uleg.thetombsofatuan-第3部分

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was　a　dreary　business；　to　trudge　through　the　searing　white　heat　a　half　mile　down　to　the　river；　fill　the　two　buckets　on　their　carrying　pole；　and　then　set　off　as　fast　as　possible　uphill　to　the　Place。　The　first　hundred　yards　were　easy；　but　then　the　buckets　began　to　grow　heavier；　and　the　pole　burned　your　shoulders　like　a　bar　of　hot　iron；　and　the　light　glared　on　the　dry　road；　and　every　step　was　harder　and　slower。　At　last　you　got　to　the　cool　shade　of　the　back　courtyard　of　the　Big　House　by　the　vegetable　patch；　and　dumped　the　buckets　into　the　great　cistern　with　a　splash。　And　then　you　had　to　turn　around　to　do　it　all　over　again；　and　again；　and　again。
　　Within　the　precincts　of　the　Place　…that　was　all　the　name　it　had　or　needed；　for　it　was　the　most　ancient　and　sacred　of　all　places　in　the　Four　Lands　of　the　Kargish　Empire…　a　couple　of　hundred　people　lived；　and　there　were　many　buildings：　three　temples；　the　Big　House　and　the　Small　House；　the　quarters　of　the　eunuch　wardens；　and　close　outside　the　wall　the　guards'　barracks　and　many　slaves'　huts；　the　storehouses　and　sheep　pens　and　goat　pens　and　farm　buildings。　It　looked　like　a　little　town；　seen　from　a　distance；　from　up　on　the　dry　hills　westward　where　nothing　grew　but　sage；　wire…grass　in　straggling　clumps；　small　weeds　and　desert　herbs。　Even　from　away　off　on　the　eastern　plains；　looking　up　one　might　see　the　gold　roof　of　the　Temple　of　the　Twin　Gods　wink　and　glitter　beneath　the　mountains；　like　a　speck　of　mica　in　a　shelf　of　rock。
　　That　temple　itself　was　a　cube　of　stone；　plastered　white；　windowless；　with　a　low　porch　and　door。　Showier；　and　centuries　newer；　was　the　Temple　of　the　God…king　a　little　below　it；　with　a　high　portico　and　a　row　of　thick　white　columns　with　painted　capitals　…　each　one　a　solid　log　of　cedar；　brought　on　shipboard　from　Hur…atHur　where　there　are　forests；　and　dragged　by　the　straining　of　twenty　slaves　across　the　barren　plains　to　the　Place。　Only　after　a　traveler　approaching　from　the　east　had　seen　the　gold　roof　and　the　bright　columns　would　he　see；　higher　up　on　the　Hill　of　the　Place；　above　them　all；　tawny　and　ruinous　as　the　desert　itself；　the　oldest　of　the　temples　of　his　race：　the　huge；　low　Hall　of　the　Throne；　with　patched　walls　and　flattish；　crumbling　dome。
　　Behind　the　Hall　and　encircling　the　whole　crest　of　the　hill　ran　a　massive　wall　of　rock；　laid　without　mortar　and　half　fallen　down　in　many　places。　Inside　the　loop　of　the　wall　several　black　stones　eighteen　or　twenty　feet　high　stuck　up　like　huge　fingers　out　of　the　earth。　Once　the　eye　saw　them　it　kept　returning　to　them。　They　stood　there　full　of　meaning；　and　yet　there　was　no　saying　what　they　meant。　There　were　nine　of　them。　One　stood　straight；　the　others　leaned　more　or　less；　two　had　fallen。　They　were　crusted　with　gray　and　orange　lichen　as　if　splotched　with　paint；　all　but　one；　which　was　naked　and　black；　with　a　dull　gloss　to　it。　It　was　smooth　to　the　touch；　but　on　the　others；　under　the　crust　of　lichen；　vague　carvings　could　be　seen；　or　felt　with　the　fingers　…　shapes；　signs。　These　nine　stones　were　the　Tombs　of　Atuan。　They　had　stood　there；　it　was　said；　since　the　time　of　the　first　men；　since　Earthsea　was　created。　They　had　been　planted　in　the　darkness　when　the　lands　were　raised　up　from　the　ocean's　depths。　They　were　older　by　far　than　the　God…kings　of　Kargad；　older　than　the　Twin　Gods；　older　than　light。　They　were　the　tombs　of　those　who　ruled　before　the　world　of　men　came　to　be；　the　ones　not　named；　and　she　who　served　them　had　no　name。
