srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第15部分

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　A　moment　later；　Borillar　walked　across　the　room　to　stand　stiffly　by　the　door。　He　looked　like　a　resolute　acolyte；　determined　not　to　fail　a　high　duty。　Finally　his　young　intentness；　and　Tohrm's　appeal；　moved　Covenant　to　say；　awkwardly；　〃Thank　you；　Hirebrand。〃
　At　once；　pleasure　transformed　Borillar's　face。　He　tried　to　maintain　his　gravity；　to　control　his　grin；　but　the　man　of　legends；　Unbeliever　and　Ringthane；　had　spoken　to　him；　and　he　blurted　out；　〃Be　wele；　urLord　Covenant。　You　will　save　the　Land。
　Tohrm　cocked　an　amused　eyebrow　at　his　fellow　Hearthrall；　gave　Covenant　a　gay；　grateful　bow；　and　ushered　the　Hirebrand　from　the　room。　As　they　departed；　Tohrm　started　to　close　the　door；　then　stopped；　nodded　to　someone　in　the　hall；　and　went　away　leaving　the　door　open。
　Bannor　stepped　into　the　room。　He　met　Covenant's　gaze　with　eyes　that　never　slept…that　only　rarely　blinked…and　said；　〃The　High　Lord　would　speak　with　you　now。〃
　〃Oh；　hell；〃　Covenant　groaned。　He　looked　back　with　something　like　regret　at　his　balcony　and　the　night　beyond。　Then　he　went　with　the　Bloodguard。
　Walking　down　the　hall；　he　gave　himself　a　quick　VSE。　It　was　a　pointless　exercise；　but　he　needed　the　habit　of　it；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　to　remind　himself　of　who　he　was；　what　the　central　fact　of　his　life　was。　He　did　it　deliberately；　as　a　matter　of　conscious　choice。　But　it　did　not　hold　his　attention。　As　he　moved；　Revelstone　exerted　its　old　influence　over　him　again。
　The　high；　intricate　ways　of　the　Keep　had　a　strange　power　of　suasion；　an　ability　to　carry　conviction。　They　had　been　delved　into　the　mountain　promontory　by　Saltheart　Foamfollower's　laughing；　story…loving　ancestors；　and　like　the　Giants　they　had　an　air　of　bluff　and　inviolable　strength。　Now　Bannor　was　taking　Covenant　deeper　down　into　Revelstone　than　he　had　ever　been　before。　With　his　awakening　perceptions；　he　could　feel　the　massive　gut…rock　standing　over　him；　it　was　as　if　he　were　in　palpable　contact　with　absolute　weight　itself。　And　on　a　pitch　of　hearing　that　was　not　quite　audible；　or　not　quite　hearing；　he　could　sense　the　groups　of　people　who　slept　or　worked　in　places　beyond　the　walls　from　him。　Almost　he　seemed　to　hear　the　great　Keep　breathe。　And　yet　all　those　myriad；　uncountable　tons　of　stone　were　not　fearsome。　Revelstone　gave　him　an　impression　of　unimpeachable　security；　the　mountain　refused　to　let　him　fear　that　it　would　fall。
　Then　he　and　Bannor　reached　a　dim　hall　sentried　by　two　Bloodguard　standing　with　characteristic　relaxed　alacrity　on　；either　side　of　the　entrance。　There　were　no　torches　or　other　lights　in　the　hall；　but　a　strong　glow　illuminated　it　from　its　far　end。　With　a　nod　to　his　rades；　Bannor　led　Covenant　inward。
　At　the　end　of　the　hall；　they　entered　a　wide；　round　courtyard　under　a　high　cavern；　with　a　stone　floor　as　smooth　as　if　it　had　been　meticulously　polished　for　ages。　The　bright；　pale…yellow　light　came　from　this　floor；　the　stone　shone　as　if　a　piece　of　the　sun　had　gone　into　its　making。
　The　courtyard　held　no　other　lights。　But　though　it　was　not　blinding　at　the　level　of　the　floor；　the　glow　cast　out　all　darkness。　Covenant　could　survey　the　cave　clearly　from　bottom　to　top。　At　intervals　up　the　walls　were　railed　coigns　with　doors　behind　them　which　provided　access　to　the　open　space　above　the　court。
