srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第65部分

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ed　him　from　seeing　Verement's　expression；　but　when　the　Lord　spoke　his　voice　was　raw　with　bitterness。　〃Answer；　Mhoram。　Seer　and　oracle！　Is　Hyrim　dead　also？　Do　any　Giants　yet　live？〃
　Troy　felt　Verement's　bitterness　as　an　attack　on　the　Warward；　and　he　used　words　like　whips　to　strike　back。　〃That　isn't　our　concern。　There's　nothing　we　can　do　about　it。　We're　stuck　here…we're　going　to　live　or　die　here！　It　doesn't　matter　what's　happening　anywhere　else。〃　In　his　heart；　he　felt　that　he　was　betraying　the　Giants；　but　he　had　no　choice。　〃All　we　can　do　is　fight！　Do　you　hear　me？〃
　〃I　hear　you。〃　Lord　Verement　fell　silent　as　if　he　understood　Troy's　vehemence；　and　the　Warmark　seized　his　chance　to　change　the　subject。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　to　the　whole　circle。　〃At　least　now　we　know　where　we　stand。　Now　I'll　tell　you　what　we're　going　to　do　about　it。　I　have　a　plan；　and　with　Lord　Mhoram's　help　I'm　going　to　make　it　work。〃
　Bracing　himself；　he　said　bluntly；　〃We're　going　to　leave　here。　Fleshharrower　and　his　army　probably　won't　arrive　before　midday　tomorrow。　By　that　time；　we　will　be　long　gone。〃
　The　Hafts　gaped　and　blinked　momentarily　as　they　realized　that　he　was　ordering　another　march。　Then　several　of　them　groaned　aloud；　and　others　recoiled　as　if　he　had　struck　them。　Even　Quaan　winced　openly。　Troy　wanted　to　rush　into　explanations；　but　he　contained　himself　until　Amorine　stepped　forward　and　protested；　〃Warmark；　why　will　your　former　plan　not　suffice？　The　warriors　have　given　their　utmost　to　gain　Doom's　Retreat　as　you　manded。　Why　must　we　leave？〃
　〃Because　Foul's　army　is　too　goddamn　big！〃　He　did　not　want　to　shout；　but　for　a　while　he　could　not　stop。
　himself。　〃We've　killed　ten　thousand　kresh　and　a　couple　thousand　ur…viles。　But　the　rest　of　that　army　is　still　out　there！　It's　not　three　times　bigger　than　we　are…or　even　five　times　bigger！　Fleshharrower　has　twenty　times　our　numbers；　twenty！　I've　seen　them。〃　With　an　effort；　he　caught　hold　of　his　pointless　fury；　jerked　it　down。　〃My　old　plan　was　a　good　one　while　it　lasted；〃　he　went　on。　〃But　it　just　didn't　take　into　account　that　Foul's　army　might　be　so　big。　Now　there's　only　two　things　that　can　happen。　If　that　Giant　sends　his　army　in　here　just　ten　or　twenty　thousand　at　a　time；　the　fight　is　going　to　last　for　weeks。　But　we've　only　got　food　for　six　days…we'll　starve　to　death　in　here。　And　if　he　cuts　through　in　one　big　blast；　he'll　get　control　of　both　ends　of　the　Retreat。　Then　we'll　be　trapped；　and　he　can　pick　us　off　in　his　own　good　time。
　〃Now　listen　to　me！〃　he　shouted　again　at　the　chagrined　Hafts。　〃I'm　not　going　to　let　us　get　slaughtered　as　long　as　there　is　anything　I　can　do　to　stop　it…anything　at　all！　And　there　is　one　thing；　just　one！　I've　got　one　more　trick　to　play　in　this　game；　and　I'm　going　to　play　it　if　I　have　to　carry　every　one　of　you　on　my　back！〃
　He　glared　around　the　circle；　trying　to　fill　his　eyeless　stare　with　authority；　mand；　some　kind　of　power　that　would　make　the　Warward　obey　him。　〃We　will　march　at　dawn　tomorrow。〃
　Darkness　shrouded　his　sight；　but　in　the　firelight　he　could　see　Quaan's　face。　The　old　veteran　was　wrestling　with　himself；　struggling　to　find　the　strength　for　this　new　demand。　He　closed　his　eyes　briefly；　and　all　the　Hafts　waited　for　him　as　if　he　had　their　courage　in　his　hands；　to　uphold　or　deny　as　he　saw　fit。　When　he　opened　his　eyes；　his　face　seemed　to　sag　with　fatigue。　But　his　voice　was　steady。
