tw.togreenangeltower2-第137部分

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stairwell。　I　followed　them。　A　moment　later　the　tower　shook　again　and　a　great　chunk　of　stone　fell　down　and　shattered　on　the　spot　where　I　had　stood。〃　Tiamak　reached　down　and　pointed　at　the　cloth　wrapped　around　his　leg。　〃A　piece　flew　free　and　cut　me；　but　not　badly。〃　He　straightened　up。
　　　　　　　〃Miriamele　wanted　to　go　back　for　Josua；　but　the　floor　was　shaking　powerfully　now；　and　more　pieces　of　the　ceiling　and　walls　were　crumbling。　Binabik　was　doubtful；　and　they　began　to　argue。　My　wits　were　ing　back。　I　told　them　that　the　king　had　broken　Josua's　neck；　that　I　had　seen　it　happen。　Miriamele　was　hard　to　understand…she　seemed　to　be　half…asleep；　despite　the　tears…but　she　had　begun　to　say　something　about　Camaris　when　one　of　the　bells　broke　loose　and　smashed　down　through　the　floor。　We　could　hear　it　clang　as　it　struck　on　something　below。　Smoke　was　everywhere。　I　was　coughing；　and　my　eyes　were　as　wet　as　Miriamele's。　I　did　not　much　care　at　the　moment；　but　I　felt　sure　that　we　would　be　burned　or　smashed　to　death；　that　I　would　never　know　what　had　happened　to　cause　all　this。
〃Binabik　grabbed　Miriamele's　arm；　pointing　to　the　ceiling；　shouting　that　there　was　no　time。　Simon　would　be　difficult　enough　to　carry。　She　fought　him　for　a　moment；　but　her　heart　was　not　in　it。　The　three　of　us　picked　Simon　up　as　best　we　could…he　was　limp；　it　made　him　very　difficult　to　carry…and　we　scuttled　into　the　stairwell。
〃The　smoke　was　not　so　thick　down　below　the　first　turn。　The　fire　seemed　to　burn　only　in　the　bellchamber；　although　I　heard　Binabik　say　something　that　made　it　sound　as　if　the　whole　tower　had　been　in　flames　just　instants　before。　But　even　if　it　was　easier　to　breathe；　I　was　still　certain　we　would　not　survive　to　reach　the　ground：　the　tower　was　pitching　like　a　tree　in　a　strong　wind。　I　have　heard　that　in　days　long　past　one　or　two　of　the　southernmost　islands　of　Firannos　Bay　disappeared　because　the　earth　shook　so　hard　that　the　sea　swallowed　them。　If　that　is　true；　their　last　moments　must　have　felt　like　this。　We　could　barely　keep　on　our　feet　in　the　narrow　stairwell。　Several　times　1　was　thrown　against　one　of　the　walls；　and　we　were　lucky　we　only　dropped　poor　Simon　twice。　Stone　was　shivering　down　and　dust　was　everywhere；　choking　me　as　thoroughly　as　the　smoke　had。〃
Tiamak　paused　and　pressed　his　fingers　against　his　temples。　His　head　hurt。　Remembering　the　desperate　flight　down　the　stairs　made　it　ache　almost　as　badly　as　it　had　then。
〃We　had　gone　down　a　little　farther…it　was　fearfully　difficult　to　make　our　way；　and　the　very　steps　seemed　to　be　breaking　apart　beneath　our　feet…when　a　figure　appeared　out　of　the　dust　below　us。　It　was　smeared　with　ash　and　grime　and　blood；　and　its　eyes　stared。　At　first　I　thought　it　some　horrible　demon　that　Pryrates　had　summoned；　but　Miriamele　cried　'Cadrach！'；　and　I　recognized　him。　I　was　astonished；　of　course…I　had　no　idea　how　he　of　all　people　had　appeared　in　this　place。　I　could　hardly　hear　him　above　the　groaning　and　rumbling　of　the　tower；　but　he　said：　'I　waited　for　you'　to　no　one　in　particular；　then　turned　and　led　us　down　the　stairs。　I　was　angry　and　frightened；　and　I　could　not　help　wondering　why　he　did　not　offer　to　help　carry　Simon；　who　was　a　terrible　load　for　a　young　woman；　a　troll；　and　a　small　man　like　me　to　bear。　Simon　was　now　beginning　to　move　a　little　more；　mumbling　to　himself　and　struggling　weakly。　It　made　him　even　more　difficult　to　carry。