　Bannor　paused　for　a　moment　to　allow　Covenant　to　look　around。　Then　he　walked　barefoot　out　onto　the　shining　floor。　Tentatively；　Covenant　followed；　fearing　that　his　feet　would　be　burned。　But　he　felt　nothing　through　his　boots　except　a　quiet　resonance　of　power。　It　set　up　a　tingling　vibration　in　his　nerves。
　Only　after　he　became　accustomed　to　the　touch　of　the　floor　did　he　notice　that　there　were　doors　widely　spaced　around　the　courtyard。　He　counted　fifteen。　Bloodguard　sentries　stood　at　nine　of　them；　and　several　feet　into　the　shining　floor　from　each　of　these　nine　was　a　wooden　tripod。　Three　of　these　tripods　held　Lords'　staffs…and　one　of　the　staffs　was　the　Staff　of　Law。　It　was　distinguished　from　the　smooth　wood　of　the　other　staffs　by　its　greater　thickness；　and　by　the　plex　runes　carved　into　it　between　its　iron　heels。
　Bannor　took　Covenant　to　the　door　behind　the　Staff。　The　Bloodguard　there　stepped　forward　to　meet　them；　greeted　Bannor　with　a　nod。
　Bannor　said；　〃I　have　brought　ur…Lord　Covenant　to　the　High　Lord。〃
　〃She　awaits　him。〃　Then　the　sentry　leveled　the　impassive　threat　of　his　gaze　at　Covenant。　〃We　are　the　Bloodguard。　The　care　of　the　Lords　is　in　our　hands。　I　am　Morin；　First　Mark　of　the　Bloodguard　since　the　passing　of　Tuvor。　The　High　Lord　will　speak　with　you　alone。　Think　no　harm　against　her；　Unbeliever。　We　will　not　permit　it。〃　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　Morin；　stepped　aside　to　let　him　approach　the　door。
　Covenant　was　about　to　ask　what　harm　he　could　possibly　do　the　High　Lord；　but　Bannor　forestalled　him　〃In　this　place；〃　the　Bloodguard　explained；　〃the　Lords　set　aside　their　burdens。　Their　staffs　they　leave　here；　and　within　these　doors　they　rest；　forgetting　the　cares　of　the　Land。　The　High　Lord　honors　you　greatly　in　speaking　to　you　here。　Without　Staff　or　guard；　she　greets　you　as　a　friend　in　her　sole　private　place。　UrLord；　you　are　not　a　foe　of　the。　Land。　But　you　give　little　respect。　Respect　this。〃
　He　held　Covenant's　gaze　for　a　moment　as　if　to　enforce　his　words。　Then　he　went　and　knocked　at　the　door。
　When　the　High　Lord　opened　her　door；　Covenant　saw　her　clearly　for　the　first　time。　She　had　put　aside　her　blue　Lord's　robe；　and　instead　wore　a　long；　light　brown　Stonedownor　shift　with　a　white　pattern　woven　into　the　shoulders。　A　white　cord　knotted　at　her　waist　emphasized　her　figure；　and　her　thick　hair；　a　rich　brown　with　flashes　of　pale　honey；　fell　to　her　shoulders；　disguising　the　pattern　there。　She　appeared　younger　than　he　had　expected…he　would　have　said　that　she　was　in　her　early　thirties　at　most…but　her　face　was　strong；　and　the　white　skin　of　her　forehead　and　throat　knew　much　about　sternness　and　discipline；　though　she　smiled　almost　shyly　when　she　saw　Covenant。
　But　behind　the　experience　of　responsibility　and　mitment　in　her　features　was　something　strangely　evocative。　She　seemed　distantly　familiar；　as　if　in。　the　background　of　her　face　she　resembled　someone　he　had　once　known。　This　impression　was　both　heightened　and　denied　by　her　eyes。　They　were　gray　like　his　own；　but　though　they　met　him　squarely　they　had　an　elsewhere　cast；　a　disunion　of　focus；　as　if　she　were　watching　something　else…as　if　some　other；　more　essential　eyes；　the　eyes　of　her　mind；　were　looking　somewhere　else。　Her　gaze　touched　parts　of　him　which　had　not　responded　for　a　long　time。
　〃Please　enter；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　like　a　clear　spring。
