tw.togreenangeltower2-第94部分

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ving　at　the　edge　of　his　mind　seemed　too　important　to　lose　just　because　of　a　fear　of　the　sea…creatures…however　worthy　of　fear　they　might　be。
　　　　　　　〃My　sight　is　not　good；〃　Strangyeard　said；　peering　worriedly　into　the　darkness。　He　held　his　hand　beside　his　good　eye　to　shield　against　the　strong　winds。　〃I　should　probably　not　be　walking　the　deck　at　night。　But　I　was　。。。　worried　for　you；　you　were　gone　so　long。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know。〃　Tiamak　patted　the　older　man's　hand　where　it　lay　on　the　weathered　rail。　〃I　am　thinking　about　the　things　I　told　you　earlier…the　idea　I　had　when　Camaris　fought　Benigaris。〃　He　stopped；　noticing　for　the　first　time　the　ship's　odd　movement。　〃Are　we　anchored？〃　he　asked　at　last。
〃We　are。　The　Hayefur　is　not　lit　at　Wentmouth；　and　Josua　feared　to　e　too　close　to　the　rocks　in　darkness。　He　sent　word　with　the　signal…lamp。〃　The　archivist　shivered。　〃It　makes　it　worse；　though；　having　to　sit　still。　Those　nasty　gray　things　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　let　us　go　down。　I　think　the　rains　are　returning；　in　any　case。〃　Tiamak　turned　from　the　rail。　〃We　will　warm　some　of　your　wine…a　drylander　custom　I　have　e　to　appreciate…and　think　more　about　the　swords。〃　He　took　the　priest's　elbow　and　led　him　toward　the　cabin　door。　
　　　　　　　〃Surely　this　is　better；〃　Strangyeard　said。　He　braced　himself　against　the　wall　as　the　ship　dipped　into　a　trough　between　the　waves；　then　handed　the　sloshing　cup　to　the　Wrannaman。　〃I　had　better　cover　the　coals。　It　would　be　terrible　if　the　brazier　tipped　over。　Goodness！　I　hope　everyone　else　is　being　careful；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　Sludig　is　allowing　few　others　to　have　braziers；　or　even　lanterns；　except　on　deck。〃　Tiamak　took　a　sip　of　the　wine　and　smacked　his　lips。　〃Ah。　Good。　No；　we　are　the　privileged　ones　because　we　have　things　to　read　and　time　is　short。〃
　　　　　　　The　archivist　lowered　himself　to　the　pallet　on　the　floor；　pitching　gently　with　the　motion　of　the　ship。　〃So　I　suppose　we　should　be　back　at　our　work　again。〃　He　drank　from　his　own　cup。　〃Forgive　me；　Tiamak；　but　does　it　not　seem　futile　to　you　sometimes？　Hanging　all　our　hopes　on　three　swords；　two　of　which　are　not　even　ours？〃　He　stared　into　his　wine。
　　　　　　　〃I　came　late　to　these　matters；　in　a　way。〃　Tiamak　made　himself　fortable。　The　rocking　of　the　ship；　however　pronounced；　was　not　that　different　from　the　way　the　wind　rattled　his　house　in　the　banyan　tree。　〃If　you　had　asked　me　a　year　ago　what　chance　there　was　that　I　would　be　aboard　a　boat　sailing　for　Erkynland　to　conquer　the　High　King…that　I　would　be　a　Scrollbearer；　that　I　would　have　seen　Camaris　reborn；　been　captured　by　the　ghants；　saved　by　the　Duke　of　Elvritshalla　and　the　High　King's　daughter　。。。〃　He　waved　his　hand。　〃You　see　what　I　am　saying。　Everything　that　has　happened　to　us　is　madness；　but　when　we　look　back；　it　all　seems　to　have　followed　logically　from　one　moment　to　the　next。　Perhaps　someday　capturing　and　using　the　swords　will　seem　just　as　clear　in　its　sense。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　a　nice　thought。〃　Strangyeard　sighed　and　pushed　his　eyepatch；　which　had　shifted　slightly；　back　into　place。　〃I　like　things　better　when　they　have　already　happened。　Books　may　differ；　one　from　the　other；　but　at　least　most　every　book　claims　to　know　the　truth　and　set　it　out　clearly。〃
　　　　　　　〃Someday　we　will　perhaps　be　in　someone　else's　book；〃　Tiamak　offered；　smiling；　〃and　whoever　writes　it　will　be　very　certain　about　how　everything　came　to　pass。　But　we　do　not　have　that　luxury　now。〃　He　leaned　forward。　〃Now　where　is　the　part　of　the　doctor's　manuscript　that　tells　of　the　forging　of　Sorrow？〃
