tg.wizardfirstrule-第9部分

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　〃Still　friends。〃　He　threw　the　skeleton　of　the　leaf　away。　〃But　someday　you　will　tell　me　all　of　it？〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃If　I　can；　I　promise　I　will。〃
　
　〃Good；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃After　all；　I　am　a　‘seeker　of　truth。'　〃
　
　Kahlan　jerked　to　a　halt；　grabbed　his　shirtsleeve；　and　spun　him　to　face　her　wide　eyes。
　
　〃Why　did　you　say　that？〃　she　demanded
　
　〃What？　You　mean　‘seeker　of　truth'？　That's　what　Zedd　calls　me。　Ever　since　I　was　little。　He　says　I　always　insist　on　knowing　the　truth　of　things；　so　he　calls　me　‘seeker　of　truth。'　〃　He　was　surprised　by　her　agitation。　His　eyes　narrowed。　〃Why？〃
　
　She　started　walking　again。　〃Never　mind。〃
　
　Somehow；　he　seemed　to　have　broached　a　sensitive　subject。　His　need　to　know　the　answers　started　to　shoulder　its　way　around　in　his　mind。　They　hunted　her　because　they　feared　truth；　he　thought；　and　she　became　upset　when　he　said　he　was　a　〃seeker　of　truth。〃　Maybe　she　had　bee　upset；　he　decided；　because　it　made　her　fear　for　him；　too。
　
　〃Can　you　at　least　tell　me　who　‘they'　are？　Those　who　hunt　you？〃
　
　She　continued　to　watch　the　road　as　she　walked　next　to　him。　He　didn't　know　if　she　was　going　to　answer　him；　but　at　last　she　did。
　
　〃They　are　the　followers　of　a　very　wicked　man。　His　name　is　Darken　Rahl。　Please　do　not　ask　me　any　more　for　now；　I　do　not　wish　to　think　of　him。〃
　
　Darken　Rahl。　So；　now　he　knew　the　name。
　
　The　late…afternoon　sun　was　behind　the　hills　of　the　Hartland　Woods；　allowing　the　air　to　cool　as　they　passed　through　gently　rolling　hills　of　hardwood　forest。　They　didn't　talk。　He　didn't　care　to　talk　anyway；　as　his　hand　was　hurting　and　he　was　feeling　a　little　dizzy。　A　bath　and　a　warm　bed　were　what　he　wanted。　Better　to　give　her　the　bed；　he　thought；　he　would　sleep　in　his　favorite　chair；　the　one　with　the　squeak。　That　sounded　good；　too；　it　had　been　a　long　day　and　he　ached。
　
　By　a　stand　of　birch　he　turned　her　up　the　small　trail　that　would　lead　past　his　house。　He　watched　her　walking　in　front　of　him　on　the　narrow　path；　picking　spiderwebs　off　her　face　and　arms　as　she　broke　the　strands　strung　across　their　way。
　
　Richard　was　eager　to　get　home。　Along　with　his　knife　and　the　other　things　he　had　forgotten　to　take　along；　there　was　something　else　he　had　to　have；　a　very　important　thing　his　father　had　given　him。
　
　His　father　had　made　him　the　guardian　of　a　secret；　made　him　the　keeper　of　a　secret　book；　and　had　given　Richard　something　to　keep　always；　as　proof　to　the　true　owner　of　the　book；　that　it　was　not　stolen；　but　rescued　for　safekeeping。　It　was　a　triangular　shaped　tooth；　three　fingers　wide。　Richard　had　strung　a　leather　thong　to　it　so　he　could　wear　it　around　his　neck；　but　like　his　knife　and　backpack　he　had　stupidly　left　the　house　without　it。　He　was　impatient　to　have　it　back　around　his　neck；　without　it；　he　couldn't　prove　his　father　wasn't　a　thief。
　
　Higher　up；　after　an　open　area　of　bare　rock；　the　maples；　oaks；　and　birches　began　to　give　way　to　spruce。　The　forest　floor　lost　its　green　for　a　quiet；　brown　mat　of　needles。　As　they　walked　along；　an　uneasy　feeling　began　to　itch　at　him。　He　gently　took　Kahlan's　sleeve　between　his　thumb　and　forefinger；　pulling　her　back。
　
　〃Let　me　go　first；〃　he　said　quietly。　She　looked　at　him　and　obeyed　without　question。　For　the　next　half　hour　he　slowed　the　pace；　studying　the　ground　and　inspecting　every　branch　close　to　the　trail。　Richard　stopped　at　the　base　of　the　last　ridge　before　his　house　and　squatted　them　down　beside　a　patch　of　ferns。
