uleg.thefarthestshore-第31部分

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　　But　where　Orm　had　struck　his　enemy　to　earth；　there　lay　something　ugly　and　shriveled；　like　the　body　of　a　big　spider　dried　up　in　its　web。　It　had　been　burned　by　the　dragon's　breath　and　crushed　by　his　taloned　feet。　Yet；　as　Arren　watched；　it　moved。　It　crawled　away　a　little　from　the　dragon。
　　The　face　lifted　up　toward　them。　There　was　no　eliness　left　in　it；　only　ruin；　old　age　that　had　outlived　old　age。　The　mouth　was　withered。　The　sockets　of　the　eyes　were　empty　and　had　long　been　empty。　So　Ged　and　Arren　saw　at　last　the　living　face　of　their　enemy。
　　It　turned　away。　The　burnt；　blackened　arms　reached　out；　and　a　darkness　gathered　into　them；　that　same　shapeless　darkness　that　swelled　and　dimmed　the　sunlight。　Between　the　arms　of　the　Unmaker　it　was　like　an　archway　or　a　gate；　though　dim　and　without　outline；　and　through　it　was　neither　pale　sand　nor　ocean；　but　a　long　slope　of　darkness　going　down　into　the　dark。
　　There　the　crushed；　crawling　figure　went；　and　when　it　came　into　the　darkness　it　seemed　suddenly　to　rise　up　and　move　swiftly；　and　it　was　gone。
　　〃e；　Lebannen；〃　said　Ged；　laying　his　right　hand　on　the　boy's　arm；　and　they　went　forward　into　the　dry　land。
　
　The　Dry　Land
　
　　The　yew…wood　staff　in　the　mage's　hand　shone　in　the　dull；　lowering　darkness　with　a　silver　gleam。　Another　slight　glimmering　movement　caught　Arren's　eye：　a　flicker　of　light　along　the　blade　of　the　sword　he　held　naked　in　his　band。　As　the　dragon's　act　and　death　had　broken　the　binding　spell；　he　had　drawn　his　sword；　there　on　the　beach　of　Selidor。　And　here；　though　he　was　no　more　than　a　shadow；　he　was　a　living　shadow；　and　bore　the　shadow　of　his　sword。
　　There　was　no　other　brightness　anywhere。　It　was　like　a　late　twilight　under　clouds　at　the　end　of　November；　a　dour；　chill；　dull　air　in　which　one　could　see；　but　not　clearly　and　not　far。　Arren　knew　the　place；　the　moors　and　barrens　of　his　hopeless　dreams；　but　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　was　farther；　immensely　farther；　than　he　had　ever　been　in　dream。　He　could　make　out　nothing　distinctly；　except　that　he　and　his　panion　stood　on　the　slope　of　a　hill；　and　before　them　was　a　low　wall　of　stones；　no　higher　than　a　man's　knee。
　　Ged　still　kept　his　right　hand　on　Arren's　arm。　He　moved　forward　now；　and　Arren　went　with　him；　they　stepped　over　the　wall　of　stones。
　　Formless；　the　long　slope　fell　away　before　them；　descending　into　the　dark。
　　But　overhead；　where　Arren　had　thought　to　see　a　heavy　overcast　of　clouds；　the　sky　was　black；　and　there　were　stars。　He　looked　at　them；　and　it　seemed　as　if　his　heart　shrank　small　and　cold　within　him。　They　were　no　stars　that　he　had　ever　seen。　Unmoving　they　shone；　unwinking。　They　were　those　stars　that　do　not　rise　or　set；　nor　are　they　ever　hidden　by　any　cloud；　nor　does　any　sunrise　dim　them。　Still　and　small　they　shine　on　the　dry　land。
　　Ged　set　off　walking　down　the　far　side　of　the　hill　of　being；　and　pace　by　pace　Arren　went　with　him。　There　was　terror　in　him；　and　yet　so　resolved　was　his　heart　and　so　intent　his　will　that　the　fear　did　not　rule　him；　nor　was　he　even　very　clearly　aware　of　it。　It　was　only　as　if　something　deep　within　him　grieved；　like　an　animal　shut　up　in　a　room　and　chained。
　　It　seemed　that　they　walked　down　that　hill…slope　for　a　long　way；　but　perhaps　it　was　a　short　way；　for　there　was　no　passing　of　time　there；　where　no　wind　blew　and　the　stars　did　not　move。　They　came　then　into　the　streets　of　one　of　the　cities　that　are　there；　and　Arren　saw　the　houses　with　windows　that　are　never　lit；　and　in　certain　doorways　standing；　with　quiet　faces　and　empty　hands；　the　dead。
