tw.togreenangeltower2-第124节

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　　　　　　　〃Camaris！〃　Josua　called。　The　figure　did　not　stop；　but　moved　along　unsteadily　toward　the　edge；　lurching　like　a　puppet　with　knotted　strings。　The　prince　began　to　run；　floundering　in　the　deep　snow；　then　slowed　as　he　reached　the　cliffs。　〃Camaris；〃　he　said；　his　voice　deceptively　calm。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
The　old　man　turned　to　look　at　him。　He　wore　no　cloak；　and　his　loose　shin　flapped　in　the　wind。　Even　seen　by　starlight　there　was　something　odd　in　his　posture。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　Josua。〃　The　prince　lifted　his　arms　as　though　to　embrace　the　old　man。　〃e　back　with　me。　We　will　sit　by　the　fire　and　talk。〃
　　　　　　　Camaris　stared　as　though　the　words　were　animal　noises；　then　began　to　make　his　way　down　the　rocks。　Josua　hastened　forward。
　　　　　　　〃Stop！　Camaris；　where　are　you　going？〃　He　scrambled　over　the　edge；　struggling　to　keep　his　balance　on　the　muddy　slope。　〃e　back　with　me。〃
　　　　　　　The　old　knight　whirled　and　pulled　Thorn　from　its　scabbard。　Although　he　seemed　fearfully　confused；　he　handled　the　sword　with　unthinking　mastery。　His　horn　Cellian　dangled　on　its　baldric；　drawing　Josua's　eye　as　it　swung　back　and　forth。　〃It　is　time；〃　Camaris　whispered。　He　was　barely　audible　above　the　waves　that　slapped　on　the　shore　below。
〃You　cannot　do　this。〃　Josua　reached　out　his　hand。　〃We　are　not　ready。　You　must　wait　until　the　others　can　go　with　you。〃　He　advanced　a　few　slithering　steps　down　the　slope。　〃e　back。〃
　　　　　　　Camaris　abruptly　swung　the　sword　in　a　wide；　flat　arc；　it　was　nearly　invisible　in　the　darkness；　but　it　hissed　as　it　passed　the　prince's　chest。
　　　　　　　〃Aedon's　Blood；　Camaris；　do　you　not　recognize　me？〃　Josua　took　a　step　back。　The　old　man　raised　the　sword　for
another　stroke。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　time！〃　he　said；　and　swung；　this　time　with　deadly　aim。
　　　　　　　Josua　threw　himself　backward。　His　feet　skidded　from　beneath　him　and　he　whirled　his　arms　for　a　moment；　struggling　for　balance；　then　fell　and　tumbled　down　the　slope；　through　long　grasses　and　over　mud　and　stones；　landing　at　last　in　a　drift　of　dirty　snow　where　he　lay　for　long　moments；　wheezing　in　pain。
〃Prince　Josua？！〃　A　head　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　rise。　〃Are　you　down　there？〃
Josua　dragged　himself　onto　his　feet。　Camaris　had　made　his　way　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　hill　and　onto　the　beach。　Now　he　was　a　ghostly　shape　moving　along　the　cliff　face。　〃I'm　here；〃　he　called　to　Jeremias。　〃Damn　it；　where　is　the　duke！？〃
　　　　　　　〃He's　ing；　but　I　don't　see　him　yet；〃　the　youth　said　excitedly。　〃I　ran　back　after　I　told　him。　Shall　I　e　down　and　help　you？　Are　you　hurt？〃
　　　　　　　Josua　turned　and　saw　Camaris　hesitating　before　one　of　the　black　openings　in　the　cliff　wall。　A　moment　later　he　vanished　into　the　hole。　〃No！〃　Josua　shouted；　then　called　up　to　Jeremias：　〃Get　Isgrimnur；　make　him　hurry！　Tell　him　Camaris　has　gone　into　one　of　the　caves　down　here…I　will　mark　which　one！　We　will　lose　him　if　we　wait　any　longer。　I　am　going　to　bring　him　out。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　。。。　you　。。　。〃　The　squire　was　confused。　〃You're　going　to　follow　him？〃
