tw.thestoneoffarewell-第95部分

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the　Well's　blue　radiance　so　fiercely　that　her　face　was　obscured；　as　though　a　flame　burned　between　shoulders　and　crown。　〃We　have　also　given　you　weapons　and　wisdom　no　other　Queen's　Hunter　has　ever　had。　Now　we　offer　you　a　task　of　terrible　difficulty；　a　task　like　no　one；　mortal　or　immortal；　has　ever　faced。〃
　　〃I　will　do　it；　Lady；〃　he　had　said；　and　his　heart　had　throbbed　within　him　as　though　it　would　burst　from　joy。　Standing　now　on　the　royal　roadway；　Ingen　Jegger　looked　at　the　ruins　of　the　old　city　that　lay　all　about　him；　skeletal　litter　on　the　lower　slopes　of　the　great　ice…mountain。　When　the　huntsman's　progenitors　were　scarcely　more　than　savages；　he　thought；　ancient　Nakkiga　had　stood　beneath　the　night　sky　in　her　full　beauty；　a　needle…forest　of　alabaster　and　white　witchwood；　a　chalcedony　necklace　around　the　mountain's　throat。　Before　the　huntsman's　people　had　known　fire；　the　Hikeda'ya　had　built　pillared　chambers　within　the　very　mountain　itself；　each　chamber　blazing　with　a　million　crystalline　facets　of　glittering　lamplight；　a　galaxy　of　stars　burning　in　the　darkness　of　the　earth。
　　And　now　he；　Ingen　Jegger；　was　their　chosen　instrument！　He　wore　the　mantle　no　mortal　had　ever　borne。　Even　to　one　of　his　training；　of　his　horrifying　discipline；　it　was　a　maddening　thought。
　　The　wind　gentled。　His　steed　made　a　noise　of　impatience；　a　large　pale　shape　beside　him　in　the　flurrying　snow。　He　stroked　the　horse　with　his　gloved　hand；　letting　his　touch　rest　on　its　powerful　neck；　feeling　the　quick　pulse　of　life。　He　put　a　boot　into　the　stirrup　and　lifted　himself　into　the　saddle；　then　whistled　for　Niku'a。　A　few　moments　later　the　great　white　hound　appeared　on　a　rise　nearby。　Nearly　as　large　as　the　huntsman's　horse；　Niku'a　filled　the　night　with　his　steaming　breath；　the　dog's　short　fur　was　pearled　with　mist　so　that　it　glowed　like　moonlit　marble。
　　〃e；〃　Ingen　Jegger　hissed。　〃Great　deeds　he　before　us！〃　The　road　stretched　before　him；　leading　down　from　the　heights　and　into　the　unsuspecting　lands　of　sleeping　men。　〃Death　is　behind　us。〃
　　He　spurred　his　horse　forward。　The　hooves　fell　on　the　icy　road　like　hammers。
　　
　　
　　〃。。。And　so　in　a　way　I　am　blinded　to　your　brother's　machinations。〃　The　voice　in　Simon's　head　was　growing　more　and　more　faint　now；　withering　like　a　rose　lingered　past　its　season。　〃I　have　been　forced　to　my　own　stratagems…　and　poor；　weak　games　they　seem　when　placed　against　the　swarms　of　Nakkiga　and　the　enduring；　deathless　hatred　of　the　Red　Hand。　Worst　of　all；　I　do　not　know　what　I　am　fighting；　although　I　believe　I　am　now　discerning　the　first　faint　shapes。　If　I　have　even　a　glimmer　of　the　truth；　it　is　horrible。　Horrible。
　　〃Ineluki's　game　has　begun。　He　was　the　child　of　my　loins；　I　cannot　shirk　my　responsibility。　Two　sons　I　had；　Hakatri。　Two　sons　I　have　lost。〃
　　The　woman's　voice　was　only　a　whisper；　the　merest　breath；　but　still　Simon　could　feel　its　bitterness。　〃The　eldest　are　always　the　loneliest；　my　quiet　one；　but　no　one　should　be　left　behind　for　so　long　by　those　whom　they　had　loved。
　　And　then　she　was　gone。
　　Simon　awakened　slowly　out　of　the　extended　darkness　that　had　held　him。　His　ears　seemed　to　echo　strangely；　as　though　the　absence　of　the　voice　to　which　he　had　listened　so　long　left　a　greater　emptiness。　When　he　opened　his　eyes；　light　flowed　in；　dazzling　him；　when　he　closed　them；　rings　of　bright　color　spun　before　his　shuttered　lids。　He　assayed　a　more　careful　view　of　the　world　and　found　that　he　was　in　a　tiny　forest　dell　blanketed　in　new…fallen　snow。　Pale　morning　light　streamed　down　through　the　overhanging　trees；　silvering　the　naked　branches　and　speckling　the　forest　floor。
