srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第18部分

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mor　at　the　door　were　the　beating　of　his　dread。
　Numbly；　dazed　with　sleep；　he　uncovered　a　graveling　pot；　then　shambled　into　the　sitting　room　to　answer　the　door。
　He　found　a　man　standing　in　the　brightness　of　the　hall。　His　blue　robe　belted　in　black　and　his　long　staff　identified　him　as　a　Lord。
　〃Ur…Lord　Covenant；〃　the　man　began　at　once。　〃I　must　apologize　profusely　for　disturbing　your　rest。　Of　all　the　Lords；　I　am　the　one　who　most　regrets　such　an　intrusion。　I　have　a　deep　love　for　rest。　Rest　and　food；　ur…Lord…sleep　and　sustenance。　They　are　exquisite。　Although　there　are　some　who　would　say　that　I　have　tasted　so　much　sustenance　that　I　should　no　longer　require　rest。　No　doubt　some　such　argument　caused　me　to　be　chosen　for　this　arduous　and　altogether　unsavory　journey。〃　Without　asking　for　permission；　he　bustled　past　Covenant　into　the　room。　He　was　grinning。
　Covenant　blinked　his　bleary　gaze　into　focus；　and　took　a　close　look　at　the　man。
　He　was　short　and　corpulent；　with　a　round；　beatific　face；　but　the　serenity　of　his　countenance　was　punctured　by　his　gleeful　eyes；　so　that　he　looked　like　a　misbegotten　cherub。　His　expression　was　constantly　roiled；　fleet　smiles；　smirks；　frowns；　grimaces　chased　each　other　across　the　surface　of　his　essential　good　humor。　Now　he　was　regarding　Covenant　with　a　look　of　appraisal；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　gauge　the　Unbeliever's　responsiveness　to　jesting。
　〃I　am　Hyrim　son　of　Hoole；〃　he　said　fluidly；　〃a　Lord　of　the　Council；　as　you　see；　and　a　lover　of　all　good　cheer；　as　you　have　perhaps　not　failed　to　notice。〃　His　eyes　gleamed　impishly。　〃I　would　tell　you　of　my　parentage　and　history；　so　that　you　might　know　me　better…but　my　time　is　short。　There　are　consequences　to　this　riding　of　Ranyhyn；　but　when　I　offered　myself　to　their　choice　I　did　not　know　that　the　honor　could　be　so　burdensome。　Perhaps　you　will　consent　to　acpany　me？〃
　Mutely；　Covenant's　lips　formed　the　word；　Acpany？
　〃To　the　courtyard；　at　least…if　I　can　persuade　you　no　farther。　I　will　explain　while　you　ready　yourself。〃
　Covenant　felt　too　groggy　to　understand　what　was　being　asked　of　him。　The　Lord　wanted　him　to　get'　dressed　and　go　somewhere。　Was　that　all？　After　a　moment；　he　found　his　voice；　and　asked；　〃Why？〃
　With　an　effort；　Hyrim　pulled　an　expression　of　Seriousness　onto　his　face。　He　studied　Covenant　gravely；　then　said；　〃UrLord；　there　are　some　things　which。。　are　difficult　to　say　to　you。　Both　Lord　Mhoram　and　high　Lord　Elena　might　have　spoken。　They　do　not　desire　that　this　knowledge　should　be　withheld　from　you。　But　brother　Mhoram　is　reluctant　to　describe　his　own　pain。　And　the　High　Lord…it　is　in　my　heart　that　she　fears　to　send　you　into　peril。〃
　He　grinned　ruefully。　〃But　I　am　not　so　selfless。　You　will　agree　that　there　is　much　of　…me　to　consider…and　every　part　is　tender。　Courage　is　for　the　lean。　I　am　wiser。　Wisdom　is　no　more　and　no　less　deep　than　the　skin…and　mine　is　very　deep。　Of　course；　it　is　said　that　trial　and　hardship　refine　the　spirit。　But　I　have　heard　the　Giants　reply　that　there　is　time　enough　to　refine　the　spirit　when　the　body　has　no　other　choice。〃
　Covenant　had　heard　that；　too；　Foamfollower　had　said　it　to　him。　He　shook　his　head　to　clear　away　the　painful　memory。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃You　have　cause；〃　said　the　Lord。　〃I　have　not　yet　uttered　anything　of　substance。　Ah；　Hyrim；〃　he　sighed　to　himself；　〃brevity　is　such　a　simple　thing…and　yet　it　surpasses　you。　Ur…Lord；　will　you　not　dress？　I　must　tell　you　news　of　the　Giants　which　will　not　please　you。〃
