uleg.thetombsofatuan-第23部分

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。　He　glanced　at　her；　his　eyes　were　blue。　He　winked。
　　〃Will　I　fool　'em？〃　he　said。　〃How　are　your　clothes？〃
　　She　looked　down　at　herself。　She　had　on　a　countrywoman's　brown　skirt　and　jacket；　and　a　large　red　woolen　shawl。
　　〃Oh；〃　she　said；　stopping　short。　〃Oh；　you　are…　you　are　Ged！〃　As　she　said　his　name　she　saw　him　perfectly　clearly；　the　dark；　scarred　face　she　knew；　the　dark　eyes；　yet　there　stood　the　milk…faced　stranger。
　　〃Don't　say　my　true　name　before　others。　Nor　will　I　say　yours。　We　are　brother　and　sister；　e　from　Tenacbah。　And　I　think　I'll　ask　for　a　bite　of　supper　if　I　see　a　kindly　face。〃　He　took　her　hand　and　they　entered　the　village。
　　They　left　it　next　morning　with　full　stomachs；　after　a　pleasant　sleep　in　a　hayloft。
　　〃Do　Mages　often　beg？〃　asked　Tenar；　on　the　road　between　green　fields；　where　goats　and　little　spotted　cattle　grazed。
　　〃Why　do　you　ask？〃
　　〃You　seemed　used　to　begging。　In　fact　you　were　good　at　it。〃
　　〃Well；　yes。　I've　begged　all　my　life；　if　you　look　at　it　that　way。　Wizards　don't　own　much；　you　know。　In　fact　nothing　but　their　staff　and　clothing；　if　they　wander。　They　are　received　and　given　food　and　shelter；　by　most　people；　gladly。　They　do　make　some　return。〃
　　〃What　return？〃
　　〃Well；　that　woman　in　the　village。　I　cured　her　goats。〃
　　〃What　was　wrong　with　them？〃
　　〃They　both　had　infected　udders。　I　used　to　herd　goats　when　I　was　a　boy。〃
　　〃Did　you　tell　her　you'd　cured　them？〃
　　〃No。　How　could　I？　Why　should　I？〃
　　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃I　see　your　magic　is　not　good　only　for　large　things。〃
　　〃Hospitality；〃　he　said；　〃kindness　to　a　stranger；　that's　a　very　large　thing。　Thanks　are　enough；　of　course。　But　I　was　sorry　for　the　goats。〃
　　In　the　afternoon　they　came　by　a　large　town。　It　was　built　of　clay　brick；　and　walled　round　in　the　Kargish　fashion；　with　overhanging　battlements；　watchtowers　at　the　four　corners；　and　a　single　gate；　under　which　drovers　were　herding　a　big　flock　of　sheep。　The　red　tile　roofs　of　a　hundred　or　more　houses　poked　up　over　the　walls　of　yellowish　brick。　At　the　gate　stood　two　guards　in　the　red…plumed　helmets　of　the　Godking's　service。　Tenar　had　seen　men　in　such　helmets　e；　once　a　year　or　so；　to　the　Place；　escorting　offerings　of　slaves　or　money　to　the　Godking's　temple。　When　she　told　Ged　that；　as　they　passed　by　outside　the　walls；　he　said；　〃I　saw　them　too；　as　a　boy。　They　came　raiding　to　Gont。　They　came　into　my　village；　to　plunder　it。　But　they　were　driven　off。　And　there　was　a　battle　down　by　Armouth；　on　the　shore；　many　men　were　killed；　hundreds；　they　say。　Well；　perhaps　now　that　the　ring　is　rejoined　and　the　Lost　Rune　remade；　there　will　be　no　more　such　raiding　and　killing　between　the　Kargish　Empire　and　the　Inner　Lands。〃
　　〃It　would　be　foolish　if　such　things　went　on；〃　said　Tenar。　〃What　would　the　Godking　ever　do　with　so　many　slaves？〃
　　Her　panion　appeared　to　ponder　this　awhile。　〃If　the　Kargish　lands　defeated　the　Archipelago；　you　mean？〃
　　She　nodded。
　　〃I　don't　think　that　would　be　likely　to　happen。〃
　　〃But　look　how　strong　the　Empire　is…　that　great　city；　with　its　walls；　and　all　its　men。　How　could　your　lands　stand　against　them；　if　they　attacked？'
　　〃That　is　not　a　very　big　city；〃　he　said　cautiously　and　gently。　〃I　too　would　have　thought　it　tremendous；　when　I　was　new　from　my　mountain。　But　there　are　many；　many　cities　in　Earthsea；　among　which　this　is　only　a　town。　There　are　many；　many　lands。　You　will　see　them；　Tenar。〃