　　He　was　very　cold。　He　was　also　pletely　alone。
　　〃Binabik！〃　he　cried。　〃Qantaqa！〃　A　moment　later　he　added　〃Sludig！〃　as　an　afterthought。　There　was　no　reply。
　　Simon　untangled　himself　from　his　cloak　and　clambered　unsteadily　to　his　feet。　He　shook　off　a　coating　of　powdery　snow；　then　stood　for　a　moment　rubbing　his　head　to　clear　the　shadows。　The　dingle　mounted　up　steeply　on　either　side　of　him；　judging　by　the　array　of　torn　branches　piercing　his　shirt　and　breeches；　he　had　tumbled　down　from　above。　He　felt　himself　gingerly；　but　other　than　the　long；　healing　wound　on　his　back　and　some　ugly　toothmarks　on　his　leg；　he　seemed　only　bruised　and　scraped　and　very；　very　stiff。　He　grabbed　a　protruding　root　in　his　hand　and　clambered　painfully　up　the　side　of　the　dell。　His　legs　were　trembling　as　he　scrambled　over　the　edge　and　stood　up。　A　monotonous　profusion　of　snow…robed　trees　stretched　away　in　all　directions。　There　was　no　sign　of　his　friends　or　his　horse；　in　fact；　there　was　no　sign　of　anything　but　endless　white　forest。
　　Simon　tried　to　remember　how　he　had　e　to　this　place；　but　drew　only　a　shuddering　memory　of　the　last　mad　hours　in　Skodi's　abbey；　of　a　hateful；　icy　voice　that　had　plagued　him；　and　of　riding　into　blackness。　Afterward　there　had　been　a　gentler；　sadder　voice　that　had　spoken　long　in　his　dreams。
　　He　looked　around；　hoping　at　least　to　find　a　saddlebag；　but　with　no　luck。　His　empty　scabbard　was　tied　to　his　leg；　after　some　searching；　he　finally　spotted　the　bone　knife　from　Yiqanuc　lying　at　the　bottom　of　the　dingle。　With　many　a　self…pitying　curse；　Simon　climbed　back　down　to　retrieve　it。　He　felt　a　little　better　to　have　something　sharp　close　to　hand；　but　it　was　a　very　tiny　consolation。　When　he　reached　the　top　once　more　and　looked　around　at　the　inhospitable　expanse　of　wintery　woods；　a　sense　of　desertion　and　fear　crept　over　him　that　had　been　absent　for　a　long　while。　He　had　lost　everything…everything！　The　sword　Thorn；　the　White　Arrow；　the　things　that　he　had　won；　all　were　gone！　And　his　friends　were　gone；　too。
　　〃Binabik！〃　he　screamed。　Echoes　fled　and　vanished。　〃Binabik！　Sludig！　Help　me！〃　Why　had　they　deserted　him？　Why？
　　He　shouted　for　his　friends　again；　over　and　over　as　he　stumbled　back　and　forth　across　the　forest　clearing。
　　His　voice　hoarse；　his　many　cries　unanswered；　Simon　slumped　down　on　a　rock　at　last　and　fought　back　tears。　Men　shouldn't　cry　just　because　they　were　lost。　Men　didn't　do　that　sort　of　thing。　The　world　seemed　to　shimmer　a　little；　but　it　was　only　the　fierce　cold　that　made　his　eyes　sting　so。　Men　shouldn't　cry；　no　matter　how　terrible　things　had　gotten。。。
　　He　put　his　hands　in　his　cloak　pocket　to　ease　the　chill　and　felt　the　rough　carvings　of　Jiriki's　mirror　beneath　his　fingers。　He　lifted　it　out。　Gray　sky　was　reflected　there；　as　though　the　looking　glass　were　full　of　clouds。
　　He　held　the　scale　of　the　Greater　Worm　before　him。　〃Jiriki；〃　he　murmured；　breathing　on　the　shiny　surface　as　though　his　own　warmth　might　lend　the　thing　a　kind　of　life。　〃I　need　help！　Help　me！〃　The　only　face　that　looked　back　was　his　own；　wearing　a　pale　scar　and　a　sparse　red　beard。　〃Help　me。〃
　　Snow　began　to　fall　once　more。
　　
　　19
　　Children　of　the　Navigator
　　
　　