〃Here；　I　think。〃　Strangyeard　shuffled　through　one　of　the　many　piles　of　parchment　scattered　about　the　room。　〃Yes；　here。〃　He　lifted　it　to　the　light；　squinting。　〃Shall　I　read　something　to　you？〃
Tiamak　held　out　his　hand。　He　had　an　immense　fondness　for　the　Archive　Master；　a　closeness　he　had　not　felt　to　anyone　since　old　Doctor　Morgenes。　〃No；〃　he　said　gently；　〃let　me　read。　Let　us　not　put　your　poor　eyes　to　any　more　work　tonight。〃
　　　　　　　Strangyeard　mumbled　something　and　gave　him　the　sheaf　of　parchment。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　this　bit　about　the　Words　of　Making　that　sticks　in　my　head；〃　Tiamak　said。　〃Is　it　possible　that　all　these　swords　were　made　with　these　same　powerful　Words？〃
　　　　　　　〃But　why　would　you　think　so？〃　Strangyeard　asked。　His　face　became　intent。　〃Nisses'　book；　at　least　as　Morgenes　quotes　it；　does　not　seem　to　say　that。　All　the　swords　came　from　different　places；　and　one　was　forged　by　mortals。〃
〃There　must　be　something　that　links　them　all　together；〃　Tiamak　replied；　〃and　I　can　think　of　nothing　else。　Why　else　should　possessing　them　all　give　us　such　power？〃　He　shuffled　through　the　parchments。　〃Great　magic　went　into　their　forging。　It　must　be　this　magic　that　will　bring　us　power　over　the　Storm　King！〃
As　he　spoke；　the　song　of　a　Niskie　rose　outside；　piercing　the　mournful　sound　of　the　winds。　The　melody　throbbed　with　wild　power；　an　alien　sound　even　more　disturbing　than　the　distant　rumble　of　thunder。
〃If　only　there　were　someone　who　knew　of　the　swords'　forging；〃　Tiamak　murmured　in　frustration；　his　eyes　stared　at　Morgenes'　precise；　ornate　characters；　but　did　not　really　see　them。　The　Niskie　song　rose　higher；　then　vibrated　and　fell　away　on　a　note　of　keening　loss。　〃If　only　we　could　speak　to　the　dwarrows　who　made　Minneyar…but　Eolair　says　they　were　far　to　the　north；　many　leagues　beyond　the　Hayholt。　And　the　Nabbanai　smiths　who　forged　Thorn　are　centuries　dead。〃　He　frowned。　〃So　many　questions　we　have；　and　still　so　few　answers。　This　is　tiring；　Strangyeard。　It　seems　that　every　step　forward　takes　us　two　paces　back　into　confusion。〃
The　archivist　was　silent　while　Tiamak　looked　for　the　well…thumbed　pages　that　described　Ineluki　creating　Sorrow　in　the　forges　below　Asu'a。　〃Here　it　is；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃I　will　read。〃
〃Just　a　moment；〃　said　Strangyeard。　〃Perhaps　the　answer　to　one　is　the　answer　to　both。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　looked　up。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　He　dragged　his　thoughts　away　from　the　page　before　him。
　　　　　　　〃Your　other　idea　was　that　somehow　we　have　been　purposely　kept　in　confusion…that　the　Storm　King　has　played　Elias　and　Josua　off　against　each　other　while　he　pursued　some　goal　of　his　own。〃
〃Yes？〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　it　is　not　just　some　secret　goal　he　has　that　he　wishes　to　conceal。　Perhaps　he　also　tries　to　hide　the　secret　of　the　Three　Swords。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　felt　a　glimmer　of　understanding。　〃But　if　all　the　contention　between　Josua　and　the　High　King　has　been　arranged　just　to　keep　us　from　understanding　how　to　use　the　swords；　it　might　mean　that　the　answer　is　quite　simple…something　we　would　quickly　see　if　we　were　not　distracted。〃
〃Exactly！〃　Strangyeard；　in　pursuit　of　an　idea；　had　lost　his　usual　reticence。　〃Exactly。　Either　there　is　something　so　simple　that　we　could　not　fail　to　see　it　if　we　were　not　caught　up　in　the　day…to…day　struggle；　or　there　is　someone　or　someplace　vital　to　us　that　we　cannot　reach　as　long　as　this　war　between　brothers　continues。〃
