tw.thestoneoffarewell-第129部分

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　vanished　from　between　the　branches　the　pond　became　a　somber　mirror；　stars　blooming　in　its　violet　depths。
　　Simon　had　never　really　listened　to　the　sounds　of　oning　night；　but　Jiriki's　often　silent　pany　encouraged　him　to　give　ear　to　the　songs　of　cricket　and　frog；　to　begin　to　hear　the　sighing　of　wind　in　the　trees　as　something　other　than　a　warning　to　pull　his　hat　down　tightly　over　his　ears。　At　times；　as　he　sank　into　the　swelling　evening；　he　felt　he　was　on　the　verge　of　some　great　understanding。　A　sense　of　being　more　than　himself　stole　over　him；　of　what　it　felt　like　to　live　in　a　world　that　cared　little　for　cities　or　castles　or　the　worries　of　the　folk　who　built　them。　Sometimes　he　was　frightened　by　the　size　of　this　world；　by　the　limitless　depths　of　the　evening　sky　salted　with　cold　stars。
　　But　for　all　these　unfamiliar　insights；　he　still　remained　Simon；　most　of　the　time　he　was　merely　frustrated。
　　〃Surely　he　didn't　mean　it。〃　He　licked　the　juice　of　a　just…devoured　pear　from　his　fingers；　then　peevishly　flung　the　core　across　the　grassy　verge。　Beside　him；　Jiriki　was　toying　with　the　stem　that　remained　from　his　own。　This　was　Simon's　fifteenth　evening　in　Jao　e…Tmukai'i…or　was　it　the　sixteenth？　〃Stay　here　until　I　die？　That's　madness！〃　He　had　not；　of　course；　told　Jiriki　of　his　failed　attempt　at　escape；　but　neither　could　he　pretend　to　be　satisfied　with　his　captivity。
　　Jiriki　made　what　Simon　had　e　to　recognize　as　an　unhappy　face；　a　subtle　thinning　of　the　lips；　a　hooding　of　his　upturned；　feline　eyes。　〃They　are　my　parents；〃　the　Sitha　said。　〃They　are　Shima'onari　and　Likimeya；　Lords　of　the　Zida'ya；　and　what　they　decide　is　as　unchangeable　as　the　wheel　of　seasons。
　　〃But　then　why　did　you　bring　me　here？　You　broke　that　rule！〃　
　　〃There　was　no　rule　to　break。　Not　truly。〃　Jiriki　twitched　the　stem　once　more　between　his　long　fingers；　then　flicked　it　into　the　pond。　A　tiny　circle　spread　to　show　where　it　had　fallen。　〃It　was　always　an　unspoken　law；　but　that　is　different　than　a　Word　of　mand。　It　is　traditional　among　the　Dawn　Children　that　we　may　do　what　we　please　unless　it　goes　against　a　Word　of　mand；　but　this　business　of　bringing　a　mortal　here　cuts　to　the　heart　of　the　things　that　have　divided　our　people　since　time　out　of　mind。　I　can　only　ask　you　to　forgive　me；　Seoman。　It　was　a　risk；　and　I　had　no　right　to　gamble　with　your　life。　However；　I　have　e　to　believe　that　for　once…　and　hear　me；　only　this　once…you　mortals　may　be　right　and　my　folk　may　be　wrong。　This　spreading　winter　threatens　many　things　beside　the　kingdoms　of　the　Sudhoda'ya。〃
　　Simon　lay　back；　staring　up　at　the　brightening　stars。　He　tried　to　smother　the　feeling　of　desperation　that　rose　inside　him。　〃Might　your　parents　change　their　minds？〃
　　〃They　might；〃　Jiriki　said　slowly。　〃They　are　wise；　and　would　be　kind　if　they　could。　But　do　not　let　your　hopes　rise　too　high。　We　Zida'ya　never　hasten　to　decisions；　especially　difficult　ones。　What　might　seem　to　them　a　reasonable　time　to　ponder　could　be　years；　and　such　waiting　is　hard　for　mortals　to　bear。〃
　　〃Years！〃　Simon　was　horrified。　He　suddenly　understood　the　beast　that　would　gnaw　off　its　own　leg　to　escape　a　trap。　〃Years！〃
　　〃I　am　sorry；　Seoman。〃　Jiriki's　voice　was　hoarse　as　though　with　great　pain；　but　his　golden　features　still　showed　little　emotion。　〃There　is　one　hopeful　sign；　but　do　not　read　too　much　into　it。　The　butterflies　remain。〃　
　　〃What？〃