　　　　　　　〃Then　there　was　a　time　I　can　hardly　remember。　We　went　as　fast　as　we　could；　but　there　seemed　little　chance　we　would　escape　before　the　tower　collapsed　pletely。　We　were　still　very　high　up；　maybe　ten　times　a　man's　height。　As　we　passed　one　of　the　windows；　1　saw　the　tower's　spire　hanging　crookedly；　as　if　the　whole　tower　bowed　from　the　waist。　You　notice　strange　things　at　such　times；　I　suppose；　and　I　saw　that　the　bronze　angel　at　the　spire's　tip　had　its　arms　extended　as　though　it　was　poised　to　fly　away；　Suddenly　the　whole　spire　shivered；　broke　loose；　and　fell　down　out　of　sight。
　　　　　　　〃There　were　cracks　in　the　walls　of　the　stairwell　wide　enough　to　put　your　arm　into；　Isgrimnur。　Through　some　of　them　I　could　see　gray　sky。
　　　　　　　〃Then　the　tower　shook　again；　so　strongly　that　we　fell　down　on　the　stairs。　It　kept　shaking；　it　was　almost　impossible　to　regain　our　feet；　but　we　did　at　last。　When　we　had　scrambled　down　a　few　more　paces；　the　twisting　of　the　staircase　suddenly　opened　onto　nothing。　The　side　of　the　tower　wall　had　gone；　fallen　away　outward：　I　could　see　it　lying　in　great　shards；　spread　out　on　the　snow　beneath；　white　on　white。　A　great　chunk　of　the　staircase　had　gone　with　it；　so　that　there　was　a　gap　many　paces　across；　and　beneath　lay　a　fall　of　twenty　cubits　onto　darkness　and　broken　stone。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　paused　for　a　moment。　〃What　happened　next　is　strange。　Had　I　stayed　in　my　swamp；　I　would　not　believe　this　tale　from　someone　else。　But　I　have　seen　things　that　have　changed　what　I　believe　is　possible。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　nodded　somberly。　〃As　have　I。　Go　on；　man。〃
〃We　were　stopped　at　the　gap；　staring　hopelessly　at　the　bits　of　rubble　working　loose　from　the　ragged　edge　and　tumbling　down　into　shadows。〃
　　　　　　　〃　'So　here　it　ends；'　Miriamele　said。　I　must　say　that　she　did　not　sound　particularly　upset。　She　was　fey；　Isgrimnur。　She　had　worked　as　hard　as　any　of　us　to　stay　alive；　but　she　seemed　to　do　it　only　to　help　the　rest　of　us。
〃　'It　is　not　over　。　。。'　Cadrach　said。　The　monk　sank　to　his　knees　beside　the　edge　of　the　pit　and　spread　his　hands　flat　over　the　nothingness。　The　tower　was　quivering　itself　apart；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　man　was　praying…　although　I　admit　I　could　think　of　nothing　better　to　do　at　that　point。　As　he　did；　he　twisted　his　face　like　a　man　lifting　a　heavy　load。　At　last　he　looked　over　his　shoulder　to　Miriamele。　'Now　cross；'　he　said。　His　voice　was　strained。
〃　'Cross？'　She　stared　at　him。　There　was　anger　on　her　face；　strong　anger。　'What　final　trick　of　yours　is　this？'
　　　　　　　〃　'You　once　said　。。。　only　trust　me　again　。。。　when　stars　shone　at　midday；'　the　monk　said　softly。　Every　word　was　an　effort。　I　could　barely　hear　him；　and　1　could　not　understand　what　he　intended　or　what　he　was　talking　about。　'You　saw　them；'　he　said。　'They　were　there。'
〃She　looked　at　him　for　what　seemed　like　a　dreadfully　long　time　as　the　tower　trembled。　Then　she　gently　set　Simon's　shoulders　down　and　took　a　step　toward　the　pit。　I　reached　out　to　pull　her　back；　but　Binabik　stopped　me。　He　had　a　strange　look　on　his　face。　So　did　she；　for　that　matter。　So　did　Cadrach。
　　　　　　　〃Miriamele　closed　her　eyes；　then　stepped　out　from　the　edge。　I　was　certain　that　she　would　fall　down　and　be　killed；　and　I　may　have　shouted　something；　but　she　walked　out　onto　the　solid　air　as　though　the　stone　steps　were　still　there。　Isgrimnur；　there　was　nothing　beneath　her　feet！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　believe　you；〃　the　duke　grunted。　〃I　have　been　told　Cadrach　was　once　a　mighty　man。〃
