tw.thestoneoffarewell-第79部分
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k room…warden。〃 He gasped for air。 〃Take her 。。。 to 。。。 Kwanitupul 。 。to Pelippa's Bowl。 Tiamak is 。。。 there。〃
Isgrimnur's eyes filled with tears。 This man should be dead。 There could be nothing keeping him alive but sheer will。 〃I'll find her；〃 he said。 〃I'll keep her safe。〃
Dinivan suddenly seemed to recognize him。 〃Tell Josua；〃 he panted 〃I fear。。。 false messengers。〃
〃What does that mean？〃 Isgrimnur asked； but Dinivan was silent； his free hand crawling across his chest like a dying spider； fumbling hopelessly at the neck of his robe。 Isgrimnur gently pulled out Dinivan's Holy Tree and laid it on his chest； but the priest shook his head feebly； trying once more to reach inside his robe。 Isgrimnur lifted out a golden scroll and quill pendant on a chain。 The catch broke as he held it； the chain spilled out into the damp hair at Dinivan's neck like a tiny； gleaming snake。
〃Give。。。 Tiamak；〃 Dinivan rasped。 Isgrimnur could barely hear him over the clamor of approaching voices and the crackle of flames in the corridor beyond。 The duke slipped it into the pocket of his monk's robe； then looked up； startled by a sudden movement nearby。 One of the immobile guards； illuminated by pulsing fireglow； was swaying in place。 A moment later he fell forward with a crash； his helmet skittering across the tiles。 The toppled soldier groaned。
When Isgrimnur looked down again； the light had fled Dinivan's eyes。
16
The Unhomed
THE DARKNESS in the abbey was plete； the silence marred only by Simon's ragged breath。 Then Skodi spoke again； her voice no longer whisperingly sweet。
〃Stand up。〃
Some force seemed to tug at him； a pressure delicate as a cobweb but strong as iron。 His muscles flexed against his will； but he resisted。 A short time before he had struggled to rise…now； he strained to lie still。
〃Why do you fight me？〃 Skodi asked petulantly。 Her chilly hand brushed across his chest and down onto the quivering skin of his stomach。 He flinched； and control of his limbs slipped away as the girl's will closed on him like a fist。 A forceful but intangible pull brought him to his feet。 He swayed in the darkness； unable to find his balance。 〃We will give them the sword；' Skodi crooned； 〃the black sword…oh； we will get such lovely presents。。。〃
〃Where。。。 are。。。 my friends？〃 Simon croaked。
〃Hush； silly。 Go out to the yard。 〃
He stumbled helplessly through the darkened room； barking his thins on hidden obstacles； lurching like a clumsily manipulated puppet。
〃Here；' Skodi said。 The abbey's front door swung open on grating hinges； filling the room with baleful reddish light。 She stood in the doorway； pale hair fluttering in the swirling wind。 〃e； now； Simon。 What a night this is！ A wild night。〃
The bonfire in the dooryard blazed even higher than it had when the travelers arrived； a beacon ot flame that reached the height of the sloping roof and threw the abbey's cracked walls into red relief。 Skodi's children； the young and old alike； were feeding all manner of strange objects into the fire： broken chairs and other bits of ruined furniture； and deadwood from the surrounding forest that burned with a ceaseless hiss of steam。 In fact； the bonfire's eager wardens seemed to be throwing everything they could find into the blaze； without regard for suitability…rocks and animal bones； cracked pottery； and shards of colored glass from the abbey's decaying windows。 As the flames roared and leaped in the surging wind； the children's eyes caught the light； glowing like the yellow orbs of foxes。
Simon tottered out onto the snowy courtyard with Skodi following close behind。 A keening howl lanced through the night； a wretched； lonely sound。 Slow as a sunning tortoise； Simon swiveled his head toward the green…eyed shape crouched atop the hill that overlooked the clearing。 Simon felt an instant of hope as it lifted its muzzle and moaned again。
〃Qantaqa！〃 he cried； the name fell strangely from his stiff jaws and slack lips。 The wolf came no closer than the hill…crest。 She howled once more； a cry of fear and frustration as clear as if it had been spoken with a human tongue。
〃Nasty animal；〃 Skodi said with distaste。 〃Child…eater。 Moon…shouter。 It won't e near Skodi's house。 It won't break my charm。 〃 She stared hard at the green eyes and Qantaqa's baying became a whimper of pain。 A moment later the wolf turned and vanished from the rise。 Simon cursed inwardly and struggled again to break free； but he was still as helpless as a kitten dangled by the scruff。 Only his head seemed his own； and every movement was painfully difficult。 He turned slowly； looking for Binabik and Sludig； then stopped； eyes widening。
Two crumpled shapes； one small； one large； lay on the frosty ground against the abbey's rotted plaster front。 Simon's tears froze into stinging ice on his cheek as something tugged his head back around and drew him another unwilling step toward the fire。
