srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第34部分

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the　position　of　Fangthane's　army。　What　manner　of　beings　prise　it？〃
　Bitterness　stiffened　Rue's　stance；　and　she　said　harshly；　〃I　have　spoken　of　the　wind；　and　the　evil　in　the　air　which　felled　my　Cords。　In　the　army　I　saw　urviles；　Cavewights；　a　mighty　host　of　kresh；　great　lionlike　beasts　with　wings　which　both　ran　and　flew；　and　many　other　ill　creatures。　They　wore　shapes　like　dogs　or　horses　or　men；　yet　they　were　not　what　they　seemed。　They　shone　with　great　wrong。　To　my　heart；　they　appeared　as　the　people　and　beasts　of　the　Land　made　evil　by　Fangthane。〃
　〃That　is　the　work　of　the　Illearth　Stone；〃　the　High　Lord　murmured。
　But　Manethrall　Rue　was　not　done。　〃One　other　thing　I　saw。　I　could　not　be　mistaken；　for　it　marched　near　the　forefront；　manding　the　movements　of　the　horde。　It　controlled　the　creatures　with　a　baleful　green　light；　and　called　itself　Fleshharrower。　It　was　a　Giant。〃
　For　an　instant；　a　silence　like　a　thunderclap　broke　over　the　Close。　It　snatched　Troy's　attention　erect；　lit　a　fire　of　dread　in　his　chest。　The　Giants！　Had　Lord　Foul　conquered　them？　Already？
　Then　First　Mark　Morin　came　to　his　feet　and　said　in　a　voice　flat　with　certainty；　〃Impossible。　Rockbrother　is　another　name　for　fealty　and　faith。　Do　you　rave？〃
　At　once；　the　chamber　clamored　in　protest　against　the　very　idea　that　a　Giant　could　join　the　Despiser。　The　thought　was　too　shocking　to　be　admitted；　it　cast　fundamental　beliefs　into　hysteria。　The　Hafts　burst　out　lividly；　and　several　of　them　shouted　through　the　general　uproar　that　Rue　was　lying。　Two　Lorewardens　took　up　Morin's　question　and　made　it　an　accusation：　Rue　was　in　the　grip　of　a　Raver。　Confusion　overcame　even　the　Lords。　Trevor　and　Loerya　paled　with　fear；　Verement　barked　at　Mhoram；　Elena　and　Callindrill　were　staggered；　and　Amatin　burst　into　tears。
　The　noise　aggravated　swiftly　in　the　clear　acoustics　of　the　Close；　exacerbated　itself；　forced　each　voice　to　bee　rawer　and　wilder。　There　was　panic　in　the　din。　If　the　Giants　could　be　made　to　serve　Despite；　then　nothing　was　safe；　sure；　betrayal　lurked　everywhere。　Even　the　Bloodguard　had　an　aspect　of　dismay　in　their　flat　faces。
　Yet　under　the　protesting　and　the　abuse；　Manethrall　Rue　stood　firmly；　holding　up　her　head　with　a　blaze　of　pride　and　fury　in　her　eyes。
　The　next　moment；　Covenant　reached　her　side。
　Shaking　his　fists　at　the　assembly；　he　howled；　〃Hellfire！　Can't　you　see　that　she's　telling　the　truth？〃
　His　voice　had　no　effect。　But　something　in　his　yell　penetrated　Hiltmark　Quaan。　The　old　veteran　knew　the　Ramen　well；　he　had　known　Rue　during　her　youth。　He　jumped　to　his　feet　and　shouted；　〃Order！　1〃
　Caught　in　their　trained　military　reactions；　the　Hafts　sprang　to　attention。
　Then　High　Lord　Elena　seemed　to　realize　what　was　happening　around　her。　She　reasserted　her　control　with　a　blast　of　blue　fire　from　the　Staff；　and　one　hot　cry：
　〃I　am　ashamed！〃
　A　stung　silence；　writhing　with　fear　and　indignation；　burned　in　answer　to　her　shout。　But　she　met　it　passionately；　sternly；　as　if　something　precious　were　in　danger。　〃Melenkurion　abatha！　Have　we　e　to　this？　Does　fear　so　belittle　us？　Look！　Look　at　her。　If　you　have　not　heard　the　truth　in　her　voice；　then　look　at　her　now。　Remember　your　Oath　of　Peace；　and　look　at　her。　By　the　Seven！　What　evil　do　you　see？　No…I　will　hear　no　protestations　that　ill　can　be　disguised。　We　are　in　the　Close　of　Revelstone。　This　is　the　Council　of　Lords。　No　Raver　could　utter　falsehood　and　betrayal　here。　If　there　were　any　wrong　in　the　Manethrall；　you　would　have　known　it。〃
