srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第35节

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　　　　His　statement　disconcerted　the　Unfettered　One。　〃Yes；''　he　mumbled。　Bending　quickly；　he　picked　up　a　large　flask　of　water　and　a　covered　urn　containing　dried　fruit。　〃Take　all　you　require；〃　he　said　as　he　handed　these　to　Triock。　〃I　have…I　have　seen　some　of　the　Despiser's　work。　Here。〃　He　gestured　vaguely　at　the　walls　of　his　cave。
　　　　There　was　little　fruit　in　the　urn；　but　Triock　and　Quirrel　divided　it　between　them。　As　he　munched　his　share；　Triock　found　he　felt　a　great　deal　better。　Although　the　meager　amount　of　food　hardly　touched　his　hunger；　his　skin　seemed　to　be　absorbing　nourishment　as　well　as　warmth　from　the　Wraith　light。　And　the　radiance　of　the　flames　affected　him　in　other　ways　also。　Gradually　the　numbness　of　frostbite　faded　from　his　fingers　and　toes　ears；　blood　and　health　flowed　back　into　them　as　if　they　had　been　treated　with　hurtloam。　Even　the　habitual　sourness　which　galled　his　mouth　seemed　to　decline。
　　　　But　his　mission　remained　clear　to　him。　When　he　was　sure　that　Quirrel　had　regained　her　stability；　he　asked　her　to　go　a　short　way　out　of　the　tunnel　to　stand　guard。
　　　　She　responded　tightly；　〃Will　pursuit　e　even　here？〃
　　　　〃Who　can　say？〃　The　Unfettered　One　did　not　appear　to　be　listening；　so　Triock　went　on：　〃But　we　must　have　this　One's　aid…and　I　fear　he　will　not　be　persuaded　easily。　We　must　not　be　surprised　here　with　the　message　unattempted。〃
　　　　Quirrel　nodded；　approving　his　caution　though　she　clearly　believed　that　no　pursuit　could　have　followed　them　through　the　blizzard。　Without　delay；　she　collected　her　cloak　and　weapons　and　moved　away　down　the　cave　until　she　was　out　of　sight　beyond　the　first　bend。
　　　　The　Unfettered　One　watched　her　go　with　a　question　in　his　face。
　　　　〃She　will　stand　guard　while　we　talk；〃　Triock　answered。
　　　　〃Do　we　require　guarding？　There　are　no　ill　creatures　in　these　mountains…in　this　winter。　The　animals　do　not　intrude。〃
　　　　''　Foes　pursue　me；〃　said　Triock。　〃　I　bear　my　own　ill…and　the　Land'　s　need。〃　But　there　he　faltered　and　fell　silent。　For　the　first　time；　he　realized　the　immensity　of　his　situation。　He　was　face　to　face　with　an　Unfettered　One　and　Wraiths。　In　this　cave；　acpanied　by　dancing　flames；　the　One　studied　secret　lores　which　might　have　amazed　even　the　Lords。　Awe　crowded　forward　in　Triock；　his　own　audacity　daunted　him。　〃Unfettered　One；〃　he　mumbled；　〃lore…servant…I　do　not　intrude　willingly。　You　are　beyond　me。　Only　the　greatness　of　the　need　drives…〃
　　　　〃I　have　saved　your　life；''　the　One　said　brusquely。　〃I　know　nothing　of　other　needs。〃
　　　　〃Then　I　must　tell　you。〃　Triock　gathered　himself　and　began；　〃The　Gray　Slayer　is　abroad　in　the　Land…〃
　　　　The　tall　man　forestalled　him。　〃I　know　my　work。　I　was　given　the　Rites　of　Unfettering　when　Tamarantha　was　Staff…Elder　of　the　Loresraat；　and　know　nothing　else。　Except　for　the　intrusion　of　the　Wraiths…except…　which　I　could　not　refuse…I　have　devoted　my　meager　flesh　here；　so　that　I　might　work　my　work　and　see　what　no　eyes　have　seen　before。　I　know　nothing　else…no；　not　even　how　the　Wraiths　came　to　be　driven　from　Andelain；　though　they　speak　of　ur…viles　and…　Such　talk　intrudes。〃