　Moving　woodenly；　Covenant　went　past　her　into　her　rooms；　and　she　shut　the　door　behind　him；　closing　out　the　light　from　the　courtyard。　Her　antechamber　was　illumined　simply　by　a　pot　of　graveling　in　each　corner。　Covenant　stopped　in　the　center　of　the　room；　and　looked　about　him。　The　space　was　bare　and　unadorned；　containing　nothing　but　the　graveling；　a　few　stone　chairs；　and　a　table　on　which　stood　a　white　carving；　but　still　the　room　seemed　quiet　and　fortable。　The　light　gave　this　effect；　he　decided。　The　warm　graveling　glow　made　even　flat　stone　panionable；　enhanced　the　essential　security　of　Revelstone。　It　was　like　being　cradled…wrapped　in　the　arms　of　the　rock　and　cared　for。
　High　Lord　Elena　gestured　toward　one　of　the　chairs。　〃Will　you　sit？　There　is　much　of　which　I　would　speak　with　you。〃
　He　remained　standing；　looking　away　from　her。　Despite　the　room's　ambience；　he　felt　intensely　unfortable。　Elena　was　his　summoner；　and　he　distrusted　her。　But　when　he　found　his　voice；　he　half　surprised　himself　by　expressing　one　of　his　most　private　concerns。　Shaking　his　head；　he　muttered；　〃Bannor　knows　more　than　he's　telling。〃
　He　caught　her　off　guard。　〃More？〃　she　echoed；　groping。　〃What　has　he　said　that　leaves　more　concealed？〃
　But　he　had　already　said　more　than　he　intended。　He　kept　silent；　watching　her　out　of　the　corner　of　his　sight。
　〃The　Bloodguard　know　doubt；〃　she　went　on　unsurely。　〃Since　Kevin　Landwaster　preserved　them　from　the　Desecration　and　his　own　end；　they　have　felt　a　distrust　of　their　own　fidelity…though　none　would　dare　to　raise　any　accusation　against　them。　Do　you　speak　of　this？〃
　He　did　not　want　to　reply；　but　her　direct　attention　pelled　him。　〃They've　already　lived　too　long。　Bannor　knows　it。〃　Then；　to　escape　the　subject；　he　went　over　to　the　table　to　look　at　the　carving。　The　white　statuette　stood　on　an　ebony　base。　It　was　a　rearing　Ranyhyn　mare　made　of　a　material　that　looked　like　bone。　The　work　was　blunt　of　detail；　but　through　some　secret　of　its　art　it　expressed　the　power　of　the　great　muscles；　the　intelligence　of　the　eyes；　the　oriftlamme　of　the　guttering　mane。
　Without　approaching　him；　Elena　said；　〃That　is　my　craft…marrowmeld。　Does　it　please　you？　It　is　Myrha；　the　Ranyhyn　that　bears　me。〃
　Something　stirred　in　Covenant。　He　did　not　want　to　think　about　the　Ranyhyn；　but　he　thought　that　he　had　found　a　discrepancy。　〃Foamfollower　told　me　that　the　marrowmeld　craft　had　been　lost。〃
　〃So　it　was。　I　alone　in　the　Land　practice　this　Ramen　craft。　Anundivian　yajna；　also　named　marrowmeld　or　bonesculpting；　was　lost　to　the　Ramen　during　their　exile　in　the　Southron　Range…during　the　Ritual　of　Desecration。　I　do　not　speak　in　pride…I　have　been　blessed　in　many　things。　When　I　was　a　child；　a　Ranyhyn　bore　me　into　the　mountains。　For　three　days　we　did　not　return；　so　that　my　mother　thought　me　dead。　But　the　Ranyhyn　taught　me　much…much…　In　my　learning；　I　recovered　the　ancient　craft。…　The　lore　to　reshape　dry　bones　came　to　my　hands。　Now　I　practice　it　here；　when　the　work　of　the　Lords　wearies　me。〃
　Covenant　kept　his　back　to　her；　but　he　was　not　studying　her　sculpture。　He　was　listening　to　her　voice　as　if　he　expected　it　to　change　at　any　moment　into　the　voice　of　someone　he　knew。　Her　tone　resonated　with　implicit　meanings。　But　he　could　not　make　them　out。　Abruptly；　he　turned　to　meet　her　eyes。　Again；　though　；‘　she　faced　him；　she　seemed　to　be　looking　at　or　thinking　about　something　else；　something　beyond　him。　Her　a　elsewhere　glance　disturbed　him。　Studying　her；　his　frown　deepened　until　he　wore　the　healing　of　his　forehead　like　a　crown　of　thorns。
　〃What　do　you　want？〃　he　demanded。
　〃Will　you　sit？〃　she　said　quietly。　〃。There　is　much　I　would　speak　of　with　you。〃
　〃Like　what？〃
　The