　When　she　saw　that　she　had　mastered　the　assembly；　she　continued　more　quietly。　〃My　friends；　we　are　more　than　this。　I　do　not　know　the　meaning　of　Manethrall　Rue's　tidings。　Perhaps　the　Despiser　has　captured　and　broken　a　Giant　through　the　power　of　the　Illearth　Stone。　Perhaps　he　can　create…　ill　wights　in　any　semblance　he　desires；　and　showed　a　false　Giant　to　Rue；　knowing　how　the　tale　of　a　betraying　Rockbrother　would　harm　us。　We　must　gain　answers　to　these　questions。　But　here　stands　Manethrall　Rue　of　the　Ramen；　exhausted　in　the　acplishment　of　a　help　which　we　can　neither　match　nor　repay。　Cleanse　your　hearts　of　all　thought　against　her。　We　must　not　do　such　injustice。〃
　〃Right。〃　Troy　heaved　himself　to　his　feet。　His　brain　was　working　again。　He　was　ashamed　of　his　weakness　…and；　by　extension；　ashamed　of　his　Hafts　as　well。　Belatedly；　he　remembered　that　the　Lords　Callindrill　and　Amatin　had　been　unable　to　breach　Sarangrave　Flat　and　yet　Rue　had　survived　it；　so　that　she　could　e　to　warn　Revelstone。　And　he　did　not　like　to　think　that　Covenant　had　behaved　better　than　he。　〃You're　right。〃　He　faced　the　Ramen　squarely。　〃Manethrall；　my　Hafts　and　I　owe　you　an　apology。　You　deserve　better…especially　from　us。〃　He　put　acid　in　his　tone　for　the　ears　of　the　Hafts。　〃War　puts　burdens　on　people　without　caring　whether　they're　ready　for　them　or　not。〃
　He　did　not　wait　for　any　reply。　Turning　toward　Quaan；　he　said；　〃Hiltmark…my　thanks　for　keeping　your　head。　Let's　make　sure　that　nothing　like　this　happens　again。〃　Then　he　sat　down　and　withdrew　behind　his　sunglasses　to　try　to　think　of　some　way　to　salvage　his　battle　plans。
　Quaan　manded；　〃Rest！〃　The　Hafts　reseated　themselves；　looking　abashed…and　yet　in　some　way　more　determined　than　before。　That　seemed　to　mark　the　end　of　an　ugliness。　Manethrall　Rue　and　ur…Lord　Covenant　sagged；　leaned　tiredly　toward　each　other　as　if　for　support。　The　High　Lord　started　to　speak；　but　Rue　interrupted　her　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　want　no　more　apologies。　Release　me。　I　must　rest。〃
　Elena　nodded　sadly。　〃Manethrall　Rue；　go　in　Peace。　All　the　hospitality　Revelstone　can　provide　is　yours　for　as　long　as　you　choose　to　stay。　We　do　not　take　the　service　you　have　done　us　lightly。　But　please　hear　me。　We　have　never　taken　the　Ramen　lightly。　And　the　value　of　the　Ranyhyn　to　all　the　Land　is　beyond　any　measure。　We　do　not　forget。　Hail；　Manethrall！　May　the　bloom　of　amanibhavam　never　fail。　Hail；　Ramen！　May　the　Plains　of　Ra　be　forever　swift　under　your　feet。　Hail；　Ranyhyn！　Tail　of　the　Sky；　Mane　of　the　World。〃　Once　again；　she　bowed　to　Rue　in　the　Ramen　fashion。
　Manethrall　Rue　returned　the　gesture；　and　added　the　traditional　salute　of　farewell；　touching　the　heels　of　her　hands　to　her　forehead；　she　bent　forward　and　spread　her　arms　wide　as　if　baring　her　heart。　Together；　the　Lords　answered　her　bow。　Then　she　turned　and　started　up　toward　the　high　doors。　Covenant　went　with　her；　walking　at　her　side　awkwardly；　as　if　he　wanted　and　feared　to　take　her　arm。
　At　the　top　of　the　stairs；　they　stopped　and　faced　each　other。　Covenant　looked　at　her　with　emotions　that　seemed　to　make　the　bone　between　his　eyes　bulge。　He　had　to　strain　to　speak。　〃What　can　I…is　there　anything　I　can　do…to　make　you　Gay　again？〃
　〃You　are　young　and　I　am　old。　This　journey　has　taken　much　from　me。　I　have　few　summers　left。　There　is　nothing。〃
　〃My　time　has　a　different　speed。　Don't　covet　my　life。〃
