srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第68节

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re　midafternoon　tomorrow；　it'll　be　wasted。〃
　Mhoram　nodded。　He　braced　himself　on　Terrel's　shoulder；　and　stumbled　away　along　the　ledge　with　Troy　and　Ruel　behind　him。
　They　made　slow　progress　at　first　because　of　Mhoram's　fatigue；　but　before　long　they　reached　a　small；　pine…girdled　valley　plentifully　grown　with　aliantha。　A　breakfast　of　treasure…berries　rejuvenated　Lord　Mhoram；　and　after　that　he　moved　more　swiftly。
　Behind　Mhoram　and　Terrel；　with　Ruel　at　his　back；　Troy　traveled　on　an　urgent　wind；　a　pressure　for　haste；　that　threatened　to　bee　a　gale。　He　was　eager　to　reach　the　Ranyhyn。　When　they　met　Tull　and　the　other　Bloodguard　on　their　way　up　the　trail；　he　mounted　Mehryl　at　once；　and　hurried　the　Ranyhyn　into　a　brisk　trot　back　toward　Mithil　Stonedown。
　He　intended　to　ride　straight　past　the　village　to　the　Plains；　where　the　Ranyhyn　could　run。　However；　as　he　and　his　panions　approached　the　Stonedown；　he　saw　the　Circle　of　elders　waiting　beside　the　trail。　Reluctantly；　he　stopped　and　saluted　them。
　〃Hail；　Warmark　Troy；〃　Terass　Slen…mate　replied。
　〃Hail；　Lord　Mhoram。　We　have　heard　some　of　the　tidings　of　war；　and　know　that　you　must　make　haste。　But　Triock　son　of　Thuler　would　speak　with　you。〃
　As　Terass　introduced　him；　Triock　stepped　forward。
　〃Hail；　elders　of　Mithil　Stonedown；〃　Mhoram　responded。　〃Our　thanks　again　for　your　hospitality。　Triock　son　of　Thuler；　we　will　hear　you。　But　speak　swiftly…time　presses　heavily　upon　us。〃
　〃It　is　no　great　matter；〃　said　Triock　stiffly。　〃I　wish　only　to　seek　pardon　for　my　earlier　conduct。　I　have　reason　for　distress；　as　you　know。　But　I　kept　my　Oath　of　Peace　at　Atiaran　Trell…mate's　behest；　at　a　time　when　I　sorely　wished　to　break　it。　I　have　no　wish　to　dishonor　her　courage　now。
　〃It　was　my　hope。　that　Trell　Gravelingas　would　stay　with　the　High　Lord…to　protect　her。〃　He　said　this　defiantly；　as　if　he　expected　Mhoram　to　reprimand　him。　〃Now　he　is　not　with　her…and　I　am　not　with　her。　My　heart　fears　this。　But　if　it　were　possible；　I　would　take　back　my　harshness　to　you。〃
　〃There　is　no　need　for　pardon；〃　Mhoram　answered。　〃My　own　weak　faith　provoked　you。　But　I　must　tell　you　that　I　believe　Thomas　Covenant　to　be　a　friend　of　the　Land。　The　burden　of　his　crime　hurts　him。　I　believe　he　will　seek　atonement　at　the　High　Lord's　side。〃
　He　paused；　and　Triock　bowed　in　a　way　that　said　he　accepted　the　Lord's　words　without　being　convinced。　Then　Mhoram　went　on；　〃Triock　son　of　Thuler；　please　accept　a　gift　from　me…in　the　name　of　the　High　Lord；　who　is　loved　by　all　the　Land。〃　Reaching　into　his　robe；　he　brought　out　his　lomillialor　rod。　〃This　is　High　Wood；　Triock。　You　have　been　in　the　Loresraat；　and　will　know　some　of　its　uses。　I　will　not　use　it　again。〃　He　said　this　with　a　resolution　that　surprised　Troy。　〃And　you　will　have　need　of　it。　I　am　called　seer　and　oracle…I　speak　from　knowledge；　though　the　need　itself　is　closed　to　me。　Please　accept　it…for　the　sake　of　the　love　we　share…and　as　expiation　for　my　doubt。〃
