df.therunelords-第27部分

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speaking　of　the　same　thing。　Yet　perhaps　they　were。　Was　this　garden　not　also　part　of　Heredon？　Were　not　the　exotic　trees；　gathered　from　far　corners　of　the　earth；　part　of　Heredon？　〃I　have　found　it　altogether　admirable。〃
　〃Humph；〃　Binnesman　grunted；　glancing　around　at　the　bushes；　the　trees。　〃This　won't　last　the　night。　The　flameweavers；　you　see。　Theirs　is　a　magic　of　destruction；　mine　a　magic　of　preservation。　They　serve　fire；　and　their　master　will　not　let　them　resume　human　form　unless　they　feed　the　flame。　What　better　food　than　this　garden？〃
　〃What　of　you？　Will　they　kill　you？〃　Gaborn　asked。　
　〃That。。。is　not　in　their　power；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃We　have　reached　a　turning　of　the　seasons。　Soon；　my　robes　will　turn　red。〃
　Gaborn　wondered　if　he　meant　that　literally。　The　old　man's　robes　were　a　deep　green；　the　color　of　leaves　in　high　summer。　Could　they　change　color　of　themselves？　〃You　could　e　with　me；〃　Gaborn　offered。　〃I　could　help　you　escape。〃
　Binnesman　shook　his　head。　〃I've　no　need　to　run。　I　have　some　skill　as　a　physic。　Raj　Ahten　will　want　me　to　serve　him。〃
　〃Will　you？〃
　Binnesman　whispered；　〃I've　made　other　mitments。〃　He　said　the　word　〃mitments〃　with　that　same　odd　inflection　he　used　when　speaking　of　the　land。　〃But　you；　Gaborn　Val　Orden；　must　flee。〃
　At　that　moment；　Gaborn　caught　the　sound　of　a　distant　barking；　the　snarling　and　raucous　baying　of　war　dogs。
　Binnesman's　eyes　flickered。　〃Do　not　fear　them。　The　dogs　cannot　pass　my　barrier。　Those　that　try　will　die。〃
　Binnesman　had　a　certain　sadness　in　his　voice。　It　pained　him　to　kill　the　mastiffs。　He　grunted；　climbed　up　out　of　the　stream；　his　shoulders　sagging　as　if　worried。　To　Gaborn's　surprise；　the　wizard　stooped　in　the　near　total　darkness；　plucked　a　vine　at　the　water's　edge；　and　told　Gaborn；　〃Roll　up　your　right　sleeve；　I　sense　a　festering　wound。〃
　Gaborn　did　as　asked；　and　Binnesman　set　the　leaves　on　the　wound；　held　them　in　place　with　his　hand。　Immediately　the　leaves　began　drawing　out　the　heat　and　pain。　Gaborn　carefully　unrolled　his　sleeve；　letting　his　shirt　help　hold　the　poultice　in　place。
　As　if　making　small　talk；　Binnesman　asked　both　Gabon　and　the　kitchen　maid；　〃How　do　you　feel？　Tired？　Anxious？　Are　you　hungry？〃
　Binnesman　began　strolling　through　the　meadow；　and　as　he　walked；　he　would　stoop　in　the　shadows　and　pluck　a　leaf　here；　a　flower　there。　Gaborn　wondered　how　he　could　find　them　at　all　in　the　darkness；　but　it　was　as　if　the　wizard　had　memorized　their　positions；　knew　exactly　where　each　grew。
　He　rubbed　Gaborn's　feet　with　lemon　thyme　one　moment；　something　spicier　the　next。　He　stopped　to　pick　three　borage　flowers；　their　blue　leaves　glowing　faintly　in　the　darkness；　and　gently　took　each　five…petaled　flower　between　his　fingers；　then　pulled　so　that　the　black　stamens　remained　with　the　petals。　He　told　Gaborn　to　eat　the　honeyed　flower　petals；　and　Gaborn　did；　feeling　a　sudden　rush　of　calmness　take　him；　a　perfect　fearlessness　he'd　never　thought　he　could　experience　under　such　duress。
　The　herbalist　fed　several　more　borage　flowers　to　the　kitchen　wench；　gave　her　some　rosemary　to　help　fight　fatigue。
　Binnesman　then　strolled　to　a　grassy　slope；　reached　down　and　broke　the　stem　of　a　flowering　bush。　〃Eyebright；〃　he　whispered；　taking　the　stem。　A　fragrant　oily　sap　was　dripping　from　it；　and　Binnesman　drew　a　line　over　Gaborn's　brows；　another　high　up　on　his　cheek。
