tw.togreenangeltower2-第112部分

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　bring　him　back　somehow；　even　if　I　have　to　outfight　him　myself　and　carry　him　back　on　my　shoulder。　But　for　God's　sake；　tell　Isgrimnur　to　hurry　with　the　torches　and　men。　Go　on；　boy；　run！〃
Jeremias　hesitated　a　moment　longer；　then　vanished　from　the　prince's　sight。　Josua　crawled　the　short　distance　to　where　his　torch　lay　sputtering　on　a　muddy　outcropping；　then　clambered　down　the　slope　to　the　beach。　He　quickly　made　his　way　to　the　place　where　Camaris　had　disappeared　and　found　a　cave　mouth　little　different　than　any　of　the　others　along　the　cliff。　Josua　grabbed　several　stones　and　piled　them　next　to　the　opening；　then　stepped　in；　holding　the　torch　before　him。

　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　stared　at　the　soldiers。　〃What　do　you　mean；　gone？〃
　　　　　　　The　man　looked　back　at　him；　half…apologetic　and　half…defensive。　〃Just　that；　Duke　Isgrimnur。　The　hole　splits　off；　goes　different　ways。　We　thought　we　saw　some　marks；　like　from　a　torch…end；　up　on　the　walls；　but　we　didn't　find　anybody　that　way。　We　searched　the　other　passages；　too。　It's　like　wormholes　in　there；　tunnels　everywhere。〃
〃And　you　shouted？〃
　　　　　　　〃Called　the　prince's　name　loud　as　we　could。　Nobody　called　back。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　stared　at　the　gap　in　the　cliff　wall；　then　looked　at　Sludig。　〃Ransomer　preserve　us；〃　he　groaned。　〃Both　gone。　We'll　have　to　get　the　Sithi　after　them　now。〃　He　turned　to　the　soldier。　〃I'll　be　back　before　sunrise。　Until　then；　keep　looking　and　calling。〃
　　　　　　　The　man　nodded。　〃Yes；　sire。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　pulled　at　his　beard　for　a　moment；　then　began　making　his　way　back　along　the　beach。　〃Oh；　Josua；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃You　fool。　And　me；　too。　We've　all　been　fools。〃

28
Abandoned　Ways

　　　　　　　Binabik　touched　her　arm。　〃Miriamele；　what　are　you　thinking？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　trying　to　think　of　what　we　can　do。〃　Her　head　was　pounding。　The　shadowed　cavern　seemed　to　be　closing　in。　〃We　have　to　get　out；　somehow。　We　have　to。　I　don't　want　to　be　trapped　in　here。〃　She　caught　her　breath　and　looked　at　Cadrach　huddled　against　the　wall　on　the　far　side　of　the　cavern。　〃How　could　he　do　such　things；　Binabik？　How　could　he　betray　us　all　that　way？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　was　not　knowing　you　then；〃　the　troll　pointed　out。　〃So　he　could　not　be　thinking　that　it　was　you　he　was　betraying。〃
〃But　he　didn't　tell　us　afterward！　He　didn't　tell　us　anything！　All　that　time　we　were　together。〃
Binabik　lowered　his　head。　〃It　is　done。　Now　we　must　be　thinking　on　other　things。〃　He　gestured　to　the　dwarrows；　who　were　seated　in　a　circle；　singing　quietly。　〃They　are　thinking　the　Norns　e　soon；　they　have　said　to　me。　Already　the　ward　is　crumbling。　The　door　will　not　hold　for　a　much　lengthier　time。〃
〃And　they're　just　going　to　sit　and　wait；〃　said　Miriamele　bitterly。　〃I　can't　understand　them　any　more　than　I　can　understand　Cadrach。〃　She　stood　and　walked　past　the　troll。　〃Yis…fidri！　Why　are　you　mooning　around　like　this　when　the　Norns　are　outside？　Don't　you　understand　what　will　happen　to　us？〃　She　heard　her　voice　rising　shrilly；　but　she　did　not　care。
The　dwarrows　stared　up　apprehensively；　mouths　agape；　Miriamele　thought　they　looked　like　a　nestful　of　baby　birds。　〃We　are　waiting　。。。〃　he　began。
　　　　　　　〃Waiting！　That's　just　it；　you're　waiting。〃　She　quivered　with　anger。　They　were　alt　waiting　for　those　fishbelly…white　things　to　e　in　and　take　them…take　her　and　the　troll；　too。　〃Then　let's　open　the　door　now。　Why　put　it　off　any　longer？　Binabik　and　I　wilt　fight　to　win　free　and　probably　be　killed…killed　because　you　brought　us　here　to　this　trap　against　our　will…and　you　will　sit　and　be　slaughtered。　So　there　is　no　sense　waiting　any　longer。〃