　A　pang　of　anxiety　stiffened　Covenant。　He　was　no　longer　sleepy。　〃Tell　me。〃
　〃While　you　dress。〃
　Causing　silently；　Covenant　hurried　into　the　bedroom　and　began　to　put　on　his　clothes。
　Lord　Hyrim　spoke　from　the　other　room。　His　tone　was　careful；　as　if　he　were　making　a　deliberate　effort　to　be　concise。　〃Ur…Lord；　you　know　of　the　Giants。　Saltheart　Foamfollower　himself　brought　you　to　Revelstone。　You　were　present　in　the　Close　when　he　spoke　to　the　Council　of　Lords；　telling　them　that　the　omens　which　High　Lord　Damelon　had　foreseen　for　the　Giants'　hope　of　Home　had　e　to　pass。〃
　Covenant　knew；　he　remembered　it　vividly。　Back　in　the　age　of　the　Old　Lords；　the　Giants　had　been　wanderers　of　the　sea　who　had　lost　their　way。　For　that　reason；　they　called　themselves　the　Unhomed。　They　had　roamed　for　decades　in　search　of　their　lost　homeland；　but　had　not　found　it。　At　last；　they　had　e　to　the　shores　of　the　Land　in　the　region　known　as　Seareach；　and　there…weled　and　befriended　by　Damelon…they　had　made　a　place　for　themselves　to　live　until　they　rediscovered　their　ancient　Home。
　Since　that　time；　three　thousand　years　ago；　their　search　had　been　fruitless。　But　Damelon　Giantfriend　had　prophesied　for　them；　he　had　foreseen　an　end　to　their　exile。
　After；　and　perhaps　because；　they　had　lost　their　Home；　the　Giants　had　begun　to　decline。　Though　they。　dearly　loved　children；　few　children　were　born；　their　seed　did　not　replenish　itself。　For　many　centuries；　their　numbers　had　been　slowly　shrinking。
　Damelon　had　foretold　that　this　would　change；　that　their　seed　would　regain　its　vitality。　That　was　his　omen；　his　sign　that　the　exile　was　about　to　end；　for　good　or　ill。
　In　his　turn；　Damelon's　son；　Loric；　had　made　a　promise　to　support　and　affirm　that　prophecy。　He　had　said　that；　when　Damelon's　omens　were　fulfilled；　the　Lords　would　provide　the　Giants　with　potent　Gildenlode　keels　and　rudders　for　the　building　of　new　ships　for　their　homeward　journey。
　So　it　was　that　Foamfollower　had　reported　to　the　Council　that　Wavenhair　Haleall；　the　wife　of　Sparlimb　Keelsetter；　had　given　birth　to　triplets；　three　sons…an　event　unprecedented　in　Seareach。　And　at　the　same　time；　scouting　ships　had　returned　to　say　that　they　had　found　a　way　which　might　lead　the　Giants　Home。　Foamfollower　had　e　to　Revelstone　to　claim　High　Lord　Loric's　promise。
　〃For　forty　years；〃　Lord　Hyrim　went　on；　〃the　lillianrill　of　Lord's　Keep　have　striven　to　meet　that　promise。　The　seven　keels　and　rudders　are　now　nearly　plete。　But　time　hurries　on　our　heels；　driving　us　dangerously。　When　this　war　begins；　we　will　be　unable　to　transport　the　Gildenlode　to　Seareach。　And　we　will　need　the　help　of　the　Giants　to　fight　Lord　Foul。　Yet　it　may　be　that　all　such　helps　or　hopes　will　fail。　It　may　be…〃
　〃Foamfollower；〃　Covenant　interrupted。　He　fumbled　at　the　laces　of　his　boots。　A　keen　concern　made　him　impatient；　urgent。　〃What　about　him？　Is　he…？　What　happened　to　him…after　the　Quest？〃
　The　Lord's　tone　became　still　more　careful。　〃When　the　Quest　for　the　Staff　of　Law　made　its　way　homeward；　it　found　that　Saltheart　Foamfollower　was　alive　and　unharmed。　He　had　gained　the　safety　of　Andelain；　and　so　had　escaped　the　Fire…Lions。　He　returned　to　his　people；　and　since　that　time　he　has　e　twice　to　Revelstone　to　help　in　the　shaping　of　the　Gildenlode　and　to　share　knowledge。　Many　Giants　came　and　went；　full　of　hope。
