uleg.thefarthestshore-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　So　Arren　returned　to　Star's　raft；　worked　and　swam　and　basked　with　the　other　young　people；　talked　with　Sparrowhawk　in　the　cool　of　the　evening；　and　slept　under　the　stars。　And　the　days　wore　on　toward　the　Long　Dance　of　midsummer's　eve；　and　the　great　rafts　drifted　slowly　southward　on　the　currents　of　the　open　sea。
　
　Orm　Embar
　
　　All　night　long；　the　shortest　night　of　the　year；　torches　burned　on　the　rafts；　which　lay　gathered　in　a　great　circle　under　the　thick…starred　sky；　so　that　a　ring　of　fires　flickered　on　the　sea。　The　raft…folk　danced；　using　no　drum　or　flute　or　any　music　but　the　rhythm　of　bare　feet　on　the　great；　rocking　rafts；　and　the　thin　voices　of　their　chanters　ringing　plaintive　in　the　vastness　of　their　dwelling　place　the　sea。　There　was　no　moon　that　night；　and　the　bodies　of　the　dancers　were　dim　in　the　starlight　and　torchlight。　Now　and　again　one　flashed　like　a　fish　leaping；　a　youth　vaulting　from　one　raft　to　the　next：　long　leaps　and　high；　and　they　vied　with　one　another；　trying　to　circle　all　the　ring　of　rafts　and　dance　on　each；　and　so　e　round　before　the　break　of　day。
　　Arren　danced　with　them；　for　the　Long　Dance　is　held　on　every　isle　of　the　Archipelago；　though　the　steps　and　songs　may　vary。　But　as　the　night　drew　on；　and　many　dancers　dropped　out　and　settled　down　to　watch　or　doze；　and　the　voices　of　the　chanters　grew　husky；　he　came　with　a　group　of　high…leaping　lads　to　the　chief's　raft　and　there　stopped；　while　they　went　on。
　　Sparrowhawk　sat　with　the　chief　and　the　chiefs　three　wives；　near　the　temple。　Between　the　carven　whales　that　made　its　doorway　sat　a　chanter　whose　high　voice　had　not　flagged　all　night　long。　Tireless　he　sang；　tapping　his　hands　on　the　wooden　deck　to　keep　the　time。
　　〃What　does　he　sing　of？〃　Arren　asked　the　mage；　for　he　could　not　follow　the　words；　which　were　all　held　long；　with　trills　and　strange　catches　on　the　notes。
　　〃Of　the　grey　whales　and　the　albatross　and　the　storm。
　　They　do　not　know　the　songs　of　the　heroes　and　the　kings。　They　do　not　know　the　name　of　Erreth…Akbe。　Earlier　he　sang　of　Segoy；　how　he　established　the　lands　amid　the　sea；　that　much　they　remember　of　the　lore　of　men。　But　the　rest　is　all　of　the　sea。〃
　　Arren　listened：　he　heard　the　singer　imitate　the　whistling　cry　of　the　dolphin；　weaving　his　song　about　it。　He　watched　Sparrowhawk's　profile　against　the　torchlight；　black　and　firm　as　rock；　saw　the　liquid　gleam　of　the　chief's　wives'　eyes　as　they　chatted　softly；　felt　the　long；　slow　dip　of　the　raft　on　the　quiet　sea；　and　slipped　gradually　toward　sleep。
　　He　roused　all　at　once：　the　chanter　had　fallen　silent。　Not　only　the　one　near　whom　they　sat；　but　all　the　others；　on　the　rafts　near　and　far。　The　thin　voices　had　died　away　like　a　faroff　piping　of　sea　birds；　and　it　was　still。
　　Arren　looked　over　his　shoulder　to　the　east；　expecting　dawn。　But　only　the　old　moon　rode　low；　just　rising；　golden　among　the　summer　stars。
　　Then　looking　southward　he　saw；　high　up；　yellow　Gobardon；　and　below　it　the　eight　panions；　even　to　the　last：　the　Rune　of　Ending　clear　and　fiery　above　the　sea。　And　turning　to　Sparrowhawk；　he　saw　the　dark　face　turned　to　those　same　stars。
　　〃Why　do　you　cease？〃　the　chief　was　asking　the　singer。　〃It　is　not　daybreak；　not　even　dawn。〃
　　The　man　stammered　and　said；　〃I　do　not　know。〃
　　〃Sing　on！　The　Long　Dance　is　not　ended。〃
　　〃I　do　not　know　the　words；〃　the　chanter　said；　and　his　voice　rose　high　as　if　in　terror。　〃I　cannot　sing。　I　have　forgotten　the　song。〃