　〃You　are　Covenant　Ringthane。　You　have　power。　How　should　I　not　covet？〃
　He　ducked　away　from　her　gaze；　and　after　a　short　pause　she　added；　〃The　Ranyhyn　still　await　your　mand。　Nothing　is　ended。　They　served　you　at　Mount　Thunder；　and　will　serve　you　again…until　you　release　them。〃　When　she　passed　through　the　doors　away　from　him；　he　was　left　staring　down　at　his　hands　as　if　their　emptiness　pained　him。
　But　after　a　moment　he　pulled　himself　up；　and　came　back　down　the　stairs　to　take　his　seat　again。
　For　a　time；　there　was　silence　in　the　Close。　The　gathered　people　watched　the　Lords；　and　the　Lords　sat　still；　bending　their　minds　in　toward　each　other　to　meld　their　purpose　and　strength。　This　had　a　calming　effect　on　the　assembly。　It　was　part　of　the　mystery　of　being　a　Lord；　and　all　the　people　of　the　Land；　Stonedownor　and　Woodhelvennin；　trusted　the　Lords。　As　long　as　the　Council　was　capable　of　melding　and　leadership；　Revelstone　would　not　be　without　hope。　Even　Warmark　Troy　gained　a　glimpse　of　encouragement　from　this　munion　he　could　not　share。
　At　last；　the　contact　broke　with　an　almost　audible　snap　from　Lord　Verement；　and　the　High　Lord　raised　her　head　to　the　assembly。　〃My　friends；　warriors；　servants　of　the　Land；〃　she　said；　〃now　is　the　time　of　decision。　Deliberation　and　preparation　are　at　an　end。　War　marches　toward　us；　and　we　must　meet　it。　In　this　matter；　the　chief　choice　of　action　is　upon　Warmark　Hile　Troy。　He　will　mand　the　Warward；　and
　we　will　support　it　with　our　best　strength；　as　the　need　of　the　Land　demands。
　〃But　one　matter　pels　us　first…this　Giant　named　Fleshharrower。　The　question　of　this　must　be　answered。〃
　Roughly；　Verement　said；　〃The　Stone　does　not　explain。　It　is　not　enough。　The　Giants　are　strong…yes；　strong　and　wise。　They　would　resist　the　Stone　or　evade　it。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　said　Loerya。　〃The　Seareach　Giants　understand　the　peril　of　the　Illearth　Stone。　It　is　easier　to　believe　that　they　have　left　the　Land　in　search　of　their　lost　Home。〃
　〃Without　the　Gildenlode？〃　Trevor　countered　unfortably。　〃That　is　unlikely。　And　it　is　not　it　is　not　what　Mhoram　saw。〃
　The　other　Lords　turned　to　Mhoram；　and　after　a　moment　he　said；　〃No；　it　is　not　what　I　have　seen。　Let　us　pray　that　I　have　seen　wrongly…or　wrongly　understood　what　I　have　seen。　But　for　good　or　ill；　this　matter　is　beyond　us　at　present。　We　know　that　Korik　and　the　Lords　Hyrim　and　Shetra　will　do　their　uttermost　for　the　Giants。　And　we　cannot　send　more　of　our　strength　to　Seareach　now；　to　ask　how　a　Giant　has　been　made　to　lead　Lord　Foul's　army。　It　is　in　my　heart　that　we　will　learn　that　answer　sooner　than　any　of　us　would　wish。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　the　High　Lord　sighed。　〃I　hear　you。　Then　let　us　now　divide　among　ourselves　the　burdens　of　this　war。〃　She　looked　around　the　Council；　measuring　each　member　against　the　responsibilities　which　lay　ahead。　Then　she　said；　〃Lord　Trevor…Lord　Loerya…to　you　I　mit　the　keeping　of　Revelstone。　It　will　be　your　task　to　care　for　the　people　made　homeless　by　this　war…to　lay　up　stores　and　strengthen　defenses　against　any　siege　that　may　e…to　fight　the　last　battle　of　the　Land　if　we　fail。　My　friends；　hear　me。　It　is　a　grim　burden　I　give　you。　Those　who　remain　here　may　in　the　end　require　more　strength　than　all　others…for　if　we　fall；　then　you　must　fight　to　the　last　without　surrender　or　despair。　You　will　be　in　a　strait　place　like　that　which　drove　High　Lord　Kevin　to　his　Desecration。　I　trust　you　to　resist。　The　Land　must　not　be　doomed　in　that　way　again。〃
　Troy