　Suddenly；　the　night　shadows　did　not　seem　so　deep；　and　Gaborn　marveled。　He　had　endowments　of　sight　to　his　credit；　and　could　see　fairly　well　in　the　dark；　but　he'd　never　imagined　anything　like　this：　it　was　as　if　the　herbalist　had　added　another　half…dozen　endowments　in　the　matter　of　a　moment。　Yet　Gaborn　recognized　that　he　was　not　actually　seeing　more　light。　Instead；　it　was　as　if；　when　he　glanced　at　something　that　he　might　have　been　able　to　recognize　after　minutes　of　study　and　squinting　in　the　darkness；　he　felt　no　strain；　yet　instantly　discerned　shapes　and　colors。
　He　looked　off　to　the　woods；　saw　a　dark　shape　therea　man　hiding　among　the　trees。　A　tall　man；　in　full　armor。　Powerful。　If　not　for　the　eye…bright；　he'd　never　have　seen　the　man　at　all。　He　wondered　what　the　fellow　might　be　doing；　and　yet。。。knew　the　fellow　belonged。
　When　Binnesman　finished　administering　the　herb　to　the　kitchen　maid；　he　said　softly　to　her。　〃Keep　this　stem　in　your　pocket。　You　may　need　to　break　it　and　apply　fresh　sap　again　before　dawn。〃
　Gaborn　realized　now　that　the　herbalist　was　not　just　chatting　about　idle　matters　when　asking　how　they　felt；　that　perhaps　this　wizard　never　chatted　about　idle　matters。　He　was　preparing　Gaborn　and　the　maid　to　flee　in　the　darkness。　The　ministrations　of　leaves　rubbed　over　his　skin　would　change　his　scent；　throw　off　his　trackers。　Other　herbs　would　magnify　his　abilities。
　This　took　less　than　three　minutes；　then　the　herbalist　began　asking　more　penetrating　questions。　To　the　maid　he　asked；　〃Now　how　tired　are　you？　Did　the　borage　make　your　heart　race　too　fast？　I　could　give　you　skullcap；　but　I　don't　want　to　overtax　you。〃
　And　sometimes　he　spoke　quickly；　gave　Gaborn　mands。
　〃Keep　this　poppy　seed　in　your　pocket；　chew　it　if　you　are　wounded。　It　will　dull　the　pain。〃
　He　took　them　next　to　the　edge　of　the　wood；　where　three　dark　trees　with　twisted　branches　reared　up　like　great　beasts　with　twiggy　fingers　and　mossy　limbs；　forming　a　dark　hollow　that　enclosed　a　small　glade。　Here；　Gaborn　felt　smothered；　constricted。　Something　about　the　closeness　of　the　trees　gave　a　sense　that　he　was　being　watched　and　judged　and　would　shortly　be　dismissed。　The　earth　was　all　around　him　here；　he　feltin　the　soil　beneath　his　feet；　in　the　trees　that　surrounded　him　and　nearly　covered　him。　He　could　smell　it　in　the　soil；　in　leaf　mold；　in　the　living　trees。
　Among　many　small　shrubs　that　huddled　on　a　hummock　near　the　glade's　center；　Binnesman　stopped。　〃Here　we　have　rue；〃　he　said。　〃Harvested　at　dawn；　it　has　some　medicinal　and　culinary　value；　but　if　you　harvest　just　after　the　heat　of　the　day；　it　is　a　powerful　irritant。　Gaborn；　if　the　hunters　e　at　you　from　downwind；　toss　this　into　their　eyes；　or　into　a　firethe　smoke　from　such　a　fire　is　most　dangerous。〃
　Gaborn　dared　not　touch　it。　Even　going　near　the　bushes　made　his　lungs　feel　constricted；　his　eyes　water。　But　Binnesman　walked　up　to　a　low　bush　that　held　a　few　wilting；　yellow　flowers。　He　pulled　off　some　leaves；　taking　no　harm。
　The　kitchen　maid　would　not　draw　close；　either。　Though　she　could　feel　nothing；　she　had　grown　careful。
　The　herbalist　looked　back　at　Gaborn；　and　whispered；　〃You　do　not　need　to　fear　it。〃
　But　Gaborn　knew　better。
　Binnesman　reached　down　to　his　feet。　〃Here。〃　He　picked　a　handful　of　rich；　loamy　soil；　placed　it　in　Gaborn's　palm。
　〃I　want　you　to　make　a　mitment；〃　Binnesman　said；　in　that　special　way　that　let　Gaborn　know　this　was　serious；　that　much　depended　on　how　he　answered。　He　spoke　each　word　with　gravity　and　ceremony；　almost　chanting。
