tw.thestoneoffarewell-第40部分

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d　as　a　tree　trunk　and　swept　the　foremost　trolls　from　their　saddles。　Men　and　mounts　together　soared　back　down　the　rise　in　a　bloody　tangle；　tumbling　to　a　boneless　halt　at　flight's　end；　but　their　trailing　fellows　drove　home　half　a　dozen　spears；　raising　a　coughing；　sputtering　roar　from　the　beleaguered　giant。
　　Simon　saw　Binabik　downslope。　The　troll　dismounted　Qantaqa；　who　charged　off　into　the　swirling　shadows　of　another　skirmish。　Binabik　was　pushing　darts　into　the　hollow　section　of　his　walking　stick…darts　with　poison…blacked　tips；　Simon　knew…but　before　Simon　could　take　even　a　step　toward　his　friend　another　shape　pushed　hard　against　him；　then　fell　to　the　ground　at　his　feet。
　　It　was　Haestan；　lying　facedown　among　the　stones；　the　sword　Thorn　still　hanging　from　his　pack。　As　Simon　stared；　something　howled　so　loudly　it　cut　through　the　fuzziness　in　his　ears　and　mind；　he　whirled　to　see　Sludig　backing　toward　him　down　the　unstable　slope；　his　long　troll…spear　jabbing　before　him　as　he　retreated　from　a　giant　whose　angry　screams　rattled　the　sky。　The　giant's　white　belly　and　arms　were　dotted　with　crimson　bloodflowers；　but　Sludig；　too；　was　bloodied；　his　left　arm　looked　as　though　it　had　been　dipped　into　a　bowl　of　red　paint。
　　Simon　bent　and　grasped　Haestan's　cloak；　shaking　him；　but　the　guardsman　was　limp。　Grabbing　at　Thorn's　black　hilt；　Simon　pulled　it　slowly　back　through　the　loop　on　Haestan's　pack。　It　was　cold　as　frost　and　heavy　as　a　suit　of　horse…armor。　Cursing　with　anger　and　terror；　he　tried　with　all　his　strength　to　lift　it；　but　could　not　bring　the　point　off　the　ground。　Despite　his　ever　more　panicky　exertions；　he　could　not　even　lift　the　hilt　above　his　waist。
　　〃Usires；　where　are　You'？〃　he　railed；　letting　the　blade　fall　heavily　to　the　ground　like　a　block　of　tumbled　masonry。　〃Help　me！　What　use　is　this　damnable　sword！？〃　He　tried　again；　praying　for　God's　help；　but　Thorn　lay　flat　on　the　ground；　beyond　his　strength。
　　〃Simon！'　Sludig　shouted　breathlessly。　〃Flee！　I　。。。　cannot。　。　。　！〃　The　giant's　shaggy　white　arm　swung　out　and　the　Rimmersman　stumbled　back；　just　out　of　reach。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　call　to　Simon　once　more；　but　had　to　throw　himself　to　one　side　to　avoid　a　clawing　backswipe。　Blood　flecked　the　northerner's　pale　beard　and　matted　his　yellow　hair。　His　helmet　was　gone。
　　Simon　looked　around　wildly；　then　spotted　a　troll…spear　lying　among　the　rocks。　He　caught　it　up　and　circled　around　the　giant；　whose　reddened　eyes　and　wide…flaring　nostrils　were　fixed　only　on　Sludig。　The　creature's　shaggy　back　loomed　before　him　like　a　white　wall。　A　moment　later；　before　he　even　had　time　to　be　surprised　at　himself；　Simon　was　leaping　forward　over　the　slippery　stones；　thrusting　the　spear　as　hard　as　he　could　into　the　matted　fur。　The　shock　of　impact　leaped　up　his　arms；　rattling　his　teeth；　and　for　a　moment　he　slumped　strengthlessly　against　the　giant's　broad　back。　The　Hune　threw　its　head　up　in　a　howl；　weaving　from　side　to　side　as　Sludig　drove　in　from　the　front　with　his　spear。　Simon　saw　the　Rimmersman　disappear；　then　saw　the　beast　bend；　shuddering；　and　knock　Sludig　to　the　ground。
　　Coughing　blood；　the　giant　stood　over　Sludig；　feeling　for　its　club　with　one　arm；　clutching　at　its　red…dripping　stomach　with　the　other。　With　a　shout　of　anger；　mad　with　fury　that　this　horrible　thing　should　strike　at　his　friends　even　while　its　own　life　leaked　out；　Simon　snatched　a　handful　of　its　pelt　in　one　hand　and　the　wagging　spear　butt　protruding　from　the　giant's　back　in　the　other；　then　dragged　himself　up　onto　its　back。
