tw.thestoneoffarewell-第84部分

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a'ya。　We　came　from　the　Garden　and　we　can　never　return。〃
　　Eolair　sheathed　his　sword　with　a　clang　that　echoed　through　the　cavern。　〃You　sought　for　the　Peaceful　Ones；　Princess！　This　is　as　strange　or　stranger！　A　city　in　the　mountain's　heart！　The　dwarrows　out　of　our　oldest　legends！　Has　the　world　below　gone　as　mad　as　the　world　above？〃
　　Maegwin　was　scarcely　less　astonished　than　Eolair；　but　found　herself　with　little　to　say。　As　she　stared　at　the　dwarrows；　she　mourned；　the　black　cloud　that　had　lifted　for　a　while　seemed　to　roll　back　over　her　mind。
　　〃But　you　are　not　the　Sithi；〃　she　said　at　last；　voice　flat。　〃They　are　not　here。　They　will　not　help　us。〃
　　Yis…fidri's　panions　moved　up；　so　that　they　formed　a　semicircle　around　the　huddled　pair。　Watching　Maegwin　and　Eolair　worriedly；　the　wide…eyed　dwarrows　seemed　poised　to　bolt。
　　〃If　you　came　searching　for　the　Zida'ya…those　who　you　name　Sithi；〃　Yis…fidri　said　carefully；　〃then　that　is　of　deep　interest　to　us　indeed；　since　we　brought　us　here　to　hide　from　them。〃　He　nodded　slowly。　〃Long　ago　did　we　refuse　to　bend　any　longer　to　their　will；　to　their　overweening　injustice；　and　so　we　escaped。　We　thought　they　had　forgotten　us；　but　they　have　not。　Now　that　we　are　weary　and　few；　they　seek　to　capture　us　once　more。〃　A　dim　fire　was　kindled　in　Yis…fidri's　eyes。　〃They　even　call　to　us　through　the　Shard；　the　Witness　which　has　been　silent　for　many　long　years。　They　mock　us　with　their　tricks；　trying　to　lure　us　back。〃
　　〃You　are　hiding　from　the　Sithi？〃　Eolair　asked；　confused。　〃But　why？〃　〃We　did　serve　them　once；　Hern's　Child。　We　fled。　Now　they　would　cozen　us　into　ing　back。　They　speak　of　swords　to　lure　us…for　they　know　that　such　crafting　was　always　our　delight；　and　the　Great　Swords　some　of　our　highest　works。　They　ask　us　of　mortals　we　have　never　met　nor　heard　of…and　what　would　we　have　to　do　with　mortals　now？　You　are　the　first　we　have　seen　in　a　long　age。〃
　　The　Count　of　Nad　Mullach　waited　for　Yis…Fidri　to　continue。　When　it　appeared　he　would　not；　Eolair　asked：　〃Mortals？　Like　us？　What　mortals　do　they　name　to　you？〃
　　〃The　Zida'ya　woman…First　Grandmother；　as　she　is　called…spoke　several　times　of。。。〃　the　dwarrow　conferred　briefly　with　his　fellows；　〃。。。of　Handless　Josua。'　〃
　　〃Handless。。。！　Gods　of　earth　and　stream；　do　you　mean　Josua　Lackhand？　Eolair　stared；　astounded。　〃Oh；　heaven；　this　is　madness！〃　He　sat　down　heavily　on　one　of　the　decaying　benches。
　　Maegwin　slumped　beside　him。　Her　mind　was　already　reeling　beneath　such　weariness　and　disappointment　that　she　had　no　strength　left　to　be　surprised；　but　when　she　at　last　turned　away　from　the　mild；　wide　eyes　of　the　puzzled　dwarrows　to　look　to　Eolair；　the　count's　face　was　that　of　a　man　struck　by　lightning　in　his　own　house。
　　
　　
　　Simon　awakened　from　a　flight　through　black　spaces　and　screaming　winds。　The　howling　continued；　but　a　red　light　bloomed　before　his　eyes　as　the　darkness　receded。
　　〃Vren；　you　little　fool！〃　someone　was　shrieking　close　by。　〃There　is　blood　in　the　circle！〃
　　When　he　tried　to　take　a　breath；　Simon　felt　something　pushing　down　on　him；　so　that　his　lungs　had　to　strain　for　air。　He　wondered　briefly　if　a　roof　had　fallen　on　him。　Fire？　The　red　light　danced　and　billowed。　Was　the　Hayholt　on　fire？
　　He　could　see　a　vast　shape　now；　dressed　in　flapping　white。　The　figure　seemed　to　have　grown　tall　as　the　trees；　looming　far　into　the　sky。　It　took　long　moments　before　he　realized　he　was　lying　on　the　icy　ground；　that　Skodi　was　standing　over　him；　screaming　at　someone。　How　long。　。　。　？
