srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第78部分

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grew　crisper。　Birds　roved　the　countryside　in　deft　flits　and　soars。　The　cheerful　sunlight　stretched　as　if　it　might　burst　at　any　moment　into　sparkles　and　gleams。　In　it；　the　fall　colors　became　dazzling。　And　the　riders　began　to　see　more　animals…rabbits　and　squirrels；　plump　badgers；　occasional　foxes。　The　whole　atmosphere　seemed　to　suit　High　Lord　Elena。　Gradually；　Covenant　came　to　understand　this　aspect　of　Lordship。　Elena　was　at　home　in　Trothgard。　The　healing　of　Kurash　Plenethor　became　her。
　In　the　course　of　his　questions；　she　avoided　only　one　subject…her　childhood　experiences　with　the　Ranyhyn。　Something　about　her　young　rides　and　initiations　was
　too　private　to　be　treated　under　the　open　sky。　But　on　other　topics　she　replied　without　constraint。　She　al…　v　lowed　herself　to　be　led　into　talk　of　her　years　in　the　Loresraat；　of　Revelwood　and　Trothgard；　of　Revelstone　and　Lordship　and　power。　He　sensed　that　she　was　helping　him；　allowing　him；　cooperating；　and　he　x　was　grateful。　In　time；　he　no　longer　felt　maimed　during
　the　pauses　in　their　conversation。
　The　next　day　passed　similarly。　But　the　day　after　that；　this　unthreatened　mood　eluded　him。　He　lost　his　facility。　His　tongue　grew　stiff　with　remembered　loneliness；　and　his　beard　itched　irritably；　like　a　reminder　of　peril。　It's　impossible；　he　thought。　None　of　this　is　happening　to　me。　Deliberately；　driven　by　his　illness；　and　by　all　the　survival　disciplines　he　had　lost；　he　raised　the　question　of　High　Lord　Kevin。
　〃I　am　fascinated　by　him；〃　she　said；　and　the　core　of　stillness　in　her　voice　sounded　oddly　like　the　calm　in　the　eye　of　a　storm。　〃He　was　the　highest　of　all　Berek　Heartthew's　great　line…the　Lord　most　full　of　dominion　in　all　the　Land's　known　or　legended　history。　His　fidelity　to　the　Land　and　the　Earthpower　knew　neither　taint　nor　flaw。　His　friendship　with　the　Giants　was　a　matter　for　a　fine　song。　The　Ranyhyn　adored　him；　and　the　Bloodguard　wove　their　Vow　because　of　him。　If　he　had　a　fault；　it　was　in　excessive　trust…yet　how　can　E　trust　be　counted　for　blame？　At　the　first；　it　was　to　his　honor　that　the　Despiser　could　gain　Lordship　from　him…Lordship；　and　access　to　his　heart。　Was　not　Fangthane　witnessed　and　approved　by　the　orcrest　and　lomillialor　tests　of　truth？　Innocence　is　glorified　by　its　vulnerability。
　〃And　he　was　not　blind。　In　the　awful　secret　of　his　doubt；　he　refused　the　summons　which　would　have　taken　him　to　his　death　in　Treacher's　Gorge。　In　his　heart…wrung　foresight　or　prophecy；　he　made　decisions　which　preserved　the　Land's　future。　He　prepared　his　Wards。　He　provided　for　the　survival　of　the　Giants　and　the　Ranyhyn　and　the　Bloodguard。　He　warned　the　people。　And　then　with　his　own　hand　he　destroyed
　〃Thomas　Covenant；　there　are　some　who　believe　that　the　Ritual　of　Desecration　expressed　High　Lord
　Kevin's　highest　wisdom。　They　are　few；　but　eloquent。　The　mon　understanding　holds　that　Kevin　strove　to　achieve　that　paradox　of　purity　through　destruction　and　failed；　for　he　and　all　the　works　of　the　Lords　were　undone；　yet　the　Despiser　endured。　But　these　few　argue　that　the　final　despair　or　madness　with　which　Kevin　invoked　the　Ritual　was　a　necessary　sacrifice；　a　price　to　make　possible　ultimate　victory。　They　argue　that　his　preparations　and　then　the　Ritual　forcing　both　health　and　ill　to　begin　their　work　anew…were　enacted　to　provide　us　with　Fangthane's　defeat。　In　this　argument；　Kevin　foresaw　the　need　which　would　pel　the　Despiser　to　summon　white　gold　to　the　Land。〃
