uleg.thefarthestshore-第30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！


efly　burning　fire。
　　The　next　morning　they　walked　on；　going　north　and　west；　this　was　Arren's　decision；　not　Ged's；　who　said；　〃Choose　us　our　way；　lad；　the　ways　are　all　alike　to　me。〃　They　made　no　haste；　for　they　had　no　goal；　waiting　for　some　sign　from　Orm　Embar。　They　followed　the　lowest；　outmost　range　of　hills；　mostly　within　sight　of　the　ocean。　The　grass　was　dry　and　short；　blowing　and　blowing　forever　in　the　wind。　The　hills　rose　up　golden　and　forlorn　upon　their　right；　and　on　their　left　lay　the　salt　marshes　and　the　western　sea。　Once　they　saw　swans　flying；　far　away　in　the　south。　No　other　breathing　creature　did　they　see　all　that　day。　A　kind　of　weariness　of　dread；　of　waiting　for　the　worst；　grew　in　Arren　all　day　long。　Impatience　and　a　dull　anger　rose　in　him。　He　said；　after　hours　of　silence；　〃This　land　is　as　dead　as　the　land　of　death　itself！〃
　　〃Do　not　say　that；〃　the　mage　said　sharply。　He　strode　on　a　while　and　then　went　on；　in　a　changed　voice；　〃Look　at　this　land；　look　about　you。　This　is　your　kingdom；　the　kingdom　of　life。　This　is　your　immortality。　Look　at　the　hills；　the　mortal　hills。　They　do　not　endure　forever。　The　hills　with　the　living　grass　on　them；　and　the　streams　of　water　running。。。　In　all　the　world；　in　all　the　worlds；　in　all　the　immensity　of　time；　there　is　no　other　like　each　of　those　streams；　rising　cold　out　of　the　earth　where　no　eye　sees　it；　running　through　the　sunlight　and　the　darkness　to　the　sea。　Deep　are　the　springs　of　being；　deeper　than　life；　than　death。。。〃
　　He　stopped；　but　in　his　eyes　as　he　looked　at　Arren　and　at　the　sunlit　hills　there　was　a　great；　wordless；　grieving　love。　And　Arren　saw　that；　and　seeing　it　saw　him；　saw　him　for　the　first　time　whole；　as　he　was。
　　〃I　cannot　say　what　I　mean；〃　Ged　said　unhappily。
　　But　Arren　thought　of　that　first　hour　in　the　Fountain　Court；　of　the　man　who　had　knelt　by　the　running　water　of　the　fountain；　and　joy；　as　clear　as　that　remembered　water；　welled　up　in　him。　He　looked　at　his　panion　and　said；　〃I　have　given　my　love　to　what　is　worthy　of　love。　Is　that　not　the　kingdom　and　the　unperishing　spring？〃
　　〃Aye；　lad；〃　said　Ged；　gently　and　with　pain。
　　They　went　on　together　in　silence。　But　Arren　saw　the　world　now　with　his　panion's　eyes　and　saw　the　living　splendor　that　was　revealed　about　them　in　the　silent；　desolate　land；　as　if　by　a　power　of　enchantment　surpassing　any　other；　in　every　blade　of　the　windbowed　grass；　every　shadow；　every　stone。　So　when　one　stands　in　a　cherished　place　for　the　last　time　before　a　voyage　without　return；　he　sees　it　all　whole；　and　real；　and　dear；　as　he　has　never　seen　it　before　and　never　will　see　it　again。
　　As　evening　came　on　serried　lines　of　clouds　rose　from　the　west；　borne　on　great　winds　from　the　sea；　and　burnt　fiery　before　the　sun；　reddening　it　as　it　sank。　As　he　gathered　brushwood　for　their　fire　in　a　creek…valley；　in　that　red　light；　Arren　glanced　up　and　saw　a　man　standing　not　ten　feet　from　him。　The　man's　face　looked　vague　and　strange；　but　Arren　knew　him；　the　Dyer　of　Lorbanery；　Sopli；　who　was　dead。
　　Behind　him　stood　others；　all　with　sad；　staring　faces。　They　seemed　to　speak；　but　Arren　could　not　hear　their　words；　only　a　kind　of　whispering　blown　away　by　the　west　wind。　Some　of　them　came　toward　him　slowly。