　Triock's　eyes　widened；　and　the　twisting　of　his　face　relaxed　briefly。　Troy　caught　a　glimpse　of　what　Triock　might　have　looked　like　if　his　life　had　not　been　blighted。
　In　silence；　he　accepted　the　rod　from　Lord　Mhoram's　hands。　But　when　he　held　the　High　Wood；　his　old　bitterness　gripped　his　features　again；　and　he　said　dourly；　〃I　may　find　a　use　which　will　surprise　you。〃　Then　he　bowed；　and　the　other　elders　bowed　with　him；　freeing　Mhoram　and　Troy　to　be　on　their　way。
　Troy　threw　them　a　salute；　and　took　his　opportunity。　He　had　no　time　to　spare　for　Mhoram's　strange　gift；　or　for　Triock's　brooding　promises。　Instead；　he　clapped　Mehryl　with　his　heels。　and　led　his　panions　out　of　the　valley　of　Mithil　Stonedown　at　a　gallop。
　In　a　short　time；　they　rounded　the　western　spur　of　the　mountains；　and　swung　out　into　the　Plains。　As　Troy　scanned　his　panions；　he　was　surprised　to　see　that　Tull's　mount　could　keep　up　the　pace。　This　Ranyhyn　had　been　ridden　through　danger　at　cruel　speeds　for　the　past　eight　days；　and　the　strain　had　wounded　its　gait。　But　it　was　a　Ranyhyn；　its　head　was　up；　its　eyes　were　proud；　and　its　matted　mane　jumped　on　its　neck　like　a　flag　gallantly　struggling　to　unfurl。　For　a　moment；　Troy　understood　why　the　Ramen　did　not　ride。　But　he　made　no　concessions　to　the　Ranyhyn's　fatigue。　Throughout　the　day；　he　kept　his　pany　running　like　rapid　thunder　into　the　west。
　He　ached　to　join　his　warriors；　to　share　the　fight　and　the　desperation　with　them；　to　show　them　the　one　way　in　which　they　might　be　able　to　steal　a　victory　out　of　the　teeth　of　Lord　Foul's　army。　Only　an　exigent　need　for　sleep　forced　him　to　stop　during　part　of　the　night。
　Ruel　awakened　him　before　dawn；　and　he　rode　on　again　along　the　base　of　the　Southron　Range。　When　daylight　returned　his　vision　to　him；　he　could　see　the　cliffs　near　Doom's　Retreat　ahead。　Now　his　direct　route　to　the　Retreat　would　take　him　angling　rapidly　closer　to　the　vanguard　of　Lord　Foul's　army。　But　he　kept　his　heading。　Near　that　horde　of　kresh　and　ur…viles；　he　would　find　whatever　was　left　of　the　mounted　Eoward。
　He　caught　sight　of　Quaan's　force　sooner　than　he　had　expected。　The　Hiltmark　must　have　taken　his　riders　on　a　southward　curve　toward　the　Retreat　to　keep　their　pursuers　as　far　as　possible　from　the　march　of　the　Warward。　Shortly　after　noon；　Troy　and　his　panions　crested　a　high　foothill　which　enabled　them　to　look　some　distance　north　into　the　Plains。　And　there；
　only　a　league　away；　they　saw　the　tattered；　fleeing　remnant　of　Quaan's　mand。
　At　first；　Troy　felt　a　thrill　of　relief。　He　could　see　Hiltmark　Quaan　riding　beside　his　standard…bearer　among　the　warriors。　At　least　sixscore　Bloodguard　galloped　among　the　Eoward。　And　the　blue　robes　of　Callindrill　and　Verement　were　clearly　visible　through　the　dark　surge　of　the　retreat。
　But　then　Troy　perceived　how　the　riders　were　moving。　They　were　almost　pletely　routed。　In　a　tight　mass　like　a　swath　of　panic　on　the　Plains；　they　pushed　and　jostled　against　each　other；　threw　frantic　glances　behind　them　in　ways　that　unbalanced　their　mounts；　bristled　with　angry　and　fearful　cries。　Some　of　them　whipped　their　horses。
　Behind　them；　the　kresh　ran　like　a　yellow　gale　scored　with　black。