　　　　　　　〃She　opened　her　eyes　and　did　not　look　down；　but　turned　to　Binabik　and　me　and　beckoned　us　to　bring　Simon。　For　the　first　time；　there　was　something　lively　in　her　face　again；　but　it　was　not　happiness。　We　wrestled　Simon　down…he　was　groaning　by　then；　awakening…and　she　reached　up　and　took　his　feet；　then　began　to　back　away　over　the　nothingness。　I　could　not　believe　what　she　was　doing…what　I　was　about　to　do！　I　slitted　my　eyes　so　I　could　see　only　Miriamele　moving　carefully　downward；　and　followed　her。　Binabik　was　beside　me；　holding　Simon's　other　shoulder。　He　looked　between　his　feet；　but　then　looked　up　again　very　quickly。　Even　a　mountain…troll　has　some　limits；　it　seems。
　　　　　　　〃It　took　us　a　long　time。　There　were　still　things　like　steps　beneath　us；　we　could　not　see　them；　and　we　had　no　idea　how　far　to　either　side　they　extended；　so　we　went　very　carefully。　The　tower　was　making　deep　moaning　noises　now；　as　though　its　roots　were　being　plucked　from　the　ground。　If　I　live　a　thousand　years；　Isgrimnur；　I　will　never　forget　walking　across　nothingness　and　trying　to　stay　on　my　feet　as　everything　pitched　and　tipped！　He　Who　Always　Steps　on　Sand　was　truly　with　us。　Truly。
　　　　　　　〃At　last　we　reached　a　place　where　there　was　real　stone。　As　I　stepped　onto　it　and　let　out　my　breath；　I　looked　back。　Cadrach　was　on　the　far　side　still。　His　face　was　gray　as　ashes　and　his　sides　were　heaving。　He　looked　like　a　drowning　man　before　he　sinks　the　last　time。　What　strength　did　it　take　him　to　do　what　he　had　done？　Nearly　all；　it　seemed。
　　　　　　　〃Miriamele　turned　and　called　to　him　to　cross；　but　he　only　lifted　his　hand　and　sat　back。　He　could　barely　speak。　'Go　on；'　he　said。　'You　are　not　safe　yet。　That　was　all　I　had。'　He　smiled…smiled；　Isgrimnur！…and　said：　'I　am　not　the　man　I　was。'
　　　　　　　'The　princess　cursed　him　and　cursed　him；　but　more　rock　was　tumbling　free；　and　Binabik　and　I　shouted　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　done；　that　if　Cadrach　could　not；　he　could　not。　Miriamele　looked　down　at　Simon；　then　back　at　the　monk。　At　last　she　said　something　I　could　not　hear；　then　reached　down　for　Simon's　feet。　As　we　hurried　down　the　stairwell；　I　looked　back　and　saw　Cadrach　sitting　beside　the　broken　edge；　and　the　light　from　the　gray　sky　shone　on　him　through　the　broken　wall。　His　eyes　were　closed。　He　might　have　been　praying；　or　just　waiting。　
　　　　　　　〃We　went　down　another　flight；　and　then　Simon　was　fighting　to　be　let　free。　We　set　him　down；　since　we　could　not　carry　him　against　his　will…he　is　quite　strong！…but　neither　could　we　wait　to　see　if　his　wits　were　about　him。　Binabik　pulled　at　his　wrist；　talking　to　him　all　the　while；　and　he　stumbled　along　with　us。
〃Dust　was　so　thick　from　crumbling　stone　that　I　could　barely　breathe；　and　now　there　was　fire；　too；　a　blaze　which　had　burned　away　one　of　the　inner　doors　and　was　filling　the　stairwell　with　smoke。　Beyond　the　windows　we　could　see　other　pieces　of　the　tower's　upper　stories　topple　past。　Simon　pointed　to　one　of　the　windows　and　shouted　we　must　go　there。　We　thought　he　was　addled；　but　he　grabbed　Miriamele　and　dragged　her　toward　it。
　　　　　　　〃He　was　not　addled；　or　at　least　in　this　he　was　not；　for　outside　the　window　was　a　porch　of　stone…perhaps　it　has　some　drylander　name…and　beyond　it　the　edge　of　a　wall。　It　was　still　a　long　drop　to　the　ground；　but　the　wall　was　not　far　away；　only　a　little　farther　than　I　am　tall。　But　the　tower　was　shaking　itself　to　pieces；　and　we　almost　fell　from　the　porch。　More　pieces　were　dropping。　Simon　suddenly　bent　down　and　grabbe