srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第34节

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　〃It　is　clear　now　that　Lord　Foul　lusts　to　strike　back　at　his　brother；　the　Creator。　And　at　last；　after　ages　of　bootless　wars　carried　on　out　of　malice；　out　of　a　desire　to　harm　the　creation　because　he　could　not　touch　the　Creator；　Lord　Foul　has　found　a　way　to　achieve　his　end；　to　destroy　the　arch　of　Time；　unbind　his　exile；　and　return　to　his　forbidden　home；　for　spite　and　woe。　When　the　Staff　of　Law；　lost　by　Kevin　at　the　Desecration；　came　within　his　influence；　he　gained　a　chance　to　bridge　the　gap　between　worlds…a　chance　to　bring　white　gold　into　the　Land。
　〃I　tell　you　simply：　it　is　Lord　Foul's　purpose　to　master　the　wild　magic…'the　anchor　of　the　arch　of　life　that　spans　and　masters　Time'…and　with　it　bring　Time　to　an　end；　so　that　he　may　escape　his　bondage　and　carry　his　lust　throughout　the　universe。　To　do　this；　he　must　defeat　you；　must　wrest　the　white　gold　from　you。　Then　all　the　Land　and　all　the　Earth　will　surely　fall。〃
　Covenant　raised　his　head；　and　Mhoram　tried　to　anticipate　his　next　question。　〃But　how？…how　does　the　Despiser　mean　to　acplish　this　purpose？　Ah；　my　friend；　that　I　do　not　know。　He　will　choose　ways　which　resemble　our　own　desires　so　closely　that　we　will　not　resist。　We　will　not　be　able　to　distinguish　between　his　service　and　our　own　until　we　are　bereft　of　all　aids　but　you；　whether　you　choose　to　help　us　or　no。〃
　〃But　why？〃　Covenant　repeated。　〃Why　me？〃
　Again；　Mhoram　felt　that　his　answer　did　not　lie　in　the　direction　of　Covenant's　question。　But　still　he　offered　it；　humbly；　knowing　that　it　was　all　he　had　to　give　his　tormented　visitor。
　〃My　friend；　it　is　in　my　heart　that　you　were　chosen　by　the　Creator。　That　is　our　hope。　Lord　Foul　taught　Drool　to　do　the　summoning　because　he　desired　white　gold。　But　Drool's　hands　were　on　the　Staff；　not　Lord　Foul's。　The　Despiser　could　not　control　who　was　summoned。　So　if　you　were　chosen；　you　were　chosen　by　the　Creator。
　〃Consider。　He　is　the　Creator；　the　maker　of　the　Earth。　How　can　he　stand　careless　and　see　his　making　destroyed？　Yet　he　cannot　reach　his　hand　to　help　us　here。　That　is　the　law　of　Time。　If　he　breaks　the　arch　to　touch　the　Land　with　his　power；　Time　will　end；　and　the　Despiser　will　be　free。　So　he　must　resist　Lord　Foul　elsewhere。　With　you；　my　friend。〃
　〃Damnation；〃　Covenant　mumbled。
　〃Yet　even　this　you　must　understand。　He　cannot　touch　you　here；　to　teach　or　help　you；　for　the　same　reason　that　he　cannot　help　us。　Nor　can　he　touch　or　teach　or　help　you　in　your　own　world。　If　he　does；　you　will　not　be　free。　You　will　bee　his　tool；　and　your　presence　will　break　the　arch　of　Time；　unbinding　Despite。　So　you　were　chosen。　The　Creator　believes　that　your　uncoerced　volition　and　strength　will　save　us　in　the　end。　If　he　is　wrong；　he　has　put　the　weapon　of　his　own　destruction　into　Lord　Foul's　hands。〃
　After　a　long　silence；。　Covenant　muttered；　〃A　hell　of　a　risk。〃
　〃Ah；　but　he　is　the　Creator。　How　could　he　do　otherwise？〃
　〃He　could　burn　the　place　down；　and　try　again。　But　I　guess　you　don't　think　gods　are　that　humble。　Or　do　you　call　it　arrogance…to　burn…？　Never　mind。　I　seem　to　remember　that　not　all　the　Lords　believe　in　this　Creator　as　you　do。〃
