tp.lightfantastic-第36节

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　'Listen；'　said　Rincewind。　'It's　all　over；　do　you　see？　You　can't　put　the　spells　back　in　the　book；　you　can't　unsay　what's　been　said；　you　can't　…'
　'You　can　try！'
　Rincewind　sighed；　and　turned　to　Twoflower。
　He　wasn't　there。　Rincewind's　eyes　turned　inevitably　towards　the　base　of　the　Tower　of　Art；　and　he　was　just　in　time　to　see　the　tourist's　plump　figure；　sword　inexpertly　in　hand；　as　it　disappeared　into　a　door。
　Rincewind's　feet　made　their　own　decision　and；　from　the　oint　of　view　of　his　head；　got　it　entirely　wrong。
　The　other　wizards　watched　him　go。
　'Well？'　said　Bethan。　'He's　going。'　。　The　wizards　tried　to　avoid　one　another's　eyes。
　Eventually　Wert　said；　'We　could　try；　I　suppose。　It　doesn't　seem　to　be　spreading。'
　'But　we've　got　hardly　any　magic　to　speak　of；'　said　one　of　the　wizards。
　'Have　you　got　a　better　idea；　then？'
　One　by　one；　their　ceremonial　robes　glittering　in　the　weird　light；　the　wizards　turned　and　trudged　towards　the　tower。
　The　tower　was　hollow　inside；　with　the　stone　treads　of　its　staircase　mortared　spiral…fashion　into　the　walls。　Twoflower　was　already　several　turns　up　by　the　time　Rincewind　caught　him。
　'Hold　on；'　he　said；　as　cheerfully　as　he　could　manage。　'This　sort　of　thing　is　a　job　for　the　likes　of　Cohen；　not　you。　No　offence。'
　'Would　he　do　any　good？'
　Rincewind　looked　up　at　the　actinic　light　that　lanced　down　through　the　distant　hole　at　the　top　of　the　staircase。
　'No；'　he　admitted。
　Then　I'd　be　as　good　as　him；　wouldn't　I？'　said　Twoflower；　flourishing　his　looted　sword。
　Rincewind　hopped　after　him；　keeping　as　close　to　the　wall　as　possible。
　'You　don't　understand！'　he　shouted。　There's　unimaginable　horrors　up　there！'
　'You　always　said　I　didn't　have　any　imagination。'
　'It's　a　point；　yes；'　Rincewind　conceded；　'but　…'
　Twoflower　sat　down。
　'Look；'　he　said。　'I've　been　looking　forward　to　something　like　this　ever　since　I　came　here。　I　mean；　this　is　an　adventure；　isn't　it？　Alone　against　the　gods；　that　sort　of　thing？'
　Rincewind　opened　and　shut　his　mouth　for　a　few　seconds　before　the　right　words　managed　to　e　out。
　'Can　you　use　a　sword？'　he　said　weakly。
　'I　don't　know。　I've　never　tried。'
　'You're　mad！'
　Twoflower　looked　at　him　with　his　head　on　one　side。　'You're　a　fine　one　to　talk；'　he　said。　'I'm　here　because　I　don't　know　any　better；　but　what　about　you？'　He　pointed　downwards；　to　where　the　other　wizards　were　toiling　up　the　stairs。　'What　about　them？'
　Blue　light　speared　down　the　inside　of　the　tower。　There　was　a　peal　of　thunder。
　The　wizards　reached　them；　coughing　horribly　and　fighting　for　breath。
　'What's　the　plan？'　said　Rincewind。
　'There　isn't　one；'　said　Wert。
　'Right。　Fine；'　said　Rincewind。　'I'll　leave　you　to　get　on　with　it；　then。'
　'You'll　e　with　us；'　said　Panter。
　'But　I'm　not　even　a　proper　wizard。　You　threw　me　out；　remember？'
　'I　can't　think　of　any　student　less　able；'　said　the　old　wizard；　'but　you're　here；　and　that's　the　only　qualification　you　need。　e　on。'
　The　light　flared　and　went　out。　The　terrible　noises　died　as　if　strangled。
