tw.thestoneoffarewell-第114部分

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mble　of　bees　was　loudest　from　the　flowers；　but　they　swarmed　every…where　among　the　creepers；'　stolid　laborers　in　gold　and　black；　wings　glistening。
　　〃Stop；〃　Aditu　said。　〃Do　not　so　lightly　pass　through　the　Summer　Gate。〃
　　Despite　the　power　and　beauty　of　the　great　hemlocks；　Simon　was　surprised。　〃This　is　the　gate？　Two　trees？〃
　　Aditu　looked　very　serious。　〃We　left　all　monuments　of　stone　behind　when　we　fled　Asu'a　the　Eastward…Looking；　Seoman。　Now；　Jiriki　bade　me　tell　you　something　before　you　entered　Shao　Irigu。　My　brother　said　that　no　matter　what　may　occur　later；　you　have　been　given　the　rarest　of　all　honors。　You　have　been　brought　to　a　place　in　which　no　mortal　has　ever　set　foot。　Do　you　understand　that？　No　mortal　has　ever　walked　in　beneath　this　gate。〃
　　〃Oh？〃　Simon　was　startled　by　her　words。　He　looked　around　quickly；　fearing　he　might　see　some　disapproving　audience。　〃But。。。　but　I　just　wanted　someone　to　help　me。　I　was　starving　。。。〃
　　〃e；〃　she　said；　〃Jiriki　will　be　waiting。〃　Aditu　took　a　step　forward；　then　turned。　〃And　do　not　look　so　worried；〃　she　smiled。　〃It　is　a　great　honor；　it　is　true；　but　you　are　Hikka　Staja…an　Arrow…Bearer。　Jiriki　does　not　break　the　oldest　rules　for　just　anyone。〃
　　Simon　was　passing　beneath　the　great　trees　before　he　understood　what　Aditu　had　said。　〃Break　the　rules？〃
　　Aditu　was　moving　quickly　now；　almost　skipping；　swift　and　sure…footed　as　a　deer　as　she　made　her　way　along　the　path　that　stretched　downhill　from　the　Summer　Gate。　The　forest　here　seemed　just　as　wild　but　more　acmodating。　Trees　as　old　and　grand　as　these　could　never　have　known　the　touch　of　an　axe；　yet　they　stopped　just　short　of　the　path；　their　hanging　branches　would　not　brush　the　head　of　any　but　the　tallest　traveler。
　　They　followed　this　winding　path　for　no　little　way；　traveling　on　a　rise　just　a　short　distance　above　the　floor　of　the　valley。　The　forest　was　so　thick…shrouded　with　trees　on　either　side　of　the　path　that　Simon　could　never　see　more　than　a　stone's　throw　before　him；　and　began　to　feel　as　though　he　stood　in　one　place　while　an　endless　succession　of　mossy　trunks　marched　past　him。　The　air　had　bee　positively　warm。　The　wild　river…　which；　judging　from　its　noisy　voice；　snaked　a　parallel　course　along　the　valley　floor　not　a　hundred　cubits　away…filled　the　forest　air　with　delicate　mist。　The　sleepy　hum　of　bees　and　other　insects　washed　over　Simon　like　a　healthy　swallow　of　Binabik's　hunt…liquor。
　　He　had　almost　forgotten　himself　entirely；　and　was　dreamily　following　Aditu　by　sheer　repetition　of　left　foot；　right　foot；　left　foot；　when　the　Sitha…woman　drew　him　to　a　halt。　To　their　left　the　curtain　of　trees　fell　away；　revealing　the　valley　floor。
　　〃Turn；〃　she　said；　suddenly　whispering。　〃Remember；　Seoman；　you　are　the　first　of　your　kind　to　see　Jao　e…Tinukai'i…the　Boat　on　the　Ocean　of　Trees。〃
　　
　　It　was　nothing　like　a　boat；　of　course；　but　Simon　understood　the　name　in　an　instant。　Stretched　between　treetop　and　ground；　and　from　trunk　to　trunk　and　bough　to　bough；　the　billowing　sheets　of　cloth　in　a　thousand　diverse　colors　resembled　at　first　sight　nothing　so　much　as　exquisite　sails…　indeed；　for　that　first　moment　the　entire　valley　floor　seemed　in　truth　a　vast　and　incredible　ship。
