fs.thesecondbookofswords-第30部分

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er　he　saw　or　heard　here　was　likely　to　be　some　magical　deception。。。
　　　Somewhere　above　the　trees　and　the　seeming　sky　there　was；　he　knew；　the　maze；　containing　among　its　other　parts　the　huge　turning　mass　of　the　Old　World　wheel　and　all　its　nested　tunnels。　If　Mark　was　right　about　that；　and　it　seemed　he　was。。。　abruptly；　frighteningly；　there　came　into　Ben's　imagination　a　picture　of　Hubert's　battered　body；　bouncing　and　falling　out　of　this　magic　sky。　There'd　be　a　riffle　through　the　treetops　and　then　instantly　a　heavy　thud　…　might　they　be　going　to　e　upon　it　here　at　any　moment；　the　shattered　head　still　wearing　a　glowing　lamp？
　　　Or　would　a　mangled　corpse；　here　in　the　realm　of　magic；　look　like　something　else　entirely？
　　　Whatever　a　man　looked　at　here；　or　whatever　he　tried　to　think　about；　it　seemed　that　it　had　to　be　done　in　fear。
　　　Doon　kept　them　moving；　maintaining　a　good　pace　over　the　almost　level　ground。　The　forest　flowed　past　them；　and　flowed　past　them　some　more。　Ben　wondered　if　he　should　have　started　counting　steps。　The　sameness　of　it；　he　thought；　was　already　starting　to　make　it　seem　endless。
　　　Once　more　they　approached　and　crossed　the　stream。　It　looked　and　sounded　the　same　as　ever。　The　ground；　Ben　thought；　was　now　rising　very　slightly　beneath　their　feet　as　they　walked　on。　The　sun；　as　nearly　as　he　could　tell　from　sighting　distant　clearings；　was　somewhere　near　the　zenith；　making　it　hard　to　tell　directions　that　way。　But　he　could　have　sworn　that　they　were　traveling　in　a　straight　line；　or　very　nearly　so；　ignoring　the　small　necessary　detours　around　minor　obstacles。
　　　They　passed　another　sunlit　glade；　off　to　their　right。　Birds　sang　in　it；　apparently　enjoying　the　vertical　sunshine。
　　　Mark　called　forward　to　the　leaders：　〃How　big　is　this　cave　that　we're　in；　anyway？　Are　we　even　still　absolutely　sure　that　we're　in　a　cave？〃
　　　Indosuaros；　next　to　the　head　of　the　line；　turned　his　head　with　an　indulgent　smile。　〃Of　course　we　are。　But　you　are　not　moving　through　it　as　fast　as　you　think。〃
　　　〃I'm　having　doubts　that　I'm　moving　through　it　at　all。　Can　you　see　the　far　end　yet？〃
　　　The　magician　turned　his　eyes　forward　again；　and　seemed　to　be　gazing　off　into　the　distance　as　he　walked。　〃Even　for　me；〃　he　began　confidently；　〃it　is。。。　〃
　　　His　voice　trailed　off　there。　In　a　moment　he　had　stopped　abruptly；　and　in　another　moment　the　whole　procession　had　stumbled　to　a　halt。　The　two　wizards　went　through　a　session　of　whispering　together；　after　which　both　of　them　continued　to　stare　off　in　the　same　direction。
　　　Looking　in　that　same　direction　himself；　Ben　could　see　…　or　might　it　be　only　his　imagination　…　a　faint　cloud　above　the　trees；　or　at　least　a　dimming　of　the　sunshine　there。　The　darkening；　whatever　might　be　its　cause；　deepened　swiftly　and　mysteriously。　It　was　passing　like　a　slow　wave；　from　the　left　of　the　observers　to　their　right。
　　　All　six　of　the　humans　could　see　it　now。　The　monkbird　appeared　indifferent；　but　now　the　people　all　gave　evidence　of　being　able　to　feel　it；　too。　It　was　as　if　the　temperature　in　the　forest　had　dropped；　though　where　they　stood　the　sun　appeared　to　shine　through　leaves　as　brightly　as　before。　But　leaves　hung　quiet　in　motionless　air；　whatever　was　passing　was　not　wind。　Ben　had　not　the　least　doubt　now　that　he　was　underground；　the　tricks　of　light　and　sky　seemed　poor　and　obvious　shams。
