srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第30部分

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ht　use　it　against　you…but　it'll　never　save　you。〃
　Covenant's　hands　twitched　on　the　table　as　if　he　were　fumbling；　for　something。　His　fingers　knotted　together；　tensed；　then　sprang　apart　to　grope　separately；　aimlessly。　〃All　right。　Forget　that；　too。　I'm　ing　to　that。　How　in　the　name　of　all　the　gods　are　you　going　to　fight　a　war…a　war；　Mhoram；　not　just　fencing　around　with　a　bunch　of　Cavewights　and　urviles！　When　everyone　you've　got　who's　tall　enough　to　hold　a　sword　has　sworn　this　Oath　of　Peace？　Or　are　there　special　dispensations　like　fine　print　in　your　contracts　exempting　wars　from　moral　strictures　or　even　the　simple　horror　of　blood？〃
　It　was　in　Mhoram's　heart　to　tell　Covenant　that　he　went　too　far。　But　the　fumbling；　graspless　jerks　of　his　hands…one　maimed；　the　other　carrying　his　ring　like　a　fetter…told　Mhoram　that　the　affront　of　the　Unbeliever's　language　was　directed　inward　at　himself；　not　at　the　Lords　or　the　Land。　This　perception　increased　Mhoram's　concern；　and　again　he　replied　with　steady　dignity。
　〃My　friend；　killing　is　always　to　be　abhorred。　It　is　a　measure　of　our　littleness　that　we　cannot　evade　it。　But　I　must　remind　you　of　a　few　matters。　You　have　heard　Berek's　Code…it　is　part　of　our　Oath。　It　mands　us：
　
　Do　not　hurt　where　holding　is　enough；
　do　not　wound　where　hurting　is　enough；
　do　not　maim　where　wounding　is　enough；
　and　kill　not　where　maiming　is　enough；
　the　greatest　warrior　is　he　who　does　not　need　to　kill。
　
　And　you　have　heard　High　Lord　Prothall　say　that　the　Land　would　not　be　served　by　angry　bloodshed。　There　he　touched　upon　the　heart　of　the　Oath。　We　will　do　all　that　might　or　mastery　permits　to　defend　the　Land　from　Despite。　But　we　will　do　nothing…to　the　Land；　to　our　foes；　to　each　other…which　is　manded　to　us　by　our　hearts'　black　passions　or　pain　or　lust　for　death。　Is　this　not　clear　to　you；　ur…Lord？　If　we　must　fight　and；　yes；　kill；　then　our　only　defense　and　vindication　is　to　fight　so　that　we　do　not　bee　like　our　Enemy。　Here　Kevin　Landwaster　failed…he　was　weakened　by　that　despair　which　is　the　Despiser's　strength。
　〃No；　we　must　fight…if　only　to　preserve　ourselves　from　watching　the　evil；　as　Kevin　watched　and　was　undone。　But　if　we　harm　each　other；　or　the　Land；　or　hate　our　foes…ah；　there　will　be　no　dawn　to　the　night　of　that　failure。〃
　〃That's　sophistry。〃
　〃Sophistry？　I　do　not　know　this　word。〃
　〃Clever　arguments　to　finance　what　you've　already　decided　to　do。　Rationalizations。　War　in　the　name　of
　Peace。　As　if　when　you　poke　your　sword　into　a　foe　you　aren't　slicing　up　ordinary　flesh　and　blood　that　has　as　much　right　to　go　on　living　as　you　do。〃
　〃Then　do　you　truly　believe　that　there　is　no　difference　between　fighting　to　destroy　the　Land　and　fighting　to　preserve　it？〃
　〃Difference？　What　has　that　got　to　do　with　it？　It's　still　killing。　But　never　mind。　Forget　that；　too。　You're　doing　too　good　a　job。　If　I　can't　pick　holes　in　your　answers　any　better　than　this；　I'm　going　to　end　up…〃　His　hands　began　to　shake　violently；　and　he　snatched　them　out　of　sight；　shoved　them　below　the　table。　〃I'll　end　up　freezing　to　death；　that's　what。〃
　Slumped　back　in　his　chair；　Covenant　fell　into　an　aching　silence。　Mhoram　felt　the　pressure　between　them　build；　and　decided　that　the　time　had　e　to　ask　questions　of　his　own。　Breathing　to　himself　the　Seven　Words；　he　said　kindly；　〃You　are　troubled；　my　friend。　The　High　Lord　is　difficult　to　refuse；　is　she　not？〃
