srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第80部分

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　　　　〃If　the　Maker　learns；〃　a　voice　behind　the　leader　quavered；　〃we　are　doomed。〃
　　　　〃That　is　true。　If　he　guesses　at　our　aid；　he　will　no　longer　suffer　us。　We　fear　for　our　lives。　But　you　are　his　enemies。　And　the　legends　say…〃
　　　　Abruptly；　the　leader　stopped；　turned　to　confer　with　the　other　jheherrin。　Covenant　watched　in　fascination　as　they　whispered　together。　From　a　distance；　they　all　looked　alike；　but　closer　inspection　revealed　that　they　were　as　different　as　the　clay　work　of　different　children。　They　varied　in　size；　shape；　hue；　timidity；　tone　of　voice。　Yet　they　shared　an　odd　appearance　of　unsolidity。　They　bulged　and　squished　when　they　moved　as　if　they　were　only　held　together　by　a　fragile　skin　of　surface　tension…as　if　any　jar　or　blow　might　reduce　them　to　amorphous　wet　mud。
　　　　After　a　short　conference；　the　leader　returned。　Its　voice　quivered　as　if　it　were　afraid　of　its　own　audacity　as　it　said；　〃Why　have　you　e？　You　dare…　What　is　your　purpose？〃
　　　　Foamfollower　answered　grimly；　so　that　the　jheherrin　would　believe　him；　〃It　is　our　purpose　to　destroy　Lord　Foul　the　Despiser。〃
　　　　Covenant　winced　at　the　bald　statement。　But　he　could　not　deny　it。　How　else　could　he　describe　what　he　meant　to　do？
　　　　The　jheherrin　conferred　again；　then　announced　rapidly；　anxiously；　〃It　cannot　be　done。　e　with　us。〃
　　　　The　suddenness　of　this　made　it　sound　like　a　mand；　though　the　leader's　voice　was　too　tremulous　to　carry　much　authority。　Covenant　felt　impelled　to　protest；　not　because　he　had　any　objection　to　following　the　jheherrin；　but　because　he　wanted　to　know　why　they　considered　his　task　impossible。　But　they　forestalled　him　by　the　celerity　of　their　withdrawal；　before　he　could　frame　a　question；　half　the　lights　were　gone　and　the　rest　were　going。
　　　　Foamfollower　shrugged　and　motioned　Covenant　ahead　of　him　down　the　tunnel。　Covenant　nodded。　With　a　groan　of　weariness；　he　began　to　crouch　along　behind　the　jheherrin。
　　　　They　moved　with　unexpected　speed。　Bulging　and　oozing　at　every　step；　they　half　trotted　and　half　poured　their　way　down　the　tunnel。　Covenant　could　not　keep　up　with　them。　In　his　cramped　crouch；　his　lungs　ached　on　the　stale　air；　and　his　feet　slipped　erratically　in　the　slimy　mud。　Foamfollower's　pace　was　even　slower；　the　low　ceiling　forced　him　to　crawl。　But　some　of　the　jheherrln　stayed　behind　with　them；　guiding　them　past　the　bends　and　intersections　of　the　passage。　And　before　long　the　tunnel　began　to　grow　larger。　As　the　number　and　plexity　of　the　junctions　increased；　the　ceiling　rose。　Soon　Covenant　was　able　to　stand　erect；　and　Foamfollower　could　move　at　a　crouch。　Then　they　traveled　more　swiftly。
　　　　Their　journey　went　on　for　a　long　time。　Through　intricate　clusters　of　intersections　where　tunnels　honeybed　the　earth；　and　the　travelers　caught　glimpses　of　other　creatures；　all　hastening　the　same　way；　through　mud　so　wet　and　thick　that　Covenant　could　barely　wade　it　and　shiny　coal…lodes　reflecting　the　rocklight　of　the　jheherrin　garishly；　they　tramped　for　leagues　with　all　the　speed　Covenant　could　muster。　But　that　speed　was　not　great；　and　it　became　steadily　less　as　the　leagues　passed。　He　had　been　two　days　without　food　and　closer　to　ten　without　adequate　rest。　The　caked　mud　throbbed　like　fever　on　his　forehead。　And　the　numbness　in　his　hands　and　feet…a　lack　of　sensation　which　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　cold…was　spreading。
