srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第86部分

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　　　　At　once；　he　straddled　it。　It　was　as　large　as　he；　perhaps　stronger。　It　was　armed。　But　he　hammered　it　so　mightily　with　his　fists；　pinned　it　so　effectively　with　his　body；　that　it　could　not　defend　itself。　After　he　dealt　it　a　huge　two…fisted　blow　at　the　base　of　its　necks；　it　went　limp。
　　　　Quickly；　he　took　one　of　its　swords　to　behead　it。
　　　　〃Foamfollower！〃　Covenant　protested。
　　　　Foamfollower　thrust　himself　up　from　the　unconscious　figure；　faced　Covenant　with　the　sword　clenched　in　one　fist。
　　　　〃Don't　kill　it。〃
　　　　Panting　slightly　at　his　exertion；　the　Giant　said；　〃It　will　alert　the　Creche　against　us　when　it　recovers。〃　His　expression　was　grim；　but　not　savage。
　　　　〃There's　been　enough　killing；〃　Covenant　replied　thickly。　〃I　hate　it。〃
　　　　For　a　moment；　Foamfollower　held　Covenant's　gaze。　Then　he　threw　back　his　head　and　began　to　laugh。
　　　　Covenant　felt　suddenly　weak　with　gratitude。　His　knees　almost　buckled　under　him。　〃　That'　s　better；〃　he　mumbled　in　relief。　Leaning　against　one　wall　of　the　entry；　he　rested　while　he　treasured　the　Giant's　mirth。
　　　　Shortly；　Foamfollower　subsided。　〃Very　well；　my　friend；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃The　death　of　this　creature　would　gain　time　for　us…time　in　which　we　might　work　our　work　and　then　seek　to　escape。　But　escape　has　never　been　our　purpose。''　He　dropped　the　sword　across　the　prostrate　warder。　〃If　its　unconsciousness　allows　us　to　reach　our　goal；　we　will　have　been　well　enough　served。　Let　escape　fend　for　itself。''　He　smiled　wryly；　then　went　on：　〃However；　it　is　in　my　heart　that　I　can　make　a　better　use　of　this　buckler。〃
　　　　Bending　over　the　warder；　he　stripped　off　its　garment；　and　used　the　leather　to　cover　his　own　nakedness。
　　　　〃You're　right；〃　Covenant　sighed。　He　did　not　intend　to　escape。　〃But　there's　no　reason　for　you　to　get　yourself　killed。　Just　help　me　find　that　secret　door…then　get　out　of　here。〃
　　　　〃Abandon　you？〃　Foamfollower　adjusted　the　ill…fitting　buckler　with　an　expression　of　distaste。　〃How　could　I　leave　this　place？　I　will　not　attempt　Hotash　Slay　again。〃
　　　　〃Jump　into　the　Sea…swim　away…I　don't　know。''　A　sense　of　urgency　mounted　in　him；　they　could　not　afford　to　spend　time　debating　at　the　very　portal　of　Foul's　Creche。　〃Just　don't　make　me　responsible　for　you　too。〃
　　　　〃On　the　contrary；〃　the　Giant　replied　evenly；　〃it　is　I　who　am　responsible　for　you。　I　am　your　summoner。〃
　　　　Covenant　winced。　〃I'm　not　worried　about　that。〃
　　　　〃Nor　am　I；〃　Foamfollower　returned　with　a　grin。　〃But　I　mislike　this　talk　of　abandonment。　My　friend…I　am　acquainted　with　such　things。〃
　　　　They　regarded　each　other　gravely；　and　in　the　Giant's　gaze　Covenant　saw　as　clearly　as　words　that　he　could　not　take　responsibility　for　his　friend；　could　not　make　his　friend's　decisions。　He　could　only　accept　Foamfollower's　help　and　be　grateful。　He　groaned　in　pain　at　the　oute　he　foresaw。　〃Then　let's　go；〃　he　said　dismally。　〃I'm　not　going　to　last　much　longer。〃
　　　　In　answer；　the　Giant　took　his　arm；　supported　him。　Side　by　side；　they　turned　toward　the　dark　mouth　of　the　cave。
　　　　Side　by　side；　they　penetrated　the　gloom　of　Foul's　Creche。
　　　　To　their　surprise；　the　darkness　vanished　as　if　they　had　passed　through　a　veil　of　obscurity。　Beyond　it；　they　found　themselves　in　the　narrow　end　of　an　egg…shaped　hall。　It　was　coldly　lit　from　end　to　end　as　if　green　sea…ice　were　aflame　in　its　walls；　the　whole　place　seemed　on　the　verge　of　bursting　into　frigid　fire。
