uleg.thetombsofatuan-第21部分

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　　There　was　no　answer。　There　had　never　been　an　answer。
　　They　came　to　the　passage　beneath　the　Hall；　climbed　the　stairs；　came　to　the　last　steps　up　and　the　trapdoor　at　their　head。　It　was　shut；　as　she　always　left　it。　She　pressed　the　spring　that　opened　it。　It　did　not　open。
　　〃It　is　broken；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　locked。〃
　　He　came　up　past　her　and　put　his　back　against　the　trap。　It　did　not　move。
　　〃It's　not　locked；　but　held　down　by　something　heavy。〃
　　〃Can　you　open　it？〃
　　〃Perhaps。　I　think　she'll　be　waiting　there。　Has　she　men　with　her？〃
　　〃Duby　and　Uahto；　maybe　other　wardens　…men　cannot　e　there…〃
　　〃I　can't　make　a　spell　of　opening；　and　hold　off　the　people　waiting　up　there；　and　withstand　the　will　of　the　darkness；　all　at　one　time；〃　said　his　steady　voice；　considering。　〃We　must　try　the　other　door　then；　the　door　in　the　rocks；　by　which　I　came　in。　She　knows　that　it　can't　be　opened　from　within？〃
　　〃She　knows。　She　let　me　try　it　once。〃
　　〃Then　she　may　discount　it。　e。　e；　Tenar！〃
　　She　had　sunk　down　on　the　stone　steps；　which　hummed　and　shivered　as　if　a　great　bowstring　were　being　plucked　in　the　depths　beneath　them。
　　〃What　is　it…　the　shaking？〃
　　〃e；〃　he　said；　so　steady　and　certain　that　she　obeyed；　and　crept　back　down　the　passages　and　stairs；　back　to　the　dreadful　cavern。
　　At　the　entrance　so　great　a　weight　of　blind　and　dire　hatred　came　pressing　down　upon　her；　like　the　weight　of　the　earth　itself；　that　she　cowered　and　without　knowing　it　cried　out　aloud；　〃They　are　here！　They　are　here！〃
　　〃Then　let　them　know　that　we　are　here；〃　the　man　said；　and　from　his　staff　and　hands　leapt　forth　a　white　radiance　that　broke　as　a　seawave　breaks　in　sunlight；　against　the　thousand　diamonds　of　the　roof　and　walls：　a　glory　of　light；　through　which　the　two　fled；　straight　across　the　great　cavern；　their　shadows　racing　from　them　into　the　white　traceries　and　the　glittering　crevices　and　the　empty；　open　grave。　To　the　low　doorway　they　ran；　down　the　tunnel；　stooping　over；　she　first；　he　following。　There　in　the　tunnel　the　rocks　boomed；　and　moved　under　their　feet。　Yet　the　light　was　with　them　still；　dazzling。　As　she　saw　the　dead　rock…face　before　her；　she　heard　over　the　thundering　of　the　earth　his　voice　speaking　one　word；　and　as　she　fell　to　her　knees　his　staff　struck　down；　over　her　head；　against　the　red　rock　of　the　shut　door。　The　rocks　burned　white　as　if　afire；　and　burst　asunder。
　　Outside　them　was　the　sky；　paling　to　dawn。　A　few　white　stars　lay　high　and　cool　within　it。
　　Tenar　saw　the　stars　and　felt　the　sweet　wind　on　her　face；　but　she　did　not　get　up。　She　crouched　on　hands　and　knees　there　between　the　earth　and　sky。
　　The　man；　a　strange　dark　figure　in　that　half…light　before　the　dawn；　turned　and　pulled　at　her　arm　to　make　her　get　up。　His　face　was　black　and　twisted　like　a　demon's。　She　cowered　away　from　him；　shrieking　in　a　thick　voice　not　her　own；　as　if　a　dead　tongue　moved　in　her　mouth；　〃No！　No！　Don't　touch　me　…leave　me…　Go！〃　And　she　writhed　back　away　from　him；　into　the　crumbling；　lipless　mouth　of　the　Tombs。
　　His　hard　grip　loosened。　He　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃By　the　bond　you　wear　I　bid　you　e；　Tenar。〃
　　She　saw　the　starlight　on　the　silver　of　the　ring　on　her　arm。　Her　eyes　on　that；　she　rose；　staggering。　She　put　her　hand　in　his；　and　came　with　him。　She　could　not　run。　They　walked　down　the　hill。　From　the　black　mouth　among　the　rocks　behind　them　issued　forth　a　long；　long；　groaning　howl　of　hatred　and　lament。　Stones　fell　about　them。　The　ground　quivered。　They　went　on；　she　with　her　eyes　still　fixed　on　the　glimmer　of　starlight　on　her　wrist。
