tw.thestoneoffarewell-第113部分

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ized　faces　and　forms　coalesced；　pricked　in　starlight　against　the　blackness；　then　dissolved　again　just　as　rapidly。
　　
　　Nine　he　wears；　but　his　naked　finger
　　Lifts　and　tastes　the　southerly　breeze　。。。〃
　　
　　As　he　walked　beneath　the　velvet…black　sky　and　wheeling　stars；　Simon　felt　as　if　an　entire　lifetime　might　be　passing　with　incredible　swiftness；　simultaneously；　the　night　journey　seemed　but　a　single　moment　of　near…infinite　duration。　Time　itself　seemed　to　sweep　through　him；　leaving　behind　a　wild　mixture　of　scents　and　sounds。　Aldheorte　had　bee　a　single　living　thing　that　changed　all　around　him　as　the　deathly　chill　melted　away　and　the　warmth　came　pushing　through。　Even　in　darkness　he　could　sense　the　immense；　almost　convulsive　alterations。
　　As　they　walked　in　bright　starlight　beside　the　chattering；　laughing　river；　Simon　thought　he　could　sense　green　leaves　springing　from　bare　boughs　and　vibrant　flowers　forcing　their　way　out　of　the　frozen　ground；　fragile　petals　unfurling　like　the　wings　of　butterflies。　The　forest　seemed　to　be　shaking　off　winter　like　a　snake　shrugging　its　old；　useless　skin。
　　Aditu's　song　wound　through　everything　like　a　single　golden　thread　in　a　tapestry　woven　of　muted　colors。
　　
　　〃。　。　。　Violet　are　the　shadows　in　Lynx's　ears。
　　He　hears　the　sun　rising；
　　His　tread　sends　the　cricket　to　sleep；
　　And　wakes　the　white　rose　。。。〃
　　
　　Morning　light　began　to　permeate　Aldheorte；　spreading　evenly；　as　though　it　had　no　single　source。　The　forest　seemed　alive；　every　leaf　and　branch　poised；　waiting。　The　air　was　filled　with　a　thousand　sounds　and　numberless　scents；　with　birdsong　and　bee…drone；　the　musk　of　living　earth；　the　sweet　rot　of　toadstools；　the　dry　charm　of　pollen。　Unmuffled　by　clouds；　the　sun　climbed　into　a　sky　that　showed　purest　pale　blue　between　the　towering　treetops。
　　
　　〃。　。　。　Sky…singer's　cape　is　buckled　in　gold；〃
　　Aditu　sang　triumphantly；　and　the　forest　seemed　to　throb　around　them　as　though　it　had　one　vast　and　indivisible　pulse。
　　
　　〃His　hair　is　full　of　nightingale　feathers。
　　Every　three　paces　he　casts　pearls　behind；
　　And　saffron　flowers　before　him　。　。　〃
　　
　　She　stopped　in　her　tracks　and　released　Simon's　hand；　his　arm　fell　to　his　side；　limp　as　a　boned　fish。　Aditu　stood　on　her　toes　and　stretched；　lifting　her　upraised　palms　to　the　sun。　Her　waist　was　very　slender。
　　It　took　a　long　time　before　Simon　could　speak。　〃Are　we。。。〃　he　tried　at　last；　〃are　we。。。？〃
　　〃No；　but　we　have　traveled　the　most　difficult　part；〃　she　said；　then　turned　on　him　with　a　droll　look。　〃I　thought　you　would　break　my　hand；　you　clutched　so　hard。〃
　　Simon　remembered　her　calm；　strong　grip　and　thought　how　unlikely　that　was。　He　smiled　dazedly；　shaking　his　head。　〃I　have　never　。。。〃　He　couldn't　make　the　words　e。　〃How　far　have　we　e？〃　
　　She　seemed　to　find　this　a　surprising　question　and　thought　hard　for　a　moment。　〃Quite　far　into　the　forest；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Quite　far　in。〃
　　〃Did　you　make　the　winter　go　away　by　magic？〃　he　asked；　turning　in　a　stumbling　circle。　On　all　sides　the　snow　was　gone。　The　morning　light　knifed　down　through　the　trees　and　splashed　on　the　crush　of　damp　leaves　underfoot。　A　spider　web　quivered；　afire　in　a　column　of　sunlight。　
　　〃The　winter　has　not　gone　away；〃　she　said。　〃We　have　gone　away　from　the　winter。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃The　winter　you　speak　of　is　false…as　you　know。　Here；　in　the　forest's　true　heart　is　a　place　the　storm　and　cold　have　not　penetrated。〃　
