tw.thestoneoffarewell-第82部分

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egwin　could　not　help　turning　to　Eolair　with　a　smile　of　satisfaction。
　　〃Do　you　see！？〃　She　held　her　lamp　up　to　the　wall。　〃How　could　this　be　work　of　any　mere　mortals？〃
　　〃I　see　it；　Lady；〃　Eolair　responded　somberly。　〃But　there　is　no　such　wall　on　the　other　side　of　the　stairs。〃　He　indicated　the　drop…off　to　the　canyon　below。　Despite　the　distance　they　had　already　traveled　downward；　it　was　still　far　enough　to　kill　someone　handily。　〃Please　don't　look　at　the　carvings　so　closely　that　you　stumble　over　the　edge。〃
　　Maegwin　curtseyed。　〃I　will　be　careful；　Count。〃　Eolair　frowned；　perhaps　at　her　frivolity；　but　only　nodded。
　　The　great　stairway　opened　out　at　the　bottom　like　a　fan；　spreading　onto　the　canyon　floor。　Away　from　the　overhanging　cavern　wall；　the　glow　of　their　lamps　seemed　to　diminish；　the　light　not　strong　enough　to　dispel　the　deep　and　overwhelming　dark。　Buildings　which　had　seemed　cunning　as　carved　toys　from　the　height　of　the　canyon　rim　now　loomed　above　them；　a　fantastic　array　of　shadowed　domes　and　spiraling　towers　that　tapered　up　into　the　blackness　like　impossible　stalagmites。　Bridges　of　living　stone　stretched　from　the　cavern　walls　to　the　towers；　winding　in　and　about　the　spires　like　ribbons。　Its　various　parts　tied　together　with　narrow　integu…　ments　of　stone；　the　city　seemed　more　like　a　single；　breathingly　vital　thing　than　an　artifact　of　lifeless　rock…but　it　was　surely　empty。
　　〃The　Sithi　are　long　gone；　Lady；　if　they　ever　lived　here。〃　Eolair　was　solemn；　but　Maegwin　thought　she　heard　a　certain　satisfaction　in　his　tone。　〃It　is　time　to　return。〃
　　Maegwin　gave　him　a　look　of　disgust。　Had　the　man　no　curiosity　at　all？　〃Then　what　is　that？〃　she　asked；　pointing　to　a　faint　glow　near　the　center　of　the　shadowed　city。　〃If　that　is　not　lamplight；　then　I　am　a　Rimmersman。〃
　　The　count　stared。　〃It　does　look　like　it；〃　he　said　cautiously。　〃But　it　might　be　something　else。　Light　leaking　down　from　above。〃
　　〃I　have　been　in　the　tunnels　a　long　while；〃　Maegwin　said。　〃Surely　it　is　well　past　sunset　aboveground。〃　She　turned　and　touched　his　arm。　〃e；　Eolair；　please！　Don't　be　such　an　old　man！　How　could　you　leave　this　place　without　knowing？〃
　　The　Count　of　Nad　Mullach　frowned；　but　she　could　see　other　emotions　struggling　beneath　the　surface。　He　did　wish　to　know；　that　was　plain。　It　was　just　this　transparency　that　had　captured　her　heart。　How　could　he　be　an　envoy　to　all　the　courts　of　Osten　Ard　and　yet　sometimes　be　as　uncloudedly　obvious　as　a　child？
　　〃Please？〃　she　said。
　　He　checked　the　oil　in　the　lamps　before　answering。　〃Very　well。　But　only　to　set　your　mind　at　ease；　I　do　not　doubt　that　you　have　found　a　place　that　once　belonged　to　the　Sithi；　or　to　men　of　old　who　had　skills　we　have　lost；　but　they　are　long　vanished。　They　cannot　save　us　from　our　fate。〃
　　〃Whatever　you　say；　Count。　Hurry　now！〃
　　She　tugged　him　forward；　into　the　city。
　　Despite　her　confident　words；　the　stone　byways　did　indeed　seem　long…deserted。　Dust　sifted　beneath　their　feet；　eddying　listlessly。　After　they　had　walked　awhile；　Maegwin　found　her　enthusiasm　begin　to　diminish；　her　thoughts　turning　melancholy　as　the　lamplight　threw　the　jutting　towers　and　swooping　spans　into　grotesque　relief。　She　was　again　reminded　of　bones；　as　though　they　wandered　through　the　time…scoured　rib　cage　of　some　impossible　beast。　Following　the　twisting　streets　through　the　abandoned　city；　she　began　to　feel　herself　swallowed　up。　For　the　first　time　the　utterness　of　these　depths；　the　sheer　furlongs　of　stone　between　herself　and　the　sun；　seemed　oppressive。
