srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第87节

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g　the　Despiser's　glee；　he　had　lived　to　strike　one　more　blow！
　〃Thomas　Covenant；　I　believe　that　there　is　immeasurable　strength　in　the　consummation　of　despair　strength　beyond　all　conceiving　by　an　unholocausted　soul。　I　believe　that　if　High　Lord　Kevin　could　speak　from　beyond　the　grave；　he　would　utter　a　word　which　would　unmarrow　the　very　bones　of　Lord　Foul's　Despite。〃
　〃That's　madness！〃　Covenant　gasped　thickly。　Elena's　gaze　wavered　on　the　edge　of　focus；　and　he　could　not　bear　to　look　at　her。　〃Do　you　think　that　some　existence　after　death　is　going　to　vindicate　you　after　you've　simply　extirpated　life　from　the　Earth？　That　was　exactly　Kevin's　mistake。　I　tell　you；　he　is　roasting　in　hell！〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　she　said　softly。　To　his　surprise；　the
　storm　implied　in　her　voice　was　gone。　〃We　will　never　possess　such　knowledge…and　should　not　need　it　to　live　our　lives。　But　I　find　a　danger　in　Lord　Mhoram's　belief　that　the　Earth's　Creator　has　chosen　you　to　defend　the　Land。　It　is　in　my　heart　that　this　does　not　account　for　you。
　〃However；　I　have　thought　at　times　that　perhaps　our　dead　live　in　your　world。　Perhaps　High　Lord　Kevin　now　restlessly　walks　your　Earth；　searching　a　voice　which　may　utter　his　word　here。〃
　Covenant　groaned；　Elena's　suggestion　dismayed　him。　He　heard　the　connection　she　drew　between　Kevin　Landwaster　and　himself。　And　the　implications　of　that　kinship　made　his　heart　totter　as　if　it　were　assailed　by　potent　gusts　of　foreboding。　As　they　rode　onward；　the　new　silence　between　them　glistened　like　white　eyes　of　fear。
　This　mood　grew　stronger　through　that　day　and　the　next。　The　magnitude　of　the　issues　at　stake　numbed　Covenant；　he　did　not　have　the　hands　to　juggle　them。　He　withdrew　into　silence　as　if　it　were　a　chrysalis；　an　armor　for　some　special　vulnerability　or　metamorphosis。　An　obscure　impulse　like　a　memory　of　his　former　days　with　Atiaran　prompted　him　to　drop　away　from　Elena's　side　and　ride　behind　her。　At　her　back；　he　followed　Amok　into　the　upper　reaches　of　Trothgard。
　Then；　on　the　sixth　day；　the　thirteenth　since　he　had　left　Revelstone；　he　came　to　himself　again　after　a　fashion。　Scowling　thunderously；　he　raised　his　head；　and　saw　the　Westron　Mountains　ranging　above　him。　High　Lord　Elena's　party　was　nearing　the　southwest　corner　of　Trothgard；　where　the　Rill　River　climbed　up　into　the　mountains；　and　already　the　crags　and　snows　of　the　range　filled　the　whole　western　sky。　Trothgard　lay　unrolled　behind　him　like　the　Lords'　work　exposed　for　review；　it　beamed　in　the　sunlight　as　if　it　were　confident　of　approbation。　Covenant　frowned　at　it　still　more　darkly；　and　turned　his　attention　elsewhere。
　The　riders　moved　near　the　rim　of　the　canyon　of　the　Rill。　The　low；　incessant　rush　of　its　waters；　unseen　below　the　edge　of　the　canyon；　gave　Trothgard　a　dimension　of　sound　like　a　subliminal　humming　made　by　the　mountains　and　hills。　All　the　views　had　a　new　suggestiveness；　a　timbre　of　implication。　It　reminded　Covenant　that　he　was　climbing　into　one　of　the　high　places　of　the　Land…and　he　did　not　like　high　places。　But　he　clenched　his　frown　to　anchor　the　involuntary　reactions　of　his　face；　and　returned　to　Elena's　side。　She　gave　him　a　smile　which　he　could　not　return；　and　they　rode　on　together　toward　the　mountains。
