tg.stone of tears-第122部分

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　free　run　of　the　land。’
　
　‘Banelings？’　She　glowered　at　Riggs。　‘I　suppose　you　would　be　foolish　enough　to　seek　council　from　the　Blood　of　the　Fold。’
　
　‘They’ve　already　joined　with　us；’　General　Riggs　said；　offhandedly。　‘Our　cause　is　theirs；　and　theirs　ours。　They　know　how　to　expunge　those　who　would　serve　the　Keeper　and　thus　our　enemies。　We　will　cleanse　the　land　of　all　who　serve　the　Keeper。　Goodness　must　triumph。’
　
　‘You　mean　your　cause。　It　is　you　who　would　rule。’
　
　‘Are　you　blind；　Confessor？　I　rule　here；　now；　but　this　is　not　about　me；　it’s　about　the　future。　I　simply　fill　the　post　for　now；　furrow　the　field　so　it　may　produce。　It’s　not　I　who　is　the　focus。
　
　‘We　offer　everyone　the　chance　to　serve　with　us；　and　every　man　with　me　has　taken　that　offer。　Others　have　joined　our　troops　in　our　battle。　We　are　no　longer　D’Haran　troops。　They　are　no　longer　troops　of　their　homeland。　We　are　all　the　Imperial　Order。　Any　of　right　mind　can　lead　us。　If　I　fall　in　our　noble　struggle；　another　will　rise　up　to　take　my　place；　until　all　the　lands　are　joined　under　united　rule；　and　the　Imperial　Order　can　flower。’
　
　Either　the　man　was　too　drunk　to　know　what　he　was　saying；　or　he　was　mad。　She　glanced　about　at　the　dancing；　drunken；　singing　men　at　campfires　all　about。　Mad　as　the　Bantak。　Mad　as　the　Jocopo。
　
　‘General　Riggs。’　He　had　been　muttering　angrily　under　his　breath；　but　stopped　and　looked　up　at　her。　‘I　am　the　Mother　Confessor。　Like　it　or　not；　I　represent　the　Midlands。　In　the　name　of　the　Midlands　I　call　upon　you　to　to　halt　this　war　immediately　and　either　return　to　D’Hara；　or　e　to　the　council　with　your　grievances。　You　may　petition　the　Central　Council　with　any　dispute　you　have；　and　it　will　be　heard；　but　you　may　not　visit　war　upon　my　people。　You　will　not　like　the　consequence　if　you　choose　not　to　heed　my　orders。’
　
　He　sneered　up　at　her。　‘We　make　no　promises。　We’ll　annihilate　all　who　don’t　join　us。　We　fight　to　stop　the　killing；　to　stop　the　murdering；　as　the　good　spirits　have　called　upon　us　to　do。　We　fight　for　peace！　Until　we　win　peace；　we　will　have　war！’
　
　She　frowned。　‘Who　told　you　this？　Who　told　you　that　you　must　fight？’
　
　He　blinked　at　her。　‘It’s　self…evident；　you　stupid　bitch！’
　
　‘You　cannot　possibly　be　so　stupid　as　to　think　the　good　spirits　tell　you　to　wage　war。　The　good　spirits　do　not　act　in　such　overt　ways。’
　
　‘Ah；　well　then；　we　have　a　disagreement。　That　is　the　purpose　of　war；　is　it　not？　To　settle　such　matters？　The　good　spirits　know　us　to　be　in　the　right；　else　they　would　easily　join　against　us。　Our　victory　will　prove　they　side　with　us　or　we　could　not　win　in　our　struggle。　The　Creator　Himself　wishes　to　see　us　triumph；　and　our　victory　will　be　proof　of　that。’
　
　The　man　was　a　lunatic。　She　redirected　her　attention　to　the　Keltish　mander。　‘Karsh　。。。’
　
　‘General　Karsh。’
　
　‘You　demean　the　rank；　General。　Why　did　you　slaughter　the　people　of　Ebinissia？’
　
　‘Ebinissia　was　given　the　opportunity　to　join　us；　as　will　all　be　given　the　opportunity。　Ebinissia　chose　to　fight。　We　had　to　make　an　example　of　her　heathen　people；　to　show　others　what　awaits　them　if　they　fail　to　join　us　in　peace。　It　cost　us　nearly　half　our　men；　but　it　was　a　goal　worth　the　cost。　Even　now；　those　lost　are　being　replaced　by　others　joining　with　us；　and　we　will　swell　in　rank　to　take　in　all　the　known　lands。’
