tw.thestoneoffarewell-第85部分

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elt　it　hum；　as　though　it　sang　silently。　Grown　marvelously　light；　Thorn　sheared　heads　and　arms　like　grass　stems　until　dark　liquid　ran　down　the　blade　in　streams。　Every　swing　sent　fiery　pain　lancing　through　Simon's　back；　but　at　the　same　time　he　felt　mad　exhilaration　course　though　him。　Long　moments　after　all　the　diggers　around　him　had　died　or　fled；　he　was　still　hacking　at　the　tangled　corpses。
　　My；　you　are　a　fierce　fly；　aren't　you？　e　to　us。　The　voice　seemed　to　reach　into　his　head　as　into　an　open　wound；　and　he　squirmed　in　disgust。　Tonight　is　a　great　night；　a　wild　night。
　　〃Simon！〃　Binabik's　muffled　cry　at　last　cut　through　his　frenzy　of　hatred。　〃Simon！　Unbind　us！〃
　　You　know　we　will　win；　little　fly。　Even　at　this　instant；　far　away　in　the　south；　one　of　your　greatest　allies　falls。。。　despairs。。。　dies。。。
　　Simon　turned　and　staggered　toward　the　troll。　Qantaqa；　her　muzzle　blood…washed　to　the　ears；　was　keeping　a　hopping；　shrilling　throng　of　diggers　at　bay。　Simon　lifted　Thorn　once　more　and　began　to　cut　his　way　through　the　Bukken；　smashing　them　down　in　bunches　until　at　last　they　scattered　from　his　path。　The　voice　in　his　head　seemed　to　be　crooning　almost　wordlessly。　The　fire…washed　courtyard　shimmered　before　his　eyes。
　　He　bent　to　cut　the　troll's　bonds　and　a　great　wave　of　dizziness　almost　toppled　him　to　the　ground。　Binabik　rubbed　the　rope　against　Thorn's　cutting　edge　for　a　moment　until　the　pieces　fell　aside。　The　little　man　tried　briefly　to　rub　life　back　into　his　wrists；　then　turned　to　Sludig。　After　picking　at　the　knot　for　a　moment；　he　turned　to　Simon。
　　〃Here；　lend　your　sword　to　this　cutting；〃　he　began；　then　stared。　〃Chukku's　Stones！　Simon；　you　are　all　of　blood　on　your　back！〃　Blood　will　open　the　doorway；　manchild。　e　to　us！
　　Simon　tried　to　speak　to　Binabik　but　could　not。　Instead；　he　thrust　Thorn　forward；　clumsily　pinking　Sludig's　back　with　the　point。　The　Rimmersman；　ing　slowly　back　to　wakefulness；　groaned。
　　〃While　he　slept　they　struck　his　head　with　a　stone；〃　Binabik　said　mournfully。　〃Because　of　his　bigness；　I　am　thinking。　Me　they　only　tied。〃　He　sawed　Sludig's　bonds　against　Thorn　until　they；　too；　fell　slithering　to　the　snowy　ground。　〃We　must　be　reaching　the　horses；〃　the　troll　said　to　Simon。　〃Have　you　sufficient　strength？〃
　　He　nodded。　His　head　felt　far　too　heavy　for　his　neck　and　the　roaring　in　his　thoughts　was　giving　way　to　a　frightening　emptiness。　For　the　second　time　that　night　he　felt　his　inner　self　beginning　to　float　free　from　its　confining　shell；　but　this　time　he　feared　there　would　be　no　returning。　He　forced　himself　to　remain　standing　as　Binabik　coaxed　the　bleary　Rimmersman　to　his　feet。
　　The　master　is　waiting　in　the　Chamber　of　the　Well。。。　〃All　we　may　do　is　run　for　the　stables；〃　Binabik　shouted　over　the　wolfs　menacing　snarl。　She　had　forced　the　diggers　back；　so　that　several　yards　of　open　ground　stood　between　the　ring　of　Bukken　and　Simon's　friends。　〃With　Qantaqa　leading；　we　can　perhaps　be　getting　there；　but　we　must　not　slow　or　hesitate。〃
　　Simon　swayed。　〃Get　the　saddlebags；〃　he　said。　〃In　the　abbey。〃　The　little　man　stared　at　him　incredulously。　〃Foolishness！〃　〃No。〃　Simon　shook　his　head　drunkenly。　〃I　won't　go　。。。　without。。。　…　White　Arrow。　She。。。　they。。。　won't　take　that。〃　He　stared　out　across　the　dooryard　at　the　heaving　mass　of　diggers　gathered　where　Skodi　had　stood。