　　　Over　there；　something。。。　some　power。。。　was　passing。　Passing；　yes；　thank　all　the　gods！　And　it　was　gone。
　　　The　first　to　break　the　silence　was　Doon；　and　his　voice　was　now　constrained　to　a　whisper：　〃What　was　that？〃
　　　Indosuaros　turned　to　him　slowly。　The　wizard's　face　looked　disturbingly　pale；　and　sweat　was　beaded　on　his　brow。　〃I　had　not　expected　this。　That　was　a　god。〃
　　　A　murmur　went　up；　as　if　involuntarily。　Most　people；　including　Ben；　had　never　seen　a　god　or　goddess　in　their　lives；　and　had　no　real　expectation　of　ever　doing　so。　In　human　society　the　presence　of　a　deity　was　somewhat　rarer　even　than　that　of　a　king　or　queen。　〃Which　god？〃　several　voices　asked。
　　　The　magician　answered　thoughtfully。　〃I　believe　that　it　was　Hades　…　or　Pluto；　as　most　people　call　him。　No　one　sees　him　at　close　range；　or　face　to　face；　and　lives。〃
　　　〃But　what　is　he　doing　here？〃
　　　The　magicians　could　e　up　with　no　real　answer　for　that。　〃Gods　go　where　they　will。　And　Hades'　domain　after　all　prises　everything　that　is　under　the　earth。　But　he　is　not　worshipped　by　the　Blue　Temple；　so　we　can　hope　that　he　is　here　somehow　as　their　antagonist　…　that　he　will　favor　our　enterprise；　if　he　takes　notice　of　it　at　all。〃
　　　Ben　was　worried。　〃Then　we　should　make　sacrifice　to　him　right　away；　shouldn't　we？〃
　　　He　had　realized　for　a　long　time　that　magicians　in　general　held　a　low　opinion　of　the　efficacy　of　routine　sacrifice　and　prayer　offered　to　any　god；　and　these　two　magicians　now　proved　to　be　no　exception。　Indosuaros　only　gave　him　a　look　and　turned　away。　Mitspieler　did　the　same；　but　then　turned　back　to　say：　〃Do　something　of　the　kind　quietly；　for　yourself；　if　it　will　make　you　feel　any　better。　I　will　not。　If　it　had　any　effect　at　all；　it　would　only　be　to　draw　to　myself　the　attention　of　a　being　whose　attention　I　do　not　want。〃
　　　Doon　was　consulting　his　Sword；　which　pointed　him　in　the　same　direction　as　before；　very　close　to　flee　area　in　which　they　had　seen　the　shadow　passing。　For　the　first　time　he　hesitated　visibly　to　follow　Wayfinder's　guidance。　Instead　he　turned　to　Ariane。　〃Girl；　is　that　creature　ready　and　willing　to　fly？　If　so；　send　it　out　ahead。〃
　　　Ariane　whispered　to　Dart；　and　in　a　moment　the　monkbird　was　in　flight。　Its　flight　path　curved　slightly　to　the　left；　and　in　a　moment　it　had　disappeared　among　the　trees　in　the　very　area　where　the　shade　of　the　presence　of　the　god　had　seemed　to　linger　longest。　A　few　moments　later　a　small　cry；　faint　and　mournful；　drifted　back。　It　seemed　to　Ben　more　a　cry　of　exhaustion　than　one　of　pain　or　shock。
　　　The　six　people　waited；　but　they　heard　no　more；　nor　did　the　monkbird　reappear。
　　　〃e；　we'll　move　on；〃　said　Doon　at　last。　He　looked　at　Ariane。　〃It　can　catch　up　with　us　on　the　way；　if　nothing's　happened　to　it。〃
　　　She　protested。　〃But　shouldn't　we　look　for　it？〃
　　　〃It　has　not　proved　as　useful　as　I　had　hoped；〃　sail　Doon。　And　the　tall　wizard　shook　his　head。　〃Not　there；　not　now。　If　it　can　e　to　us　it　will。〃
　　　Ariane　looked　off　into　the　woods　on　the　left　for　a　moment　more；　but　made　no　further　protest。　They　tramped　on；　for　what　seemed　to　Ben　a　long　time；　without　further　conversation。　It　was　hopeless　to　try　to　measure　the　day　by　the　featureless　light　that　filtered　down　through　the　high　branches。　Ben　now　had　no　idea　in　which　part　of　the　sky　the　sun　was；　if　there　was　really　something　like　a　sun　up　there　at　all。　It　was　still　full　daylight；　as　it　had　been　ever　since　they　had　entered　the　realm　of　magic。　And　it　seemed　to　Ben　that　they　had　been　moving　all　that　time　in　a　straight　line。
