srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第27部分

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　〃All　Revelstone　knows　the　way。　Now　we　are　alone；　but　in　times　of　peace…or　in　times　when　war　is　more　distant…there　are　always　people　here。　And　the　children　in　the　schools　spend　much　time　here；　learning　of　the　crafts　of　the　Land。　Craftmasters　e　from　all　the　Land　to　share　and　increase　their　skills。　The　Hall　of　Gifts　is　thus　deep　and　concealed　because　the　Giants　who　wrought　the　Keep　deemed　such　a　place　fitting　and　because　if　ever　Revelstone　is　whelmed　the　Hall　may　be　hidden　and　preserved；　in　hope　of　the　future。〃
　For　an　instant；　the　focus　of　her　gaze　seemed　to　swing　closer　to　him；　and　her　vision　tensed　as　if　she　meant　to　burn　her　way　through　his　skull　to　find　out　what　he　was　thinking。　But　then　she　turned　away　with
　a　gentle　smile；　and　walked　toward　another　wall　of　the　cavern。　〃Let　me　show　you　another　work；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　by　one　of　our　rarest　Craftmasters；　Ahanna　daughter　of　Hanna。　Here。〃
　He　followed；　and　stopped　with　her　before　a　large　picture　in　a　burnished　ebony　frame。　It　was　a　dark　work；　but　glowing　bravely　near　its　center　was　a　figure　that　he　recognized　immediately：　Lord　Mhoram。　The　Lord　stood　alone　in　a　hollow　tightly　surrounded　by　black　fiendish　shapes　which　were　about　to　fall　on　him　like　a　flood；　deluge　him　utterly。　His　only　weapon　was　his　staff；　but　he　wielded　it　defiantly；　and　in　his　eyes　was　a　hot；　potent　look　of　extremity　and　triumph；　as　if　he　had　discovered　within　himself　some　capacity　for　peril　that　made　him　unconquerable。
　Elena　said　respectfully；　〃Ahanna　names　this　‘Lord　Mhoram's　Victory。'　She　is　a　prophet；　I　think。〃　。
　The　sight　of　Mhoram　in　such　straits　hurt　Covenant；　and　he　took　it　as　a　reproach。　〃Listen；〃　he　said。　〃Stop　playing　around　with　me　like　this。　If　you've　got　something　to　say；　say　it。　Or　take　Troy's　advice；　and　lock　me　up。　But　don't　do　this　to　me。〃
　〃Playing　around？　I　do　not　understand〃
　〃Hellfire！　Stop　looking　so　innocent。　You　got　me　down　here　to　let　me　have　it　for　that　run…in　with　Trell。　Well；　get　it　over　with。　I　can't　stand　the　suspense。〃
　The　High　Lord　met　his　glare　with　such　openness　that　he　turned　away；　muttering　under　his　breath　to　steady　himself。
　〃Ur…Lord。〃　She　placed　an　appealing　hand　on　his　arm。　〃Thomas　Covenant。　How　can　you　believe　such　thoughts？　How　can　you　understand　us　so　little？　Look　at　me。　Look　at　me！〃　She　pulled　his　arm　until　he　turned　back　to　her；　faced　the　sincerity　she　expressed　with　every　line　of　her　face。　〃I　did　not　ask　you　here　to　torment　you。　I　wished　to　share　my　last　hour　in　the　Hall　of　Gifts　with　you。　This　war　is　near…near…and　I　will　not　soon　stand　here　again。　As　for　the　Warmark　…I　do　not　take　counsel　from　him　concerning　you。　If　there　is　any　blame　in　your　meeting　with　Trell；　it　is　mine。　I　did　not　give　you　clear　warning　of　my　fears。　And　I　did　not　see　the　extent　of　the　danger…else　I　would　have　told　all　the　Bloodguard　to　prevent　your　meeting。
　〃No；　ur…Lord。　I　have　no　hard　words　to　speak　to　you。　You　should　reproach　me。　I　have　endangered　your　life；　and　cost　Trell　Atiaran…mate　my　grandfather　his　last　self…respect。　He　was　helpless　to　heal　his　daughter　and　his　wife。　Now　he　will　believe　that　he　is　helpless　to　heal　himself。〃
　Looking　at　her；　Covenant's　distrust　fell　into　dust。　He　took　a　deep　breath　to　clean　stale　air　from　his　lungs。　But　the　movement　hurt　his　ribs。　The　pain　made　him　fear　that　she　would　reach　toward　him；　and　he　mumbled　quickly；　〃Don't　touch　me。〃