　〃But　now；　ur…Lord…〃　Hyrim　stopped。　There　was　sorrow　and　grimness　in　his　voice。　〃Ah；　now。〃
　Covenant　strode　back　into　the　sitting　room；　faced　the　Lord。　〃Now？〃　His　own　voice　was　unsteady。
　〃Now　for　three　years　a　silence　has　lain　over　Seareach。　No　Giant　has　e　to　Revelstone…no
　Giant　has　set　foot　on　the　Upper　Land。〃　To　answer　the　sudden　flaring　of　Covenant's　gaze；　he　continued；　〃Oh；　we　have　not　been　idle。　For　a　year　we　did　nothing…Seareach　is　near　to　four　hundred　leagues　distant；　and　a　silence　of　a　year　is　not　unusual。　But　after　a　year；　we　became　concerned。　Then　for　a　year　we　sent　messengers。　None　have　ever　returned。　During　the　spring；　we　sent　an　entire　Eoman。　Twenty　warriors　and　their　Warhaft　did　not　return。
　〃Therefore　the　Council　decided　to　risk　no　more　warriors。　In　the　summer；　Lord　Callindrill　and　Lord　Amatin　rode　eastward　with　their　Bloodguard；　seeking　passage。　They　were　thrown　back　by　a　dark　and　nameless　power　in　Sarangrave　Flat。　Sister　Amatin　would　have　died　when　her　horse　fell；　but　the　Ranyhyn　of　Callindrill　bore　them　both　to　safety。　Thus　a　shadow　has　e　between　us　and　our　ancient　Rockbrothers；　and　the　fate　of　the　Giants　is　unknown。〃
　Covenant　groaned　inwardly。　Foamfollower　had　been　his　friend…and　yet　he　had　not　even　said　goodbye　to　the　Giant　when　they　had　parted。　He　felt　an　acute　regret。　He　wanted　to　see　Foamfollower　again；　wanted　to　apologize。
　But　at　the　same　time　he　was　conscious　of　Hyrim's　gaze　on　him。　The　Lord's　naturally　gay　eyes　held　a　look　of　painful　somberness。　Clearly；　he　had　some　reason　for　awakening　Covenant　before　dawn　like　this。　With　a　jerk　of　his　shoulders；　Covenant　pushed　down　his　regret；　and　said；　〃I　still　don't　understand。〃
　At　first　Lord　Hyrim　did　not　falter。　〃Then　I　will　speak　plainly。　During　the　night　after　your　summoning；　Lord　Mhoram　was　called　from　your　side　by　a　vision。　The　hand　of　his　power　came　upon　him；　and　he　saw　sights　which　turned　his　blood　to　dread　in　his　veins。　He　saw…〃　Then　abruptly　he　turned　away。　〃Ah；　Hyrim；〃　he　sighed；　〃you　are　a　fat；　thistle…brained　fool。　What　business　had　you　to　dream　of　Lords　and　Lore；　of　Giants　and　bold　undertakings？　When　such　thoughts　first　entered　your　childish　head；　you　should　have　been　severely　punished　and　sent　to　tend　sheep。　Your　thick；　inept　self　does　scant　honor　to　Hoole　Gren…mate　your　father；　who　trusted　that　your　foolish　fancies　would　not　lead　you　astray。〃　Over　his　shoulder；　he　said　softly；　〃Lord　Mhoram　saw　the　death　of　the　Giants　marching　toward　them。　He　could　not　make　out　the　face　of　that　death。　But　he　saw　that　if　they　are　not　aided　soon…soon；　perhaps　in　a　score　of　days！…they　will　surely　be　destroyed。〃
　Destroyed？　Covenant　echoed　silently。　Destroyed？　Then　he　went　a　step　further。　Is　that　my　fault；　tool　〃Why；〃　he　began；　then　swallowed　roughly。　〃Why　are　you　telling　me？　What　do　you　expect　me　to　do？〃
　〃Because　of　brother　Mhoram's　vision；　the　Council　has　decided　that　it　must　send　a　mission　to　Seareach　at　once…now。　Because　of　the　war；　we　cannot　spare　much　of　our　strength…but　Mhoram　says　that　speed　is　needed　more　than　strength。　Therefore　High　Lord　。　Elena　has　chosen　two　Lords…two　Lords　who　have　been　accepted　by　the　Ranyhyn…Shetra　Verementmate；　whose　knowledge　of　Sarangrave　Flat　is　greater　than　any　other's；　and　Hyrim　son　of　Hoole；　who　has　a　passing　acquaintance　with　the　lore　of　the　Giants。　To　acpany　us；　First　Mark　Morin　has　chosen　fifteen　Bloodguard　led　by　Korik；　Cernn；　and　Sill。　The　High　Lord　has　given　the　mission　to　them　as　well　as　to　us；　so　that　if　we　fall　they　wi