tw.thestoneoffarewell-第39部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ding　of　them　is　not　so　simple；〃　He　hummed　and　cast　again。　〃Torch　at　the　Cave…Mouth；〃　he　said；　but　cast　again　without　pause　for　explanation。　He　frowned　and　sucked　his　lip　as　he　surveyed　the　scatter。　〃The　Black　Crevice。　That　is　the　second　time　only　I　have　ever　seen　that　patterning；　and　both　have　been　in　the　time　we　have　been　together。　It　is　an　ominous　throw。〃
　　〃Explain；　please。〃　Simon　said。　He　pulled　his　boots　back　on；　resting　his　toes　by　wiggling。
　　〃The　second　throwing；　Torch　at　the　Cave…Mouth；　means　we　must　look　for　an　advantage　in　the　place　we　go…Sesuad'ra；　I　make　that；　Geloe's　Stone　of　Farewell。　That　is　not　proving　we　will　find　luck　there；　but　it　is　our　chance　for　advantage。　The　Black　Crevice；　the　last　throwing；　I　have　told　you　of　before。　The　third　throw　is　that　which　should　be　feared；　or　that　which　we　need　being　aware　of。　The　Black　Crevice　is　a　strange；　rare　pattern　that　could　mean　treachery；　or　could　mean　something　ing　from　elsewhere　。　。　。〃He　broke　off；　staring　absently　at　the　littered　bones；　then　swept　them　back　into　his　bag。
　　〃So　what　does　it　all　mean？〃
　　〃Ah；　Simon…friend；〃　the　troll　sighed；　〃the　bones　are　not　simply　answering　questions；　even　at　the　best　of　times。　At　a　troubled　hour　like　the　one　we　are　living；　the　understanding　bees　more　difficult　still。　I　must　think　long　about　these　throws。　I　must　perhaps　sing　a　song　of　slight　differentness；　then　cast　again。　This　is　the　first　throwing　in　a　long　while　that　I　have　not　seen　The　Shadowed　Path…but　I　cannot　be　thinking　that　our　path　is　any　less　shadowy。　There；　you　see；　is　the　danger　of　trying　to　take　simple　answers　from　the　bones。〃
　　Simon　stood　up。　〃I　don't　understand　much　of　what　you're　saying；　but　I　wish　we　did　have　a　few　simple　answers。　It　would　make　things　much　easier。〃
　　Binabik　smiled　as　one　of　his　folk　approached。　〃Simple　answers　to　life's　questioning。　That　would　be　a　magic　beyond　any　I　have　ever　been　seeing。〃　
　　The　new　troll；　a　stocky；　tuft…bearded　herder　Binabik　introduced　as　Snenneq；　threw　a　distrustful　look　up　at　Simon；　as　though　his　very　height　was　an　affront　to　civilized　behavior。　He　conversed　excitedly　with　Binabik　in　Qanuc　for　a　short　time；　then　trudged　away。　Binabik　sprang　up　and　whistled　for　Qantaqa。
　　〃Snenneq　says　the　rams　are　acting　skittishly；〃　Binabik　explained。　〃He　wanted　to　know　where　Qantaqa　was；　if　she　had　been　at　stalking　their　mounts。〃　A　moment　later　the　wolfs　gray　form　appeared　on　a　crag　half　a　furlong　away；　head　tilted　questioningly。　〃She　is　down　the　wind　from　us；〃　the　little　man　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃If　the　rams　are　restless；　it　is　not　Qantaqa's　scent　that　is　so　making　them。〃
　　Qantaqa　sprang　down　from　the　rocky　outcropping。　A　few　moments　later　she　was　at　her　master's　side；　butting　his　ribs　with　her　large；　broad　head。　〃She　herself　seems　disturbed；〃　Binabik　said。　He　kneeled　to　scratch　the　wolfs　belly；　his　arms　disappearing　into　her　thick　fur　up　to　the　shoulder。　Qantaqa　did　indeed　seem　distracted；　standing　still　only　a　moment　before　lifting　her　snout　to　the　breeze。　Her　ears　flicked　like　the　wings　of　an　alighting　bird。　She　made　a　low　rumbling　noise　before　butting　Binabik　with　her　head　again。　〃Ah；〃　he　said；　〃a　snow　bear；　perhaps。　This　must　be　a　season　of　hungering　for　them。　We　should　move　to　a　lower　place…we　may　be　in　less　danger　when　we　are　leaving　Sikkihoq's　heights。〃　He　called　to　Snenneq　and　the　rest　of　his　fellows。　They　began　striking　the　makeshift　camp；　resaddling　their　rams　and　stowing　the　drinking　skins　and　food　bags。