　　　At　last　Doon　called　another　halt　for　rest。　This　time　he　did　not　sheathe　his　Sword　at　all；　but　sat　in　the　grass　holding　it　and　looking　at　it；　and　his　doubt　was　plain　to　read　upon　his　face。
　　　Meanwhile　the　two　wizards　had　gone　a　little　apart；　for　what　appeared　to　be　one　of　their　regular　periodic　conferences。　But　when　Indosuaros　returned　it　was　to　say　that　he　had　sent　Mitspieler　on　ahead　to　scout。
　　　Doon　exploded　at　the　news。　He　scrambled　past　the　other　man；　looking　wildly　off　in　the　direction　in　which　the　assistant　magician　had　evidently　vanished。　Then　he　rounded　on　Indosuaros。　〃What's　the　idea？　I　am　in　mand　here。　How　dare　you　do　such　a　thing　without　telling　me？〃
　　　Indosuaros；　instead　of　lashing　back；　suddenly　looked　somewhat　ill。　He　leaned　his　back　against　a　tree；　and　then　slowly　slid　down　it；　until　he　was　sitting　in　the　grass。
　　　〃What's　wrong　with　you？〃
　　　The　graybeard　looked　up。　〃It　will　pass。　I　advise　you　to　wait　for　Mitspieler　to　e　back；　before　you　take　any　action。〃
　　　〃If　he　es　back；　you　mean。　Gods　and　demons；　man！　What　possessed　you　to　send　him　off　like　that　without　asking　me？〃
　　　This　time　Doon　received　no　answer。　Indosuaros'　eyes　were　closed；　and　Ben　saw　with　alarm　that　the　wizard　…　now　the　only　wizard　that　the　party　had　available　…　was　slumping　down　even　more；　looking　as　if　he　were　in　pain。
　　　Doon　gazed　round　at　the　other　people；　as　if　he　were　minded　to　order　them　to　do　something；　but　could　not　think　of　what。　In　a　moment　he　went　back　to　staring　after　the　vanished　Mitspieler。
　　　Ariane　had　sat　down　too；　and　her　eyes　were　closed。　But　she　appeared　to　be　only　resting　or　thinking；　and　not　sick。　Presently　she　said　softly：　〃I　think　it　is　the　magic　all　around　us　that　makes　the　old　man　sick。〃
　　　〃What　can　we　do　about　it？〃　Mark　asked　her　the　question　as　if　he　really　thought　she　might　have　a　useful　answer。
　　　〃We　should　get　him　out　of　here。　But　then　we　can't　travel　here　without　guidance。〃
　　　Doon　was　looking　at　his　Sword　again。　Now　he　swore；　and　jammed　it　violently　into　the　ground；　instead　of　putting　it　back　into　its　scabbard。
　　　Mark　and　Ben　conferred　together；　but　were　unable　to　decide　upon　a　course　of　action。　As　they　talked；　they　became　gradually　aware　that　the　forest　around　them　was　growing　darker。　This　was　a　different　kind　of　phenomenon　from　the　previous　darkening。　Now　the　whole　sky　was　slowly　dimming；　very　much　as　it　would　at　dusk　outdoors　on　a　cloudy　day。
　　　Indosuaros　roused　himself　a　little；　enough　to　assure　the　others　that　this　was　indeed　analogous　to　the　natural　fall　of　night　outside；　and　harmless　in　itself。　Then　he　lay　back；　putting　his　head　on　his　pack　and　muffling　himself　in　his　robes　as　if　preparing　to　go　to　sleep。　Doon　approached　him　as　if　intending　another　confrontation；　but　shrugged　and　seemed　to　give　the　matter　up　for　the　time　being　when　he　had　taken　a　close　look　at　the　wizard's　face。
　　　The　four　people　who　were　still　active　drank　from　the　nearby　stream；　and　again　ate　sparingly　from　their　supplies。　As　darkness　thickened　under　the　trees　they　turned　their　headlamps　on　again。　In　the　soft…focused　beams　the　forest　around　them　looked　almost　reassuringly　normal。
　　　Mark　wondered　aloud　if　their　lights　were　going　to　be　noticed。
　　　Doon　sniffed。　〃No　need　to　worry　about　that；　I'd　say。　Anything　that's　here　already　knows　that　we're　here