　　　　Involuntarily；　they　paused；　stared　about　them。　The　hall's　symmetry　and　stonework　were　perfect。　At　its　widest　point；　it　opened　into　matched　passages　which　led　up　to　the　towers；　and　the　floor　of　its　opposite　end　sank　flawlessly　down　to　form　a　wide；　spiral　stairway　into　the　rock。　Everywhere　the　stone　stretched　and　met　without　seams；　cracks；　junctures；　the　hall　was　as　smoothly　carved；　polished；　and　even；　as　unblemished　by　ornament；　feature；　error；　as　if　the　ideal　conception　of　its　creator　had　been　rendered　into　immaculate　stone　without　the　interference　of　hands　that　slipped；　minds　that　misunderstood。　It　was　obviously　not　Giant…work；　it　lacked　anything　which　might　intrude　on　the　absolute　exaction　of　its　shape；　lacked　the　Giantish　enthusiasm　for　detail。　Instead；　it　seemed　to　surpass　any　kind　of　mortal　craft。　It　was　preternaturally　perfect。
　　　　Covenant　gaped　at　it。　While　Foamfollower　tore　himself　away　to　begin　searching　the　side　walls　for　the　door　of　which　the　jheherrin　had　spoken；　Covenant　moved　out　into　the　hall；　wandered　as　if　aimlessly　toward　the　great　stairway。　There　was　old　magic　here；　might　treasured　by　hate　and　hunger；　he　could　feel　it　in　the　ceremental　light；　in　the　sharp　cold　air；　in　the　immaculate　walls。　This　fiery；　frigid　place　was　Lord　Foul's　home；　seat　and　root　of　his　power。　The　whole　soulless　demesne　spoke　of　his　suzerainty；　his　entire　and　inviolate　rule。　This　empty　hall　alone　made　mere　gnats　and　midges　out　of　his　enemies。　Covenant　remembered　having　heard　it　said　that　Foul　would　never　be　defeated　while　Ridjeck　Thome　still　stood。　He　believed　it。
　　　　When　he　reached　the　broad　spiral　of　the　stairway；　he　found　that　its　open　center　was　like　a　great　well；　curving　gradually　back　into　the　promontory　as　it　descended。　The　stair　itself　was　large　enough　to　carry　fifteen　or　twenty　people　abreast。　Its　circling　drew　his　gaze　down　into　the　bright　hole　until　he　was　leaning　out　from　the　edge　to　peer　as　far　as　he　could；　and　its　symmetry　lent　impetus　to　the　surge　of　his　vertigo；　his　irrational　love　and　fear　of　falling。
　　　　But　he　had　learned　the　secret　of　that　dizziness　and　did　not　fall。　His　eyes　searched　the　stairwell。　And　a　moment　later；　he　saw　something　which　shook　away　his　dangerous　fascination。
　　　　Running　soundlessly　up　out　of　the　depths　was　a　large　band　of　ur…viles。
　　　　He　pulled　himself　backward。　〃You　better　find　it　fast；〃　he　called　to　Foamfollower。　〃They're　ing。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　did　not　interrupt　his　scrutiny　of　the　walls。　As　he　searched　the　stone　with　his　hands　and　eyes；　probed　it　for　any　sign　of　a　concealed　entrance；　he　muttered；　〃It　is　well　hidden。　I　do　not　know　how　it　is　possible　for　stone　to　be　so　wrought。　My　people　were　not　children　in　this　craft；　but　they　could　not　have　dreamed　such　walls。〃
　　　　〃They　had　too　many　nightmares　of　their　own；〃　gritted　Covenant。　〃Find　it！　Those　ur…viles　are　ing　fast。〃　Remembering　the　creature　that　had　caused　his　fall　in　the　catabs　under　Mount　Thunder；　he　added；　〃They　can　smell　white　gold。〃
　　　　〃I　am　a　Giant；〃　answered　Foamfollower。　〃Stonework　is　in　the　very　blood　of　my　people。　This　doorway　cannot　be　concealed　from　me。〃
　　　　Then　his　hands　found　a　section　of　the　wall　which　felt　hollow。　Swiftly；　he　explored　the　section；　measured　its　dimensions；　though　no　sign　of　any　door　was　visible　in　that　immaculate　wall。
　　　　When　he　had　located　the　entrance　as　exactly　as　possible；　he　pressed　once　on　the　center　of　its　lintel。