　　She　did　not　go　among　them　often；　and　no　one　else　ever　set　foot　on　that　ground　where　they　stood；　on　the　hilltop　within　the　rock　wall　behind　the　Hall　of　the　Throne。　Twice　a　year；　at　the　full　moon　nearest　the　equinox　of　spring　and　of　autumn；　there　was　a　sacrifice　before　the　Throne　and　she　came　out　from　the　low　back　door　of　the　Hall　carrying　a　great　brass　basin　full　of　smoking　goat's　blood；　this　she　must　pour　out；　half　at　the　foot　of　the　standing　black　stone；　half　over　one　of　the　fallen　stones　which　lay　embedded　in　the　rocky　dirt；　stained　by　the　blood…offering　of　centuries。
　　Sometimes　Arha　went　by　herself　in　the　early　morning　and　wandered　among　the　Stones　trying　to　make　out　the　dim　humps　and　scratches　of　the　carvings；　brought　out　more　clearly　by　the　low　angle　of　the　light；　or　she　would　sit　there　and　look　up　at　the　mountains　westward；　and　down　at　the　roofs　and　walls　of　the　Place　all　laid　out　below；　and　watch　the　first　stirrings　of　activity　around　the　Big　House　and　the　guards'　barracks；　and　the　flocks　of　sheep　and　goats　going　off　to　their　sparse　pastures　by　the　river。　There　was　never　anything　to　do　among　the　Stones。　She　went　only　because　it　was　permitted　her　to　go　there；　because　there　she　was　alone。　It　was　a　dreary　place。　Even　in　the　heat　of　noon　in　the　desert　summer　there　was　a　coldness　about　it。　Sometimes　the　wind　whistled　a　little　between　the　two　stones　that　stood　closest　together；　leaning　together　as　if　telling　secrets。　But　no　secret　was　told。
　　From　the　Tomb　Wall　another；　lower　rock　wall　ran；　making　a　long　irregular　semicircle　about　the　Hill　of　the　Place　and　then　trailing　off　northward　towards　the　river。　It　did　not　so　much　protect　the　Place；　as　cut　it　in　two：　on　one　side　the　temples　and　houses　of　the　priestesses　and　wardens；　on　the　other　the　quarters　of　the　guards　and　of　the　slaves　who　farmed　and　herded　and　foraged　for　the　Place。　None　of　these　ever　crossed　the　wall；　except　that　on　certain　very　holy　festivals　the　guards；　and　their　drummers　and　players　of　the　horn；　would　attend　the　procession　of　the　priestesses；　but　they　did　not　enter　the　portals　of　the　temples。　No　other　men　set　foot　upon　the　inner　ground　of　the　Place。　There　had　once　been　pilgrimages；　kings　and　chieftains　ing　from　the　Four　Lands　to　worship　there；　the　first　God…king；　a　century　and　a　half　ago；　had　e　to　enact　the　rites　of　his　own　temple。　Yet　even　he　could　not　enter　among　the　Tombstones；　even　he　had　had　to　eat　and　sleep　outside　the　wall　around　the　Place。
　　One　could　climb　that　wall　easily　enough；　fitting　toes　into　crevices。　The　Eaten　One　and　a　girl　called　Penthe　were　sitting　up　on　the　wall　one　afternoon　in　late　spring。
　　They　were　both　twelve　years　old。　They　were　supposed　to　be　in　the　weaving　room　of　the　Big　House；　a　huge　stone　attic；　they　were　supposed　to　be　at　the　great　looms　always　warped　with　dull　black　wool；　weaving　black　cloth　for　robes。　They　had　slipped　outside　for　a　drink　at　the　well　in　the　courtyard；　and　then　Arha　had　said；　〃e　on！〃　and　had　led　the　other　girl　down　the　hill；　around　out　of　sight　of　the　Big　House；　to　the　wall。　Now　they　sat　on　top　of　it；　ten　feet　up；　their　bare　legs　dangling　down　on　the　outside；　looking　over　the　flat　plains　that　went　on　and　on　to　the　east　and　north。
　　〃I'd　like　to　see　the　sea；〃　said　Penthe。