　　　　Triock　was　amazed。　He　had　not　known　that　Tamarantha　Variol…mate　had　ever　been　Staff…Elder　of　the　Loresraat；　but　such　a　time　must　have　been　decades　before　Prothall　became　High　Lord　at　Revelstone。　This　Unfettered　One　must　have　been　out　of　touch　with　all　the　Land　for　the　past　four…　or　five…score　years。　Thickly；　awefully；　Triock　said；　〃Unfettered　One；　what　is　your　work？〃
　　　　A　grimace　of　distaste　for　explanations　touched　the　man's　face。　〃Words…　I　do　not　speak　of　it。　Words　falter。〃　Abruptly；　he　moved　to　the　wall　and　touched　one　of　the　stone　facets　gently；　as　if　he　were　caressing　it。　〃Stone　is　alive。　Do　you　see　it？　You　are　Stonedownor…do　you　see　it？　Yes；　alive…alive　and　alert。　Attentive。　Everything…everything　which　transpires　upon　or　within　the　Earth　is　seen…beheld…by　the　Earthrock。〃　As　he　spoke；　enthusiasm　came　over　him。　Despite　his　awkwardness；　he　could　not　stop　once　he　had　begun。　His　head　leaned　close　to　the　stone　until　he　was　peering　deeply　into　its　flat　blackness。　〃But　the…the　process…the　action　of　this　seeing　is　slow。　Lives　like　mine　are　futilely　swift…　Time…time！…is　consumed　as　the　seeing　spreads…from　the　outer　surfaces　inward。　And　this　time　varies。　Some　veins　pass　their　perception　in　to　the　mountain　roots　in　millennia。　Others　require　millennia　of　millennia。
　　　　〃Here〃…he　gestured　around　him　without　moving　from　where　he　stood…〃can　be　seen　the　entire　ancient　history　of　the　Land。　For　one　whose　work　is　to　see。　In　these　myriad　facets　are　a　myriad　perceptions　of　all　that　has　occurred。　All！
　　　　〃It　is　my　work　to　see…and　to　discover　the　order…and　to　preserve…　so　that　the　whole　life　of　the　Land　may　be　known。〃
　　　　As　he　spoke；　a　tremor　of　passion　shook　the　Unfettered　One's　breathing。
　　　　〃Since　the　ing　of　the　Wraiths；　I　have　studied　the　fate　of　the　One　Forest。　I　have　seen　it　since　the　first　seed　grew　to　bee　the　great　Tree。　I　have　seen　its　awakening…its　awareness…the　peaceful　munion　of　its　Land…spanning　consciousness。　I　have　seen　Forestals　born　and　slain。　I　have　seen　the　Colossus　of　the　Fall　exercise　its　interdict。　The　hand　of　the　Forest　is　upon　me。　Here''…his　hands　touched　the　facet　into　which　he　stared　as　if　the　stone　were　full　of　anguish…〃I　see　men　with　axes…men　of　the　ground　with　blades　formed　from　the　bones　of　the　ground…I　see　them　cut…！〃
　　　　His　voice　trembled　vividly。　〃I　am　Woodhelvennin。　In　this　rock　I　see　the　desecration　of　trees。　You　are　Stonedownor。　You　bear　a　rare　fragment　of　High　Wood；　precious　lomillialor〃
　　　　Suddenly；　he　turned　from　the　wall　and　confronted　Triock　with　a　flush　or　urgent　fervor；　almost　of　desperation；　in　his　old　face。''　Give　it　to　me！〃　he　begged。　〃It　will　help　me　see。〃　He　came　forward　until　his　eager　hands　nearly　touched　Triock's　chest。　〃My　life　is　not　the　equal　of　this　rock。〃
　　　　Triock　did　not　need　to　think　or　speak。　If　Covenant　himself　had　been　standing　at　his　back；　he　would　not　have　acted　differently；　he　could　not　distrust　an　Unfettered　One　any　more　than　he　could　have　distrusted　a　Lord。
　　　　Without　hesitation；　he　drew　out　the　High　Wood　rod　and　placed　it　in　the　tall　man's　hands。　Then；　very　quietly；　he　said；　〃The　foes　who　pursue　me　also　seek　this　lomillialor。　It　is　a　perilous　thing　I　have　given　you。〃
