tg.wizardfirstrule-第116部分

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this；　we　fight；　one　of　us　wins；　say　it's　him。　That　part　of　the　prophecy　is　fulfilled；　so　he　fears　the　other　part　will　be　too；　and　thinks　he　must　kill　you。　You　don't　want　to　be　killed；　so　you　touch　him　to　protect　yourself。　There　you　have　it；　prophecy　fulfilled。
　
　〃The　problem　is；　it's　a　self…fulfilling　prophecy。　Without　it；　none　of　these　things　would　have　happened。　There　was　no　outside　influence　other　than　the　prophecy。　Prophecies　are　always　true；　but　we　seldom　know　how。〃　He　gave　her　a　look　as　if　asking　of　she　understood。
　
　〃I　always　thought　prophecies　were　to　be　taken　seriously。〃
　
　〃They　are；　but　only　by　those　who　understand　such　things；　prophecies　are　dangerous。　The　wizards　guard　books　of　prophecies；　as　you　know。　When　I　was　at　my　Keep；　I　reread　some　of　the　pertinent　books。　But　I　don't　understand　most　of　them。　There　used　to　be　wizards　who　did　nothing　else　but　study　the　books　of　prophecies。　There　are　prophecies　in　them　I　have　read　that　would　scare　you　blind；　if　you　knew　them。　They　sometimes　make　even　me　wake　at　night　in　a　sweat。　There　are　things　in　them　I　think　might　be　about　Richard；　that　frighten　me；　and　there　are　things　in　them　I　know　are　about　Richard；　but　I　don't　know　what　they　will　turn　out　to　mean；　and　I　dare　not　act　on　what　I　have　read。　We　can't　always　know　what　the　prophecies　mean；　and　so　they　must　be　kept　secret。　Some　of　these　could　cause　great　trouble　if　people　heard　them。〃
　
　Kahlan's　eyes　were　wide。　〃Richard　is　in　the　books　of　prophecies？　I　have　never　met　anyone　before　who　was　in　the　books。〃
　
　He　gave　her　an　even　gaze。　〃You　are　in　the　books　too。〃
　
　〃Me！　My　name　is　in　the　books　of　prophecies！〃
　
　〃Well；　yes　and　no。　That's　not　how　it　works。　You　seldom　know　for　sure。　But　in　this　case；　I　do。　It　says　things　like；　‘The　last　Mother　Confessor'　this；　and　‘The　last　Mother　Confessor'　that；　but　there　can　be　no　doubt　who　the　last　Mother　Confessor　is。　It　is　you；　Kahlan。　There　can　also　be　no　doubt　who　‘the　Seeker　who　mands　the　wind　against　the　heir　to　D'Hara'　is。　It　is　Richard。　Heir　to　D'Hara　is　Rahl。〃
　
　〃mands　the　wind！　What　does　that　mean？〃
　
　〃I　haven't　the　slightest　idea。〃
　
　Kahlan　frowned　and　looked　down　as　she　picked　at　the　rock。　〃Zedd；　what　does　it　say　about　me　in　the　books　of　prophecies？〃
　
　He　was　watching　her　when　her　eyes　came　back　up。　〃I'm　sorry；　dear　one；　I　can't　tell　you　that。　You　would　be　too　frightened　to　ever　sleep　again。〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃I　feel　very　foolish　now；　for　wanting　to　kill　myself　because　of　Shota's　prophecy。　To　keep　it　from　ing　true；　I　mean。　You　must　think　me　stupid。〃
　
　〃Kahlan；　until　it　es　to　be；　we　can't　know。　But　you　shouldn't　feel　foolish。　It　could　be　that　it's　just　as　it　says；　that　Richard　is　the　only　one　with　a　chance；　and　you　will　betray　us；　and　take　him；　and　thus　give　victory　to　Rahl。　There　is　a　chance　you　should　have　done　it　to　save　us　all。〃
　
　〃You　are　not　making　me　feel　any　better。〃
　
　〃It　could　also　be　that　Richard　will　somehow　be　a　traitor；　and　you　will　save　us　all。〃
　
　She　gave　him　a　dark　look。　〃Either　way；　I　don't　like　it。〃
　
　〃Prophecies　are　not　meant　for　people　to　see。　They　can　cause　more　trouble　than　you　could　believe；　there　have　been　wars　over　them。　Even　I　don't　understand　most　of　them。　If　we　had　the　wizards　of　old；　the　experts　in　the　prophecies；　maybe　they　could　help　us；　but　without　them　to　guide　us；　it　is　best　to　leave　Shota's　prophecy　be。　The　first　page　of　one　of　the　books　of　prophecies　says：　‘Take　these　Prophecies　to　mind；　not　to　heart。'　It　is　the　only　thing　on　the　whole　page；　in　a　book　half　as　big　as　a　good…size　table。　Each　letter　is　gilded。　It　is　that　important。