　
　This；　you　call　leadership？　Extortion　and　murder？’
　
　General　Karsh　slammed　his　mug　down　on　the　table。　His　eyes　were　fire。　‘We　visit　upon　them　what　they　visit　upon　our　people！　They　raid　our　farms；　our　border　towns。　They　kill　Keltans　as　if　we　were　bugs　to　be　stepped　on！
　
　‘Yet　we　offered　them　peace。　It　is　they　who　chose　to　shun　our　mercy。　They　were　offered　a　chance　at　peace；　a　chance　to　join　us；　they　chose　war。　In　that　way；　they　chose　to　aid　us；　they’ve　made　an　example　for　others　of　the　folly　of　fighting　us。’
　
　‘And　what　have　you　done　with　Queen　Cyrilla？　Did　you　slaughter　her；　too；　or　is　she　back　there　in　your　whores’　tents？’
　
　They　all　laughed。　‘She　would　be；’　Riggs　put　in；　‘if　we’d　found　her。’　Kahlan　almost　sighed　aloud　with　relief。
　
　She　looked　back　to　Karsh；　who　was　taking　another　swig。　‘What　has　Prince　Fyren　to　say　of　this？’
　
　‘Fyren’s　in　Aydindril！　I’m　here！’
　
　So；　perhaps　the　Crown　wasn’t　a　part　of　this。　Perhaps　this　was　little　more　than　a　band　of　murdering　outlaws　who　fancied　themselves　as　more。
　
　Kahlan　knew　Prince　Fyren；　knew　him　to　be　a　reasonable　man。　Of　the　Keltish　diplomats　assigned　to　Aydindril；　he　was　the　one　who　had　done　the　most　to　bring　Kelton　forward　into　the　alliance　of　the　Midlands　through　the　Central　Council。　He　cajoled　and　persuaded　his　mother；　the　queen；　to　go　the　route　of　peace　rather　than　conflict。　Prince　Fyren　was　a　gentleman；　in　every　sense　of　the　word。
　
　‘Besides　being　a　murderer；　General　Karsh；　you　are　also　a　traitor　to　your　own　land　and　Crown。　To　your　own　queen。’
　
　He　hammered　his　pewter　mug　down　on　the　table。　‘I’m　a　patriot！　A　protector　of　my　people！’
　
　She　leaned　the　slightest　bit　forward。　‘You’re　a　treasonous　bastard　and　an　outlaw　cutthroat　without　conscience。　I　leave　to　Prince　Fyren　the　honor　of　condemning　you　to　death。　It　will；　of　course；　be　a　posthumous　sentence。’
　
　Karsh　pounded　his　fist。　‘The　good　spirits　know　of　your　treachery　against　the　people　of　the　Midlands！　This　proves　their　words　true！　They’ve　told　us　we　cannot　be　free　as　long　as　you　live！　They’ve　called　upon　us　to　kill　all　those　like　you！　All　those　who　blaspheme！　The　good　spirits　will　not　abandon　us　in　our　struggle。　We　shall　defeat　all　who　do　the　Keeper’s　bidding。’
　
　‘No　real　officer；’　she　said；　contemptuously；　‘would　listen　to　the　babbling　of　the　Blood。’
　
　The　wizard　had　made　an　angry…looking　ball　of　liquid　fire；　and　was　slowly　juggling　it　back　and　forth　between　his　hands　while　he　watched　her。　The　flames　spit　and　hissed；　dropping　little　sparks。　General　Riggs　belched　and　then　put　his　knuckles　on　the　table　as　he　leaned　toward　her。
　
　‘Enough　talking。　Get　down　here；　you　little　wench；　so　we　can　start　the　party。　Us　brave　freedom　fighters　need　a　little　fun。’
　
　General　Karsh　at　last　smiled。。　‘And　then　tomorrow；　or　perhaps　the　next　day；　you　will　be　beheaded。　Our　men；　our　people；　will　rejoice　at　your　death。　They　will　exult　in　our　triumph　over　the　Mother　Confessor；　the　symbol　of　oppression　by　magic。’　His　smile　left　as　he　turned　red…faced　once　more；　‘The　people　must　see　your　punishment　to　know　that　good　can　prevail！　To　have　hope！　When　we　have　your　head；　our　people　can　rejoice！’
　
　‘Rejoice　that　all　you　brave　freedom　fighters　are　strong　enough　to　kill　a　single　woman？’
　
　‘No；’　General　Riggs　said。　He　appeared　for　the　first　time　sober　as　he　looked　up　at　her。　‘You　miss　the　true　meaning　of　what　we　do。　You　fail　to　see　its　significance。’
