uleg.thefarthestshore-第25部分

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　each　other；　they　give　birth　to　each　other　and　are　forever　reborn。　And　with　them　all　is　reborn；　the　flower　of　the　apple　tree；　the　light　of　the　stars。　In　life　is　death。　In　death　is　rebirth。　What　then　is　life　without　death？　Life　unchanging；　everlasting；　eternal？　…What　is　it　but　death…　death　without　rebirth？〃
　　〃If　so　much　hinges　on　it；　then；　my　lord；　if　one　man's　life　might　wreck　the　Balance　of　the　Whole；　surely　it　is　not　possible　…it　would　not　be　allowed…〃　He　halted；　confused。
　　〃Who　allows？　Who　forbids？〃
　　〃I　do　not　know。〃
　　〃Nor　I。　But　I　know　how　much　evil　one　man；　one　life；　can　do。　I　know　it　all　too　well。　I　know　it　because　I　have　done　it。　I　have　done　the　same　evil；　in　the　same　folly　of　pride。　I　opened　the　door　between　the　worlds　just　a　crack；　just　a　little　crack；　just　to　show　that　I　was　stronger　than　death　itself。。。　I　was　young　and　had　not　met　death…like　you。。。　It　took　the　strength　of　the　Archmage　Nemmerle；　it　took　his　mastery　and　his　life；　to　shut　that　door。　You　can　see　the　mark　that　night　left　on　me；　on　my　face；　but　him　it　killed。　Oh；　the　door　between　the　light　and　the　darkness　can　be　opened；　Arren；　it　takes　strength；　but　it　can　be　done。　But　to　shut　it　again；　there's　a　different　story。〃
　　〃But　my　lord；　what　you　speak　of　surely　is　different　from　this…〃
　　〃Why？　Because　I　am　a　good　man？〃　That　coldness　of　steel；　of　the　falcon's　eye；　was　in　Sparrowhawk's　look　again。　〃What　is　a　good　man；　Arren？　Is　a　good　man　one　who　would　not　do　evil；　who　would　not　open　a　door　to　the　darkness；　who　has　no　darkness　in　him？　Look　again；　lad。　Look　a　little　farther；　you　will　need　what　you　learn；　to　go　where　you　must　go。　Look　into　yourself！　Did　you　not　hear　a　voice　say　e？　Did　you　not　follow？〃
　　〃I　did。　I…　I　have　not　forgotten。　But　I　thought。。。　I　thought　that　voice　was。。。　his。〃
　　〃Aye；　it　was　his。　And　it　was　yours。　How　could　he　speak　to　you；　across　the　seas；　but　in　your　own　voice？　How　is　it　that　he　calls　to　those　who　know　how　to　listen；　the　mages　and　the　makers　and　the　seekers；　who　heed　the　voice　within　them？　How　is　it　that　he　does　not　call　to　me？　It　is　because　I　will　not　listen；　I　will　not　hear　that　voice　again。　You　were　born　to　power；　Arren；　as　I　was；　power　over　men；　over　men's　souls；　and　what　is　that　but　power　over　life　and　death？　You　are　young；　you　stand　on　the　borders　of　possibility；　on　the　shadowland；　in　the　realm　of　dream；　and　you　hear　the　voice　saying　e。　But　I；　who　am　old；　who　have　done　what　I　must　do；　who　stand　in　the　daylight　facing　my　own　death；　the　end　of　all　possibility；　I　know　that　there　is　only　one　power　that　is　real　and　worth　the　having。　And　that　is　the　power；　not　to　take；　but　to　accept。〃
　　Jessage　was　far　behind　them　now；　a　blue　smudge　on　the　sea；　a　stain。
　　〃Then　I　am　his　servant；〃　Arren　said。
　　〃You　are。　And　I　am　yours。〃
　　〃But　who　is　he；　then？　What　is　he？〃
　　〃A　man；　I　think　…　even　as　you　and　I。〃
　　〃That　man　you　spoke　of　once　…　the　wizard　of　Havnor；　who　summoned　up　the　dead？　Is　it　he？〃
　　〃It　may　well　be。　He　had　great　power；　and　it　was　all　bent　on　denying　death。　And　he　knew　the　Great　Spells　of　the　Lore　of　Paln。　I　was　young　and　a　fool　when　I　used　that　lore；　and　I　brought　ruin　on　myself。　But　if　an　old　man　and　a　strong　one　used　it；　careless　of　all　consequence；　he　might　bring　ruin　on　us　all。〃
　　〃Were　you　not　told　that　that　man　was　dead？〃
　　〃Aye；〃　said　Sparrowhawk　〃I　was。〃
　　And　they　said　no　more。