　Nevertheless；　the　distance　between　the　warriors　and　the　wolves　remained　constant。　After　a　moment；　Troy　understood。　Quaan's　Eoward　were　struggling　to　match　exactly　the　hunting　pace　of　the　kresh。　The　wolves　themselves　could　not　maintain　a　dead　run。　They　were　forced　by　the　weight　of　their　riders；　and　by　the　long　distance　of　the　chase；　to　travel　at　the　swift；　loping　gait　of　a　hunting　pack。　And　Quaan's　warriors　fought　to　keep　their　flight　almost　directly　under　the　noses　of　the　wolves。　In　this　way；　they　lured　the　kresh　onward。　With　prey　so　near；　the　wolves　could　neither　rest　nor　turn　aside。
　Quaan's　strategy　was　cunning…cunning　and　fatal。　The　warriors　also　could　not　rest。　They　were　vulnerable　to　every　spurt　of　speed　from　the　kresh。　And　any　warrior　who　was　unseated　for　any　reason　was　instantly　torn　to　pieces。　Another　Eoward　had　already　been　lost　this　way。　But　if　Quaan　could　maintain　these　tactics；　the　marching　Eoward　would　have　until　late　afternoon　to　reach　their　positions　in　Doom's　Retreat。
　The　Warmark　did　not　bother　to　calculate　the　odds。　He　urged　Mehryl　ahead。　At　full　stretch；　the　Ranyhyn　raced　to　join　Quaan。
　When　they　saw　Troy　and　Lord　Mhoram；　the　warriors　gave　a　raw；　dry　cheer。　Quaan；　Callindrill；　and　Verement　dashed　out　toward　the　Warmark。　But　there　was　little　joy　in　their　reunion。　The　plight　of　the　Eoward　was　desperate。　When　he　drew　close　to　them；　Troy　saw　that　most　of　the　horses　were　virtually　prostrate　on　their　feet；　only　their　fear　of　the　wolves　kept　them　up　and　running。　And　the　warriors　were　in　no　better　condition。　They　had　ridden　for　days　without　proper　food　or　sleep。　None　of　them　lacked　injuries。　The　dust　of　the　Plains　clung　to　their　faces　and　clotted　their　wounds；　making　the　cuts　and　rents　look　like　premature　scars。　Troy　had　to　tear　his　aching　gaze　from　them　to　salute　the　Hiltmark。
　Through　the　thunder　of　the　hooves；　Quaan　shouted；　〃Hail；　Warmark！　Well　met！〃　As　Troy　swung　Mehryl　into　place　beside　him；　he　added；　〃Not　eight　days；　I　fear！〃
　〃Did　you　send　word　to　Amorine？〃　Troy　yelled。
　〃Yes！〃
　〃Then　it's　all　right！　Seven　will　be　enough！〃　He　clapped　the　Hiltmark's　shoulder；　then　slowed　Mehryl；　and　dropped　back　among　the　warriors。
　Immediately；　dust　and　fear　and　tension　swirled　around　him　like　the　hot　breath　of　the　kresh。　Now　he　could　hear　the　hunting　snarl　of　the　wolves；　and　the　roynish　barking　of　the　ur…viles。　He　felt　their　presence　as　if　they　were　his　fault…as　if　they　had　been　created　by　his　folly。　Yet　he　forced　himself　to　smile　at　his　warriors；　shout　encouragement　through　the　din。　He　could　not　afford　self…recrimination。　The　burden　of　saving　the　Warward　was　on　his　shoulders　now。
　Moments　later；　a　surge　ran　through　the　barking　mands　of　the　ur…viles。　Troy　guessed　that　the　pursuers　were　about　to　attempt　another　spurt。
　He　looked　ahead　quickly　toward　the　sheer　cliffs　of　Doom's　Retreat。　They　were　no　more　than　two　leagues　away。　There　the　western　tip　of　the　Southron　Range　swung　northward　to　meet　the　southeast　corner　of　the　mountain　wedge　which　separated　the　South　Plains　from　Garroting　Deep；　and　between　these　two　ranges　was　the　defile　of　Doom's　Retreat。　The　narrow　canyon
　lay　like　a　gash　through　th