srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第19部分

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；　and　Sill。　The　High　Lord　has　given　the　mission　to　them　as　well　as　to　us；　so　that　if　we　fall　they　will　go　on　to　the　Giants'　aid。
　〃Korik　is　among　the　most　senior　of　the　Bloodguard。〃　The　Lord　seemed　to　be　digressing；　avoiding　something　that　he　hesitated　to　say。　〃With　Tuvor；　Morin；　Bannor；　and　Terrel；　he　manded　the　original　Haruchai　army　which　marched　against　the　Land　…marched；　and　met　High　Lord　Kevin；　with　the　Ranyhyn　and　the　Giants；　and　was　moved　by　love　and　wonder　and　gratitude　to　swear　the　Vow　of　service　which　began　the　Bloodguard。　Sill　is　the　Bloodguard　who　holds　me　in　his　especial　care；　just　as　Cerrin　holds　Lord　Shetra。　I　will　require　them　to　hold　us　well；〃　Hyrim　growled　with　a　return　to　humor。　〃I　do　not　wish　to　lose　all　this　flesh　which　I　have　so　joyfully　gained。〃
　In　frustration；　Covenant　repeated　sharply；　〃What　do　you　expect　me　to　do？〃
　Slowly；　Hyrim　turned　to　face　him　squarely。　〃You　have　known　Saltheart　Foamfollower；〃　he　said。　〃I　wish　you　to　e　with　us。〃
　Covenant　gaped　at　the　Lord　in　astonishment。　He　felt　suddenly　faint。　From　a　distance；　he　heard　himself　　asking　weakly；　〃Does　the　High　Lord　know　about　　this？〃
　Hyrim　grinned。　〃Her　anger　will　blister　the　skin　of　my　face　when　she　hears　what　I　have　said　to　you。〃　But　a　moment　later；　he　was　sober　again。　〃Ur…Lord；　I　do　not　say　that　you　should　acpany　us。　Perhaps　I　am　greatly　wrong　in　my　asking。　There　is　much　that　we　do　not　know　concerning　the　Despiser's　intent　for　this　war…and　of　these　one　of　the　greatest　is　our　ignorance　of　the　direction　from　which　he　will　attack。　Will　he　move　south　of　Andelain。　as　he　has　in　past　ages；　and　then　strike　northward　through　the　Center　Plains；　or　will　he　march　north　along　Landsdrop　to　approach　us　from　the　east？　This　ignorance　paralyzes　our　defense。　The　Warward　cannot　move　until　we　know　the　answer。　Warmark　Troy　is　much　concerned。　But　if　Lord　Foul　chooses　to　assail　us　from　the　east；　then　our　mission　to　Seareach　will　ride　straight　into　his　strength。　For　that　reason；　it　would　be　unsurpassable　folly　for　the　white　gold　to　acpany　us。
　〃No；　if　it　were　wise　for　you　to　ride　with　us；　Lord　Mhoram　would　have　spoken　of　it　with　you。　Nevertheless　I　ask。　I　love　the　Giants　deeply；　ur…Lord。　They　are　precious　to　all　the　Land。　I　would　brave　even　High　Lord　Elena's　wrath　to　give　them　any　aid。〃
　The　simple　sincerity　of　the　Lord's　appeal　touched　Covenant。　Though　he　had　just　met　the　man；　he　found　that　he　liked　Hyrim　son　of　Hoole…liked　him　and　wanted　to　help　him。　And　the　Giants　were　a　powerful　argument。　He　could　not　bear　to　…think　that　Foamfollower；　so　full　of　life　and　laughter　and　prehension；　might　be　killed　if　he　were　not　given　aid。　But　that　argument　reminded　Covenant　bitterly　that　he　was　less　capable　of　help　than　anyone　in　the　Land。　And　Elena's　influence　was　still　strong　on　him。　He　did　not　want　to　do　anything　to　anger　her；　anything　that　would　give　her　additional　cause　to　hate　him。　He　was　torn；　he　could　not　answer　the　candid　question　in　Hyrim's　gaze。
　Abruptly；　the　Lord's　eyes　filled　with　tears。　He　looked　away；　blinking　rapidly。　〃I　have　given　you　pain；　ur…Lord；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Forgive　me。〃　Covenant　expected　to　hear　irony；　criticism；　in　the　words；　but　Hyrim's　tone　expressed　only　an　unplex　sorrow。　When　he　faced　Covenant　again；　his　lips　wore　a　lame　smile。　〃Well；　then。　Will　you　not　at　least　e　with　me　to　the　courtyard？　The　mission　will　soon　meet　there　to　depart。　Your　presence　will　say　to　all　Revelstone　that　you　act　from　choice　rather　than　from　ignorance。〃