　　Some　of　these　expanses　of　brilliantly　gleaming　cloth　had　been　stretched　and　tented　to　make　roofs。　Others　twined　about　the　trunks　of　trees；　or　spanned　from　bough　to　ground　to　form　translucent　walls。　Some　simply　heaved　and　snapped　in　the　wind；　bound　to　the　highest　branches　with　shiny　cords　and　allowed　to　wave。　The　whole　city　undulated　with　every　shift　of　the　wind；　like　a　seaweed　forest　on　the　ocean　floor　bowing　gracefully　with　the　tide。
　　The　cloth　and　binding　cords　mirrored　with　subtle　differences　the　hues　of　the　forest　all　around；　so　that　in　places　the　additions　were　barely　discernible　from　that　which　had　grown　naturally。　In　fact；　as　Simon　peered　closer；　overwhelmed　with　Jao　e…Tinukai'i's　subtle　and　fragile　beauty；　he　saw　that　in　many　places　the　forest　and　city　appeared　to　have　truly　been　shaped　as　one；　so　that　they　blended　together　with　unearthly　harmony。　The　river　which　meandered　along　the　center　of　the　valley　floor　was　more　subdued　here；　but　still　full　of　relentless；　ringing　music；　the　rippling　light　it　reflected　onto　the　city's　shifting　facades　added　to　the　illusion　of　watery　depth。　Simon　thought　he　could　also　see　the　silvery　tracks　of　other　streams　weaving　in　and　out　through　the　trees。
　　The　forest　floor　between　the　houses…if　such　they　were…was　covered　with　thick　greenery；　mostly　springy　clover。　This　grew　like　a　carpet　everywhere　but　on　the　paths　of　dark　earth　that　had　been　lined　with　shimmering　white　stone。　A　few　of　the　gracefully　haphazard　bridges　that　spanned　the　waterway　were　also　constructed　of　this　same　stone。　Beside　these　paths；　strange　birds　with　fanlike；　iridescent　tails　of　green　and　blue　and　yellow　strutted　or　flapped　unsteadily　back　and　forth　between　earth　and　the　lowest　branches　of　the　surrounding　trees；　all　the　while　uttering　harsh　and　somewhat　foolish…sounding　cries。　There　were　other　flashes　of　incandescent　color　among　the　upper　branches；　birds　as　brilliantly…feathered　as　the　fantails　but　considerably　more　mellifluous　of　voice。
　　Warm；　gentle　winds　lifted　an　essence　of　spices　and　tree　sap　and　summer　grass　to　Simon's　nose；　the　avian　choir　fluted　a　thousand　different　songs　that　somehow　fit　together　like　a　terrifyingly　beautiful　puzzle。　The　marvelous　city　stretched　away　before　him　into　the　sunlit　forest；　a　Heaven　more　weling　than　any　he　had　ever　envisioned。
　　〃It's　。　。　。　wonderful；〃　Simon　breathed。　
　　〃e；〃　Aditu　said。　〃Jiriki　awaits　you　in　his　house。〃
　　She　beckoned。　When　he　didn't　move；　she　gently　took　his　hand　and　led　him。　Simon　stared　around　in　delight　and　awe　as　they　followed　a　cross…trail　down　off　the　rise　and　onto　the　outermost　path　of　the　valley　floor。　The　rustling　of　silken　folds　and　the　murmuring　river　blended　their　melodies　together　beneath　the　birdsong；　creating　a　new　sound　that　was　altogether　different；　but　still　infinitely　satisfying。
　　There　was　a　long　time　of　looking；　smelling；　and　listening　before　Simon　ever　began　thinking　once　more。　〃Where　is　everyone？〃　he　asked　at　last。　In　all　of　the　city　within　his　sight；　a　space　easily　twice　the　size　of　Battle　Square　back　in　Erchester；　he　could　not　see　a　single　living　soul。　
　　〃We　are　a　solitary　folk；　Seoman；〃　Aditu　said。　〃We　stay　largely　to　ourselves；　except　at　certain　times。　Also；　it　is　midday　now；　when　many　of　our　people　like　to　leave　the　city　and　go　out　walking。　I　am　surprised　we　saw　no　one　near　the　Pools。〃
　　Despite　her　reasonable　words；　Simon　thought　he　sensed　something　troubling　the　Sitha；　as　though　she　herself　was　not　quite　sure　she　spoke　the　truth。　But　he　had　no　way　of　knowing：　expressions　or　behaviors　that　meant　something　definite　among　those　with　whom　Simon　had　grown　up　were　almost　useless　as　standards　by　which　to　judge　any　of　the　Sitha　he　had　met。　Nevertheless；　he　felt　fairly　sure　that　something　was　troubling　his　guide；　and　that　it　might　very　well　be　the　emptiness　Simon　had　noticed。
