tw.thestoneoffarewell-第13部分

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ter　the　smoke　dissipated　upward　into　the　shadowy　reaches　of　the　cavern　ceiling。　Simon　and　the　others　were　surrounded　by　a　ring　of　fire。
　　The　Herder　leaned　forward；　lifting　his　crooked　spear；　and　waved　it　at　Binabik　and　Sludig。　As　he　spoke　the　crowd　chanted　again；　just　a　few　words　before　they　fell　silent；　but　Uammannaq　kept　speaking。　His　wife　and　the　young　female　looked　on。　The　Huntress'　eyes　seemed　to　Simon　piercingly　unsympathetic。　The　attitude　of　the　other　was　harder　to　discern。
　　The　speech　went　on　for　some　time。　Simon　was　just　beginning　to　wonder　if　the　lords　of　Yiqanuc　had　broken　their　promise　to　Jiriki　when　the　Herder　broke　off；　waving　his　spear　at　Binabik；　then　gesturing　angrily　to　Binabik's　panions。　Simon　looked　at　Haestan；　who　raised　his　eyebrow　as　if　to　say：　wait　and　see。
　　〃This　is　a　strange　thing；　Simon。〃
　　It　was　Binabik　who　spoke；　his　eyes　still　fixed　on　the　ground　before　him。　His　voice　seemed　to　Simon　as　fine　a　thing　to　hear　as　birdsong　or　rain　upon　the　roof。　Simon　knew　he　was　beaming　like　a　fool；　but　for　the　moment　he　did　not　care。
　　〃It　seems；〃　Binabik　continued；　his　voice　scratchy　from　disuse；　〃that　you　and　Haestan　are　guests　of　my　masters；　and　that　I　must　render　these　proceedings　into　a　speech　you　can　understand；　since'　no　one　else　here　speaks　both　tongues。〃
　　〃We　canna'　speak　for　you　if　canna'　be　understood；〃　Haestan　said　softly。
　　〃We'll　help　you；　Binabik；〃　Simon　said　emphatically；　〃but　your　silence　will　help　nobody。〃
　　〃This；　as　I　said；　is　a　strangeness；〃　Binabik　rasped。　〃I　am　condemned　for　dishonor；　yet　for　honor's　sake　I　must　translate　my　wrongs　for　outsiders；　since　they　are　honored　guests。〃　A　hint　of　a　grim　smile　played　at　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　〃Esteemed　guest；　dragon…slayer；　meddler　in　other　people's　affairs…somehow　I　am　sensing　your　hand　in　this；　Simon。〃　He　squinted　for　a　moment；　then　extended　a　stubby　finger　as　if　to　touch　Simon's　face。　〃You　wear　a　brave　scar；　friend。〃
　　〃What　have　you　done；　Binabik？　Or　what　do　they　think　you've　done？〃
　　The　little　man's　smile　evaporated。　〃I　have　broken　my　oath。〃
　　Nunuuika　said　something　sharp。　Binabik　looked　up　and　nodded。　〃The　Huntress　says　I　have　had　time　enough　to　explain。　Now　my　crimes　must　be　dragged　out　into　the　light　for　inspecting。〃
　　With　Binabik　rendering　the　proceedings　into　the　Westerling　tongue；　everything　seemed　to　happen　much　more　quickly。　Sometimes　it　seemed　he　repeated　what　was　spoken　word　for　word；　other　times　long　speeches　would　be　dispatched　in　a　quick　summation。　Although　Binabik　seemed　to　regain　a　little　of　his　familiar　energy　as　he　went　about　the　business　of　translating；　there　was　no　mistaking　the　perilousness　of　his　situation。
　　〃Binabik；　apprentice　to　the　Singing　Man；　great　Ookequk；　you　are　held　as　an　oath…breaker。〃　Uammannaq　the　Herder　leaned　forward；　twisting　his　thin　beard　fretfully；　as　though　he　found　the　proceedings　upsetting。　〃Do　you　deny　this？〃
　　There　was　a　long　silence　after　Binabik　finished　translating　the　Herder's　question。　After　a　moment；　he　turned　from　his　friends　to　face　the　lords　of　Yiqanuc。　〃I　have　no　denial；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃I　will　offer　the　full　truth；　though；　if　you　will　be　hearing　it；　Sharpest　of　Eye　and　Surest　of　Rein。〃
　　Nunuuika　leaned　back　on　her　cushions。　〃There　will　be　time　for　that。〃　She　turned　to　her　husband。　〃He　does　not　deny　it。〃
