srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第91部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　but　the　board　vanished　like　a　stone　hurled　into　the　depths。
　Bannor　gazed　after　it；　and　cocked　one　eyebrow　as　if　he　were　speculating　abstractly　on　the　kind　of　strength　which　could　so　easily　tear　something　away　from　a　Bloodguard。　But　Covenant　was　not　so　calm。　He　gaped　weakly；　〃Hellfire。〃
　Again　the　boat　moved　forward。　It　coasted　for　several　yards　until　the　echoes　of　Covenant's　amazement　disappeared。　Then　it　stopped；　resumed　its　reverent　stasis。
　Covenant　faced　Elena；　but　he　did　not　need　to　voice
　his　question。　Her　face　glowed　with　prehension。　〃Yes；　beloved；〃　she　breathed　in　relief　and　triumph。　〃I　see。〃　And　as　the　boat　once　more　began　to　glide　over　the　lake；　she　continued；　〃It　is　the　sound　of　our　voices　which　causes　the　boat　to　move。　That　is　the　use　of　Amok's　way。　The　craft　will　seek　its　own　destination。　But　to　carry　us　it　must　ride　upon　our　echoes。〃

　The　truth　of　her　perception　was　immediately　apparent。　While　her　clear　voice　cast　replies　like　ripples　over　Earthroot；　the　boat　slid　easily　through　the　water。　It　steered　itself　between　the　pillars　as　if　it　were　pursuing　the　lodestone　of　its　purpose。　Soon　it　had　passed　out　of　sight　of　Earthrootstair。　But　when　she　stopped　speaking…when　the　delicate　echoes　had　chimed　themselves　into　silence…the　craft　halted　again。
　Covenant　groaned　inwardly。　He　was　suddenly　afraid　that　he　would　be　asked　to　talk；　help　propel　the　boat。　He　feared　that　he　would　give　his　bargain　away　if　he　were　forced　into　any　kind　of　extended　speech。　In　selfdefense；　he　turned　the　demand　around　before　it　could　be　directed　at　him。　〃Well；　say　something；〃　he　growled　at　Elena。
　A　light；　ambiguous　smile　touched　her　lips…a　response；　not　to　him；　but　to　some　satisfying　inner　prospect。　〃Beloved；〃　she　replied　softly；　〃we　will　have　no　difficulty。　There　is　much　which　has　not　been　said　between　us。　There　are　secrets　and　mysteries　and　sources　of　power　in　you　which　I　perceive　but　dimly。　And　in　some　ways　I　have　not　yet　spoken　of　myself。　This　is　a　fit　place　for　the　opening　of　hearts。　I　will　tell　you　of　that　Ranyhyn…ride　which　took　the　young　daughter　of　Lena　from　Mithil　Stonedown　into　the　Southron　Range；　and　there　at　the　great　secret　horserite　of　the　Ranyhyn　taught　her…taught　her　many　things。〃
　With　a　stately　movement；　she　rose　to　her　feet　facing　Covenant。　She　set　the　Staff　of　Law　firmly　on　the　planks；　and　lifted　her　head　to　the　ceiling　of　Earthroot's　cavern。　〃Ur…Lord　Thomas　Covenant；〃　she　said；　and　the　echoes　spread　about　her　like　a　skein　of　gleaming　rocklight；　interweaving　the　burnished　water；　〃Unbeliever　and　white　gold　wielder；　Ringthane…beloved
　…I　must　tell　you　of　this。　You　have　known　Myrha。　In　her　youth；　she　came　to　Lena　my　mother；　according　to　the　promise　of　the　Ranyhyn。　She　carried　me　away　to　the　great　event　of　my　girlhood。　Thus　you　were　the　unknowing　cause。　Before　this　war　reaches　its　end　for　good　or　ill；　I　must　tell　you　what　your　promises　have　wrought。〃
　Have　mercy　on　me！　he　cried　again　in　the　obdurate　incapacity　of　his　heart。　But　he　was　too　numb；　too　intimidated　by　the　lake　and　the　echoes；　to　stop　her。　He　sat　in　mute　dread；　and　listened　as　Elena　told　him　the　tale　of　her　experience　with　the　Ranyhyn。　And　all　the　time；　the　craft　bore　them　on　an　oblique；　intimate　course　between　the　lake　pillars；　floated　them　on　the　resonances　of　her　voice　as　if　it　were　ferrying　them　to　a　terrible　shore。
