uleg.thetombsofatuan-第22部分
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rken； that same sure joy that had risen in her； waking in the golden light。 She opened her bag and took out two small； flat loaves； she handed one across the fire to Ged； and bit into the other。 The bread was tough； and sour； and very good to eat。
They munched together in silence awhile。
〃How far are we from the sea？〃
〃It took me two nights and two days ing。 It'll take us longer going。〃
〃I'm strong；〃 she said。
〃You are。 And valiant。 But your panion's tired；〃 he said with a smile。 〃And we haven't any too much bread。〃
〃Will we find water？〃
〃Tomorrow； in the mountains。〃
〃Can you find food for us？〃 she asked； rather vaguely and timidly。
〃Hunting takes time； and weapons。〃
〃I meant； with； you know； spells。〃
〃I can call a rabbit；〃 he said； poking the fire with a twisted stick of juniper。 〃The rabbits are ing out of their holes all around us； now。 Evening's their time。 I could call one by name； and he'd e。 But would you catch and skin and broil a rabbit that you'd called to you thus？ Perhaps if you were starving。 But it would be a breaking of trust； I think。〃
〃Yes。 I thought； perhaps you could just。。。
〃Summon up a supper；〃 he said。 〃Oh； I could。 On golden plates； if you like。 But that's illusion； and when you eat illusions you end up hungrier than before。 It's about as nourishing as eating your own words。〃 She saw his white teeth flash a moment in the firelight。
〃Your magic is peculiar；〃 she said； with a little dignity of equals； Priestess addressing Mage。 〃It appears to be useful only for large matters。〃
He laid more wood on the fire； and it flared up in a juniperscented fireworks of sparks and crackles。
〃Can you really call a rabbit？〃 Tenar inquired suddenly。
〃Do you want me to？〃
She nodded。
He turned away from the fire and said softly into the immense and starlit dark； 〃Kebbo。。。 O kebbo。。。〃
Silence。 No sound。 No motion。 Only presently； at the very edge of the flickering firelight； a round eye like a pebble of jet； very near the ground。 A curve of furry back； an ear； long； alert； upraised。
Ged spoke again。 The ear flicked； gained a sudden partner…ear out of the shadow； then as the little beast turned Tenar saw it entire for an instant； the small； soft； lithe hop of it returning unconcerned to its business in the night。
〃Ah！〃 she said； letting out her breath。 〃That's lovely。〃 Presently she asked； 〃Could I do that？〃
〃Well…〃
〃It is a secret；〃 she said at once； dignified again。
〃The rabbit's name is a secret。 At least； one should not use it lightly； for no reason。 But what is not a secret； but rather a gift； or a mystery； do you see； is the power of calling。〃
〃Oh；〃 she said； 〃that you have。 I know！〃 There was a passion in her voice； not hidden by pretended mockery。 He looked at her and did not answer。
He was indeed still worn out by his struggle against the Nameless Ones； he had spent his strength in the quaking tunnels。 Though he had won； he had little spirit left for exultation。 He soon curled up again； as near the fire as he could get； and slept。
Tenar sat feeding the fire and watching the blaze of the winter constellations from horizon to horizon until her head grew giddy with splendor and silence； and she dozed off。
They both woke。 The fire was dead。 The stars she had watched were now far over the mountains and new ones had risen in the east。 It was the cold that woke them； the dry cold of the desert night； the wind like a knife of ice。 A veil of cloud was ing over the sky from the southwest。
The gathered firewood was almost gone。 〃Let's walk；〃 Ged said； 〃it's not long till dawn。〃 His teeth chattered so that she could hardly understand him。 They set out； climbing the long slow slope westward。 The bushes and rocks showed black in starlight； and it was as easy to walk as in the day。 After a cold first while； the walking warmed them； they stopped crouching and shivering； and began to go easier。 So by sunrise they were on the first rise of the western mountains； which had walled in Tenar's life till then。
They stopped in a grove of trees whose golden； quivering leaves still clung to the boughs。 He told her they were aspens； she knew no trees but juniper； and the sickly poplars by the riversprings； and the forty apple trees of the orchard of the Place。 A small bird among the aspens said 〃dee； dee；〃 in a small voice。 Under the trees ran a stream； narrow but powerful； shouting； muscular over its rocks and falls； too hasty to freeze。 Tenar was almost afraid of it。 She was used to the desert where things are silent and move slowly： sluggish rivers； shadows of clouds； vultures circling。
They divided a piece of bread and a last crumbling bit of cheese for breakfast； rested a little； and went on。
By evening they were up high。 It was overcast and windy； freezing weather。 They camped in the valley of another stream； where there was plenty of wood； and this time built up a sturdy fire of logs by which they could keep fairly warm。
