uleg.thetombsofatuan-第16部分

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ave　learned；　the　best…kept　secret。
　　〃You　must　bring　the　man　where　I　lead　you；　and　you　must　do　it　in　the　dark。　Then　when　I　bring　you　back　here；　you　will　dig　a　grave　in　the　Undertomb；　and　make　a　coffin　for　it；　and　put　it　in　the　grave　empty；　and　fill　in　the　earth　again；　yet　so　that　it　can　be　felt　and　found　if　someone　sought　for　it。　A　deep　grave。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Manan；　dour　and　fretful。　〃Little　one；　this　trickery　is　not　wise。　It　is　not　good。　There　should　not　be　a　man　here！　There　will　e　a　punishment…〃
　　〃An　old　fool　will　have　his　tongue　cut　out；　yes！　Do　you　dare　tell　me　what　is　wise？　I　follow　the　orders　of　the　Dark　Powers。　Follow　me！〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；　little　mistress；　I'm　sorry。。。〃
　　They　returned　to　the　Painted　Room。　There　she　waited　outside　in　the　tunnel；　while　Manan　entered　and　unlocked　the　chain　from　the　hasp　in　the　wall。　She　heard　the　deep　voice　ask；　〃Where　now；　Manan？〃　and　the　husky　alto　answer；　sullenly；　〃You　are　to　be　buried　alive；　my　mistress　says。　Under　the　Tombstones。　Get　up！〃　She　heard　the　heavy　chain　crack　like　a　whip。
　　The　prisoner　came　out；　his　arms　bound　with　Manan's　leather　belt。　Manan　came　behind；　holding　him　like　a　dog　on　a　short　leash；　but　the　collar　was　around　his　waist　and　the　leash　was　iron。　His　eyes　turned　to　her；　but　she　blew　out　her　candle　and　without　a　word　set　off　into　the　dark。　She　fell　at　once　into　the　slow　but　fairly　steady　pace　that　she　usually　kept　when　she　was　not　using　a　light　in　the　Labyrinth；　brushing　her　fingertips　very　lightly　but　almost　constantly　along　the　walls　on　either　side。　Manan　and　the　prisoner　followed　behind；　much　more　awkward　because　of　the　leash；　shuffling　and　stumbling　along。　But　in　the　dark　they　must　go；　for　she　did　not　want　either　of　them　to　learn　this　way。
　　A　left　turn　from　the　Painted　Room；　and　pass　two　openings；　go　right　at　the　Four　Ways；　and　pass　the　opening　to　the　right；　then　a　long　curving　way；　and　a　flight　of　steps　down；　long；　slippery；　and　much　too　narrow　for　normal　human　feet。　Farther　than　these　steps　she　had　never　gone。
　　The　air　was　fouler　here；　very　still；　with　a　sharp　odor　to　it。　The　directions　were　clear　in　her　mind；　even　the　tones　of　Thar's　voice　speaking　them。　Down　the　steps　（behind　her；　the　prisoner　stumbled　in　the　pitch　blackness；　and　she　heard　him　gasp　as　Manan　kept　him　afoot　with　a　mighty　jerk　on　the　chain）；　and　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　turn　at　once　to　the　left。　Hold　the　left；　then　for　three　openings；　then　the　first　right；　then　hold　to　the　right。　The　tunnels　curved　and　angled；　none　ran　straight。　〃Then　you　must　skirt　the　Pit；〃　said　Thar's　voice　in　the　darkness　of　her　mind；　〃and　the　way　is　very　narrow。〃
　　She　slowed　her　step；　stooped　over；　and　felt　before　her　with　one　hand　along　the　floor。　The　corridor　now　ran　straight　for　a　long　way；　giving　false　reassurance　to　the　wanderer。　All　at　once　her　groping　hand；　which　never　ceased　to　touch　and　sweep　the　rock　before　her；　felt　nothing。　There　was　a　stone　lip；　an　edge：　beyond　the　edge；　void。　To　the　right　the　wall　of　the　corridor　plunged　down　sheer　into　the　pit。　To　the　left　there　was　a　ledge　or　curb；　not　much　more　than　a　hand's　breadth　wide。
　　〃There　is　a　pit。　Face　the　wall　to　the　left；　press　against　it；　and　go　sideways。　Slide　your　feet。　Keep　hold　of　the　chain；　Manan。。。　Are　you　on　the　ledge？　It　grows　narrower。　Don't　put　your　weight　on　your　heels。　So；　I'm　past　the　pit。　Reach　me　your　hand。　There。。。〃