　〃That　is　true。　But　you　came　to　me。　I　answer　as　I　can。〃
　〃I　know。　Don't　mind　me。　But　tell　me　this。　What　would　you　do　in　my　place？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Mhoram。　At　last　he　moved　his　chair　to　one　side；　so　that　he　could　see　Covenant's　face。　Gazing　into　the　Unbeliever's　unsteady　features；　he　replied；　〃That　I　will　not　answer。　Who　can　declare？　Power　is　a　dreadful　thing。　I　cannot　judge　you　with　an　answer。　I　have　not　yet　judged　myself。〃
　The　instability　of　Covenant's　expression　momentarily　resolved　into　seeking。　But　he　did　not　speak；　and　after　a　time　Mhoram　decided　to　risk　another　question。　〃Thomas　Covenant；　why　do　you　take　this　so？　Why　are　you　so　hurt？　You　say　that　the　Land　is　a　dream　a　delusion…that　we　have　no　real　life。　Then　do　not　be　concerned。　Accept　the　dream；　and　laugh。　When　you　awaken；　you　will　be　free。〃
　〃No；〃　Covenant　said。　〃I　recognized　something　in　what　you　said…I'm　starting　to　understand　this。　Listen。　This　whole　crisis　here　is　a　struggle　inside　me。　By　hell；　I've　been　a　leper　so　long；　I'm　starting　to　think　that　the　way　people　treat　lepers　is　justified。　So　I'm　being　my　own　enemy；　my　own　Despiser…working　against　myself　when　I　try　to　stay　alive　by　agreeing　with　the　people　who　make　it　so　hard。　That's　why　I'm　dreaming　this。　Catharsis。　Work　out　the　dilemma　subconsciously；　so　that　when　I　wake　up　I'll　be　able　to　cope。〃
　He　stood　up　suddenly；　and　began　to　pace　Mhoram's　ascetic　chamber　with　a　voracious　gleam　in　his　eyes。　〃Sure。　That's　it。　Why　didn't　I　think　of　it　before？　I've　been　telling　myself　all　the　time　that　this　is　escapism；　suicide。　But　that's　not　it…that's　not　it　at　all。　Just　forget　that　I'm　losing　every　one　of　the　habits　that　keep　me　alive。　This　is　dream　therapy。〃
　But　abruptly　a　grimace　of　pain　clutched　his　face。　〃Hellfire！〃　he…　rasped　intensely。　〃That　sounds　like　a　story　I　should　have　burned…back　when　I　was　burning　stories…when　I　still　had　stories　to　burn。〃
　Mhoram　heard　the　anguished　change；　the　turning　to　dust；　in　Covenant's　tone；　and　he　stood　to　reach　out　toward　his　visitor。　But　he　did　not　need　to　move；　Covenant　came　almost　aimlessly　in　his　direction；　as　if　within　the　four　walls　of　the　chamber　he　had　lost　his　way。　He　stopped　at　the　table　near　Mhoram；　and　gazed　miserably　at　the　krill。　His　voice　shook。
　〃I　don't　believe　it。　That's　just　another　easy　way　to　die。　I　already　know　too　many　of　them。〃
　He　seemed　to　stumble；　though　he　was　standing　still。　He　lurched　forward；　and　caught　himself　on　Mhoram's　shoulder。　For　a　moment；　he　clung　there；　pressing　his　forehead　into　Mhoram's　robe。　Then　Mhoram　lowered　him　into　a　chair。
　〃Ah；　my　friend；　how　can　I　help　you？　I　do　not　understand。〃
　Covenant's　lips　trembled；　but　with　a　visible　effort　he　regained　control　of　his　voice。　〃Just　tired。　I　haven't　eaten　since　yesterday。　That　Unfettered　One…drained　me。　Some　food　would　be　very　nice。〃
　The　opportunity　to　do　something　for　Covenant　gave　Mhoram　a　feeling　of　relief。　Moving　promptly；　he　brought　his　guest　a　flask　of　springwine。　Covenant　drank　as　if　he　were　trying　to　break　an　inner　drought；　and　Mhoram　went　to　his　back　rooms　to　find　some　food。