　Silence　filled　the　tower；　one　of　those　heavy；　pressing　silences。
　'It's　stopped；'　said　Twoflower。
　Something　moved；　high　up　against　the　circle　of　red　sky。　It　fell　slowly；　turning　over　and　over　and　drifting　from　side　to　side。　It　hit　the　stairs　a　turn　above　them。
　Rincewind　was　first　to　it。
　It　was　the　Octavo。　But　it　lay　on　the　stone　as　limp　and　lifeless　as　any　other　book；　its　pages　fluttering　in　the　breeze　that　blew　up　the　tower。
　Twoflower　panted　up　behind　Rincewind；　and　looked　down。
　'They're　blank；'　he　whispered。　'Every　page　is　pletely　blank。'
　'Then　he　did　it；'　said　Wert。　'He's　read　the　spells。　Successfully；　too。　I　wouldn't　have　believed　it。'
　'There　was　all　that　noise；'　said　Rincewind　doubtfully。　'The　light；　too。　Those　shapes。　That　didn't　sound　so　successful　to　me。'
　'Oh；　you　always　get　a　certain　amount　of　extradimen…sional　attention　in　any　great　work　of　magic；'　said　Panter　dismissively。　'It　impresses　people；　nothing　more。'
　'It　looked　like　monsters　up　there；'　said　Twoflower；　standing　closer　to　Rincewind。
　'Monsters？　Show　me　some　monsters！'　said　Wert。
　Instinctively　they　looked　up。　There　was　no　sound。　Nothing　moved　against　the　circle　of　light。
　'I　think　we　should　go　up　and；　er；　congratulate　him；'　said　Wert。
　'Congratulate？'　exploded　Rincewind。　'He　stole　the　Octavo！　He　locked　you　up！'
　The　wizards　exchanged　knowing　looks。
　'Yes；　well；'　said　one　of　them。　'When　you've　advanced　in　the　craft；　lad；　you'll　know　that　there　are　times　when　the　important　thing　is　success。'
　'It's　getting　there　that　matters；'　said　Wert　bluntly。　'Not　how　you　travel。'
　They　set　off　up　the　spiral。
　Rincewind　sat　down；　scowling　at　the　darkness。
　He　felt　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。　It　was　Twoflower；　who　was　holding　the　Octavo。
　'This　is　no　way　to　treat　a　book；'　he　said。　'Look；　he's　bent　the　spine　right　back。　People　always　do　that；　they've　got　no　idea　of　how　to　treat　them。'
　'Yah；'　said　Rincewind　vaguely。
　'Don't　worry；'　said　Twoflower。
　'I'm　not　worried；　I'm　just　angry；'　snapped　Rincewind。　'Give　me　the　bloody　thing！'
　He　snatched　the　book　and　snapped　it　open　viciously。
　He　rummaged　around　in　the　back　of　his　mind；　where　the　Spell　hung　out。
　'All　right；'　he　snarled。　You've　had　your　fun；　you've　ruined　my　life；　now　get　back　to　where　you　belong！'
　'But　I…'　protested　Twoflower。
　'The　Spell；　I　mean　the　Spell；'　said　Rincewind。　'Go　on；　get　back　on　the　page！'
　He　glared　at　the　ancient　parchment　until　his　eyes　crossed。
　'Then　I'll　say　you！'　he　shouted；　his　voice　echoing　up　the　tower。　'You　can　join　the　rest　of　them　and　much　good　may　it　do　you！'
　He　shoved　the　book　back　into　Twoflower's　arms　and　staggered　off　up　the　steps。
　The　wizards　had　reached　the　top　and　disappeared　from　view。　Rincewind　climbed　after　them。
　'Lad；　am　I？'　he　muttered。　'When　I'm　advanced　in　the　craft；　eh？　I　just　managed　to　go　around　with　one　of　the　Great　Spells　in　my　head　for　years　without　going　totally　insane；　didn't　I？'　He　considered　the　last　question　from　all　angles。　Yes；　you　did；'　he　reassured　himself。　'You　didn't　start　talking　to　trees；　even　when　trees　started　talking　to　you。'