　That　Covenant　could　not　refuse；　he　was　too　ashamed　of　his　essential　impotence；　too　angry。　Kicking　himself　vehemently　into　motion；　he　strode　out　of　his　suite。
　At　once；　he　found　Bannor　at　his　elbow。　Between　the　Bloodguard　and　the　Lord；　he　stalked　downward　through　the　halls　and　passages　toward　the　gates　of　Revelstone。
　There　was　only　one　entrance　to　Lord's　Keep；　and　the　Giants　had　designed　it　well　to　defend　the　city。　At　the　wedge　tip　of　the　plateau；　they　had　hollowed　out　the　stone　to　form　a　courtyard　between　the　main　Keep　and　the　watchtower　which　protected　the　outer　gates。　Those　gates…huge；　interlocking　stone　slabs　which　could　close　inward　to　seal　the　entrance　pletely　led　to　a　tunnel　under　the　tower。　The　tunnel　opened　into　the　courtyard；　and　the　entrance　from　the　courtyard　to　the　Keep　was　defended　by　another　set　of　gates　as　massive　and　solid　as　the　first。　The　main　Keep　was　joined　to　the　tower　by　a　series　of　wooden　crosswalks　suspended　at　intervals　above　the　court；　but　the　only　ground…level　access　to　the　tower　was　through　two　small　doors　on　either　side　of　the　tunnel。　Thus　any　enemy　who　acplished　the　almost　impossible　task　of　breaking　the　outer　gates　would　then　have　to　attempt　the　same　feat　at　the　inner　gates　while　under　attack　from　the　battlements　of　both　the　watchtower　and　the　main　Keep。
　The　courtyard　was　paved　with　flagstones　except　in　the　center；　where　an　old　Gilden　tree　grew；　nourished　by　springs　of　fresh　water。　Lord　Hyrim；　Bannor；　and　Covenant　found　the　rest　of　the　mission　there　beside
　the　tree；　under　the　waning　darkness　of　the　sky。　Dawn　had　begun。
　Shivering　in　the　crisp　air；　Covenant　looked　around　the　court。　In　the　light　which　reflected　from　within　the　Keep；　he　could　see　that　all　the　people　near　the　tree　were　Bloodguard　except　for　one　Lord；　a　tall　woman。　She　stood　facing　into　Revelstone；　Covenant　could　see　her　clearly。　She　had　stiff；　iron…gray　hair　that　she　wore　cropped　short；　and　her；　face　was　like　the　face　of　a　hawk…keen　of　nose　and　eye；　lean　of　cheek。　Her　eyes　held　a　sharp　gleam　like　the　hunting　stare　of　a　hawk。　But　behind　the　gleam；　Covenant　discerned　something　that　looked　like　an　ache　of　desire；　a　yearning　which　she　could　neither　satisfy　nor　repress。
　Lord　Hyrim　greeted　her　panionably；　but　she　ignored　him；　stared　back　into　the　Keep　as　if　she　could　not　bear　to　leave　it。
　Behind　her；　the　Bloodguard　were　busy　distributing　burdens；　packing　their　supplies　into　bundles　with　clingor　thongs。　These　they　tied　to　their　backs　so　that　their　movements　would　not　be　hampered。　Soon　one　of　them…Covenant　recognized　Korik…stepped　forward　and　announced　to　Lord　Hyrim　that　he　was　ready。
　〃Ready；　friend　Korik？〃　Hyrim's　voice　had　a　jaunty　sound。　〃Ah；　would　that　I　could　say　the　same。　But；　by　the　Seven！　I　am　not　a　man　suited　for　great　dangers　I　am　better　made　to　applaud　victories　than　to　perform　them。　Yes；　that　is　where　my　skills　lie。　Were　you　to　bring　me　a　victory；　I　could　drink　a　pledge　to　it　which　would　astound　you。　But　this…riding　at　speed　across　the　Land；　into　the　teeth　of　who　knows　what　ravenous　perils…！　Can　you　tell　us　of　these　perils；　Korik？〃
　〃Lord？〃
