tw.togreenangeltower2-第78部分

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　the　greatest　monuments　of　Osten　Ard；　from　the　Sancellan　Aedonitis　to　the　Floating　Castle　at　Warinsten…but　the　minds　that　had　conceived　this　strange　hidden　castle　made　even　the　most　innovative　human　builders　seem　timid。
　　　　　　　Time　and　falling　debris　had　crushed　much　of　Asu'a　into　dust；　but　enough　of　it　remained　to　show　how　matchless　it　had　been。　Spectacular　as　the　ruins　of　Da'ai　Chikiza　had　seemed；　Miriamele　quickly　decided；　these　far　surpassed　them。　Stairways；　seemingly　unsupported；　rose　and　twisted　into　darkness　like　cloth　streamers　bending　in　the　wind。　Walls　curved　upward；　then　spread　out　overhead　into　spectacular　fan…shaped　arrays　of　multicolored；　attenuated　rock；　or　bent　back　on　themselves　in　rippling　folds；　every　surface　was　alive　with　carvings　of　animals　and　plants。　The　makers　of　this　place　seemed　able　to　stretch　stone　like　hot　sugar…candy　and　etch　it　like　wax。
　　　　　　　What　had　clearly　been　streambeds；　although　they　now　held　only　sifting　dust；　ran　in　and　out　from　one　room　to　the　other　along　the　broken　floors；　stitched　by　tiny；　ornate　bridges。　Overhead；　great　sconces　shaped　like　fantastically　unlikely　flowers　grew　downward　from　the　carved　vines　and　leaves　that　festooned　the　ceilings。　Miriamele　could　not　help　wishing　she　could　have　seen　them　when　they　had　bloomed　full　of　light。　Judging　by　the　traces　of　color　that　still　remained　in　the　grooves　of　the　stone；　the　palace　had　been　a　garden　of　colors　and　radiance　almost　beyond　imagining。
　　　　　　　But　although　chamber　after　ruined　chamber　dazzled　her　eyes；　there　was　also　something　about　these　endless　halls　that　set　her　teeth　on　edge。　For　all　their　beauty；　they　had　clearly　been　made　for　inhabitants　who　saw　things　differ…　ently　than　a　mortal　could：　the　angles　were　strange；　the　arrangements　unsettling。　Some　high…arched　chambers　seemed　far　too　vast　for　their　furnishings　and　decorations；　but　other　rooms　were　almost　frightening　in　their　closeness；　so　cramped　and　tangled　with　ornament　that　it　was　hard　to　imagine　more　than　one　person　occupying　them　at　any　given　time。　Stranger　still；　the　remnants　of　the　Sithi　castle　did　not　seem　entirely　dead。　In　addition　to　the　faint　sounds　which　might　be　voices　and　the　odd　shifts　of　the　air　in　what　should　be　a　windless　place；　Miriamele　saw　an　elusive　shimmer　everywhere；　a　hint　of　unseen　movement　at　the　corner　of　her　eye；　as　though　nothing　was　quite　real。　She　imagined　she　could　blink　and　find　Asu'a　restored…or；　equally　likely；　find　bare　cavern　walls　and　dirt。

　　　　　　　〃God　is　not　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　is　that　you　are　saying？〃　asked　Binabik。
　　　　　　　Their　meal　finished；　they　were　walking　again；　carrying　their　packs　down　a　long；　high…walled　gallery；　across　a　narrow　bridge　that　stretched　through　emptiness　like　the　flight　of　an　arrow。　The　torchlight　did　not　reach　past　the　darkness　below　them。
　　　　　　　She　looked　up；　embarrassed。　〃I'm　not　sure。　I　said；　〃God　is　not　here。'　〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　not　liking　this　place？〃　Binabik　showed　a　small　yellow　smile。　〃I　have　fear　of　these　shadows；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃No…I　mean；　yes；　I'm　afraid。　But　that's　not　what　I　meant。〃　She　held　her　torch　higher；　staring　at　a　string　of　carvings　on　the　wall　beyond　the　gap。　〃The　people　who　lived　here　weren't　anything　like　us。　They　didn't　think　about　us。　It's　hard　to　believe　it's　the　same　world　as　the　one　I　know。　I　was　taught　to　believe　that　God　is　everywhere；　watching　over　everything。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃It's　hard　to　explain。　It　seems　like　this　place　is　out　of　God's　sight。　Like　the　place　itself　doesn't　see　Him；　so　He　doesn't　see　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Is　that　making　you　more　afraid？〃
