tw.thestoneoffarewell-第36部分

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een　very　pretty；　but　for　her　staring　eyes；　white…rimmed　in　the　torchlight；　and　her　huge；　ghastly　smile。
　　〃The　fire　is　ing！〃　she　cried。　The　other　dancers　capered　and　shouted；　then　quieted。　A　few　in　the　surrounding　crowd　called　out　insults；　but　quickly　fell　silent　as　she　turned　her　burning　eyes　upon　them。　〃Do　not　fear　you　will　be　left　out；〃　she　said；　and　in　the　sudden　quiet　her　voice　carried　clearly。　〃The　fires　are　ing　for　everyone…the　fires　and　the　ice　that　will　bring　the　Great　Change。　The　master　will　spare　no　one　who　has　not　prepared　for　him。〃
　　〃You　blaspheme　against　our　true　Ransomer；　demon…lover！〃　Dinivan　abruptly　shouted；　standing　in　his　stirrups。　His　voice　was　powerful。　〃You　tell　these　people　lies！〃
　　A　few　in　the　crowd　repeated　his　words　and　their　murmuring　began　to　grow。　The　woman　in　white　turned　and　made　a　sign　to　some　of　the　robed　ones　near　her。　Several　had　been　kneeling　at　the　stone　below　her　feet；　as　if　in　prayer；　one　of　them　now　rose　and　walked　across　the　courtyard　as　she　stood　staring　imperiously　outward；　her　mad　eyes　fixed　on　the　lowering　twilit　sky。　He　returned　a　moment　later　with　a　torch　from　one　of　the　sconces；　which　she　took　and　raised　above　her　head。
　　〃What　is　Usires　Aedon；〃　she　screamed；　〃but　a　little　wooden　man　on　a　little　wooden　tree？　What　are　any　of　the　kings　and　queens　of　men　but　apes　raised　far　above　their　station？　The　master　will　throw　down　all　that　stands　before　him　and　his　majesty　shall　rise　above　all　the　oceans　and　lands　of　Osten　Ard！　The　Storm　King　es！　He　brings　with　him　ice　to　freeze　the　heart；　deafening　thunder…and　cleansing　fire！〃
　　She　threw　the　brand　down　at　her　feet。　A　fierce　sheet　of　flame　leaped　up　around　the　rock。　Some　of　the　other　dancers　shrieked　as　their　robes　caught　fire。　The　crowd　pushed　back　with　a　shout　of　surprise　as　a　wall　of　heat　pushed　out　at　them。
　　〃Elysia；　Mother　of　God！〃　Dinivan's　voice　was　full　of　horror。　〃So　it　shall　be！〃　the　woman　shouted；　even　as　the　flames　ran　up　her　robe　into　her　hair；　crowning　her　with　fire　and　smoke。　She　was　still　smiling；　a　lost；　damned　smile。　〃He　speaks　in　dreams！　Doom　is　ing！〃　The　blaze　mounted；　obscuring　her；　bur　her　last　words　rang　out　over　and　over。　〃The　master　is　ing！　The　master　is　ing。　。　。　！〃
　　Miriamele　leaned　over　her　horse's　neck；　fighting　to　keep　from　being　sick。　Dinivan　rode　forward　a　short　way　before　dismounting　to　try　and　help　some　of　chose　who　had　been　knocked　down　and　trampled　in　the　crowd's　retreat。　The　princess　straightened　up；　gasping　for　breath。
　　Blind　to　her　presence；　Cadrach　stared　at　the　charred　scene　before　them。　His　face；　scarlet　in　the　leaping　light；　was　suffused　with　an　unhappy　but　hungering　look…as　though　an　important；　terrible　thing　had　e　to　pass；　a　thing　feared　for　so　long　that　the　waiting　had　bee　even　worse　than　the　fear。
　　
　　8
　　On　Sikkihok's　Back
　　
　　〃WHERE　are　we　going；　Binabik？〃　Simon　leaned　in；　moving　his　reddened　hands　nearer　the　fire。　His　gloves　steamed　on　a　fir　trunk　nearby。
　　Binabik　looked　up　from　the　scroll　he　and　Sisqi　were　studying。　〃For　now；　it　is　down　the　mountains。　After　that；　we　will　be　needing　guidance。　Now　let　me　continue　to　look　for　such　guidance；　please。〃
　　Simon　resisted　the　unmanly　urge　to　stick　out　his　tongue；　but　the　troll's　rebuff　did　not　really　bother　him　very　much。　He　was　in　a　good　mood。