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　goggled。　〃But　。。。　perhaps　they　will　go。。。。〃
〃You　don't　believe　that！　e；　open　the　door！〃　Her　fear　beat　higher；　rising　like　storm…tossed　waves。　She　leaned　down　and　grabbed　the　dwarrow's　long　wrist　in　her　hand　and　tugged。　He　was　as　unmovable　as　stone。　〃Get　up；　damn　you！〃　she　shouted；　and　yanked　as　hard　as　she　could。　Alarmed；　the　dwarrows　burbled　at　each　other。　Yis…fidri's　eyes　widened　in　consternation；　with　a　flick　of　his　powerful　arm　he　dislodged　Miriamele's　grip。　She　fell　back　on　the　cavern　floor；　breathless。
　　　　　　　〃Miriamele！〃　Binabik　hurried　to　her　side。　〃Are　you　hurt？〃
She　shook　off　the　troll's　helping　hand　and　sat　up。　〃There！〃　she　said　triumphantly。　〃Yis…fidri；　you　didn't　tell　the　truth。〃
　　　　　　　The　dwarrow　stared　at　her　as　though　she　had　begun　to　foam　at　the　mouth。　He　curled　his　flat　fingers　protectively　against　his　chest。
　　　　　　　〃You　didn't；〃　she　said；　and　stood。　〃You　will　push　me　away　to　keep　me　from　forcing　you　against　your　will；　so　why　not　the　Norns？　Do　you　want　to　die；　then？　Because　the　Norns　will　certainly　kill　you；　kill　me；　kill　us　all。　Or　perhaps　they　will　make　you　slaves　again…is　that　what　you　are　hoping　for？　Why　do　you　resist　me　and　not　resist　them？〃
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　turned　briefly　to　his　wife；　she　stared　back　at　him；　silent　and　solemn…eyed。　〃But　there　is　naught　we　can　do。〃　The　dwarrow　seemed　to　be　pleading　for　Miriamele's　understanding。
〃There　is　always　something　you　can　do；〃　she　snapped。　〃It　may　not　change　anything；　but　you　will　have　tried。　You　are　strong；　Yis…fidri…you　dwarrow…folk　are　very　strong；　and　you　can　do　many　things：　I　watched　your　wife　shaping　stone。　Maybe　you　have　always　run　away　before；　but　now　there　is　nowhere　left　to　hide。　Stand　with　us；　damn　you！〃
Yis…hadra　said　something　in　the　dwarrow　tongue；　which　brought　a　murmuring　but　swift　reply　from　others　in　the　group。　Yis…fidri　entered　in；　then　for　a　long　time　the　dwarrows　argued　among　themselves；　voices　rushing　and　burbling　like　water　chiming　on　stone。
　　　　　　　At　last　Yis…hadra　rose。　〃I　will　stand　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃You　speak　rightly。　There　is　nowhere　left　to　run；　and　we　are　almost　the　last　of　our　kind。　If　we　die；　no　one　then　will　be　left　to　tend　and　harvest　the　stone；　no　one　to　find　the　beautiful　things　in　the　earth。　That　would　be　a　shame。〃　She　turned　to　her　husband　and　again　spoke　rapidly　to　him。　After　a　moment；　Yis…fidri　hooded　his　huge　eyes。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　do　as　my　wife　does；〃　he　said　with　obvious　reluctance。　〃But　we　do　not　speak　for　our　fellow　Tinukeda'ya。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　speak　to　them；〃　Miriamele　urged。　〃There　is　so　little　time！〃
Yis…fidri　hesitated；　then　nodded。　The　other　dwarrows　looked　on；　their　strange　faces　fearful。
　　　　　　　Miriamele　crouched　in　blackness；　her　heart　thudding。　She　could　see　nothing　at　all；　but　apparently　enough　light　was　still　bleeding　from　the　crystal　batons　to　allow　the　dwarrows　to　see：　Miriamele　could　hear　them　padding　back　and　forth　across　the　cavern　as　unhesitatingly　as　she　herself　would　walk　through　a　lamplit　room。
She　reached　out　to　touch　the　small　but　reassuring　shape　of　Binabik　crouched　beside　her。　〃I'm　frightened；〃　she　whispered。
　　　　　　　〃As　who　is　not？〃　She　felt　him　pat　her　hand。