　〃So？〃　Covenant　snapped。　But　a　moment　later；　he　groaned；　〃Yes。　Yes；　she　is。　But　that　isn't　it。　The　whole　Land　is　difficult　to　refuse。　I've　felt　that　way　from　the　beginning。　That　isn't　it。〃　After　a　tense　pause；　he　went　on：　〃Do　you　know　what　she　did　to　me　yesterday？　She　took　me　upland　to　see　that　Unfettered　One　…the　man　who　claims　to　understand　dreams。　I　was　there　for　a　day　or　more…　But　you're　the　seer　and　oracle…I　don't　have　to　tell　you　about　him。　You've　probably　gone　up　there　yourself　more　than　anyone；　else；　couldn't　help　it；　if　only　because　mere　ordinary　human　ears　can　only　stand　to　hear　so　much　contempt　and　laughter　and　no　more；　regardless　of　whether　you're　asleep　or　not。　So　you　know　what　it's　like。　You　know　how　he　latches　onto　you　with　those　eyes；　and　holds　you　down；　and　dissects…　But　you're　the　seer　and　oracle。　You　probably　even　know　what　he　said　to　me。〃
　〃No；〃　Mhoram　replied　quietly。
　〃He　said…　Hellfire！〃　He　shook　his　head　as　if　he　were　dashing　water　from　his　eyes。　〃He　said　that　I　dream　the　truth。　He　said　that　I　am　very　fortunate。　He　said　that　people　with　such　dreams　are　the　true　enemies　of　Despite　it　isn't　Law；　the　Staff　of　Law　wasn't　made　to　fight　Foul　with…no；　it's　wild　magic　and　dreams　that　are　the　opposite　of　Despite。〃　For　an　instant；　the　air　around　him　quivered　with　indignation。　〃He　also　said　that　I　don't　believe　it。　That　was　a　big　help。　I　just　wish　I　knew　whether　I　am　a　hero　or　a　coward。
　〃No；　don't　answer　that。　It　isn't　up　to　you。〃
　Lord　Mhoram　smiled　to　reassure　Covenant；　but　the　Unbeliever　was　already　continuing；　〃Anyway；　I've　got　a　belief…for　what　it's　worth。　It　just　isn't　exactly　the　one　you　people　want　me　to　have。〃
　Probing　again；　Mhoram　said；　〃That　may　be。　But　I　do　not　see　it。　You　do　not　show　us　belief；　but　Unbelief。　If　this　is　believing；　then　it　is　not　belief　for；　but　rather　belief　against。〃
　Covenant　jumped　to　his　feet　as　if　he　had　been　stung。　〃I　deny　that！　Just　because　I　don't　affirm　the　Land　or　whatever；　carry　on　like　some　unraveled　fanatic　and　foam　at　the　mouth　for　a　chance　to　fight　like　Troy　does；　doesn't　mean　assuming　that　there's　some　kind　of　justice　in　the　labels　and　titles　which　you　people　spoon　around…assuming　you　can　put　a　name　at　all　to　this　gut…broken　whatever　that　I　can't　even　articulate　much　less　prove　to　myself。　That　is　not　what　Unbelief　means。〃
　〃What　does　it　mean？〃
　〃It　means…〃　For　a　moment；　Covenant　stopped；　choking　on　the　words　as　if　his　heart　suffered　some　blockage。　Then　he　reached　forward　and　shaded　the　gem　of　the　krill　with　his　hands　so　that　it　did　not　shine　in　his　eyes。　In　a　voice　suddenly。　and　terribly　suffused　with　the　impossibility　of　any　tears　which　would　have　eased　him；　he　shouted；　〃It　means　I've　got　to　withhold　…to　discount…to　keep　something　for　myself！　Because　I　don't　know　why！〃　The　next　instant；　he　dropped　back　into　his　chair　and　bowed　his　head；　hiding　it　in　his　arms　as　if　he　were　ashamed。
　〃　Why？〃　Mhoram　said　softly。　〃That　is　not　so　hard　a　matter　here；　thus　distant　from　‘how。'　Some　of　our　legends　hint　at　one　answer。　They　tell　of　the　beginning　of　the　Earth；　in　a　time　soon　after　the　birth　of　Time；
　when　the　Earth's　Creator　found　that　his　brother　and　Enemy；　the　Despiser；　had　marred　his　creation　by　placing　banes　of　surpassing　evil　deep　within　it。　In　outrage　and　pain；　the　Creator　cast　his　Enemy　down…out　of　the　universal　heavens　onto　the　Earth…and　emprisoned　him　here　within　the　arch　of　Time。　Thus；　as　the　legends　tell　it；　Lord　Foul　came　to　the　Land。〃