　　〃Sing　another；　then！〃
　　〃There　are　no　more　songs。　It　is　ended；〃　the　chanter　cried；　and　bent　forward　till　he　crouched　on　the　decking；　and　the　chief　stared　at　him　in　amazement。
　　The　rafts　rocked　beneath　their　sputtering　torches；　all　silent。　The　silence　of　the　ocean　enclosed　the　small　stir　of　life　and　light　upon　it　and　swallowed　it。　No　dancer　moved。
　　It　seemed　to　Arren　then　that　the　splendor　of　the　stars　dimmed；　and　yet　no　daylight　was　in　the　east。　A　horror　came　on　him；　and　he　thought；　〃There　will　be　no　sunrise。　There　will　be　no　day。〃
　　The　mage　stood　up。　As　he　did　so　a　faint　light；　white　and　quick；　ran　along　his　staff；　burning　clearest　in　the　rune　that　was　set　in　silver　in　the　wood。　〃The　dance　is　not　ended；〃　he　said；　〃nor　the　night。　Arren；　sing。〃
　　Arren　would　have　said；　〃I　cannot；　lord！〃…　but　instead　he　looked　at　the　nine　stars　in　the　south；　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　sang。　His　voice　was　soft　and　husky　at　first；　but　it　grew　stronger　as　he　sang；　and　the　song　was　that　oldest　song；　of　the　Creation　of　Ea；　and　the　balancing　of　the　dark　and　the　light；　and　the　making　of　green　lands　by　him　who　spoke　the　first　word；　the　Eldest　Lord；　Segoy。
　　Before　the　song　was　ended；　the　sky　had　paled　to　greyish…blue；　and　in　it　only　the　moon　and　Gobardon　still　burned　faintly。　The　torches　hissed　in　the　wind　of　dawn。　Then；　the　song　done；　Arren　was　silent；　and　the　dancers　who　had　gathered　to　listen　returned　quietly　from　raft　to　raft；　as　the　light　brightened　in　the　east。
　　〃That　is　a　good　song；〃　the　chief　said。　His　voice　was　uncertain；　though　he　strove　to　speak　impassively。　〃It　would　not　be　well　to　end　the　Long　Dance　before　it　is　pleted。　I　will　have　the　lazy　chanters　beaten　with　nilgu　thongs。〃
　　〃fort　them；　rather；〃　Sparrowhawk　said。　He　was　still　afoot；　and　his　tone　was　stern。　〃No　singer　chooses　silence。　e　with　me；　Arren。〃
　　He　turned　to　go　to　the　shelter；　and　Arren　followed　him。　But　the　strangeness　of　that　daybreak　was　not　yet　done；　for　even　then；　as　the　eastern　rim　of　the　sea　grew　white；　there　came　from　the　north　flying　a　great　bird：　so　high　up　that　its　wings　caught　the　sunlight　that　had　not　shone　upon　the　world　yet　and　beat　in　strokes　of　gold　upon　the　air。　Arren　cried　out；　pointing。　The　mage　looked　up；　startled。　Then　his　face　became　fierce　and　exulting；　and　he　shouted　out　aloud；　〃Nam　hietha　arw　Ged　arkvaissa！〃…which　in　the　Speech　of　the　Making　is；　If　thou　seekest　Ged　here　find　him。
　　And　like　a　golden　plummet　dropped；　with　wings　held　high　outstretched；　vast　and　thundering　on　the　air；　with　talons　which　might　seize　an　ox　as　if　it　were　a　mouse；　with　a　curl　of　steamy　flame　streaming　from　long　nostrils；　the　dragon　stooped　like　a　falcon　on　the　rocking　raft。
　　The　raft…folk　cried　out；　some　cowered　down；　some　leapt　into　the　sea；　and　some　stood　still；　watching；　in　a　wonder　that　surpassed　fear。
　　The　dragon　hovered　above　them。　Ninety　feet；　maybe；　was　he　from　tip　to　tip　of　his　vast　membranous　wings；　that　shone　in　the　new　sunlight　like　gold…shot　smoke；　and　the　length　of　his　body　was　no　less；　but　lean；　arched　like　a　greyhound；　clawed　like　a　lizard；　and　snake…scaled。　Along　the　narrow　spine　went　a　row　of　jagged　darts；　like　rose…thorns　in　shape；　but　at　the　hump　of　the　back　three　feet　in　height；　and　so　diminishing　that　the　last　at　the　tail…tip　was　no　longer　than　the　blade　of　a　little　knife。　These　thorns　were　grey；　and　the　scales　of　the　dragon　were　iron…grey；　but　there　was　a　glitter　of　gold　in　them。　His　eyes　were　green　and　slitted。