〃I　suppose　so。　It　just　seems　as　though　the　things　happening　here　don't　have　much　to　do　with　the　things　I　was　taught。〃
　　　　　　　Binabik　nodded　solemnly。　In　the　yellow　torchlight；　he　looked　less　like　a　child　than　he　sometimes　did。　Outlined　by　shadow；　his　round　face　had　an　air　of　gravity。　〃But　some　would　be　saying　that　the　things　happening　are　exactly　what　your　church　is　telling　of…a　battle　between　the　armies　of　goodness　and　badness。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　but　it　can't　be　that　simple；〃　she　said　emphatically。　〃Ineluki…was　he　good？　Bad？　He　tried　to　do　what　was　right　for　his　people。　I　just　don't　know　any　more。〃
　　　　　　　Binabik　paused；　then　reached　out　a　small　hand　to　take　hers。　〃Your　questions　are　sensible　ones；　and　I　am　not　thinking　that　we　should　hate。。。　our　enemy。　But　do　not　be　naming　him；　please！〃　He　squeezed　her　fingers　for　emphasis。　〃And　make　yourself　assured　of　one　thing：　whatever　he　was　being　once；　he　has　now　bee　a　dangerous　thing；　more　dangerous　than　anything　you　know　or　can　be　thinking　about。　Do　not　be　forgetting　that！　He　wilt　kill　us　and　all　of　the　people　we　love　if　his　wishes　are　done。　Of　that　I　have　certainty。〃
And　my　father？　she　wondered。　Is　he　only　an　enemy　now；　too？　What　if　somehow　I　find　my　way　to　him；　but　there　is　nothing　left　of　what　I　loved？　That　will　be　like　dying。　I　won't　care　what　happens　to　me　then。
　　　　　　　And　then　it　came　to　her。　It　was　not　that　God　was　not　watching；　it　was　that　no　one　was　going　to　tell　her　right　from　wrong；　she　had　not　even　the　solace　of　doing　something　just　because　someone　else　had　ordered　her　not　to。　Whatever　decisions　she　made；　she　would　have　to　make　herself；　then　live　by　them。
　　　　　　　She　held　Binabik's　hand　for　a　moment　longer　before　they　resumed　walking。　At　least　she　had　the　pany　of　a　friend。　What　would　it　be　like　to　be　alone　in　such　a　place？

　　　　　　　By　the　time　they　had　slept　three　times　in　the　ruins　of　Asu'a；　even　its　crumbling　magnificence　could　no　longer　hold　Miriamele's　attention。　The　dark　halls　seemed　to　breed　memories…unimportant　pictures　of　her　childhood　in　Meremund；　her　days　as　a　captive　princess　in　the　Hayholt。　She　felt　herself　suspended　between　the　Sithi's　past　and　her　own。
　　　　　　　They　found　a　wide　staircase　leading　upward；　an　expanse　of　dusty　steps　with　balusters　carved　into　the　form　of　rose　hedges。　When　Binabik's　inspection　of　the　map　suggested　that　this　was　part　of　their　path；　she　felt　a　rush　of　happiness。　They　would　be　going　upward；　after　so　long　in　the　depths！
　　　　　　　But　something　more　than　an　hour　plodding　up　the　apparently　endless　stairs　soon　cooled　even　that　excitement；　Miriamele's　mind　went　wandering　again。
　　　　　　　Simon　is　gone；　and　I　never　had　a　chance　to　。。。　to　really　talk　to　him。　Did　I　love　him？　It　would　never　have　e　to　anything…how　could　he　care　for　me　after　I　told　him　about　Aspitis？　But　perhaps　we　could　have　been　friends。　But　did　I　love　him？
　　　　　　　She　looked　down　at　her　booted　feet；　climbing；　climbing；　the　stairs　passing　beneath　her　like　a　slow　waterfall。
　　　　　　　It's　useless　to　wonder　。。。　but　I　suppose　I　did。　Thinking　this；　she　felt　something　vast　and　unformed　struggling　inside　her；　grief　that　threatened　to　turn　into　madness。　She　fought　it　down；　afraid　of　its　strength。　Oh；　God；　is　this　all　there　is　to　life？　To　have　something　precious　and　to　realize　it　only　after　it's　too　late？