　　Reeking　of　wet　fur　and　musk　and　rotting　meat；　the　great；　quivering　body　straightened　beneath　him。　Huge　talon…nailed　hands　came　up；　smacking　sightlessly　in　search　of　the　insect　that　had　lighted　upon　it；　even　as　Simon　drove　his　Qanuc　dagger　to　the　hilt　in　the　giant's　neck；　just　below　the　contorted　jaw。　A　moment　later　he　felt　himself　caught　up　and　flung　loose　by　wrist…wide　fingers。　
　　There　was　a　moment　of　weightlessness；　the　sky　was　a　cracked　swirl　of　gray　and　white　and　dimmest　blue。　Then　Simon　struck　down。
　　　
　　He　was　staring　at　a　round　stone；　just　a　hand's　breadth　beyond　his　nose。　He　could　not　feel　his　extremities；　his　body　limp　as　boned　fish；　nor　could　he　hear　any　sounds　but　a　faint　roaring　in　his　ears　and　thin　squeals　that　might　be　voices。　The　stone　lay　before　him；　spherical　and　solid；　unmoving。　It　was　a　chunk　of　gray　granite；　banded　with　white；　which　might　have　lain　in　this　place　since　Time　itself　was　young。　There　was　nothing　special　about　it。　It　was　only　a　piece　of　the　earth's　bones；　rough　corners　smoothed　by　eons　of　wind　and　water。
　　Simon　could　not　move；　but　he　could　see　the　immobile；　magnificently　unimportant　stone。　He　lay　staring　at　it　for　a　long　time；　feeling　nothing　but　emptiness　where　his　body　had　been；　until　the　stone　itself　began　to　gleam；　throwing　back　the　faintest　pink　sheen　of　sunset。
　　
　　They　came　for　him　at　last　when　Sedda　the　moon　appeared；　her　pale　face　peering　down　through　the　mist　and　twilight。　Small；　gentle　hands　lifted　him　and　laid　him　on　a　blanket。　He　swayed　gently　as　they　carried　him　downslope　and　set　him　down　near　a　roaring　fire。　Simon　stared　up　at　the　moon　as　she　mounted　higher　in　the　sky。　Binabik　came　to　him　and　said　many　soothing　things　in　a　quiet　voice；　but　the　words　seemed　nonsense。　As　others　helped　bind　his　wounds　and　laid　cool；　water…soaked　rags　on　his　head；　Binabik　crooned　strange；　circular　songs；　then　gave　him　a　bowl　of　something　warm　to　drink；　holding　up　Simon's　limp　head　as　the　sour　draught　trickled　down　his　throat。
　　I　must　be　dying；　Simon　thought。　He　felt　a　certain　peace　in　the　idea。　It　seemed　as　though　his　soul　had　left　his　body　already；　for　he　felt　very　little　connection　with　his　own　flesh。　I　would　have　liked　to　have　gotten　out　of　the　snows；　first。　I　would　have　liked　to　have　gone　home。　。　。　。
　　He　thought　of　another　stillness　such　as　he　now　felt：　the　moment　when　he　had　stood　before　Igjarjuk；　the　silence　that　had　seemed　to　envelop　the　whole　world；　the　timeless　time　before　he　had　brought　the　sword　down；　before　the　black　blood　had　fountained　up。
　　But　this　time　the　sword　didn't　help　me　。　。　。　Had　he　lost　some　kind　of　worthiness　since　he　had　left　Urmsheim？　Or　was　Thorn　merely　as　inconstant　as　the　wind　and　weather？
　　Simon　remembered　a　warm　summer　afternoon　back　in　the　Hayholt；　when　the　sunlight　had　angled　down　through　the　high　windows　of　Doctor　Morgenes'　chambers；　making　the　lazily　floating　dust　gleam　like　drifting　sparks。
　　〃Never　make　your　home　in　a　place；〃　the　old　man　had　told　him　that　day。　〃Make　a　home　for　yourself　inside　your　own　head。　You'll　fmd　what　you　need　to　furnish　it…memory；　friends　you　can　trust；　love　of　learning；　and　other　such　things。　That　way　it　wiil　go　with　you　wherever　you　journey　。　。　。〃