　　　　　　　They　Who　Watch　and　Shape；　marveled　Tiamak；　it　is　good　to　have　someone　to　share　my　thoughts　with…someone　who　understands；　who　questions；　who　searches　for　meaning！　For　a　moment　he　did　not　even　miss　his　home　in　the　swamp。　Aloud；　he　said：　〃Wonderful；　Strangyeard。　It　is　something　well　worth　considering。〃
The　archivist　colored；　but　spoke　confidently。　〃I　remember　when　we　were　first　fleeing　Naglimund；　Deornoth　said　that　the　Norns　seemed　to　wish　to　keep　us　from　going　certain　directions…at　that　time　it　was　deeper　into　Aldheorte。　Instead　of　trying　to　kill　us；　or　capture　us；　they　seemed　to　try　to　。。。　drive　us。〃　The　priest　wiped　absently　at　his　chill…reddened　nostrils；　not　yet　recovered　from　the　sojourn　on　deck。　〃I　think　perhaps　they　were　keeping　us　from　the　Sithi。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　put　the　pages　he　was　holding　down：　there　would　be　time　enough　for　them　later。　〃So　perhaps　there　is　something　the　Sithi　know…perhaps　even　they　do　not　realize　it！　He　Who　Always　Steps　on　Sand；　how　1　wish　we　had　questioned　young　Simon　more　closely　about　his　time　with　the　immortals。〃　Tiamak　stood　up　and　moved　toward　the　cabin　door。　〃I　will　go　tell　Sludig　that　we　wish　to　talk　to　Aditu。〃　He　stopped。　〃But　I　do　not　know　how　she　could　cross　from　one　ship　to　another。　The　seas　are　so　dangerous　now。〃　Strangyeard　shrugged。　〃It　will　do　no　harm　to　ask。〃　Tiamak　paused；　tilting　back　and　forth　with　the　ship's　movement；　then　abruptly　sat　down　again。　〃It　can　wait　until　the　morning；　when　it　would　be　a　safe　crossing。　There　is　much　we　can　do　first。〃　He　picked　up　the　parchments　again。　〃It　could　be　anything；　Strangyeard…anything！　We　must　think　back　on　all　the　places　we　have　been；　the　people　we　have　met。　We　have　been　reacting　to　only　what　was　in　front　of　us。　Now　it　is　up　to　you　and　me　to　think　on　what　we　did　not　see　while　we　were　busy　watching　the　spectacle　of　pursuit　and　war。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　should　talk　to　others；　too。　Sludig　himself　has　seen　much；　and　certainly　Isgrimnur　and　Josua　should　be　questioned。　But　we　do　not　even　know　what　questions　to　ask。〃　The　priest　sighed　and　shook　his　head　mournfully。　〃Merciful　Aedon；　but　it　is　a　pity　that　Geloe　is　not　here　with　us。　She　would　know　where　to　begin。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　she　is　not；　as　you　said；　and　neither　is　Binabik。　So　we　must　do　it　on　our　own。　This　is　our　fearful　duty；　just　as　it　is　Camaris'　task　to　swing　a　sword；　and　Josua's　to　bear　the　burdens　of　leadership。〃　Tiamak　looked　at　the　untidy　mess　of　writings　in　his　lap。　〃But　you　are　right：　it　is　hard　to　know　where　to　begin。　If　only　someone　could　tell　us　more　about　the　forging　of　these　swords。　If　only　that　knowledge　had　not　been　lost。〃
　　　　　　　As　the　two　sat；　lost　for　a　moment　in　glum　silence；　the　Niskie's　voice　rose　again；　cutting　through　the　clamor　of　the　storm　like　a　sharp　blade。

　　　　　　　At　first　the　very　size　of　the　thing　prevented　Miriamele　from　understanding　what　it　was。　Its　dawn…colored　brilliance　and　massive　velvety　petals；　the　dew　drops　sparkling　like　glass　globes；　even　the　thorns；　each　one　a　great　spike　of　dark　curving　wood；　all　seemed　things　that　must　be　absorbed　and　considered　individually。　It　was　only　after　a　long　while…or　what　seemed　a　long　while…that　she　could　prehend　that　the　vast　thing　spinning　slowly　before　her　eyes　was　。。。　a　rose。　It　revolved　as　though　its　stem　were　being　twirled　by　gigantic　yet　invisible　fingers；　its　scent　was　so　powerful　that　she　felt　the　whole　universe　choked　in　perfume；　and　yet　even　as　it　smothered　her；