　　〃At　the　Yasira。　They　gather　when　great　decisions　are　to　be　made。　They　have　not　flown；　so　there　are　things　still　unresolved。〃
　　〃What　things？〃　Despite　Jiriki's　warning；　Simon　felt　a　surge　of　hope。
　　〃I　do　not　know。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Now　is　the　time　for　me　to　stay　away。　At　this　moment；　I　am　not　my　father's　and　mother's　favored　voice；　so　I　must　wait　before　I　go　to　them　again　to　make　my　arguments。　Fortunately；　First　Grandmother　Amerasu　seems　to　have　concerns　about　my　parents'　actions…my　father's；　especially。〃　He　smiled　wryly。　〃Her　words　carry　great　weight。〃
　　Amerasu。　Simon　knew　that　name。　He　inhaled　deeply　of　the　night。　Suddenly　it　came　back　to　him：　a　face　more　beautiful　and　yet　undeniably　more　ancient　than　even　those　of　Jiriki's　ageless　parents。　Simon　sat　up。　
　　〃Do　you　know；　Jiriki；　I　saw　her　face　once　in　the　mirror…Amerasu；　the　one　you　call　First　Grandmother。〃
　　〃In　the　mirror？　In　the　dragon…scale　mirror？〃
　　Simon　nodded。　〃I　know　I　wasn't　supposed　to　use　it　unless　I　was　calling　for　your　help；　but　what　happened。。。　it　was　an　accident。〃　He　proceeded　to　describe　his　strange　encounter　with　Amerasu　and　the　terrifying　appearance　of　silver…masked　Utuk'ku。
　　Jiriki　seemed　to　have　entirely　forgotten　the　crickets；　despite　the　splendor　of　their　song。　〃I　did　not　forbid　you　to　use　the　mirror；　Seoman；〃　he　said。　〃What　is　surprising　is　that　you　were　able　to　see　anything　but　natural　reflection。　That　is　odd。〃　He　made　an　unfamiliar　gesture　with　his　hand。　〃I　must　talk　to　First　Grandmother　about　this。　Very　odd。〃
　　〃May　I　e？〃　Simon　asked。　
　　〃No；　Seoman　Snowlock；〃　Jiriki　smiled。　〃No　one　goes　to　see　Amerasu　the　Ship…Born　without　her　invitation。　Even　Root　and　Bough…what　you　would　call　her　nearest　kin…must　ask　very　respectfully　for　such　a　favor。　You　do　not　know　how　astonishing　it　is　that　you　saw　her　m　my　mirror。　You　are　a　menace；　manchild。〃
　　〃A　menace？　Me？〃
　　The　Sitha　laughed。　〃Your　presence　is　what　I　refer　to。〃　He　touched　Simon　lightly　on　the　shoulder。　〃You　are　without　precedent；　Snowlock。　pletely　unknown　and　unforeseen。〃　He　rose。　〃I　will　move　on　this。　I　am　anxious　myself　for　something　to　do。〃
　　Simon；　who　had　never　been　good　at　waiting；　was　left　alone　with　the　pond；　the　crickets；　and　the　unreachable　stars。
　　
　　It　all　seemed　so　strange。　One　moment　he　had　been　fighting　for　his　life；　perhaps　even　for　the　survival　of　all　Osten　Ard；　struggling　against　bone…weanness　and　dark　magic　and　terrible　odds；　a　moment　later　he　had　been　snatched　out　of　winter　and　dropped　headlong　into　summer；　out　of　hideous　danger　and　into。。。　boredom。
　　But；　Simon　realized；　it　was　not　even　so　simple　as　that。　Just　because　he　had　been　removed　from　the　world　did　not　mean　that　the　problems　he　had　left　behind　were　solved。　On　the　contrary；　somewhere　out　there；　living　or　dead　in　the　snowy　woods　beyond　Jao　e…Tinukai'i；　was　his　horse　Homefinder　and　its　terrible　burden…the　sword　Thorn；　for　which　Simon　and　his　fnends　had　crossed　hundreds　of　leagues　and　shed　precious　blood。　Men　and　Sithi　alike　had　died　to　find　that　blade　for　Josua。　Now；　with　the　sword　perhaps　lost　in　the　forest；　Simon　had　been　imprisoned　as　offhandedly　as　Rachel　had　once　locked　him　in　one　of　the　Hayholt's　dark　pantries　for　some　trifling　misdeed。
　　Simon　had　told　Jiriki　about　the　lost　sword；　but　the　Sitha　had　only　shrugged；　infuriatingly　placid。　There　was　nothing　to　be　done。
　　