　　Sludig　and　Haestan　approached。　〃Ho；　lad；〃　Haestan　said　to　Simon；　〃back　to　our　boot　leather　again。　Now　you　know　what's　like　t'be　soldier。　March；　march；　march；　'til　feet　freeze　and　lungs　go　limp。〃
　　〃I　never　did　want　to　be　a　foot　soldier；〃　Simon　said；　shouldering　his　pack。
　　
　　The　friendly　weather　did　not　hold。　By　the　time　they　made　camp　that　night　near　the　edge　of　the　long　flat　shelf；　the　stars　had　disappeared。　The　pany's　cookfires　were　the　only　light　beneath　a　wild　and　snow…spread　sky。
　　Dawn　lightened　the　dark　horizon　to　a　stony　gray　that　oddly　mirrored　the　granite　below　their　feet。　The　traveling　party　made　their　way　carefully　down　from　the　shelf　and　onto　another　series　of　narrow　trails　that　wound　back　and　forth　across　the　mountain　face　in　steep　switchbacks。　By　midday　they　had　e　to　another　relatively　level　place；　a　long；　down…sloping　talus　hill；　a　vast　refuse　heap　of　boulders　and　smaller　stones　left　by　the　passage　of　some　ancient　glacier。　The　footing　was　treacherous：　even　the　rams　had　to　pick　their　way　carefully；　sometimes　choosing　to　leap　from　one　large　stone　to　another　rather　than　walk　across　the　loose　rubble。　Simon；　Haestan；　and　Sludig　followed　behind。　Their　trudging　footsteps　occasionally　freed　a　fist…sized　stone　to　bound　down　the　slope；　eliciting　bleats　and　annoyed　stares　from　the　saddled　rams。　Such　terrain　was　also　hard　on　the　knees　and　ankles。　Before　they　had　gone　far　down　the　slope；　Simon　and　his　panions　stopped　to　wind　rags　about　their　boots　for　support。
　　Snow　fluttered　all　around；　not　a　heavy　fall；　but　enough　to　dust　the　tops　of　the　larger　stones　with　pale　powder　and　fill　the　crevices　between　the　smaller　rocks　like　mortar。　As　Simon　looked　back　up　the　long　disordered　slope；　the　upper　reaches　of　Sikkihoq　loomed　through　the　mist　and　squall　like　a　dark　shadow　in　a　doorway。　He　was　amazed　by　how　far　they　had　e；　but　on　turning　found　himself　disheartened　in　equal　measure　by　the　length　of　descent　that　still　remained　before　they　would　reach　the　doubtful　forts　of　the　Waste　below。
　　Haestan　saw　his　expression　and　offered　Simon　the　beribboned　wineskin　that　had　been　the　trolls'　gift　to　the　guardsman。　〃Two　more　days　t'flat　ground；　lad；〃　he　said；　smiling　sourly。　〃Have　some。〃
　　Simon　warmed　himself　with　a　swallow　of　kangkang　before　passing　it　along　to　Sludig。　A　toothy　smile　showed　briefly　in　the　Rimmersman's　yellow　beard　as　he　lifted　the　skin　to　his　mouth。　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　not　the　mead　I　know；　or　even　southern　wine；　but　it　is　certainly　better　than　nothing。〃
　　〃God's　curse　if　that　don't　be　truth；〃　Haestan　said。　He　took　the　skin　back；　savoring　a　long　swallow　before　letting　the　bag　drop　to　his　belt　once　more。　Simon　thought　the　guardsman's　voice　a　little　furry；　and　realized　that　Haestan　had　been　drinking　all　day。　Still；　what　else　did　they　have　to　bat　the　pain　in　their　legs　and　the　monotonous；　flurrying　snow？　Better　a　little　drunkenness　to　take　off　the　chill　than　hours　of　misery。
　　Simon　squinted　against　the　sleet　flying　into　his　face。　He　could　see　the　bobbing　shapes　of　the　trolls　riding　just　before　them；　but　beyond　he　could　discern　only　misty　shapes。　Somewhere　past　even　the　foremost；　Binabik　and　Qantaqa　were　searching　for　the　best　route　off　the　talus　slope。　The　guttural　exclamations　of　the　ram…riders　ahead　drifted　back　to　Simon　on　the　wind；　inprehensible　but　oddly　reassuring。
