tg.wizardfirstrule-第110部分

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　across　the　ground　and　started　jamming　things　in　it。
　
　〃Well？〃　。
　
　Richard　shot　her　an　angry　glare。　〃I　found　her　tracks；　going　west；　back　the　way　we　came。　They　join　the　trail　a　few　hundred　yards　out。　They're　hours　old。〃　He　pointed　to　the　ground　at　the　back　of　the　wayward　pine。　〃That's　where　she　went　out。　She　circled　around　you　through　the　woods；　well　clear　of　us。　I've　tracked　men　who　didn't　want　to　be　found；　and　their　trails　were　easier　to　follow。　She　walks　on　top　of　things；　roots；　rocks；　and　she's　too　little　to　make　a　print　where　another　would。　Did　you　see　her　arms？〃
　
　〃I　saw　long　bruises。　They　are　from　a　switch。〃
　
　〃No；　I　mean　scratches。〃
　
　〃I　saw　no　scratches。〃
　
　〃Exactly。　Her　dress　had　burrs　on　it；　she's　been　through　the　bramble；　yet　she　had　no　scratches　on　her　arms。　She's　tender；　so　she　avoids　brushing　up　against　anything。　An　adult　would　just　push　past；　leave　a　trail　of　disturbed　or　broken　branches。　She　almost　never　touches　anything。　You　should　see　the　trail　I　left；　going　through　the　bushes　trying　to　track　her；　a　blind　man　could　follow　it。　She　moves　through　the　underbrush　like　air。　Even　when　she　was　back　on　the　trail；　I　couldn't　tell　for　a　while。　Her　feet　are　bare；　she　doesn't　like　stepping　in　water　or　mud…it　makes　her　feet　colder…so　she　steps　where　it's　dry；　where　you　can't　see　her　passing。〃
　
　〃I　should　have　seen　her　leaving。〃
　
　He　realized　Kahlan　thought　he　was　blaming　her。　He　let　out　an　exasperated　breath。　〃It's　not　your　fault；　Kahlan。　If　I　had　been　standing　watch；　I　wouldn't　have　seen　her　go　either。　She　didn't　want　to　be　seen。　She's　one　smart　little　girl。〃
　
　It　didn't　seem　to　make　her　feel　any　better。　〃But　you　can　track　her；　right？〃
　
　He　gave　her　a　sidelong　glance。　〃I　can。〃　He　reached　to　his　breast。　〃I　found　this　in　my　shirt　pocket。〃　He　lifted　an　eyebrow。　〃By　my　heart。〃　He　pulled　out　the　lock　of　Rachel's　hair；　tied　with　the　vine。　He　twisted　it　in　his　fingers。　〃To　remember　her　by。〃
　
　Kahlan's　face　was　ashen　as　she　rose。　〃This　is　my　fault。〃　She　pushed　out　of　the　wayward　pine。　He　tried　to　grab　her　arm；　but　she　tore　away　from　him。
　
　Richard　set　his　pack　aside　and　followed。　Kahlan　stood　off　a　ways；　her　arms　folded　below　her　breasts；　her　back　to　him。　She　stared　off　into　the　woods。
　
　〃Kahlan；　it　isn't　your　fault。〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃It　was　my　hair。　Didn't　you　see　the　fear　in　her　eyes　when　she　looked　at　my　hair？　I　have　seen　that　look　a　thousand　times。　Do　you　have　any　idea　what　it's　like　to　frighten　people；　even　children；　all　the　time？〃　He　didn't　answer。　〃Richard？　Cut　my　hair　for　me？〃
　
　〃What？〃
　
　She　turned　to　him；　pleading　in　her　eyes。　〃Cut　it　off　for　me？〃
　
　He　watched　the　hurt　in　her　eyes。　〃Why　haven't　you　just　cut　it　yourself？〃
　
　She　turned　away。　〃I　cannot。　The　magic　will　not　allow　a　Confessor　to　cut　her　own　hair。　If　we　try；　it　brings　pain　so　great；　it　prevents　us　from　doing　so。〃
　
　〃How　could　that　be？〃　〃Remember　the　pain　you　suffered；　from　the　magic　of　the　sword；　when　you　killed　a　man　the　first　time？　It　is　the　same　pain。　It　will　render　a　Confessor　unconscious　before　the　task　can　be　acplished。　I　tried　only　once。　Every　Confessor　tries　once。　But　only　once。　Our　hair　must　be　cut　by　another　when　it　needs　trimming。　But　none　would　dare　to　cut　it　all　of。〃　She　turned　to　him　once　more。　〃Will　you　do　it　for　me？　Will　you　cut　my　hair？〃
　