　　Simon　looked　up。　He　had　wandered　far　up　the　riverbank　in　the　stillness　of　early　afternoon；　Jiriki's　house；　with　its　tapestry　of　knots；　had　fallen　out　of　sight　behind　him。　He　sat　down　on　a　stone　and　watched　a　white　egret　stilt　out　into　one　of　the　river's　shallow　backwaters；　bright　eye　staring　obliquely；　pretending　disinterest　to　allay　the　fears　of　any　wary　fish。
　　He　was　sure　that　at　least　three　weeks　had　passed　since　he　had　e　to　the　valley。　For　the　last　few　days　his　imprisonment　had　seemed　almost　a　sort　of　terribly　dull　joke；　one　that　had　gone　on　too　long　and　now　threatened　to　spoil　everyone's　enjoyment。
　　〃What　can　I　do？　〃　In　frustration；　he　scrabbled　up　a　twig　from　the　dirt　and　sent　it　spinning　out　onto　the　water。　〃There's　no　way　to　leave。〃'
　　Thinking　back　on　the　grand　failure　of　his　first　escape　and　the　other　confirming　experiments　that　had　followed；　Simon　made　a　noise　of　disgust　and　threw　another　twig　out　onto　the　river。　Every　attempt　to　find　his　way　out　had　left　him　back　in　the　center　of　Jao　e…Tinukai'i。
　　How　could　I　have　been　such　a　mooncalf？　he　thought　sourly。　Why　should　I　think　it　would　he　so　easy　to　walk　away　from　here；　when　Aditu　and　I　had　to　walk　clear　out　of　winter　to　arrive？　The　stick　whirled　for　a　moment；　spinning　like　a　weathervane；　then　was　sucked　under　by　the　gentle　current。
　　That's　me；　he　thought。　That's　what　I'll　be　like　as　far　as　these　Sithi…folk　are　concerned。　I'll　be　around　for　a　little　while；　then　before　they　even　realize　I'm　getting　old；　I'll　be　dead。　The　thought　brought　a　lump　of　terror　into　his　throat。　Suddenly；　he　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　be　around　his　own　short…lived　kind…even　Rachel　the　Dragon…rather　than　these　soft…spoken；　cat…eyed　immortals。
　　 Filled　with　restlessness；　he　sprang　up　from　the　riverbank；　kicking　his　way　through　the　reeds　as　he　pushed　back　toward　the　path。　He　almost　bumped　into　someone：　a　Sitha…man；　dressed　only　m　a　pair　of　thin；　loose…　fitting　blue　breeches；　who　stood　in　the　undergrowth　and　gazed　out　toward　the　river。　For　a　moment；　Simon　thought　this　stranger　had　been　spying　on　him；　but　the　fine…boned　face　showed　no　expression　at　Simon's　approach。　The　Sitha　continued　to　stare　out　past　him　as　the　youth　walked　by。　The　stranger　was　singing　quietly　to　himself；　a　breathy　melody　of　sibilances　and　pauses。　His　attention　was　fixed　on　a　tree　growing　out　of　the　riverbank；　half…submerged　in　the　current。
　　Simon　could　not　restrain　a　grunt　of　irritation。　What　was　wrong　with　these　people？　They　wandered　around　like　sleepwalkers；　said　things　that　made　no　sense…even　Jiriki　sometimes　talked　mysterious；　circular　nonsense；　and　the　prince　was　by　far　the　most　direct　of　this　tribe…and　they　all　looked　at　Simon　as　though　he　were　an　insect。　When　they　bothered　to　notice　him　at　all。
　　Several　times　Simon　had　encountered　Sithi　who　he　was　certain　were　Ki'ushapo　and　Syandi；　the　pair　who　had　acpanied　Jiriki　and　Simon's　pany　north　from　the　Aldheorte　to　the　base　of　Urmsheim；　but　the　Sithi　showed　no　recognition；　made　no　sign　of　greeting。　Simon　could　not　swear　beyond　any　doubt　that　the　faces　were　theirs；　but　something　in　the　way　they　steadfastly　avoided　his　eye　assured　him　that　he　was　correct。
　　After　the　joumey　across　the　northern　waste；　both　Jiriki's　kinsman　An'nai　and　the　Erkynlandish　soldier　Grimmric　had　died　on　the　dragon…mountain　Urmsheim；　beneath　the　icy　waterfall　known　as　the　Uduntree。　They　had　been　buried　together；　mortal　and　immortal；　something　which　Jiriki　had　said　was　unprecedented；　a　binding　between　their　two　races　unknown