Tenar was happy。 She had found a squirrel's cache of nuts； exposed by the falling of a hollow tree： a couple of pounds of fine walnuts and a smooth…shelled kind that Ged； not knowing the Kargish name； called ubir。 She cracked them one by one between a flat stone and a hammerstone； and handed every second nutmeat to the man。
〃I wish we could stay here；〃 she said； looking down at the windy； twilit valley between the hills。 〃I like this place。〃
〃This is a good place；〃 he agreed。
〃People would never e here。〃
〃Not often。。。 I was born in the mountains；〃 he said； 〃on the Mountain of Gont。 We shall pass it； sailing to Havnor； if we take the northern way。 It's beautiful to see it in winter； rising all white out of the sea； like a greater wave。 My village was by just such a stream as this one。 Where were you born； Tenar？〃
〃In the north of Atuan； in Entat； I think。 I can't remember it。〃
〃They took you so young？〃
〃I was five。 I remember a fire on a hearth； and。。。 nothing else。〃
He rubbed his jaw； which though it had acquired a sparse beard； was at least clean； despite the cold； both of them had washed in the mountain streams。 He rubbed his jaw and looked thoughtful and severe。 She watched him； and never could she have said what was in her heart as she watched him； in the firelight； in the mountain dusk。
〃What are you going to do in Havnor？〃 he said； asking the question of the fire； not of her。 〃You are …more than I had realized… truly reborn。〃
She nodded； smiling a little。 She felt newborn。
〃You should learn the language； at least。〃
〃Your language？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I'd like to〃
〃Well； then。 This is kabat；〃 and he tossed a little stone into the lap of her black robe。
〃Kabat。 Is that in the dragon…tongue？〃
〃No； no。 You don't want to work spells； you want to talk with other men and women！〃
〃But what is a pebble in the dragon's tongue？〃
〃Tolk；〃 he said。 〃But I am not making you my apprentice sorcerer。 I'm teaching you the language people speak in the Archipelago； the Inner Lands。 I had to learn your language before I came here。〃
〃You speak it oddly。〃
〃No doubt。 Now； arkemmi kabat；〃 and he held out his hands for her to give him the pebble。
〃Must I go to Havnor？〃 she said。
〃Where else would you go； Tenar？〃
She hesitated。
〃Havnor is a beautiful city；〃 he said。 〃And you bring it the ring； the sign of peace； the lost treasure。 They'll wele you in Havnor as a princess。 They'll do you honor for the great gift you bring them； and bid you wele； and make you wele。 They are a noble and generous people in that city。 They'll call you the White Lady because of your fair skin； and they'll love you the more because you are so young。 And because you are beautiful。 You'll have a hundred dresses like the one I showed you by illusion； but real ones。 You'll meet with praise； and gratitude； and love。 You who have known nothing but solitude and envy and the dark。〃
〃There was Manan；〃 she said； defensive； her mouth trembling just a little。 〃He loved me and was kind to me； always。 He protected me as well as he knew how； and I killed him for it； he fell into the black pit。 I don't want to go to Havnor。 I don't want to go there。 I want to stay here。〃
〃Here… in Atuan？〃
〃In the mountains。 Where we are now。〃
〃Tenar；〃 he said in his grave； quiet voice； 〃we'll stay then。 I haven't my knife； and if it snows it will be hard。 But so long as we can find food…〃
〃No。 I know we can't stay。 I'm merely being foolish；〃 Tenar said； and got up； scattering walnut shells； to lay new wood on the fire。 She stood thin and very straight in her torn； dirt…stained gown and cloak of black。 〃All I know is of no use now；〃 she said； 〃and I haven't learned anything else。 I will try to learn。〃
Ged looked away； wincing as if in pain。
Next day they crossed the summit of the tawny range。 In the pass a hard wind blew； with snow in it； stinging and blinding。 It was not until they had e down a long way on the other side； out from under the snow clouds of the peaks； that Tenar saw the land beyond the mountain wall。 It was all green… green of pines； of grasslands； of sown fields and fallows。 Even in the dead of winter； when the thickets were bare and the forests full of gray boughs； it was a green land； humble and mild。 They looked down on it from a high； rocky slant of the mountainside。 Wordless； Ged pointed to the west； where the sun was getting low behind a thick cream and roil of clouds。 The sun itself was hidden； but there was a glitter on the horizon； almost like the dazzle of the crystal walls of the Undertomb； a kind of joyous shimmering off on the edge of the world。
〃What is that？〃 the girl said； and he： 〃The sea。〃
Shortly afterward； she saw a less wonderful thing than that； but wonderful enough。 They came on a road； and followed it； and it brought them by dusk into a village： ten or a dozen houses strung along the road。 She looked at her panion in alarm when she realized they were ing among men。 She looked； and did not see him。 Beside her； in Ged's clothing； and with his gait； and in his shoes； strode another man。 He had a white skin； and no beard。 He glanced at her； his eyes were blue。 He winked。
〃Will I fool 'em？〃 he said。 〃How are your cl