　　The　tunnel　ran　in　short　zigzags　with　many　side　openings。　From　some　of　these　as　they　passed　the　sound　of　their　footsteps　echoed　in　a　strange　way；　hollowly；　and　stranger　than　that；　a　very　faint　draft　could　be　felt；　sucking　inward。　Those　corridors　must　end　in　pits　like　the　one　they　had　passed。　Perhaps　there　lay；　under　this　low　part　of　the　Labyrinth；　a　hollow　place；　a　cavern　so　deep　and　so　vast　that　the　cavern　of　the　Undertomb　would　be　little　in　parison；　a　huge　black　inward　emptiness。
　　But　above　that　chasm；　where　they　went　in　the　dark　tunnels；　the　corridors　grew　slowly　narrower　and　lower；　until　even　Arha　must　stoop。　Was　there　no　end　to　this　way？
　　The　end　came　suddenly：　a　shut　door。　Going　bent　over；　and　a　little　faster　than　usual；　Arha　ran　up　against　it；　jarring　her　head　and　hands。　She　felt　for　the　keyhole；　then　for　the　small　key　on　her　belt…ring；　never　used；　the　silver　key　with　the　haft　shaped　like　a　dragon。　It　fit；　it　turned。　She　opened　the　door　of　the　Great　Treasure　of　the　Tombs　of　Atuan。　A　dry；　sour；　stale　air　sighed　outward　through　the　dark。
　　〃Manan；　you　may　not　enter　here。　Wait　outside　the　door。〃
　　〃He；　but　not　I？〃
　　〃If　you　enter　this　room；　Manan；　you　will　not　leave　it。　That　is　the　law　for　all　but　me。　No　mortal　being　but　I　has　ever　left　this　room　alive。　Will　you　go　in？〃
　　〃I　will　wait　outside；〃　said　the　melancholy　voice　in　the　blackness。　〃Mistress；　mistress；　don't　shut　the　door…〃　；
　　His　alarm　so　unnerved　her　that　she　left　the　door　ajar。　Indeed　the　place　filled　her　with　a　dull　dread；　and　she　felt　some　mistrust　of　the　prisoner；　pinioned　though　he　was。　Once　inside；　she　struck　her　light。　Her　hands　trembled。　The　lantern　candle　caught　reluctantly；　the　air　was　close　and　dead。　In　the　yellowish　flicker　that　seemed　bright　after　the　long　passages　of　night；　the　treasure　room　loomed　about　them；　full　of　moving　shadows。
　　There　were　six　great　chests；　all　of　stone；　all　thick　with　a　fine　gray　dust　like　the　mold　on　bread；　nothing　else。　The　walls　were　rough；　the　roof　low。　The　place　was　cold；　with　a　deep　and　airless　cold　that　seemed　to　stop　the　blood　in　the　heart。　There　were　no　cobwebs；　only　the　dust。　Nothing　lived　here；　nothing　at　all；　not　even　the　rare；　small；　white　spiders　of　the　Labyrinth。　The　dust　was　thick；　thick；　and　every　grain　of　it　might　be　a　day　that　had　passed　here　where　there　was　no　time　or　light：　days；　months；　years；　ages　all　gone　to　dust。
　　〃This　is　the　place　you　sought；〃　Arha　said；　and　her　voice　was　steady。　〃This　is　the　Great　Treasure　of　the　Tombs。　You　have　e　to　it。　You　cannot　ever　leave　it。〃
　　He　said　nothing；　and　his　face　was　quiet；　but　there　was　in　his　eyes　something　that　moved　her：　a　desolation；　the　look　of　one　betrayed。
　　〃You　said　you　wanted　to　stay　alive。　This　is　the　only　place　I　know　where　you　can　stay　alive。　Kossil　will　kill　you　or　make　me　kill　you；　Sparrowhawk。　But　here　she　cannot　reach。〃
　　Still　he　said　nothing。
　　〃You　could　never　have　left　the　Tombs　in　any　case；　don't　you　see？　This　is　no　different。　And　at　least　you've　e　to。。。　to　the　end　of　your　journey。　What　you　sought　is　here。〃
　　He　sat　down　on　one　of　the　great　chests；　looking　spent。　The　trailing　chain　clanked　harshly　on　the　stone。　He　looked　around　at　the　gray　walls　and　the　shadows；　then　at　her。
　　She　looked　away　from　him；　at　the　stone　chests。　She　had　no　wish　at　all　to　open　them。　She　did　not　care　what　marvels　rotted　in　them。
