tw.thestoneoffarewell-第55部分

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much　like　madness。　Old　Criobhan　and　the　others　asked　her　not　to　go；　but　Maegwin　only　drew　herself　up　and　coldly　declaimed　that　they　had　no　right　to　question　Lluth's　daughter。　If　she　was　needed　to　lead　the　people　in　defense　of　their　new　home；　she　said；　or　to　tend　the　wounded；　or　to　make　decisions　of　policy；　she　would　be　there。　The　rest　of　the　time　was　her　own。　She　would　use　it　as　she　saw　fit。
　　Concerned　with　her　safety；　Eolair　also　asked　her　where　she　went；　suggesting　that　she　should　not　go　wandering　in　the　depths　again　without　him　or　some　other　panions。　Maegwin；　unmoved；　would　only　speak　mysteriously　of　〃help　from　the　gods；〃　and　the　〃tunnels　that　led　back　into　the　days　of　the　Peaceful　Ones〃…as　much　as　saying　that　small…minded　idiots　like　the　Count　of　Nad　Mullach　should　not　concern　themselves　with　things　they　could　not　understand。
　　Eolair　thought　she　was　going　mad。　He　was　frightened　for　Maegwin　and　her　people…and　also　for　himself。　The　count　had　watched　her　long　slide。　Lluth's　mortal　injury　and　the　treacherous　slaying　other　brother　Gwythinn　had　wounded　something　inside　her；　but　the　wound　was　in　a　place　Eolair　could　not　reach　and　all　his　best　efforts　seemed　only　to　make　things　worse。　He　did　not　know　why　his　attempts　to　help　her　in　her　sorrow　should　distress　her　so；　but　he　understood　that　the　king's　daughter　feared　being　pitied　more　than　she　feared　death。
　　 Unable　to　ease　her　pain；　or　his　own　hurt　at　the　sight　of　her　suffering；　he　could　at　least　help　keep　her　alive。　But　how　could　he　do　even　that　when　the　king's　daughter　did　not　want　to　be　saved？
　　Today　had　been　the　worst　yet。　Maegwin　had　risen　before　the　first　gleam　of　dawn　bled　through　the　chink　in　the　cavern　root；　then　had　taken　torches　and　ropes　and　a　collection　of　other　ominous　things　before　vanishing　into　the　tunnels。　She　had　not　returned　by　the　end　of　the　afternoon。　After　supper；　Eolair…tired　himself　from　a　day's　patrolling　through　the　Circoille　Woods…had　set　out　after　her。　If　he　did　not　find　her　soon；　he　would　return　and　raise　a　search　party。
　　For　the　better　part　of　an　hour　he　followed　the　meandering　tunnels　downward；　marking　his　progress　on　the　walls；　watching　his　torch　dwin…　dle。　He　had　gone　beyond　the　point　where　he　could　pretend　to　himself　he　would　be　able　to　walk　all　the　way　back　in　light。　He　was　unwilling　to　give　up；　but　if　he　waited　much　longer　there　would　be　two　lost　in　the　cata…　bs；　and　what　benefit　was　that　to　anybody？
　　He　stopped　at　last　in　a　place　where　the　way　opened　out　into　a　rough…hewn　chamber；　with　black　tunnel　mouths　leading　away　in　three　more　directions。　He　swore；　realizing　that　the　time　had　e　to　stop　fooling　himself。　Maegwin　could　be　anywhere；　he　might　even　have　passed　her。　He　would　return　to　the　jibes　of　the　others；　the　princess　back　safely　an　hour　before。　Eolair　smiled　grimly　and　bound　up　his　horsetail　of　black　hair；　which　had　e　unbraided　as　he　walked。　Jokes　would　not　be　so　bad。　Better　to　suffer　a　little　humiliation　than　。　。　。
　　A　thin　voice　whispered　into　the　rock　chamber；　a　trace　of　melody　faint　as　an　old　memory。
　　
　　〃。　。　。　His　voice　echoed　out　through　woods　and　through　wild。
　　Where　two　hearts　had　sounded　now　beat　only　one　。。。〃
　　
　　Eolair's　heart　sped。　He　walked　into　the　chamber's　center　and　cupped　his　hands　around　his　mouth。
　　〃Maegwin！〃　he　cried。　〃Where　are　you。　Lady？　Maegwin！〃