　　He　stood　and　looked　at　them；　and　again　at　Sopli；　and　then　he　turned　his　back　on　them；　stooped；　and　picked　up　one　more　stick　of　brushwood；　though　his　hands　shook。　He　added　it　to　his　load；　and　picked　up　another；　and　one　more。　Then　he　straightened　and　looked　back。　There　was　no　one　in　the　valley；　only　the　red　light　burning　on　the　grass。　He　returned　to　Ged　and　set　down　his　load　of　firewood；　but　he　said　nothing　of　what　he　had　seen。
　　All　that　night；　in　the　misty　darkness　of　that　land　empty　of　living　souls；　when　he　woke　from　fitful　sleep　he　heard　about　him　the　whispering　of　the　souls　of　the　dead。　He　steadied　his　will；　and　did　not　listen；　and　slept　again。
　　Both　he　and　Ged　woke　late；　when　the　sun；　already　a　hands'　breadth　above　the　hills；　broke　free　at　last　from　fog　and　brightened　the　cold　land。　As　they　ate　their　small　morning　meal　the　dragon　came；　wheeling　above　them　in　the　air。　Fire　shot　from　his　jaws；　and　smoke　and　sparks　from　his　red　nostrils；　his　teeth　gleamed　like　blades　of　ivory　in　that　lurid　glare。　But　he　said　nothing；　though　Ged　hailed　him；　crying　in　his　language；　〃Hast　found　him；　Orm　Embar？〃
　　The　dragon　threw　back　his　head　and　arched　his　body　strangely；　raking　the　wind　with　his　razor　talons。　Then　he　set　off　flying　fast　to　the　west；　looking　back　at　them　as　he　went。
　　Ged　gripped　his　staff　and　struck　it　on　the　ground。　〃He　cannot　speak；〃　he　said。　〃He　cannot　speak！　The　words　of　the　Making　are　taken　from　him；　and　he　is　left　like　an　adder；　like　a　tongueless　worm；　his　wisdom　dumb。　Yet　he　can　lead；　and　we　can　follow！〃　Swinging　up　their　light　packs　on　their　backs；　they　strode　westward　across　the　hills；　as　Orm　Embar　had　flown。
　　Eight　miles　or　more　they　went；　not　slackening　that　first；　swift；　steady　pace。　Now　the　sea　lay　on　either　hand；　and　they　walked　on　a　long；　falling　ridge…back　that　ran　down　at　last　through　dry　reeds　and　winding　creek…beds　to　an　outcurving　beach　of　sand；　colored　like　ivory。　This　was　the　westernmost　cape　of　all　the　lands；　the　end　of　earth。
　　Orm　Embar　crouched　on　that　ivory　sand；　his　head　low　like　an　angry　cat's　and　his　breath　ing　in　gasps　of　fire。　Some　way　before　him；　between　him　and　the　long；　low　breakers　of　the　sea；　stood　a　thing　like　a　hut　or　shelter；　white；　as　if　built　of　long…beached　driftwood。　But　there　was　no　driftwood　on　this　shore　which　faced　no　other　land。　As　they　came　closer　Arren　saw　that　the　ramshackle　walls　were　built　up　of　great　bones：　whales'　bones；　he　thought　at　first；　and　then　saw　the　white　triangles　edged　like　knives；　and　knew　they　were　the　bones　of　a　dragon。
　　They　came　to　the　place。　Sunlight　on　the　sea　glittered　through　crevices　between　the　bones。　The　lintel　of　the　doorway　was　a　thighbone　longer　than　a　man。　On　it　stood　a　human　skull；　staring　with　hollow　eyes　at　the　hills　of　Selidor。
　　They　stopped　there；　and　as　they　looked　up　at　the　skull　a　man　came　out　of　the　doorway　under　it。　He　wore　an　armor　of　gilt　bronze　of　ancient　fashion；　it　was　rent　as　if　by　hatchet　blows；　and　the　jeweled　scabbard　of　his　sword　was　empty。　His　face　was　stern；　with　arched；　black　brows　and　narrow　nose；　his　eyes　were　dark；　keen；　and　sorrowful。　There　were　wounds　on　his　arms　and　in　his　throat　and　side；　they　bled　no　longer；　but　they　were　mortal　wounds。　He　stood　erect　and　still；　and　looked　at　them。
　　Ged　took　one　step　toward　him。　They　were　somewhat　alike；　thus　face　to　face。
　　〃Thou　art　Erreth…Akbe；〃　Ged　said。　The　other　gazed　at　him　steadily　and　nodded　once；　but　did　not　speak。
