tw.thestoneoffarewell-第112部分

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on　had　moved　ever　so　slightly…a　frightening　sensation　that　brought　on　a　moment　of　dizziness。　As　a　child　he　had　sometimes　whirled　himself　around　and　around　in　a　circle；　when　he　stopped；　the　world　would　continue　to　reel　about　him。　This　dizziness　felt　much　like　that；　yet　calmer；　as　though　the　world　that　spun　beneath　his　feet　moved　as　deliberately　as　the　unfolding　petals　of　a　flower。
　　Aditu's　wordless；　airy　drone　solidified　into　a　litany　of　unfamiliar　Sithi　speech；　then　trailed　off　into　silent　breathing　once　more。　The　drab　light　slipping　down　through　the　snowbound　trees　seemed　to　have　gained　some　warmer　color；　an　infinitesimal　shift　of　hue　that　leavened　the　gray　with　blue　and　gold。　The　silence　stretched。
　　〃Is　this　magic？〃　Simon　heard　his　voice　shatter　the　stillness　like　the　braying　of　a　donkey。　He　immediately　felt　foolish。　Aditu　swung　her　head　to　look　at　him；　but　her　expression　showed　no　anger。
　　〃I　am　not　sure　what　you　mean；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　how　we　find　a　hidden　place；　and　Jao　e…Tinukai'i　is　indeed　hidden。　But　there　is　no　power　in　the　words　themselves；　if　that　is　what　you　ask。　They　could　be　spoken　in　any　language。　They　help　the　searcher　to　remember　certain　signs；　certain　paths。　If　that　is　not　what　you　mean　by　'magic；'　I　am　sorry　to　disappoint　you。〃
　　She　did　not　look　very　sorry。　Her　mischievous　smile　had　e　back。
　　〃I　shouldn't　have　interrupted；〃　Simon　muttered。　〃I　always　asked　my　friend　Doctor　Morgenes　to　show　me　magic。　He　never　did。〃　The　thought　of　the　old　man　brought　back　a　memory　of　a　sunny　morning　in　the　doctor's　dusty　chamber；　the　sound　of　Morgenes　mumbling　and　musing　to　himself　while　Simon　swept。　With　that　memory　came　a　fierce　pang　of　regret。　All　those　things　were　gone。　
　　〃Morgenes。。。〃　Aditu　said　musingly。　〃I　saw　him　once；　when　he　visited　my　uncle　in　our　lodge。　He　was　a　pretty　young　man。〃
　　〃Young　man？〃　Simon　stared　again　at　her　thin；　waiflike　face。　〃Doctor　Morgenes？〃
　　The　Sitha　suddenly　became　serious　once　more。　〃We　should　delay　no　longer。　Would　you　like　me　to　sing　the　song　in　your　tongue？　It　could　cause　no　harm　that　is　worse　than　the　trouble　we　are　already　brewing；　you　and　I。〃
　　〃Trouble？〃　Confusion　was　piling　on　confusion；　but　Aditu　had　taken　her　odd　stance　once　more。　He　had　a　sudden　feeling　that　he　must　speak　quickly；　as　though　a　door　were　being　closed。　〃Yes；　please；　in　my　tongue！〃
　　She　settled　on　the　balls　of　her　feet；　poised　like　a　cricket　on　a　branch。　After　breathing　measuredly　for　a　moment；　she　again　began　to　chant。　The　song　slowly　became　recognizable；　the　clumsy；　blocky　sounds　of　Simon's　Westerling　speech　softening　and　turning　liquid；　the　words　running　and　flowing　together　like　melting　wax。
　　〃The　Serpent's　dreaming　eye　is　green；〃　she　sang；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　icicles　that　hung　like　jeweled　pennants　from　the　branches　of　a　dying　hemlock。　The　fire　absent　from　the　muted　sun　now　burned　in　their　scintillant　depths。
　　
　　〃His　track　is　moon…silver。
　　Only　the　Woman…with…a…net　can　see
　　The　secret　places　that　he　goes　。。。〃
　　