　　The　marketplaces　were　all　empty。　There　was　no　buying　and　selling　there；　no　gaining　and　spending。　Nothing　was　used；　nothing　was　made。　Ged　and　Arren　went　through　the　narrow　streets　alone；　though　a　few　times　they　saw　a　figure　at　the　turning　of　another　way；　distant　and　hardly　to　be　seen　in　the　gloom。　At　sight　of　the　first　of　these；　Arren　started　and　raised　his　sword　to　point；　but　Ged　shook　his　head　and　went　on。　Arren　saw　then　that　the　figure　was　a　woman　who　moved　slowly；　not　fleeing　from　them。
　　All　those　whom　they　saw　…not　many；　for　the　dead　are　many；　but　that　land　is　large…　stood　still；　or　moved　slowly　and　with　no　purpose。　None　of　them　bore　wounds；　as　had　the　semblance　of　Erreth…Akbe　summoned　into　daylight　at　the　place　of　his　death。　No　marks　of　illness　were　on　them。　They　were　whole　and　healed。　They　were　healed　of　pain　and　of　life。　They　were　not　loathesome　as　Arren　had　feared　they　would　be；　not　frightening　in　the　way　he　had　thought　they　would　be。　Quiet　were　their　faces；　freed　from　anger　and　desire；　and　there　was　in　their　shadowed　eyes　no　hope。
　　Instead　of　fear；　then；　great　pity　rose　up　in　Arren；　and　if　fear　underlay　it；　it　was　not　for　himself；　but　for　all　people。　For　he　saw　the　mother　and　child　who　had　died　together；　and　they　were　in　the　dark　land　together；　but　the　child　did　not　run；　nor　did　it　cry；　and　the　mother　did　not　hold　it　or　ever　look　at　it。　And　those　who　had　died　for　love　passed　each　other　in　the　streets。
　　The　potter's　wheel　was　still；　the　loom　empty；　the　stove　cold。　No　voice　ever　sang。
　　The　dark　streets　between　dark　houses　led　on　and　on；　and　they　passed　through　them。　The　sound　of　their　feet　was　the　only　sound。　It　was　cold。　Arren　had　not　noticed　that　cold　at　first；　but　it　crept　into　his　spirit；　which　was；　here；　also　his　flesh。　He　felt　very　weary。　They　must　have　e　a　long　way。　Why　go　on？　he　thought；　and　his　steps　lagged　a　little。
　　Ged　stopped　suddenly；　turning　to　face　a　man　who　stood　at　the　crossing　of　two　streets。　He　was　slender　and　tall；　with　a　face　that　Arren　thought　he　had　seen；　though　he　could　not　remember　where。　Ged　spoke　to　him；　and　no　other　voice　had　broken　the　silence　since　they　stepped　across　the　wall　of　stones：　〃O　Thorion；　my　friend；　how　e　you　here！〃
　　And　he　put　out　his　hands　to　the　Summoner　of　Roke。
　　Thorion　made　no　answering　gesture。　He　stood　still；　and　his　face　was　still；　but　the　silvery　light　on　Ged's　staff　struck　deep　in　his　enshadowed　eyes；　making　a　little　light　there　or　meeting　it。　Ged　took　the　hand　he　did　not　offer　and　said　again；　〃What　do　you　here；　Thorion？　You　are　not　of　this　kingdom　yet。　Go　back！〃
　　〃I　followed　the　undying　one。　I　lost　my　way。〃　The　Summoner's　voice　was　soft　and　dull；　like　that　of　a　man　who　speaks　in　sleep。
　　〃Upward：　toward　the　wall；〃　said　Ged；　pointing　the　way　he　and　Arren　had　e；　the　long；　dark；　descending　street。　At　that　there　was　a　tremor　in　Thorion's　face；　as　if　some　hope　had　entered　into　him　like　a　sword；　intolerable。
　　〃I　cannot　find　the　way；〃　he　said。　〃My　lord；　I　cannot　find　the　way。〃
　　〃Maybe　thou　shalt；〃　Ged　said；　and　embraced　him；　and　then　went　forward。　Thorion　stood　still　at　the　crossroads；　behind　him。