　〃I　have　given　this　matter　thought；　friend　Korik　you　may　imagine　how　difficult　it　was　for　me。　But　I　see　that　the　High　Lord　gave　this　mission　into　your　hands　for　good　reason。　Hear　what　I　have　thought…efforts　like　mine　should　not　be　wasted。　Consider　this。　Of　all　the　people　of　Revelstone；　only　the　Bloodguard　have　known　the　Land　before　the　Desecration。　You　have　known　Kevin　himself。　Surely　you　know　far　more　of　him　than　do　we。　And　surely；　also；　you　know　far　more　of　the　Despiser。　Perhaps　you　know　how　he　wages　war。　Perhaps　you　know　more　than　Lord　Callindrill　could　tell　us　of　the　dangers　which　lie　between　us　and　Seareach。〃
　Korik　shrugged　slightly。
　〃It　is　in　my　heart；〃　Hyrim　went　on；　〃that　you　can　measure　the　dangers　ahead　better　than　any　Lord。　You　should　speak　of　them；　so　that　we　may　prepare。　It　may　be　that　we　should　not　risk　Grimmerdhore　or　the　Sarangrave；　but　should　rather　ride　north　and　around；　despite　the　added　length　of　days。〃
　〃The　Bloodguard　do　not　know　the　future。〃　Korik's　tone　was　impassive；　yet　Covenant　heard　a　faint　stress　on　the　word　know。　Korik　seemed　to　use　that　word　in　a　different　sense　than　Hyrim　did；　a　larger　or　more　prophetic　sense。
　And　the　Lord　was　unsatisfied。　〃Perhaps　not。　But　you　did　not　share　Kevin's　reign　and　learn　nothing。　Do　you　fear　we　cannot　endure　the　knowledge　you　bear？〃
　〃Hyrim；　you　forget　yourself；〃　Lord　Shetra　cut　in　abruptly。　〃Is　this　your　respect　for　the　keepers　of　the　Vow？〃
　〃Ah；　sister　Shetra；　you　misunderstand。　My　respect　for　the　Bloodguard　is　unbounded。　How　could　I　feel　otherwise　about　men　sworn　beyond　any　human　oath　to　keep　me　alive？　Now　if　they　were　to　promise　me　good　food；　I　would　be　totally　in　their　debt。　But　surely　you　see　where　we　stand。　The　High　Lord　has　given　this　mission　into　their　hands。　If　the　peril　we　ride　to　meet　so　blithely　forces　them　to　the　choice；　the　Bloodguard　will　pursue　the　mission　rather　than　defend　us。〃
　For　a　moment；　Lord　Shetra　fixed　Hyrim　with　a　hard　glance　like　an　expression　of　contempt。　But　when　she　spoke；　her　voice　did　not　impugn　him。　〃Lord　Hyrim；　you　are　not　blithe。　You　believe　that　the　survival　of　the　Giants　rides　on　this　mission；　and　you　seek　to　conceal　your　fear　for　them。〃
　〃Melenkurion　Skyweir！〃　Hyrim　growled　to　keep　himself　from　laughing。　〃I　seek　only　to　preserve　my　fine　and　hard…won　flesh　from　inconsiderate　assault。　It　would　bee　you　to　share　such　a　worthy　desire。〃
　〃Peace；　Lord。　I　have　no　heart　for　jesting；〃　sighed
　Shetra；　and　turned　away　to　resume　her　study　of　Revelstone。
　Lord　Hyrim　considered　her　in　silence　briefly；　then　said　to　Korik；　〃Well；　she　has　less　body　to　preserve　than　I　have。　It　may　be　that　fine　spirit　is　reserved　for　neglected　flesh。　I　must　speak　of　this　with　the　Giants　if　we　reach　them。〃
　〃We　are　the　Bloodguard；〃　answered　Korik　flatly。　〃We　will　gain　Seareach。〃
　Hyrim　glanced　up　at　the　night　sky；　and　said　in　a　soft；　musing　tone；　〃Summon　or　succor。　Would　that　there　were　more　of　us。　The　Giants　are　vast；　and　if　they　are　in　need　the　need　will　be　vast。〃
　〃They　are　the　Giants。　Are　they　not　equal　to　any　need？〃
　The　Lord　flashed　a　look　at　Korik；　but　did　not　reply。　Soon　he　moved　to　Shetra's　side；　and　said　quietly；　〃e；　sister。　The　journey　calls。　The　way　is　long；　and　if　we　hope　to　end　we　must　first　begin。〃
　〃Wait！〃　she　cried　softly；　like　the　distant　scream　of　a　bird。
　Hyrim　studied　her　for　another　moment。　Then　he　came　back　to　Covenant。　In　a　whisper　so　low　that　Covenant　could　hardly　hear　it；　the　Lord　said；　〃She　desires　to　see　Lord　Verement　her　husband　before　we　go。　Theirs　is　a　sad　tale；　urLord。　Their　marriage　is　troubled。　Both　are　proud…　Together　they　made　the　journey　to　the　Plains　of　Ra　to　offer　themselves　to　the　Ranyhyn。　And　the　Ranyhyn…ah；　the　Ranyhyn　chose