　〃He　must　have　been　sicker　than　I　thought；〃　Covenant　muttered。　〃Or　maybe　he　just　liked　desecrations。〃
　〃Neither；　I　think；〃　she　replied　tartly；　sternly。　〃He　was　a　brave　and　worthy　man　driven　to　extremity。　Any　mortal　or　unguarded　heart　may　be　brought　to　despair　…for　this　reason　we　cling　to　the　Oath　of　Peace。　And　for　this　same　reason　High　Lord　Kevin　fascinates　me。　He　avowed　the　Land；　and　defiled　it…in　the　same　breath　affirmed　and　denounced。〃　Her　voice　rose　on　the　inner　wind　of　her　emotion。　〃How　great　must　have　been　his　grief？　And　how　great　his　power　had　he　only　survived　that　last　consuming　moment…if；　after　beholding　the　Desecration；　and　hearing　the　Despiser's　glee；　he　had　lived　to　strike　one　more　blow！
　〃Thomas　Covenant；　I　believe　that　there　is　immeasurable　strength　in　the　consummation　of　despair　strength　beyond　all　conceiving　by　an　unholocausted　soul。　I　believe　that　if　High　Lord　Kevin　could　speak　from　beyond　the　grave；　he　would　utter　a　word　which　would　unmarrow　the　very　bones　of　Lord　Foul's　Despite。〃
　〃That's　madness！〃　Covenant　gasped　thickly。　Elena's　gaze　wavered　on　the　edge　of　focus；　and　he　could　not　bear　to　look　at　her。　〃Do　you　think　that　some　existence　after　death　is　going　to　vindicate　you　after　you've　simply　extirpated　life　from　the　Earth？　That　was　exactly　Kevin's　mistake。　I　tell　you；　he　is　roasting　in　hell！〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　she　said　softly。　To　his　surprise；　the
　storm　implied　in　her　voice　was　gone。　〃We　will　never　possess　such　knowledge…and　should　not　need　it　to　live　our　lives。　But　I　find　a　danger　in　Lord　Mhoram's　belief　that　the　Earth's　Creator　has　chosen　you　to　defend　the　Land。　It　is　in　my　heart　that　this　does　not　account　for　you。
　〃However；　I　have　thought　at　times　that　perhaps　our　dead　live　in　your　world。　Perhaps　High　Lord　Kevin　now　restlessly　walks　your　Earth；　searching　a　voice　which　may　utter　his　word　here。〃
　Covenant　groaned；　Elena's　suggestion　dismayed　him。　He　heard　the　connection　she　drew　between　Kevin　Landwaster　and　himself。　And　the　implications　of　that　kinship　made　his　heart　totter　as　if　it　were　assailed　by　potent　gusts　of　foreboding。　As　they　rode　onward；　the　new　silence　between　them　glistened　like　white　eyes　of　fear。
　This　mood　grew　stronger　through　that　day　and　the　next。　The　magnitude　of　the　issues　at　stake　numbed　Covenant；　he　did　not　have　the　hands　to　juggle　them。　He　withdrew　into　silence　as　if　it　were　a　chrysalis；　an　armor　for　some　special　vulnerability　or　metamorphosis。　An　obscure　impulse　like　a　memory　of　his　former　days　with　Atiaran　prompted　him　to　drop　away　from　Elena's　side　and　ride　behind　her。　At　her　back；　he　followed　Amok　into　the　upper　reaches　of　Trothgard。
　Then；　on　the　sixth　day；　the　thirteenth　since　he　had　left　Revelstone；　he　came　to　himself　again　after　a　fashion。　Scowling　thunderously；　he　raised　his　head；　and　saw　the　Westron　Mountains　ranging　above　him。　High　Lord　Elena's　party　was　nearing　the　southwest　corner　of　Trothgard；　where　the　Rill　River　climbed　up　into　the　mountains；　and　already　the　crags　and　snows　of　the　range　filled　the　whole　western　sky。　Trothgard　lay　unrolled　behind　him　like　the　Lords'　work　exposed　for　review；　it　beamed　in　the　sunlight　as　if　it　were　confident　of　approbation。　Covenant　frowned　at　it　still　more　darkly；　and　turned　his　attention　elsewhere。
