srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第83节
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eir mark upon you。〃） The Mane…thralls permitted only two Cords； Whane and Lal； to aid in the search。 For during the night； a change had e over the Ranyhyn。 To the surprise and joy of the Ramen； the great horses had unexpectedly started south toward the sanctuary of the mountains。 The Ramen followed at once。 Only their mixed awe and concern for the Ringthane induced them to give Bannor and Foamfollower any aid at all。
So the four of them began the hunt。 But they had lost too much time； wind and snow had obscured the trail。 They lost it south of the Roamsedge and could find no trace of Covenant。 At last they concluded that he must have gained other aid to take him eastward。 Together the four made what haste they could toward the Fall of the River Landrider。
The journey was made slow and arduous by kresh packs and marauders； and the four feared that Covenant would have left the Upper Land days ago。 But when they neared the Colossus； they came upon a band of ur…viles acpanied by the Raver； Herem…Triock。 Then the four were dismayed to see that the band bore with it the Unbeliever； prostrate as if he were dead。
The four attacked； slew the ur…viles。 But they could not prevent the call which Herem sent。 And before they could defeat Herem； rescue Covenant； and retrieve the ring； that call was answered by the dead Elena； wielding the Staff of Law。 She mastered the four effortlessly。 Then she gave Whane to Herem； so that Triock's anguish would be more poignant。 When Jehannum came to her； that Raver entered Lal。 Covenant knew the rest。
Bannor and Foamfollower had seen no sign of Lena。 They did not know what had delayed Covenant's arrival at Landsdrop。
As Bannor finished； Foamfollower growled in angry disgust； 〃Stone and Sea！ She has made me unclean。 I must bathe…I will need a sea to wash away this coercion。〃
Bannor nodded。 〃I； also。〃
But neither of them moved； though the River Landrider was nearby beyond a low line of hills。 Covenant knew they were holding themselves at his disposal； they seemed to sense that he needed them。 And they had questions of their own。 But he felt unready for the things he would have to say。 After a silence； he asked painfully；' Triock summoned me…and he's dead。 Why am I still here？〃
Foamfollower mused briefly； then said； 〃Perhaps because the Law of Death has been broken…perhaps it was that Law which formerly sent you from the Land when your summoner died。 Or perhaps it is because I also had a hand in this call。〃
Yes； Covenant sighed to himself。 His debt to Triock was hardly less than what he owed Foamfollower。
He could not shirk the responsibility any longer； he forced himself to describe what had happened to Lena。
His voice was dull as he spoke of her…an old woman brought to a bloody and graveless end because in her confusion she clung to the man who had harmed her。 And her death was only the most recent tragedy in her family。 First and last； her people had borne the brunt of him： Trell Gravelingas； Atiaran Trell…mate； High Lord Elena； Lena herself…he had ruined them all。 Such things altered him； made a different man of him。 That made it possible for him to ask another question after he had told all he knew of his own tale。
〃Foamfollower〃…he framed his inquiry as carefully as he could… 〃it's none of my business。 But Pietten said some terrible things about you。 Or he meant them to be terrible。 He said…〃 But he could not say the words。 No matter how he uttered them； they would sound like an accusation。
The Giant sighed； and his whole frame sagged。 He studied his intertwined hands as if somewhere in their clasped gentleness and butchery were a secret he could not unclose； but he no longer evaded the question。 〃He said that I betrayed my kinfolk…that the Giants of Seareach died to the last child at the hands of turiya Raver because I abandoned them。 It is true。〃
Foamfollower！ Covenant moaned。 My friend！ Sorrow welled up in him； almost made him weep again。
Abstractedly； Bannor said； 〃Many things were lost in The Grieve that day。〃
〃 Yes。〃 Foamfollower blinked as if he were trying to hold back tears； but his eyes were dry； as parched as a wilderland。 〃Yes…many things。 Among them I was the least。
〃Ah； Covenant； how can I tell you of it？ This tongue has no words long enough for the tale。 No word can enpass the love for a lost homeland； or the anguish of diminishing seed； or the pride…the pride in fidelity… That fidelity was our only reply to our extinction。 We could not have borne our decline if we had not taken pride。