　For　an　instant；　she　misunderstood　him。　Her　fingers　leaped　from　his　arm；　and　the　otherness　of　her　vision　flicked　across　him　with　a　virulence　that　made　him　flinch；　amazed　and　baffled。　But　what　she　saw　corrected　her　misapprehension。　The　focus　of　her　gaze　left　him；　she　extended　her　hand　slowly　to　place　her　palm　on　his　chest。
　〃I　hear　you；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　must　touch　you。　You　have　been　my　hope　for　too　long。　I　cannot　give　you　up。　He　took　her　wrist　with　the　two　fingers　and　thumb　of　his　right　hand；　but　he　hesitated　a　moment　before　he　removed　her　palm。　Then　he　said；　〃What　happens　to　Trell　now？　He　broke　his　Oath。　Is　anything　done　to　him？〃
　〃Alas；　there　is　little　we　can　do。　It　lies　with　him。　We　will　try　to　teach　him　that　an　Oath　which　has　been　broken　may　still　be　kept。　But　it　was　not　his　intent　to　harm　you…he　did　not　plan　his　attack。　I　know　him；　and　am　sure　of　this。　He　has　known　of　your　presence　in　Revelstone；　yet　he　made　no　effort　to　seek　you　out。　No；　he　was　overe　by　his　hurt。　I　do　not　know　how　he　will　recover。〃
　As　she　spoke；　he　saw　that　once　again　he　had　failed　F　to　prehend。　He　had　been　thinking　about　punishment　rather　than　healing。　Hugging　his　sore　ribs；　he　said；　〃You're　too　gentle。　You've　got　every　right　to　hate　me。〃
　She　gave　him　a　look　of　mild　exasperation。　〃Neither
　Lena　my　mother　nor　I　have　ever　hated　you。　It　is　impossible　for　us。　And　what　would　be　the　good？　Without　you；　I　would　not　be。　It　may　be　that　Lena　would　have　married　Triock；　and　given　birth　to　a　daughter…but　that　daughter　would　be　another　person。　I　would　not　be　who　I　am。〃　A　moment　later；　she　smiled。　〃Thomas　Covenant；　there　are　few　children　in　all　the　history　of　the　Land　who　have　ridden　a　Ranyhyn。〃
　〃Well；　at　least　that　part　of　it　worked　out。〃　He　shrugged　aside　her　questioning　glance。　He　did　not　feel　equal　to　explaining　the　bargain　he　had　tried　to　make　with　the　Ranyhyn…or　the　way　in　which　that　bargain　had　failed　him。
　A　mood　of　constraint　came　between　them。　Elena　turned　away　from　it　to　look　again　at　〃Lord　Mhoram's　Victory。〃
　〃This　picture　disturbs　me；〃　she　said。　〃Where　am　I？　If　Mhoram　is　thus　sorely　beset；　why　am　I　not　at　his　side？　How　have　I　fallen；　that　he　is　so　alone？〃　She　touched　the　picture　lightly；　brushed　her　fingertips　over　Mhoram's　lone；　beleaguered；　invincible　stance。　〃It　is　in　my　heart　that　this　war　will　go　beyond　me。〃
　The　thought　stung　her。　Suddenly　she　stepped　back　from　the　painting；　stood　tall　with　the　Staff　of　Law　planted　on　the　stone　before　her。　She　shook　her　head　so　that　her　brown…and…honey　hair　snapped　as　if　a　wind　blew　about　her　shoulders；　and　breathed　intensely；　〃No！　I　will　see　it　ended！　Ended！〃
　As　she　repeated　Ended；　she　struck　the　floor　with　the　Staff's　iron　heel。　An　instant　of　bright　blue　fire　ignited　in　the　air。　The　stone　lurched　under　Covenants　feet；　and　he　nearly　fell。　But　she　quenched　her　power　almost　at　once；　it　passed　like　a　momentary　intrusion　of　nightmare。　Before　he　could　regain　his　balance；　she　caught　his　arm　and　steadied　him。
　〃Ah；　you　must　pardon　me；〃　she　said　with　a　look　like　laughter。　〃I　forgot　myself。〃
　He　braced　his　feet；　tried　to　determine　whether　or　not　he　could　still　trust　the　floor。　The　stone　felt　secure。　〃Give　me　fair　warning　next　time；〃　he　muttered；　〃so　I　can　sit　down。〃
　The　High　Lord　broke　into　clear　laughter；　then　subdued　herself　abruptly。　〃Your　pardon　again；　Thomas　Covenant。　But　your　expression　is　so　fierce　and　foolish。〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　he　replied。　He　found　that　he　liked　the　sound　of　her　laugh。　〃Ridicule　may　be　the　only　good　answer。〃