　　A　large　wildcat　strode　imperiously　onto　the　pathway　before　them。　For　a　startled　moment；　Simon　felt　his　heart　speed　to　a　frenzied　pace。　Despite　the　creature's　size；　Aditu　did　not　break　stride；　walking　toward　it　as　calmly　as　if　it　were　not　there。　With　a　flip　of　its　stubby　tail；　the　wildcat　abruptly　bounded　away　and　vanished　into　the　undergrowth；　leaving　only　the　bouncing　fronds　of　a　fern　to　show　it　had　existed　at　all。
　　Clearly；　Simon　realized；　birds　were　not　the　only　creatures　who　roamed　unhindered　through　Jao　e…Tinukai'i。　Beside　the　path；　the　coats　of　foxes…　seldom　seen　at　night；　let　alone　bright　noon…glimmered　like　flames　in　the　tangled　brush。　Hares　and　squirrels　stared　incuriously　at　the　pair　as　they　passed。　Simon　felt　quite　sure　that　if　he　leaned　down　toward　any　of　them　they　would　move　unhurriedly　out　of　his　fumbling　reach；　dismoded　for　a　moment　but　utterly　unafraid。
　　They　crossed　a　bridge　over　one　of　the　river…forks；　then　turned　and　followed　the　watercourse　down　a　long　corridor　of　willows。　A　ribbon　of　white　cloth　wound　in　and　out　among　the　trees　on　their　left；　wrapped　about　trunks　and　looped　over　branches。　As　they　passed　farther　down　the　row　of　willow　sentries；　the　initial　ribbon　was　joined　by　another。　These　two　snaked　in　and　out；　crossing　behind　and　before　each　other　as　though　engaged　in　a　kind　of　static　dance。
　　Soon　more　white　ribbons　of　different　widths　began　to　appear；　woven　into　the　growing　pattern　in　knots　of　fantastic　intricacy。　These　weavings　at　first　made　up　only　simple　forms；　but　soon　Simon　and　Aditu　began　to　pass　increasingly　plex　pictures　that　hung　in　the　spaces　framed　by　the　willow　trunks：　blazing　suns；　cloudy　skies　overhanging　oceans　covered　with　jagged　waves；　leaping　animals；　figures　in　flowing　robes　or　filigreed　armor；　all　formed　by　interlaced　knots。　As　the　first　plain　pictures　became　entire　tapestries　of　tangled　light　and　shadow；　Simon　understood　that　he　watched　an　unfolding　story。　The　ever…growing　tapestry　of　knotted　fabric　portrayed　people　who　loved　and　fought　in　a　gardenlike　land　of　incredible　strangeness；　a　place　where　plants　and　creatures　thrived　whose　forms　seemed　obscure　even　though　precisely　rendered　by　the　unknown　weaver's　masterful；　magical　hands。
　　Then；　as　the　tapestry　eloquently　showed；　something　began　to　go　wrong。　Only　ribbons　of　white　were　used；　but　still　Simon　could　almost　see　the　dark　stain　that　began　to　spread　through　the　people's　lives　and　hearts；　the　way　it　sickened　them。　Brother　fought　brother；　and　what　had　been　a　place　of　unmatched　beauty　was　blighted　beyond　hope。　Some　of　the　people　began　building　ships。。。
　　〃Here；〃　Aditu　said；　startling　him。　The　tapestry　had　led　them　to　a　whirlpool　swirl　of　pale　fabric；　an　inward…leading　spiral　that　appeared　to　lead　up　a　gentle　hill。　On　the　right；　beside　this　odd　door；　the　tapestry　leaped　away　across　the　river；　trembling　in　the　bright　air　like　a　bridge　of　silk。　Where　the　taut　ribbons　of　the　tapestry　vaulted　the　splashing　stream；　the　knots　portrayed　eight　magnificent　ships　at　sea；　cresting　woven　waves。　The　tapestry　touched　the　willows　on　the　far　side　and　turned；　winding　back　up　the　watercourse　in　the　direction　from　which　Simon　and　Aditu　had　e；　stretching　away　from　tree　to　tree　until　it　could　no　lon