　　The　walls　boomed　with　echoes。　When　they　had　died　he　listened　carefully；　but　there　was　no　answering　cry。
　　〃Maegwin；　it　is　Eolair！〃　he　called。　Again　he　waited　for　the　chorus　of　shouting　voices　to　quiet。　This　time　the　stillness　was　broken　by　another　tenuous　strand　of　song。
　　
　　〃。　。　…　Her　dark　eyes　sky…watching；
　　Only　her　shining　blood　gave　him　answer；　
　　Her　head　lay　uncradled；　her　black　hair　undone。。。　〃
　　
　　He　moved　his　head　from　side　to　side；　determining　at　last　that　the　singing　seemed　loudest　from　the　left…hand　opening。　He　ducked　his　head　through　and　shouted　in　surprise　as　he　almost　tumbled　into　blackness。　He　pushed　outward　at　the　craggy　walls　to　steady　himself；　then　bent　to　pick　up　the　torch　he　had　dropped；　but　even　as　he　reached　down；　the　flame　sizzled　and　vanished。　His　hand　felt　water　by　the　torch's　haft　and　empty　space　beyond。　Dancing　before　his　blinded　eyes　was　the　last　thing　he　had　seen　before　the　light　went　out；　a　crude　but　discernible　image　painted　on　black　nothing。　He　was　standing　at　the　top　of　a　rough　stone　staircase　that　fell　away　down　the　steep　tunnel；　a　parade　of　steps　that　seemed　to　lead　to　the　center　of　the　world。
　　Blackness。　Trapped　in　absolute　darkness。　Eolair　felt　a　spasm　of　fear　beginning　and　choked　it　off。　It　had　been　Maegwin's　voice　he　had　heard；　he　was　nearly　certain。　Of　course　it　had　been！　Who　else　would　be　singing　old　Hernystiri　songs　m　the　deeps　of　creation！
　　A　quiet；　childish　fear　of　something　that　might　hide　in　the　dark　and　summon　its　prey　with　familiar　voices　struggled　inside　him。　Bagba's　Herd；　what　kind　of　man　was　he？
　　He　touched　the　walls　on　either　side。　They　were　damp。　The　step　below　him；　when　he　kneeled　to　inspect　it　with　his　fingers；　was　sunken　in　the　middle；　water　had　pooled　there。　At　a　reasonable　distance　below　it　lay　another　step。　His　probing　foot　found　another　lying　a　similar　length　below　the　second。
　　〃Maegwin？〃　he　called　again；　but　no　one　was　singing。
　　Stepping　down　cautiously；　keeping　his　hands　above　his　shoulders　so　he　could　grab　at　the　walls；　Eolair　began　to　make　his　way　down　the　coarse…hewn　stairway。　The　last　flash　of　light　and　the　picture　it　had　painted　had　vanished　from　his　eyes。　He　strained；　but　could　see　only　darkness。　The　noise　of　dripping　water；　running　steadily　from　the　walls　on　all　sides；　was　the　only　sound　beside　his　own　scuffling　feet。
　　 After　many　cautiously　negotiated　steps　and　a　drift　of　time　that　could　have　been　hours；　the　stairway　ended。　As　far　as　he　inched　his　foot　ahead；　the　ground　stayed　level。　Eolair　took　a　few　cautious　steps　forward；　cursing　himself　once　more　for　not　bringing　his　flints。　Who　would　ever　have　guessed　that　this　short　search　for　a　wandering　princess　would　have　turned　into　a　struggle　for　life？　And　where　was　the　one　who　had　sung；　whether　Maegwin　or　some　less　friendly　cavern…dweller？
　　The　tunnel　seemed　level。　He　pushed　on　slowly；　following　the　pathway's　twists　with　one　hand　dragging　on　the　wall　and　the　other　held　before　him；　probing　in　blackness。　After　he　had　gone　a　few　hundred　paces　the　tunnel　turned　once　more。　To　his　immense　relief；　he　found　that　here　he　could　actually　see　something：　a　faint　glow　outlined　the　tunnel's　interior；　brighter　at　its　turning　a　dozen　ells　ahead。