　While　he　was　placing　bread　and　cheese　and　grapes　on　a　tray；　he　heard　a　sharp；　distant　shout；　a　voice　cried　his　name　with　an　urgency　that　smote　his　heart。　He　set　the　tray　down；　hastened　to　throw　open　the　door　of　his　chambers。
　In　the　sudden　wash　of　light　from　the　courtyard；　he　saw　a　warrior　standing　in　one　of　the　coigns　high　above　him。　The　warrior　was　a　young　man…too　young　for　war　meat；　Mhoram　thought　grimly…who　had　lost　mand　of　himself。　〃Lord　Mhoram！〃　he　blurted。　〃e！　Now！　The　Close！〃
　〃Stop。〃　The　authority　in　Mhoram's　tone　caught　the　young　man　like　a　bit。　He　winced；　stiffened；　forced　down　a　chaotic　tumult　of　words。　Then　he　recovered　his　self…possession。　Seeing　this；　the　Lord　said　more　gently；　〃I　hear　you。　Speak。〃
　〃The　High　Lord　asks　that　you　e　to　the　Close　at　once。　A　messenger　has　e　from　the　Plains　of　Ra。　The　Gray　Slayer　is　marching。〃
　〃War？〃　Mhoram　spoke　softly　to　conceal　a　sharp　prevision　of　blood。
　〃Yes；　Lord　Mhoram。〃
　　〃Please　say　to　the　High　Lord　that　that　I　have　heard　you。〃
　Bearing　himself　carefully；　Mhoram　turned　back　toward　Covenant。　The　Unbeliever　met　his　gaze　with　a　hot；　oddly　focused　look；　as　if　his　skull　were　splitting　between　his　eyes。　Mhoram　asked　simply；　〃Will　you　e？〃
　Covenant　gripped　the　Lord's　gaze；　and　said；　〃Tell　me　something；　Mhoram。　How　did　you　get　away　when　that　Raver　caught　you…near　Foul's　Creche？〃
　Mhoram　answered　with　a　conscious　serenity；　a　refusal　of　dismay；　which　looked　like　danger　in　his　goldflecked　eyes。　〃The　Bloodguard　with　me　were　slain。　But　when　samadhi　Raver　touched　me；　he　knew　me　as　I　knew　him。　He　was　daunted。〃
　For　a　moment；　Covenant　did　not　move。　Then　he　dropped　his　glance。　Wearily；　he　set　the　stoneware　flask　on　the　table；　pushed　it　over　so　that　it　clicked　against　the　krill。　He　tugged　momentarily　at　his　beard；　then　pulled　himself　to　his　feet。　To　Mhoram's　gaze；　he　looked　like　a　thin　candle　clogged　with　spilth…guttering；frail；　and　portionless。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃Elena　asked　me　the　same　thing。　For　all　the　good　it'll　do　any　of　us。　I'm　ing。〃
　Awkwardly；　he　shambled　out　onto　the　burning　floor。
　
　
　PART　II
　The　Warmark
　
　
　ELEVEN：　War　Council
　
　HILE　Troy　was　sure　of　one　thing；　despite　whatever　Covenant　said；　the　Land　was　no　dream。　He　perceived　this　with　an　acuteness　which　made　his　heart　ache。
　In　the　〃real〃　world；　he　had　not　been　simply　blind；　he　had　been　eyeless　from　birth。　He　lacked　even　the　organs　of　sight　which　could　have　given　him　a　conception　of　what　vision　was。　Until　the　mysterious　event　which　had　snatched　him　from　between　opposing　deaths；　and　had　dropped　him　on　the　sunlit　grass　of　Trothgard；　light　and　dark　had　been　equally　inprehensible　to　him。　He　had　not　known　that　he　lived　in　immitigable　midnight。　The　tools　with　which　he　had　handled　his　physical　surroundings　had　been　hearing　and　touch　and　language。　His　sense　of　ambience；　his　sensitivity　to　the　auras　of　objects　and　the　resonances　of　space；　was　translated　by　words　until　it　became　his　sole　measure　of　the　concrete　world。　He　had　been　a　good　strategist　precisely　because　his　perceptions　of　space　and　interacting　for