　　Simon's　strength　was　returning。　He　had　felt　a　little　more　fit　each　of　the　two　days　of　hard　journeymg　that　had　brought　them　down　across　Mintahoq；　chief　mountain　of　the　Trollfells。　Now　they　had　left　Mintahoq　altogether　and　had　crossed　over　to　the　flank　of　her　sister…peak　Sikkihoq。　Tonight；　for　the　first　time；　Simon　had　not　wanted　simply　to　fall　asleep　when　the　party　had　stopped　to　make　camp。　Instead；　he　had　helped　find　a　scanty　supply　of　deadwood　to　build　the　fire；　then　dug　snow　out　of　the　shallow　cave　where　they　would　spend　the　night。　It　was　good　to　feel　himself　again。　The　scar　on　his　cheek　pained　him；　but　it　was　a　quiet　ache。　More　than　anything　else；　it　helped　him　to　remember。
　　The　dragon's　blood　had　changed　him；　he　realized。　Not　in　a　magical　way；　like　in　one　of　Shem　Horsegroom's　old　stories…he　couldn't　under…　stand　the　speech　of　animals；　or　see　a　hundred　leagues。　Well；　that　was　not　quite　true。　When　the　snow　had　stopped　for　a　moment　today；　the　white　valleys　of　the　Waste　had　leaped　into　clarity；　seeming　as　near　as　the　folds　in　a　blanket；　but　stretching　all　the　way　to　the　dark　blur　of　faraway　Aldheorte　Forest。　For　a　moment；　standing　quiet　as　a　statue　despite　the　wind　biting　his　neck　and　face；　he　had　felt　as　though　he　did　possess　magical　vision。　As　in　the　days　when　he　climbed　Green　Angel　Tower　to　see　all　Erkynland　spread　below　him　like　a　carpet；　he　had　felt　as　if　he　could　reach　out　a　hand　and　so　change　the　world。
　　But　moments　like　that　were　not　what　the　dragon　had　brought　him。　Pondering　as　he　waited　for　his　damp　gloves　to　dry；　he　looked　to　Binabik　and　Sisqi；　saw　the　way　they　touched　even　when　they　did　not　touch；　the　long　conversations　that　passed　between　the　two　of　them　in　the　shortest　of　glances。　Simon　realized　that　he　felt　and　saw　things　differently　than　he　had　before　Urmsheim。　People　and　events　seemed　more　clearly　connected；　each　part　of　a　much　larger　puzzle…just　as　Binabik　and　Sisqi　were。　They　cared　deeply　for　each　other；　but　at　the　same　time　their　world　of　two　interlocked　with　many　other　worlds　…　with　Simon's　own；　with　their　people's；　with　Prince　Josua's；　and　Geloe's　。。。　It　was　really　quite　startling；　Simon　thought；　how　everything　was　part　of　something　else！　But　though　the　world　was　vast　beyond　prehension；　still　every　mote　of　life　in　it　fought　for　its　own　continued　existence。　And　each　mote　mattered。
　　That　was　what　the　dragon's　blood　had　taught　him；　in　some　way。　He　was　not　great；　he　was；　in　fact；　very　small。　At　the　same　moment；　though；　he　was　important；　just　as　any　point　of　light　in　a　dark　sky　might　be　the　star　that　led　a　mariner　to　safety；　or　the　star　watched　by　a　lonely　child　during　a　sleepless　night。　Simon　shook　his　head；　then　blew　on　his　chill　hands。　His　ideas　were　getting　away　from　him；　cavorting　like　mice　in　an　unlocked　pantry。　He　felt　the　gloves　again；　but　they　were　not　yet　dried。　He　tucked　his　hands　into　his　armpits　and　inched　a　little　nearer　the　fire。
　　〃Are　you　of　great　sureness　that　Geloe　said　'Stone　of　Farewell；'　Si…　mon？'　Binabik　asked。　〃I　have　been　reading　Ookequk's　scrolls　for　two　nights　and　no　luck　am　I　having　〃
　　〃'I　told　you　everything　she　said。〃　Simon　looked　out　beyond　the　lip　of　the　cavern；　where　the　tethered　rams　huddled；　bumping　together　like　an　ambulatory　snowdrift。　〃I　could　not　forget。　She　spoke　through　the　little　girl　we　saved；　Leieth；　and　she　said：　'Go　to　the　Stone　of　Farewell。　That　is　the　only　place　of　safety　from　the　growing　storm…safety　for　a　little　while；　anyway。'　〃