　
　〃The　prophecy　from　Shota　is　different　somehow；　from　those　in　books；　isn't　it？〃
　
　〃Yes。　Prophecy　given　directly　from　one　to　another；　is　meant　to　be　an　aid　to　that　person。　Shota　was　trying　to　help　Richard。　Shota　herself　wouldn't　even　know　how　it　is　meant　to　help；　though；　she　was　only　the　channel。　Someday；　it　may　mean　something　to　Richard；　it　may　aid　him。　There　is　no　way　to　tell；　though：　I　was　hoping　I　would　be　able　to　understand　it；　and　help　him。　He　doesn't　take　to　riddles。　Unfortunately；　it　is　of　the　kind　called　a　Forked　Prophecy；　and　I　can　be　of　no　aid。〃
　
　〃Forked；　that　means　it　can　go　different　ways？〃
　
　〃Yes。　It　could　mean　what　it　says；　or　just　about　anything　else。　Forked　Prophecies　are　almost　always　useless。　Hardly　better　than　a　guess。　Richard　was　right　in　his　choice　not　to　be　guided　by　it。　I　would　like　to　think　it's　because　I　have　taught　him　well；　but　it　could　be　his　instinct。　He　had　the　instincts　of　a　Seeker。〃
　
　〃Zedd；　why　don't　you　just　tell　him　these　things；　like　you　have　told　me？　Doesn't　he　have　a　right　to　know　all　this？〃
　
　Zedd　stared　off　into　the　night　for　a　long　time。　〃It's　difficult　to　explain。　You　see；　Richard　has　a　feel　for　things。〃　He　made　an　odd　frown。　〃Have　you　ever　shot　a　bow？〃
　
　Kahlan　smiled。　She　drew　her　knees　up；　folded　her　fingers　together　over　them；　and　rested　her　chin　on　her　fingers。　〃Girls　are　not　supposed　to　do　such　things。　So　I　took　it　up　as　a　diversion　when　I　was　young。　Before　I　began　taking　confessions。〃
　
　Zedd　gave　a　little　laugh。　〃Have　you　ever　been　able　to　feel　the　target？　Have　you　ever　been　able　to　ignore　all　the　noise　in　your　head　and　hear　the　silence；　and　know　where　the　arrow　is　going　to　go？〃
　
　She　nodded　with　her　chin　still　resting　on　her　fingers。　〃Only　a　couple　of　times。　But　I　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　
　〃Well；　Richard　can　feel　the　target　like　that　almost　at　will。　Sometimes　I　think　he　could　even　hit　it　if　he　closed　his　eyes
　
　When　I　have　asked　him　how　he　does　it；　he　shrugs　and　can't　explain。　He　simply　says　he　can　feel　where　the　arrow　is　to　go。　He　can　do　it　all　day　long。　But　if　I　start　telling　him　things；　like　how　fast　the　wind　is；　how　many　feet　away　the　target　is；　or　that　the　bow　was　outside　the　night　before　and　it　was　a　humid　night；　affecting　the　draw；　well；　then　he　can't　even　hit　the　ground。　The　thinking　interferes　with　the　feeling。
　
　〃He　does　the　same　thing　with　people。　He's　relentless　in　the　search　for　an　answer。　He　has　been　heading　for　the　box　like　an　arrow。　He　has　never　been　to　the　Midlands　before；　yet　he　found　a　way　through　the　boundary；　and　has　found　the　answers　he　needed　to　keep　going；　to　seek　out　the　target。　That　is　the　way　of　a　true　Seeker。　The　problem　is；　if　I　give　him　too　much　information；　he　starts　doing　what　he　thinks　I　want　him　to　do；　instead　of　what　he　feels。　I　have　to　point　him　in　the　right　direction；　toward　the　target；　and　then　let　him　go。　Let　him　find　it　himself。〃
　
　〃That's　pretty　cynical。　He　is　a　human　being；　not　an　arrow。　He　only　does　that　because　he　thinks　so　much　of　you；　and　he　would　do　anything　to　please　you。　You　are　an　idol　to　him。　He　loves　you　very　much。〃
　