　　　　Yet　he　trudged　on。　He　was　not　afraid　that　he　would　cripple　himself；　in　his　weariness；　that　perpetual　leper's　dread　had　lost　its　power　over　him。　Feet；　head；　hunger…the　conditions　for　his　return　to　his　own　world　were　being　met。　It　was　not　the　fear　of　leprosy　which　drove　him。　He　had　other　motivations。
　　　　The　conditions　of　the　trek　gradually　improved。　Rock　replaced　the　mud　of　the　tunnel；　the　air　grew　slowly　lighter；　cleaner；　the　temperature　moderated。　Such　things　helped　Covenant　keep　going。　And　whenever　he　faltered；　Foamfollower's　concern　and　encouragement　steadied　him。　League　after　league；　he　went　on　as　if　he　were　trying　to　erase　the　troublesome　numbness　of　his　feet　on　the　bare　rock。
　　　　At　last　he　lapsed　into　somnolence。　He　took　no　more　notice　of　his　surroundings　or　his　guides　or　his　exhaustion。　He　did　not　feel　the　hand　Foamfollower　placed　on　his　shoulder　from　time　to　time　to　direct　him。　When　he　found　himself　unexpectedly　stationary　in　a　large；　rocklit　cavern　full　of　milling　creatures；　he　stared　at　it　dumbly　as　if　he　could　not　imagine　how　he　had　arrived　there。
　　　　Most　of　the　creatures　stayed　a　safe　distance　from　him　and　Foamfollower；　but　a　few　dragged　themselves　forward；　carrying　clay　bowls　of　water　and　food。　As　they　approached；　they　oozed　with　instinctive　fear。　Nevertheless；　they　came　close　enough　to　offer　the　bowls。
　　　　Covenant　reached　out　to　accept；　but　the　Giant　stopped　him。
　　　　〃Ah；　jheherrin；〃　Foamfollower　said　in　a　formal　tone；　〃your　hospitality　honors　us。　If　we　could；　we　would　return　honor　to　you　by　accepting。　But　we　are　not　like　you…our　lives　are　unalike。　Your　food　would　do　us　harm　rather　than　help。〃
　　　　This　speech　roused　Covenant　somewhat。　He　made　himself　look　into　the　bowls　and　found　that　Foamfollower　was　right。　The　food　had　the　appearance　of　liquefied　marl；　and　it　reeked　of　old　rot；　as　if　dead　flesh　had　moldered　in　it　for　centuries。
　　　　But　the　water　was　fresh　and　pure。　Foamfollower　accepted　it　with　a　bow　of　thanks；　drank　deeply；　then　handed　it　to　Covenant。
　　　　For　the　first　time；　Covenant　realized　that　Foamfollower's　sack　had　been　lost　in　the　thorn　wastes。
　　　　The　rush　of　cold　water　into　his　emptiness　helped　him　shake　off　more　of　his　somnolence。　He　drank　the　bowl　dry；　savoring　the　purity　of　the　water　as　if　he　believed　he　would　never　taste　anything　clean　again。　When　he　returned　it　to　the　waiting；　trembling　jheherrin；　he　did　his　best　to　match　Foamfollower's　bow。
　　　　Then　he　began　to　take　stock　of　his　situation。　The　cavern　already　held　several　hundred　creatures；　and　more　were　arriving　constantly。　Like　the　jheherrin　who　had　rescued　him；　they　all　appeared　to　be　made　of　animated　mud。　They　were　grotesquely　formed；　like　monsters　ridiculed　for　their　monstrosity；　they　lacked　any　sense　organs　that　Covenant　could　recognize。　Yet　he　was　vaguely　surprised　to　see　that　they　came　in　several　different　types。　In　addition　to　the　short　erect　forms　he　had　first　seen；　there　were　two　or　three　distinct　beast…shapes；　which　looked　like　miserably　failed　attempts　to　mold　horses；　wolves；　Cavewights　in　mud；　and　one　oddly　serpentine　group　of　belly　crawlers。
　　　　〃Foamfollower？〃　he　murmured。　A　painful　intuition　twisted　in　him。　〃What　are　they？〃
　　　　〃They　name　themselves　in　the　tongue　of　the　Old　Lords；〃　Foamfollower　replied　carefully；　as　if　he　were　skirting　something　dangerous；　〃according　to　their　shapes。　Those　who　rescued　us　are　the　aussat　Befylam　of　the　jheherrin。　Other　Befylam　you　see…the　fael　Befylam〃…he　pointed　to　the　crawlers…〃and　the　roge〃…he　indicated　the　Cave　wight…like　creatures。　〃I　have　heard　portions　of　their　talk　as　we　marched；〃　he　explained。　But　he　did　not　continue。
