srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第99节

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　Beyond　her　in　the　Staffs　velure　light；　he　saw　that　a　massive　stalactite　had　angled　downward　and　attached　itself　to　the　lip　of　the　ledge。　The　stalactite　hit　there　as　if　it　had　been　violently　slammed　into　place。　Despite　its　ancientness；　it　seemed　to　quiver　with　the　force　of　impact。　Only　a　strait　passage　remained　between　the　stalactite　and　the　wall。
　Amok　halted　before　this　narrow　gap。　He　waited　until　his　panions　were　close　behind　him。　Then；　speaking　over　his　shoulder　in　an　almost　reverential　tone；　he　said；　〃Behold　Damelon's　Door…entryway　to　the　Power　of　mand。　For　this　reason　among　others；　none　may　approach　the　Power　in　my　absence。　The　knowledge　of　this　unlocking　is　contained　in　none　of　High　Lord　Kevin's　Wards。　And　any　who　dare　Damelon's　Door　without　this　unlocking　will　not　find　the
　Power。　They　will　wander　forever　torn　and　pathless　in　the　wilderness　beyond。　Now　hear　me。　Pass　swiftly　through　the　entryway　when　it　is　opened。　It　will　not　remain　open　long。〃
　Elena　nodded　intently。　Behind　her；　Covenant　braced　himself　on　her　shoulder　with　his　right　hand。　He　had　a　sudden　inchoate　feeling　that　this　was　his　last　chance　to　turn　back；　to　recant　or　undo　the　decisions　which　had　brought　him　here。　But　the　chance…if　it　was　a　chance…passed　as　quickly　as　it　had　e。　Amok　approached　the　Door。
　With　slow　solemnity；　the　youth　extended　his　right　hand；　touched　the　blank　plane　of　the　gap　with　his　index　finger。　In　silence　he　held　his　finger　at　that　point；　level　with　his　chest。
　A　fine　yellow　filigree　network　began　to　grow　in　the　air。　Starting　from　Amok's　fingertip；　the　delicate　web　of　light　spread　outward　in　the　plane　of　the　gap。　Like　a　skein　slowly　crystallizing　into　visibility；　it　expanded　until　it　filled　the　whole　Door。
　Amok　manded；　〃e；〃　and　stepped　briskly　through　the　web。
　He　did　not　break　the　delicate　strands　of　light。　Rather；　he　disappeared　as　he　touched　them。　Covenant　could　see　no　trace　of　him　on　the　ledge　beyond　the　Door。
　Morin　followed　Amok。　He；　too；　vanished　as　he　came　in　contact　with　the　yellow　web。
　Then　the　High　Lord　started　forward。　Covenant　stayed　with　her。　He　kept　his　grip　on　her　shoulder；　he　was　afraid　of　being　separated　from　her。　Boldly；　she　stepped　into　the　gap。　He　held　her　and　followed。　When　he　touched　the　glistening　network；　he　winced；　but　he　felt　no　pain。　A　swift　tingling　like　an　instant　of　ants　passed　over　his　flesh　as　he　crossed　the　gap。　He　could　feel　Bannor　close　behind　him。
　He　found　himself　standing　in　a　place　different　from　the　one　he　had　expected。
　As　he　looked　around　him；　the　web　faded；　vanished。　But　the　Staff　of　Law　continued　to　burn。　Back　through　the　gap；　he　could　see　the　ledge　and　the　stalactites　and　the　chasm。　But　no　chasm　existed　on　this　side　of　Dame
　Ion's　Door。　Instead　there　stretched　a　wide　stone　floor　in　which　stalactites　and　stalagmites　stood　like　awkward　colonnades；　and　a　mottled　ceiling　hunched　over　the　open　spaces。　Hushed　stillness　filled　the　air；　a　moment　passed　before　Covenant　realized　that　he　could　no　longer　hear　the　low　background　rumble　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir's　river。