　He　looked　away　from　her　eyes；　to　the　brightening　slate　blue　sky；　trying　to　understand　what　it　was　he　was　feeling；　what　it　was　she　must　be　feeling。　There　was　so　much　he　didn't　know　about　her；　still。　Her　life；　her　world；　was　a　mystery　to　him。　There　had　been　a　time　when　he　wanted　to　know　it　all。　Now　he　knew　he　never　could；　the　gulf　between　them　was　filled　with　magic。　Magic；　designed；　it　seemed；　explicitly　to　keep　them　apart。
　
　His　eyes　returned　to　her。　〃No。〃。
　
　〃May　I　know　why？〃
　
　〃Because　I　respect　you　for　who　you　are。　The　Kahlan　I　know　wouldn't　want　to　fool　people　by　trying　to　make　them　think　she　is　less　than　she　is。　Even　if　you　did　fool　some；　it　would　change　nothing。　You　are　who　you　are：　the　Mother　Confessor。　We　all　can　be　no　more；　or　less；　than　who　we　are。〃　He　smiled。　〃A　wise　woman；　a　friend　of　mine；　told　me　that　once。〃
　
　〃Any　man　would　leap　for　the　chance　to　cut　a　Confessor's　hair。〃
　
　〃Not　this　one。　This　one　is　your　friend。〃
　
　She　gave　a　nod；　her　arms　still　folded　against　her　stomach。　〃She　must　be　cold。　She　didn't　even　take　a　blanket。〃
　
　〃She　didn't　take　any　food　either；　other　than　that　loaf　of　bread　she's　saving　for　some　reason；　and　she　was　starving。〃
　
　Kahlan　smiled　at　last。　〃She　ate　more　than　you　and　me　together。　At　least　her　belly　is　full。　Richard；　when　she　gets　to　Homers　Mill　。　。　。〃
　
　〃She　isn't　going　to　Homers　Mill。〃
　
　Kahlan　came　closer。　〃But　that's　where　her　grandmother　is。〃
　
　Richard　shook　his　head。　〃She　doesn't　have　a　grandmother。　When　she　said　her　grandmother　was　in　Homers　Mill；　and　I　told　her　she　couldn't　go　there；　she　didn't　even　falter。　She　simply　said　she　would　go　somewhere　else。　She　never　gave　it　a　thought；　never　asked　about　her　grandmother；　or　even　raised　an　objection。　She's　running　from　something。〃
　
　〃Running？　Maybe　from　whoever　put　those　bruises　on　her　arms。〃
　
　〃And　on　her　back。　Whenever　my　hand　touched　one；　she　flinched；　but　she　didn't　say　anything。　She　wanted　to　be　hugged　that　badly。〃　Kahlan's　brow　wrinkled　with　sorrow。　〃I'd　say　she　was　running　from　whoever　cut　her　hair　like　that。〃
　
　〃Her　hair？〃
　
　He　nodded　again。　〃It　was　meant　to　mark　her；　maybe　as　property。　No　one　would　cut　someone's　hair　like　that；　except　to　give　a　message。　Especially　in　the　Midlands；　where　everyone　pays　so　much　attention　to　hair。　It　was　deliberate；　a　message　of　power　over　her。　That's　why　I　cut　it　for。　her；　to　remove　the　mark。〃
　
　Kahlan　stared　at　nothing　in　particular。　〃That　was　why　she　was　so　happy　to　have　it　cut　even；〃　she　whispered。
　
　〃There　is　more　to　it；　though；　than　simply　running　away。　She　lies　easier　than　a　gambler。　She　lies　with　the　ease　of　someone　who　has　a　powerful　need。〃
　
　Her　eyes　came　to　his　again。　〃Like　what？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。〃　He　sighed。　〃But　it　has　something　to　do　with　that　loaf　'of　bread。〃
　
　〃The　bread？　Do　you　really　think　so？〃
　
　〃She　had　no　shoes；　no　cloak；　nothing　but　her　doll。　It's　her　most　precious　possession；　she's　devoted　to　it；　yet　she　let　us　touch　it。　But　she　wouldn't　let　us　get　within　an　arm's　length　of　that　loaf　of　bread。　I　don't　know　much　about　the　magic　in　the　Midlands；　but　where　I　e　from；　a　little　girl　will　not　value　a　loaf　of　bread　more　than　her　doll；　and　I　don't　think　it's　any　different　here。　Did　you　see　the　look　in　her　eyes　when　you　reached　for　the　bread；　and　she　snatched　it　away？　If　she　had　had　a　knife；　and　you　hadn't　backed　off；　she　would　have　used　it　on　you。〃
　