　　She　said　nothing。　She　trudged　along　the　road；　her　face　set。
　　〃It　is　marvelous　to　see　them：　the　new　lands　rising　from　the　sea　as　your　boat　es　towards　them。　The　farmlands　and　forests；　the　cities　with　their　harbors　and　palaces；　the　marketplaces　where　they　sell　everything　in　the　world。〃
　　She　nodded。　She　knew　he　was　trying　to　hearten　her；　but　she　had　left　joy　up　in　the　mountains；　in　the　twilit　valley　of　the　stream。　There　was　a　dread　in　her　now　that　grew　and　grew。　All　that　lay　ahead　of　her　was　unknown。　She　knew　nothing　but　the　desert　and　the　Tombs。　What　good　was　that？　She　knew　the　turnings　of　a　ruined　maze；　she　knew　the　dances　danced　before　a　fallen　altar。　She　knew　nothing　of　forests；　or　cities；　or　the　hearts　of　men。
　　She　said　suddenly；　〃Will　you　stay　with　me　there？〃
　　She　did　not　look　at　him。　He　was　in　his　illusory　disguise；　a　white…skinned　Kargish　countryman；　and　she　did　not　like　to　see　him　so。　But　his　voice　was　unchanged；　the　same　voice　that　had　spoken　in　the　darkness　of　the　Labyrinth。
　　He　was　slow　to　answer。　〃Tenar；　I　go　where　I　am　sent。　I　follow　my　calling。　It　has　not　yet　let　me　stay　in　any　land　for　long。　Do　you　see　that？　I　do　what　I　must　do。　Where　I　go；　I　must　go　alone。　So　long　as　you　need　me；　I'll　be　with　you　in　Havnor。　And　if　you　ever　need　me　again；　call　me。　I　will　e。　I　would　e　from　my　grave　if　you　called　me；　Tenar！　But　I　cannot　stay　with　you。〃
　　She　said　nothing。　After　a　while　he　said；　〃You　will　not　need　me　long；　there。　You　will　be　happy。〃
　　She　nodded；　accepting；　silent。
　　They　went　on　side　by　side　towards　the　sea。
　
　Voyage
　　
　　He　had　hidden　his　boat　in　a　cave　on　the　side　of　a　great　rocky　headland；　Cloud　Cape　it　was　called　by　the　villagers　nearby；　one　of　whom　gave　them　a　bowl　of　fish　stew　for　their　supper。　They　made　their　way　down　the　cliffs　to　the　beach　in　the　last　light　of　the　gray　day。　The　cave　was　a　narrow　crack　that　went　back　into　the　rock　for　about　thirty　feet；　its　sandy　floor　was　damp；　for　it　lay　just　above　the　high…tide　mark。　Its　opening　was　visible　from　sea；　and　Ged　said　they　should　not　light　a　fire　lest　the　night…fishermen　out　in　their　small　craft　along　shore　should　see　it　and　be　curious。　So　they　lay　miserably　on　the　sand；　which　seemed　so　soft　between　the　fingers　and　was　rock…hard　to　the　tired　body。　And　Tenar　listened　to　the　sea；　a　few　yards　below　the　cave　mouth；　crashing　and　sucking　and　booming　on　the　rocks；　and　the　thunder　of　it　down　the　beach　eastward　for　miles。　Over　and　over　and　over　it　made　the　same　sounds；　yet　never　quite　the　same。　It　never　rested。　On　all　the　shores　of　all　the　lands　in　all　the　world；　it　heaved　itself　in　these　unresting　waves；　and　never　ceased；　and　never　was　still。　The　desert；　the　mountains：　they　stood　still。　They　did　not　cry　out　forever　in　a　great；　dull　voice。　The　sea　spoke　forever；　but　its　language　was　foreign　to　her。　She　did　not　understand。
　　In　the　first　gray　light；　when　the　tide　was　low；　she　roused　from　uneasy　sleep　and　saw　the　wizard　go　out　of　the　cave。　She　watched　him　walk；　barefoot　and　with　belted　cloak；　on　the　black…haired　rocks　below；　seeking　something。　He　came　back；　darkening　the　cave　as　he　entered。　〃Here；〃　he　said；　holding　out　a　handful　of　wet；　hideous　things　like　purple　rocks　and　orange　lips。
　　〃What　are　they？〃
　　〃Mussels；　off　the　rocks。　And　those　two　are　oysters；　even　better。　Look…　like　this。〃　With　the　little　dagger　from　her　keyring；　which　she　had　lent　him　up　in　the　mountains；　he　opened　a　shell　and　ate　the　orange　mussel　with　seawater　as　its　sauce。