　Her　adventure　had　occurred　the　third　time　that　Lena　her　mother　had　allowed　her　to　ride　a　Ranyhyn。　During　the　two　previous　annual　visits　to　Mithil　Stonedown；　dictated　by　the　Ranyhyn　promise　to　Covenant　Ringthane；　the　old　horse　from　the　Plains　of　Ra　had　rolled　his　eyes　strangely　at　the　little　girl　as　Trell　her　grandfather　had　boosted　her　onto　its　broad　back。　And　the　next　year　young　Myrha　took　the　old　stallion's　place。　The　mare　gazed　at　Elena　with　that　look　of　deliberate　intention　which　characterized　all　the　Ranyhyn　…and　Elena；　sensing　the　Ranyhyn's　offer　without　understanding　it；　gladly　gave　herself　up　to　Myrha。　She　did　not　look　back　as　the　mare　carried　her　far　away　from　Mithil　Stonedown　into　the　mountains　of　the　Southron　Range。
　For　a　day　and　a　night；　Myrha　galloped；　bearing　Elena　far　south　along　mountain　trails　and　over　passes　unknown　to　the　people　of　the　Land。　At　the　end　of　that　time；　they　gained　a　high　valley；　a　grassy　glen　folded　between　sheer　cliffs；　with　a　rugged；　spring…fed　tam　near　its　center。　This　small　lake　was　mysterious；　for　its　dark　waters　did　not　reflect　the　sunlight。　And　the　valley　itself　was　wondrous　to　behold；　for　it　contained　hundreds　of　Ranyhyn…hundreds　of　proud；　glossy；　starbrowed　stallions　and　mares…gathered　together　for　a　rare　and　secret　ritual　of　horses。
　But　Elena's　wonder　quickly　turned　to　fear。　Amid　a　chorus　of　wild；　whinnied　greetings；　Myrha　carried　the　little　girl　toward　the　lake；　then　shrugged　her　to　the　ground　and　dashed　away　in　a　flurry　of　hooves。　And　the　rest　of　the　Ranyhyn　began　to　run　around　the　valley。　At　first　they　trotted　in　all　directions；　jostling　each　other　and　sweeping　by　the　child　as　if　they　were　barely　able　to　avoid　crushing　her。　But　gradually　their　pace　mounted。　Several　Ranyhyn　left　the　pounding　mob　to　drink　at　the　tare；　then　burst　back　into　the　throng　as　if　the　dark　waters　roiled　furiously　in　their　veins。　While　the　sun　passed　overhead；　the　great　horses　sprinted　and　bucked；　drank　at　the　tam；　rushed　away　to　run　again　in　the　unappeasable　frenzy　of　a　dance　of　madness。　And　Elena　stood　among　them；　imperiled　for　her　life　by　the　savage　flash　and　flare　of　hooves…frozen　with　terror。　In　her　fear；　she　thought　that　if　she　so　much　as　flinched　she　would　be　instantly　trampled　to　death。
　Standing　there…engulfed　in　heat　and　thunder　and　abysmal　fear　as　final　as　the　end　of　life…she　lost　consciousness　for　a　time。　She　was　still　standing　when　her　eyes　began　to　see　again；　she　was　erect　and　petrified　in　the　last　glow　of　evening。　But　the　Ranyhyn　were　no　longer　running。　They　had　surrounded　her；　they　faced　her；　studied　her　with　a　force　of　pulsion　in　their　eyes。　Some　were　so　close　to　her　that　she　inhaled　their　hot；　damp　breath。　They　wanted　her　to　do　something…she　could　feel　the　insistence　of　their　wills　battering　at　her　immobile　fear。　Slowly；　woodenly；　choicelessly；　she　began　to　move。
　She　went　to　the　tare　and　drank。
　Abruptly；　the　High　Lord　dropped　her　narration；　and　began　to　sing…a　vibrant；　angry；　and　anguished　song　which　cast　ripples　of　passion　across　the　air　of　Earthroot。　For　reasons　at　which　Covenant　could　only　guess　instinctively；　she　broke　into　Lord　Kevin's　Lament　as　if　it　were　her　own　private　and　immedicable　threnody。
　Where　is　the　Power　that　protects　beauty　from　the　decay　of　life？　preserves　truth　pure　of　falsehood？
　secures　fealty　from　that　slow　stain　of　chaos　which　corrupts？　How　are　we　so　rendered　small　by　Despite？　Why　will　the　very　rocks　not　erupt　for　their　own　cleansing；　or　crumble　into　dust　for　shame？