　With　an　enpassing　gesture；　Amok　said　formally；　〃Behold　the　Audience　Hall　of　Earthroot。　Here　in　ages　long　forgotten　the　sunless　lake　would　rise　in　season　to　meet　those　who　sought　its　waters。　Now；　as　the　Earthpower　fades　from　mortal　knowledge；　the　Audience　Hall　is　unwet。　Yet　it　retains　a　power　of　mazement；　to　foil　those　who　are　unready　in　heart　and　mind。　All　who　enter　here　without　the　proper　unlocking　of　Damelon's　Door　will　be　forever　lost　to　life　and　use　and　name。〃
　Grinning；　he　turned　to　Elena。　〃High　Lord；　brighten　the　Staff　for　a　moment。〃
　She　seemed　to　guess　his　intention。　She　straightened　as　if　she　anticipated　awe；　eagerness　seemed　to　gleam　on　her　forehead。　Murmuring　ritualistically；　she　struck　the　Staff's　heel　on　the　stone。　The　Staff　flared；　and　a　burst　of　flame　sprang　toward　the　ceiling。
　The　result　staggered　Covenant。　The　surge　of　flame　sparked　a　reaction　in　all　the　stalactites　and　stalagmites。　They　became　instantly　glittering　and　reflective。　Light　ignited　on　every　column；　resonated；　rang　in　dazzling　peals　back　and　forth　across　the　cave。　It　burned　into　his　eyes　from　every　side　until　he　felt　that。　he　was　caught　on　the　clapper　of　an　immense　bell　of　light。　He　tried　to　cover　his　eyes；　but　the　clangor　went　on　in　his　mind。　Gasping；　searching　blindly　for　support；　he　began　to　founder。
　Then　Elena　silenced　the　Staff。　The　clamoring　light　faded　away；　echoed　into　the　distance　like　the　aftermath　of　a　clarion。　Covenant　found　that　he　was　on　his　knees　with　his　hands　clamped　over　his　ears。　Hesitantly；　be　looked　up。　All　the　reflections　were　gone；　the　columns　had　returned　to　their　former　rough　illuster。　As　Elena　helped　him　to　his　feet；　he　was　muttering　weakly；　〃By　hell。　By　hell。〃　Even　her　fond　face；　and　the　flat；　unamazed　countenances　of　the　Bloodguard；　could　not
　counteract　his　feeling　that　he　no　longer　knew　where　he　was。　And　when　Amok　led　the　High　Lord's　party　onward；　Covenant　kept　stumbling　as　if　he　could　not　find　his　footing　on　the　stone。
　After　they　left　the　perilous　cavern；　time　and　distance　passed　confusedly　for　him。　His　retinas　retained　a　capering　dazzle　which　disoriented　him。　He　could　see　that　the　High　Lord　and　Amok　descended　a　slope　which　spread　out　beyond　the　range　of　the　Staffs　light　like　a　protracted　shore；　a　colonnaded　beach　left　dry　by　the　recession　of　a　subterreanean　sea。　But　his　feet　could　not　follow　their　path。　His　eyes　told　him　that　Amok　led　them　directly　down　the　slope；　but　his　sense　of　balance　registered　alterations　in　direction；　changes　in　the　pitch　and　angle　of　descent。　Whenever　he　closed　his　eyes；　he　lost　all　impression　of　straightness；　he　reeled　on　the　uneven　surface　of　a　crooked　trail。
　He　did　not　know　where　or　how　far　he　had　traveled　when　Elena　stopped　for　a　brief　meal。　He　did　not　know　how　long　the　halt　lasted；　or　what　distance　he　walked　when　it　was　over。　All　his　senses　were　out　of　joint。　When　the　High　Lord　halted　again；　and　told　him　to　rest；　he　sank　down　against　a　stalagmite　and　went　to　sleep　without　question。