　　〃So；〃　Uammannaq　responded　heavily；　〃Binabik　is　charged。　You；　Croohok；〃　he　swiveled　his　round　head　toward　Sludig；　〃are　accused　of　being　of　an　outlaw　race　who　have　attacked　and　injured　our　people　since　time　out　of　mind。　That　you　are　a　Rimmersman　no　one　can　deny；　so　your　charge　remains　as　spoken。〃
　　As　the　Herder's　words　were　translated；　Sludig　began　an　angry　retort；　but　Binabik　raised　a　hand　to　silence　him。　Surprisingly；　Sludig　plied。
　　〃There　can　be　no　real　justice　between　old　enemies；　it　seems；〃　the　northerner　murmured　to　Simon。　His　fierce　glare　became　an　unhappy　frown。　〃Still；　there　are　trollkind　who　have　had　less　chance　at　the　hands　of　my　kinsmen　than　I　have　here。〃
　　〃Let　those　who　have　reason　to　accuse　now　speak；〃　Uammannaq　said。
　　A　certain　expectant　stillness　filled　the　cavern。　The　herald　stepped　forward；　his　necklaces　rattling　and　shivering。　From　the　eyes　of　his　ram　skull　he　looked　at　Binabik　with　undisguised　contempt；　then　lifted　his　hand　and　spoke　in　a　thick；　harsh　voice。
　　〃Qangolik　the　Spirit　Caller　says　that　the　Singing　Man　Ookekuq　did　not　appear　at　the　Ice　House　on　the　Winter　Lastday；　as　has　been　the　law　of　our　people　since　Sedda　gave　us　these　mountains；〃　Binabik　translated。　His　own　voice　had　taken　on　some　of　the　unpleasant　tone　of　his　accuser's。　〃Qangolik　says　that　Binabik；　the　Singing　Man's　apprentice；　also　did　not　e　to　the　Ice　House。〃
　　Simon　could　almost　feel　the　hatred　flowing　between　his　friend　and　the　masked　troll。　There　seemed　little　doubt　that　there　was　some　rivalry　or
　　dispute　of　long　standing　between　the　two。　
　　The　Spirit　Caller　continued。　〃Since　Ookequk's　apprentice　did　not　e　to　his　duty…to　sing　the　Rite　of　Quickening…the　Ice　House　still　has　not　melted。　Because　the　Ice　House　is　unmelted；　Winter　will　not　leave　Yiqanuc。　Through　his　treachery；　Binabik　has　doomed　his　people　to　a　bitter　season。　The　summer　will　not　e　and　many　will　die。　Qangolik　calls　him　oath…breaker。〃
　　There　was　a　rush　of　angry　talk　through　the　cavern。　The　Spirit　Caller　had　already　squatted　down　once　more　before　Binabik　finished　putting　his　words　into　Westerling。
　　Nunuuika　looked　about　with　ritual　deliberateness。　〃Does　anyone　else　here　accuse　Binbinaqegabenik？〃
　　The　unknown　young　woman；　whom　Simon　had　nearly　forgotten　in　the　furor　of　Qangolik's　words；　got　up　slowly　from　her　seat　on　the　topmost　step。　Her　eyes　were　demurely　lowered　and　her　voice　was　quiet。　She　spoke　for　only　a　few　brief　moments。
　　Binabik　did　not　immediately　explain　her　words；　though　they　set　off　a　great　rustle　of　whispering　among　the　gathered　trolls。　He　wore　an　expression　Simon　had　never　seen　before　on　his　friend's　face：　plete　and　utter　unhappiness。　Binabik　stared　at　the　young　woman　with　grim　fixedness；　as　though　he　watched　some　terrible　event　that　it　was　nevertheless　his　duty　to　remember　and　later　report　in　detail。
　　Just　when　Simon　thought　Binabik　had　been　silenced　again；　this　time　perhaps　forever；　the　troll　spoke…flatly；　chronicling　the　receipt　of　an　old　and　now　insignificant　wound。
　　〃Sisqinanamook；　youngest　daughter　of　Nunuuika　the　Huntress　and　Uammannaq　the　Herder；　also　accuses　Binabik　of　Mintahoq。　Though　he　placed　his　spear　before　her　door；　when　nine　times　nine　days　had　passed　and　the　appointed　day　of　marriage　came；　he　was　gone。　Neither　did　he　send　any　word　or　explanation。　When　he　returned　to　our　mountains；　he　came　not　to　the　home　of　his　people；　but　traveled　with　Croohok　and　Utku　to　the　shunned　peak　Yijarjuk。　He　has　brought　shame　on　the　House　of　the　Ancestor　and　on　his　once…betrothed。　Sisqinanamook　calls　him　oath…breaker。〃