　　〃You　don't　even　cook　it？　You　ate　it　alive！〃
　　She　would　not　look　at　him　while　he；　shamefaced　but　undeterred；　went　on　opening　and　eating　the　shellfish　one　by　one。
　　When　he　was　done；　he　went　back　into　the　cave　to　the　boat；　which　lay　prow　forward；　kept　from　the　sand　by　several　long　driftwood　logs。　Tenar　had　looked　at　the　boat　the　night　before；　mistrustfully　and　without　prehension。　It　was　much　larger　than　she　had　thought　boats　were；　three　times　her　own　length。　It　was　full　of　objects　she　did　not　know　the　use　of；　and　it　looked　dangerous。　On　either　side　of　its　nose　（which　is　what　she　called　the　prow）　an　eye　was　painted；　and　in　her　halfsleep　she　had　constantly　felt　the　boat　staring　at　her。
　　Ged　rummaged　about　inside　it　a　moment　and　came　back　with　something：　a　packet　of　hard　bread；　well　wrapped　to　keep　dry。　He　offered　her　a　large　piece。
　　〃I'm　not　hungry。〃
　　He　looked　into　her　sullen　face。
　　He　put　the　bread　away；　wrapping　it　as　before；　and　then　sat　down　in　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　〃About　two　hours　till　the　tide's　back　in；〃　he　said。　〃Then　we　can　go。　You　had　a　restless　night；　why　don't　you　sleep　now。〃
　　〃I'm　not　sleepy。〃
　　He　made　no　answer。　He　sat　there；　in　profile　to　her；　cross…legged　in　the　dark　arch　of　rocks；　the　shining　heave　and　movement　of　the　sea　was　beyond　him　as　she　watched　him　from　deeper　in　the　cave。　He　did　not　move。　He　was　still　as　the　rocks　themselves。　Stillness　spread　out　from　him；　like　rings　from　a　stone　dropped　in　water。　His　silence　became　not　absence　of　speech；　but　a　thing　in　itself；　like　the　silence　of　the　desert；
　　After　a　long　time　Tenar　got　up　and　came　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　He　did　not　move。　She　looked　down　at　his　face。　It　was　as　if　cast　in　copper…rigid；　the　dark　eyes　not　shut；　but　looking　down；　the　mouth　serene。
　　He　was　as　far　beyond　her　as　the　sea。
　　Where　was　he　now；　on　what　way　of　the　spirit　did　he　walk？　She　could　never　follow　him。
　　He　had　made　her　follow　him。　He　had　called　her　by　her　name；　and　she　had　e　crouching　to　his　hand；　as　the　little　wild　desert　rabbit　had　e　to　him　out　of　the　dark。　And　now　that　he　had　the　ring；　now　that　the　Tombs　were　in　ruin　and　their　priestess　forsworn　forever；　now　he　didn't　need　her；　and　went　away　where　she　could　not　follow。　He　would　not　stay　with　her。　He　had　fooled　her；　and　would　leave　her　desolate。
　　She　reached　down　and　with　one　swift　gesture　plucked　from　his　belt　the　little　steel　dagger　she　had　given　him。　He　moved　no　more　than　a　robbed　statue。
　　The　dagger　blade　was　only　four　inches　long；　sharp　on　one　side；　it　was　the　miniature　of　a　sacrificial　knife。　It　was　part　of　the　garments　of　the　Priestess　of　the　Tombs；　who　must　wear　it　along　with　the　ring　of　keys；　and　a　belt　of　horsehair；　and　other　items　some　of　which　had　no　known　purpose。　She　had　never　used　the　dagger　for　anything；　except　that　in　one　of　the　dances　performed　at　dark　of　the　moon　she　would　throw　and　catch　it　before　the　Throne。　She　had　liked　that　dance；　it　was　a　wild　one；　with　no　music　but　the　drumming　of　her　own　feet。　She　had　used　to　cut　her　fingers；　practicing　it；　till　she　got　the　trick　of　catching　the　knife　handle　every　time。　The　little　blade　was　sharp　enough　to　cut　a　finger　to　the　bone；　or　to　cut　the　arteries　of　a　throat。　She　would　serve　her　Masters　still；　though　they　had　betrayed　her　and　forsaken　her。　They　would　guide　and　drive　her　hand　in　the　last　act　of　darkness。　They　would　accept　the　sacrifice。
　　She　turned　upon　t