　　They　were　in　the　dim　valley　westward　of　the　Place。　Now　they　began　to　climb；　and　all　at　once　he　bade　her　turn。　〃See…〃
　　She　turned；　and　saw。　They　were　across　the　valley；　on　a　level　now　with　the　Tombstones；　the　nine　great　monoliths　that　stood　or　lay　above　the　cavern　of　diamonds　and　graves。　The　stones　that　stood　were　moving。　They　jerked；　and　leaned　slowly　like　the　masts　of　ships。　One　of　them　seemed　to　twitch　and　rise　taller；　then　a　shudder　went　through　it；　and　it　fell。　Another　fell；　smashing　crossways　on　the　first。　Behind　them　the　low　dome　of　the　Hall　of　the　Throne；　black　against　the　yellow　light　in　the　east；　quivered。　The　walls　bulged。　The　whole　great　ruinous　mass　of　stone　and　masonry　changed　shape　like　clay　in　running　water；　sank　in　upon　itself；　and　with　a　roar　and　sudden　storm　of　splinters　and　dust　slid　sideways　and　collapsed。　The　earth　of　the　valley　rippled　and　bucked；　a　kind　of　wave　ran　up　the　hillside；　and　a　huge　crack　opened　among　the　Tombstones；　gaping　on　the　blackness　underneath；　oozing　dust　like　gray　smoke。　The　stones　that　still　stood　upright　toppled　into　it　and　were　swallowed。　Then　with　a　crash　that　seemed　to　echo　off　the　sky　itself；　the　raw　black　lips　of　the　crack　closed　together；　and　the　hills　shook　once；　and　grew　still。
　　She　looked　from　the　horror　of　earthquake　to　the　man　beside　her；　whose　face　she　had　never　seen　by　daylight。　〃You　held　it　back；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　piped　like　the　wind　in　a　reed；　after　that　mighty　bellowing　and　crying　of　the　earth。　〃You　held　back　the　earthquake；　the　anger　of　the　dark。〃
　　〃We　must　go　on；〃　he　said；　turning　away　from　the　sunrise　and　the　ruined　Tombs。　〃I　am　tired；　I　am　cold。。。〃　He　stumbled　as　they　went；　and　she　took　his　arm。　Neither　could　go　faster　than　a　dragging　walk。　Slowly；　like　two　tiny　spiders　on　a　great　wall；　they　toiled　up　the　immense　slope　of　the　hill；　until　at　the　top　they　stood　on　dry　ground　yellowed　by　the　rising　sun　and　streaked　with　the　long；　sparse　shadows　of　the　sage。　Before　them　the　western　mountains　stood；　their　feet　purple；　their　upper　slopes　gold。　The　two　paused　a　moment；　then　passed　over　the　crest　of　the　hill；　out　of　sight　of　the　Place　of　the　Tombs；　and　were　gone。
　
　The　Western　Mountains
　　
　　Tenar　woke；　struggling　up　from　bad　dreams；　out　of　places　where　she　had　walked　so　long　that　all　the　flesh　had　fallen　from　her　and　she　could　see　the　double　white　bones　of　her　arms　glimmer　faintly　in　the　dark。　She　opened　her　eyes　to　a　golden　light；　and　smelled　the　pungency　of　sage。　A　sweetness　came　into　her　as　she　woke；　a　pleasure　that　filled　her　slowly　and　wholly　till　it　overflowed；　and　she　sat　up；　stretching　her　arms　out　from　the　black　sleeves　of　her　robe；　and　looked　about　her　in　unquestioning　delight。
　　It　was　evening。　The　sun　was　down　behind　the　mountains　that　loomed　close　and　high　to　westward；　but　its　afterglow　filled　all　earth　and　sky：　a　vast；　clear；　wintry　sky；　a　vast；　barren；　golden　land　of　mountains　and　wide　valleys。　The　wind　was　down。　It　was　cold；　and　absolutely　silent。　Nothing　moved。　The　leaves　of　the　sagebushes　nearby　were　dry　and　gray；　the　stalks　of　tiny　dried…up　desert　herbs　prickled　her　hand。　The　huge　silent　glory　of　light　burned　on　every　twig　and　withered　leaf　and　stem；　on　the　hills；　in　the　air。