　　As　they　went　on；　it　seemed　to　Arren　that　in　this　timeless　dusk　there　was；　in　truth；　neither　forward　nor　backward；　neither　east　nor　west；　no　way　to　go。　Was　there　a　way　out？　He　thought　how　they　had　e　down　the　hill；　always　descending；　no　matter　how　they　turned；　and　still　in　the　dark　city　the　streets　went　downward；　so　that　to　return　to　the　wall　of　stones　they　need　only　climb；　and　at　the　hill's　top　they　would　find　it。　But　they　did　not　turn。　Side　by　side；　they　went　on。　Did　he　follow　Ged？　Or　did　he　lead　him？
　　They　came　out　of　the　city。　The　country　of　the　innumerable　dead　was　empty。　No　tree　or　thorn　or　blade　of　grass　grew　in　the　stony　earth　under　the　unsetting　stars。　There　was　no　horizon；　for　the　eye　could　not　see　so　far　into　the　gloom；　but　ahead　of　them　the　small；　still　stars　were　absent　from　the　sky　over　a　long　space　above　the　ground；　and　this　starless　space　was　jagged　and　sloped　like　a　chain　of　mountains。　As　they　went　on；　the　shapes　were　more　distinct：　high　peaks；　weathered　by　no　wind　or　rain。　There　was　no　snow　on　them　to　gleam　in　starlight。　They　were　black。　The　sight　of　them　struck　desolation　into　Arren's　heart。　He　looked　away　from　them。　But　he　knew　them；　he　recognized　them；　his　eyes　were　drawn　back　to　them。　Each　time　he　looked　at　those　peaks　he　felt　a　cold　weight　in　his　breast；　and　his　nerve　came　near　to　failing。　Still　he　walked　on；　always　downward；　for　the　land　fell　away；　descending　toward　the　mountains'　feet。　At　last　he　said；　〃My　lord；　what　are。。。〃　He　pointed　at　the　mountains；　for　he　could　not　go　on　speaking；　his　throat　was　dry。
　　〃They　border　on　the　world　of　light；〃　Ged　answered；　〃even　as　does　the　wall　of　stones。　They　have　no　name　but　Pain。　There　is　a　road　across　them。　It　is　forbidden　to　the　dead。　It　is　not　long。　But　it　is　a　bitter　road。〃
　　〃I　am　thirsty；〃　Arren　said；　and　his　panion　answered；　〃Here　they　drink　dust。〃
　　They　went　on。
　　It　seemed　to　Arren　that　his　panion's　gait　had　slowed　somewhat；　and　sometimes　he　hesitated。　He　himself　felt　no　more　hesitation；　though　the　weariness　had　not　ceased　to　grow　in　him。　They　must　go　down；　they　must　go　on。　They　went　on。
　　Sometimes　they　passed　through　other　towns　of　the　dead；　where　the　dark　roofs　made　angles　against　the　stars；　which　stood　forever　in　the　same　place　above　them。　After　the　towns　was　the　empty　land　again；　where　nothing　grew。　As　soon　as　they　had　e　out　of　a　town；　it　was　lost　in　the　darkness。　Nothing　could　be　seen；　before　or　behind；　except　the　mountains　that　grew　ever　nearer；　towering　before　them。　To　their　right　the　formless　slope　fell　away　as　it　had　done；　how　long　ago？　when　they　crossed　the　wall　of　stones。　〃What　lies　that　way？〃　Arren　murmured　to　Ged；　for　he　craved　the　sound　of　speech；　but　the　mage　shook　his　head：　〃I　do　not　know。　It　may　be　a　way　without　an　end。〃
　　In　the　direction　they　went；　the　slope　seemed　to　be　growing　less　and　always　less。　The　ground　under　their　feet　gritted　harshly；　like　lava…dust。　Still　they　went　on；　and　now　Arren　never　thought　of　returning　or　of　how　they　might　return。　Nor　did　he　think　of　stopping；　though　he　was　very　weary。　Once　he　tried　to　lighten　the　numb　darkness　and　weariness　and　horror　within　him　by　thinking　of　his　home；　but　he　could　not　remember　what　sunlight　looked　like　or　his　mother's　face。　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　go　on。　And　he　went　on。
　　He　felt　the　ground　level　under　his　feet；　and　beside　him　Ged　hesitated。　Then　he　too　stopped。　The　long　descent　was　over；　this　was　the　end；　there　was　no　way　further；　no　need　to　go　on。
　　They　were　in　the　valley　directly　under　the　Mountains　of　Pain。　There　were　rocks　underfoot　and　boulders　about　them；　rough　to　the　touch　like　scoria。　It　was　a