　　Aditu's　hand　drifted　out　from　her　side　and　hung　in　the　air　for　a　long　moment　before　Simon　realized　that　he　was　expected　to　take　it。　He　grasped　her　fingers　in　his　gloved　hand；　but　she　pulled　free。　For　a　moment　he　thought　he　had　guessed　wrong；　that　he　had　forced　some　unwanted；　oafish　intimacy　on　this　golden…eyed　creature；　but　as　her　fingers　flexed　impatiently　he　realized　in　a　rush　of　confusing　feelings　that　she　wanted　his　bare　hand。　He　pulled　his　leather　mitten　off　with　his　teeth；　then　clasped　her　slender　wrist　with　fingers　warm　and　moist　from　their　residence　in　the　glove。　She　gently　but　firmly　pulled　her　wrist　away；　this　time　sliding　her　hand　against　his　own；　her　cool　fingers　curled　around　his。　With　a　head…　shake　like　a　cat　awakened　from　a　nap；　she　repeated　the　words　she　had　sung：
　　
　　〃The　Serpent's　dreaming　eye　is　green；
　　His　trade　is　moon…silver：
　　Only　the　Woman…with…a…net　can　see
　　The　secret　places　that　he　goes　。。。〃
　　
　　Aditu　led　him　forward；　ducking　beneath　the　hemlock　bough　and　its　burden　of　icicles。　The　stiff；　snow…salted　breeze　that　clawed　at　his　face　brought　tears　into　his　eyes。　The　forest　before　him　was　suddenly　distorted；　as　though　he　were　trapped　inside　one　of　the　icicles；　staring　out。　He　heard　his　boots　crunching　in　the　snow；　but　it　seemed　to　be　happening　at　a　great　distance；　as　though　his　head　floated　treetop…high。
　　
　　〃Wind…child　wears　an　indigo　crown；　
　　
　　Aditu　crooned。　They　walked；　but　if　felt　more　like　floating；　or　swimming。
　　
　　〃His　boots　are　of　rabbit　skin。
　　Invisible　is　he　to　Moon…mother's　stare；
　　But　she　can　hear　his　cautious　breathing　。　。　。〃
　　
　　They　turned　and　clambered　down　into　what　should　have　been　a　gulley　lined　with　evergreens；　instead；　to　Simon's　misted　eyes　the　tree　limbs　resembled　shadowy　arms　reaching　out　to　enfold　the　two　travelers。　Branches　swatted　at　his　thighs　as　he　passed；　their　scent　spicy　and　strong。　Sap…covered　needles　clung　to　his　breeches。　The　wind…which　breathed　whisperingiy　among　the　swaying　branches…was　a　little　more　moist；　but　still　shiveringly　cold。
　　
　　〃。　。　。　Yellow　is　the　dust　on　old　Tortoise's　shell。〃
　　
　　Aditu　paused　before　a　bank　of　umber　stone；　which　thrust　from　the　snow　at　the　bottom　of　the　gulley　like　the　wall　of　a　ruined　house。　As　she　stood　singing　before　it；　the　sunlight　that　fell　through　the　trees　abruptly　shifted　its　angle；　the　shadows　in　the　crevices　of　stone　deepened；　then　overtopped　their　clefts　like　flooding　rivers；　sliding　across　the　face　of　the　rock　as　though　the　hidden　sun　were　plummeting　swiftly　toward　its　eve…　ning　berth。
　　
　　〃He　goes　in　deep　places；〃
　　she　chanted；
　　
　　〃Bedded　beneath　the　dry　rock；
　　He　counts　his　own　heartbeats　in　chalky　shadow　。。。〃
　　
　　They　curved　around　the　massive　stone　and　suddenly　found　themselves　on　a　down…slanting　bank。　Smaller　outcroppings　of　dusky　rock；　pale　pink　and　sandy　brown；　pushed　up　through　the　snowy　ground。　The　trees　that　loomed　against　the　sky　were　a　darker　green　here；　and　full　of　quiet　birdsong。　Winter's　bite　was　noticeably　less。
　　They　had　traveled；　but　it　seemed　they　had　also　passed　from　one　kind　of　day　to　another；　as　though　they　somehow　walked　at　right　angles　to　the　normal　world；　moving　unrestrainedly　as　the　angels　that　Simon　had　been　told　flew　here　and　there　at　God's　bidding。　How　could　that　be？
　　Staring　up　past　the　trees　into　the　featureless　gray　sky。　Aditu's　hand　clutched　in　his；　Simon　wondered　if　he　might　indeed　have　died。　Might　this　solemn　creature　beside　him…whose　eyes　seemed　fixed　on　things　he　could　not　see…be　escorting　his　soul　to　some　final　destination；　while　his　lifeless　body　lay　somewhere　in　the　forest；　slowly　vanishing　beneath　a　blanket　of　drifting　snow？
　　Is　it　warm　in　Heaven？　he　wondered　absently。