　While　echoes　of　the　song's　grief　ran　over　the　lake；　she　met　Covenant's　gaze　for　the　first　time　since　she　had　begun　her　tale。
　〃Beloved；〃　she　said　in　a　low；　thrilling　voice；　〃I　was　transformed…restored　to　life。　At　the　touch　of　those　waters；　the　blindness　or　ignorance　of　my　heart　fell　away。　My　fear　melted；　and　I　was　joined　to　the　munion　of　the　Ranyhyn。　In　an　instant　of　vision；　I　understood…everything。　I　saw　that　in　honor　of　your　promise　I　had　been　brought　to　the　horserite　of　Kelenbhrabanal；　Father　of　Horses…a　Ranyhyn　ritual　enacted　once　each　generation　to　pass　on　and　perpetuate　their　great　legend；　the　tale　of　mighty　Kelenbhrabanal's　death　in　the　jaws　of　Fangthane　the　Render。　I　saw　that　the　turmoiled　running　of　the　Ranyhyn　was　their　shared　grief　and　rage　and　frenzy　at　the　Father's　end。
　〃For　Kelenbhrabanal　was　the　Father　of　Horses；　Stallion　of　the　First　Herd。　The　Plains　of　Ra　were　his　demesne　and　protectorate。　He　led　the　Ranyhyn　in　their　great　war　against　the　wolves　of　Fangthane。
　〃But　the　war　continued　without　issue；　and　the　stench　of　shed　blood　and　rent　flesh　became　a　sickness　in　the　Stallion's　nostrils。　Therefore　he　made　his　way　to　Fangthane。　He　stood　before　the　Render；　and　said；　‘Let　this　war　end。　I　smell　your　hate…I　know　that　you　must　have　victims；　else　in　your　passion　you　will　consume　yourself。　I　will　be　your　victim。　Slaughter　me；　and　let　my　people　live　in　peace。　Appease　your　hate　on　me；　and　end　this　war。'　And　Fangthane　agreed。　So　Kelenbhrabanal　bared　his　throat　to　the　Renders　teeth；　and　soaked　the　earth　with　his　sacrifice。
　〃But　Fangthane　did　not　keep　his　word…the　wolves　attacked　again。　The　Ranyhyn　were　leaderless；　heartstricken。　They　could　not　fight　well。　The　remnant　of
　the　Ranyhyn　was　pelled　to　flee　into　the　mountains。　They　could　not　return　to　their　beloved　Plains　until　they　had　gained　the　service　of　the　Ramen；　and　with　that　aid　had　driven　the　wolves　away。
　〃Thus　each　generation　of　the　Ranyhyn　holds　its　horserite　to　preserve　the　tale　of　the　Stallion…to　hold　pure　in　memory　all　their　pride　at　his　self…sacrifice；　and　all　their　grief　at　his　death；　and　all　their　rage　at　the　Despite　which　betrayed　him。　Thus　they　drink　of　the　mind…uniting　waters；　and　hammer　out　against　the　ground　the　extremity　of　their　passion　for　one　day　and　one　night。　And　thus；　when　I　had　tasted　the　water　of　the　tam；　I　ran　and　wept　and　raged　with　them　throughout　the　long　exaltation　of　that　night。　Heart　and　mind　and　soul　and　all；　I　gave　myself　to　a　dream　of　Fangthane's　death。〃
　Listening　to　her；　clinging　to　her　face　with　his　eyes；　Covenant　felt　himself　knotted　by　the　clench　of　unreleasable　grief。　She　was　the　woman　who　had　offered　herself　to　him。　He　understood　her　passion　now；　understood　the　danger　she　was　in。　And　her　elsewhere　glance　was　drawing　into　focus；　already　he　could　feel　conflagrations　blazing　at　the　corners　of　her　vision。
　His　dread　of　that　focus　gave　him　the　impetus　to　speak。　With　his　voice　rent　between　fear　and　love；　he　wrenched　out　hoarsely；　〃What　I　don't　understand　is　what　Foul　gets　out　of　all　this。〃
　
　
　TWENTY…FIVE：　The　Seventh　Ward
　
　FOR　a　long　moment；　High　Lord　Elena　gripped　the　Staff　of　Law　and　glared　down　at　him。　Focus　crackled　on　the　verge　of　her　gaze；　it　was　about　to　lash　out　and　scourge　him。　But　then　she　seemed　to　recollect　who　he　was。　Slowly；　the　passion　dimmed　in　her　face；
　went　behind　in　inward　veil。　She　lowered　herself　to　her　seat　in　the　boat。　Quietly；　dangerously；　she　asked；　〃Al