　　　　Glimmering　with　green　tracery；　the　lintel　appeared　in　the　blank　wall。　Doorposts　spread　down　from　it　to　the　floor　as　if　they　had　at　that　instant　been　created　out　of　the　rock；　and　between　them　the　door　swung　noiselessly　inward。
　　　　Foamfollower　rubbed　his　hands　in　satisfaction。　Chuckling；　〃As　you　manded；　ur…Lord；〃　he　motioned　for　Covenant　to　precede　him　through　the　doorway。
　　　　Covenant　glanced　toward　the　stairs；　then　hastened　into　the　small　chamber　beyond　the　door。　Foamfollower　came　behind　him；　ducking　for　the　lintel　and　the　low　ceiling　of　the　chamber。　At　once；　he　closed　the　door；　watched　it　dissolve　back　into　featureless　stone。　Then　he　went　ahead　of　Covenant　to　the　corridor　beyond　the　chamber。
　　　　This　passage　was　as　bright　and　cold　as　the　outer　hall。　Foamfollower　and　Covenant　could　see　that　it　sloped　steeply　downward；　straight　into　the　depths　of　the　promontory。　Looking　along　it；　Covenant　hoped　that　it　would　take　him　where　he　needed　to　go；　he　was　too　weak　to　sneak　all　through　the　Creche　hunting　for　his　doom。
　　　　Neither　of　them　spoke；　they　did　not　want　to　risk　being　heard　by　the　ur…viles。　Foamfollower　glanced　at　Covenant；　shrugged　once；　and　started　down　into　the　tunnel。
　　　　The　low　ceiling　forced　Foamfollower　to　move　in　a　crouch；　but　he　traveled　down　the　corridor　as　swiftly　as　he　could。　And　Covenant　kept　pace　with　him　by　leaning　against　the　Giant's　back　and　simply　allowing　gravity　to　pull　his　strengthless　legs　from　stride　to　stride。　Like　twins；　brothers　connected　to　each　other　despite　all　their　differences　by　a　mon　umbilical　need；　they　crouched　and　shambled　together　through　the　rock　of　Ridjeck　Thome。
　　　　As　they　descended；　Covenant　fell　several　times。　His　sense　of　urgency；　his　fear；　grew　in　the　constriction　of　the　corridor；　but　it　drained　rather　than　energized　him；　left　him　as　slack　as　if　he　had　already　been　defeated。　Livid　cold　drenched　him；　soaked　into　his　bones　like　the　fire　of　an　absolute　chill；　surrounded　him　until　he　began　to　feel　strangely　fortable　in　it…　fortable　and　drowsy；　as　if；　like　an　exhausted　sojourner；　he　were　at　last　arriving　home；　sinking　down　before　his　rightful　hearth。　Then　at　odd　moments　he　caught　glimpses　of　the　spirit　of　this　place；　the　unpromising　flawlessness　which　somehow　gave　rise　to；　affirmed；　the　most　rabid　and　insatiable　malice。　In　this　air；　contempt　and　fort　became　the　same　thing。　Foul's　Creche　was　the　domain　of　a　being　who　understood　perfectiona　being　who　loathed　life；　not　because　it　was　any　threat　to　him；　but　because　its　mortal　infestations　offended　the　defining　passion　of　his　existence。　In　those　glimpses；　Covenant's　numb；　lacerated　feet　seemed　to　miss　the　stone；　and　he　fell　headlong　at　Foamfollower's　back。
　　　　But　they　kept　moving；　and　at　last　they　reached　the　end　of　the　tunnel。　It　opened　into　a　series　of　unadorned；　unfurnished　apartments…starkly　exact　and　symmetrical…which　showed　no　sign　that　they　had　ever　been；　or　ever　would　be；　occupied　by　anyone。　Yet　the　cold；　green　light　shone　everywhere；　and　the　air　was　as　sharp　as　ice　crystals。　Foamfollower's　sweat　formed　a　cluster　of　emeralds　in　his　beard；　and　he　was　shivering；　despite　his　normal　immunity　to　temperature。
　　　　Beyond　the　apartments；　they　found　a　chain　of　stairs　which　took　them　downward　through　blank　halls；　empty　caverns　large　enough　to　house　the　most　fearsome　banes；　uninhabited　galleries　where　an　orator　could　have　stormed　at　an　audience　of　thousands。　Here　again　they　found　no　sign　of　any　occupation。　All　this　part　of　the