　〃Warmark；　where　will　we　march？〃
　〃West　for　now；〃　Troy　replied　quickly；　〃toward　those　old　ruins。　It　won't　be　too　bad。　If　we　handle　things　right；　we　can　go　slower　than　we　have　so　far。〃
　〃Will　you　tell　us　your　plan？〃
　〃No。〃　Troy　was　tempted　to　say；　If　I　tell　you；　you'll　be　so　horrified　that　you'll　never　follow　me。　But　instead
　he　added；　〃I　want　to　keep　it　to　myself　for　a　while　get　it　ready。　You'll　just　have　to　trust　me。〃　He　sounded　to　himself　like　a　man　falling　out　of　a　tree；　shouting　to　the　people　above　him　as　he　fell　that　he　would　catch　them。
　〃Warmark；〃　Quaan　said　stiffly；　〃you　know　that　I　will　always　trust　you。　We　all　trust　you。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know；〃　Troy　sighed。　A　sudden　weariness　flooded　over　him；　and　he　could　barely　hear　his　own　voice。　He　had　already　fallen　a　long　way　since　he　had　left　Revelstone。　Miscalculations　denuded　his　ideas　of　all　their　vitality；　divested　them　of　their　power　to　save。　He　wondered　how　many　other　things　he　would　have　torn　from　him　before　this　war　was　done。　A　long　moment　passed　before　he　could　find　enough　energy　to　say；　〃There's　one　more　thing。　It's　got　to　be　done　we　don't　have　any　choice　anymore。　We've　got　to　leave　some　people　behind。　To　try　to　hold　the　Retreat　make　Fleshharrower　think　we're　still　here…slow　him　down。　It'll　be　suicide；　so　we'll　need　volunteers。　Two　or　three　Eoward　should　be　enough　to　make　it　work。〃
　Quaan　and　Amorine　took　this　stolidly；　they　were　warriors；　familiar　with　this　kind　of　thinking。　But　before　Troy　could　say　anything　else；　Lord　Verement　sprang　into　the　circle。　〃No！〃　he　barked；　striking　the　ground　with　his　staff。　〃None　will　be　left　behind。　I　forbid　it！〃
　Now　Troy　could　see　him　clearly。　His　lean　face　looked　as　sharp　as　if　it　had　been　taken　to　a　grindstone；　and　his　eyes　flamed　keenly。　Troy's　throat　felt　abruptly　bone…dry。　With　difficulty；　he　said；　〃Lord　Verement；　I'm　sorry。　I've　got　no　choice。　This　march'll　kill　the　warriors　unless　they　can　go　more　slowly。　So　somebody　has　got　to　gain　them　time。〃
　〃Then　I　will　do　it！〃　Verement's　tone　was　raw。　〃I　will　hold　Doom's　Retreat。　It　is　a　fit　place　for　me。〃
　〃You　can't；〃　Troy　objected；　almost　stammering。　〃I　can't　let　you。　I'll　need　you　with　me。〃　Unable　to　bear　the　force　of　Verement's　gaze；　he　turned　to　Lord　Mhoram　for　help。
　〃Warmark　Troy　speaks　truly；〃　Mhoram　said　carefully。　〃Death　will　not　heal　your　grief。　And　you　will
　be　sorely　needed　in　the　days　ahead。　You　must　e　with　us。〃　；
　〃By　the　Seven！〃　Verement　cried。　〃Do　you　not　hear　me？　I　have　said　that　I　will　remain！　Shetra　my　wife　is　lost！　She　whom　I　loved　with　all　my　strength；　and　yet　did　not　love　enough。　Melenkurion！　Do　not　speak　to　me　of　cannot　or　must！　I　will　remain。　No　warriors　will　be　left　behind。〃
　Mhoram　cut　in；　〃Lord　Verement；　do　you　believe　that　you　are　able　to　defeat　Fleshharrower？〃
　But　Verement　did　not　reply　to　that　question。　〃Heal　Callindrill；〃　he　said　harshly。　〃I　will　require　you　both。　And　call　the　Bloodguard　from　the　Plains。　I　start　at　dawn。〃　Then　he　swung　away；　and　stalked　out　of　the　circle　into　the　night。
　His　departure　left　Troy　bewildered　and　exhausted。　He　felt　that　the　burden　of　the　Warward　already　clung　to　his　shoulders；　bent　his　back　so　that　he　moved　as　if　he　were　decrepit。　His　confused　fatigue　made　him　unfit　for　speeches；　and　he　dismissed　the　Hafts　abruptly。　As　he　did　so；　he　felt　that　he　was　failing　them…that　they　needed　him　to　lead　them；　give　them　a　strong　figure　around　which　they　could　rally。　But　he　had　no　strength。　He　went　to　his　blankets　as　if　he　hoped　that　some　kind　of　fortitude　would　e　to　him　in　a　dream。
