tw.thestoneoffarewell-第70部分
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he air as Ruben's flesh burned away； peeling back to reveal a shifting kernel of flame beneath； pulsating with reddish light like a coal fanned by wind。 〃You will live to see His final triumph。 That is more reward than most mortals can expect！〃
〃Please！〃 Even as Ruben flared； Shem had begun to shrink； being small and gray as a charred parchment。 His tiny arm waved； crumbling。 〃Please； undying one； please。〃 His voice was oddly light； fraught with a kind of slyness。 〃I will ask nothing further…I will not speak of the Dark One again。 Forgive a mortal fool。 Teach me the Word！〃
Where Ruben had stood； a living flame glowed。 〃Very well； priest。 There is； perhaps； little risk in giving you this dangerous but final toy。 The Lord of All will be taking this world back soon enough…there is nothing you can do that He cannot make undone。 Very well。 I will teach you the Word； but the pain will be great。 No Change is without some cost。〃 Laughter bubbled again in the unearthly voice。 〃You will scream 。。。〃
〃I don't care！〃 Shem said； his ashy form swirling away now into darkness； as did the shadowed smith's and then the hayloft itself。 〃I don't care！ I must know！。。。〃 Finally； even the glowing thing that had been Ruben became only a bright point in the blackness 。。。 a star。 。 。 。
Simon awakened； breathless as a drowning man； his heart thudding in his chest。 There was a single star overhead； peeping through the hole in the top of their sleeping shelter like a blue…white eye。 He gasped。
Binabik lifted his head from Qantaqa's shaggy neck。 The troll was half…asleep； but struggling toward full wakefulness。 〃What is wrong； Simon？〃 he asked。 〃Were you having a dream that frightened？〃
Simon shook his head。 The tide of fear was ebbing a little； but he was sure it had been more than just a night fantasy。 It had seemed that an actual conversation was taking place nearby； a conversation that his sleeping mind had woven neatly into the stuff of his dream…a mundane happening that he had experienced many times。 What was strange and frightening was that there were no other speakers anywhere about： Sludig was snoring； Binabik obviously new…wakened。
〃It's nothing；〃 Simon said； struggling to speak evenly。 He crawled to the front of their lean…to； mindful of the bruises from the evening's stave…practice； and pushed his head out to look around。 The first star he had seen had a great deal of pany…a spatter of tiny white lights across the night sky。 The clouds had been driven away by the brisk wind； the night was clear and cold； and the unrelieved monotony of the White Waste stretched away on every side。 There was not another living thing to be seen anywhere beneath the ivory moon。
So it had only been a dream； a dream of how old Shem Horsegroom might speak with Pryrates' croaking tongue； and how Ruben the Bear might speak with the sepulchral tones of nothing on God's living earth。。。
〃Simon？〃 Binabik asked sleepily。 〃Are you。 。 。 ？〃
He was frightened； but if he was to be a man he could not run to cry on someone's shoulder every time he had a bad dream。 〃It's nothing。〃 He crawled shivering back to his cloak。 〃I'm well。〃
But it seemed so real。 The branches of their flimsy shelter creaked； wind…handled。 So real。 Like they were talking in my head 。 。 。
Taking the silver sparrow's fragmentary message to heart； they rode from first light to last every day； trying to outpace the ing storm。 Simon's mock…bats with Sludig now took place by firelight； so that he had scarcely a moment to spend alone from the moment he rose until he tumbled into exhausted sleep at the end of each day。 The days of riding passed in a procession of sameness： the endless； humped fields of white； the dark tangles of stunted trees； the numbing insistence of the wind。 Simon was grateful for his thickening beard： without it； he often thought； the relentless wind might rub away his face； down to the very bones。
It seemed that the wind had already worn away the face of the land； leaving behind little that was remarkable or distinct。 Had it not been for the widening line of forest on the horizon； he could have supposed that every morning found them back at the same cold； bleak starting place。 Thinking morosely about his own warm bed in the Hayholt； he decided that even if the Storm King himself were to move into the castle； his minions numerous as snowflakes； Simon could still live happily in the servant's quarters。 He wanted a home desperately。 He was close to the point where he would take a mattress in Hell if the Devil would lend him a pillow。
As days wore by； the storm continued to grow behind them； a black pillar rising ominously in the northwestern sky。 Great cloudy arms clutched at the firmament like the branches of a heaven…spanning tree。 Lightning flickered between them。
〃It's not moving very fast；〃 Simon said one day as they ate a sparse noontime meal。 There was more nervousness in his voice than he would have liked。