　　Simon　thought　he　understood　what　she　was　saying。　〃So　you　are　keeping　the　winter　away　by　magic。〃
　　Aditu　frowned。　〃That　word　again。　Here　the　world　dances　its　true　dance。　That　which　would　change　such　a　truth　is　'magic'…dangerous　magic…or　so　it　seems　to　me。〃　She　turned　away。　obviously　tiring　of　the　subject。　There　was　little　of　imposture　in　Aditu's　character；　at　least　when　it　was　a　matter　of　her　time　being　wasted　in　niceties。　〃We　are　almost　there　now；　so　there　is　no　need　to　rest。　Are　you　hungry　or　thirsty？〃
　　Simon　realized　that　he　was　ravenous；　as　if　he　had　not　eaten　for　days。　〃Yes！　Both。〃
　　Without　another　word；　Aditu　slipped　between　the　trees　and　vanished；　leaving　Simon　standing　alone　by　the　stream。　〃Stay；〃　she　called；　her　voice　echoing　so　that　it　seemed　to　e　from　every　side　at　once。　A　few　moments　later　she　reappeared　with　a　reddish　sphere　held　delicately　in　each　hand。　〃Kraile；〃　she　said。　〃Sunfruits。　Eat　them。〃
　　The　first　sunfruit　proved　sweet　and　full　of　yellowy　juice；　with　a　spicy　aftertaste　that　made　him　quickly　bite　into　the　second。　By　the　time　he　had　finished　both；　his　hunger　was　pleasantly　blunted。
　　〃Now；　e；〃　she　said。　〃I　would　like　to　reach　Shao　Irigu　by　noon　today。〃
　　〃What's　'Shao　Irigu'…and　what　day　is　it　today；　anyway？〃　
　　Aditu　looked　annoyed；　if　such　a　mundane　expression　could　be　said　to　exist　on　so　exotic　a　face。　〃Shao　Irigu　is　the　Summer　Gate；　of　course。　As　for　the　other；　I　cannot　do　all　the　measurements。　That　is　for　those　like　First　Grandmother。　I　think　you　have　a　moon…span　you　call　'Ahn…ee…tool'？〃
　　〃Anitul　is　a　month；　yes。〃
　　〃That　is　as　much　as　I　can　say。　It　is　that　'month；'　by　your　reckoning。〃　
　　Now　it　was　Simon's　turn　to　be　annoyed：　he　could。have　told　her　that　much　himself…although　months　did　tend　to　sneak　past　when　one　was　on　the　road。　What　he　had　been　hoping　to　discover；　in　a　roundabout　way；　was　how　long　it　had　taken　them　to　get　here。　It　would　have　been　easy　to　ask　straight　out；　of　course；　but　somehow　he　knew　that　the　answer　Aditu　gave　him　would　not　be　very　satisfying。
　　The　Sitha…woman　moved　forward。　Simon　scrambled　after　her。　De…　spite　his　irritation；　he　more　than　half…hoped　she　would　ask　for　his　hand　again；　but　that　part　of　the　journey　seemed　to　be　over。　Aditu　picked　her　way　down　the　slope　beside　the　stream　without　looking　back　to　see　if　he　was　following。
　　Nearly　deafened　by　the　cheerful　cacophony　of　birds　in　the　trees　overhead；　bewildered　by　all　that　had　happened；　Simon　opened　his　mouth　to　plain　about　her　evasions；　then　stopped　suddenly　in　his　tracks；　shamed　by　his　own　short…sightedness。　His　weariness　and　crossness　abruptly　fell　away；　as　though　he　had　sloughed　off　a　heavy　blanket　of　snow　dragged　with　him　out　of　winter。　This　was　a　wild　sort　of　magic；　whatever　Aditu　said！　To　have　been　in　a　deadly　storm…a　storm　that　covered　all　the　northern　world；　as　far　as　he　could　tell…and　then　to　follow　a　song　into　sunlight　and　clear　skies！　This　was　as　good　as　anything　Simon　had　ever　heard　in　one　of　Shem　Horsegroom's　stories。　This　was　an　adventure　even　Jack　Mundwode　never　had。　Simon　the　scullion　was　going　to　the　Kingdom　of　the　Fair　Folk！
　　He　hastened　after　her；　chortling。　Aditu　looked　back　at　him　curiously。
　　　