　　They　passed　innumerable　empty　holes　in　the　carved　stone　facades；　holes　whose　smooth　edges　had　once　been　tight…filled　by　doors。　Maegwin　imagined　eyes　staring　out　at　her　from　the　darkened　entrances…not　malicious　eyes；　but　sad　ones；　eyes　that　gazed　at　the　trespassers　with　more　regret　than　anger。
　　Surrounded　by　proud　ruins；　Lluth's　daughter　felt　herself　weighted　down　by　all　that　her　people　had　not　bee；　all　that　they　could　never　be。　Given　the　entirety　of　the　world's　sunlit　fields　in　which　to　run；　the　Hernystiri　tribes　had　let　themselves　be　driven　into　caves　in　the　mountain。　Even　their　gods　had　deserted　them。　At　least　these　Sithi　had　left　their　memorial　in　magnificently　crafted　stone。　Maegwin's　people　built　of　wood；　and　even　the　bones　of　Hernystir's　warriors　now　bleaching　on　the　Inniscrich　would　disappear　with　the　passing　of　years。　Soon　there　would　be　nothing　left　of　her　people　at　all。
　　Unless　someone　saved　them。　But　surely　none　but　the　Sithi　could　do　that…and　where　had　they　gone？　Was　Eolair　right？　Were　they　indeed　dead？　She　had　been　sure　they　had　gone　deep　into　the　earth；　but　perhaps　they　had　passed　on　to　some　other　place。
　　She　stole　a　glance　at　Eolair。　The　count　was　walking　silently　beside　her；　staring　up　at　the　city's　splendid　towers　like　a　farmer　from　the　Circoille　fringes　on　his　first　visit　to　Hernysadharc。　Watching　his　thin…nosed　face；　his　bedraggled　tail　of　black　hair；　she　suddenly　felt　her　love　for　him　e　surging　up　from　the　place　where　she　had　thought　it　prisoned；　a　helpless　love　as　painful　and　undeniable　as　grief。　Maegwin's　memory　went　flying　back　almost　a　score　of　years　to　the　first　day　she　had　seen　him。
　　She　had　been　only　a　girl；　but　already　tall　as　a　grown　woman；　she　recalled　with　disgust。　She　had　been　standing　behind　her　father's　chair　in　the　Taig's　great　hall　when　the　new　Count　of　Nad　Mullach　arrived　for　his　ritual　pledge　of　loyalty。　Eolair　had　seemed　so　young　that　day；　slender　and　bright…eyed　as　a　fox；　nervous；　but　almost　giddy　with　pride。　Seemed　young？　He　had　been　young：　scarcely　more　than　twenty…two　years　old；　full　of　the　suppressed　laughter　of　anxious　youth。　He　had　caught　Maegwin's　eye　as　she　peered　cunously　around　the　high　back　of　Lluth's　chair。　She　had　blushed　scarlet　as　a　berry。　Eolair　had　smiled　then；　showing　her　those　bright；　small；　sharp　teeth；　and　it　had　felt　as　though　he　took　a　gentle　bite　of　her　heart。
　　It　had　meant　nothing　to　him；　of　course。　Maegwin　knew　that。　She　was　only　a　girl　then；　but　already　fated　to　bee　the　king's　gawky　spinster　daughter；　a　woman　who　lavished　her　attention　on　pigs　and　horses　and　birds　with　broken　wings；　and　knocked　things　off　tabletops　because　she　could　never　remember　to　walk　and　sit　and　carry　herself　delicately；　as　a　lady　should。　No；　he　had　meant　nothing　more　than　a　fretful　smile　at　a　wide…eyed　young　girl；　but　with　that　unwitting　smile　Eolair　had　caught　her　forever　in　an　unbreakable　net。。。
　　Her　thoughts　were　interrupted　as　the　walled　road　they　had　chosen　ended　before　a　broad；　squat　tower　whose　surface　crawled　with　ornate　stone　vines　and　translucent　stone　flowers。　A　wide　doorway　gaped　darkly　like　a　toothless　mouth。　Eolair　looked　at　the　shadowed　entrance　suspiciously　before　stepping　forward　to　peer　inside。