　Late　that　afternoon；　they　stopped；　made　camp　beside　a　small　pool　near　the　edge　of　the　canyon。　Water　came　splashing　out　of　the　mountainside　directly　before　them；　and　collected　in　a　rocky　basin　before　pouring　over　the　rim　toward　the　Rill。　That　pool　could　have　served　as　a　corner　marker　for　Trothgard。　Immediately　south　of　it　was　the　Rill's　canyon；　on　the　west；　the　mountains　seemed　to　spring　abruptly　out　of　the　ground；　like　a　frozen　instant　of　ambuscade；　and　Kurash　Plenethor　lay　draped　northeastward　across　the　descending　terrain。　The　aggressive　imminence　of　the　mountains　contrasted　vividly　with　the　quiet　panoply　of　Trothgard…and　that　contrast；　multiplied　by　the　lambent　sound　of　the　unseen　Rill；　gave　the　whole　setting　a　look　of　surprise；　an　aspect　or　impression　of　suddenness。　The　atmosphere　around　the　pool　carried　an　almost　tangible　sense　of　boundary。
　Covenant　did　not　like　it。　The　air　contained　too　much　crepuscular　lurking。　It　made　him　feel　exposed。　And　the　riders　were　not　forced　to　stop　there；　enough　daylight　remained　for　more　traveling。　But　the　High　Lord　had　decided　to　camp　beside　the　pool。　She　dismissed　Amok；　sent　the　two　Bloodguard　away　with　the　Ranyhyn　and　Covenant's　horse；　then　set　her　pot　of　graveling　on　a　flat　rock　near　the　pool；　and　asked　Covenant　to　leave　her　alone　so　that　she　could　bathe。
　Snorting　as　if　the　very　air　vexed　him；　he　stalked　off　into　the　lee　of　a　boulder　where　he　was　out　of　sight　of　the　pool。　He　sat　with　his　back　to　the　stone；　hugged　his　knees；　and　gazed　down　over　Trothgard。　He　found　the　woodland　hills　particularly　attractive　as　the　mountain　shadow　began　to　fall　across　them。　The　peaks　seemed　to　exude　an　austere　dimness　which　by　slow
　degrees　submerged　Trothgard's　luster。　Through　simple　size　and　grandeur；　they　exercised　precedence。　But　he　preferred　Trothgard。　It　was　lower　and　more　human。
　Then　the　High　Lord　interrupted　his　reverie。　She　had　left　her　robe　and　the　Staff　of　Law　on　the　grass　by　her　graveling。　Wrapped　only　in　a　blanket；　and　drying　her　hair　with　one　corner　of　it；　she　came　to　join　him。　Though　the　blanket　hung　about　her　thickly；　revealing　even　less　of　her　supple　figure　than　did　her　robe；　her　presence　felt　more　urgent　than　ever。　The　simple　movement　of　her　limbs　as　she　seated　herself　at　his　side　exerted　an　unsettling　influence　over　him。　She　demanded　responses。　He　found　that　his　chest　hurt　again；　as　it　had　at　Glimmermere。
　Striving　to　defend　himself　against　an　impossible　tenderness；　he　flung　away　from　the　boulder；　walked　rapidly　toward　the　pool。　The　itching　of　his　beard　reminded　him　that　he　also　seeded　a　bath。　The　High　Lord　remained　out　of　sight；　Bannor　and　Morin　were　nowhere　around。　He　dropped　his　clothes　by　the　graveling　pot；　and　went　to　the　pool。