　In　dreams　he　wandered　like　one　of　the　lore　who　had　improvidently　braved　Damelon's　Door　in　search　of　Earthroot…he　could　hear　shrill；　stricken　wails　of　loss　as　if　he　were　crying　for　his　panions；　crying　for　himself…and　he　awoke　to　a　plete　confusion。　The　darkness　made　him　think　that　someone　had　pulled　the　fuses　of　his　house　while　he　lay　bleeding　and　helpless　on　the　floor　beside　his　coffee　table。　Numbly；　he　groped　for　the　receiver　of　the　telephone；　hoping　that　Joan　had　not　yet　hung　up　on　him。　But　then　his　fumbling　fingers　recognized　the　texture　of　stone。　With　a　choked　groan；　he　sprang　to　his　feet　in　the　midnight　under　Melenkurion　Skyweir。
　Almost　at　once；　the　Staff　flamed。　In　the　blue　light；　Elena　arose　to　catch　him　with　her　free　arm　and　clasp　him　tightly。　〃Beloved！〃　she　murmured。　〃Ah；　beloved。　Hold　fast。　I　am　here。〃　He　hugged　her　achingly；　pressed　his　face　into　her　sweet　hair　until　he　could　still　his　pain；
　regain　his　self…mand。　Then　he　slowly　released　her。　He　strove　to　express　his　thanks　with　a　smile；　but　it　broke　and　fell　into　pieces　in　his　face。　In　a　raw；　rasping　voice；　he　said；　〃Where　are　we？〃
　Behind　him；　Amok　fluted；　〃We　stand　in　the　Aisle　of　Approach。　Soon　we　will　gain　Earthrootstair。〃
　〃What〃…Covenant　tried　to　clear　his　head…〃what　time　is　it？〃
　〃Time　has　no　measure　under　Melenkurion　Skyweir；〃　the　youth　replied　imperviously。
　〃Oh；　bloody　hell。〃　Covenant　groaned　at　the　echo　he　heard　in　Amok's　answer。　He　had　been　told　too　often　that　white　gold　was　the　crux　of　the　arch　of　Time。
　Elena　came　to　his　relief。　〃The　sun　has　risen　to　midmorning；〃　she　said。　〃This　is　the　thirty…third　day　of　our　journey　from　Revelstone。〃　As　an　afterthought；　she　added；　〃Tonight　is　the　dark　of　the　moon。〃
　The　dark　of　the　moon；　he　muttered　mordantly　to　himself。　Have　mercy…　Terrible　things　happened　when　the　moon　was　dark。　The　Wraiths　of　Andelain　had　been　attacked　by　ur…viles…　Atiaran　had　never　forgiven　him　for　that。
　The　High　Lord　seemed　to　see　his　thoughts　in　his　face。　〃Beloved；〃　she　said　calmly；　〃do　not　be　so　convinced　of　doom。〃　Then　she　turned　away　and　started　to　prepare　a　spare　meal。
　Watching　her…seeing　her　resolution　and　personal　force　implicit　even　in　the　way　she　performed　this　simple　task　Covenant　clenched　his　teeth；　and　kept　the　silence　of　his　bargain。
　He　could　hardly　eat　the　food　she　handed　to　him。　The　effort　of　silence　made　him　feel　ill；　holding　down　his　passive　lie　seemed　to　knot　his　guts；　make　sustenance　unpalatable。　Yet　he　felt　that　he　was　starving。　To　ease　his　inanition；　he　forced　down　a　little　of　the　dry　bread　and　cured　meat　and　cheese。　The　rest　he　returned　to　Elena。　He　felt　almost　relieved　when　she　followed　Amok　again　into　the　darkness。
　He　went　dumbly　after　her。
　Sometime　during　the　previous　day；　the　High　Lord's　party　had　left　behind　the　Audience　Hall。　Now　they　traveled　a　wide；　featureless　tunnel　like　a　road　through
　the　stone。　Elena's　light　easily　reached　the　ceiling　and　walls。　Their　surfaces　were　oddly　smooth；　as　if　they　had　been　rubbed　for　long　ages　by　the　movement　of　something　rough　and　powerful。　This　smoothness　made　the　tunnel　seem　like　a　conduit　or　artery。　Covenant　distrusted　it；　he　half　expected　thick；　Laval　ichor　to　e　rushing　up　through　it。　As　he　moved；　he　played　ne