　　He　sank　at　once　into　exhaustion；　and　slept　until
　sleep　was　no　longer　possible　for　him　until　the　sun
　rise　above　the　mountains　filled　his　brain　with　shapes
　and　colors。　When　he　arose；　he　discovered　that　he　had
　slept　through　all　the　noise　of　the　Warward　as　it　broke
　camp　and　began　its　march。　Already　the　last　Eoward
　were　shambling　away　from　Doom's　Retreat。　They
　trudged　as　if　they　were　maimed　into　the　dry；　heat
　pale　land　of　the　Southron　Wastes。
　Cursing　dully　at　his　weakness；　he　grabbed　a　few　bites　of　the　food　Ruel　offered　him；　then　hurried　away　toward　the　Retreat。
　There　he　found　Callindrill　and　Mhoram；　with　a　small　group　of　Bloodguard。　On　either　side　of　the　defile's　southern　end；　the　Lords　had　climbed　as　high　as　they　could　up　the　scree　into　the　jumbled　boulders　piled　against　the　canyon　walls。　From　these　positions；　they
　plied　their　staffs　in　a　way　that　cast　a　haze　across　the　air　between　them。
　Beyond　them；　in　Doom's　Retreat　itself；　Lord　Verement　clambered　over　the　rocks　and　fallen　shale。　As　he　moved；　he　waved　the　fire　of　his　staff　like　a　torch　against　the　darkness　of　the　cliffs。　Only　Thomin　acpanied　him。
　Troy　looked　closely　at　Callindrill。　The　wounded　Lord　looked　wan　and　tired；　and　sweat　glistened　on　his　pale　forehead；　but　he　stood　on　his　own；　and　wielded　his　staff　firmly。　Troy　saluted　him；　then　climbed　the　scree　on　the　other　side　to　join　Lord　Mhoram。
　When　he　reached　Mhoram；　he　sat　and　watched　while　the　haze　moved　and　took　shape。　It　appeared　to　revolve　slowly　like　a　large　wheel　standing　in　the　end　of　the　Retreat。　Its　circumference　fitted　just　within　the　scree　and　stone；　so　that　it　effectively　blocked　the　canyon　floor；　and　it　turned　as　if　it　were　hanging　on　a　pivot　between　Mhoram　and　Callindrill。　Beyond　it；　Troy　could　see　only　the　empty　Retreat…the　raven　cleaned　bones　of　the　ur…viles　and　wolves…and　the　lone　Lord　struggling　up　and　down　the　sides　of　the　canyon　with　his　flame　bobbing　like　a　will…o'…the…wisp。
　Soon；　however；　both　Mhoram　and　Callindrill　ended　their　exertions。　They　planted　their　staffs　like　anchors　in　the　edges　of　the　haze；　and　leaned　back　to　rest。　Lord　Mhoram　greeted　Troy　tiredly。
　After　a　moment's　hesitation；　Troy　nodded　toward　Verement。　〃What's　he　doing？〃
　Mhoram　closed　his　eyes；　and　said　as　if　he　were　answering　Troy；　〃We　have　made　a　Word　of　Warning。〃
　While　he　was　thinking　of　ways　to　rephrase　his　question；　Troy　asked；　〃What　does　it　do？〃
　〃It　seals　Doom's　Retreat。〃
　〃How　will　it　work？　I　can　see　it。　It　won't　take　Fleshharrower　by　surprise。〃
　〃Your　sight　is　keen　in　some　ways。　I　cannot　see　the　Word。〃
　Awkwardly；　Troy　asked；　〃Is　there　anyone　still　out　there…besides　Verement？〃
　〃No。　All　the　warriors　have　left。　The　scouts　have
　been　recalled。　None　may　pass　this　way　now　without　encountering　the　Word。〃
　〃So　he's　mitted　himself…he's　stuck　out　there。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Mhoram　bit　at　the　word　angrily。
　Troy　returned　to　his　first　question。　〃What　does　he　hope　to　gain？　It's　suicide。〃
　Mhoram　opened　his　eyes；　and　Troy　felt　the　force　of　the　Lord's　gaze。　〃We　will　gain　time；〃　Mhoram　said。　〃You　spoke　of　a　need　for　time。〃　Then　he　sighed　and　looked　away　down　the　canyon。　〃And　Lord　Verement　Shetra…mate　will　gain　an　end　to　anguish。〃
　Numbly；　Troy　watched　Verement。　The　hawkish　Lord　did　not　look　like　a　man　in　search　of　relief。　He　threw　himself　up　and　down　in　the　tumbled　edges