　　　　　　　Miriamele　had　opened　her　mouth　to　say　something　else　when　a　slight　sensation　of　movement　passed　through　the　stone　behind　her。　At　first　she　thought　it　was　the　strange　shifting　she　had　felt　earlier；　the　thing　that　had　so　frightened　Yis…hadra　and　the　other　dwarrows；　but　then　a　faint　blue　glow　sprang　up　in　the　empty　black　where　the　door　stood。　It　was　not　like　any　light　she　had　seen；　for　it　illuminated　nothing　else；　it　was　only　a　pulsing　sky…blue　streak　hanging　in　the　darkness。
　　　　　　　〃They're　ing；〃　she　gurgled。　Her　heart　raced　even　more　swiftly。　All　her　brave　words　now　seemed　foolish。　On　the　far　side　of　Binabik；　she　heard　Cadrach's　harsh　breathing　grow　louder。　She　half…expected　him　to　cry　out；　to　try　to　shout　a　warning　to　the　Norns。　She　did　not　believe　his　claim　that　he　had　no　Art　that　would　help　them　against　the　Norns；　nor　even　the　strength　left　now　to　use　those　few　skills　he　retained。
　　　　　　　The　blue　line　lengthened。　A　warm　wind　pushed　through　the　chamber；　tangible　as　a　slap　to　her　heightened　senses。　For　the　dozenth　time　since　the　dwarrows　had　darkened　the　cavern　she　tugged　at　the　straps　of　her　pack　and　wiped　sweat　from　the　handle　of　her　dagger。　She　also　clutched　Simon's　White　Arrow；　if　the　Norns　grabbed　her；　she　would　stab　at　them　with　both　hands。　A　shudder　ran　through　her。　The　Norns。　The　White　Foxes。　They　were　only　moments　away。。。。
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　said　something　quiet　but　emphatic　in　the　dwarrow　tongue。　Yis…hadra　replied　in　the　same　tone　from　somewhere　across　the　cavern。　The　sound　of　moving　dwarrows　ceased。　The　chamber　was　silent　as　a　grave。
　　　　　　　The　blue　gleam　grew　in　a　rough　oval　until　one　end　of　the　line　met　the　other。　For　a　moment　the　heat　became　greater；　then　the　glow　faded。　Something　scraped　and　then　fell　heavily。　A　rush　of　cold　air　swept　into　the　chamber；　but　if　the　door　had　opened；　no　light　came　through。　
　　　　　　　Curse　them！　Despair　swept　over　her。　They　are　too　clever　to　e　in　with　torches。　She　clutched　her　knife　tighter：　she　was　shaking　so　violently　she　feared　she　might　drop　it。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　there　was　a　booming　rumble　like　thunder　and　a　high…pitched　shout　that　came　from　no　human　throat。　Miriamele's　heart　leaped。　The　great　stones　the　dwarrows　had　loosened　above　the　cavern　door　were　tumbling　down…she　could　hear　the　Norns'　high…pitched；　angry　wailing。　Another　crash　was　followed　by　a　scraping；　grinding　noise；　then　many　voices　were　shouting；　none　of　them　in　human　languages。　After　a　moment　Miriamele　felt　her　eyes　begin　to　sting。　She　took　a　breath　and　felt　it　burn　all　the　way　down。
〃Up！〃　Binabik　cried。　〃It　is　poison…smoke！〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　struggled　to　her　feet；　lost　in　the　dark　and　feeling　as　though　her　insides　were　on　fire。　A　powerful　hand　gripped　her　and　led　her　stumbling　through　the　blackness。　The　cavern　was　raucous　with　strange　cries　and　shrieks　and　the　sound　of　smashing　stone。
The　next　moments　were　blind　madness。　She　felt　herself　pulled　through　into　chilly　air；　within　moments　she　could　breathe　again；　although　she　still　could　not　see。　The　hand　that　held　her　let　go；　and　a　moment　later　she　caught　her　foot　on　something　and　crashed　to　the　ground。　
　　　　　　　〃Binabik！〃　she　shouted。　She　tried　to　rise；　but　something　had　entangled　her。　〃Where　are　you！？〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　was　seized　again；　but　this　time　was　lifted　bodily　and　carried　swiftly　through　the　noisy　darkness。　Something　struck　her　a　glancing　blow。　For　a　moment　whoever　was　carrying　her　stopped　and　put　her　down；　there　was　a　succession　of　strange　noises；　some　of　them　grunts　or　gasps　of　pain；　then　a　moment　later　she　was　snatched　up　again。