　　　　Covenant　felt　nauseated　by　the　thrust　of　his　guess。　He　insisted；　〃What　are　they？〃
　　　　Under　the　mud　which　darkened　his　face；　Foamfollower's　jaw　muscles　knotted。　His　voice　quivered　slightly　as　he　said；　〃Ask　them。　Let　them　speak　of　it　if　they　will。〃　He　stared　around　the　cavern；　did　not　meet　Covenant's　gaze。
　　　　〃We　will　speak；〃　a　cold；　dusky　voice　said。　One　of　the　fael　jheherrin　Befylam　crawled　a　short　distance　toward　them。　It　slopped　wetly　over　the　rock　as　it　moved；　and　when　it　halted；　it　lay　panting　and　gasping　like　a　landed　fish。　Resolution　and　fear　opposed　each　other　in　every　heave　of　its　length。　But　Covenant　was　not　repelled。　He　felt　wrung　with　pity　for　all　the　jheherrin。　〃We　will　speak；〃　the　crawler　repeated。　〃You　are　hard…you　threaten　us　all。〃
　　　　〃They　will　destroy　us；〃　a　host　of　voices　whimpered。
　　　　〃But　we　have　chosen　to　aid。〃
　　　　〃The　choice　was　not　unopposed！〃　voices　cried。
　　　　〃We　have　chosen。　You　are…the　legend　says…〃　It　faltered　in　confusion。　〃We　accept　this　risk。''　Then　a　wave　of　misery　filled　its　voice。　〃We　beg　you…do　not　turn　against　us。〃
　　　　Evenly；　firmly；　Foamfollower　said；　〃We　will　never　willingly　harm　the　jheherrin。〃'
　　　　A　silence　like　disbelief　answered　him　from　every　part　of　the　cavern。　But　then　a　few　voices　said　in　a　tone　of　weary　self…abandonment；　〃Speak；　then。　We　have　chosen。〃
　　　　The　crawler　steadied　itself。　〃We　will　speak。　We　have　chosen。　White　gold　human；　you　ask　what　we　are。　We　are　the　jheherrin…the　soft　ones…　Maker…work。〃　As　it　spoke；　the　rocklight　pulsed　in　the　air　like　sorrow。
　　　　'　〃The　Maker　labors　deep　in　the　fastness　of　his　home；　breeding　armies。　He　takes　living　flesh　as　you　know　living　flesh；　and　works　his　power　upon　it；　shaping　power　and　malice　to　serve　his　own。　But　his　work　does　not　always　grow　to　his　desires。　At　times　the　result　is　weakness　rather　than　strength。　At　times　his　making　is　blind…or　crippled…or　stillborn。　Such　spawn　he　casts　into　a　vast　quagmire　of　fiery　mud　to　be　consumed。〃
　　　　A　vibration　of　remembered　terror　filled　the　cavern。
　　　　〃But　there　is　another　potency　in　that　abysm。　We　are　not　slain。　In　agony　we　bee　the　jheherrin…the　soft　ones。　We　are　transformed。　From　the　depths　of　the　pit　we　crawl。〃
　　　　〃We　crawl；〃　voices　echoed。
　　　　〃In　lightless　bs　lost　even　to　the　memory　of　the　Maker…〃
　　　　〃Lost。〃
　　　　〃…we　supplicate　our　lives。〃
　　　　〃Lives。〃
　　　　〃From　the　mud　of　the　thorn　wastes　to　the　very　walls　of　the　Maker…place；　we　wander　in　soil　and　fear；　searching…〃
　　　　〃Searching。〃
　　　　〃…listening…〃
　　　　〃Listening。〃
　　　　〃…waiting。〃
　　　　〃Waiting。〃
　　　　〃The　surface　of　the　Earth　is　denied　to　us。　We　would　perish　in　dust　if　the　light　of　the　sun　were　to　touch　us。　And　we　cannot　delve…we　cannot　make　new　tunnels　to　lead　us　from　this　place。　We　are　soft。〃
　　　　〃Lost。〃
　　　　〃And　we　dare　not　offend　the　Maker。　We　live　in　sufferance…he　smiles　upon　our　abjection。〃
　　　　〃Lost。〃
　　　　〃Yet　we　retain　the　shapes　of　what　we　were。　We　are〃…the　voice　shuddered　as　if　it　feared　it　would　be　stricken　for　its　audacity…〃not　servants　of　the　Maker。〃
　　　　Hundreds　of　the　jheherrin　gasped　in　trepidation。
　　　　〃Many　of　our　bs　border　the　passages　of　the　Maker。　We　search　the　walls　and　listen。　We　hear…the　Maker　has　no　secret。　We　heard　his　enmity　against　you；　his　intent　against　you。　In　the　name　of　the　leg