　　　　　　　She　almost　stumbled　over　Binabik；　who　had　stopped　abruptly　on　the　step　above　her；　his　head　nearly　even　with　hers。　The　troll　lifted　a　hand　to　his　mouth；　warning　her　to　be　silent。
　　　　　　　They　had　just　mounted　past　a　landing　where　several　archways　led　outward　from　the　staircase；　and　at　first　Miriamele　thought　the　quiet　noise　must　e　from　one　of　them；　but　Binabik　pointed　up　the　stairwell。　His　meaning　was　clear：　someone　else　was　on　the　stairs。
　　　　　　　Miriamele's　contemplative　mood　evaporated。　Who　could　be　walking　these　dead　halls？　Simon？　That　seemed　too　much　to　hope。　But　who　else　would　be　roaming　the　shadow…world？　The　restless　dead？
　　　　　　　Even　as　they　backed　down　toward　the　landing；　Binabik　fumbled　his　walking…stick　into　two　pieces；　pulling　free　the　section　that　held　a　knife　blade。　Miriamele　felt　for　her　own　knife　as　the　sound　of　footfalls　grew　louder。　Binabik　shrugged　off　his　pack　and　dropped　it　quietly　to　the　stone　floor　near　Miriamele's　feet。
A　shape　came　down　the　darkened　stairwell；　moving　slowly　and　confidently　into　the　torchlight。　Miriamele　felt　her　heart　pressing　against　her　ribs。　It　was　a　man；　one　she　had　not　seen　before。　In　the　depths　of　his　hood；　his　eyes　bulged　as　though　with　surprise　or　fright；　but　his　teeth　were　bared　in　a　bizarre　grin。
　　　　　　　A　moment　passed　before　Binabik　gasped　in　recognition。　〃Hangfish！〃
　　　　　　　〃You　know　him？〃　Her　voice　sounded　shrill　to　her；　the　quaver　of　a　frightened　little　girl。
　　　　　　　The　troll　held　the　knife　before　him　as　a　priest　might　a　holy　Tree。　〃What　do　you　want；　Rimmersman？〃　he　demanded。　〃Are　you　lost？〃
　　　　　　　The　smiling　man　did　not　reply；　but　stretched　his　arms　wide　and　took　another　step　downward。　There　was　something　terribly　but　indefinably　wrong　about　him。
　　　　　　　〃Get　away；　you！〃　she　cried。　Involuntarily；　she　took　another　step　backward　toward　one　of　the　arched　doorways。　〃Binabik；　who　is　he？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　who　he　was；〃　the　troll　said；　still　brandishing　the　knife。　〃But　I　am　thinking　he　has　bee　something　else。。。〃
　　　　　　　Before　Binabik　had　finished　speaking；　the　pop…eyed　man　moved；　scuttling　down　the　stairs　with　shocking　speed。　In　an　eye…blink　he　had　closed　with　the　troll；　grabbing　the　wrist　of　Binabik's　knife　hand　and　wrapping　his　other　arm　around　the　little　man。　After　a　moment's　struggle；　the　two　tumbled　to　the　floor　and　rolled　off　the　landing　to　the　steps　below。　Binabik's　torch　flew　free　andbounced　down　the　stairs　ahead　of　them。　The　troll　gasped　and　grunted　with　pain；　but　the　other　was　silent。
　　　　　　　Miriamele　had　scarcely　an　instant　to　stare　open…mouthed　before　several　large　hands　snaked　out　of　the　shadowy　archway　and　folded　around　her；　seizing　her　wrists　and　clutching　at　her　waist；　the　fingers　rough　but　somehow　tentative　where　they　touched　her　skin。　Her　own　torch　was　knocked　to　the　ground。　Before　she　had　finished　drawing　breath　to　shout　her　alarm；　something　was　pulled　down　over　her　head；　shutting　out　the　light。　A　sweet　odor　filled　her　nose　and　she　felt　herself　slipping　away；　half…formed　questions　dissolving；　everything　fading。

　　　　　　　〃Why　will　you　not　e　and　sit　beside　me？〃　said　Nessalanta；　like　a　spoiled　child　denied　a　treat。　〃I　have　not　spoken　to　you　for　days。〃
Benigaris　turned　from　the　railing　of　the　rooftop　garden。　Below　him；　the　first　fires　of　evening　had　been　lit。　Great　Nabban　twinkled　in　the　lavender　twilight。　〃I　have　been　occupied。　Mother。　Perhaps　it　has　escaped　your　attention　that　we　are　at　war。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　have　bee