　　You　will　stand　before　the　Singing　Harp；　you　will　hear　His　sweet　voice。。。　〃Simon；〃　Binabik　began；　then　briefly　swung　his　hand　in　the　Qanuc　ward　against　madmen。　〃You　are　barely　able　for　standing；〃　he　grunted。　〃I　will　go。〃
　　Before　Simon　could　respond；　the　troll　had　vanished　through　the　door　into　the　abbey's　lightless　interior。　Long　moments　later　he　returned；　dragging　the　saddlebags　behind　him。
　　〃We　will　hang　most　on　Sludig。〃　Binabik　said；　eyeing　the　waiting　diggers　apprehensively。　〃He　is　too　full　of　sleepiness　to　fight；　so　he　will　be　our　pack…ram。〃
　　e　to　us！
　　As　the　troll　draped　the　bags　over　the　bemused　Rimmersman；　Simon　looked　out　at　the　circle　of　pale；　naked　eyes。　The　waiting　diggers　clicked　and　chittered　quietly　as　though　talking　among　themselves。　Many　wore　tatters　of　crude　clothing；　some　had　rough；　jagged…bladed　knives　clutched　in　their　spindly　fists。　They　stared　back　at　him；　swaying　like　rows　of　black　poppies。
　　〃Are　you　now　ready；　Simon？〃　Binabik　whispered。　Simon　nodded；　lifting　Thorn　before　him。　The　blade　had　been　light　as　a　switch；　but　now　it　suddenly　seemed　heavy　as　stone。　It　was　all　he　could　do　to　hold　it　before　him。
　　〃Nihut；　Qantaqa！〃　the　troll　shouted。　The　wolf　sprang　forward；　jaws　wide。　Diggers　piped　in　fear　as　Qantaqa　plowed　a　furrow　through　flailing　arms　and　gnashing　teeth。　Simon　followed；　swinging　Thorn　heavily　from　side　to　side　to　side　to　side。
　　e。　There　are　endless　cold　halls　below　Nakkiga。　The　Lightless　Ones　are　singing；　waiting　to　wele　you。　e　to　us！
　　Time　seemed　to　fold　in　on　itself。　The　world　closed　down　into　a　tunnel　of　red　light　and　white　eyes。　The　throb　of　pain　in　his　back　seemed　to　grow　as　rhythmic　as　his　heartbeat；　and　the　aperture　of　his　vision　alternately　spread　and　shut　as　he　stumbled　forward。　A　roar　of　voices　as　continuous　as　the　sea　washed　over　him；　voices　both　within　and　without。　He　swung　the　sword；　felt　it　bite；　then　shook　it　free　and　swung　again。　Things　reached　for　him　as　he　passed。　Some　caught　and　tore　at　his　skin。
　　The　tunnel　narrowed　to　black　for　a　while；　then　opened　up　for　a　few　moments　sometime　later。　Sludig；　who　was　saying　words　too　quiet　for　Simon　to　hear；　was　helping　him　up　onto　Homefmder's　back；　pushing　Thorn　through　the　saddle…loops。　They　were　surrounded　by　stone　walls；　but　as　Simon　drove　his　heels　into　his　horse's　ribs；　the　walls　were　suddenly　gone　and　he　was　beneath　the　tree…slashed　night　sky；　the　stars　glimmering　overhead。
　　Now　is　the　time；　manchild。　The　door　is　opened　by　blood！　e；　join　us　in　our　celebrations！
　　〃No！〃　Simon　heard　his　own　voice　shouting。　〃Leave　me　alone！〃
　　He　spurred　ahead；　leaping　out　into　the　forest。　Binabik　and　Sludig；　not　yet　mounted；　shouted　after　him；　but　their　words　were　lost　in　the　din　inside　his　head。
　　The　door　is　open！　e　to　us！
　　The　stars　were　speaking　to　him；　telling　him　to　sleep；　that　when　he　awoke　he　would　be　far　away　from。。。　eyes　in　the　fire。。。　from。。。　Skodi。。。　from。。。　clawing　fingers。。。　from。。。　he　would　be　far　away　from。。。
　　The　door　is　open！　e　to　us！
　　He　rode　heedlessly　through　the　snowy　woods　trying　to　outrun　the　terrible　voice。　Branches　tore　at　his　face。　Stars　peered　coldly　down　through　the　trees。　Time　passed；　perhaps　hours；　but　still　he　rode　wildly　onward。　Homefinder　seemed　to　feel　his　frenzy。　Her　hooves　flung　clouds　of　snow　as　they　pounded　through　the　darkness。　Simon　was　alone；　his　friends　far　behind；　but　still　the　fire…thing　spoke　gleefully　inside　his　thoughts。
　　e；　manchild！　e；　dragon…burned！　It　is　a　wild　night！　We　await　you　beneath　the　ice…mountain。　。　。　。