Binabik nodded。 〃It grows； but its spreading is slow。 That is something for being thankful about。〃 He wore an unusually dispirited expression。 〃The slower it is moving； the longer we are not beneath it…for I am thinking that when it es； it will bring a darkness with it that will not be passing away； as with storms of the ordinary type。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 Now the tremor was plain to hear。
〃It is not a storm with just snow and rain；〃 Binabik said carefully。 〃My thought is that it is exactly meant to bring fear where it goes。 It rises from Stormspike。 It has the look of something full of unnaturalness。〃 He raised his palms apologetically。 〃It is spreading； but as you said； not with great swiftness。〃
〃I do not know about such things；〃 Sludig said； 〃but I must admit I'm happy we will be off the Waste soon。 I wouldn't want to get caught in the open in any storm； and that one looks truly nasty。〃 He turned toward the south and squinted。 〃Two days until we reach Aldheorte；〃 he said。 〃That will be some protection。〃
Binabik sighed。 〃I hope you are right； but I am fearing that there will be no protection against this storm…or that the protection must be something other than forest trees or roofs。〃
〃Do you mean the swords？〃 Simon asked quietly。
The little man shrugged。 〃Perhaps。 If we are finding all three； perhaps winter can be kept at spear…length…or even pushed back。 But first we must go to where Geloe tells us。 Otherwise； it is only worrying about things we cannot be changing； that is foolishness。〃 He mustered a smile。 〃 'When your teeth are gone；' we Qanuc say； 'learn to like mush。' 〃
The next morning； their seventh on the Waste； came laden with foul weather。 Although the storm in the north was still only an inky blotch defacing the far horizon； steely gray clouds had gathered overhead； their edges stripped into sooty tatters by the rising wind。 By noon； when the sun had vanished from view entirely behind the dismal pall； the snow began to fly。
〃This is terrible；〃 Simon shouted； eyes narrowed against the stinging sleet。 Despite his heavy leather gloves； his fingers were swiftly growing numb。 〃We're blinded！ Shouldn't we stop and make shelter？〃
Binabik； a small； snow…covered shadow atop Qantaqa's back； turned and called back to him： 〃If we go a little farther； we will reach the crossroads！〃
〃Crossroads！〃 Sludig bellowed。 〃In this wilderness？！〃
〃Ride nearer；〃 Binabik cried。 〃I will be explaining。〃
Simon and the Rimmersman brought their mounts closer to the striding wolf。 Binabik lifted his hand to his mouth； but still the wind's roar threatened to carry off his words。 〃Not far beyond here； I am thinking； this Old Tumet'ai Road meets the White Way； that is running along the northern edge of the forest。 At the crossroad may be shelter； or at least the trees should be of more thickness there； closer to the woods。 Let us go riding on a while longer。 If there is nothing in that spot； we will make our camp there despite it。〃
〃As long as we stop well before dark； troll；〃 Sludig bellowed。 〃You are clever； but your cleverness may not be enough to make a decent camp in darkness in this blizzard。 Having lived through all the madness I have seen； I do not want to die in the snow like a lost cow！〃 Simon said nothing； saving his strength so he could more fully appreci… ate his misery。 Aedon； it was cold！ Would there never be an end to snow？
They rode on through the bleak； icy afternoon。 Simon's mare plodded slowly； ankling through the new drifts。 Simon leaned his head close to her mane； trying to stay out of the wind。 The world seemed as formless and white as the inside of a flour cask； and only slightly more habitable。
The sun was quite invisible； but a dimming of the already scarce light attested that the afternoon was fading fast。 Binabik； however； did not seem inclined to stop。 As they passed yet one more unprepossessing stand of evergreens； Simon could stand it no longer。
〃I'm freezing； Binabik！〃 he shouted angrily above the wind。 〃And it's getting dark！ There's another bunch of trees gone and we're still riding。 Well； it's almost night！ By God's bloody Tree； I'm not going to go any farther！〃
〃Simon 。。。〃 Binabik began； striving to assume a placating tone while yelling at the top of his lungs。
〃There's something in the road！〃 Sludig cried hoarsely。 〃Swear！ Something ahead！ A troll！〃
Binabik squinted。 〃It is being no such thing；〃 he shouted indignantly。 〃No Qanuc would be foolish enough to go wandering alone in such weather！〃
Simon stared into the swirling gray dimness before them。 〃I don't see anything。〃
〃As neither do I。〃 Binabik brushed snow from his hood lining。
〃I saw something；〃 Sludig growled。 〃I may be snow…blinded； but I am not mad。〃
〃An animal； that is most likely；〃 the troll said。 〃Or； if we are unlucky； one of the diggers as a scout。 Perhaps it is time to make shelter and fire； as you said； Simon。 There is a stand of trees that looks to make better sheltering just ahead。 There； over the rise。〃
The panions chose the most protected spot they could find。 Simon and Sludig wove branches among the tree trunks for a windbreak while Binabik； with the help of his yellow fire…powder； set flame to damp wood a