　　Moved　by　fear　for　his　people　to　forget　fear　for　himself；　the　chief　of　the　raft…folk　came　from　his　shelter　with　a　harpoon　such　as　they　used　in　the　hunt　of　whales：　it　was　longer　than　himself　and　pointed　with　a　great；　barbed　point　of　ivory。　Poising　it　on　his　small；　sinewy　arm；　he　ran　forward　to　gain　the　impetus　to　hurl　it　up　and　strike　the　dragon's　narrow；　light…mailed　belly　that　hung　above　the　raft。　Arren　waking　from　stupor　saw　him；　and　plunging　forward　caught　his　arm　and　came　down　in　a　heap　with　him　and　the　harpoon。　〃Would　you　anger　him　with　your　silly　pins？〃　he　gasped。　〃Let　the　Dragonlord　speak　first！〃
　　The　chief；　half　the　wind　knocked　out　of　him；　stared　stupidly　at　Arren　and　at　the　mage　and　at　the　dragon。　But　he　did　not　say　anything。　And　then　the　dragon　spoke。
　　None　there　but　Ged　to　whom　it　spoke　could　understand　it；　for　dragons　speak　only　in　the　Old　Speech；　which　is　their　tongue。　The　voice　was　soft　and　hissing；　almost　like　a　cat's　when　he　cries　out　softly　in　rage；　but　huge；　and　there　was　a　terrible　music　in　it。　Whoever　heard　that　voice　stopped　still　and　listened。
　　The　mage　answered　briefly；　and　again　the　dragon　spoke；　poising　above　him　on　slight…shifting　wings：　even；　thought　Arren；　like　a　dragonfly　poised　on　the　air。
　　Then　the　mage　answered　one　word；　〃Memeas；〃　I　will　e；　and　he　lifted　up　his　staff　of　yew…wood。　The　dragon's　jaws　opened；　and　a　coil　of　smoke　escaped　them　in　a　long　arabesque。　The　gold　wings　clapped　like　thunder；　making　a　great　wind　that　smelled　of　burning：　and　he　wheeled　and　flew　hugely　to　the　north。
　　It　was　quiet　on　the　rafts；　with　a　little　thin　piping　and　wailing　of　children；　and　women　forting　them。　Men　climbed　aboard　out　of　the　sea　somewhat　shamefaced；　and　the　forgotten　torches　burned　in　the　first　rays　of　the　sun。
　　The　mage　turned　to　Arren。　His　face　had　a　light　in　it　that　might　have　been　joy　or　stark　anger；　but　he　spoke　quietly。　〃Now　we　must　go；　lad。　Say　your　farewells　and　e。　He　turned　to　thank　the　chief　of　the　raft…folk　and　bid　him　farewell；　and　then　went　from　the　great　raft　across　three　others；　for　they　still　lay　close　ingathered　for　the　dancing；　till　he　came　to　the　one　to　which　Lookfar　was　tied。　So　the　boat　had　followed　the　raft…town　in　its　long；　slow　drift　into　the　south；　rocking　along　empty　behind；　but　the　Children　of　the　Open　Sea　had　filled　its　empty　cask　with　hoarded　rainwater　and　made　up　its　stock　of　provisions；　wishing　thus　to　honor　their　guests；　for　many　of　them　believed　Sparrowhawk　to　be　one　of　the　Great　Ones；　who　had　taken　on　the　form　of　a　man　instead　of　the　form　of　a　whale。　When　Arren　joined　him；　he　had　the　sail　up。　Arren　loosed　the　rope　and　leapt　into　the　boat；　and　in　that　instant　she　veered　from　the　raft　and　her　sail　stiffened　as　in　a　high　wind；　though　only　the　breeze　of　sunrise　blew。　She　heeled　turning　and　sped　off　northward　on　the　dragon's　track；　light　as　a　blown　leaf　on　the　wind。
　　When　Arren　looked　back；　he　saw　the　raft…town　as　a　tiny　scattering；　little　sticks　and　chips　of　wood　afloat：　the　shelters　and　the　torch…poles。　Soon　these　were　lost　in　the　dazzle　of　early　sunlight　on　the　water。　Lookfar　fled　forward。　When　her　bow　bit　the　waves；　fine　crystal　spray　flew；　and　the　wind　of　her　going　flung　back　Arren's　hair　and　made　him　squint。
　　Under　no　wind　of　earth　could　that　small　boat　have　sailed　so　fast；　unless　in　storm；　and　then　it　might　have　foundered　in　the　storm…waves。　This　was　no　wind　of　ear