　　Thunderstruck；　Simon　stared　at　Binabik's　dejected　face　as　the　troll　droned　his　translation。　Marriage！　All　the　while　Simon　and　the　little　man　had　been　fighting　their　way　to　Naglimund　and　making　their　way　across　the　White　Waste；　Binabik's　people　had　been　waiting　for　him　to　fulfill　his　marriage　oath。　And　he　had　been　betrothed　to　a　child　of　the　Herder　and　Huntress！　He　had　never　given　the　slightest　hint！
　　Simon　looked　more　closely　at　Binabik's　accuser。　Sisqinanamook；　although　as　small　to　Simon's　eye　as　all　of　her　folk；　seemed　actually　a　little　taller　than　Binabik。　Her　glossy　black　hair　was　plaited　on　either　side　of　her　face；　the　two　braids　joining　beneath　her　chin　into　one　wide　plait　interlaced　with　a　sky…blue　ribbon。　She　wore　little　jewelry；　especially　when　pared　with　her　formidable　mother；　the　Huntress。　A　single　deep　blue　gem　sparkled　on　her　forehead；　held　in　place　by　a　slender　black　leather　thong。
　　She　had　a　flush　of　color　in　her　brown　cheeks。　Although　her　gaze　was　clouded　as　though　by　anger　or　fright；　Simon　thought　he　sensed　a　strong…willed；　defiant　tilt　to　her　jaw；　a　sharpness　to　her　eye…not　her　mother　Nunuuika's　blade…edged　glance；　but　the　look　of　someone　who　made　up　her　own　mind。　For　a　moment；　Simon　felt　he　could　see　her　as　one　of　her　own　would…not　a　gentle；　pliant　beauty；　but　a　ely　and　clever　young　woman　whose　admiration　would　not　be　easy　to　win。
　　He　abruptly　realized　that　this　was　the　one　who　had　stood　before　Qantaqa's　cave　last　night…the　one　who　had　menaced　him　with　her　spear！　Something　indefinable　in　the　angle　of　her　face　told　him　so。　Remembering；　he　knew　she　was　a　huntress　after　all；　just　like　her　mother。
　　Poor　Binabik！　Her　admiration　might　not　be　easy　to　gain；　but　Simon's　friend　had　won　her　over；　or　so　it　seemed。　However；　the　wit　and　determination　that　Binabik　must　have　so　admired　was　now　bent　against　him。
　　〃I　have　no　disagreement　with　Sisqinanamook；　daughter　of　the　Line　of　the　Moon；〃　Binabik　finally　replied。　〃That　she　ever　accepted　the　spear　of　so　unworthy　a　one　as　the　Singing　Man's　apprentice　was　to　me　astonishing。〃
　　Sisqinanamook　curled　a　lip　at　this　speech；　as　if　in　disgust；　but　Simon　did　not　think　her　contempt　seemed　altogether　convincing。
　　〃Great　is　my　shame；〃　Binabik　continued。　〃Nine　times　nine　nights；　in　truth；　my　spear　stood　before　her　door。　I　did　not　e　to　be　married　when　those　nights　were　through。　There　is　no　word　I　can　speak　that　will　be　mending　the　hurt；　or　be　making　less　of　my　fault。　A　choice　there　was　to　be　made；　as　is　the　way　of　things　once　the　Walk　of　Manhood　or　Womanhood　has　been　walked。　I　was　in　a　strange　land　and　my　master　was　dead。　I　made　my　choosing；　had　I　the　same　to　decide　once　more；　I　say　with　regret；　I　　would　make　this　same　choosing　again。〃
　　The　crowd　was　still　buzzing　with　shock　and　perturbation　as　Binabik　finished　interpreting　what　he　had　said　for　his　panions。　As　he　finished；　he　turned　back　to　the　young　woman　standing　before　him　and　said　something　to　her；　quietly　and　rapidly；　calling　her　〃Sisqi〃　instead　of　her　full　name。　She　swung　her　face　away　quickly；　as　if　she　could　not　stand　to　look　at　him。　He　did　not　translate　his　last　speech；　but　sadly　turned　back　to　her　mother　and　father。
　　〃And　what；〃　Nunuuika　asked　scornfully；　〃might　you　have　had　to　decide　about？　What　choice　could　have　turned　you　into　an　oath…breaker…you；　who　had　already　climbed　far　beyond