　〃Is　that　a　proverb　from　your　world？　Or　are　you　a　prophet？〃
　〃A　little　of　both。〃
　〃You　are　strange。　You　transpose　wisdom　and　jest　you　reverse　their　meanings。〃
　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃
　〃Yes；　ur…Lord　Covenant；〃　she　said　lightly；　humorously。　〃That　is　a　fact。〃　Then　she　appeared　to　remember　something。　〃But　we　must　go。　I　think　we　are　expected。　And　you　have　never　seen　the　upland。　Will　you　e　with　me？〃
　He　shrugged。　She　smiled　at　him；　and　he　followed　her　toward　the　door　of　the　Hall。
　〃Who's　expecting　us？〃　he　asked　casually。
　She　opened　the　door　and　preceded　him　through　it。　When　it　was　closed　behind　them；　she　answered；　〃I　would　like　to　surprise　you。　But　perhaps　that　would　not　be　fair　warning。　There　is　a　man…a　man　who　studies　dreams…to　find　the　truth　in　them。　One　of　the　Unfettered。〃
　His　heart　jumped　again；　and　he　wrapped　his　arms　protectively　around　his　sore　chest。　Hellfire；　he　groaned　to　himself。　An　interpreter　of　dreams。　Just　what　I　need。　An　Unfettered　One　had　saved　him　and　Atiaran　from　the　ur…viles　at　the　Celebration　of　Spring。　By　a　perverse　trick　of　recollection；　he　heard　the　Unfettered　One's　death　cry　in　the　wake　of　Elena's　clear　voice。　And　he　remembered　Atiaran's　grim　insistence　that　it　was　the　responsibility　of　the　living　to　make　meaningful　the　sacrifices　of　the　dead。　With　a　brusque　gesture；　he　motioned　for　Elena　to　lead　the　way；　then　walked　after　her；　muttering；　Hellfire。　Hellfire。
　She　guided　him　back　up　through　the　levels　of　Revelstone　until　he　began　to　recognize　his　surroundings。　Then　they　moved　westward；　still　climbing；　and　after　a　while　they　joined　a　high；　wide　passage　like　a　road　along　the　length　of　the　Keep；　rising　slowly。　Soon　the　decreasing　weight　of　the　stone　around　him；　and　the　growing　autumn！　tang　of　the　air；　told　him　that　they　were　approaching　the　level　of　the　plateau　which　topped　the　Keep。　After　two　sharp　switchbacks；　the　passage　ended；　and　he　found　himself　out　in　the　open；　standing　on　thick　grass　under　the　roofless　heavens。　A　league　or　two　west　of　him　were　the　mountains。
　A　cool　breeze　hinting　a　fall　crispness　touched　him　through　the　late　morning　sunlight…a　low　blowing　as　full　of　ripe　earth　and　harvests　as　if　it　were　clairvoyant；　foretelling　bundled　crops　and　full　fruit　and　seeds　ready　for　rest。　But　the　trees　on　the　plateau　and　the　upland　hills　were　predominantly　evergreens；　feathery　mimosas　and　tall　pines　and　wide　cedars　with　no　turning　of　leaves。　And　the　hardy　grass　made　no　concessions　to　the　changing　season。
　The　hills　of　the　upland　were　Revelstone's　secret　strength。　They　were　protected　by　…sheer　cliffs　on　the　east　and　south；　by　mountains　on　the　north　and　west；　and　so　they　were　virtually　inaccessible　except　through　Lord's　Keep　itself。　Here　the　people　of　the　city　could　get　food　and　water　to　withstand　a　siege。　Therefore　Revelstone　could　endure　as　long　as　its　walls　and　gates　remained　impregnable。
　〃So　you　see；〃　said　Elena；　〃that　the　Giants　wrought　well　for　the　Land　in　all　ways。　While　Revelstone　stands；　there　remains　one　bastion　of　hope。　In　its　own　way；　the　Keep　is　as　impervious　to　defeat　as　Foul's　Creche　is　said　to　be…in　the　old　legends。　This　is　vital；　for　the　legends　also　say　that　the　shadow　of　Despite　will　never　be　wholly　driven　from　the　Land　while　Ridjeck　Thome；　Lord　Foul's　dire　demesne；　endures。　So　our：　debt　to　the　Giants　is　far　greater　than　for　unfaltering　friendship。　It　is　greater　than　anything　we　can　repay。〃
　Her　to