　　〃Even　thou；　even　thou　must　do　his　bidding。〃　Rage　was　in　Ged's　voice。　〃O　my　lord；　and　best　and　bravest　of　us　all；　rest　in　thy　honor　and　in　death！〃　And　raising　his　hands；　Ged　brought　them　down　in　a　great　gesture；　saying　again　those　words　he　had　spoken　to　the　multitudes　of　the　dead。　His　hands　left　behind　on　the　air　a　moment　a　broad；　bright　track。　When　it　was　gone；　the　armored　man　was　gone；　and　only　the　sun　dazzled　on　the　sand　where　he　had　stood。
　　Ged　struck　at　the　house　of　bones　with　his　staff；　and　it　fell　and　vanished　away。　Nothing　of　it　was　left　but　one　great　rib…bone　that　stuck　up　out　of　the　sand。
　　He　turned　to　Orm　Embar。　〃Is　it　here；　Orm　Embar？　Is　this　the　place？〃
　　The　dragon　opened　his　mouth　and　made　a　huge；　gasping　hiss。
　　〃Here　on　the　last　shore　of　the　world。　That　is　well！〃　Then　holding　his　black　yew　staff　in　his　left　hand；　Ged　opened　his　arms　in　the　gesture　of　invocation；　and　spoke。　Though　he　spoke　in　the　language　of　the　Making；　yet　Arren　understood；　at　last；　as　all　who　hear　that　invocation　must　understand；　for　it　has　power　over　all：　〃Now　do　I　summon　you　and　here；　my　enemy；　before　my　eyes　and　in　the　flesh；　and　bind　you　by　the　word　that　will　not　be　spoken　till　time's　end；　to　e！〃
　　But　where　the　name　of　him　summoned　should　have　been　spoken；　Ged　said　only：　My　enemy。
　　A　silence　followed；　as　if　the　sound　of　the　sea　had　faded。　It　seemed　to　Arren　that　the　sun　failed　and　dimmed；　though　it　stood　high　in　a　clear　sky。　A　darkness　came　over　the　beach；　as　though　one　looked　through　smoked　glass；　directly　before　Ged　it　grew　very　dark；　and　it　was　hard　to　see　what　was　there。　It　was　as　if　nothing　was　there；　nothing　the　light　could　fall　on；　a　formlessness。
　　Out　of　it　came　a　man；　suddenly。　It　was　the　same　man　they　had　seen　upon　the　dune；　black…haired　and　long…armed；　lithe　and　tall。　He　held　now　a　long　rod　or　blade　of　steel；　graven　all　down　its　length　with　runes；　and　he　tilted　this　toward　Ged　as　he　faced　him。　But　there　was　something　strange　in　the　look　of　his　eyes；　as　if　they　were　sun…dazzled　and　could　not　see。
　　〃I　e；〃　he　said；　〃at　my　own　choosing；　in　my　own　way。　You　cannot　summon　me；　Archmage。　I　am　no　shadow。　I　am　alive。　I　only　am　alive！　You　think　you　are；　but　you　are　dying；　dying。　Do　you　know　what　this　is　I　hold？　It　is　the　staff　of　the　Grey　Mage；　he　who　silenced　Nereger；　the　Master　of　my　art。　But　I　am　the　Master　now。　And　I　have　had　enough　of　playing　games　with　you。〃　With　that　he　suddenly　reached　out　the　steel　blade　to　touch　Ged；　who　stood　as　if　he　could　not　move　and　could　not　speak。　Arren　stood　a　pace　behind　him；　and　all　his　will　was　to　move；　but　he　could　not　stir；　he　could　not　even　put　his　hand　on　his　sword…hilt；　and　his　voice　was　stopped　in　his　throat。
　　But　over　Ged　and　Arren；　over　their　heads；　vast　and　fiery；　the　great　body　of　the　dragon　came　in　one　writhing　leap　and　plunged　down　full…force　upon　the　other；　so　that　the　charmed　steel　blade　entered　into　the　dragon's　mailed　breast　to　its　full　length：　but　the　man　was　borne　down　under　his　weight　and　crushed　and　burnt。
　　Rising　up　again　from　the　sand；　arching　his　back　and　beating　his　vaned　wings；　Orm　Embar　vomited　out　gouts　of　fire　and　screamed。　He　tried　to　fly；　but　he　could　not　fly。　Malign　and　cold；　the　metal　lay　in　his　heart。　He　crouched；　and　the　blood　ran　black　and　poisonous；　steaming；　from　his　mouth；　and　the　fire　died　in　his　nostrils　till　they　became　like　pits　of　ash。　He　laid　down　his　great　head　on　the　sand。
　　So　died　Orm　Embar　where　his　forefather　Orm　died；　on　the　bones　of　Orm　buried　in　the　sand。
　　But　where　Orm　had　struck　his　enemy　to　earth；　there　lay　something　ugly　and　shriveled；　like　the　body　of　a　big　spider　dried