　He　gave　her　a　somber　look。　〃There　is　no　way　I　could　be　any　more　proud　of　him；　or　love　him　any　more；　but　if　he　doesn't　stop　Darken　Rahl；　I　will　be　a　dead　idol。　Sometimes；　wizards　must　use　people　to　acplish　what　must　be　done。〃
　
　〃I　guess　I　know　how　you　feel；　not　telling　him　what　you　wish　you　could。〃
　
　Zedd　rose。　〃I'm　sorry　the　two　of　you　have　had　a　hard　time　of　it。　Maybe　with　me　here；　it　will　be　easier。　Good　night；　dear　one。〃　He　started　off　into　the　darkness。
　
　〃Zedd？〃　He　stopped　and　looked　back　toward　her；　a　dark　form　against　the　moonlit　forest。　〃You　had　a　wife。〃
　
　〃I　did。〃
　
　She　cleared　her　throat　and　swallowed。　〃What　was　it　like？　Loving　someone　more　than　life　itself；　and　being　able　to　be　with　them；　and　having　them　love　you　back？〃
　
　Zedd　stood　still　and　silent　for　a　long　time；　staring　at　her　in　the　darkness。　She　waited；　wishing　she　could　see　his　face。　She　decided　he　wasn't　going　to　answer
　
　Kahlan　held　her　chin　up。　〃Wizard　Zorander；　I　am　not　making　a　request。　This　is　an　order。　You　。will　answer　the　question。〃
　
　She　waited。　His　voice　came　softly。　〃It　was　like　finding　the　other　half　of　myself；　and　being　plete；　whole；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；　Zedd。〃　She　was　glad　he　couldn't　see　her　tears　as　。　she　struggled　to　hold　her　voice　steady。　〃I　was　just　wondering。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　37
　RICHARD　WOKE　WHEN　HE　heard　Kahlan　e　back　and　toss　some　wood　in　the　fire。　Light　was　just　starting　to　creep　across　the　tips　of　distant　mountains；　casting　them　in　a　soft　pink　glow；　dark　clouds　behind　making　the　snowcapped　peaks　stand　out　all　the　more。　Zedd　lay　on　his　back；　eyes　wide　open；　snoring。　Richard　rubbed　the　sleep　from　his　eyes　and　yawned。
　
　〃How　about　some　tava…root　porridge？〃　he　whispered；　wanting　to　let　Zedd　sleep。
　
　〃Sounds　good；〃　she　whispered　back。　；
　
　Richard　pulled　the　roots　from　his　pack　and　began　peeling　them　with　his　knife　while　Kahlan　retrieved　a　pot。
　
　When　he　finished　cutting　them　up；　he　tossed　the　roots　in　with　the　water　she　had　added　from　a　skin。　〃This　is　the　last　of　them。　We'll　have　to　start　digging　some　more　roots　tonight；　but　I　doubt　we'll　find　tava。　Not　in　this　rocky　ground。〃
　
　〃I　picked　some　berries。〃
　
　Together　they　warmed　their　hands　at　the　fire。　More　than　a　queen；　he　thought。　He　tried　to　imagine　a　queen　in　fine　robes　and　a　crown；　picking　berries
　
　〃You　see　anything　while　you　were　on　watch？〃
　
　She　shook　her　head。　Then　she　seemed　to　remember　something　and　her　face　came　up。　〃But　one　time；　I　did　hear　something　strange。　It　was　down　here；　near　the　camp。　It　was　like　a　growl；　then　a　yelp。　I　almost　came　and　woke　you；　but　it　was　gone　as　soon　as　it　started；　and　I　didn't　hear　it　again。〃。
　
　〃Really。〃　He　glanced　over　each　shoulder。　〃Down　here。　Wonder　what　that　was　about。　I　guess　I　was　so　tired　it　didn't　wake　me。〃
　
　Richard　mashed　the　pot　of　roots　when　they　were　done　and　added　a　little　sugar。　Kahlan　dished　up　the　porridge　and　added　a　big　handful　of　berries　on　top　of　each。
　
　〃Why　don't　you　wake　him；〃　she　said。
　
　Richard　smiled。　〃Watch　this。〃
　
　He　tapped　his　spoon　a　few　times　against　the　side　of　the　tin　bowl。　Zedd　made　a　short　snort；　and　sat　bolt　upright。
　
　The　old　man　blinked　twice。　〃Breakfast？〃
　
　With　their　backs　to　him；　they　both　giggled。
　
　〃You're　in　a　good　mood　this　morning；〃　she　said；　looking　over。
　
　He　smiled。　〃Zedd's　back　with　us。〃
　
　Richard　walked　over　and　handed　Zedd　a　bowl　of　porridge；　then　sat　with　his　own　on　the　low　ledge。