　As　he　spoke；　he　felt　that　he　was　not　replying　to　Covenant's　question…that　the　question　had　a　direction　he　could　not　see。　But　he　continued；　offering　Covenant　the　only　answer　he　possessed。
　〃It　is　clear　now　that　Lord　Foul　lusts　to　strike　back　at　his　brother；　the　Creator。　And　at　last；　after　ages　of　bootless　wars　carried　on　out　of　malice；　out　of　a　desire　to　harm　the　creation　because　he　could　not　touch　the　Creator；　Lord　Foul　has　found　a　way　to　achieve　his　end；　to　destroy　the　arch　of　Time；　unbind　his　exile；　and　return　to　his　forbidden　home；　for　spite　and　woe。　When　the　Staff　of　Law；　lost　by　Kevin　at　the　Desecration；　came　within　his　influence；　he　gained　a　chance　to　bridge　the　gap　between　worlds…a　chance　to　bring　white　gold　into　the　Land。
　〃I　tell　you　simply：　it　is　Lord　Foul's　purpose　to　master　the　wild　magic…'the　anchor　of　the　arch　of　life　that　spans　and　masters　Time'…and　with　it　bring　Time　to　an　end；　so　that　he　may　escape　his　bondage　and　carry　his　lust　throughout　the　universe。　To　do　this；　he　must　defeat　you；　must　wrest　the　white　gold　from　you。　Then　all　the　Land　and　all　the　Earth　will　surely　fall。〃
　Covenant　raised　his　head；　and　Mhoram　tried　to　anticipate　his　next　question。　〃But　how？…how　does　the　Despiser　mean　to　acplish　this　purpose？　Ah；　my　friend；　that　I　do　not　know。　He　will　choose　ways　which　resemble　our　own　desires　so　closely　that　we　will　not　resist。　We　will　not　be　able　to　distinguish　between　his　service　and　our　own　until　we　are　bereft　of　all　aids　but　you；　whether　you　choose　to　help　us　or　no。〃
　〃But　why？〃　Covenant　repeated。　〃Why　me？〃
　Again；　Mhoram　felt　that　his　answer　did　not　lie　in　the　direction　of　Covenant's　question。　But　still　he　offered　it；　humbly；　knowing　that　it　was　all　he　had　to　give　his　tormented　visitor。
　〃My　friend；　it　is　in　my　heart　that　you　were　chosen　by　the　Creator。　That　is　our　hope。　Lord　Foul　taught　Drool　to　do　the　summoning　because　he　desired　white　gold。　But　Drool's　hands　were　on　the　Staff；　not　Lord　Foul's。　The　Despiser　could　not　control　who　was　summoned。　So　if　you　were　chosen；　you　were　chosen　by　the　Creator。
　〃Consider。　He　is　the　Creator；　the　maker　of　the　Earth。　How　can　he　stand　careless　and　see　his　making　destroyed？　Yet　he　cannot　reach　his　hand　to　help　us　here。　That　is　the　law　of　Time。　If　he　breaks　the　arch　to　touch　the　Land　with　his　power；　Time　will　end；　and　the　Despiser　will　be　free。　So　he　must　resist　Lord　Foul　elsewhere。　With　you；　my　friend。〃
　〃Damnation；〃　Covenant　mumbled。
　〃Yet　even　this　you　must　understand。　He　cannot　touch　you　here；　to　teach　or　help　you；　for　the　same　reason　that　he　cannot　help　us。　Nor　can　he　touch　or　teach　or　help　you　in　your　own　world。　If　he　does；　you　will　not　be　free。　You　will　bee　his　tool；　and　your　presence　will　break　the　arch　of　Time；　unbinding　Despite。　So　you　were　chosen。　The　Creator　believes　that　your　uncoerced　volition　and　strength　will　save　us　in　the　end。　If　he　is　wrong；　he　has　put　the　weapon　of　his　own　destruction　into　Lord　Foul's　hands。〃
　After　a　long　silence；。　Covenant　muttered；　〃A　hell　of　a　risk。〃
　〃Ah；　but　he　is　the　Creator。　How　could　he　do　otherwise？〃
　〃He　could　burn　the　place　down；　and　try　again。　But　I　guess　you　don't　think　gods　are　that　humble。　Or　do　you　call　it　arrogance…to　burn…？　Never　mind。　I　seem　to　remember　that　not　all　the　Lords　believe　in　this　Creator　as　you　do。〃
　〃That　is　true。　But　you　came　to　me。　I　answer　as　I　can。〃
　〃I　know。　Don't　mind　me。　But　tell　me　this。　What　would　you　do　in　my　place？〃
　〃No；〃　sai