　　Is　that　what　dying　is？　Simon　wondered。　Is　it　going　home？　That's　not　so　bad。　Binabik　was　singing　again；　a　drowsy　sound　like　rushing　water。　Simon　let　go　and　drifted。
　　
　　When　he　awakened　late　the　next　day；　he　was　not　immediately　certain　that　he　was　still　alive。　The　survivors　had　moved　during　the　morning　and　Simon　had　been　carried；　along　with　the　other　wounded；　to　a　cave　beneath　a　leaning　rock。　On　waking；　he　saw　before　him　only　an　open　hole　into　the　gray　sky。　It　was　the　ragged　black　birds　gliding　past　the　cave…mouth　that　taught　him　at　last　that　he　was　still　in　the　world…the　birds；　and　the　pain　in　all　his　limbs。
　　He　lay　for　a　while　testing　his　hurts；　bending　his　joints　one　by　one。　He　ached；　but　movement　had　e　back　with　the　pain。　He　was　sore　but　whole。
　　After　a　while　Binabik　came　to　him　again　with　another　drink　of　his　healing　beverage。　The　troll　himself　had　not　escaped　without　harm；　as　long　runnels　down　his　cheek　and　neck　attested。　Binabik's　look　was　solemn；　but　he　seemed　to　give　Simon's　wounds　only　a　cursory　inspection。
　　〃We　have　received　grievous　damaging；〃　the　troll　said。　〃I　wished　I　had　not　to　say　this；　but　。　。　。　Haestan　is　dead。〃
　　〃Haestan？！〃　Simon　sat　up；　forgetting　his　aching　muscles　for　a　moment。
　　〃Haestan？〃　His　stomach　seemed　to　sink　away　inside　him。
　　Binabik　nodded　his　head。　〃And　of　my　twice…dozen　panions；　nine　were　killed　and　six　more　are　being　badly　wounded。〃
　　〃What　happened　to　Haestan？〃　He　felt　a　sickening　sense　of　unreality。　How　could　Haestan　be　dead？　Had　they　not　spoken　only　a　few　moments　before　。　。　。　before。　。　。　？〃　What　about　Sludig？〃
　　〃Sludig　was　hurt；　but　not　badly。　He　is　out　with　my　tribesmen；　cutting　up　wood　for　building　of　fires。　It　is　important　for　healing　the　injured；　do　you　see？　And　Haestan　。　。　。〃　Binabik　thumped　his　chest　with　the　heel　of　his　hand…a　gesture　the　Qanuc　used；　Simon　had　learned；　to　ward　evil。　The　troll　looked　profoundly　unhappy。　〃Haestan　was　struck　to　the　head　by　one　of　the　giant's　clubs。　I　am　told　that　he　pushed　you　away　from　danger　and　was　shortly　after　himself　killed。〃
　　〃Oh；　Haestan；〃　Simon　groaned。　He　expected　tears　to　e；　but　they　did　not。　His　face　felt　strangely　numb；　his　sorrow　somehow　weak。　He　put　his　head　in　his　hands。　The　big　guardsman　had　been　so　alive；　so　hearty。　It　was　wrong　that　a　life　could　be　taken　just　that　swiftly。　Doctor　Morgenes；　Grimmric　and　Ethelbearn；　An'nai；　now　Haestan…all　dead；　all　struck　down　because　they　tried　to　do　what　was　right。　Where　were　those　powers　that　should　protect　such　innocents？
　　〃And　Sisqi？〃　Simon　asked；　suddenly　remembering　the　troll　maiden。　He　scanned　Binabik's　face　anxiously；　but　the　troll　showed　only　a　distracted　smile。
　　〃She　has　survived；　and　with　only　small　wounding。〃
　　〃Can　we　take　Haestan　down　off　the　mountain？　He　wouldn't　want　to　be　left　here。〃
　　Binabik　reluctantly　shook　his　head。　〃We　cannot　carry　his　body；　Simon。　Not　on　our　rams。　He　was　a　man　of　largeness；　too　much　for　our　mounts。　And　we　still　have　a　dangerous　way　to　go　before　we　are　on　flat　land。　He　must　stay　here；　but　his　bones　will　he　in　honor　with　the　bones　of　my　people。　He　will　be　with　other　good　and　brave　warriors。　That　is；　I　think；　as　he　would　be　wishing。　Now；　you　should　sleep　again…but　first　there　are　two　who　would　speak　with　you。〃
　　Binabik　stepped　back；　Sisqi　and　the　herder　Snenneq　were　there；　waiting　at　the　cave…mouth。　They　came　forward　to　stand　beside　Simon。　Binabik's　intended　spoke　to　Simon　in　troll　speech。　Her　dark　eyes　were　grave。　Beside　her；　Snenneq　seemed　unfortable；　shuffling　from　foot　t