〃So my people…the Giants…I also； in my own way…the Giants were filled with horror…with abhorrence so deep that it numbed the very marrow of their bones…when they saw their pride riven…torn from them like rotten sails in the wind。 They foundered at the sight。 They saw the portent of their hope of Home…the three brothers…changed from fidelity to the most potent ill by one small stroke of the Despiser's evil。 Who in the Land could hope to stand against a Giant…Raver？ Thus the Unhomed became the means to destroy that to which they had held themselves true。 And in horror at the naught of their fidelity； their folly practiced through long centuries of pride； they were transfixed。 Their revulsion left no room in them for thought or resistance or choice。 Rather than behold the cost of their failure…rather than risk the chance that more of them would be made Soulcrusher's servants…they…they elected to be slain。
〃I also…in my way； I was horrified as well。 But I had already seen what they had not； until that moment。 I had seen myself bee what I hated。 Alone of all my kindred； I was not surprised。 It was not the vision of a Giant…Raver which horrified me。 It was my…my own people。
〃Ah！ Stone and Sea！ They appalled me。 I stormed at them…I ran through The Grieve like a dark sea of madness； howling at their abandonment； raging to strike one spark of resistance in the drenched tinder of their hearts。 But they…they put away their tools； and banked their fires； and made ready their homes as if in preparation for departure…'' Abruptly； his suppressed passion broke into a cry。 〃My people！ I could not bear it！ I fled them with abjection crowding at my heart…fled them lest I； too； should fall into their dismay。 Therefore they were slain。 I who might have fought the Raver deserted them in the deepest blackness of their need。〃 Unable to contain himself any longer； he heaved to his feet。 His raw； scourged voice rasped thickly in his throat。 〃I am unclean。 I must…wash。〃
Holding himself stiffly upright； he turned and lumbered away toward the river。
The helplessness of Covenant's pain came out as anger。 His own voice shook as he muttered to Banner； 〃If you say one word to blame him； I swear…〃
Then he stopped himself。 He had accused Bannor unjustly too often in the past； the Bloodguard had long ago earned better treatment than this from him。 But Bannor only shrugged。 〃I am a Haruchai； 〃 he said。 〃We also are not immune。 Corruption wears many faces。 Blame is a more enticing face than others； but it is none the less a mask for the Despiser。''
His speech made Covenant look at him closely。 Something came up between them that had never been laid to rest； neither on Gallows Howe nor in the Ramen covert。 It wore the aspect of habitual Bloodguard distrust； but as he met Banner's eyes； Covenant sensed that the issue was a larger one。
Without inflection； Bannor went on： 〃Hate and vengeance are also masks。〃
Covenant was struck by how much the Bloodguard had aged。 His mortality had accelerated。 His hair was the same silver as his eyebrows； his skin had a sere appearance； as if it had started to wither； and his wrinkles looked oddly fatal； like gullies of death in his countenance。 Yet his steady dispassion seemed as plete as ever。 He did not look like a man who had deserted his sworn loyalty to the Lords。
〃Ur…Lord；〃 he said evenly； 〃what will you do？〃
〃Do？〃 Covenant did his best to match the Bloodguard； though he could not look at Banner's aging without remorse。 〃I still have work to do。 I've got to go to Foul's Creche。〃
〃For what purpose？〃
〃I've got to stop him。〃
〃High Lord Elena also strove to stop him。 You have seen the oute。〃
〃Yes。〃 Covenant did full justice to Banner's statement。 But he did not falter。 〃I've got to find a better answer than she did。〃
〃Do you make this choice out of hate？〃
He met the question squarely。 〃I don't know。〃
〃Then why do you go？〃
〃Because I must。〃 That must carried the weight of an irrefusable necessity。 The escape he had envisioned when he had left Morinmoss did not suffice。 The Land's need held him like a harness。 〃I've done so many things wrong。 I've got to try to make them right。〃
Bannor considered this for a moment； then asked bluntly； 〃Do you know then how to make use of the wild magic？〃
〃No；〃 Covenant answered。 〃Yes。〃 He hesitated； not because he doubted his reply； but because he was reluctant to say it aloud。 But his sense of what was unresolved between him and Bannor had bee clearer； something more than distrust was at stake。 〃I don't know how to call it up； do anything with it。 But I know how to