　The　riders　moved　near　the　rim　of　the　canyon　of　the　Rill。　The　low；　incessant　rush　of　its　waters；　unseen　below　the　edge　of　the　canyon；　gave　Trothgard　a　dimension　of　sound　like　a　subliminal　humming　made　by　the　mountains　and　hills。　All　the　views　had　a　new　suggestiveness；　a　timbre　of　implication。　It　reminded　Covenant　that　he　was　climbing　into　one　of　the　high　places　of　the　Land…and　he　did　not　like　high　places。　But　he　clenched　his　frown　to　anchor　the　involuntary　reactions　of　his　face；　and　returned　to　Elena's　side。　She　gave　him　a　smile　which　he　could　not　return；　and　they　rode　on　together　toward　the　mountains。
　Late　that　afternoon；　they　stopped；　made　camp　beside　a　small　pool　near　the　edge　of　the　canyon。　Water　came　splashing　out　of　the　mountainside　directly　before　them；　and　collected　in　a　rocky　basin　before　pouring　over　the　rim　toward　the　Rill。　That　pool　could　have　served　as　a　corner　marker　for　Trothgard。　Immediately　south　of　it　was　the　Rill's　canyon；　on　the　west；　the　mountains　seemed　to　spring　abruptly　out　of　the　ground；　like　a　frozen　instant　of　ambuscade；　and　Kurash　Plenethor　lay　draped　northeastward　across　the　descending　terrain。　The　aggressive　imminence　of　the　mountains　contrasted　vividly　with　the　quiet　panoply　of　Trothgard…and　that　contrast；　multiplied　by　the　lambent　sound　of　the　unseen　Rill；　gave　the　whole　setting　a　look　of　surprise；　an　aspect　or　impression　of　suddenness。　The　atmosphere　around　the　pool　carried　an　almost　tangible　sense　of　boundary。
　Covenant　did　not　like　it。　The　air　contained　too　much　crepuscular　lurking。　It　made　him　feel　exposed。　And　the　riders　were　not　forced　to　stop　there；　enough　daylight　remained　for　more　traveling。　But　the　High　Lord　had　decided　to　camp　beside　the　pool。　She　dismissed　Amok；　sent　the　two　Bloodguard　away　with　the　Ranyhyn　and　Covenant's　horse；　then　set　her　pot　of　graveling　on　a　flat　rock　near　the　pool；　and　asked　Covenant　to　leave　her　alone　so　that　she　could　bathe。
　Snorting　as　if　the　very　air　vexed　him；　he　stalked　off　into　the　lee　of　a　boulder　where　he　was　out　of　sight　of　the　pool。　He　sat　with　his　back　to　the　stone；　hugged　his　knees；　and　gazed　down　over　Trothgard。　He　found　the　woodland　hills　particularly　attractive　as　the　mountain　shadow　began　to　fall　across　them。　The　peaks　seemed　to　exude　an　austere　dimness　which　by　slow
　degrees　submerged　Trothgard's　luster。　Through　simple　size　and　grandeur；　they　exercised　precedence。　But　he　preferred　Trothgard。　It　was　lower　and　more　human。
　Then　the　High　Lord　interrupted　his　reverie。　She　had　left　her　robe　and　the　Staff　of　Law　on　the　grass　by　her　graveling。　Wrapped　only　in　a　blanket；　and　drying　her　hair　with　one　corner　of　it；　she　came　to　join　him。　Though　the　blanket　hung　about　her　thickly；　revealing　even　less　of　her　supple　figure　than　did　her　robe；　her　presence　felt　more　urgent　than　ever。　The　simple　movement　of　her　limbs　as　she　seated　herself　at　his　side　exerted　an　unsettling　influence　over　him。　She　demanded　responses。　He　found　that　his　chest　hurt　again；　as　it　had　at　Glimmermere。
　Striving　to　defend　himself　against　an　impossible　tenderness；　he　flung　away　from　the　boulder；　walked　rapidly　toward　the　pool。　The　itching　of　his　beard　reminded　him　that　he　also　seeded　a　bath。　The　High　Lord　remained　out　of　sight；　Bannor　and　Morin　were　nowhere　around。　He　dropped　his　clothes　by　the　graveling　pot；　and　went　to　the　pool。
　The　water　was　as　cold　as　snow；　but　he　thrust　himself　into　it　like　a　man　exacting　penance；　and　began　to　scrub　at　his　flesh　as　if　it　were　stained。　He　attacked　his　scalp　and　cheeks　until　his　fingertips　tingled；　then　submerged　himself　until　his　lungs　burned。　But　when　he　pulled　himself