　　A　stone　bounced　past　his　foot　and　rolled　to　a　halt　a　few　cubits　ahead；　the　sound　of　its　passage　obliterated　by　the　song　of　the　wind。　Simon　wondered　what　would　happen　if　a　truly　large　stone　ever　began　rolling　downhill　toward　them。　Would　they　even　hear　it　above　the　clamor　of　the　elements？　Or　would　it　be　upon　them　suddenly；　like　a　hand　dropping　down　to　crush　a　fly　sunning　on　a　windowsill？　He　turned　anxiously　to　look　back；　seeing　in　his　mind's　eye　a　vast；　round　shape　growing　larger；　a　great　stone　that　would　crush　all　in　its　path。
　　There　was　no　great　stone；　but　there　were　shapes　moving　on　the　slope　above。　Caught　staring　open…mouthed；　Simon　knew　a　moment's　unsureness　as　he　wondered　if　some　strange　snow　blindness　caused　him　to　see　things　that　could　not　be　real；　huge　shadows　flailing　in　the　uncertain　light。　Following　Simon's　backward　glance；　Sludig　opened　his　eyes　wide。
　　〃Hunen！〃　the　Rimmersman　shouted。　〃　Vaer　Hunen！　There　are　giants　up　the　slope　behind　us！〃　Downslope；　invisible　in　the　drifting　snows；　one　of　the　trolls　echoed　Sludig's　alarm　with　a　harsh　cry。　Dim；　elongated　figures　were　loping　down　the　rock…strewn　hill。　Dislodged　stones　rolled　before　them；　bounding　past　Simon　and　his　panions　as　the　shouting　trolls　tried　to　pull　their　rams　about　to　face　this　sudden　danger。　The　advantage　of　surprise　lost；　the　charging　giants　bellowed　out　wordless　challenges　in　voices　that　seemed　deep　enough　to　shake　down　the　very　mountain。　Several　huge　figures　plunged　through　the　mist；　brandishing　broad　clubs　like　gnarled　tree　limbs。　The　black　faces；　snarling…mouthed；　seemed　to　float　bodilessly　in　the　flurrying　snow；　but　Simon　knew　the　strength　in　those　shaggy　white　forms。　He　recognized　Death's　face　in　the　leathery　masks　and　Death's　inescapable　clutch　in　the　broad　sinews　and　lashing　arms　twice　as　long　as　any　man's。
　　〃Binabik！〃　Simon　screamed。　〃Giants　are　ing！〃
　　One　of　the　Hunen　snatched　up　a　boulder　and　heaved　it　down　the　slope。　It　struck　and　spun　end　over　end；　bounding　downhill　like　a　runaway　wagon。　Even　as　a　flurry　of　troll…spears　sliced　back　through　the　air　toward　the　attackers；　the　great　stone　crunched　past　Simon　and　smashed　into　the　nearest　ranks　of　the　trolls。　The　shrill；　terrified　bleating　of　rams　and　the　howls　of　their　broken　and　dying　riders　echoed　across　the　foggy　slope。　Simon　found　himself　gaping　in　stunned　immobility　as　a　towering　shape　rose　before　him；　club　backflung　like　the　straining　arm　of　a　catapult。　As　the　black　bar　of　shadow　whistled　down；　Simon　heard　someone　call　his　name；　then　something　struck　him　aside　and　he　was　flung　on　his　face　among　stones　and　snow。
　　A　moment　later　he　was　on　his　feet；　stumbling　back　through　the　mist　toward　the　roaring；　contorted　shapes　of　conflict。　Hunen　loomed　and　then　disappeared；　huge；　grasping　shadows　that　at　some　moments　were　almost　invisible　in　the　flurrying　snow。
　　Inside　Simon's　mind　a　hysterical；　terrified　voice　shouted　for　him　to　run　away；　to　hide；　but　the　voice　was　muffled；　as　though　his　head　were　stuffed　with　cushioning　down。　There　was　blood　on　his　hands；　but　he　did　not　know　whose。　He　wiped　it　absently　on　his　shirt　front　before　reaching　down　to　pull　his　Qanuc　knife　from　its　sheath。　The　roaring　was　all　around　now。
　　A　group　of　trolls　had　couched　their　spears　and　were　spurring　their　rams　up　the　slope。　Their　bellowing　target　flailed　with　a　shaggy　arm　broad　as　a　tree　trunk　and　swept　the　foremost　trolls　from　their　saddles。　Men　and　mounts　together　soared　b