　His　head　emerged　into　the　sultry　air　at　the　top　of　the　tower。
　He　had　expected　to　see　fire…blackened　stones　criss…crossed　with　talon　marks；　or　perhaps　something　even　worse。
　Instead　he　saw　the　seven　senior　wizards　standing　by　Trymon；　who　seemed　totally　unscathed。　He　turned　and　smiled　pleasantly　at　Rincewind。
　'Ah；　Rincewind。　e　and　join　us；　won't　you？'
　So　this　is　it；　Rincewind　thought。　All　that　drama　for　nothing。　Maybe　I　really　am　not　cut　out　to　be　a　wizard；　maybe　…
　He　looked　up　and　into　Trymon's　eyes。
　Perhaps　it　was　the　Spell；　in　its　years　of　living　in　Rincewind's　head；　that　had　affected　his　eyes。　Perhaps　his　time　with　Twoflower；　who　only　saw　things　as　they　ought　to　be；　had　taught　him　to　see　things　as　they　are。
　But　what　was　certain　was　that　by　far　the　most　difficult　thing　Rincewind　did　in　his　whole　life　was　look　at　Trymon　without　running　in　terror　or　being　very　violently　sick。
　The　others　didn't　seem　to　have　noticed。
　They　also　seemed　to　be　standing　very　still。
　Trymon　had　tried　to　contain　the　seven　Spells　in　his　mind　and　it　had　broken；　and　the　Dungeon　Dimensions　had　found　their　hole；　all　right。　Silly　to　have　imagined　that　the　Things　would　have　e　marching　out　of　a　sort　of　rip　in　the　sky；　waving　mandibles　and　tentacles。　That　was　old…fashioned　stuff；　far　too　risky。　Even　nameless　terrors　learned　to　move　with　the　times。　All　they　really　needed　to　enter　was　one　head。
　His　eyes　were　empty　holes。
　Knowledge　speared　into　Rincewind's　mind　like　a　knife　of　ice。　The　Dungeon　Dimensions　would　be　a　playgroup　pared　to　what　the　Things　could　do　in　a　universe　of　order。　People　were　craving　order；　and　order　they　would　get　…　the　order　of　the　turning　screw；　the　immutable　law　of　straight　lines　and　numbers。　They　would　beg　for　the　harrow　。　。　。
　Trymon　was　looking　at　him。　Something　was　looking　at　him。　And　still　the　others　hadn't　noticed。　Could　he　even　explain　it？　Trymon　looked　the　same　as　he　had　always　done；　except　for　the　eyes；　and　a　slight　sheen　to　his　skin。
　Rincewind　stared；　and　knew　that　there　were　far　worse　things　than　Evil。　All　the　demons　in　Hell　would　torture　your　very　soul；　but　that　was　precisely　because　they　valued　souls　very　highly；　evil　would　always　try　to　steal　the　universe；　but　at　least　it　considered　the　universe　worth　stealing。　But　the　grey　world　behind　those　empty　eyes　would　trample　and　destroy　without　even　according　its　victims　the　dignity　of　hatred。　It　wouldn't　even　notice　them。
　Trymon　held　out　his　hand。
　'The　eighth　spell；'　he　said。　'Give　it　to　me。'
　Rincewind　backed　away。
　'This　is　disobedience；　Rincewind。　I　am　your　superior；　after　all。　In　fact；　I　have　been　voted　the　supreme　head　of　all　the　Orders。'
　'Really？'　said　Rincewind　hoarsely。　He　looked　at　the　other　wizards。　They　were　immobile；　like　statues。
　'Oh　yes；'　said　Trymon　pleasantly。　'Quite　without　prompting；　too。　Very　democratic。'
　'I　preferred　tradition；'　said　Rincewind。　'That　way　even　the　dead　get　the　vote。'
　'You　will　give　me　the　spell　voluntarily；'　said　Trymon。　'Do　I　have　to　show　you　what　I　will　do　otherwise？　And　in　the　end　you　will　still　yield　it。　You　will　scream　for　the　opp