　　Binabik　pursed　his　lips；　frustrated。　He　spoke　a　few　quick　words　of　Qanuc　to　Sisqi；　who　nodded　solemnly。　〃I　have　no　doubt　of　you；　Simon。　We　have　seen　too　much　together。　And　1　cannot　be　doubting　Geloe；　who　is　the　wisest　one　I　know。　It　is　a　problem　of　my　poor　understanding　〃　He　waved　a　small　hand　at　the　flattened　hide　before　him。　〃Perhaps　I　did　not　bring　the　correct　works。〃
　　〃You　think　too　much；　little　man；〃　Sludig　called　from　the　other　side　of　the　cavern。　〃Haestan　and　I　are　showing　your　friends　how　to　play　'Con…　queror。'　It　works　nearly　as　well　with　your　troll　throwing…stones　as　with　real　dice。　e；　play；　take　your　mind　off　these　things　for　a　while。〃
　　Binabik　looked　up　and　smiled；　giving　Sludig　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃Why　do　you　not　join　them　in　this　play；　Simon？〃　he　asked。　〃Surely　it　would　be　more　interesting　than　watching　my　confusion。〃　
　　〃I'm　thinking；　too；〃　Simon　said。　〃I've　been　thinking　about　Urmsheim。　About　Igjarjuk　and　what　happened。〃
　　　 〃It　was　not　as　you　were　when　young　imagining　it　to　be；　hmmm？〃　Binabik　said；　absorbed　in　the　perusal　of　his　scroll　once　more。　〃Things　are　not　always　as　old　songs　tell　them　to　be…especially　when　it　is　concerning　dragons。　But　you；　Simon；　acted　as　bravely　as　any　Sir　Camaris　or　Tallistro。〃
　　Simon　felt　a　pleasant　flush。　〃I　don't　know。　It　didn't　seem　like　bravery。　I　mean；　what　else　could　I　have　done？　But　that　isn't　what　I　was　thinking　about。　I　was　thinking　about　the　dragon's　blood。　It　did　more　than　this　to　me。〃　He　indicated　his　cheek　and　the　white　stripe　that　now　ran　through　his　hair。　Binabik　did　not　look　up　to　see　his　gesture；　but　Sisqi　did。　She　smiled　shyly；　her　dark；　upturned　eyes　fixed　on　him　as　though　on　a　friendly　but　possibly　dangerous　animal；　a　moment　later；　the　troll　maiden　rose　and　walked　away。　〃It　made　me　think　differently　about　things；〃　Simon　continued；　watching　her　go。　〃The　whole　time　you　were　in　that　hole；　a　prisoner；　I　was　thinking　and　dreaming。〃
　　〃And　what　did　you　think？〃　Binabik　asked。
　　〃It's　hard　to　say。　About　the　world　and　how　old　it　is。　About　how　small　I　am。　Even　the　Storm　King　is　small；　in　a　way。〃
　　Binabik　inspected　Simon's　face。　The　troll's　brown　eyes　were　serious。
　　〃Yes；　he　is　perhaps　small　beneath　the　stars；　Simon…as　a　mountain　is　small　in　paring　to　the　whole　world。　But　a　mountain　is　bigger　than　we；　and　if　it　falls　on　us；　we　will　still　be　very　dead　in　a　very　big　hole。〃
　　Simon　fluttered　his　hand　impatiently。　〃I　know；　I　know。　I'm　not　saying　that　I'm　not　afraid。　It's　just　。　；　。　it's　hard　to　say。〃　He　struggled　for　the　proper　words。　〃It's　like　the　dragon's　blood　taught　me　another　language；　another　way　to　see　things　when　I　think。　How　can　you　explain　another　language　to　someone？〃
　　Binabik　started　to　reply；　then　stopped；　staring　just　over　Simon's　shoulder。　Alarmed；　Simon　turned；　but　nothing　was　there　but　the　oblique　stone　of　the　cavern　and　a　patch　of　gray；　white…flecked　sky。
　　〃What's　wrong？　Are　you　ill；　Binabik？
　　〃I　have　it；〃　the　troll　said　simply。　〃I　knew　there　was　something　of　familiarity　in　it。　But　it　was　a　confusion　of　language。　They　are　translating　differently；　you　see。〃　He　bounced　up　onto　his　feet　and　trotted　over　to　his　bag。　A　few　of　his　fellow　trolls　looked　up。　One　started　to　say　something；　but　broke　off；　deterred　by　Binabik's　fixed　expression。　A　few　moments　later　the　little　man　returned　with　an　armful　of　new　scrolls。
　　〃What's　going　on？〃　Simon　asked。
　　〃It　was　language…the　difference　between　tongues。　You　said：　Stone　of　Farewell。〃
　　〃That's　wh