srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第71部分
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The Stonedownor advanced with slow ferocity。
〃You're not like this！'' Covenant cried。 〃You gave your whole life to prove you're not like this！〃
Springing suddenly； Triock caught Covenant by the throat。 His thumbs ground into Covenant's windpipe as he snarled； 〃You have not seen what I have seen！〃
Covenant struggled； but he had no strength to match Triock's。 His fingers clawed and clutched； and had no effect。 The need for air began to hum in his ears。
Triock released one hand； cocked his fist deliberately； and hit Covenant in the center of his wounded forehead。 He pitched backward； almost fell。 But hands caught him from behind； yanked him upright； put him on his feet…hands that burned him like the touch of acid。
He jerked away from them； then whirled to see who had burned him。 Fresh blood ran from his yammering forehead into his eyes； clogged his vision； but he gouged it away with numb fingers； made himself see the two figures that had caught him。
They were laughing at him together。 Beat for beat； their ridicule came as one； matched each other in weird consonance； they sounded like one voice jeering through two throats。
They were Ramen。
He saw them in an instant； took them in as if they had been suddenly revealed out of midnight by a flash of dismay。 He recognized them as two of Manethrall Kam's Cords； Lal and Whane。 But they had changed。 Even his truncated vision could see the alteration which had been wrought in them； the plete reversal of being which occupied them。 Contempt and lust submerged the former spirit of their health。 Only the disfortable spasms which flicked their faces； and the unnecessary violence of their emanations； gave any indication that they had ever been unlike what they were now。
〃Our friend Triock spoke the truth；〃 they said together； and the unharmonized unison of their voices mocked both Covenant and Triock。 〃Our brother is not with us。 He is at work in the destruction of Revelstone。 But Triock will take his place…for a time。 A short time。 We are turiya and moksha； Herem and Jehannum。 We have e to take delight in the ruin of things we hate。 You are nothing to us now； groveler…Unbeliever。'' Again they laughed； one spirit or impulse uttering contempt through two throats。 〃Yet you…and our friend Triock…amuse us while we wait。〃
But Covenant hardly heard them。 An instant after he prehended what had happened to them； he saw something else； something that almost blinded him to the Ravers。 Two other figures stood a short distance behind Whane and Lal。
The two people he had most ached to see since he had regained himself in Morinmoss： Saltheart Foamfollower and Bannor。
The sight of them filled him with horror。
Foamfollower wore a host of recent battle…marks among his older scars； and Banner's silvering hair and lined face had aged perceptibly。 But all that was insignificant beside the grisly fact that they were not moving。
They did not so much as turn their heads toward Covenant。 They were paralyzed； clenched rigid and helpless； by a green force which played about them like a corona； enveloped them in coercion。 They were as motionless as if even pulse and respiration had been crushed out of them by shimmering emerald。
And if they had been able to look at Covenant； they would not have seen him。 Their eyes were like Triock's； but much more severely glazed。 Only the faintest outlines of pupil and iris were visible behind the white blindness which covered their orbs。
Bannor！ Covenant cried。 Foamfollower！ Ah！
While his body swayed on locked joints； he cowered inwardly。 His arms covered his head as if to protect it from an ax。 The plight of Bannor and Foamfollower dealt him an unendurable shock。 He could not bear it。 He quailed where he stood as if the ground were heaving under him。
Then Triock caught hold of him again。 The Stonedownor bent him to the dirt； hunched furiously over him to pant； 〃You have not seen what I have seen。 You do not know what you have done。〃
Weak； ringless； and miserable though he was； Covenant still heard Triock； heard the whelming passion with which Triock told him that even now he did not know the worst； had not faced the worst。 And that munication made a difference to him。 It pushed him deep into his fear； down to a place in him which had not been touched by either capture or horror。 It drove him back to the calm which had been given to him in Morinmoss。 He seemed to remember a part of himself that had been hidden from him。 Something had been changed for him in the Forest； something which could not be taken away。 He caught hold of it； immersed himself in the gift。
A moment later； he raised his head as if he had e through a dark gulf of panic。 He was too weak to fight Triock； he had lost his ring； blood streamed from his damaged forehead into his eyes。 But he was no longer at the mercy of fear。
Blinking rapidly to clear his vision； he gasped up at Triock； 〃What's happened to them？〃
〃You have not seen！'' Triock roared。 Once more； he raised his fist to hammer the Unbeliever's face。 But before he could strike； a low voice manded simply； 〃Stop。〃