　　　　The　One　did　not　appear　to　hear。　As　his　fingers　closed　on　the　wood；　his　eyes　rolled　shut；　and　a　quiver　passed　through　his　frame；　he　seemed　to　be　drinking　in　the　High　Wood's　unique　strength　through　his　hands。
　　　　But　then　he　turned　outward　again。　With　several　deep　breaths　he　steadied　himself　until　he　was　gazing　calmly　into　Triock's　face。
　　　　〃Perilous；〃　he　said。　〃I　hear　you。　You　spoke　of　the　Land's　need。　Do　you　require　aid　to　fight　your　foes？〃
　　　　〃I　require　a　message。〃　All　at　once；　Triock's　own　urgency　came　boiling　up　in　him；　and　he　spouted；　〃The　whole　Land　is　at　war！　The　Staff　of　Law　has　been　lost　again；　and　with　it　the　Law　of　Death　has　been　broken！　Creatures　that　destroy　stone　have　attacked　Mithil　Stonedown。　Revelstone　itself　is　besieged！　I　need…！〃
　　　　〃I　hear　you；〃　the　tall　man　repeated。　His　earlier　awkwardness　was　gone；　possession　of　the　High　Wood　seemed　to　make　him　confident；　capable。　〃Do　not　fear。　I　have　found　that　I　must　help　you　also。　Speak　your　need。〃
　　　　With　an　effort；　Triock　wrenched　himself　into　a　semblance　of　control。　〃You　have　heard　the　Wraiths；〃　he　rasped。　〃They　spoke　to　you　of　ur…viles…and　white　gold。　The　bearer　of　that　white　gold　is　a　stranger　to　the　Land；　and　he　has　returned。　The　Lords　do　not　know　this。　They　must　be　told。〃
　　　　〃Yes。〃　The　One　held　Triock's　hot　gaze。　〃How？〃
　　　　〃The　Loresraat　formed　this　High　Wood　so　that　messages　may　be　spoken　through　it。　I　have　no　lore　for　such　work。　I　am　a　Stonedownor；　and　my　hands　are　not　apt　for　wood。　I…〃
　　　　But　the　Unfettered　One　accepted　Triock's　explanation　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃Who；〃　he　asked；　〃who　in　Revelstone　can　hear　such　speaking？〃
　　　　〃High　Lord　Mhoram。〃
　　　　〃I　do　not　know　him。　How　can　I　reach　him？　I　cannot　direct　my　words　to　him　if　I　do　not　know　him。〃
　　　　Inspired　by　urgency；　Triock　answered；　〃He　is　the　son　of　Tamarantha　Variol…mate。　You　have　known　Tamarantha。　The　thought　of　her　will　guide　you　to　him。〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　the　One　mused。　〃It　is　possible。　I　have…I　have　not　forgotten　her。〃
　　　　〃Tell　the　High　Lord　that　Thomas　Covenant　has　returned　to　the　Land　and　seeks　to　attack　the　Gray　Slayer。　Tell　him　that　Thomas　Covenant　has　sworn　to　destroy　Foul's　Creche。〃
　　　　The　One's　eyes　widened　at　this。　But　Triock　went　on：　〃The　message　must　be　spoken　now。　I　have　been　pursued。　A　blizzard　will　not　prevent　any　eyes　which　could　see　the　High　Wood　in　my　grasp。〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　the　tall　man　said　once　more。　〃Very　well…I　will　begin。　Perhaps　it　will　bring　this　intrusion　to　an　end。〃
　　　　He　turned　as　if　dismissing　Triock　from　his　thoughts；　and　moved　into　the　center　of　his　cave。　Facing　the　entrance　of　the　chamber；　he　gathered　the　Wraiths　around　him　so　that　he　was　surrounded　in　light；　and　held　the　lomillialor　rod　up　before　his　face　with　both　hands。　Quietly；　he　began　to　sing…a　delicate；　almost　wordless　melody　that　sounded　strangely　like　a　transposition；　a　rendering　into　human　tones；　of　the　Wraith　song。　As　he　sang；　he　closed　his　eyes；　and　his　head　tilted　back　until　his　forehea