cried。　〃You　gave　your　whole　life　to　prove　you're　not　lik