Triock jerked； struggling to plete his blow。
〃I have given you time。 Now I desire him to know what I do。〃
The mand held Triock； he could not strike。 Trembling； he wrenched away from Covenant； then spun back to point lividly toward the stone column and shout； 〃There！〃
Covenant lurched to his feet； wiped his eyes。
Midway between him and the upreared fist of stone stood Elena！
She was robed in radiant green velure； and she bore herself proudly； like a queen。 She seemed swathed in an aura of emeralds； her presence sparkled like gems when she smiled。 At once； without effort of assertion； she showed that she was the master of the situation。 The Ravers and Triock waited before her like subjects before their liege。
In her right hand she held a long staff。 It was metal…shod at both ends； and between its heels it was intricately carved with the runes and symbols of theurgy。
The Staff of Law。
But the wonder of its appearance there meant nothing to Covenant pared with the miracle of Elena's return。 He had loved her； lost her。 Her death at the hands of dead Kevin Landwaster had brought his second sojourn in the Land to an end。 Yet she stood now scarcely thirty feet from him。 She was smiling。
A thrill of joy shot through him。 The love which had tormented his heart since her fall rushed up in him until he felt he was about to burst with it。 Blood streamed from his eyes like tears。 Joy choked him so that he could not speak。 Half blinded； half weeping； he shrugged off his travail and started toward her as if he meant to throw himself down before her； kiss her feet。
Before he had crossed half the distance； she made a short gesture with the Staff； and at once a jolt of force hit him。 It drove the air from his lungs； pitched him to his hands and knees on the hard ground。
〃No；〃 she said softly； almost tenderly。 〃All your questions will be answered before I slay you； Thomas Covenant； ur…Lord and Unbeliever…beloved。〃 On her cold lips； the word beloved impugned him。 〃But you will not touch me。 You will e no closer。〃
A great weight leaned against his shoulders； held him to the ground。 He retched for air； but when he gasped it into his lungs； it hurt him as if he were inhaling disease。 The atmosphere around him reeked with her presence。 She pervaded the air like rot。 On a scale that dwarfed him； she smelled as he did…smelled like…leprosy。
He forced up his head； gaped gasping at her from under the streaming spike of his wound。
With a smile like a smirk or leer； she extended her left hand toward him and opened it； so that he could see lying in her palm his white gold wedding band。
Elena！ he retched voicelessly。 Elena！ He felt that he was being crushed under a burden of impenetrable circumstance。 In supplication and futility； he reached toward her； but she only laughed at him quietly； as if he were a masque of impotence enacted for her pleasure。
A moment passed before his anguish permitted him to see her clearly； and while he groveled without prehension； she shone defiantly before him like a soul of purest emerald。 But slowly he recovered his vision。 Like a reborn phoenix； she flourished in green loveliness。 Yet in some way she reminded him of the specter of Kevin Landwaster…a spirit dredged out of its uneasy grave by mands of irrefusable cruelty。 Her expression was as placid as power could make it； she radiated triumph and decay。 But her eyes were pletely lightless； dark。 It was as if the strange bifurcation； the dualness； of her sight had gone pletely to its other pole； away from the tangible things around her。 She seemed not to see where or who she was； what she did； her gaze was focused elsewhere； on the secret which pelled her。
She had bee a servant of the Despiser。 Even while she stood there with the Staff and the ring in her hands； Lord Foul's eyes held her like the eyes of a serpent。
In her violated beauty； Covenant beheld the doom of the Land。 It would be kept fair； so that Lord Foul could more keenly relish its ravishment…and it would be diseased to the marrow。
〃Elena；'' he panted； then paused； gagging at the reek of her。 〃Elena。 Look at me。〃
With a disdainful toss of her head； she turned away from him； moved a step or two closer to the stone pillar。 ' Triock；'' she manded lightly； 〃answer the Unbeliever's questions。 I do not wish him to be in ignorance。 His despair will make a pretty present for the master。〃
At once； Triock strode stiffly forward； and stood so that Covenant could see him without fighting the pressure which held him to the ground。 The Stonedownor's scowl had not changed； not abated one muscle or line of its vehemence； but his voice carried an odd undertow of grief。 He began roughly； as if he were reading an indictment： 〃You have asked where you are。 You are at Landsdrop。 Behind you lies the Fall of the River Landrider and the northmost reach of the Southron Range。 Before you stands the Colossus of the Fall。〃
Covenant panted at this information as if it interfered with his ragged efforts to breathe。
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