　　The　words　in　Simon's　head　were　a　swarm　of　fiery　bees。　He　writhed　in　the　saddle；　striking　at　himself；　slapping　at　his　ears　and　face　as　he　tried　to　drive　the　voice　away。　Even　as　he　flailed；　something　loomed　abruptly　before　him…a　patch　of　blackness　deeper　than　the　night。　In　a　split　instant　he　felt　his　heart　falter；　but　it　was　only　a　tree。　A　tree！
　　His　headlong　flight　was　too　madly　swift　to　avoid　the　obstacle。　He　was　struck　as　though　by　a　giant　hand　and　thrown　from　Homefinder's　saddle；　tumbling　through　nothingness。　He　was　falling。　The　stars　were　fading。　Black　night　came　down　and　covered　all。
　　
　　17
　　A　Wager　of　Little　Value
　　
　　THE　DAYLIGHT　had　worn　away。　The　wind…scoured　sky　stretched　above　the　grasslands　like　a　purple　awning。　The　first　stars　were　ing　out。　Deornoth；　wrapped　in　a　coarse　blanket　against　the　chill；　stared　up　at　the　faint　points　of　light　and　wondered　if　God　had　finally　turned　away　His　face。
　　Josua's　people　were　huddled　together　in　a　bull　run；　a　long；　narrow　pen　of　wooden　palings　driven　deep　into　the　earth　and　lashed　together　with　rope。　For　all　their　seeming　flimsiness…in　many　places　there　were　gaps　so　wide　that　Deornoth　could　slip　through　his　entire　arm　and　most　of　his　shoulder…the　walls　were　strong　as　mortared　stone。　As　he　looked　around　at　his　fellow　prisoners；　Deornoth's　gaze　stopped　on　Geloe。　The　witch　woman　held　Leieth　in　her　lap；　singing　quietly　into　the　child's　ear　as　they　both　stared　up　at　the　darkening　sky。
　　〃It　seems　madness　that　we　should　escape　from　Norns　and　diggers　to　end　here。〃　Deornoth　could　not　keep　an　aggrieved　tone　from　his　voice。　〃Geloe；　you　know　charms　and　spells。　Could　you　not　have　magicked　our　captors　somehow…put　them　to　sleep；　or　turned　yourself　into　a　ravening　beast　and　attacked　them？〃
　　〃Deornoth；〃　Josua　said　warningly；　but　the　forest　woman　needed　no　defending。
　　 〃You　understand　little；　Sir　Deornoth；　of　how　The　Art　works；〃　Geloe　replied　sharply。　〃First　of　all；　what　you　call　'magic'　has　its　cost。　If　it　could　be　easily　used　to　defeat　a　dozen　armed　men；　the　armies　of　princes　would　be　full　of　hired　wizards。　Secondly；　we　have　not　been　harmed　yet。　I　am　no　Pryrates：　I　do　not　waste　my　strength　in　puppet　plays　for　the　bored　and　curious。　I　have　a　greater　enemy　to　occupy　my　thoughts；　more　dangerous　by　far　than　anyone　in　this　encampment。〃
　　As　if　giving　such　a　long　answer　exasperated　her…and　indeed；　Geloe　seldom　said　so　much　at　once…she　fell　silent；　turning　away　to　stare　at　the　firmament　once　more。
　　Frustrated　with　himself；　Deornoth　shrugged　off　his　blanket　and　stood。　Had　it　e　to　this？　What　sort　of　knight　was　he；　that　berated　an　old　woman　for　not　saving　him　from　danger？　A　shiver　of　anger　and　disgust　traveled　through　him；　he　clenched　and　unclenched　his　fists　helplessly。　What　could　he　do？　What　strength　did　any　of　this　ragged　band　have　left　to　do　anything？
　　Isorn　was　forting　his　mother。　Duchess　Gutrun's　remarkable　courage　had　held　through　any　number　of　horrors；　but　she　seemed　to　have　reached　her　limit。　Sangfugol　was　crippled。　Towser　had　virtually　given　in　to　madness。　The　old　man　lay　curled　on　the　ground；　his　eyes　fixed　witlessly　on　nothing；　seamed　lips　trembling　as　Father　Strangyeard　cried　to　help　him　drink　from　a　bowl　of　water。　Deornoth　felt　another　wave　of　despair　rise　and　break　within　him　as　he　walked　slowly　to　the　muddy　log　on　which　Prince　Josua　sat；　chin　on　hand。
　　The　manacle　that　had