　　　　　　　〃Damn　me；　I　can't　let　him　go　down　there　himself…he　is　mad。　Aedon　knows　what…he　might　fall；　be　lost　。。。　I　will　bring　him　back　somehow；　even　if　I　have　to　outfight　him　myself　and　carry　him　back　on　my　shoulder。　But　for　God's　sake；　tell　Isgrimnur　to　hurry　with　the　torches　and　men。　Go　on；　boy；　run！〃
Jeremias　hesitated　a　moment　longer；　then　vanished　from　the　prince's　sight。　Josua　crawled　the　short　distance　to　where　his　torch　lay　sputtering　on　a　muddy　outcropping；　then　clambered　down　the　slope　to　the　beach。　He　quickly　made　his　way　to　the　place　where　Camaris　had　disappeared　and　found　a　cave　mouth　little　different　than　any　of　the　others　along　the　cliff。　Josua　grabbed　several　stones　and　piled　them　next　to　the　opening；　then　stepped　in；　holding　the　torch　before　him。

　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　stared　at　the　soldiers。　〃What　do　you　mean；　gone？〃
　　　　　　　The　man　looked　back　at　him；　half…apologetic　and　half…defensive。　〃Just　that；　Duke　Isgrimnur。　The　hole　splits　off；　goes　different　ways。　We　thought　we　saw　some　marks；　like　from　a　torch…end；　up　on　the　walls；　but　we　didn't　find　anybody　that　way。　We　searched　the　other　passages；　too。　It's　like　wormholes　in　there；　tunnels　everywhere。〃
〃And　you　shouted？〃
　　　　　　　〃Called　the　prince's　name　loud　as　we　could。　Nobody　called　back。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　stared　at　the　gap　in　the　cliff　wall；　then　looked　at　Sludig。　〃Ransomer　preserve　us；〃　he　groaned。　〃Both　gone。　We'll　have　to　get　the　Sithi　after　them　now。〃　He　turned　to　the　soldier。　〃I'll　be　back　before　sunrise。　Until　then；　keep　looking　and　calling。〃
　　　　　　　The　man　nodded。　〃Yes；　sire。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　pulled　at　his　beard　for　a　moment；　then　began　making　his　way　back　along　the　beach。　〃Oh；　Josua；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃You　fool。　And　me；　too。　We've　all　been　fools。〃

28
Abandoned　Ways

　　　　　　　Binabik　touched　her　arm。　〃Miriamele；　what　are　you　thinking？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　trying　to　think　of　what　we　can　do。〃　Her　head　was　pounding。　The　shadowed　cavern　seemed　to　be　closing　in。　〃We　have　to　get　out；　somehow。　We　have　to。　I　don't　want　to　be　trapped　in　here。〃　She　caught　her　breath　and　looked　at　Cadrach　huddled　against　the　wall　on　the　far　side　of　the　cavern。　〃How　could　he　do　such　things；　Binabik？　How　could　he　betray　us　all　that　way？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　was　not　knowing　you　then；〃　the　troll　pointed　out。　〃So　he　could　not　be　thinking　that　it　was　you　he　was　betraying。〃
〃But　he　didn't　tell　us　afterward！　He　didn't　tell　us　anything！　All　that　time　we　were　together。〃
Binabik　lowered　his　head。　〃It　is　done。　Now　we　must　be　thinking　on　other　things。〃　He　gestured　to　the　dwarrows；　who　were　seated　in　a　circle；　singing　quietly。　〃They　are　thinking　the　Norns　e　soon；　they　have　said　to　me。　Already　the　ward　is　crumbling。　The　door　will　not　hold　for　a　much　lengthier　time。〃
〃And　they're　just　going　to　sit　and　wait；〃　said　Miriamele　bitterly。　〃I　can't　understand　them　any　more　than　I　can　understand　Cadrach。〃　She　stood　and　walked　past　the　troll。　〃Yis…fidri！　Why　are　you　mooning　around　like　this　when　the　Norns　are　outside？　Don't　you　understand　what　will　happen　to　us？〃　She　heard　her　voice　rising　shrilly；　but　she　did　not　care。
The　dwarrows　stared　up　apprehensively；　mouths　agape；　Miriamele　thought　they　looked　like　a　nestful　of　baby　birds。　〃We　are　waiting　。。。〃　he　began。