　　MIRIAMELE　awakened　slowly　and　unpleasantly。　The　pounding　in　her　head　was　not　helped　at　all　by　the　side…to…side　swaying　of　the　floor；　and　she　was　unhappily　reminded　of　a　particular　Aedonmansa　supper　at　the　palace　in　Meremund　when　she　was　nine　years　of　age。　An　indulgent　servant　had　allowed　her　to　drink　three　goblets　of　wine；　the　wine　had　been　watered；　but　Miriamele　had　still　bee　very　ill；　throwing　up　all　over　her　new　Aedontide　frock　and　spoiling　it　beyond　reclamation。
　　That　long…ago　bout　of　stomach…sickness　had　been　preceded　by　just　such　a　sway　as　she　was　now　feeling；　as　though　she　were　aboard　a　boat　rocking　up　and　down　in　the　midst　of　the　ocean。　The　morning　following　her　drunken　adventure　she　had　remained　in　bed　with　a　horrific　headache…a　pain　almost　as　bad　as　the　one　she　was　experiencing　now。　What　grotesque　indulgence　had　led　her　to　this　dreadful　pass？
　　She　opened　her　eyes。　The　room　was　fairly　dark；　the　roofbeams　overhead　heavy　and　crudely　cut。　The　mattress　on　which　she　was　lying　was　impossibly　unfortable；　and　the　room　would　not　stop　its　terrible　tilting。　Had　she　been　so　drunk　that　she　had　fallen　and　struck　her　head　badly？　Perhaps　she　had　split　her　crown　and　was　even　now　dying。。。　？
　　Cadrach。
　　The　thought　came　to　her　suddenly。　In　fact；　she　remembered；　she　hadn't　been　drinking　or　doing　anything　of　the　sort。　She　had　been　waiting　m　Father　Dinivan's　workroom；　and。。。　and。。。
　　And　Cadrach　had　struck　her。　He　had　said　they　could　not　wait　any　longer。　She　had　said　they　would。　Then　he　had　said　something　else　and　hit　her　on　the　head　with　something　heavy。　Her　poor　head！　And　to　think　that　for　a　foolish　moment　she　had　regretted　trying　to　drown　him！　
　　Miriamele　struggled　to　her　feet；　holding　her　head　between　her　hands　as　though　to　keep　the　pieces　together。　It　was　just　as　well　she　was　bent　double：　the　ceiling　was　so　low　that　she　could　not　have　stood　up。　But　the　swaying！　Elysia；　Mother　of　God；　it　was　worse　than　being　drunk！　It　seemed　mad　that　being　cuffed　on　the　head　could　make　things　veer　and　wobble　so。　It　was　indeed　just　like　being　on　a　ship。。。
　　She　was　on　a　ship；　and　a　ship　under　sail　at　that。　The　realization　came　suddenly　from　a　subtle　amalgam　of　clues：　the　movement　of　the　floor；　the　faint　but　definite　creaking　of　timbers；　the　thin；　saltier…than…usual　scent　of　the　air。　How　had　this　happened？
　　It　was　hard　to　make　out　anything　m　the　near…blackness；　but　as　far　as　Miriamele　could　tell　she　was　surrounded　by　casks　and　barrels。　She　was　m　the　hold　of　a　ship；　that　was　certain。　As　she　squinted　into　the　darkness；　another　sound　began　to　make　itself　heard；　something　that　had　been　there　all　along；　but　was　only　now　being　clear。
　　Someone　was　snoring。
　　Miriamele　was　immediately　filled　with　a　mixture　of　rage　and　fear。　If　it　was　Cadrach；　she　would　find　him　and　strangle　him。　If　it　was　not　Cadrach…　Merciful　Aedon；　who　could　say　how　she　had　wound　up　on　this　boat；　or　what　the　mad　monk　might　have　done　that　had　made　them　both　fugitives？　If　she　revealed　herself；　it　might　be　to　a　stowaway's　death　sentence。　But　if　it　was　Cadrach…oh；　she　so　wanted　to　catch　hold　of　his　flabby　neck！。。
　　She　hunkered　down　between　a　pair　of　casks；　the　sudden　movement　sent　a　stabbing　pain　down　the　back　of　her　neck。　Slowly　and　quietly；　she　began　to　crawl　toward　the　source　of　the　rasping　noise。　Whoever　was　burring　and　mumbling　so　did　not　seem　apt　to　be　sleeping　lightly；　but　there　was　no　sense　taking　unnecessary　risks。
　　A　sudden