　〃Richard；〃　she　admonished；　〃you　can't　really　believe　that　about　a　little　girl。　A　loaf　of　bread　couldn't　be　that　important　to　her。〃
　
　〃No？　You　said　yourself　she　ate　as　much　as　both　of　us　put　together。　I　was　beginning　to　think　she　was　related　to　Zedd。　Explain　why　if　she　was　half　starved；　she　hadn't　even　nibbled　on　that　loaf　of　bread：〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃There　is　something　going　on；　and　that　loaf　of　bread　is　at　the　center　of　it。〃
　
　Kahlan　took　a　step　toward　him。　〃So；　we're　going　after　her？〃
　
　Richard　felt　the　weight　of　the　tooth　against　his　chest。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　letting　it　out　slowly。　〃No。　As　Zedd　is　fond　of　saying；　nothing　is　ever　easy。　How　can　we　justify　going　after　one　little　girl；　to　solve　the　riddle　of　her　loaf　of　bread；　while　Rahl　goes　after　the　box？〃
　
　She　took　his　hand　in　one　of　hers；　looked　down　at　it。　〃I　hate　what　Darken　Rahl　does　to　us；　the　way　he　twists　us。〃　She　squeezed　his　hand。　〃She　got　into　our　hearts　awfully　quick。〃
　
　Richard　gave　her　a　one…armed　hug。　〃That　she　did。　She's　one　special　little　girl。　I　hope　she　finds　what　she's　after；　and　that　she　is　safe。〃　He　let　go　…of　Kahlan　and　started　for　the　wayward　pine；　to　get　their　things。　〃Let's　get　moving。〃
　
　Neither　wanted　to　think　about　how　they　felt；　that　they　were　deserting　Rachel；　condemning　her　to　the　embrace　of　dangers　she　knew　nothing　about　and　was　defenseless　against；　and　so　both　set　their　minds　to　covering　as　much　ground　as　fast　as　they　could。　The　bright　day　wore　on　with　an　endless　expanse　of　rugged　forest；　and　with　their　exertion　they　didn't　notice　the　cold。
　
　Richard　was　always　glad　when　he　saw　a　spiderweb　stretched　across　the　trail；　he　had　begun　to　think　of　spiders　as　his　guardians。　When　he　had　been　a　guide；　he　had　always　been　annoyed　to　have　them　tickle　his　face。　Thank　you；　sister　spider；　he　said　to　himself　every　time　he　passed　one　now。
　
　Near　midday；　they　stopped　for　a　break　on　sunlit　rocks　in　an　icy　stream。　Richard　splashed　the　frigid　water　on　his　face；　trying　to　work　up　some　energy。　He　was　tired　already。　Lunch　was　cold；　too；　and　lasted　only　as　long　as　it　took　to　bolt　it　down。　They　both　stuffed　the　last　bites　in　their；　mouths；　brushed　their　hands　off　on　their　pants；　and　hopped　down　off　the　flat；　pink　rock。
　
　As　much　as　he　tried　not　to　think　about　Rachel；　he　found　himself　frowning　with　worry　before　he　realized　he　was　doing　it　again。　He　saw　Kahlan's　brow　wrinkle　sometimes　when　she　turned；　checking　to　the　sides。　One　time　he　asked　if　she　thought　he　had　made　the　right　decision。　She　didn't　have　to　ask　which　decision　he　was　talking　about。　She　asked　how　long　he　thought　it　would　have　taken　to　catch　her。　He　thought　two　days；　if　every…　thing　went　right；　at　least　one　to　catch　her　and　another　back。　Two　days；　she　had　told　him；　was　more　than　they　could　afford。　It　felt　reassuring　to　hear　her　say　it。
　
　Late　in　the　afternoon；　the　sun　slipped　behind　a　distant　peak　of　one　of　the　mountains　of　the　Rang'Shada；　muting　and　softening　the　colors　of　the　woods；　calming　the　wind；　and　settling　a　stillness　over　the　countryside。　Richard　was　able　to　set　aside　his　thought　of　Rachel　as　he　concentrated　on　what　they　would　do　when　they　reached　Tamarang。
　
　〃Kahlan；　Zedd　told　us　we　both　had　to　stay　away　from　Darken　Rahl；　that　we　have　no　power　against　him；　no　defense。〃
　
　She　gave　a　short　glance　over　her　shoulder。　〃That's　what　he　said。〃
　
　Richard　frowned。　〃Well；　Shota　said　the　Queen　wouldn't　have　the　box　for　long。〃
　
　〃Maybe　when