　　He　rubbed　at　his　face　with　his　free　hand　and　felt　the　reassuring　pain　of　his　chapped　skin。　In　any　case；　it　mattered　little：　he　was　going　where　this　one　led　him。　His　contented　helplessness　was　such　that　he　felt　he　could　no　more　remove　his　hand　from　hers　than　remove　his　head　from　his　body。
　　
　　〃。　。　。　Cloud…song　waves　a　scarlet　torch：
　　A　ruby　beneath　a　gray　sea。
　　She　smells　of　cedar　bark；
　　And　wears　ivory　at　her　breast　。。。〃
　　
　　Aditu's　voice　rose　and　fell；　her　song's　slow；　thoughtful　cadence　blending　with　the　birdsong　as　the　waters　of　one　river　would　meld　indistinguishably　into　the　flow　of　another。　Each　verse　in　the　endless　stream；　each　cycle　of　names　and　colors；　was　a　jeweled　puzzle　whose　solution　always　seemed　　to　be　at　Simon's　fingertips　but　never　revealed　itself。　By　the　time　he　thought　he　might　be　making　sense　of　something；　it　was　gone；　and　something　new　was　dancing　on　the　forest　air。
　　The　two　travelers　passed　from　the　bank　of　stones　into　deep　shade；　entering　a　thicket　of　dark　green　hedges　pearled　with　tiny　white　flowers。　The　foliage　was　damp；　the　snow　underfoot　soggy　and　unstable。　Simon　clasped　Aditu's　hand　more　firmly。　He　tried　to　wipe　his　eyes；　which　had　blurred　again。　The　little　white　flowers　smelled　of　wax　and　cinnamon。
　　
　　〃。　。　。　The　Otter's　eye　is　pebble…brown。
　　He　slides　beneath　ten　wet　leaves；
　　When　he　dances　in　diamond　streams；
　　The　Lantern…bearer　laughs　。。。〃
　　
　　And　now；　joining　with　the　rising　and　falling　melody　of　Aditu's　song　and　the　delicate　trill　of　birds；　came　the　sound　of　water　splashing　in　shallow　pools；　tuneful　as　a　musical　instrument　made　of　fragile　glass。　Shimmering　light　sparkled　on　melting　snowdrops；　as　he　listened　in　wonderment；　Simon　looked　all　around　at　the　starry　gleam　of　sun　through　water。　The　tree　branches　seemed　to　be　dripping　light。
　　They　walked　beside　a　small　but　active　stream　whose　joyful　voice　reverberated　through　the　tree…pillared　forest　halls。　Melting　snow　lay　atop　the　stones　and　rich　black　earth　lay　beneath　the　damp　leaves。　Simon's　head　was　whirling。　Aditu's　melody　ran　through　all　his　thoughts；　just　as　the　stream　slid　around　and　over　the　polished　stones　that　made　its　bed。　How　long　had　they　been　walking？　It　had　seemed　only　a　few　steps　at　first；　but　now　it　suddenly　seemed　they　had　marched　for　hours…days！　And　why　was　the　snow　vanishing　away？　Just　moments　ago　it　had　covered　everything！
　　Spring！　he　thought；　and　felt　a　nervous　but　exultant　laughter　bubbling　inside　him。　I　think　we're　walking　into　Spring！
　　They　strode　on　beside　the　stream。　Aditu's　music　chimed　on　and　on　like　the　water。　The　sun　had　vanished。　Sunset　was　blooming　in　the　sky　like　a　rose；　singeing　all　of　Aldheorte's　leaves　and　branches　and　trunks　with　fiery　light；　touching　the　stones　with　crimson。　As　Simon　watched；　the　blaze　flared　and　died　in　the　sky；　then　was　swiftly　supplanted　by　spreading　purple；　which　itself　was　devoured　in　turn　by　sable　darkness。　The　world　seemed　to　be　spinning　faster　beneath　him；　but　he　still　felt　firmly　grounded：　one　foot　followed　the　other；　and　Aditu's　hand　was　firm　in　his。
　　
　　〃。　。　。　Stone…listener's　mantle　is　black　as　jet；
　　His　rings　shine　like　stars；
　　
　　As　she　sang　these　words；　a　scattering　of　white　stars　indeed　appeared　against　the　vault　of　the　heavens。　They　blossomed　and　faded　in　a　succession　of　shifting　patterns。　Half…realized　faces　and　forms　coalesced；　pricked　in　starlight　against　the　blackness；　then　dissolved　again　jus