　
　His　voice　lowered；　his　tone　softened。　‘It’s　a　new　age　we　enter；　Confessor。　An　age　that　has　no　place　for　your　old　religions。　The　line　of　Confessors　and　their　wizards　is　at　an　end。
　
　There　was　a　time；　three　thousand　years　ago；　when　nearly　everyone　was　born　with　the　gift。　Magic　held　sway　over　all　things。　That　magic　was　used　to　vie　for　power。　Wizards　abused　their　power。　In　their　greed；　they　killed　one　another。　They　killed　others　who　had　the　gift；　and　so　fewer　lived　to　pass　it　on。　Over　time；　those　with　the　gift　were　culled　from　the　race　of　men。
　
　‘Yet　those　left　still　contested　for　rule；　and　further　thinned　the　ranks　of　those　born　with　the　gift。　The　magic；　the　other　creatures　of　magic　who　were　their　charges；　such　as　you；　have　been　steadily　stripped　of　their　protection　and　fount　of　magic。　Today　there　are　almost　none　born　with　the　gift。　Magic　itself　is　dying　with　them。　They　have　had　their　chance　to　rule；　just　as　did　Darken　Rahl　with　his　magic；　and　they　have　failed。　Their　time；　the　time　of　wizards；　is　past。
　
　‘Their　protection　of　the　twilight　beings　is　at　an　end；　and　so　the　age　of　magic　is　at　an　end。　The　time　of　man　is　upon　us　now；　and　there　is　no　place　in　that　world　for　the　ancient；　dying　religion　you　call　magic。　It　is　time　for　man　to　take　his　place　as　inheritor　of　the　world。　The　Imperial　Order　is　upon　the　world；　now；　and　if　it　were　not　them；　it　would　be　man　by　another　name。　It　is　time　for　man　to　rule；　for　magic　to　die。’
　
　Kahlan　felt　a　sudden　hollowness。　An　unexpected　tear　ran　down　her　cheek。　A　choking　feeling　of　true　panic　clawed　at　her　throat。
　
　‘Do　you　hear　that；　Slagle？’　she　whispered　hoarsely。　‘You　have　magic。　The　ones　you　aid　would　put　an　end　to　you；　too。’
　
　He　tossed　the　little　ball　of　fire　to　his　other　hand；　the　light　of　its　flames　dancing　across　his　grim　face。　‘It　is　as　it　must　be。　Magic；　chaste　or　foul；　is　the　Keeper’s　conduit　to　this　world。　When　I　have　helped　extinguish　magic　in　all　its　forms；　then　I；　too；　must　die。　In　that　way；　I　will　serve　the　people。’
　
　Riggs　gazed　up　to　her；　almost　sorrowfully；　as　he　went　on。
　
　‘Our　people　must　see　the　last　living　embodiment　of　that　religion　die。　You　are　its　symbol；　the　last　creature　of　magic　created　by　wizards。　With　your　death；　they　will　be　filled　with　hope　for　the　future；　and　be　emboldened　to　extinguish　all　the　remaining　pockets　of　filth　and　perversion　that　are　magic。
　
　‘We　are　the　plowshare。　Those　lands　now　infested　with　magic　will　be　freed　of　its　taint；　and　can　be　resettled　by　pious　people。　Then；　at　last；　we　shall　all　be　free　of　your　dogmas；　which　have　no　part　in　the　glory　of　the　future　of　man。’
　
　He　straightened；　taking　a　drink　from　his　mug。　The　harshness　returned　to　his　voice。　‘After　we　finish　with　you；　then　we’ll　bring　Galea　to　heel；　and　the　rest　of　the　lands。’　He　slammed　the　mug　down。　‘Until　plete　and　total　victory　is　ours；　we　demand　war！’
　
　Rage　swelled　in　her；　banishing　the　momentary　sensation　of　loss　and　panic；　swelled　on　behalf　of　all　those　beings；　the　twilight　beings；　who　depended　upon　her　for　voice　and　protection。
　
　She　nodded　slowly　as　she　held　the　general’s　gaze。
　
　‘In　my　capacity　as　Mother　Confessor；　the　highest　rank　of　authority　in　the　Midlands；　to　whose　mandate　all　must　bow；　I　grant　your　wish。’　She　leaned　forward　and　spoke　in　a　hiss。　‘Let　there　be　war。　On　my　word　and　office；　not　one　of　you　shall　be　gr