〃Wait；〃 Skodi said。 Her voluminous white nightdress flapped in the wind。 Her feet were bare。 〃I do not want you too close。 You might be burned and that would spoil you。 Stand there。〃 She pointed a plump arm at a spot a couple of paces away。 As if he were an extension of her hand； Simon found himself trudging unsteadily across the thawing mud to the spot she had indicated。
〃Vren！〃 Skodi cried。 She seemed gripped by maniacal good cheer。 〃Where is that rope？ Where are you？〃
The dark…haired boy appeared in the abbey's front doorway。 〃Here； Skodi。〃
〃Tie his pretty wrists。〃
Vren shot forward； skittering over the icy ground。 He grasped Simon's limp hands and pulled them behind his back； then deftly bound him with a length of rope。
〃Why are you doing this； Vren？〃 Simon gasped。 〃We were kind to you。〃
The Hyrka boy ignored him； pulling the knots tight。 When he had finished； he put his small hands on Simon's hips and pushed him toward where Binabik and Sludig lay huddled。
Like Simon； both had their hands trussed behind their backs。 Binabik's eyes rolled to meet Simon's； the whites gleaming in the fire…shadowed yard。 Sludig was breathing but insensible； a strand of spittle frozen on his blond beard。
〃Simon…friend；〃 the troll rasped； each word a labor。 The little man drew breath as if to say more； but instead fell back into silence。
Across the yard； Skodi had bent to draw a circle in the melting snow； trickling a handful of reddish powder from her fist。 When that was finished； she began to scrape runes into the muddy ground； her tongue clenched between her teeth like a studious child。 Vren stood a short distance away； swiveling his head from Skodi to Simon and back again； face empty of all emotion but a sort of animal watchfulness。
Finished stoking the fire； the children were huddled near the wall of the abbey。 One of the youngest girls sat on the ground in her thin shirt； sobbing quietly； an older boy patted her head in a perfunctory way that seemed meant to fort her。 They all watched Skodi's movements with fascinated attention。 The wind had blown the fire into a rippling pillar； which painted their sober little faces with vermillion light。
〃Now； where is Honsa？〃 Skodi called； clutching her nightdress closer to her body as she straightened up。 〃Honsa！？〃
〃I'll get her； Skodi；〃 Vren said。 He slipped into the shadows at the corner of the abbey； vanishing from sight； then reappeared a few moments later with a black…haired Hyrka girl a year or two older than himself。 A heavy basket swung between them； bumping and jostling across the uneven ground until they set it down by Skodi's swollen feet and scampered back to the crowd of watching children。 Once there； Vren squatted in front of the little group and pulled a knife from his belt； then began to nervously shred the end of his remaining hank of rope。 Simon could feel the boy's tension from across the yard。 He wondered dully what the cause might be。
Skodi reached into the basket and lifted out a skull whose mandible clung by only a few knots of dried flesh； so that the eyeless face seemed to gape in surprise。 The bulging basket； Simon now saw； was full of skulls。 He suddenly felt sure he knew what had happened to the parents of all these children。 His numbed body shivered reflexively； but he perceived the movement only dimly； as though it happened to someone else who was some distance away。 Nearby； dark…eyed Vren picked at the end of rope with his gleaming blade； his features set in a brooding scowl。 Simon remembered with a sinking heart how Skodi had said that beside his other chores； Vren butchered and cooked for her。
Skodi held the skull before her； her oddly pretty face utterly absorbed…a scholar studying a table of high mathematical formulae。 She swayed from side to side like a boat in high wind； nightdress flapping； and began to sing in her high…pitched； childish voice。
〃In a hole； in a hole。〃 Skodi piped；
〃。 。 。 in the ground； in a hole； where the wet…nosed mole
sings a song of cold stone； and of mud and gray bone；
a quiet； small song all the chill； dark night long
as he digs in the deep； where the white worms creep；
and the dead all sleep； with their eyes full of earth
where the beetles give birth； laying little white eggs；
and their brittle black legs go scrape； scrape； scrape；
and the dark； like a cape； covers all just the same；
darkness hiding their shame as it covered their names；
the names of the dead； all gone； all fled；
empty winds； empty heads；
Above grass grows on stone； fields lie fallow； unsown
all is gone that they've known
so they wail in the deep； crying out in their sleep；
without eyes； still they weep； calling out for what's lost；
in the darkness they toss； under pitweed and moss
in the deeps of the grave； neither master or slave；
has now feature or fame； needs knowledge or name；
but they long to e back； and they stare through the cracks
at the dim sun above； and they curse cruel love；
and the peace lost in life； think of worry and strife；
ruined child or wife；
all the troubles that burned； dreadful lessons unlearned；
still they long to return； to return； to return；
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