　Gaborn　felt　dazed　by　all　that　had　happened；　frightened。　As　he　took　the　soil　in　his　hand；　he　felt　almost　as　if　the　ground　wrenched　beneath　his　feet。　He　was　suddenly　so　weary。　The　soil　seemed　tremendously　heavy　in　his　palm；　as　if　it　contained　hidden　stones　of　enormous　weight。
　The　wizard　is　right；　Gaborn　thought。　This　is　not　mon　ground。
　〃Repeat　after　me：　I；　Gaborn　Val　Orden；　swear　to　the　earth；　that　I　will　never　harm　the　earth；　that　I　dedicate　myself　to　the　preservation　of　a　seed　of　humanity　in　the　dark　season　to　e。〃
　Binnesman　stared　into　Gaborn's　eyes；　unblinking；　and　waited；　with　bated　breath；　for　Gaborn　to　speak　the　vow。
　Something　inside　Gaborn　trembled。　He　felt　the　soil　in　his　hand；　felt。。。a　tickling　at　the　back　of　his　consciousness；　a　presence；　a　powerful　presence。
　It　was　the　same　great　presence　he'd　recognized　yesterday；　in　Bannisferre；　when　he'd　felt　the　impulse　to　ask　his　bodyguard　Borenson　to　marry　the　beautiful　Myrrima。
　Only　now　that　presence　came　immensely　stronger。　It　was　the　feeling　of　rocks　in　motion；　of　trees　breathing。　An　odd　power　pulsed　beneath　his　feet；　as　if　the　earth　trembled　in　anticipation。　Yes；　he　could　feel　itthrough　his　bare　feet；　the　power　of　the　earth　rising　beneath　him。
　And　Gaborn　saw　that　he'd　been　traveling　here　toward　this　destination　for　days。　Had　his　father　not　told　him　to　e　here；　to　learn　to　love　the　land？　Had　some　Power　inspired　his　father　to　say　those　words？
　And　in　the　inn　at　Bannisferre；　when　Gaborn　drank　the　addleberry　wine；　the　best　wine　he　had　ever　tasted；　the　wine　with　the　initial　B　on　its　wax　seal；　he　had　felt　this　power。　Gaborn　knew　now；　knew　without　asking；　that　Binnesman　had　put　up　that　bottle　of　wine。　How　else　could　it　have　had　such　a　marvelous　effect？　The　wine　had　quickened　his　wits；　led　him　here。
　Gaborn　feared　to　take　the　wizard's　vow；　to　bee　a　servant　of　the　earth。　What　would　it　require？　Was　he　to　bee　an　Earth　Warden　like　Binnesman？　Gaborn　had　already　taken　other　vows；　vows　he　considered　sacred。　As　Myrrima　had　said；　he　did　not　take　vows　lightly。
　Yet　somehow　he　also　feared　not　to　take　this　vow。　Even　now；　Raj　Ahten's　hunters　would　be　ing　after　him。　He　needed　help　to　escape；　wanted　Binnesman's　aid。
　〃I　swear；〃　Gaborn　told　Binnesman。
　Binnesman　chuckled。　〃No；　you　fool。　Don't　swear　to　me；　swear　to　the　earth；　to　that　which　is　in　your　hand；　and　that　beneath　your　feet。　Say　the　whole　oath。〃
　Gaborn　opened　his　mouth；　painfully　aware　of　how　the　herbalist　clung　to　his　words；　painfully　aware　that　this　vow　was　more　significant　than　he　could　imagine。　Wondering　how　he　could　maintain　a　balance；　keep　his　vows　to　both　the　earth　and　to　Iome。
　〃I〃　Gaborn　began　to　speak；　but　the　earth　quivered　at　his　feet。　All　around；　through　the　fields　and　woods　and　garden；　the　earth　went　still。　No　wind　stirred；　no　animal　called。　The　dark　trees　surrounding　him　seemed　to　loom　larger；　shutting　out　all　light。
　Darkness；　darkness。　I　am　beneath　the　earth；　Gaborn　thought。
　Gaborn　glanced　round　in　astonishment；　for　he　had　thought　the　evening　quiet　until　that　moment。　Now；　absolute　stillness　reigned　over　the　face　of　the　land；　and　Gaborn　sensed　a　strange　and　powerful　presence　rushing　toward　him。
　In　reaction　to　this；　Binnesman　backed　away　from　the　rue　plant；　stood　with　an　astonished　demeanor；　gazing　about。　The　soil　twisted　near　his　feet；　grass　parting　as　if　some　great　veil　of　cloth　ripped。
　And　from　the　bushes　at　the　forest's　edge；