　　 The　little　boy　Vren　flailed　on　the　ground　a　few　cubits　away；　his　hands　holding　his　throat；　eyes　bulging　in　his　dark　face。　Untouched　and　unapproached；　he　was　kicking　his　feet　wildly；　heels　drumming　on　the　frozen　mud。　Somewhere　nearby；　Qantaqa　was　mournfully　howling。
　　〃You　are　bad！〃　Skodi　screamed；　her　face　gone　pinkish…purple　with　rage。　〃Bad　Vren！　Spilled　blood！　They　will　swarm！　Bad！〃　She　gasped　in　a　great　breath　and　bellowed。　〃Punishment！〃　The　little　boy　writhed　like　a　smashed　snake。
　　Beyond　Skodi；　a　shadowy　face　watched　from　the　center　of　the　rippling　fire；　its　unstable　mouth　moving　in　laughter。　A　moment　later　the　bottomless　black　eyes　settled　on　Simon；　their　sudden　touch　like　an　icy　tongue　pressed　against　his　face。　He　tried　to　scream；　but　some　great　weight　was　pushing　on　his　back。
　　Little　fly；　a　voice　whispered　in　his　head；　heavy　and　dark　as　mud。　It　was　a　voice　that　had　haunted　many　dreams；　a　voice　of　red　eyes　and　burning　darkness。　We　meet　you　in　the　strangest　places。。。　and　you　have　that　sword；　as　well。　We　must　tell　the　master　about　you。　He　will　he　very　interested。　There　was　a　pause；　the　thing　in　the　fire　seemed　to　grow　larger；　the　eyes　cold　black　pits　in　the　heart　of　an　inferno。　Why；　look　at　you；　manchild；　it　purred；　you　are　bleeding。。。　
　　Simon　drew　his　shaking　hand　out　from　beneath　his　body；　wondering　why　it　seemed　strange　that　it　should　respond　to　his　will。　When　he　disentangled　it　from　Thorn's　hilt；　he　saw　that　the　trembling　fingers　were　indeed　covered　with　slick　red　blood。
　　〃Punished！〃　Skodi　was　shrieking；　her　childlike　voice　cracking。　〃Everyone　will　be　punished！　We　were　to　give　presents　to　the　Lord　and　Lady！〃
　　The　wolf　howled　again；　closer。
　　Vren　had　gone　limp；　facedown　in　the　mud　at　Skodi's　feet。　As　Simon　stared　distractedly；　the　ground　seemed　to　bulge；　obscuring　his　view　of　the　boy's　pale；　crumpled　form。　A　moment　later　another　bulge　appeared　close　by；　quivering；　the　half…thawed　earth　parted　with　a　crunching；　sucking　sound。　A　thin　dark　arm　and　long…nailed　hand　lifted　from　the　agitated　soil；　reaching　toward　the　dim　stars　with　fingers　spread　like　the　petals　of　a　black　flower。　Another　hand　snaked　up　beside　it；　followed　by　a　pale…eyed　head　scarcely　bigger　than　an　apple。　A　needle…toothed　grin　split　the　wizened　face；　twitching　the　scraggly　black　whiskers。
　　Simon　squirmed；　unable　to　cry　out。　A　dozen　bulges　blistered　the　earth　of　the　courtyard；　then　a　dozen　more。　In　a　moment　the　diggers　were　seething　up　from　below　like　maggots　from　a　burst　carcass。
　　〃Bukken！〃　Skodi　shrilled　in　alarm。　〃Bukken！　Vren；　you　little　fool；　I　told　you　not　to　spill　blood　in　the　charm…circle！〃　She　waved　her　fat　arms　at　the　diggers；　who　swarmed　over　the　shrieking　children　like　a　plague　of　cluttering　rats。　〃I　punished　him！〃　she　screamed；　pointing　at　the　unmoving　child。　〃Go　away！〃　She　turned　to　the　bonfire。　〃Make　them　go　away；　Sir！　Make　them　go　away！〃
　　The　fire　fluttered　in　the　chill　wind；　but　the　face　only　watched。
　　〃Help！　Simon！〃　Binabik's　voice　was　hoarse　with　fear。　〃Help　us！　We　are　still　tied！〃
　　Simon　rolled　over　painfully；　trying　to　pull　his　knees　beneath　him。　His　back　was　clenched　in　an　immovable　knot；　as　though　he　had　been　kicked　by　a　horse。　The　air　before　his　eyes　seemed　full　of　shining　snowflakes。