　
　〃What's　wrong？〃　she　asked。
　
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Maybe　nothing；〃　he　whispered；　〃but　someone　has　been　up　the　trail　this　afternoon。〃　He　picked　up　a　flattened　pinecone；　looking　at　it　for　a　short　time　before　tossing　it　away。
　
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　
　〃Spiderwebs。〃　He　looked　up　the　hill。　〃There　aren't　any　spiderwebs　across　the　trail。　Someone　has　been　up　the　trail　and　broken　them。　The　spiders　haven't　had　time　to　string　more；　so　there　aren't　any。〃
　
　〃Does　anyone　else　live　up　this　trail？〃
　
　〃No。　It　could　be　just　a　traveler；　passing　through。　But　this　trail　isn't　used　much。〃
　
　Kahlan　frowned；　perplexed。　〃When　I　was　walking　in　front；　there　were　spiderwebs　all　over。　I　was　picking　them　off　my　face　every　ten　steps。〃
　
　〃That's　what　I'm　talking　about；〃　he　whispered。　〃No　one　had　been　up　that　part　of　the　trail　all　day；　but　since　the　open　place　we　came　through；　there　haven't　been　any　more。〃
　
　〃How　could　that　be？〃
　
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know。　Either　someone　came　out　of　the　woods　back　by　the　clearing；　and　then　went　up　the　trail；　a　very　hard　way　to　travel〃…he　looked　her　in　the　eyes…〃or　they　dropped　in　out　of　the　sky。　My　house　is　over　this　hill。　Let's　keep　our　eyes　sharp。〃
　
　Richard　carefully　led　the　two　of　them　up　the　rise；　both　scanning　the　woods　as　they　went。　He　wanted　to　run　in　the　other　direction；　take　them　away　from　there；　but　he　couldn't。　He　wasn't　running　away　without　the　tooth　his　father　had　given　him　for　safekeeping。
　
　At　the　top　of　the　rise　they　crouched　behind　a　big　pine　and　looked　down　on　his　house。　Windows　were　broken；　and　the　door；　which　he　always　locked；　stood　open。　His　possessions　were　scattered　about　on　the　ground。
　
　Richard　stood。　〃It's　been　ransacked；　just　like　my　father's　house。〃
　
　She　grabbed　a　fistful　of　his　shirt　and　hauled　him　back　down。
　
　〃Richard！〃　she　whispered　angrily。　〃Your　father　may　have　e　home　just　like　this。　Maybe　he　went　in　just　like　you　are　about　to　do；　and　they　were　waiting　for　him。〃
　
　She　was　right；　of　course。　He　ran　his　forgers　through　his　hair；　thinking。　He　looked　back　toward　the　house。　Its　back　sat　hard　up　against　the　woods　with　its　door　facing　the　clearing。　Since　it　was　the　only　door；　anyone　inside　would　expect　him　to　e　running　in　that　way。　That's　where　they　would　wait；　if　they　were　inside。
　
　〃All　right；〃　he　whispered　back；　〃but　there's　something　inside　I　have　to　get。　I'm　not　leaving　without　it。　We　can　sneak　around　the　back；　I'll　get　it；　and　then　we　will　be　away　from　here。〃
　
　Richard　would　have　preferred　not　to　take　her；　but　he　didn't　want　to　leave　her　waiting　on　the　trail；　alone。　They　made　their　way　through　the　woods；　through　the　tangle　of　brush；　skirting　the　house；　giving　it　a　wide　berth。　When　he　reached　the　place　where　he　would　have　to　approach　the　back　of　the　house；　he　motioned　her　to　wait。　She　didn't　like　the　idea；　but　he　would　take　no　argument。　If　there　was　anyone　in　there；　he　didn't　want　them　getting　her　as　well
　
　Leaving　Kahlan　under　a　spruce　tree；　Richard　started　cautiously　toward　the　house；　following　a　serpentine　route　to　stay　on　the　areas　of　soft　needles　instead　of　treading　on　dry　leaves。　When　he　finally　saw　the　back　bedroom　window；　he　stood　frozen；　listening。　He　heard　no　sound。　Carefully；　his　heart　pounding；　he　took　slow　crouched　steps。　There　was　movement　at　his　feet。　A　snake　wriggled　past　his　foot。　fie　waited　for　it　to　pass。