　　The　interior　of　the　tower　seemed　oddly　spacious；　despite　the　close…hovermg　shadows。　A　stairway　choked　with　rubble　curled　away　up　one　inner　wall；　and　a　descending　stairway　passed　around　the　circumference　of　the　tower　in　the　opposite　direction　When　they　drew　their　lamps　back　outside　the　door；　a　glimmer　of　light…only　the　faintest　of　sheens…seemed　to　brighten　the　air　where　this　downward　passage　disappeared　from　view。
　　Maegwin　took　a　deep　breath。　Astonishingly；　she　felt　no　fear　at　being　in　such　a　mad　place。　〃We　will　turn　back　whenever　you　say。〃
　　〃That　staircase　is　far　too　treacherous；〃　Eolair　replied。　〃We　should　go　back　now。〃　He　hesitated；　torn　between　curiosity　and　responsibility。　There　was　indeed　an　unarguable　gleam　of　light　from　the　downtrack。　Maegwin　stared　at　it；　but　said　nothing。　The　count　sighed。　〃We　will　just　go　a　little　way　on　the　other　path；　instead。〃
　　They　followed　the　downward　path；　spiraling　for　what　seemed　a　furlong　into　the　depths　until　they　leveled　out　at　last　in　a　broad；　low…ceilinged　passageway。　The　walls　and　roof　were　carved　with　tangled　vines　and　grasses　and　flowers；　a　panorama　of　vegetation　that　could　only　grow　far　above；　beneath　sun　and　sky。　The　interwoven　strands　of　stem　and　vine　ran　endlessly　along　the　wall　beside　them　in　a　tapestry　of　stone。　Despite　the　immensity　of　the　panels；　no　part　of　the　wall　seemed　carved　with　exactly　the　same　design　as　any　other。　The　great　carvings　themselves　were　posed　of　many　kinds　of　rock；　of　an　almost　infinite　variety　of　hues　and　textures；　but　the　panels　were　no　mosaic　of　individual　tiles　as　was　the　patterned　floor。　Rather；　the　very　stone　itself　seemed　to　have　grown　in　exact　and　pleasing　shapes；　as　a　hedge　coaxed　and　pruned　by　gardeners　might　mimic　the　form　of　an　animal　or　bird。
　　〃By　the　gods　of　Earth　and　Sky；〃　she　breathed。
　　〃We　must　turn　back；　Maegwin。〃　There　was　little　conviction　m　Eolair's　voice。　Here　in　the　deeps；　time　seemed　to　have　slowed　almost　to　a　stop。
　　They　walked　on；　examining　the　fantastic　carvings　in　silence。　At　last；　the　lamplight　was　supplemented　by　a　more　diffuse　glow　from　the　tunnel's　far　end　Maegwin　and　the　count　stepped　out　of　the　passageway　and　into　the　open；　where　the　shadowed　ceiling　of　the　huge　cavern　once　more　arched　distantly　overhead。
　　They　stood　on　a　broad　fan　of　tiles　above　a　great　and　shallow　bowl　of　stone。
　　The　arena；　three　stone…throws　across；　was　lined　all　about　with　benches　of　pale；　crumbling　chert；　as　though　the　deserted　bowl　had　been　the　site　of　worship　or　vast　spectacle。　A　misty　white　light　glowed　in　the　open　space　of　the　bowl's　center；　like　an　invalid　sun。
　　〃Cuamh　and　Brynioch！〃　Eolair　swore　quietly。　There　was　a　distant　and　anxious　edge　to　his　voice。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　A　great；　angular　crystal　stood　on　an　altar　of　dull　granite　in　the　middle　of　the　arena；　shimmering　like　a　corpse…candle。　The　stone　was　milky　white；　smooth…faced　but　rough…edged　as　ajagged　chunk　of　quartz。　Its　strange　and　subtle　light　slowly　brightened；　then　died；　then　brightened　again；　so　that　the　ancient　benches　standing　nearest　seemed　almost　to　flicker　m　and　out　of　existence　with　every　scintillation。
　　Pale　light　washed　over　them　as　they　approached　the　strange　object；　the　chill　air　began　to　seem　distinctly　warmer。　Maegwin　felt　a　moment　of　breathlessness　at　the　queer　splendor　of　the　thing。　For　long　moments　she　and　Eolair　stood　looking　into　the　snowy　glare；　watching　subtle　colors　chase　each　other　through　the　stone's　depths；　mangold　and　coral　and　shy　lavender；　shifting　like　quicksilver。
　　〃It's　beaut