　　That　night　the　sea　was　full　of　fire。　The　sharp　waves　thrown　back　by　Lookfar's　prow　and　the　movement　of　every　fish　through　the　surface　water　were　all　outlined　and　alive　with　light。　Arren　sat　with　his　arm　on　the　gunwale　and　his　head　on　his　arm；　watching　those　curves　and　whorls　of　silver　radiance。　He　put　his　hand　in　the　water　and　raised　it　again；　and　light　ran　softly　from　his　fingers。　〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃I　too　am　a　wizard。〃
　　〃That　gift　you　have　not；〃　said　his　panion。
　　〃Much　good　I　shall　be　to　you　without　it；〃　said　Arren；　gazing　at　the　restless　shimmer　of　the　waves；　〃when　we　meet　our　enemy。〃
　　For　he　had　hoped　…from　the　very　beginning　he　had　hoped…　that　the　reason　the　Archmage　had　chosen　him　and　him　alone　for　this　voyage　was　that　he　had　some　inborn　power；　descended　from　his　ancestor　Morred；　which　would　in　the　ultimate　need　and　the　blackest　hour　be　revealed：　and　so　he　would　save　himself　and　his　lord　and　all　the　world　from　the　enemy。　But　lately　he　had　looked　once　more　at　that　hope；　and　it　was　as　if　he　saw　it　from　a　great　distance；　it　was　like　remembering　that；　when　he　was　a　very　little　boy；　he　had　had　a　burning　desire　to　try　on　his　father's　crown；　and　had　wept　when　he　was　forbidden　to。　This　hope　was　as　ill…timed；　as　childish。　There　was　no　magery　in　him。　There　never　would　be。
　　The　time　might　e；　indeed；　when　he　could；　when　he　must；　put　on　his　father's　crown　and　rule　as　Prince　of　Enlad。　But　that　seemed　a　small　thing　now；　and　his　home　a　small　place；　and　remote。　There　was　no　disloyalty　in　this。　Only　his　loyalty　had　grown　greater；　being　fixed　upon　a　greater　model　and　a　broader　hope。　He　had　learned　his　own　weakness　also；　and　by　it　had　learned　to　measure　his　strength；　and　he　knew　that　he　was　strong。　But　what　use　was　strength　if　he　had　no　gift；　nothing　to　offer；　still；　to　his　lord　but　his　service　and　his　steady　love？　Where　they　were　going；　would　those　be　enough？
　　Sparrowhawk　said　only；　〃To　see　a　candle's　light；　one　must　take　it　into　a　dark　place。〃　With　that　Arren　tried　to　fort　himself；　but　he　did　not　find　it　very　forting。
　　Next　morning　when　they　awoke；　the　air　was　grey　and　the　water　was　grey。　Over　the　mast　the　sky　brightened　to　the　blue　of　an　opal；　for　the　fog　lay　low。　To　Northern　men　such　as　Arren　of　Enlad　and　Sparrowhawk　of　Gont；　the　fog　was　wele；　like　an　old　friend。　Softly　it　enclosed　the　boat　so　that　they　could　not　see　far；　and　it　was　to　them　like　being　in　a　familiar　room　after　many　weeks　of　bright　and　barren　space　and　the　wind　blowing。　They　were　ing　back　into　their　own　climate；　and　were　now　perhaps　at　the　latitude　of　Roke。
　
　　Some　seven　hundred　miles　east　of　those　fog…clad　waters　where　Lookfar　sailed；　clear　sunlight　shone　on　the　leaves　of　the　trees　of　the　Immanent　Grove；　on　the　green　crown　of　Roke　Knoll；　and　on　the　high　slate　roofs　of　the　Great　House。
　　In　a　room　in　the　south　tower；　a　magicians'　workroom　cluttered　with　retorts　and　alembics　and　great…bellied；　crook…necked　bottles；　thick…walled　furnaces　and　tiny　heating…lamps；　tongs；　bellows；　stands；　pliers；　pipes；　a　thousand　boxes　and　vials　and　stoppered　jugs　marked　with　Hardic　or　more　secret　runes；　and　all　such　paraphernalia　of　alchemy；　glass…blowing；　metal…refining；　and　the　arts　of　healing；　in　that　room　among　the　much…encumbered　tables　and　benches　stood　the　Master　Changer　and　the　Master　Summoner　of　Roke。