　　　　　　　〃Waiting！　That's　just　it；　you're　waiting。〃　She　quivered　with　anger。　They　were　alt　waiting　for　those　fishbelly…white　things　to　e　in　and　take　them…take　her　and　the　troll；　too。　〃Then　let's　open　the　door　now。　Why　put　it　off　any　longer？　Binabik　and　I　wilt　fight　to　win　free　and　probably　be　killed…killed　because　you　brought　us　here　to　this　trap　against　our　will…and　you　will　sit　and　be　slaughtered。　So　there　is　no　sense　waiting　any　longer。〃
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　goggled。　〃But　。。。　perhaps　they　will　go。。。。〃
〃You　don't　believe　that！　e；　open　the　door！〃　Her　fear　beat　higher；　rising　like　storm…tossed　waves。　She　leaned　down　and　grabbed　the　dwarrow's　long　wrist　in　her　hand　and　tugged。　He　was　as　unmovable　as　stone。　〃Get　up；　damn　you！〃　she　shouted；　and　yanked　as　hard　as　she　could。　Alarmed；　the　dwarrows　burbled　at　each　other。　Yis…fidri's　eyes　widened　in　consternation；　with　a　flick　of　his　powerful　arm　he　dislodged　Miriamele's　grip。　She　fell　back　on　the　cavern　floor；　breathless。
　　　　　　　〃Miriamele！〃　Binabik　hurried　to　her　side。　〃Are　you　hurt？〃
She　shook　off　the　troll's　helping　hand　and　sat　up。　〃There！〃　she　said　triumphantly。　〃Yis…fidri；　you　didn't　tell　the　truth。〃
　　　　　　　The　dwarrow　stared　at　her　as　though　she　had　begun　to　foam　at　the　mouth。　He　curled　his　flat　fingers　protectively　against　his　chest。
　　　　　　　〃You　didn't；〃　she　said；　and　stood。　〃You　will　push　me　away　to　keep　me　from　forcing　you　against　your　will；　so　why　not　the　Norns？　Do　you　want　to　die；　then？　Because　the　Norns　will　certainly　kill　you；　kill　me；　kill　us　all。　Or　perhaps　they　will　make　you　slaves　again…is　that　what　you　are　hoping　for？　Why　do　you　resist　me　and　not　resist　them？〃
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　turned　briefly　to　his　wife；　she　stared　back　at　him；　silent　and　solemn…eyed。　〃But　there　is　naught　we　can　do。〃　The　dwarrow　seemed　to　be　pleading　for　Miriamele's　understanding。
〃There　is　always　something　you　can　do；〃　she　snapped。　〃It　may　not　change　anything；　but　you　will　have　tried。　You　are　strong；　Yis…fidri…you　dwarrow…folk　are　very　strong；　and　you　can　do　many　things：　I　watched　your　wife　shaping　stone。　Maybe　you　have　always　run　away　before；　but　now　there　is　nowhere　left　to　hide。　Stand　with　us；　damn　you！〃
Yis…hadra　said　something　in　the　dwarrow　tongue；　which　brought　a　murmuring　but　swift　reply　from　others　in　the　group。　Yis…fidri　entered　in；　then　for　a　long　time　the　dwarrows　argued　among　themselves；　voices　rushing　and　burbling　like　water　chiming　on　stone。
　　　　　　　At　last　Yis…hadra　rose。　〃I　will　stand　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃You　speak　rightly。　There　is　nowhere　left　to　run；　and　we　are　almost　the　last　of　our　kind。　If　we　die；　no　one　then　will　be　left　to　tend　and　harvest　the　stone；　no　one　to　find　the　beautiful　things　in　the　earth。　That　would　be　a　shame。〃　She　turned　to　her　husband　and　again　spoke　rapidly　to　him。　After　a　moment；　Yis…fidri　hooded　his　huge　eyes。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　do　as　my　wife　does；〃　he　said　with　obvious　reluctance。　〃But　we　do　not　speak　for　our　fellow　Tinukeda'ya。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　speak　to　them；〃　Miriamele　urged。　〃There　is　so　little　time！〃
Yis…fidri　hesitated；　then　nodded。　The　other　dwarrows　lo