　　〃You　don't　have　to　wear　that　chain；　in　here。〃　She　came　to　him　and　unlocked　the　iron　belt；　and　unbuckled　Manan's　leather　belt　from　his　arms。　〃I　must　lock　the　door；　but　when　I　e　I　will　trust　you。　You　know　that　you　cannot　leave…　that　you　must　not　try？　I　am　their　vengeance；　I　do　their　will；　but　if　I　fail　them　…if　you　fail　my　trust…　then　they　will　avenge　themselves。　You　must　not　try　to　leave　the　room；　by　hurting　me　or　tricking　me　when　I　e。　You　must　believe　me。〃
　　〃I　will　do　as　you　say；〃　he　said　gently。
　　〃I'll　bring　food　and　water　when　I　can。　There　won't　be　much。　Water　enough；　but　not　much　food　for　a　while；　I'm　getting　hungry；　do　you　see？　But　enough　to　stay　alive　on。　I　may　not　be　able　to　e　back　for　a　day　or　two　days；　perhaps　even　longer。　I　must　get　Kossil　off　the　track。　But　I　will　e。　I　promise。　Here's　the　flask。　Hoard　it；　I　can't　e　back　soon。　But　I　will　e　back。〃
　　He　raised　his　face　to　her。　His　expression　was　strange。　〃Take　care；　Tenar；〃　he　said。
　
　Names
　　
　　She　brought　Manan　back　through　the　winding　ways　in　the　dark；　and　left　him　in　the　dark　of　the　Undertomb；　to　dig　the　grave　that　must　be　there　as　proof　to　Kossil　that　the　thief　had　indeed　been　punished。　It　was　late；　and　she　went　straight　to　the　Small　House　to　bed。　In　the　night　she　woke　suddenly；　she　remembered　that　she　had　left　her　cloak　in　the　Painted　Room。　He　would　have　nothing　for　warmth　in　that　dank　vault　but　his　own　short　cloak；　no　bed　but　the　dusty　stone。　A　cold　grave；　a　cold　grave；　she　thought　miserably；　but　she　was　too　weary　to　wake　up　fully；　and　soon　slipped　back　into　sleep。　She　began　to　dream。　She　dreamt　of　the　souls　of　the　dead　on　the　walls　of　the　Painted　Room；　the　figures　like　great　bedraggled　birds　with　human　hands　and　feet　and　faces；　squatting　in　the　dust　of　the　dark　places。　They　could　not　fly。　Clay　was　their　food　and　dust　their　drink。　They　were　the　souls　of　those　not　reborn；　the　ancient　peoples　and　the　unbelievers；　those　whom　the　Nameless　Ones　devoured。　They　squatted　all　around　her　in　the　shadows；　and　a　faint　creaking　or　cheeping　sound　came　from　them　now　and　then。　One　of　them　came　up　quite　close　to　her。　She　was　afraid　at　first　and　tried　to　draw　away；　but　could　not　move。　This　one　had　the　face　of　a　bird；　not　a　human　face；　but　its　hair　was　golden；　and　it　said　in；　a　woman's　voice；　〃Tenar；〃　tenderly；　softly；　〃Tenar。〃
　　She　woke。　Her　mouth　was　stopped　with　clay。　She　lay　in　a　stone　tomb；　underground。　Her　arms　and　legs　were　bound　with　graveclothes　and　she　could　not　move　or　speak。
　　Her　despair　grew　so　great　that　it　burst　her　breast　open　and　like　a　bird　of　fire　shattered　the　stone　and　broke　out　into　the　light　of　daythe　light　of　day；　faint　in　her　windowless　room。
　　Really　awake　this　time；　she　sat　up；　worn　out　by　that　night's　dreaming；　her　mind　befogged。　She　got　into　her　clothes；　and　went　out　to　the　cistern　in　the　walled　courtyard　of　the　Small　House。　She　plunged　her　arms　and　face；　her　whole　head；　into　the　icy　water　until　her　body　jumped　with　cold　and　her　blood　raced。　Then　flinging　back　her　dripping　hair　she　stood　erect　and　looked　up　into　the　morning　sky。
　　It　was　not　long　past　sunrise；　a　fair　winter's　day。　The　sky　was　yellowish；　very　clear。　High　up；　so　high　he　caught　the　sunlight　and　burned　like　a　fleck　of　gold；　a　bird　was　circling；　a　hawk　or　desert　eagle。
　　〃I　am　Tenar；〃　she　said；　not　aloud；　and　she　shook　with　cold；　and　terror；　and　exultation；　there　under　the　open；　sunwashed　sky。　〃I　have　my　name　back。　I　am　Tenar！〃
　　The　golden　fleck　veered　westward　towards　the　mountains；　out　of　sight。　Sunrise　gilded　the　eave