　　In　his　hands　the　grey…haired　Changer　held　a　great　stone　like　a　diamond　uncarved。　It　was　a　rock…crystal；　colored　faintly　deep　within　with　amethyst　and　rose；　but　clear　as　water。　Yet　as　the　eye　looked　into　that　clarity；　it　found　unclarity；　and　neither　reflection　nor　image　of　what　was　real　round　about；　but　only　planes　and　depths　ever　farther；　ever　deeper；　until　it　was　led　quite　into　dream　and　found　no　way　out。　This　was　the　Stone　of　Shelieth。　It　had　long　been　kept　by　the　princes　of　Way；　sometimes　as　a　mere　bauble　of　their　treasury；　sometimes　as　a　charm　for　sleep；　sometimes　for　a　more　baneful　purpose：　for　those　who　looked　too　long　and　without　understanding　into　that　endless　depth　of　crystal　might　go　mad。　The　Archmage　Gensher　of　Way；　ing　to　Roke；　had　brought　with　him　the　Stone　of　Shelieth；　for　in　the　hands　of　a　mage　it　held　the　truth。
　　Yet　the　truth　varies　with　the　man。
　　Therefore　the　Changer；　holding　the　stone　and　looking　through　its　bossed；　uneven　surface　into　the　infinite；　palecolored；　shimmering　depths；　spoke　aloud　to　tell　what　he　saw。　〃I　see　the　earth；　even　as　though　I　stood　on　Mount　Orm　in　the　center　of　the　world　and　beheld　all　beneath　my　feet；　even　to　the　farthest　isle　of　the　farthest　Reaches；　and　beyond。　And　all　is　clear。　I　see　ships　in　the　lanes　of　Ilien；　and　the　hearthfires　of　Torheven；　and　the　roofs　of　this　tower　where　we　stand　now。　But　past　Roke；　nothing。　In　the　south；　no　lands。　In　the　west；　no　lands。　I　cannot　see　Wathort　where　it　should　be；　nor　any　isle　of　the　West　Reach；　even　so　close　as　Pendor。　And　Osskil　and　Ebosskil；　where　are　they？　There　is　a　mist　on　Enlad；　a　greyness；　like　a　spider's　web。　Each　time　I　look；　more　islands　are　gone　and　the　sea　where　they　were　is　empty　and　unbroken；　even　as　it　was　before　the　Making…〃　and　his　voice　stumbled　on　the　last　word　as　if　it　came　with　difficulty　to　his　lips。
　　He　set　the　stone　down　on　its　ivory　stand　and　stood　away　from　it。　His　kindly　face　looked　drawn。　He　said；　〃Tell　me　what　you　see。〃
　　The　Master　Summoner　took　up　the　crystal　in　his　hands　and　turned　it　slowly　as　if　seeking　on　its　rough；　glassy　surface　an　entrance　of　vision。　A　long　time　he　handled　it；　his　face　intent。　At　last　he　set　it　down　and　said；　〃Changer；　I　see　little。　Fragments；　glimpses；　making　no　whole。〃
　　The　grey…haired　Master　clenched　his　hands。　〃Is　that　not　strange　in　itself？〃
　　〃How　so？〃
　　〃Are　your　eyes　often　blind？〃　the　Changer　cried；　as　if　enraged。　〃Do　you　not　see　that　there　is。。。〃　and　he　stammered　several　times　before　he　could　speak；　〃Do　you　not　see　that　there　is　a　hand　upon　your　eyes；　even　as　there　is　a　hand　over　my　mouth？〃
　　The　Summoner　said；　〃You　are　overwrought；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Summon　the　Presence　of　the　Stone；〃　said　the　Changer；　controlling　himself；　but　speaking　in　a　somewhat　stifled　voice。
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃Why；　because　I　ask　you。〃
　　〃e；　Changer；　do　you　dare　me　…　like　boys　before　a　bear's　den？　Are　we　children？〃
　　〃Yes！　Before　what　I　see　in　the　Stone　of　Shelieth；　I　am　a　child　…　a　frightened　child。　Summon　the　Presence　of　the　Stone。　Must　I　beg　you；　my　lord？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　the　tall　Master；　but　he　frowned；　and　turned　from　the　older　man。　Then　stretching　wide　his　arms　in　the　great　gesture　that　begins　the　spells　of　his　art；　he　raised　his　head　and　spoke　the　syllables　of　invocation。　As　he　spoke；　a　light　grew　within　the　Stone　of　Shelieth。　The　room　darkened　about　it；　shadows　gathered。　When　the　shadows　were　deep　and　the　stone　was　very　bright；　he　brought　his　hands　together；　lifted　the　crystal　before　his　face；　and　looked　into　its　radiance。
　　He　was　silent　some　while　and　then　spoke。　〃I　see　the　Fountains　of　Shelieth；〃　he　said　softl