　　She　looked　to　her　left　and　saw　the　man　lying　on　the　desert　ground；　his　cloak　pulled　round　him；　one　arm　under　his　head；　fast　asleep。　His　face　in　sleep　was　stern；　almost　frowning；　but　his　left　hand　lay　relaxed　on　the　dirt；　beside　a　small　thistle　that　still　bore　its　ragged　cloak　of　gray　fluff　and　its　tiny　defense　of　spikes　and　spines。　The　man　and　the　small　desert　thistle；　the　thistle　and　the　sleeping　man。。。
　　He　was　one　whose　power　was　akin　to；　and　as　strong　as；　the　Old　Powers　of　the　earth；　one　who　talked　with　dragons；　and　held　off　earthquakes　with　his　word。　And　there　he　lay　asleep　on　the　dirt；　with　a　little　thistle　growing　by　his　hand。　It　was　very　strange。　Living；　being　in　the　world；　was　a　much　greater　and　stranger　thing　than　she　had　ever　dreamed。　The　glory　of　the　sky　touched　his　dusty　hair；　and　turned　the　thistle　gold　for　a　little　while。
　　The　light　was　slowly　fading。　As　it　did　so；　the　cold　seemed　to　grow　intenser　minute　by　minute。　Tenar　got　up　and　began　to　gather　dry　sagebrush；　picking　up　fallen　twigs；　breaking　off　the　tough　branches　that　grew　as　gnarled　and　massive；　in　their　scale；　as　the　limbs　of　oaks。　They　had　stopped　here　about　noon；　when　it　was　warm；　and　they　could　go　no　farther　for　weariness。　A　couple　of　stunted　junipers；　and　the　westward　slope　of　the　ridge　they　had　just　descended；　had　offered　shelter　enough；　they　had　drunk　a　little　water　from　the　flask；　and　lain　down；　and　gone　to　sleep。
　　There　was　a　litter　of　larger　branches　under　the　little　trees；　which　she　gathered。　Scooping　out　a　pit　in　an　angle　of　earth…embedded　rocks；　she　built　up　a　fire；　and　lit　it　with　her　flint　and　steel。　The　tinder　of　sage　leaves　and　twigs　caught　at　once。　Dry　branches　bloomed　into　rosy　flame；　scented　with　resin。　Now　it　seemed　quite　dark；　all　around　the　fire；　and　the　stars　were　ing　out　again　in　the　tremendous　sky。
　　The　snap　and　crack　of　the　flames　roused　the　sleeper。　He　sat　up；　rubbing　his　hands　over　his　grimy　face；　and　at　last　got　up　stiffly　and　came　close　to　the　fire。
　　〃I　wonder…〃　he　said　sleepily。
　　〃I　know；　but　we　can't　last　the　night　here　without　a　fire。　It　gets　too　cold。〃　After　a　minute　she　added；　〃Unless　you　have　some　magic　that　would　keep　us　warm；　or　that　would　hide　the　fire。。。〃
　　He　sat　down　by　the　fire；　his　feet　almost　in　it；　his　arms　round　his　knees。　〃Brr；〃　he　said。　〃A　fire　is　much　better　than　magic。　I've　put　a　little　illusion　about　us　here；　if　someone　es　by；　we　might　look　like　sticks　and　stones　to　him。　What　do　you　think？　Will　they　be　following　us？〃
　　〃I　fear　it；　yet　I　don't　think　they　will。　No　one　but　Kossil　knew　of　your　being　there。　Kossil；　and　Manan。　And　they　are　dead。　Surely　she　was　in　the　Hall　when　it　fell。　She　was　waiting　at　the　trapdoor。　And　the　others；　the　rest；　they　must　think　that　I　was　in　the　Hall　or　the　Tombs；　and　was　crushed　in　the　earthquake。〃　She　too　put　her　arms　round　her　knees；　and　shuddered。　〃I　hope　the　other　buildings　didn't　fall。　It　was　hard　to　see　from　the　hill；　there　was　so　much　dust。　Surely　all　the　temples　and　houses　didn't　fall；　the　Big　House　where　all　the　girls　sleep。〃
　　〃I　think　not。　It　was　the　Tombs　that　devoured　themselves。　I　saw　a　gold　roof　of　some　temple　as　we　turned　away；　it　still　stood。　And　there　were　figures　down　the　hill；　people　running。〃
　　〃What　will　they　say；　what　will　they　think。。。　Poor　Penthe！　She　might　have　to　bee　the　High　Priestess　of　the　Godking　now。　And　it　was　always　she　who　wanted　to　run　away。　Not　I。　Maybe　now　she'll　run　away。〃　Tenar　smiled。　There　was　a　joy　in　her　that　no　thought　nor　dread　could　darken；　that　sam