　　As　he　came　around　the　corner；　he　was　splashed　with　a　strong　light　welling　up　from　an　opening　in　the　tunnel　wall。　The　stone　corridor　itself　continued　on　until　it　bent　to　the　right　and　he　could　see　no　farther；　but　the　hole　in　the　wall　now　drew　all　his　attention。　Apprehension　speeding　his　heart　more　than　a　little；　Eolair　got　down　on　his　knees　and　stared　through；　starting　up　again　with　such　surprise　that　he　grazed　his　head　on　the　stone。　A　moment　later　he　had　dangled　his　legs　through　the　opening；　letting　himself　slide　off　the　floor　of　the　tunnel　down　into　the　hole。　He　landed；　bending　his　knees　to　keep　from　falling　over；　then　slowly　stood　upright。
　　He　was　in　a　wide　cavern　whose　fluted　ceilings；　ornate　with　hanging　spikes　of　stone；　seemed　to　waver　m　the　light　from　a　pair　of　flickering　oil　lamps。　At　the　far　end　of　the　cavern　stood　a　great　door；　twice　as　tall　as　a　man；　flush　with　the　very　face　of　the　rock。　The　door　joined　the　stone　lintel　as　closely　as　if　it　had　grown　there；　its　mighty　hinges　bolted　directly　to　the　wall　of　the　cavern。　Sitting　against　the　door　in　a　clutter　of　ropes　and　tools　was。。。
　　〃Maegwin！〃　he　cried；　running　forward；　tripping　on　the　uneven　ground。　The　princess'　head　rested　upon　on　her　knees；　unmoving。　〃Maegwin；　are　you。。　。　？〃
　　She　raised　her　head　as　he　approached。　Something　in　her　eyes　caught　him　up　short。　〃Princess。　。　。　？〃
　　'I　was　sleeping。〃　She　shook　her　head　slowly　and　ran　her　hands　through　her　sorrel　hair。　〃Sleeping；　and　dreaming　。　。　。〃　Maegwin　paused　and　stared　at　him。　Her　face　was　almost　black　with　dirt；　her　eyes　gleamed　eerily。　〃Who。　。　。　？〃　she　began；　ther　shook　her　head　again。　〃Eolair！　I　was　having　the　oddest　dream　。　。　。　you　were　calling　me　。。。〃
　　He　sprang　forward；　squatting　at　her　side。　She　seemed　to　have　suffered　no　injury。　He　quickly　ran　his　hands　through　her　hair；　feeling　her　head　for　the　mark　of　a　fall。
　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　she　asked；　but　did　not　seem　overly　concerned。　〃And　what　are　you　doing　here？〃
　　He　leaned　away　so　he　could　look　at　her　face。　〃I　must　ask　you　that　question；　Lady。　What　are　you　doing　here？　Your　people　are　sick　with　worry。〃
　　She　smiled　lazily。　〃I　knew　I　would　find　it；〃　she　said。　〃1　knew　it。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Eolair　said　angrily。　〃e；　we　must　go　back。　Thanks　to　the　gods　that　you　have　lamps；　otherwise　we　would　be　trapped　here　forever！〃
　　〃Do　you　mean　you　didn't　bring　a　torch？　Foolish　Eolair！　I　have　brought　many　things　with　me；　since　it　is　such　a　long　way　back　to　the　upper　caverns。〃　She　gestured　at　her　scattered　tools。　〃I　have　some　bread；　I　think。　Are　you　hungry？〃
　　Eolair　sat　back　on　his　heels；　baffled。　Was　this　what　happened　when　someone　went　irretrievably　mad？　The　princess　seemed　quite　happy；　here　in　a　hole　far　beneath　the　earth。　What　had　happened　to　her？
　　〃I　ask　you　again；〃　he　said　as　calmly　as　he　could。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　　Maegwin　laughed。　〃Exploring。　At　least　at　first。　It　is　our　only　hope；　you　know。　To　go　deeper；　that　is。　We　must　always　keep　going　deeper；　or　our　enemies　will　find　us。〃
　　Eolair　let　out　a　hiss　of　exasperation。　〃We　have　done　as　you　wish　already。　Princess。　The　people　have　taken　to　the　caves；　as　you　directed。　Now　they　wonder　where　the　king's　daughter　has　gone。〃
　　〃But　I　also　knew　I　would　find　this；〃　she　said；　continuing　as　if　Eolair　had　not　spoken。　Her　voice　dropped　to　a　whisper。　〃The　gods　have　not　deserted　us；〃　she　said；　looking　around　as　though　she　feared　eavesdroppers；　〃…for　they　have　spoken　to　me　in　dreams。　They　have　not　deserted　us。〃　She　pointed　at　the　great　door　behind　them。　〃And　neither　have　our　old　allies　the　Sithi…for　that　is　what　we　need；　do　we　not；　Eolair？　Allies！〃　Her　eyes　were　fearfully　bright。　〃I　ha