　　As　the　weather　had　changed　during　their　strange　journey；　so；　too；　had　the　vegetation：　the　evergreens　and　low　shrubs　in　which　Simon　had　been　snowbound　and　lost　had　given　way　to　oak　and　birch　and　white　ash；　their　interlaced　branches　bound　with　flowering　creepers；　making　an　overhead　canopy　colorful　as　a　stained　glass　ceiling　but　far　more　delicate。　Ferns　and　wood　sorrel　blanketed　the　stones　and　fallen　trees；　covering　Aldheorte's　floor　with　a　bumpy　counterpane　of　green。　Mushrooms　crouched　hiding　in　pools　of　shadow　like　deserting　soldiers；　while　other　pale　but　oddly　beautiful　fungi　clung　to　the　trunks　of　trees　like　the　steps　of　spiraling　staircases。　The　morning　sun　sprinkled　all　with　a　light　like　fine　silver　and　gold　dust。
　　The　stream　had　cut　a　gentle　gorge　in　its　passage；　winding　down　into　a　valley　whose　bottom　was　obscured　by　close…leaning　trees。　As　Simon　and　Aditu　picked　their　way　carefully　over　the　slippery　rocks　that　lined　the　gorge；　the　stream　filled　the　air　around　them　with　fine　spray。　The　watercourse　splashed　into　a　series　of　narrow　ponds　that　grew　successively　larger　down　the　hillside；　each　one　spilling　over　into　the　one　below。　The　ponds　were　overhung　by　aspen　and　drooping　willows；　the　surrounding　stones　slickly　furred　in　rich　green　moss。
　　Simon　sat　down　on　one　to　rest　his　ankles　and　catch　his　breath。　
　　〃We　will　be　there　before　too　much　longer；〃　Aditu　said；　almost　kindly。　
　　〃I'm　fine。〃　He　stretched　out　his　legs　before　him；　staring　critically　at　his　cracked　boots。　Too　much　snow　had　ruined　the　leather…but　why　should　he　worry　about　that　now？　〃I'm　fine；〃　he　repeated。
　　Aditu　sat　down　on　the　stone　beside　him　and　looked　up　to　the　skies。　There　was　something　quite　marvelous　about　her　face；　something　that　he　had　never　seen　in　her　brother；　despite　the　distinct　familial　resemblance：　Jiriki　had　been　very　interesting　to　look　at；　but　Simon　thought　that　Aditu　was　lovely。
　　〃Beautiful；〃　he　murmured。
　　〃What？〃　Aditu　turned　to　look　at　him　questioningly；　as　though　she　did　not　know　the　word。
　　〃Beautiful；〃　Simon　repeated。　〃Everything　is　very　beautiful　here。〃　He　cursed　himself　for　a　coward　and　took　a　deep　breath。　〃You　are　beautiful；　too；　Lady；〃　he　finally　added。
　　Aditu　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　her　golden　eyes　puzzled；　her　mouth　creased　in　what　seemed　a　tiny　frown。　Then　she　abruptly　burst　into　a　peal　of　hissing　laughter。　Simon　felt　himself　redden。
　　〃Don't　look　so　angry。〃　She　laughed　again。　〃You　are　a　very　beautiful　Snowlock；　Seoman。　I　am　glad　you　are　happy。〃　Her　swift　touch　on　his　hand　was　like　ice　on　a　hot　forehead。　〃e；〃　Aditu　said；　〃we　will　go　on　now；〃
　　The　water；　uninterested　in　their　doings；　continued　on　its　own　way；　belling　and　splashing　beside　them　as　they　made　their　way　down　toward　the　valley。　Scrambling　over　the　rocks　as　he　struggled　to　keep　up　with　light…stepping　Aditu；　Simon　wondered　if　just　this　once　he　might　actually　have　said　the　right　thing。　She　certainly　didn't　seem　angry　at　his　forwardness。　Still；　he　resolved　to　continue　thinking　carefully　before　he　spoke。　These　Sithi　were　damnably　unpredictable！
　　When　they　had　nearly　reached　level　ground；　they　stopped　before　a　pair　of　towering　hemlocks　whose　trunks　seemed　vast　enough　to　be　the　columns　upholding　Heaven。　Where　these　mighty　trees　thrust　up　between　their　smaller　neighbors　into　unshadowed　sunshine；　tangled　nets　of　flower…　ing　creepers　grew　like　an　arbor　between　the　two　trunks；　trailing　blossom…　laden　vines　that　hung　almost　to　the　ground　and　quivered　in　the　wind。　The　grumble　of　bees　was　loudest　from　the　flowers；　but　they　swarmed　every…where　among　the　creepers；'　stolid