　　〃What　for？〃　said　Arha；　chewing　a　bitter　stem　of　milkweed　she　had　picked　from　the　wall。　The　barren　land　was　just　past　its　flowering。　All　the　small　desert　blossoms；　yellow　and　rose　and　white；　low…growing　and　quick…flowering；　were　going　to　seed；　scattering　tiny　plumes　and　parasols　of　ash　white　on　the　wind；　dropping　their　hooked；　ingenious　burrs。　The　ground　under　the　apple　trees　of　the　orchard　was　a　drift　of　bruised　white　and　pink。　The　branches　were　green；　the　only　green　trees　within　miles　of　the　Place。　Everything　else；　from　horizon　to　horizon；　was　a　dull；　tawny；　desert　color；　except　that　the　mountains　had　a　silvery　bluish　tinge　from　the　first　buds　of　the　flowering　sage。
　　〃Oh；　I　don't　know　what　for。　I'd　just　like　to　see　something　different。　It's　always　the　same　here。　Nothing　happens。〃
　　〃All　that　happens　everywhere；　begins　here；〃　said　Arha。
　　〃Oh；　I　know。。。　But　I'd　like　to　see　some　of　it　happening！〃
　　Penthe　smiled。　She　was　a　soft；　fortable…looking　girl。　She　scratched　the　soles　of　her　bare　feet　on　the　sunwarmed　rocks；　and　after　a　while　went　on；　〃You　know；　I　used　to　live　by　the　sea　when　I　was　little。　Our　village　was　right　behind　the　dunes；　and　we　used　to　go　down　and　play　on　the　beach　sometimes。　Once　I　remember　we　saw　a　fleet　of　ships　going　by；　way　out　at　sea。　The　ships　looked　like　dragons　with　red　wings。　Some　of　them　had　real　necks；　with　dragon　heads。　They　came　sailing　by　Atuan；　but　they　weren't　Kargish　ships。　They　came　from　the　west；　from　the　Inner　Lands；　the　headman　said。　Everybody　came　down　to　watch　them。　I　think　they　were　afraid　they　might　land。　They　just　went　by；　nobody　knew　where　they　were　going。　Maybe　to　make　war　in　Karego…At。　But　think　of　it；　they　really　came　from　the　sorcerers'　islands；　where　all　the　people　are　the　color　of　dirt　and　they　can　all　cast　a　spell　on　you　easy　as　winking。〃
　　〃Not　on　me；〃　Arha　said　fiercely。　〃I　wouldn't　have　looked　at　them。　They're　vile　accursed　sorcerers。　How　dare　they　sail　so　close　to　the　Holy　Land？〃
　　〃Oh；　well；　I　suppose　the　God…king　will　conquer　them　some　day　and　make　them　all　slaves。　But　I　wish　I　could　see　the　sea　again。　There　used　to　be　little　octopuses　in　the　tide　pools；　and　if　you　shouted　‘Boo！'　at　them　they　turned　all　white。　…There　es　that　old　Manan；　looking　for　you。〃
　　Arha's　guard　and　servant　was　ing　slowly　along　the　inner　side　of　the　wall。　He　would　stoop　to　pull　a　wild　onion；　of　which　he　held　a　large；　limp　bunch；　then　straighten　up　and　look　about　him　with　his　small；　dull；　brown　eyes。　He　had　grown　fatter　with　the　years；　and　his　hairless　yellow　skin　glistened　in　the　sun。
　　〃Slide　down　part　way　on　the　men's　side；〃　Arha　hissed；　and　both　girls　wriggled　lithe　as　lizards　down　the　far　side　of　the　wall　until　they　could　cling　there　just　below　the　top；　invisible　from　the　inner　side。　They　heard　Manan's　slow　footsteps　ing　by。
　　〃Hoo！　Hoo！　Potato　face！〃　crooned　Arha；　a　whispering　jeer　faint　as　the　wind　among　the　grasses。
　　The　heavy　tread　halted。　〃Ho　there；〃　said　the　uncertain　voice。　〃Little　one？　Arha？〃
　　Silence。
　　Manan　went　forward。
　　〃Hoo…oo！　Potato　face！〃
　　〃Hoo；　potato　belly！〃　Penthe　whispered　in　imitation；　and　then　moaned；　trying　to　suppress　giggles。
　　〃Somebody　there？〃
　　Silence。
　　〃Oh　well；　well；　well；〃　the　eunuch　sighed；　and　his　slow　feet　went　on。　When　he　was　gone　over　the　shoulder　of　the　slope；　the　girls　scrambled　back　up　onto　the　top　of　the　wall。　Penthe　was　pink　with　sweat　and　giggles；　but　Arha　looked　savage。
　　〃The　stupid　old　bellwether；　following　me　around　everywhere！〃
　　〃He　has　to；〃　Penthe　said　reasonably。　〃It's　his　job；　looking　after　you。〃
　　〃Those　I