　　〃Binabik！〃　he　groaned。　A　wave　of　squealing　black　shapes　split　off　from　the　main　cluster；　flowing　away　from　the　children　and　toward　the　abbey　wall　where　Sludig　and　the　troll　lay。
　　〃Stop！　I　will　make　you！〃　Skodi　had　clamped　her　hands　over　her　ears；　as　though　to　shield　herself　from　the　children's　pitiful　screams。　A　small　foot；　pallid　as　a　mushroom；　emerged　briefly　from　the　knot　of　diggers；　then　was　swallowed　up　again。　〃Stop！〃
　　The　ground　suddenly　erupted　all　about　her；　gouts　of　gelatinous　mud　spattering　her　nightdress。　A　flurry　of　spidery　arms　wrapped　around　her　broad　calves；　then　a　swarm　of　diggers　were　climbing　her　legs　as　though　they　were　tree　trunks。　Her　nightdress　bulged　as　they　swarmed　up　beneath　it　in　ever…increasing　numbers；　until　at　last　the　thin　fabric　split　like　an　overstuffed　bag；　revealing　a　squirming　mass　of　eyes　and　scrawny　legs　and　taloned　hands　that　almost　pletely　obscured　her　doughy　flesh。　Skodi's　mouth　pulled　wide　to　scream　and　a　serpentine　arm　pushed　into　it；　disap…　pearing　to　the　shoulder。　The　girl's　pale　eyes　bulged。
　　Simon　had　finally　dragged　himself　into　a　half…crouch　when　a　gray　shape　flashed　past　him；　bowling　into　the　slithering；　squeaking　mass　that　had　been　Skodi　and　tumbling　it　to　the　ground。　The　diggers'　mewing　cries　rose　in　pitch；　quickly　being　trills　of　fear　as　Qantaqa　snapped　necks　and　crushed　skulls；　throwing　small　bodies　in　the　air　with　gleeful　abandon。　A　moment　later　she　was　through　and　racing　toward　the　throng　of　creatures　that　had　descended　on　Binabik　and　Sludig。
　　The　fire　had　flared　up　to　a　great　height。　The　unformed　thing　within　it　laughed。　Simon's　could　feel　its　terrible　amusement　sapping　him；　sucking　the　life　from　him。
　　This　is　amusing；　little　fly；　is　it　not？　Why　don't　you　e　closer　and　we　will　watch　together。
　　Simon　tried　to　ignore　the　pull　of　the　voice；　the　insistent　power　of　its　words。　He　clambered　agonizingly　to　his　feet　and　staggered　away　from　the　fire　and　the　thing　that　lurked　within　it。　He　used　Thorn　as　a　crutch；　propping　himself；　though　the　hilt　slid　treacherously　beneath　his　blood…　damped　hand。　The　slash　Vren　had　made　across　his　back　was　a　cold　ache；　a　numbness　that　was　still　somehow　painful。
　　The　thing　Skodi　had　summoned　continued　to　taunt　him；　its　voice　echoing　inside　his　head；　playing　with　him　like　a　cruel　child　with　a　captured　insect。
　　Little　fly；　where　are　you　going？　e　here。　The　master　will　want　to　meet　you。。。
　　It　was　a　terrible　struggle　to　keep　walking　in　the　other　direction；　life　seemed　to　be　running　out　of　him　like　sand。　The　diggers'　squeals　and　Qantaqa's　wet；　joyful　growl　had　bee　no　more　than　a　faint　roaring　in　his　ears。
　　For　a　long　moment　he　did　not　even　notice　the　talons　grasping　at　his　legs；　when　at　last　he　looked　down　into　the　spider…egg　eyes　of　the　Bukken；　it　was　as　though　he　stared　through　a　window　into　some　other　world；　a　horrible　place　that　was　fortuitously　separated　from　his　own。　It　was　not　until　the　scrabbling　claws　began　to　shred　the　legs　of　his　breeches　and　score　the　flesh　beneath　that　the　dreamlike　state　fell　away。　With　a　shout　of　horror；　he　smashed　the　wrinkled　face　with　a　balled　fist。　More　were　climbing　his　legs。　He　kicked　them　away　with　moans　of　disgust；　but　they　seemed　as　numberless　as　termites。
　　Thorn　shivered　again　in　his　hands。　Without　thinking；　Simon　lifted　it　and　sent　the　black　blade　whistling　into　a　clump　of　prancing　creatures。　He　felt　it　hum；　as　though　it　sang　silently。　Grown　marvelously　light；　Thorn　sheared　heads　and　arms　like　g