　The　water　was　as　cold　as　snow；　but　he　thrust　himself　into　it　like　a　man　exacting　penance；　and　began　to　scrub　at　his　flesh　as　if　it　were　stained。　He　attacked　his　scalp　and　cheeks　until　his　fingertips　tingled；　then　submerged　himself　until　his　lungs　burned。　But　when　he　pulled　himself　out　of　the　water　and　went　to　the　graveling　for　warmth；　he　found　that　he　had　only　aggravated　his　difficulties。　He　felt　whetted；　more　voracious；　but　no　cleaner。
　He　could　not　understand　Elena's　power　over　him；　could　not　control　his　response。　She　was　an　illusion；　a　figment；　he　should　not　be　so　attracted　to　her。　And　she　should　not　be　so　willing　to　attract　him。　He　was　already　responsible　for　her；　his　one　potent　act　in　the　Land　had　doomed　him　to　that。　How　could　she　not　blame　him？
　Moving　with　an　intemperate　jerkiness；　he　dried　himself　on　one　of　the　blankets；　then　draped　it　by　the　pot　to　dry；　and　began　to　dress。　He　put　on　his　clothes　fiercely；　as　if　he　were　girding　for　battle…laced　and　hauled　and　zipped　and　buckled　himself　into　his　sturdy　boots；　his　T…shirt；　his　tough；　protective　jeans。　He
　checked　to　be　sure　that　he　still　carried　his　penknife　and　Hearthrall　Tohrm's　orcrest　in　his　pockets。
　When　he　was　properly　caparisoned；　he　went　back　through　the　twilight　toward　the　High　Lord。　He　stamped　his　feet　to　warn　her　of　his　approach；　but　the　grass　absorbed　his　obscure　vehemence；　and　he　made　no　more　noise　than　an　indignant　specter。
　He　found　her　standing　a　short　distance　downhill　from　the　boulder。　She　was　gazing　out　over　Trothgard。　with　her　arms　folded　across　her　chest；　and　did　not　turn　toward　him　as　he　drew　near。　For　a　time；　he　stood　two　steps　behind　her。　The　sky　was　still　too　sun…pale　for　stars；　but　Trothgard　lay　under　the　premature　gloaming　of　the　mountains。　In　the　twilight；　the　face　of　the　Lords'　promise　to　the　Land　was　veiled　and　dark。
　Covenant　twisted　his　ring；　wound　it　on　his　finger　as　if　he　were　tightening　it　to　the　pitch　of　some　outbreak。　Water　from　his　wet　hair　dripped　into　his　eyes。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　harsh　with　a　frustration　that　he　could　neither　relieve　nor　repress。
　〃Hellfire；　Elena！　I'm　your　father！〃
　She　gave　no　sign　that　she　had　heard　him；　but　after　a　moment　she　said　in　a　low；　musing　tone；　〃Triock　son　of　Thuler　would　believe　that　you　have　been　honored。　He　would　not　utter　it　kindly…but　his　heart　would　speak　those　words；　or　hold　that　thought。　Had　you　not　been　summoned　to　the　Land；　he　might　have　wed　Lena　my　mother。　And　he　would　not　have　taken　himself　to　the　Loresraat；　for　he　had　no　yearning　for　knowledge　…the　stewardship　of　Stonedownor　life　would　have　sufficed　for　him。　But　had　he　and　Lena　my　mother　borne　a　child　who　grew　to　bee　High　Lord　of　the　Council　of　Revelstone；　he　would　have　felt　honored…both　elevated　and　humbled　by　his　part　in　his　daughter。
　〃Hear　me；　Thomas　Covenant。　Triock　Thuler…son　of　Mithil　Stonedown　is　my　true　father…the　parent　of　my　heart；　though　he　is　not　the　sire　of　my　blood。　Lena　my　mother　did　not　wed　him；　though　he　begged　her　to　share　her　life　with　him。　She　desired　no　other　sharing　…the　life　of　your　child　satisfied　her。　But　though　she　would　not　share　her　life；　he　shared　his。　He　pro
　vided　for　her　and　for　me。　He　took　the　place　of　a　son　with　Trell　Lena's　father　and　Atiaran　her　mother。
　〃Ah；　he　was　a　dour　parent。　His　heart's　love　ran　in　broken　channels…yearning　and　grie