　
　At　the　weathered　back　of　his　house；　he　gently　put　his　hand　on　the　bare　wooden　frame　of　the　window　and　raised　his　head　high　enough　to　look　inside。　Most　of　the　glass　was　broken　out；　and　he　could　see　that　his　bedroom　was　a　mess。　The　bedding　was　slashed　open。　Prized　books　were　torn　apart　and　their　pages　strewn　about　the　floor。　To　the　far　side　of　the　room　the　door　to　the　front　room　was　opened　partway；　but　not　enough　to　see　beyond。　Without　a　wedge　under　it；　that　was　the　spot　the　door　always　swung　to　on　its　own。
　
　Slowly；　he　put　his　head　in　the　window　and　looked　down　at　his　bed。　Below　the　window　was　the　bottom　bedpost；　and　hanging　from　it　were　his　pack　and　the　leather　thong　with　the　tooth；　right　where　he　had　left　them。　He　brought　his　arm　up　and　started　to　reach　through　the　window。
　
　There　was　a　squeak　from　the　front　room；　a　squeak　he　knew　well。　He　went　cold　with　fright。　It　was　the　squeak　his　chair　made。　He　had　never　fixed　the　squeak　because　it　seemed　a　part　of　the　chair's　personality；　and　he　couldn't　bring　himself　to　alter　it。　Soundlessly；　he　dropped　back　down。　There　could　be　no　doubt：　someone　was　in　the　front　room；　sitting　in　his　chair；　waiting　for　him。
　
　Something　caught　his　eye；　making　him　look　to　the　right。　A　squirrel　sat　on　a　rotting　stump　watching　him。　Please；　he　thought　desperately　to　himself；　please　don't　start　chattering　at　me　to　leave　your　territory。　The　squirrel。　watched　him　for　a　long　moment；　then　jumped　off　the　stump　to　a　tree；　scurried　up；　and　was　gone。
　
　Richard　let　out　his　breath；　and　raised　himself　back　up　to　look　in　the　window　again。　The　door　still　stood　as　it　had　before。　Quickly　he　reached　inside　and　carefully　lifted　the　pack　and　leather　thong　with　the　tooth　off　the　bedpost；　listening　wide…eyed　all　the　time　for　the　slightest　sound　from　beyond　the　door。　His　knife　was　on　a　small　table　on　the　other　side　of　the　bed。　There　was　no　chance　of　retrieving　it。　He　lifted　the　pack　through　the　window；　being　careful　not　to　let　it　bump　against　any　of　the　remaining　shards　of　broken　glass。
　
　With　his　booty　in　hand；　Richard　moved　quickly　but　silently　back　the　way　he　had　e；　resisting　a　strong　urge　to　break　into　a　run。　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　as　he　went　to　be　sure　no　one　followed。　He　put　his　head　through　the　loop　of　leather　and　tucked　the　tooth　into　his　shirt。　He　never　let　anyone　see　the　tooth；　it　was　only　for　the　keeper　of　the　secret　book　to　see。
　
　Kahlan　waited　where　he　had　left　her。　When　she　saw　him；　she　sprang　to　her　feet。　He　crossed　his　lips　with　his　finger　to　let　her　know　to　keep　silent。　Slinging　the　pack　over　his　left　shoulder；　he　put　his　other　hand　gently　on　her　back　to　move　her　along。　Not　wanting　to　go　…　back　the　way　they　had　e；　he　guided　her　through　the　woods　to　where　the　trail　continued　above　his　house。　Spiderwebs　strung　across　the　trail　glistened　in　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun　and　they　both　breathed　out　in　relief。　This　trail　was　longer　and　much　more　arduous；　but　it　led　where　he　was　going。　To　Zedd。
　
　The　old　man's　house　was　too　far　to　reach　before　dark　and　the　trail　was　too　treacherous　to　travel　at　night；　but　he　wanted　to　put　as　much　distance　as　he　could　between　them　and　whomever　waited　back　at　his　house。　While　there　was　light；　they　would　keep　moving。
　
　Coldly；　he　wondered　if　whoever　was　in　his　house　could　be　the　same　person　who　had　murdered　his　father。　His　house　was　torn　up　just　like　his　father's　had　b